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Great Big Beautiful Life

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Great Big Beautiful Life

Written by: Emily Henry
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Free with 30-day trial

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Buy Now for ₹1,093.00

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR & GLOBAL TIK TOK SENSATION, EMILY HENRY


Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress with more than a few plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

When Margaret Ives, the famously reclusive heiress, invites eternal optimist Alice Scott to the balmy Little Crescent Island, Alice knows this is it: her big break. And even more rare: a chance to impress her family with a Serious Publication.

The catch? Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud, Hayden Anderson, is sure of the same thing.

The proposal? A one-month trial period to unearth the truth behind one of the most scandalous families of the 20th Century, after which she’ll choose who’ll tell her story.

The problem? Margaret is only giving each of them tantalising pieces. Pieces they can’t 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.

'Emily Knows how to craft a love story like the all time greats' - Taylor Jenkins Reid

'I've loved every single one of her books more than the previous' - Ali Hazelwood

'Great Big Beautiful Life has everything you love in a classic Emily Henry novel, plus so much more. Nobody writes chemistry like Emily Henry, and you're guaranteed to fall head over heels for Alice and Hayden.' - Beth O'Leary

© Emily Henry 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Contemporary Friendship Genre Fiction Romantic Comedy

Critic Reviews

Emily knows how to craft a love story like the all time greats (Taylor Jenkins Reid)
One of my favourite authors (Colleen Hoover)
I've loved every single one of her books more than the previous (Ali Hazelwood)
My happy place is an Emily Henry book (Carley Fortune)
An expansive, sweeping love story that also feels so intimately tender...it enveloped me from start to finish. Beautiful. (Bolu Babalola)
Great Big Beautiful Life has everything you love in a classic Emily Henry novel, plus so much more. Nobody writes chemistry like Emily Henry, and you're guaranteed to fall head over heels for Alice and Hayden. (Beth O'Leary)
With a delicious slow-burn romance, a perfectly grumpy hero, and a setting that comes to life, this one checked all my boxes. Two compelling stories to move the plot forward meant I couldn't put it down! Emily Henry does it again! (Laurie Gilmore)
A sweeping love story about the choices we make and the threads that knit us together. Thoughtful, moving, and deliciously tender. Emily Henry is as captivating as ever. I love everything she does. (B.K. Borison)
A true joy. Playful, fun, and virtuosically plotted, Great Big Beautiful Life is a novel about life's winding paths and dangerous dead-ends—and the way that love can lead us out of the labyrinth. (Kaliane Bradley)
Great Big Beautiful Life simmers with longing and glitters with secrets and scandal, all set against a hot summer in Georgia. A joy of a book! (Evie Woods)
All stars
Most relevant
Story line is good but the execution is so boring and poor and lack of emotional connection to the characters

Great plot

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Very often repeated storyline. Young journalist , recluse celeb and family secret revealed. Characters don’t pull you in

Slow and predictable

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I loved everything about the book. So many characters tied up in a complex, but beautiful story

Depth of characters and storyline

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I just finished listening to the "Great Big Beautiful Life" by Emily Henry, and I have to say, it has all the signature elements I love from her. I was immediately drawn into the story of Alice, a workaholic writer, and Hayden, a successful author, as they compete to write a memoir. While their romance unfolds, the true heart of the book lies in a deeper, underlying love story that influences everything. I found the characters, especially the women, to be incredibly well-developed and the narrative was absolutely captivating. This book explores profound loss and how it shapes lives, and I was left wondering how it would ultimately affect Alice and Hayden. It's a journey I highly recommend.

A Beautiful Exploration of Life and Love

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