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The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
She's written five bestsellers in five years, all before turning 35
This story is part of the June 1 edition of Sunday Life. See all 14 stories. There is a theory that the best romantic fiction mimics the intoxicating feelings of falling in love – joy, euphoria, anguish, distraction, hope. It's no wonder, then, that Emily Henry has such a devoted following. Every year, without fail, she makes her readers fall hopelessly in love. For Henry herself, the process is an equally seductive experience. 'Even when I'm writing these books, I feel like I'm falling in love,' she tells me over Zoom from her home in Cincinnati, Ohio. 'When I read my favourite romance writers, I feel that same giddiness and desperation for more. You just can't get enough.' The 34-year-old, who grew up in Kentucky and Ohio, began her career writing young adult fiction after graduating from university. Then, in 2020, Henry published her first adult romance, Beach Read. She has published a novel a year since, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide and dominating The Sunday Times (UK) and The New York Times bestseller lists. All five of those books are being adapted for film or television, with every production update and casting announcement sending her excitable fans into raptures. In the modern romantic literary universe – where the author Rebecca Yarros creates fantasies featuring dragons and battles, while Colleen Hoover explores trauma and heartbreak – EmHen, as she is known to her fans, has established her own category of crushingly romantic books charged with longing and sexual chemistry. Her novels typically include women who are self-possessed and funny and men who are emotionally available, while the setting is always picturesque; the distinctive ice-cream colour palette of the book covers depicting these sun-kissed settings belies the sophistication of her writing. There is plenty of rom and even more com, but Henry elevates the genre with carefully wrought characters and clever banter. Loading A love of literature is all-defining for Henry. Many of her characters are authors, or work in publishing, and she regularly shares book recommendations on social media. These are mostly new titles, though the classics regularly come up too – J.D. Salinger and Jane Austen are just two of the names she drops during our conversation. In person, Henry is as thoughtful and disarming as the characters she conjures up. Having been married for a few years (she won't share how many), she says it's a long time since she's had her heart broken but that she's still able to summon the emotions from formative heartbreaks. 'I've always been a person with really, really big feelings, so those heartbreaks definitely made a mark.' Big feelings are key to the enormous success of Henry's books, in which both her characters and readers have to really earn the emotional rewards. In You and Me on Vacation, which was published in 2021, Poppy and Alex spend 12 years and 361 engrossing pages navigating friendship, professional disappointments and misunderstandings on the path to realising what they mean to each other. In Beach Read, the title of which is a knowing wink to the preconceptions about the genre, January and Gus, both authors crippled by writer's block, have to confront their individual relationship histories and overcome their creative conflicts before they can enjoy true happiness together.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
She's written five bestsellers in five years, all before turning 35
This story is part of the June 1 edition of Sunday Life. See all 14 stories. There is a theory that the best romantic fiction mimics the intoxicating feelings of falling in love – joy, euphoria, anguish, distraction, hope. It's no wonder, then, that Emily Henry has such a devoted following. Every year, without fail, she makes her readers fall hopelessly in love. For Henry herself, the process is an equally seductive experience. 'Even when I'm writing these books, I feel like I'm falling in love,' she tells me over Zoom from her home in Cincinnati, Ohio. 'When I read my favourite romance writers, I feel that same giddiness and desperation for more. You just can't get enough.' The 34-year-old, who grew up in Kentucky and Ohio, began her career writing young adult fiction after graduating from university. Then, in 2020, Henry published her first adult romance, Beach Read. She has published a novel a year since, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide and dominating The Sunday Times (UK) and The New York Times bestseller lists. All five of those books are being adapted for film or television, with every production update and casting announcement sending her excitable fans into raptures. In the modern romantic literary universe – where the author Rebecca Yarros creates fantasies featuring dragons and battles, while Colleen Hoover explores trauma and heartbreak – EmHen, as she is known to her fans, has established her own category of crushingly romantic books charged with longing and sexual chemistry. Her novels typically include women who are self-possessed and funny and men who are emotionally available, while the setting is always picturesque; the distinctive ice-cream colour palette of the book covers depicting these sun-kissed settings belies the sophistication of her writing. There is plenty of rom and even more com, but Henry elevates the genre with carefully wrought characters and clever banter. Loading A love of literature is all-defining for Henry. Many of her characters are authors, or work in publishing, and she regularly shares book recommendations on social media. These are mostly new titles, though the classics regularly come up too – J.D. Salinger and Jane Austen are just two of the names she drops during our conversation. In person, Henry is as thoughtful and disarming as the characters she conjures up. Having been married for a few years (she won't share how many), she says it's a long time since she's had her heart broken but that she's still able to summon the emotions from formative heartbreaks. 'I've always been a person with really, really big feelings, so those heartbreaks definitely made a mark.' Big feelings are key to the enormous success of Henry's books, in which both her characters and readers have to really earn the emotional rewards. In You and Me on Vacation, which was published in 2021, Poppy and Alex spend 12 years and 361 engrossing pages navigating friendship, professional disappointments and misunderstandings on the path to realising what they mean to each other. In Beach Read, the title of which is a knowing wink to the preconceptions about the genre, January and Gus, both authors crippled by writer's block, have to confront their individual relationship histories and overcome their creative conflicts before they can enjoy true happiness together.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift's Rhode Island house inspired Emily Henry's book 'Great Big Beautiful Life'
