Sandra Rector

Evaleen The Queen tells the story of the rise of Eva Doyle and how she overcomes many obstacles to pursue her dream of selling home-made beauty products from a family recipe. Inspired by powerful but not classically beautiful Hollywood icons ( Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn), the self-conscious Eva reinvents herself into Evaleen, a confident salesperson.
Evaleen is an endearing heroine who is refreshingly human. You can't help but care what happens to her. Hero's character was also very show more well-drawn and their relationship totally convincing and three-dimensional. The plot avoids clichés and caught me out a couple of times by not being predictable. (Perhaps the only characters I would have liked to have seen developed a little were Shu and Sam.)
What I really enjoyed about the book was that it was an easy read that dealt with serious themes. Not only does it have a strong female character at its core but it explores issues key to women's lives in various eras: the difficulty of 'having it all', of juggling career, marriage, and children; the idea of female solidarity; the stigma of unmarried motherhood; domestic violence. And none of these issues seem forced.
On a broader level, it also makes you think about the American Dream and the responsibility that comes with having money. The Depression and its impact was particularly well evoked, as were family dynamics. I think Evaleen will inspire young women. I'd definitely read more by this author. show less