The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - 4 stars

[Jen]

No need to recap the plot here—this one has been reviewed by so many already. This was a tricky book to rate because while it landed at a solid 4 stars for me and I definitely enjoyed it, I’m not sure it lived up to the mountain of hype I’d seen, or to the reputation TJR has in general. It’s my first book by her, and while I’m open to reading more, I’m not yet convinced she’s an author I’ll be rushing back to.

The whole book reads like a glamorous telenovela—full of drama, heartbreak, and big reveals—and I did enjoy the mixed-media storytelling with the memoir bits, memories, and newspaper articles woven in. But when I finished, I didn’t feel as satisfied or emotionally moved as I expected to based on how people rave about it. Still, I’m glad to finally check it off the TBR.

[Algernon]

I also came to the book with excessive high hopes and I think if I read it before Daisy Jones & The Six I would have enjoyed the visit to old Hollywood more. After my third book by TJR, the one about surfers in Mailbu, I decided that she is a very talented storyteller, but rather shallow, like popcorn it satisfies the taste buds but not the hunger for a great novel.
The author is no longer on my priority watchlist, and it would take some amazing reviews from people I trust to make me try another one of her novels.

[Joy D]

For me, this book was just okay. I was completely underwhelmed. I did enjoy Daisy Jones and the Six and her recent book, Atmosphere.

[KateNZ]

I’m also in the ‘fun enough but not raving’ category for this one.

I felt even more meh about Atmosphere, to be honest - probably because I expected more of the setting than I got and it skewed a lot more romance than I wanted.

Hated her debut novel, Forever Interrupted. Adored Daisy Jones on audio. I own Malibu Rising so will read that at some stage but I am not likely to bother with others. She’s a decent author but I don’t connect enough with her.

[Jason]

I love the breath of fresh air that Reid brings to her stories, even this one, though it has to be one of my least favorites. I felt Reid kept pushing and pushing the idea that this is a love story. That this is true and deep and emotional love. I feel if you change the main character for a man, this relationship is called abusive. No one would be okay with this toxic relationship. This is not a love story.

[Theresa]

I really did not like this. For me it was a very weak version of story that's been told so much better by other, especially in the 70s and 80s popular fiction - Jacquelyn Suzanne came to mind, or on a more serious note, Joan Didion.

If you are going to follow in someone's footsteps, don't do a mediocre job.

But others just loved it. If everyone had the same opinion, how boring would life be?