Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.
When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.
One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.
Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.
Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.
But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to 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.
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Contemporary romance novels centered on witty banter, emotional depth, and realistic character dynamics reached a wide audience with the release of Beach Read in 2020. Emily Henry quickly established herself as a prominent voice in modern fiction with a string of chart-topping romance titles, including People We Meet on Vacation and Book Lovers. Her novels frequently feature complex personal struggles alongside romantic storylines, earning both critical attention and high positions on international bestseller lists.
Born on May 17, 1991, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Emily Henry grew up in the American Midwest and attended Lakota East High School in Liberty Township. She pursued higher education at Hope College on a creative writing scholarship after initially considering dance studies, and she completed a writing residency at the New York Center for Art and Media Studies. Before devoting herself full-time to writing adult romance, Henry worked as a proofreader and published young adult novels. Feeling creatively spent in the young adult category, she shifted direction in 2020 to write Beach Read, which became a major breakthrough in adult fiction.
Following Beach Read, Henry published a series of bestsellers that includes People We Meet on Vacation (2021), Book Lovers (2022), Happy Place (2023), and Funny Story (2024), followed by Great Big Beautiful Life. Her books have achieved #1 New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestseller status. She continues to reside and write in the American Midwest, occasionally interacting with readers on Instagram via @EmilyHenryWrites.
Henry's narratives are known for sharp dialogue, humorous interactions, and emotional vulnerability. Her books frequently feature creative rivals or opposites forced into close quarters, exploring themes of personal identity, family expectations, grief, and mental health alongside romance. By grounding playful romantic tropes in realistic personal struggles, her work offers nuanced depictions of adult relationships.
