I had a feeling this might happen, but I was hoping I would be wrong. Alas, I have read Emily Henry’s recent novel Great Big Beautiful Life and been left feeling indifferent. This romance novel didn’t hit the mark for me, and even the other portion of this novel had me wishing for more.

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.

The romance was alright, nothing really special or groundbreaking, or vaguely interesting by my standards. It didn’t have the connection I got out of Funny Story, instead feeling more like Book Lovers but without any real tension or character development. The characters as individuals were interesting, especially Alice with her relationship with her mum, but other than that they kind of felt bland to me. I wasn’t invested in their banter or competition, I didn’t get the sparks for them, and there is something about them that felt off to me but I couldn’t put my finger on it throughout the whole read. Alice and Hayden just didn’t do it for me.

Then comes the interview/book deal with Margaret. while it could have been really engaging and immersive, I didn’t get the hook and intrigue for what she was telling Alice. The I picked up on some things while others felt like additions for the sake of drumming up drama. The big reveal was good, and the subsequent unravelling and climax as a result, but at that point I was disconnected from the book and it didn’t give the reaction I was hoping for. It was alright overall, but I think somethings didn’t gel well while other bits felt unnecessary altogether.

It isn’t a bad book, and I know some readers will genuinely like it. It just wasn’t the read for me and I respect that. I think half of Emily Henry’s books have been a hit and a miss for me, which is a shame because I love Funny Story, but I think I will leave the future Emily Henry books for others to read. This isn’t a boo for contemporary romance either, and I am sure I will find some more books in this sub-genre that I will adore.