The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: The Sunday Times Bestseller

‘My heart was never in the craft of acting, only in the proving. Proving my power, proving my worth, proving my talent.’ CW: domestic abuse, death/grief, homophobia/biphobia, racism, abortion & suicide I struggle to write reviews for a book I really love because instead of giving you all the information you need to get you to pick this book up, all I can do is very messily gush about it and it’s characters The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is such a remarkable novel and one of my favourites of the year. This is a very well developed character driven story told by Evelyn herself while she is being interviewed by Monique. We get insight into her life, from being just an ordinary young girl with dreams to becoming a Hollywood star, and let’s not forget her seven husbands. Evelyn Hugo is such an exquisite character that you will never forget and it’s so intriguing to learn about her life as a Cuban bisexual making her way to the top in Hollywood, especially in the time era it’s set within. Along the way you learn about the ups and downs of Evelyn’s life and also learn about each individual husband who some you will loathe and some you will totally adore *cough* Cameron. ‘I’m bisexual. Don’t ignore half of me so you can fit me into a box’ There is also a little sneaky plot twist at the end that completely caught me by surprise which added to the whole enjoyment of the story, not that it needed it because Evelyn’s life is so intriguing and if they ever turned this book into a show I would so want to play Evelyn Hugo and have a little taste of the life she lived Taylor Jenkins Reid did and amazing job with this story and her writing is so good and enjoyable. Her prose is so beautiful and descriptive and I did not get bored throughout the whole time reading it. I would definitely be up to reading more of her works in the very near future and see what other amazing characters she has created.

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO surpassed my expectations. I absolutely loved every page of this book! The story spans several decades, and it’s set against the backdrop of the glittery Hollywood film industry. But all that glitters is not gold! Recluse Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, we learn more about her seven husbands along the way! The burning question and one everyone wants the answer to is, ‘who was the love of her life?’ Evelyn Hugo insists that Monique a journalist, will be the one to write her tell-all biography, but why? And what connects the two? Most of the narrative is from Evelyn POV as she reminisces about her past and chapters interspersed with the present, where we learn more about Monique. The narrative and the characters are second to none. TJR captures the very essence of her characters. I convinced myself that this was a real life Hollywood star! Evelyn is flawed, ruthless, she’s manipulative and very selfish, but I loved her! She frustrated me; she made me angry, my heart broke for her, but she is unforgettable! And as each husband comes and goes, you love her a little more. The real reason for Evelyn picking Monique is intriguing, and kept me guessing all the way to the dramatic revelation. There are so many characters that made this book a joy to read. Some will worm their way into your heart, others will leave you cold, but each one adds a depth to the story that made this book such a joy to read. I adored reading Evelyn’s rag to riches story, the glitz and glamour, the scandals, the heartbreak and her incredible forbidden love story. Highly recommended.

I picked a copy of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo up years ago when it was first published. I am not sure where I have been or what I have been doing, but I am sad to say that the book has been sat on my bookcase collecting dust until recently. I am in no way exaggerating when I say that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a masterpiece. I fell in love with the characters, the writing, the story building, and the pace of the book. Seemingly modelled after movie legend Marilyn Monroe, Evelyn feels dynamic and authentic. She is a woman who dominates the page and draws you into her life with the promise of glamour, sex, romance, and sacrifice. Through Evelyn we gain an unabashed insight into the often dark and exploitative world of Hollywood and the silent suffering of women who dare to venture within. Sexual exploitation and domestic violence are topics Reid does not shy away from. Exploring Evelyn’s rise to fame is anything but glamorous or endorsed. It showcases the real and raw, the often difficult methods women have to implore to reach the top, as their male counterparts benefit from their exploitation. The book deals with serious issues both women in the 1950’s and in todays society face, and it does so in a manner that’s impactful and sensitive. The plot is broken down and revealed in various parts of Evelyn’s life, all of which begins with the marriage to one of her husbands. When it comes to men, Evelyn’s not had much luck. However, the men are not the main romantic subplot in this book. It’s the love story that’s going on between Evelyn and her co-star Celia. The title of the novel purposely misleads you to think that Evelyn is a promiscuous dater and a serial monogamist. However, we learn that the opposite is in fact true. The reader watches as Evelyn and Celia navigate the restrictions of a queer relationship in the 1950’s as they hide their love for each other from one another and the watchful eye of the public. I absolutely love that there is lesbian and bisexual representation in this novel and how it has not shied away from bringing queer issues up to the surface. Even to this day, I still think about Evelyn and her memorable life. The book helped me realise that life is too short to do what other people expect from you. You should always go after what you want, and do what makes you happy. You should also tell all your loved ones how much you love them, before it’s too late. The book almost feels like a life-lesson from a famous and well-known fictional actress, who seemingly has it all, but in the end, has nothing, and she knows it.

Moving and captivating. Heartbreaking and real. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo was a joy to read. I loved getting to know the main character and how her and the other characters’ stories unfolded. Taylor Jenkins Reid really captured the magnificence of Evelyn Hugo so brilliantly, I was completely bewitched by the character, just as I imagined her fans were with her in the book.

A gun and quick read. The author leaves you guessing throughout the chapters so I found I just HAD to keep reading to find out what happens next!

