I like to call Emily Henry the people’s princess because since she transitioned into writing adult novels, I believe she has a book for everyone. In a space so subjective as the reader space, it’s so rare that everyone likes and respects the same author; but Emily Henry has become that person.
With six books under her belt after moving into a new genre, each one continues to skyrocket her into further success. All five of her new adult works have been picked up for movies or television adaptations, and I’m sure “Great Big Beautiful Life” will follow closely behind.
“Great Big Beautiful Life”, or “GBBL,” quickly became one of the most anticipated novels of the year and readers have been waiting patiently for April 22 to come around so they can dive into a new Emily Henry world.
This story follows Alice Scott, a writer looking for her big story, and when she is given the opportunity to potentially write a biography for Margaret Ives, a woman that society hasn’t seen or heard from in years, she jumps at the chance. However, the catch is that Margaret has also enlisted the awarded writer Hayden Anderson to write her biography. Both of them get one month to prove themselves worthy to Margaret. Afterwards, she’ll decide who gets to write the full story.
What makes “GBBL” so different from her past novels is that Henry homes in on the storytelling elements. You become engrossed by Margaret’s story and all the twists and turns of her life: the heartbreak, joy, beauty and the ugliness. Margaret’s character is one that keeps you on your toes since she’s so many things: enigmatic, intelligent and complex.
Alice and Hayden’s characters, like Henry’s other couples, are different in many ways but fit together perfectly. Alice is optimistic, deeply empathetic and wants to avoid the negatives. She enjoys the brighter side of things, and she just wants to prove herself in the literary world.
Hayden is skeptical, broody and likes to remain in the shadows of it all. One thing you can count on in Henry’s books is complex family dynamics, which we see in the exploration of Alice’s relationship with her mother and the touchingly lovely relationship with her father.
A lot of people have put up the argument that Henry’s novels are less romance and more women’s fiction, which feels very true for “GBBL.” The romantic aspect of this story is not as much at the forefront of the book as in her past works. However, there is undeniable chemistry between Alice and Hayden.
One of the things I love about the romantic aspects of Henry’s work is how she makes her characters flawed and it makes her books feel more realistic. In “GBBL,” Alice and Hayden’s relationship is filled with complications, push and pull and delicious tension. I loved getting to see them find comfort and get vulnerable with each other.
This novel explores what it means to know someone, especially the people we think we understand most. It’s about families, fame, reinvention and the stories we tell to survive. I was completely immersed in the story from the structure of this book, between the past and the present, the truth and the tabloid perception. It’s entirely new for Henry’s contemporary romance books, and I am always excited when an author gives us a new way to explore their talent.
Last year, when I read “Funny Story,” I kept thinking about how reading a new Emily Henry novel feels like coming home. Her writing is so personal and welcoming to me. She’s able to write characters and stories that feel like looking in the mirror. She knows how to make a girl cry over words on paper.
This one won’t be for everyone. And truthfully, it might be disappointing for a lot of people, but I still think it’s worth a read. It’s such a full-circle story that comes together in the end so perfectly. If you’ve read any of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books, specifically “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” this might be right up your alley.
Rating: 4.5/5