Evelyn Hugo was Hollywood’s biggest star in the 1950’s. With her drop-dead enticing looks, all the girls wanted to be her, and every guy wanted to be with her. What remained a big mystery was Evelyn’s love life – with her infamous marriages with seven other Hollywood stars, the people wanted to know who the love of Evelyn’s life was.
When journalist Monique is approached by Evelyn to write a feature on her famous dress auction, she almost cannot believe her luck. But is there more to Evelyn’s life that no one was expecting?
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I’d seen so many amazing things about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so I was really excited to start reading it. The novel jumps between two different periods – present day, with the scenes with Monique interviewing Evelyn for the latest magazine feature, and then it flashes back as Evelyn recounts her past life.
I absolutely loved reading about Hollywood in the 1950’s all the way through to the present day. Taylor Jenkins Reid writes really well, and I think she captured the glamour we all expect of the acting world perfectly, as well as the harsh realities so many people faced – from ‘organised’ dates and marriages, landing major roles through sexual favours, Evelyn Hugo did it all, and that’s what made her the best in the business.
Evelyn is an absolutely fascinating character – she’s flawed, but she completely owns it, and that makes her really empowering. She’s bold, fearless, and doesn’t regret anything, which is quite refreshing to read. I also loved reading about her using her sexual appeal to get where she wanted – she knew the power it gave her, and she always left people wanting more, which I loved about her.
I think the thing that surprised me the most about this book is that it’s mainly a love story. Everyone wants to know who Evelyn’s one true love was, and it wasn’t someone the public would expect – in fact, she had to hide her feelings for years, until it was too late. If you’re reading this and thinking ‘I’m not the biggest romance reader’, I absolutely wouldn’t be put off by this. Yes, it’s about love, but it’s also about character development, Hollywood, and just wanting to escape our past and fit in.
The last few chapters had me gripped, and the surprise twist (which I won’t spoil) made everything fall into place and showed how Evelyn would do almost anything to stay on top – and I mean anything.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It was the perfect balance of light-hearted to intense ratio, and made for a perfect summer read. If you’re a lover of glamour and historical fiction, then this is a must-read!
Favourite quotes:
“Evelyn always leaves you hoping you’ll get just a little bit more. And she always denies you.”
“Oh, I know the whole world prefers a woman who doesn’t know her power, but I’m sick of all of that.”
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