On April 22, 2025, New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry released her tenth book: Great Big Beautiful Life. The book was named both a Reese’s book club pick for the month of April and hailed by PEOPLE magazine as “one of the most anticipated releases of 2025.”
After the releases of Beach Read, People we Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers, and Funny Story, readers like Sophie Lassander (’27) were enthused to see what Henry would bring to the table next. Lassander expresses her eagerness: “I’m excited to see what Emily Henry cooks up this time.” However, is it possible that Henry fell short of these expectations?
Great Big Beautiful Life follows main characters Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson as they compete to write the biography of Margaret Ives, a socialite who mysteriously disappeared years prior. The narrative alternates between the love story of Alice and Hayden and the unraveling of Margaret’s tale. Much of the novel includes fictional “passages” from Alice’s biography of Margaret, periodically shifting the spotlight away from Alice and Hayden’s romance.
Henry is known for her heartwarming stories and signature happy endings, so it came as a surprise when her newest novel strayed from her usual formula. “I really liked Beach Read because it was written as a fluffy romance, which made it a quick and simple read” says Ele Esposito (’27).
Many critics felt the novel was “mis-genred,” saying it resembled women’s fiction more than traditional romance. The story structure somewhat mirrors that of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid—a frequent critique among book reviewers. Sophomore Isabella Giraldi (’27) agrees: “I usually look to books by Emily Henry because they are quick and uplifting. I was disappointed when I found out that this would just be another literary-fiction biography style book.”
While Great Big Beautiful Life features beautiful prose and artfully developed characters that won the hearts of many, most agree that this is not Henry’s best book as it is not like her others. This novel would be a great option for lovers of Literary-Fiction-Mysteries with romance subplots, but for Henry’s usual romance-focused audience, Great Big Beautiful Life might not be a favorite.
