Emily Henry Courtesy of Emily Henry/Instagram
Emily Henry fans are eagerly expecting her new novel after the success of 2024’s Funny Story.
In September 2024, Henry announced the name of her next novel: Great Big Beautiful Life.
“What I can tell you about the book is it feels like a spiritual heir to Beach Read, but it’s different,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2024. “It feels like my first real departure, but it is still both a love story and a romance.”
Henry noted that it was the first writing experience she’s had since Beach Read that was “really emotional.”
“The first draft poured out of me so quickly, which of course means every other draft is going to be brutal and terrible, but it poured out of me, and it really gripped me in a way that I hadn’t been gripped in a while,” she explained to Us.
In October 2024, Henry dropped the cover for Great Big Beautiful Life and released the book’s synopsis. The novel follows two writers who are competing for the chance to tell a “larger-than-life story” of a woman.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Henry’s upcoming novel:
What is the Plot of ‘Great Big Beautiful Life’?
Emily Henry Courtesy of Emily Henry/Instagram
According to Henry’s Instagram post in October 2024, Great Big Beautiful Life will tell the story of two writers: new writer Alice Scott and Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Hayden Anderson. They’re both on Little Crescent Island with the goal of writing the biography of Margaret Ives, “a tragic heiress, former tabloid princess and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th century.”
Margaret ends up inviting both of the girls for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person to tell her story. The problem is Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story that they can’t swap.
“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,” the synopsis concludes.
What Inspired ‘Great Big Beautiful Life’?
Henry revealed in her newsletter that Great Big Beautiful Life “closely correlates” to Taylor Swift’s “The Last Great American Dynasty” from her Folklore album.
The song details the story of wealthy socialite Rebekah Harkness, who lived in Rhode Island in the 20th century and previously owned Swift’s Watch Hill mansion. The song plays with the idea of the townspeople’s perception about Harkness.
When is the ‘Great Big Beautiful Life’ Coming Out?
Great Big Beautiful Life is set to be released April 22, 2025.
Will ‘Great Big Beautiful Life’ Be Adapted Into a Movie or TV Show?
There has been no information on whether Great Big Beautiful Life will have an onscreen adaptation, but several of Henry’s other books are in production: Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers, Happy Place and Funny Story.