I love it so much omg

Starting at the young age of fourteen and ending when she’s seventy-nine (when we first meet Evelyn), Evelyn Hugo has gone from bombshell, to sexpot, to Oscar winner, to civil rights supporter. Evelyn knew what she wanted from an early age—to get out of Hell’s Kitchen and away from her abusive father, and to be the biggest star anyone has ever heard of. And she accomplished that! Partially because of her talent, partially because she knows her worth and is unafraid to get dirty in order to achieve her goals, and partially because there is no one better at using the press and scandals to serve their own interests. Evelyn is both a force to be reckoned with, but also a deeply flawed and lonely. Shown through the perspective of Evelyn as she dictates her memoir to Monique, the reader is taken back to the early days of Hollywood to watch Evelyn’s rise, and her stumbles, to and through stardom. For a story about a Hollywood starlet, this book is LAYERED, and I don’t think I was expecting the level of depth it had, even though many reviews warned me to expect the unexpected with this story. In order to become Evelyn Hugo, Hollywood’s biggest star, Evelyn had to let go of who she was; erasing her identity to be what Hollywood wanted her to be. She knew and accepted this, always, but it does break your heart a little to watch her identity get stripped away so that she could be the blonde bombshell the screen so loved. The things Evelyn hid or changed, often denying the realest parts of herself in the process, really hit me in the feels, and there were parts at the end of the book that had me welling up with tears if that tells you anything. I won’t say more because the way the story unfolds is really lovely with getting to know all 7 of Evelyn’s husbands and the roles they played in her life, but I will say that I LOVED the inclusion of the fake articles to show the juxtaposition between what was Evelyn’s reality versus what the public got to see, and how the press portrayed her in return. Honestly, there was very little I did not like about this book, or its story. It flowed beautifully and, while not necessarily one of those books you couldn’t put down (I had no issues stopping in reading for the night) it was never dull. It had a smooth, and highly enjoyable writing style. However, my only issues were that sometimes, with the book being told in 1st person, Monique didn’t always feel that distinct to me from Evelyn. Which may be mostly because we don’t really get to know Monique at the same level at which we get to know Evelyn, though I did enjoy their relationship and how they were able to help each other, even when that got . . . tricky, to say the least. But I also didn’t like Celia for a majority of the book, either. I found her to be so frustrating at times, that I often wondered why Evelyn even bothered having her around. Thankfully that changed toward the end, but still. But, all in all, I LOVED this book and this story. It was so empowering, watching Evelyn be so unashamed to own her beauty, her sex appeal, her confidence, and to be the ball-buster she was, so unafraid of telling people what she wants, what she deserves—all because she knows her worth. I didn’t know how much I needed a story, to see a woman like that, until I read this book. But I also loved that the author didn’t shy away from Evelyn’s flaws, or the fact that, for a lot of Evelyn’s life, she was deeply lonely. Evelyn wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t let that be an excuse for anyone to treat her poorly. I will say there are some instances of spousal abuse in this book though, so just be forewarned if that kind of trauma is sensitive for you. I thought the author handled those topics amazingly well, but I’ve also never experienced such things for myself, either. Because this book brought tears to my eyes with that whole last third of the story, it easily gets 5 stars from me! This is such a satisfying, and empowering book!

Where to begin? That I am a man for starters, and I realized somewhat after the ordering fact that I was plunging into what others refer to as Women’s fiction. Oh my gosh. Was I getting into some Jackie Collins? (Mind you I am in no position to judge because I never read a single line of hers). I can’t pretend to high falutin pretensions either. I didn’t judge the book to be worthy of attention because of an alluring cover and jacket blurb, but I ordered it solely on the basis of its title, which is no less flimsy of a reason. I tend to be a binge reader. I can go for years without the slightest need to while away days in a single tome. And then again, I can go through books like there is no tomorrow. After a dry reading spell, that time was nigh. I came across a new book that at first sight seemed like the perfect answer for voracious reading. It is hot off the presses and is titled 'The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle'. Intriguing storyline, endless praise, a formidable marketing effort. I don’t recall being that disappointed in a book in a very long time. No pun intended, I found it lifeless. I felt the need for a redeeming read after that. Needless to say, when I came across 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo', the title caught my attention. One will admit that there is an uncanny similarity, down to the alliteration of the character’s name. I just had to check it out. The reviews, which at this point I was taking with a huge grain of salt, were to say the least encouraging. What the heck, I plunged in, hoping to cancel out the previous reading experience. And indeed, I found myself immersed in an utterly female perspective of a Hollywood world which is far from being at the center of my general interest. But what a world it painted. Above all, what extraordinary characters revealed themselves under the glitter. I had never heard of the author, let alone read any of her books. But I was fascinated by how she managed to create this greater than life film goddess and turn her into a person of utterly believable humanity. How that character reveals herself, and through whom, added a dimension and a devastatingly effective final twist that many a thriller writer would kill for. It is a love story, and the nature of that love is not the point really despite how it will be pigeonholed. It is a beautiful one, far more beautiful than the impossible canons of its protagonists. And it unfolds relentlessly page after page, husband after husband. Thank you for a wonderful ride. And a beautiful story wondrously told.