Book Review: Emily Henry Breaks The Rom-Com Mold With ‘Great Big Beautiful Life’
Emily Henry’s latest novel, Great Big Beautiful Life, marks a distinct shift from her trademark rom-com formula. This time, she opts for a dual narrative structure that weaves together mystery, legacy, and slow-burn romance in a more layered and introspective tale.
The primary narrative follows rival writers — Alice, an idealistic journalist, and Hayden, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer — arriving on the remote Little Crescent Island.
They have both been invited by the reclusive heiress Margaret Ives, who is finally ready to tell her story. But there’s a catch: only one of them will get to write her biography, and they have a month to prove who deserves it.
Running parallel is Margaret’s own narrative. Through a series of emotionally charged sessions — mainly with Alice — she slowly reveals her extraordinary life. From the burden of being born into the powerful Ives family to tabloid infamy, surviving scandals, basking in Hollywood glamour, and her tender but tragic marriage to pop icon Cosmo Sinclair, Margaret’s past is rich, tragic, and captivating.
While a romance blooms between Alice and Hayden as they continue to cross paths around the island, it’s Margaret’s confessions that truly hold your attention. Her life often feels more real than fiction, almost making you Google Cosmos and Margaret. This gives the novel a compelling emotional core.
The pacing is occasionally slow, but Henry keeps you hooked with the gradual revelation of secrets — both about Margaret’s mysterious retreat from the public eye and the Ives family’s tightly guarded legacy. As Alice begins to uncover more, the stakes quietly but steadily rise.
Henry handles the dual timelines with finesse. The transitions between Margaret’s past and Alice and Hayden’s present feel organic and seamless. Her signature strengths — sharp dialogue, rich emotional insight, and atmospheric detail — shine through, particularly in her portrayal of Little Crescent Island and the dynamics among the characters.
Alice’s relationship with her mother, along with her personal growth, adds additional emotional texture. Icing on the cake is the plot twist at the end, that leaves you scrambling back a few pages for a re-read.
Fans of Beach Read and Book Lovers will find echoes of Henry’s signature wit and romantic tension in Alice and Hayden’s interactions, though the tone here is more subdued, more meditative.
If you are expecting a breezy rom-com, this may not be the Emily Henry book for you. Great Big Beautiful Life is slower, deeper, and more expansive. But for readers who enjoy a compelling character study, it’s a rewarding and beautifully told story that lingers long after the final page.
Book: Great Big Beautiful Life
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 416
Price: ₹ 899
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