“Great Big Beautiful Life,” released in April 2025, marks Emily Henry’s triumphant return to the romance genre, cementing her reign as a bestseller darling. Breaking from her two-word title tradition, this novel pits two writers—eternal optimist Alice Scott and brooding Hayden Anderson—in a high-stakes competition to pen the biography of Margaret Ives, a reclusive heiress whose life is a labyrinth of glamour and secrets. Set against the lush backdrop of Napa Valley, Henry crafts a tale of rivalry, redemption, and unexpected love that resonates with readers craving witty banter and heartfelt depth.
Alice, a sunny 30-something recovering from a stalled career, sees Margaret’s story as her ticket to literary legitimacy. Hayden, a cynical bestselling author haunted by a plagiarized past, views it as his last shot at credibility. The novel opens with their awkward meeting at Margaret’s vineyard estate, where the heiress—sharp-tongued and bourbon-soaked—declares she’ll dole out her tale in fragments, forcing the duo into close quarters. Henry’s dialogue sparkles as Alice’s chirpy quips clash with Hayden’s sardonic barbs, setting a screwball comedy tone that belies the story’s emotional core.
The plot unfolds through alternating perspectives, revealing Alice’s longing to prove herself to her dismissive family and Hayden’s battle with self-loathing. Margaret’s life—spanning Hollywood’s golden age to Napa’s wine-soaked present—unravels in vignettes: a torrid affair with a director, a vanished child, a fortune built on grit. Henry’s prose dances between lush vineyard imagery—rows of gnarled vines under golden sun—and the claustrophobic tension of the writers’ shared workspace. An ironclad NDA prevents them from swapping notes, amplifying their rivalry, yet stolen glances and late-night wine tastings hint at simmering attraction.
A subplot with Margaret’s estranged son, now a vintner, adds familial stakes, while Alice’s sister—a pragmatic foil—grounds her flights of fancy. Hayden’s backstory, involving a mentor’s betrayal, unfolds in raw, introspective chapters that contrast Alice’s buoyant optimism. Their competition intensifies as Margaret plays puppeteer, dropping bombshells—like her role in a forgotten scandal—that each writer interprets differently. Alice sees a feminist trailblazer; Hayden, a flawed opportunist. Henry uses this to explore how truth bends through perspective, a theme that elevates the romance beyond trope.
The turning point comes during a rain-soaked harvest festival, where Alice and Hayden, drenched and laughing, share a kiss that shatters their defenses. The love scenes are tender yet electric, Henry’s signature mix of humor and heat shining as they navigate their feelings amid deadline pressure. Margaret’s final revelation—that her lost child lives—upends their drafts, forcing collaboration. The climax sees them co-authoring a hybrid memoir-novel, blending their voices in a meta twist that mirrors their union.
“Great Big Beautiful Life” ends with a launch party under starlit vines, where Alice and Hayden, now partners in love and work, toast to Margaret’s legacy. Henry delivers a crowd-pleaser: a romance that’s frothy yet profound, earning its April 2025 bestseller crown.