Book Report Emily Henry’s “Great Big Beautiful Life”

When people ask me what authors are on my “must read” list, that list is long—but always somewhere near the top is Emily Henry. This week I dove into her newest novel and devoured this perfect summer beach or pool read in one big bite.

If you’re looking for a book that’s packed with wit, a touch of mystery, and Emily Henry’s signature swoon-worthy tension, then you absolutely need to pick up “Great Big Beautiful Life,” which centers on two very different writers vying for the chance to tell an epic, secret-filled story.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist, brimming with hope for her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-winning literary giant who’s more of a moody storm cloud. These two land on the picturesque Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of the legendary Margaret Ives. Margaret is no ordinary octogenarian—she’s a tragic heiress, a former tabloid darling, and her family’s history is absolutely dripping with scandal. Nobody’s seen her in ages, making her story even more irresistible.

Margaret invites both Alice and Hayden for a one-month “audition,” after which she’ll pick just one of them to tell her life story. Alice is totally game. For one, she genuinely likes people, which usually means they like her back—so she’s confident she can win Margaret over. Second, this is her shot at writing a “serious publication” and finally getting some respect from her family. And third, and arguably most fun, Hayden Anderson, who should be totally unbothered, is giving her serious “shaken-to-the-core” vibes, clearly seeing her as real competition.

But Margaret is playing a clever game. She’s only feeding them bits and pieces of her incredible life, and an ironclad NDA means Alice and Hayden can’t compare notes. This creates quite a puzzle for them to figure out, but there’s an even bigger complication brewing: the undeniable but very inconvenient chemistry that keeps sparking between them every time they’re in the same room.

As the month progresses, it becomes super clear that not only is Margaret’s story a swirling mix of mystery, tragedy, and potential romance, but Alice and Hayden’s own developing feelings are just as complex. It’s a brilliant setup that asks: whose version of the truth will win out, and how will their own tangled narrative unfold?

“Great Big Beautiful Life” is different from anything Emily Henry has given us in the past, but it’s brimming with her classic wit, banter, and spicy tension. She delivers a fantastic read that explores storytelling itself, and the many facets of a great big beautiful life.

I hope you like this week's pick, and don't forget to pop over to my Instagram @allison.the.reader for more fun book recommendations.