Great Big Beautiful Life: Reese's Book Club

Bookseller recommendation

“Emily Henry is officially my favorite author! This witty, engaging romance is a true masterpiece! The correlation with Taylor Swift’s “the last great american dynasty” is extra SPECIAL to this Swiftie! There are two stories woven together beautifully and set on a vibrant small island that make it a perfect backdrop for a love story. Alice and Henry are competing to write a book about the history of celebrity heiress Margaret Ives. The slow development between Alice and Henry’s relationship is so HOT and worth the wait. The tension literally keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the ending is unforgettable!”

— Sandra • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Just finished Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life, and wow—I loved the story within the story. It added such a thoughtful layer of complexity to the main plot. The characters felt so vivid and real, and every thread of the narrative was beautifully woven together. Another hit from Emily Henry! ”

— Jessica • Books by the Bay

Bookseller recommendation

“Romance, surprises, secret family revelations, skilled writers, and a picture-perfect ending—what more could you ask for? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I truly adored this!”

— Jess • Portals in Pages

Bookseller recommendation

“Emily Henry does it again! A mysterious story told by a former “tabloid princess” combined with a sweet rivals-to-lovers romance. It doesn’t get any better than this. ”

— Brooke • The Atlas Collective

Bookseller recommendation

“This was not what I expected from Emily Henry. Yes, it is a slow burn grumpy meets sunshine trope that has writers Hayden and Alice vying for the chance to be the author of Margaret’s biography. But Margaret’s story is a big part of the book. Her story is a mystery filled with twists and surprises. It intertwines with Hayden and Alice’s storyline and makes this book part mystery and part rom com and definitely worth the read. ”

— Kristen • Dragon Tale Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Such a beautiful, funny, and sweet tale with a dash of melancholy. A story within a story, masterfully crafted and all woven together. A delightful and engaging listen. Perfect narration from start to finish. ”

— Brianne • Main Street Books Davidson

Bookseller recommendation

“Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping novel from Emily Henry.”

— Lauren • Book Crush

Bookseller recommendation

“Great Big Beautiful Life is a radiant, heart-tugging journey that captures the messy magic of storytelling and finding love in unexpected places. With her signature wit and emotional depth, Henry delivers characters so vivid, you feel like you’ve known them forever. It’s a story that wraps around your heart and reminds you how beautiful life can be—even when it’s far from perfect.”

— Beatrice • The Common Good

Bookseller recommendation

“As long as you go into this knowing that it is not like her usual books, you will still love it. This one has a different vibe and I loved it! ”

— Jen • The Book Shelf

Bookseller recommendation

“Emily Henry has mastered the art of building tension, and stretching it like taffy. Knowing someone is into you and you are into them is often just an acknowledgement before the main event, and luxuriating in the sensation is truly a treat. This whole book is dessert. The creeping sense of doom when I thought for a second we were entering manic pixie dream girl territory (a moment of weakness, and I never should have doubted the Queen!) was thankfully just a moment, And then of course the story at the center of this book is Margaret's, which is really woven in well and never feels like an interruption to the romance. Also, Julia Whelan crushed it on the audiobook, my god. ”

— Nyawira • Page 158 Books

Bookseller recommendation

“I knew by chapter 3 that this was going to be a 5 star read. Is it because I’m bias towards Emily Henry? Probably. Is it deserved? Certainly. At this point I don’t think EH could write a bad story. GBBL was different than anything EH has done before but I LOVED it. It had The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes (another 5 star favorite read of mine) while still remaining an EH love story. I love a throwback to old Hollywood and if you add in contemporary romance, stick a fork in me cause I’m done! I ate it up! I can’t wait for the physical copy to come out so that I can fully process what I listened to and have the words tattooed on my eyeballs. As always, I will eagerly await whatever crumbs EH may give us on what’s next.”

— Kristina • Afterglow Books

Bookseller recommendation

“To be clear: this was a good book. It just wasn’t a great one. I’ve gone back and forth on writing this, mostly because my opinion doesn’t seem to align with the glowing reviews I’ve read elsewhere. But I believe the only real disappointment would be not being honest. Reading this book reminded me of being in high school when everyone was obsessed with Dave Matthews. Sure, I could appreciate the talent, but it wasn’t for me. I was more into Smashing Pumpkins. And Janis Joplin. That’s how I felt with this book: I could appreciate it, but I didn’t connect with it. Great Big Beautiful Life is a fun, well-written read that feels like it’s juggling too many genres. It had all the makings of classic Chick Lit (wealthy people with messy secrets, a prideful Mr. Darcy arc, some awkward dry humping), but then tried to layer in deeper themes like grief, emotional connection, and a mystery that didn’t quite deliver. The result? A book that felt like it didn’t quite know what it wanted to be. That said, I’d still recommend it for a plane ride or a sunny weekend—something light and well-paced with flashes of great writing. I just wish it had picked a clearer lane and fully committed. ”

— Elizabeth • Thirsty Caterpillar