Emily Henry's talent for capturing great love stories with even greater life lessons is exceptionally striking in Great Big Beautiful Life. Alice Scott's dream job is to write the biography of Margaret Ives, the elusive heiress of the most influential media empire in the U.S. Margaret has hidden from the public eye and scrutiny for 20 years, but an anonymous e-mail exposing her location brings Alice one step closer to her desire to finally make her mother proud and uncover the truth behind the salacious headlines that once flooded newsstands.
When she arrives in the remote town of Little Crescent Island, Ga., Alice discovers that she's not the only one vying for the job. Her competition is Hayden Anderson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer who is seemingly always glowering. As the two are forced to spend a monthlong trial period interviewing Margaret to determine who would be the better fit, the tiny island town (with very few coffee shops or restaurants) also forces Alice and Hayden together. With nondisclosure agreements and a delightful competition between them, the pair navigate deepening feelings for each other and a growing sense that Margaret is not telling either of them the whole truth.
Alice juxtaposes scandalous rumors of Margaret's past alongside Margaret's version of events, revealing her life's biggest tragedies, triumphs, and tremendous loves. Emily Henry (Beach Read; Book Lovers) combines a wildly entertaining scoop of 20th-century celebrity gossip with a satisfying slow-burn romance brimming with amusing rivalry and indisputable chemistry, made all the more compelling because of her nuanced characters. Both plots unravel to reveal the great, big, and beautiful things that make life truly worth living. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer