Great Big Beautiful Life

by Emily Henry
Great Big Beautiful Life cover
Good Books rating 3.55
Contemporary Fiction
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Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99 Hardback • £16.99
Amazon
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Technical
  • ID: 518
  • Added: 2025-09-13
  • Updated: 2025-11-01
  • ISBN: 9780241739860
  • Publisher: Viking
  • Published: 2025-04-24
  • Formats: 55
  • Reviews: 4

Great Big Beautiful Life is a sweeping and dazzling novel by Emily Henry, a #1 Sunday Times bestselling author known for her captivating storytelling. This book promises to take readers on a heartwarming journey filled with emotional depth and vivid characters. The novel delves into the complexities of human relationships and the beauty of life's simple moments, offering a rich and immersive reading experience. /n/n Emily Henry's signature style shines through in this new work, blending romance, drama, and contemporary themes to create a story that resonates with readers. The narrative is both poignant and uplifting, exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. With its engaging plot and well-crafted characters, Great Big Beautiful Life is a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction.

Reviews
Book Club Chat · 2025-05-26
intriguing 3.50

The book is an ambitious and generally good story, though the tone feels uneven at times; it showcases Emily Henry’s skill in weaving mystery, romance, and family secrets.

This review appreciates the novel’s complexity and ambition, recognizing the emotional depth and intrigue woven through the dual narratives of the present-day biographers and the enigmatic heiress. However, the reviewer felt that the tone shifted inconsistently, which occasionally disrupted the reading experience. Despite that, the story’s layered approach to romance, mystery, and family dynamics keeps readers engaged and reveals Henry’s storytelling prowess, especially in how the characters’ relationships and secrets unfold gradually.

Quick quotes

    Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry is an ambitious story that is fairly good overall.

    The tone is a bit uneven at times.

    Emily Henry is one of the best contemporary romance writers working today.

thebookgrind.com · 2025-05-06
engaging 4.20

The novel combines romance, mystery, and family drama with engaging character dynamics and subtle suspense. The reviewer enjoyed the layered storytelling and the added complexity beyond a simple love story, appreciating the mystery elements alongside the romantic plot.

The reviewer finds 'Great Big Beautiful Life' to be a dazzling and sweeping novel that stands out in Emily Henry’s catalog by blending genres and narrative elements. They highlight the competition between Alice and Hayden as a compelling setup that drives both character development and plot intrigue. What sets this book apart is the subtle mystery woven beneath the romance, which adds tension and keeps readers guessing about Margaret’s motives and past. The reviewer values the novel’s ability to balance lighthearted romance with deeper family secrets and suspense, making it a rewarding and multifaceted read.

Quick quotes

    Besides the intrigue behind Margaret’s life, there’s light mystery elements that add subtle interest.

    I loved these extra details beyond the simple romance and love concepts.

    Great Big Beautiful Life is unlike any of Emily Henry's past adult romance novels.

Righter of Words · 2025-05-03
entertaining 4.00

This book is an entertaining story about love, sacrifice, memory, and connection. The reviewer enjoyed the exploration of these themes and the way they are woven into the narrative.

The reviewer found 'Great Big Beautiful Life' to be an entertaining story that explores themes of love, sacrifice, memory, and connection. They enjoyed the way these themes are woven into the narrative, making it a compelling read. The reviewer also notes that the book has a satisfying conclusion that brings all the elements together in a meaningful way. Overall, they found it to be a well-crafted and enjoyable story.

Quick quotes

    And in the end, Great Big Beautiful Life was an entertaining story about love, sacrifice, memory, and connection.

    The themes are woven into the narrative in a way that makes the story compelling.

    The conclusion is satisfying and brings all the elements together in a meaningful way.

Reddit - RomanceBooks · 2025-04-25
disappointing 2.50

The book is a 2.5/5, leaning more into women's fiction and not quite hitting the mark for the reviewer. It's the fourth favorite of Emily Henry's adult romance/women's fiction books.

The reviewer shares their personal experience with Great Big Beautiful Life, rating it a 2.5/5. They feel the book leans more into women's fiction and doesn't quite capture the magic of Emily Henry's other works. While they appreciate the story's exploration of love, sacrifice, and connection, they find it to be one of her lesser works. The reviewer also notes that their enjoyment of the book was influenced by their personal preferences and that others might have a different experience. Overall, they feel it's a decent read but not one of Emily Henry's best.

Quick quotes

    For me personally, it was a 2.5/5 and my 4th favorite of her adult romance/women's fiction books.

    This one leaned a lot more into women's fiction and didn't quite hit the mark for me.

    It's a decent read, but not one of Emily Henry's best in my opinion.

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