Emily Henry's latest book, Great Big Beautiful Life , is a great, big, beautiful love story, but it may not appeal to all Henry fans because it's a bit of a departure from the author's usual style, with two love stories sharing equal space (and only one that follows the rules of romance as a genre).

Since 2020, Henry has been one of the biggest names in romance, and with her sixth book in 5 years, she shows no signs of slowing down. However, just as her style evolved from YA to Romance between 2016 and 2019, it feels as though Great Big Beautiful Life may be heralding another shift — whether that is in her approach to romance or toward another genre remains to be seen.

Great Big Beautiful Life follows two writers over a month, as they interview the famous Margaret Ives (assumed missing for years) in an attempt to win the right to write the story of her life. As such, her own story takes up as much of the novel as that of Alice and Hayden's rivals-to-lovers romance.

In many ways, this fits with Henry's MO. Writing about writers is something of a signature for her, and an interesting set-up to some classic tropes and excellent banter. But as Margaret's story becomes bigger and bigger, at times it can feel as though it pushes Alice and Hayden to the side. Surprisingly, that doesn't feel like a bad thing.

The Heart Of It All: This Rivals-To-Friends Romance Is All About Delicious Tension

Alice & Hayden's Story Is One For Fans Of The Slow Burn

Henry is a master of every trope she plays with, and Great Big Beautiful Life is no different. Alice and Hayden have no prior history (although they are aware of each other as writers), and from the first chapter, they are a classic sunshine/grump duo. What works so well about it, though, is how that first impression changes throughout the book as their personal histories are revealed. Alice's less-than-sunny moments come through just as she is in danger of becoming annoyingly chirpy, and watching her get closer to Hayden and start to defend his chilly exterior is everything this should be.

The tension that builds between them is absolutely beautiful, too. Henry's signature banter is in every interaction, and their reason for being unable to hop straight into bed is a good one. It's backed by their personal romantic histories, leaving plenty of room for yearning and the push-pull of their desire against their fears.

My only issues with the central romance come toward the end of the story. They move into scenes that are everything but sex, which at times left me wondering why penetration was the line they decided to draw in the sand. When they do eventually take things to their inevitable conclusion, they don't wait for the trial to be over, as agreed.

This would be fine if it were a dam-bursting moment, but it feels a little more like a slow slide (although who doesn't love a hurricane to up the stakes and drench a romantic hero?). Their final breakup and makeup also feels a tiny bit rushed, although this is ittedly a very minor complaint in an otherwise perfect romance.

Great Big Beautiful Life Does Something Very Different For Emily Henry

Margaret's Story Is Just As Important As The Central Romance

While it's not unusual for Henry's books to give weight to the stories of the secondary characters, especially in 2023's Happy Place, with its ensemble feel, this is the first time that one of her books feels like it's really about another character altogether. Margaret Ives' family history, dynasty, and life in Hollywood reminded me strongly of Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo — and was just as compelling.

Margaret's story feels rooted in real Hollywood history. While she is not directly based on any one celebrity figure, elements and characters clearly are. It's not just that Cosmo is obviously an Elvis stand-in (to the point that Elvis and their similarities are referenced directly), but his concert-turned-riot is based on a real event, paparazzi involvement in a car crash celebrity death connects to Princess Diana's story, and Laura's time in a cult has multiple parallels to the Branch Davidians. It's done incredibly well, and makes Margaret's story feel like it could stand on its own, even without Alice and Hayden.

Great Big Beautiful Life Is A Beautifully Layered Pair Of Romances

Is Emily Henry Moving Toward Contemporary Fiction?

Great Big Beautiful Life is, unsurprisingly, a beautiful, layered romance (that would make an excellent movie!), but it's difficult to say which of the two stories is the main focus — and only one is guaranteed a Happily Ever After. If Margaret's twisty family saga is the star, then this reads more like contemporary fiction, but if it's Alice and Hayden, there's no doubt that it's romance. For the book itself, it doesn't matter, of course. It's a book to devour in a single sitting, to love the slow-burn and root for Alice and Hayden to realize they're falling in love, already!

It's a book to devour in a single sitting, to love the slow burn and root for Alice and Hayden to realize that they are falling in love, already!

But it does leave me with a bigger question about what this means for Emily Henry's direction as an author. Fans of her more straightforward romances may find it frustrating to have the main characters sharing the spotlight with a completely different type of love story, but it also suggests that she is moving toward more complex, less easily defined novels. If that is the case, though, I can't wait to read what she comes out with next.