The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical Fiction | Romance| Published: 2017
This month is all about my favourite bookish things — the stories I loved as a kid, a teenager, and now as an adult. For the first review of the month, I really struggled to pick the right book. I even asked my friends to suggest categories, everything from “favourite ending” to “favourite plot twist” to “favourite September release” (lmaoo).
To keep in line with my blog’s theme, I decided to go with a BookTok Sensation. Now, I’m not super plugged into BookTok recs, mainly because my taste can be a little different. I read widely, but I’m also picky about what makes it onto my favourites list. That said, I do enjoy some popular BookTok reads (as shown by the collection of them here on my blog).
So, I did a little digging; scrolled through Goodreads for the most-shelved BookTok favourites and even peeked at TikTok for extra inspiration. While I haven’t read all of them, I’ve read a fair share. And, topping Goodreads’ list and the first post I saw on TikTok was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, a book I actually read before BookTok was even a thing. It’s not my ultimate all-time favourite, but out of all the BookTok sensations, it’s probably the one I love the most. So, for today’s post: here’s a review of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!
Synopsis
Ageing and reclusive Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to reveal the truth about her life. But when she handpicks an unknown magazine reporter, Monique Grant, for the job, Monique is stunned. Her career is stalled, her personal life is shaky — yet she knows this could be the break she desperately needs.
Over the course of several days, Monique listens as Evelyn recounts her rise from a young woman in 1950s Los Angeles to her decision to leave show business in the 1980s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. What unfolds is a story of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. But as Evelyn’s confession nears its end, Monique realises that their lives are connected in tragic and irreversible ways.
What I Liked
Evelyn Hugo
I rate Taylor Jenkins Reid very highly. I haven’t read many of her books, just two, I think, but what stands out to me is how beautifully she writes and how complex and layered her characters are. They feel real, relatable, and human.
Now, nothing about Evelyn Hugo’s life is “relatable” on the surface. Very few people will ever experience the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, especially the Golden Age of the ’50s and ’60s. But Evelyn herself goes through incredibly real struggles: the immigrant experience, domestic abuse, questions of sexuality, motherhood, ambition, and the cost of survival. That contrast — the dazzling world she inhabits against the deeply human struggles she endures — is what makes this story so compelling. Evelyn is magnetic as a character; she’s not wholly good, not wholly bad, but wholly human.
The Writing
Taylor Jenkins Reid adapts her writing style to the story she’s telling; it’s fast-paced, bingeable, and cinematic. Even though it’s been years since I first read it, I remember flying through the book. I was never bored; the storytelling is engaging and exhilarating, especially Evelyn’s fall from Hollywood’s good graces and her eventual comeback, all while her relationship with Celia threads its way through the narrative. Reid knows how to captivate readers, and I can only applaud her for that.
The Emotional Core
What I did appreciate in the fast pace is the emotional depth. From Evelyn’s fraught, tender relationship with Celia to the beautiful bond she shares with Harry and their daughter, to the heartbreak of losing everyone she loves, the story carries a profound weight. At the beginning, I mentioned relatability, and this is where it truly landed for me: one of the greatest fears of growing old is outliving everyone you love. Reid captures that pain with heartbreaking precision in this, this undercurrent is felt all through Evelyn’s retelling of the story.
“People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is ‘you’re safe with me’- that’s intimacy.”
Taylor jenkins reid
What Didn’t Work
Racial identity and its nuances
One aspect that didn’t fully work for me was the handling of racial identity. I often feel a little uneasy when white authors write non-white characters, and in Monique’s case, I don’t think her racial identity was explored with enough depth. It felt like Taylor Jenkins Reid didn’t fully grasp the nuances of the Black or biracial experience, which made parts of Monique’s character fall flat.
Similarly, Evelyn’s Cuban heritage and immigrant background felt underdeveloped. While it plays a role in her decision to change her identity for the spotlight, it’s rarely revisited or woven meaningfully into her story later on. To me, it didn’t feel realistic that such a defining part of who she was would essentially vanish from the narrative.
I do have a few other small critiques, but overall, I enjoyed this book enough that the very valid issues others might raise didn’t impact me as much. I want to acknowledge them, but truthfully, I was having such a great time with the story that even the occasional pacing issues or the stereotypical, sometimes predictable elements didn’t take away from my experience.
Final Thoughts
I’d recommend this book to just about anyone. It’s an enjoyable, easy read, not overly demanding emotionally or literarily, but still beautifully written with plenty of depth and takeaways. If you love celebrity drama, a character-driven story, and the glitz and glam of historical Hollywood, this is one to pick up.
Not my favourite book of all time, but definitely my top BookTok read. There’s also a screen adaptation of this coming out, so I’m very excited for that.
That concludes the first post of my birthday month, my fave BookTok sensation! Please stick around for the rest of the month as I delve more into my favourite books, stories, genres and authors.
Signed,
