Two writers compete to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with unexpected twists and turns in this new, dazzling book by Emily Henry.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
What is the Book About?
Great Big Beautiful Life is Emily Henry’s latest book, set in Little Crescent Island, Georgia.
The protagonist is Alice Scott, an eternal optimist who has big dreams for her career as a journalist.
Her love interest is Hayden Anderson, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist. Quiet and grumpy, Hayden is a complete contrast to Alice.
The pair begin to compete over who will write the biography of Margaret Ives, a tragic heiress, former tabloid princess and the daughter of one of the most famous (and scandalous) families of the 20th century.
Hidden from the public eye for several years and now in her 80s, Margaret enlists Alice and Hayden for a one-month trial period of several interviews, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story.
However, readers will soon learn Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story, not telling the whole truth.
Unable to put the pieces of Margaret’s life together, Alice and Hayden find themselves on a journey of discovery about themselves and their book's subject.
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Why Should I Read This Book?
The main plot of the book is compelling in its own right, but there is so much more to the novel.
Margaret tells her story from the very first Ives, who discovered silver in Nevada in the 1800s, up to how their media empire was formed.
Potentially inspired by the Kennedy family, the Iveses have a complicated relationship with each generation of the family having its struggles, from affairs to sudden deaths to romantic relationships.
Great Big Beautiful Life, however, is more than just about scandals and family tragedy; the book is also a love story.
As a reader, you get to see our protagonists slowly fall in love with each other, with Alice able to get Hayden to open up as a person outside of his career.
Once Alice and Hayden discover the true reason why they have both come to the island, it is a surprise that I believe the readers will enjoy.
The book also explores Alice and Hayden’s difficult relationship with their parents and the impact it has on them now.
Themes of grief and love are quite present in the book, with Alice struggling to cope with the death of her father as well as Margaret’s loss of her sister.
Emily Henry’s unique writing style captivates readers from the start, with her wit and banter contrasting beautifully with the more serious parts of the plot.
The book is, in some way, similar to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in how a writer tells the story of a famous woman from the past.
If you’re a fan of a historical mystery intertwined in a romance, then Emily Hunt’s Great Big Beautiful Life should be on your summer reading list
Author Profile: Emily Henry
Emily Henry is a New York Times bestseller.
The American author lives the Midwest and studied creative writing at Hope College, a liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan.
Emily Henry has released six books so far, with her first book, a New York Times bestseller, Beach Read, being published on May 19, 2020.
Her other books include: Funny Story, Happy Place, Book Lovers and People We Meet On Vacation.
Henry doesn’t share much of her personal life, but she has a newsletter called Emily’s Grocery List, where she gives reading recommendations, book news, writing tips and bonus content.
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