The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Type: Trade Paperback
Pages: 390
Source: Personal copy
Publisher: Atria
First Line: "Evelyn Hugo to auction off gowns."

Book Description from GoodReads: From Taylor Jenkins Reid, “a genius when it comes to stories about life and love” (Redbook), comes an unforgettable and sweeping novel about one classic film actress’s relentless rise to the top—the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950's to her decision to leave show business in the late '80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

Written with Reid’s signature talent for “creating complex, likable characters” (Real Simple), this is a fascinating journey through the splendor of Old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it takes—to face the truth.

My Rating: 5 stars

My Review: This is an utterly engaging look at a Hollywood icon - her trials, tribulations, successes and multiple marriages - as she struggles to make her way in life, love and career within the confines of Hollywood and those she creates for herself.

Evelyn is a complex character. She's stunningly beautiful, head strong and confident in some aspects of her life. As a young woman, she doesn't always make the right choices but she's a compelling character that readers will gravitate towards. Readers will become engrossed in Evelyn's life as she struggles to find love, accept love and find her true self - unabashedly and totally. Personally, I loved the older Evelyn who had paid her dues, made her mistakes and came out of it all with a quiet confidence, strength and self-awareness.

Evelyn isn't a character that I'd normally enjoy ... and yet, I liked her. I really liked her. She's exceptionally flawed but she's aware of many of her flaws - she accepts some, regrets a few and is unashamed of many. She has used her body and played the Hollywood game to further her career in an industry that didn't value strong, independent women. She made horrible choices, betrayed loved ones and even ignored parts of her own identity to further her career. But underlying it all there was always a glimmer of a woman I could get behind as a main character and I wanted to see her succeed, despite herself. 

The story is told with two different time lines with Reid dropping juicy tidbits to keep her readers attention. The first time line follows Evelyn as a young starlet in Hollywood and the other, decades later, focuses on an elderly Evelyn as she tells her life story to Monique, a young, unknown journalist. There are some twists thrown in and the mystery of why Monique was chosen to write the memoir added mystery to the book. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a mesmerizing read that gives readers a bird's eye view into Hollywood and touches on some bigger issues, including sexism, sexuality, owning up to one's choices and even has its touching and romantic scenes too. 

Your emotions will get a work out with this book. You'll laugh, feel exasperated, cry, get all mushy with true love and even enraged! And through it all you'll find yourself cheering on this unique, sassy and flawed character who persevered, lied, loved and betrayed to achieve success at the box office and in her personal life as she struggled to know herself. This is some wonderful storytelling that would make a fantastic summer read if you want to delve into old Hollywood with a truly unique and flawed character that you can't help but root for.