I have almost finished writing and editing my masters thesis, so in my time off over Thanksgiving week, I read Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry, so here is my review.
I listened to a review of her books one time and the person said that you either love or hate her books, but I have yet to read an Emily Henry book I didn’t like. In classic Emily Henry fashion, she lets her characters be messy and radiant at the same time. Nobody is polished, nor are they fully healed. They’re just trying, and their trying is what makes them lovable.
Plot: 4.5/5
The setup of two writers competing for the story of a lifetime is the strongest part of this novel for me. The grief all of these characters, and even some minor characters, carry is so raw and realistic.
Characters experience growth that feels true to the conflicts they encounter, and their messy approaches to these issues is refreshing. Characters give second chances, and when life knocks them sideways, they get back up again and just keep going.
And through all of this personal growth, the plot never waned or dragged for me. I was invested in these real characters, sometimes painfully through tears and other times joyfully through laughter, but always entirely.
Setting: 4/5
This sweet little Georgian town was charming and so unflashy in a perfect southern way. The town is quiet, the locals provided side stories and added a beautiful wholeness to the story, and the warm corners of the various locations we visited felt familiar in a way that was more than just scenery. The mood of the story is intimately shaped by the setting in an atmospheric, grounded way.
Characters: 4/5
The Romance in this book is tender and swoony and builds really showy, and it is full of those lines you highlight because they hit you square in the chest. But it is less about finding the love of your life and more about being versions of yourselves that are able to accept each others’ love.
Sometimes I wanted to shake these beautiful, imperfect, lovable characters like a snow globe, but I always rooted for them. The emotional arcs the characters went through felt perfect for the theme of rebuilding that was weaved through the whole novel.
The romance did feel quite “quiet” compared to some of her other punchier stories, so if you’re wanting emotional fireworks, this might not be the one for you.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Reading Great Big Beautiful Life felt like learning how to hope again, or at the very least learning how to hope vicariously through someone else’s experience. It is introspective, quietly funny, and has a subtle power thrumming through it in a way that really snuck up on me.
No moment or character is perfect, but that’s the book’s biggest selling point, to me. That undeniable emotional resonance I’ve come to expect from Emily Henry is alive and well in this book.
This book is for you if:
- You’re in a season of transition, from who you were to who you wish you could be, or who you’re learning you were meant to be. You’ll be growing right alongside these characters.
- You’re healing emotionally, or you are mending a relationship that’s been broken, or you have some healing to do. The hope in every chapter of this book will buoy you.
- You’re trying to stitch yourself back together after a heartbreak, a death, a loss, or some other emotional setback. The humanity and imperfection of these characters will be familiar and comforting.
- You’re in the mood for a story crafted with heart, humor, and warmth. You’ll be met exactly where you are in a safe and comforting way.
A closing note from me, as I’m firmly in my grad school gremlin era:
Here’s the truth: grad school has absolutely obliterated my reading goals. My brain is currently overflowing with lesson plans, APA citations, and an existential spiral about the end of course exams that my students will need to take and pass this spring. Pleasure reading? She’s been… scarce. In fact, a unicorn sighting would be less surprising than seeing me reading for pleasure.
But Great Big Beautiful Life slipped through the cracks of my overstuffed schedule, mostly because of the audiobook being ready on Libby and the amount of cooking/driving I did over Thanksgiving, and this sweet little novel reminded me that reading isn’t just a hobby: it’s a way home to myself.
I listened to parts of this book in parking lots, between two grading marathons, at 5:15 a.m. when I should’ve been sleeping but couldn’t because I was too excited to see family… And somehow, this story fit perfectly into this messy, overworked, stretched-thin holiday week of my life. It didn’t demand anything from me, which I sometimes fault books for, but in this case it was refreshing and entirely necessary. It just offered warmth, reflection, a little escape, and the kind of emotional oxygen I didn’t realize I needed until this book gave it to me.
Maybe that’s the best compliment I can give it: in a season where I barely have time to finish a cup of coffee while it’s still hot, Emily Henry gave me a story I could come back to for comfort. In the coldest week of 2025, it was a warm hug from a long lost friend.
So yes, this book is getting a firm little spot on my “books that saved my reading slump” shelf. And if you’re also living on caffeine and sheer willpower right now, this might be the soft landing you need too.
