The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in On The Same Page

Aug 21, 2025 Lorna rated it really liked it

Shelves: new-york, france, california, spain-portugal

Upon closing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I am without words. In Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Acknowledgements, I was struck with her tribute to her husband, Alex Jenkins Reid, as she thanked him for being the kind of man who “encouraged her to shout louder, dream bigger, and take less shit.” This is the second book that I have read by Taylor Jenkins Reid. And they were both about women who fought against the status quo and the traditional ideas about women depriving them of all rights. These wo Upon closing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I am without words. In Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Acknowledgements, I was struck with her tribute to her husband, Alex Jenkins Reid, as she thanked him for being the kind of man who “encouraged her to shout louder, dream bigger, and take less shit.” This is the second book that I have read by Taylor Jenkins Reid. And they were both about women who fought against the status quo and the traditional ideas about women depriving them of all rights. These women were more than happy to kick up a little dust to fight for their place in this world with the attendant social mores and limits placed on women. And that is why I loved Evelyn Hugo and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, aging and reclusive icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to leaving show business in the 1980s, Evelyn Hugo unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, friendship, and a forbidden love. And there is the tale of the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo along the way. But this Hollywood icon agrees to an interview and a photo shoot only with struggling writer Monique Grant with Vivant. Monique, recently separated from her husband, she enthusiastically embraces researching the life of Evelyn Hugo for the piece in the magazine. However, Hugo offers Monique Grant exclusive rights over her biography to be published after her death. If Monique doesn’t agree, the story will remain untold.

Over the course of the novel, Evelyn Hugo, tells her life story beginning with her growing up in a poor Cuban family in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan where her mother dies when she is quite young leaving her alone with an abusive father. Sharing her mother’s dream of becoming an actress, Evelyn seduces and eventually marries a neighbor boy, Ernie Diaz, who is headed for Hollywood. The book is organized into chronological sections outlining Evelyn’s relationship with each of her seven husbands, including conversations between Monique Grant and Evelyn Hugo during their interviews for the biography. There are also press reports from SubRosa and Variety throughout the novel. But there remains a mystery as to why Monique was selected and, as their relationship deepens, one begins to wonder if there is a personal connection in that selection. This is a book with many startling revelations as we become more deeply involved. A great portrayal of the early days in Hollywood where the movie studios ruled the town and many lives, an interesting glimpse into that colorful slice of history. ...more

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Apr 15, 2019 Denise rated it liked it

Once again, I think I am the "odd woman out" on this one, but it was just okay for me. I thought the premise sounded amazing, and I love historical fiction, but to be honest, this did not read like historical fiction, and I figured out the "twist" not even halfway through the book, which always disappoints me.

The pace was decent, but the character development was inconsistent - both of the main characters read like the same person. Also, the period-piece aspect was just inaccurate and was especi ...more

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Sep 01, 2022 Madeline rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobook, historical-fiction, 5-star-novels, romance, osp-monthly-read

I will remember this audiobook for years.

Sometimes an author writes a masterpiece and the narrator ruins it…not in this case.

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Nov 15, 2018 Sookie Cullen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved this book.
I cried!

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Mar 03, 2025 Jami rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio-cd-or-library-loan

I listened to this on audio and it was well narrated. The story was much better and complex than I thought by the description. So glad I decided to read this one!

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