Great Big Beautiful Life
The sweeping new slow-burn love story and Sunday Times bestseller from the author of Beach Read
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4.2 • 146 Ratings
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
Two writers. One story. A twist to beat them all…
Get ready to fall in love with the emotional new slow-burn romance from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Happy Place, Funny Story and People We Meet on Vacation.
THE INSTANT No.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER!
A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK
A WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2026
‘A love story like the all-time greats’ -- Taylor Jenkins Reid, bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
‘Captivating, meaningful, and absolutely dazzling - Emily Henry didn’t just write a book, she delivered a literary hug with a twist of intrigue.’ ? ? ? ? ?
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When Margaret Ives, the famously reclusive heiress, invites eternal optimist Alice Scott to the balmy Little Crescent Island to write her life story, Alice knows this is it: her big break.
The catch? Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud, Hayden Anderson, has been invited there for the exact same reason.
The proposal? A one-month trial period, after which Margaret will choose who will get to tell her story and unearth the truth behind one of the most scandalous families of the 20th Century.
But Margaret isn’t telling them everything, only giving each of them pieces of a past filled with scandal, wealth and heartbreak. Pieces they can’t put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.
But the truth about Margaret Ives is only part of the story.
And depending on who tells it, this could be a mystery, a tragedy… or a love story.
Praise for Great Big Beautiful Life:
‘Nobody writes chemistry like Emily Henry’ Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Flat Share
‘With a delicious slow-burn romance, a perfectly grumpy hero, and a setting that comes to life, this one checked all my boxes’ Laurie Gilmore, bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe
‘One of my favourite authors’ Colleen Hoover, bestselling author of It Ends With Us
‘I've loved every single one of her books more than the previous’ Ali Hazelwood, bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis
‘An expansive, sweeping love story that also feels so intimately tender.... Beautiful.’ Bolu Babalola, bestselling author of Honey and Spice
‘The tension and yearning and banter were TOP TIER’ ? ? ? ? ?
‘This book is everything!!! Love, tragedy, suspense, mystery, and so much more!!! I'm just blown away’ ? ? ? ? ?
‘5 great big beautiful stars!! This book is so Last Great American dynasty, so Evelyn Hugo and SO PERFECT!’ ? ? ? ? ?
‘Part romance, part mystery, part family drama, this book will have you reading late into the night!’ ? ? ? ? ?
‘Henry proves once again why she's a master of romantic tension.’ ? ? ? ? ?
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Margaret Ives is the reclusive heiress of one of America’s most notorious families. When she invites two journalists—optimistic pop-culture writer Alice and cynical Pulitzer-winning author Hayden—to a small island to compete for the chance to write her biography, an unlikely attraction begins. But although Emily Henry is known as the witty queen of contemporary romance, there’s a twist to her new novel: Alice and Hayden’s slow-burn relationship is just one narrative strand in this sweeping, intricately woven story. With the equally compelling tale of Margaret’s life, Henry delves into historical-fiction territory, from the golden age of Hollywood to the tragic love story which led Margaret to retreat from the limelight. Together, they form a deeply affecting exploration of the sacrifices we make for love.
Customer Reviews
Okay
LOVED the parts about the lady they’re writing about. The first 50 pages dragged and I didn’t care about FMC’s family
Good but cheesey
Easy read, but not too gripping.