Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've read some mixed reviews on this one, so I went into it with an open mind. It doesn't always pan out when an author changes it up, but I believe EmHen absolutely crushed it with GBBL. I've been a die-hard fan since her debut of Beach Read, and every spring I breathlessly wait for her next installation of genius rom-com glory.

Alice and Hayden's romance definitely wasn't the sole focus of the story, and that was really fine with me. Historical fiction can be hit-or-miss with me, but I was hooked into Margaret Ives' story pretty fast. The blend of grumpy/sunshine, salacious historical details, family dramas, and raw emotion all combined into one Great Big Beautiful Book. I wouldn't change a thing about Alice or Hayden as the MCs, and although Margaret Ives genuinely annoyed and angered me many times, I still appreciate the way she was written. Flawed characters are realistic, and as much as I like to avoid reality by reading, the flaws made her more relatable. I cried and laughed and smiled throughout the pages of this book, and that fact alone made this a five-star darling for me!

If you're on the fence about this one, don't be. Hop on over and take a chance. It's a long one (over 400 pages!), but I promise it's worth it!

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