Great Big Beautiful LIfe by Emily Henry

My Rating: 4.0

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still chasing her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and a full-on human thundercloud. When both land on balmy Little Crescent Island, it’s for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet the octogenarian who claims to be the infamous Margaret Ives. Once a tragic heiress, former tabloid darling, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandal-ridden) families of the twentieth century, Margaret’s life is as mysterious as it is compelling.

Margaret invites Alice and Hayden to stay for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose who gets to tell her story. Over the course of that month, secrets unravel, histories collide, and both writers find themselves pulled into something far bigger than a simple biography.

I was in the mood for a fluffy palate cleanser, so naturally I turned to Emily Henry. I’ll admit, Imay be showing my age, but I skimmed over some of the more explicit romance scenes (yes, I know rom-com is Henry’s signature). That said, the rest of the story completely engrossed me. I loved the cast of characters and was especially drawn into the slow, layered unfolding of Margaret’s life. Overall, Great Big Beautiful Life was a fun, bubble-gum read—light, engaging, and perfect when you want a story that goes down easy but still has heart.