Mysterious celebrity ✅
Lead characters working in the publishing industry ✅
Enemy-to-frenemy-to-romance ✅
Set in a relatively unknown and picturesque part of the country ✅
Well fleshed out characters especially women characters with gumption ✅
These are all the hallmarks of the books written by Emily Henry which I have noticed in couple of her books I read till now. And I am happy to report that the Great Big Beautiful Life also carries all these signature elements but still avoids being repetitive or boring.
The narrative is appealing as the author knows her readers by now and she certainly knows how to deliver for her ardent followers. It is evident in the way she builds the lead pair slowly but steadily by filling in all the relevant details from their character traits to their attitudes to their family backgrounds to their worldviews. It is charming to read how the chemistry builds up eventually like a slow cooked soup enriching in flavour and depth with constant heat.
However, this romance is actually not the heart of this novel, rather this romance is like a continuation of an earlier romance which casts a long shadow across this entire relationship. So, in essence it is the romantic tale of Margaret Ives and her husband that echoes through the relationship between Alice and Hayden.
Like most of Henry’s previous leading women, Alice is also a workaholic struggling to make herself a worthy place in the publishing industry. Her initial dream of becoming a successful writer has been pushed aside as she is trying to create a foothold in this competitive world. Instead, she becomes a staff features writer in a leading magazine. Hayden, on the other hand, is already on the path to glory by winning a prestigious award for his recent novel, thereby his reputation as a successful writer precedes him. Therefore, their vying for the rights to write the memoir/ biography of Margaret Ives is like colliding of different realities building up enough tension and drama.
Add to the equation the fact that Margaret herself is an enigmatic figure. She managed to vanish from public life almost three decades ago and now she lives on a tiny island as a mix media artist. Hardly anybody knows about her whereabouts and even the vacationers on the island don’t know about her past celebrity life beyond the art pieces created.
But slowly and steadily the story of Margaret and her illustrious family comes into focus via the interviews and conversations with these two writers. As they have to live in the vicinity and prepare the fist draft within a month, both Alice and Hayden develop relationship due to their close proximity. Through their continuing work with Margaret, readers get to know her family, relationships and complexities weaved together with a rich tapestry of love.
Of course, such a deep love is followed by a profound loss. That loss has already engulfed Margaret’s life but will it also darken the horizons for Alice and Hayden? To get an answer, you will have to read this spectacular story. Highly, highly recommended pick to add to your TBR.