The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

When you're given an opportunity to change your life, be ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen. The world doesn't give things, you take things.

Rating

Review

Oh no it's heartbreaking. Such a beautiful story that killed me.

Retired Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the story of her glamorous and scandalous life. No one is more shocked than Monique Grant when Evelyn picks her for an interview of a lifetime. As Monique listens, Evelyn tells her story from when she began her career to the moment she decided to retire. Her life has been full of scandal and excitement, and the seven husbands she had along the way. Evelyn's ambition, friendships, and forbidden love are all finally brought to light and soon it turns out Monique has a connection in unexpected ways.

Never let anyone make you feel ordinary.

I have heard and seen so many people on the internet talking about this book for months now. When I finally decided to give it a chance, I was pretty worried that maybe the hype was too extreme and that it would let me down somehow but oh no. They were all right. This book is an amazing story and I can't express that enough. It's tragic but beautifully told. It was super addicting as well.

This book was so well done that at times I wanted to stop and google Evelyn and see all the movies she's been in, get a refresher. Sometimes I can't believe she wasn't actually a famous movie star back in the day, she was that real to me. I know she's a bit based on actresses from old Hollywood but come on, they aren't Evelyn Hugo.

Evelyn is a half Cuban bisexual icon that was ruthless back in her day because she knew what she wanted and she knew she had to take it. Her ambition took her from her abusive home life and she clawed her way to stardom, no matter what it took. Even when she admits to how she lied and used certain people, she owns up to everything she's done on her way to the top. She is ruthless and I can't think of a character that I respect more.

I listened to this on audiobook and it was the best decision. It has three different narrators (Evelyn, Monique, and some magazine articles) and Evelyn's narrator really nailed it. I sat playing the Sims for the longest time (ironically playing a Sim that is an inspiring actress... no relation), just listening to Evelyn tell me her story of Hollywood in the 50s onward through everything she went through. All her husbands and none of them shine a light on the romance in this book that spanned decades that was really damn epic. I'll forever be emotional about it.

This book was beautiful, it blew me away, and I'm glad I picked it up.