The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: The Sunday Times Bestseller

This is not the kind of book I usually go for but I found it sincerely compelling. I had not read anything by this author before but I was initially hooked by her wonderfully easy writing style and transported to the world of old-style Hollywood glamour. Monique, a young journalist, is plucked from obscurity to write a tell-all book about a famous Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo, and in doing so learns about a secret from her past. I love the way the story alternates between flashbacks, as Evelyn Hugo relates her life story, and the present day, as Monique writes her autobiography, and as we are lead through the story, the author fills the pages with beautifully described characters and places. This is a moving and thoroughly entertaining story about family, friendships, relationships and a sense of belonging. There is no complicated plot to follow, just an engaging novel, with which to spend some time … a 5 star 🌟 read for me. Highly recommended.

Monique Grant writes for a Magazine and is unexpectedly presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. Handpicked by Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo to write her biography, Monique finds herself drawn into the life of the legend that was Evelyn Hugo. A life that would ultimately impact her own. Despite her own marriage falling apart, Monique is allowed into the world of Evelyn who discusses her rise from unknown poor girl from Hell's Kitchen, and her marriages along the way that charted her rise to fame and notoriety. However, Evelyn has one or two surprises in store for Monique that will not only shock her but the rest of the world. It seems Evelyn Hugo was more than the image she portrayed. Evelyn Hugo has secrets that she now wants the world to know about. Evelyn Hugo no longer wants to hide the truth. To say that this book blew me away is an complete understatement. I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting when I picked up the book. I'd seen it talked about a few times in some of the online reading groups I'm in and to be honest I did wonder if it would live up to the hype. It totally did. I was lucky enough to be purely self indulgent and took the book with me when I went to a writing retreat for a few days. The story was as breath-taking as the view from my window. And it was heart-breaking too. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the type of book that's difficult to write a review on without giving away too much. So, I won't. The pure joy of finding out the secrets that the book holds should never be denied to anyone. That being said, the book is a whirlwind of emotion, Hollywood glam, lies, deceit and one of the greatest love stories ever told. A love that spans the decades. But, be prepared for the characters to jump out of the page and totally claim your heart. At first Evelyn Hugo is viewed as a vacuous and ruthless young woman who will do and say anything to find fame. She wants her name in lights. She needs to escape the hell that her life was and she will do that all all costs, leaving a trail of heartache and scandal along the way. However, as we get to gain a little more insight into just what makes her tick and the things she must endure, she becomes so much more than the career obsessed starlet. She's a woman of courage who is capable of the most intense love. I think I fell in love with her a little myself. Harry Cameron, her producer is possibly one of the greatest secondary characters ever. Everyone needs a Harry in their life. This is an excellently written book that is hard to put down. It's an emotive book that looks at issues that were prevalent during Evelyn's lifetime and still are today. Issues that stifled her and kept her one true love from her. I absolutely loved it. By the end of it I was ugly crying! This book broke me! It made me want to hug the greatest love of my life just that little bit tighter. It opened my eyes and made me want to stand up for injustice. This book is so much more than just a story. Its a lesson and an important one at that. Always be who you're supposed to be. Never hide. Hold your head high and love fiercely. Highly highly recommend.

Not as fantastic as the other titles by TJR. An excellent read, a great story for sure but ultimately predictable. The only surprise was how Monique fitted into the picture.

This book has been all over TikTok for a few years now and so it has always been on my radar, but I had just never gotten around to reading it. Finally, I just gave in and bought a copy because I wanted to read Carrie Soto and I heard you should start with Seven Husbands. Boy, am I glad that I finally started reading this book. I went into it not knowing what to expect because I have heard both good and bad reviews about this book, but I am happy that I stuck it out so I could form my own opinion. I went into this book not expecting much as I’ve never read anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid before. I also haven’t read many books on the publishing industry so I don’t have much contextual knowledge on the background of this book but I still greatly enjoyed reading it. I actually recently read Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, which has ignited a desire to read more about the publishing industry. The story starts with Monique Grant, a writer for an online company called Vivant who dreams of making a name for herself. She is called into her boss’ office to discuss a potential interview job. The Hollywood starlet, Evelyn Hugo, who has vehemently refused to sit for an interview for decades, has asked to be interviewed by Monique. Of course, Monique takes the job because she would be a fool not to. When she arrives, Monique finds that it is not just some article that she is being asked to write, no, Evelyn wants Monique to write her biography. A tell-all expose about her rise to fame in Hollywood, life as a ‘60s starlet, and the stories behind her seven marriages. As Monique learns more about Evelyn’s life, she starts to realise that she was chosen to write this book for a reason and she may not be able to walk away once she finds out. The more I read, the more I wanted to consume this book completely. The book alternates between Monique in the present-day sitting in Evelyn’s office and trying to navigate her own life, and chapters from Evelyn’s perspective as she looks back on the past. It was cleverly done and I was pleasantly surprised when I reached the first of Evelyn’s chapters. I read this book in sections; I read up until the story changed to another husband and then stopped to digest what I’d just read. It made it easier to separate each husband’s character otherwise I know I would have gotten confused trying to differentiate each of them. After finishing this book, I can see why it got so many mixed reviews; despite everything you learn about Evelyn, she says doesn’t regret what she did, which many would consider to make her a bad person/character. Personally, I thought this made her seem more realistic and human. Evelyn shows you what it means to be human; that a person can’t be just good or bad, that we have our flaws and that we can also have our merits. I am glad that this was the first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid that I read. It has made me excited to read more of her works. I am wavering between four and five stars for my rating for several reasons. Firstly, I haven’t read a book like this before, which is a point in its favour. Usually, if a book makes me feel really emotional or even makes me cry, then it would instantly get an extra star added to its rating. I did not cry while reading this. However, I was unable to put this book down once I got to husband number two. Evelyn Hugo felt like a real person to me while learning her story. So, after thinking about it, I think this book deserves five stars.

Me encantó, muy buen libro, lo lei en dos días, buena impresión y la narración es excelente.

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.

I can truly recommend reading this book, as I did it twice already and enjoyed every second of it! It’s a beautiful story about love and honesty and about what really matters in life.

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