Talk about an invisible string: Emily Henry's newest book was inspired in part by Taylor Swift's home in Rhode Island. The New York Times bestselling author's latest novel, "Great Big Beautiful Life," was released this week. The book follows Alice and Hayden, two journalists vying for the chance to write a blockbuster celebrity memoir. The "Beach Read" author revealed in a recent interview that she drew the story from several real-life tales, including Swift's 2020 song "the last great american dynasty," which is about her Westerly mansion's previous owner, Rebekah Harkness. In an interview with E! News this week, Henry said she developed one of the novel's central characters, Margaret, as a reclusive media heiress based on Harkness, the socialite in Swift's song. 'I love that song, and love the story behind it,' she told the outlet. 'Every once in a while I find myself back on the Wikipedia page, just reading through. I just find those kinds of larger-than-life families really, really intriguing.' She said she also drew on inspiration from other famous families, like the British royals and the Kennedys. 'What interests me about those families is this sense that this legacy gets passed down from generation to generation, and with that comes a ton of privilege and experiences that the average person doesn't have access to," she said. Swift purchased a waterfront mansion nicknamed Holiday House in Westerly's Watch Hill neighborhood for $17.75 million in 2013. In years past, Swift has been known to host her famous friends at the 11,000-square-foot home, including for several Independence Day bashes. Last summer, she was reported to have hosted boyfriend Travis Kelce, his Kansas City Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany Mahomes at the mansion. Her song, "the last great american dynasty" on her 2020 album "folklore," which won Album of the Year at the Grammy's, is about the home. She sings of Harkness, a socialite who owned the home in the 20th century, and herself as "the maddest woman this town has ever seen." Melina Khan is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY Network - New England, which serves more than a dozen affiliated publications across New England. She can be reached at MKhan@ This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Taylor Swift's RI home inspired Emily Henry's 'Great Big Beautiful Life'
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
What Emily Henry really thinks about her books being turned into movies
What Emily Henry really thinks about her books being turned into movies Show Caption Hide Caption 'The Wedding Banquet' 2025 trailer: Bowen Yang stars in new movie A gay man (Han Gi-Chan) and his lesbian friend (Kelly Marie Tran) hatch a plan for a green card marriage in this remake of Ang Lee's 1993 movie. An Emily Henry novel reads like a classic rom-com in the making. How apt, then, that the romance author has optioned several of her beloved titles to be made into movies or TV series. Classic beachside love affairs, five of Henry's novels are currently slated for adaptation: "People We Meet on Vacation"; 'Beach Read'; 'Book Lovers'; 'Happy Place' and 'Funny Story.' But how does Henry feel about letting go of the characters on her pages and allowing them to be interpreted for the screen? "It can be a battle," she told USA TODAY in a recent interview ahead of the release of her latest book "Great Big Beautiful Life." Her role, she says, is 'to be the person who is shouting 'the readers won't like that' or 'they'll love that.'' She's looking forward to letting the projects unfold. Emily Henry reveals what love means to her as 'Great Big Beautiful Life' hits bookstores 'People We Meet on Vacation' movie and more Emily Henry adaptations to come "I'm so, so glad that it's happening and I'm really excited for readers and that is ultimately why I have enabled myself to let go enough for this to happen is for the readers,' Henry says. Book-to-screen adaptations can land a beloved book's story in tumultuous waters. Plot points can be cut or changed. Fans can object to casting choices. Then there's the media circus and gossip that can follow, most recently seen in actor drama tied to BookTok favorite 'It Ends With Us.' "It is so hard and weird and painful and it's humbling in ways that are really beautiful and ways that are really horrible,' Henry says. 'When you are working on an adaptation and you're the author of the original thing, you are the least important person in every room if you're even in the room. "That can be hard and painful to loosen your grip that much," she admits. "It can be a battle because as the original writer, you know, the audience very well, and you're attuned to what they love and what they don't like." That's just part of the deal, though, she concedes, pointing out that "you can't make a movie as one person," so to see her characters on the big screen, she'll have to loosen a bit to allow for competing visions of the love stories that have made her famous. What's next for Emily Henry? Yulin Kuang, who is adapting "People We Meet on Vacation," will also adapt "Beach Read" for film. "Happy Place" is being developed into a Netflix series with Jennifer Lopez's production company, Nuyorican. And Henry herself is writing the script for the "Funny Story" movie. Her newest novel, "Great Big Beautiful Life," at over 400 pages, was a heavy lift − so the first thing on Henry's docket is to take a "breather," she jokes. Then she may pivot back to another classic rom-com novel, a format her latest book strayed from slightly, and she's looking forward to fans getting their eyes on an adaptation soon. No official release dates for any of the projects have been revealed, but Henry promises one will be ready soon. "Hopefully we'll have an adaptation out to view very soon, so that's something I'm looking forward to," she says.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Reese Witherspoon's May Book Club Pick Is One of the Year's Most Anticipated Novels - Buy Your Copy Today!
