Saturday, June 17, 2017

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid


Hardcover400 pages
Published June 13th 2017 by Atria Books


What They Say.....Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late 80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.


What I Say.....I love Taylor Jenkins Reid's books.  She is one of those authors that I always wonder about, why isn't she so much more well known?

I started reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo on my vacation at the end of April.  I started it in the morning while I was waiting for everyone else to get ready for the beach.  And I was instantly hooked.  

I read it all day, every time I got out of the ocean.  And I stayed up that night to finish it. It was a one day read.

I love books that jump back in time and tell a story going forward.  Evelyn is a movie star, famous since the 50's and now hiding from the world.  She decides to tell Monique her story, and no one, Monique most of all, can figure out why she was chosen for this career changing interview.

At first I thought Monique would turn out to be Evelyn's long lost daughter but that wasn't it.  I am always trying to figure out the plot twists, and I love it when I can still be surprised.  

I know we were supposed to see Evelyn as ruthlessly ambitious, but I saw a woman who was doing what she needed to do during a time that didn't give women many options.  And every option  required a man, usually in the form of marriage.  A girl has got to do what a girl has got to do.

Fast, intriguing, relaxing read.  Loved it so much!

Current Goodreads Rating 4.33

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