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| Paperback edition |
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 is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the `80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.
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Seven Husband of Evelyn Hugo
Author : Taylor Jenkin Reid
Published year : 2017
Pages : 389
Language : English
Genre : Romance, historic fiction drama
Age Recommendation : 21+ (explicit content, LGBT)
There were so many people hyping up this book on social media, and of course, seeing it in the bestseller section of my local bookshop was another temptation for me to purchase it (even though it’s a bit pricey and rarely on big sale). I even bought it without reading the blurb or other people’s reviews. I just liked the title—it gave me grand vibes. I knew I would find an adventure in reading this one.
Then I had some spare time over a couple of days, so I gave it a read. My first thought was, oh my God, this book is such a page-turner!
Evelyn is what I would call the imperfect version of a perfect woman. She’s beautiful, gorgeous, and smart. She knows she is ultra-pretty—the goddess-level kind of beauty that even women would idolize her physique. But before she realized that, she was just a poor girl living with her drunken father in a small apartment. When she hit puberty and her body started to develop, she realized she could do better than live like that.
When she met a man living in her apartment building who worked in glamorous Hollywood, she realized it was her only chance to change her future. She lied about being underage and married him. Later, she moved closer to Hollywood and found ways to introduce herself to people in the industry.
At every opportunity, she went to restaurants where Hollywood people dined, hoping someone would discover her. Eventually, the restaurant owner noticed her intentions and asked her to work as a waitress. From there, she began paving her way—meeting directors and introducing herself.
Since she knew her looks could sell, she used them as her weapon. She started with small roles, and after getting one, she decided to take acting classes. But she also knew that wasn’t enough, so she began sleeping her way into roles.
Ambitious Evelyn eventually got recognized by a production house, but she had to leave her first husband and her past behind to create a new identity. The fact that she was Cuban, underage, and already married—she erased all of that and began her journey in Hollywood.
Okay, sorry—I’m skipping parts of the narration because Evelyn’s character is just so strong and impactful in my mind. I wanted to focus on her here.
In the present timeline, Evelyn is in her 70s and finally ready to share her story with the world. But she only wants to tell it to Monique, an unknown writer from a major magazine. Of course, this is very suspicious. Even though Monique writes well, Evelyn is a huge star—her biography would be worth millions of dollars.
But Monique, who has just separated from her husband, decides to take on the project. Even though Evelyn can be intimidating and maybe manipulative, they meet regularly, and Evelyn begins confessing her biggest sins and secrets.
Maybe when the author wrote Evelyn’s character, she was inspired by Marilyn Monroe-her blonde image, curvy body, incredible beauty, boldness, and hidden identity (though Monroe was Mexican and kept it private). Evelyn herself is very well written—complex. From a brave, smart teenage girl who is also foolishly in love and often heartbroken, she evolves into someone stronger and wiser. Her ambition is remarkable, keeping her laser-focused on her career and avoiding mistakes that could ruin it. Every husband she chooses ultimately serves her career growth.
What made me excited while reading this book was how unpredictable the plot twists were. I knew it was suspicious why Evelyn chose Monique, but I didn’t see the connection coming until it was revealed. That was very well done.
However, this book feels like a one-woman show—the supporting characters are not very memorable. Monique doesn’t come across as particularly special, either as a person or as a writer. Her side story about her separation feels more like a garnish, even her conversations with her mother. Her identity crisis as a biracial woman is only briefly touched upon.
Then there’s Celia who I found annoying, selfish, and passive-aggressive. Even though she’s portrayed as a talented actress, I don’t fully understand why she’s considered Evelyn’s great love. As for the seven husbands, although each one plays a role in Evelyn’s journey, only Harry and Don truly stand out.
Overall, it’s a very good story—very Hollywood, very movie-ready. I can easily imagine it as a motion picture. But still, I don’t quite understand all the hype (I felt the same about The Song of Achilles, though yes, Evelyn is better).
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