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission. A stamp of approval from Reese Witherspoon, especially when it means her choosing a book for her book club, can go a long way. After all, with the Oscar winner backing them up, even debut authors can become overnight bestsellers. But, when it comes to her May Book Club Pick, her pick just so happens to be one of 2025's most long-awaited books. More from SheKnows TikTok Is Right - I Tried Kopari's Viral Setting Mist Sunscreen & It's *the* Beauty Product for Spring & Summer Today's Top Deals Joanna Gaines' New Hearth & Hand Spring Collection Dropped at Target & Prices Start at $3 Think Spring! Target Just Added Tons of Gorgeous New Patio Items Target Is Having a Can't-Miss Spring Sandal Sale for Circle Members Witherspoon's May pick is none other than Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry! In the Instagram announcement, Witherspoon and Henry, who's written a number of other bestselling novels like Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation and Funny Story, are announcing the news together through cue cards. While Witherspoon called the book a romance, Henry added that it's also a mystery. 'The twists and turns will shock you!' Witherspoon continued. 'Hope you all love Great Big Beautiful Life,' Henry said at the end. 'Exciting news!' Witherspoon wrote in the caption. 'The May @reesesbookclub pick has arrived a little early and it's a mystery, romance, and thriller all rolled into one captivating story!' She then gave fans a glimpse into the story. 'The plot follows two journalists competing for the chance to interview a prominent socialite who has been missing for 30 years,' she writes. 'What unfolds between them? I won't give away any spoilers, but trust me, it's so good! You don't want to miss our May pick and the incredible new release, Great Big Beautiful Life by the very talented @emilyhenrywrites!' $19.00 $29.00 34% off Buy Now On Amazon $27.00 $29.00 7% off Buy Now on $24.00 $29.00 17% off Buy Now on B&N Of course, fans of Henry's novels are excited about her new title. 'Emily Henry is a 'read every book' author for me. I am buying what she's selling,' wrote one commenter in the post. 'Oh, this news just made my day… week… month…! 📖 🤩 🧡' wrote another fan. In the official synopsis, readers are introduced to the protagonists: Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson. 'Alice Scott is an eternal optimist, still dreaming of her big writing break,' the description reads. '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 twentieth century.' As it turns out, Margaret invited them both for a one-month trial period, and they're ready to duke it out. 'There are three things keeping Alice's head in the game,' the description says. '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.' Soon, as their research commences, the gaps in Margaret's stories and the 'inconvenient yearning pulsing' between Alice and Hayden pulls them together. '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 ends. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry comes out tomorrow, on April 22. Get your copy today!More Top Deals from SheKnows Is Walmart+ Worth It? Giada De Laurentiis' Newest Cookbook Is Packed With Italian Super Food Recipes Stanley Tumblers Now Come With New Leakproof Lids & Customers Are Raving About Them Best of SheKnows 38 Times Carmen Electra's Head-Turning Red Carpet Fashion Left Us Flustered & Enchanted These 20 Celebs Have Been Called Out by Restaurant Staff for Their Allegedly Rude Behavior Everything We Know About Suri Cruise, Her Relationship With Her Dad & Her Life As A Young Adult
