Great Big Beautiful Life

By: Emily Henry

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK ∙ AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ∙ 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.

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Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

Could not stop listening

I am not much for detailed sexual encounters in any book, but Emily Henry tones it down, so I like that. Most of all, I like that this story is love, mixtures of love, interwoven, creating a world of hope.

I like the narrator

I didn’t really want the descriptive sexual scenes. Why don’t you have some kind of rating system?

This has to be made into a movie!! I LOVED this story so so much!!

There was absolutely nothing about this book that I didn't like... well maybe one thing, it ended. I wanted more, more of this story.

Wonderful

This is Emily Henry’s best book yet. I loved the pacing and the how she told the story in a non traditional way. The hero/heroine were both so likable.

Julia Whalen is amazing in this great story

2 love stories and a mystery. Covers a wealthy family history (with love story) from the 1800’s to present, and a present-day love story. I liked it, but I like all of her books. This was nice because both ‘present day’ love interests are mostly healthy. No fake/misunderstanding/leave in anger tropes that seem like a big head game. The past secrets prevent the present romance and are rigid with an NDA. Not a funny book, and it would have been spectacular as a funny book…