Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

I’m not a romance reader but I’ve appreciated the escape of Emily Henry books, so I figured I’d read this one and see what it was about. But oh my Taylor Jenkins Reid!! What was this??? It seriously felt like a poor imitation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo with a bit of the reporter aspect (and reveal) of Daisy Jones and the Six thrown in for good measure. And I know Taylor Jenkins Reid isn’t the first or only person to tell a story in interviews or have that type of twist, but the similarities are just really strong and, the nail in the coffin, is that it wasn’t done well. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master at creating realistic characters you care about, even if they’re awful people. The emotion tethers you to the story. Well, Henry didn’t have that emotion, her characters were flat and boring, and the romance was lukewarm at best. The will-they, won’t-they wasn’t that strong and the side story with Alice’s mother issues seemed tacked on after the fact.

Also, this is incredibly petty, but the title gave me great big beautiful Tr*mp vibes. Why not pick any other title that actually gives you a sense of the story instead of something so general and bland? Oh wait, I guess that does fit the book...

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

I've seen Emily Henry's cute book covers everywhere but never felt compelled to read one. Also the hold lists are incredibly long at the library, so I figured I'd get to them eventually. When I went to pick up my holds (pictured), People We Meet on Vacation was just sitting on the display shelf, so I grabbed it, not knowing what to expect.

My impression of the author, based on nothing in particular, was that she was more literary than "chick lit" (don't get me started), like Liane Moriarty. And, after reading the book, I think that's true. It was a little more romance-y than I expected. When I started reading it, I was surprised, thinking, "Wow, it's so nice to consume media where a man and woman are legit just friends!" Spoiler alert: joke's on me!

That said, it's not a romance-romance book. It felt realistic but not overwhelming. What I loved most was the travel. I used to travel a lot. After my first "real" job after college closed down, I gave up my lease and lived out of a backpack for about six months, then again a few months after that spree. I was a different person then and the world is different now, so I'm glad I did it when I did, but probably wouldn't do it again. That said, I do miss traveling. And I think this book perfectly captures that freedom and wonder of going to a new place and exploring, talking to people and going with the flow. This book felt like a dozen trips in one and brought back a wave of memories.