Caffeinated Reviewer

I am not a huge contemporary romance reader/listener, but I adore Emily Henry’s brand of romance and was excited to listen to Julia Whelan narrate Great Big Beautiful Life. A mystery and enemies to lovers romance delivered in this sweet romance about two writers..

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 new novel from Emily Henry.

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 20th 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.

Henry places her characters in unique situations and weaves a heartfelt story around them, all while making readers swoon. In Great Big Beautiful Life, Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson compete for the chance to write the autobiography of Margaret Ives, a tragic heiress and former tabloid princess.

Our story takes place on Little Crescent Island along the Georgia coastline. I immediately liked Alice and wanted her to land this job from her childhood memories to the opportunity this presented for this bubbly and likable young woman. Hayden, a Pulitzer Prize winner, felt like a bit of a snob in the beginning. However, like Alice, I slowly warmed up to this man of many layers.

While we get a slow-burning romance, the heart of the story is a mystery with some surprising twists. Margaret asks them to stay for a month long interview. After she will read what each has written and choose one of them to write her story. Hayden and Alice take turns interviewing her, but Margaret isn’t telling them the entire story and both sense it.

Along the way, the two grow closer. I loved watching their relationship grow from a competition to something more. This story had many layers, and while different from her previous books, delivered on many levels. I would say it felt like women’s fiction with romance and mystery. Margaret’s story was fascinating and shed light on the pressures she faced in the limelight.

Julia Whelan narrates and is a favorite here at Caffeinated. She brought Alice, Hayden and Margaret to life. I highly recommend grabbing your earbuds for this richly rewarding story.

Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm

About Emily Henry

Emily Henry writes stories about love and family for both teens and adults. She studied creative writing at Hope College and the now-defunct New York Center for Art & Media Studies.

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About Julia Whelan

Julia Whelan is a screenwriter, life-long actor, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She graduated with a degree in English and Creative Writing from Middlebury College and Oxford University. While in England, her flirtation with tea blossomed into a full-blown love affair, culminating in her eventual certification as a tea master. When not writing her own books, you can find her reading other people’s out loud into a microphone.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2025 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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