The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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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. 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 show more seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn's life unfolds, 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. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This book absolutely destroyed me. I went into it not really knowing what to expect, and I ended up completely blown away. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is so much more than a story about Hollywood glamour — it’s about love, sacrifice, identity, and the messy, complicated choices that make up a life.
Taylor Jenkins Reid has this incredible way of making you feel everything her characters feel. Evelyn is flawed, fierce, and heartbreakingly real. Her story made me reflect on my own life — the things I’ve done for love, the things I’ve kept hidden, and what it really means to live authentically.
And that twist at the end? I swear my jaw dropped. I just sat there, staring at the page, trying to process everything.
Honestly, this show more is probably one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. It stayed with me long after I finished it, and I already know I’ll be thinking about Evelyn Hugo for a long, long time. show less
Taylor Jenkins Reid has this incredible way of making you feel everything her characters feel. Evelyn is flawed, fierce, and heartbreakingly real. Her story made me reflect on my own life — the things I’ve done for love, the things I’ve kept hidden, and what it really means to live authentically.
And that twist at the end? I swear my jaw dropped. I just sat there, staring at the page, trying to process everything.
Honestly, this show more is probably one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. It stayed with me long after I finished it, and I already know I’ll be thinking about Evelyn Hugo for a long, long time. show less
Wow, I liked this book more than I expected I would! Very popular books seem to have a reputation of being hyped up when they don't deserve to be, but this book deserves the hype in my opinion.
It was very well written, such an easy to read well flowing story, with such truly powerful characters, especially Evelyn. It sucks you in pretty quickly and soon you're wanting to see one of Evelyn's films, until you realise she's not real (I had to look her up just to check), that was how real and believable the story felt. And the love between her andCelia was palpable. It made me feel smitten and smile when they were happy, and sad when they'd stop speaking to each other. I felt heartbroken that they couldn't have lived a full and true life show more together. I was totally invested! And maybe I'm a prude but I appreciated the lack of smut.
I was thinking of rating it a 4.5 but then I thought I couldn't think of one real criticism to prevent it being a 5* book, so I'm leaving a 5* review. There were no grammatical errors (digital version), no loopholes, no confusing parts, no truly ridiculous and unrealistic events. It was a perfect book, one that you keep wanting to go back to whenever you can to see what happens next. show less
It was very well written, such an easy to read well flowing story, with such truly powerful characters, especially Evelyn. It sucks you in pretty quickly and soon you're wanting to see one of Evelyn's films, until you realise she's not real (I had to look her up just to check), that was how real and believable the story felt. And the love between her and
I was thinking of rating it a 4.5 but then I thought I couldn't think of one real criticism to prevent it being a 5* book, so I'm leaving a 5* review. There were no grammatical errors (digital version), no loopholes, no confusing parts, no truly ridiculous and unrealistic events. It was a perfect book, one that you keep wanting to go back to whenever you can to see what happens next. show less
There's so much I want to say about this book but I will refrain because it's almost all spoilers. But I fell hard into this book -- way harder than I expected to -- and was ridiculously invested in Evelyn's life, and the lives of the secondary characters. I also was at the edge of my seat waiting for the why of Evelyn demanding Monique write her story. (It paid off like a gut punch. Oof.)
On the surface, it's a fictional Hollywood memoir. But past that, it's a deeply compelling story of identity and self, doing what one must to survive and protect loved ones, and finding your voice and passion. And so much more. I adored this book. It was so good!
On the surface, it's a fictional Hollywood memoir. But past that, it's a deeply compelling story of identity and self, doing what one must to survive and protect loved ones, and finding your voice and passion. And so much more. I adored this book. It was so good!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a 2017 Atria Books publication.
A story so well written I had to remind myself it was a work of fiction.
The cleverly titled novel appealed to my interest in old Hollywood, the scandals and cover-ups the public never had the slightest clue existed.
Evelyn Hugo is a faded movie star in advanced years who has decided to write her life story- a deliciously scandalous tell all with a sharp focus on her seven marriages.
To help with this task, she lures Monique Grant to her home under false pretenses, but soon seduces her into agreeing to take the job, by making her an offer she couldn’t resist.
The story moves slowly at first while Evelyn settles into her story and Monique learns how to handle Evelyn, show more often using Evelyn’s own advice against her to gain leverage.
But, once they have come to an understanding, Evelyn’s story takes center stage and what a story it was.
The first question Monique asked Evelyn is:
‘Who was the great love of your life?'
It seems like a reasonable enough question, considering Evelyn’s numerous marriages, but it turns out to be much more complicated than what it may seem on the surface.
I admit, I sat literally spellbound and mesmerized by Evelyn and her turbulent life as an actress and movie star, and the amazing twists and turns her life took in search of personal peace, love, and contentment. Her storytelling was an Academy Award performance.
Evelyn made concessions along the way to fame, allowing herself to be recreated by erasing her Cuban heritage and features, as well as leaving her first husband for a chance at fame and fortune.
Her love life takes many twists and turns as does her career, but what the public witnessed was nothing at all like what went on behind closed doors. Her life was like the old Hollywood is all ‘smoke and mirrors’ adage personified.
While Monique is the interviewer, her life and background deserves a close look. She is depressed over her failed marriage and her seemingly dead -end position at work. This gig is worth the incredible risk she takes, but she could never have guessed the monumental impact Evelyn Hugo would have on her life.
Naturally, I thought of Elizabeth Taylor and her many marriages, but the story also had a hint of Marilyn Monroe’s humble beginnings as well. However, a few of Evelyn's leading men mimicked or could have been modeled after real movie stars from that era as well.
But, the most significant points come from the relationships Evelyn developed, outside of the public eye, and how they managed to keep the situation a secret for so many years.
Each husband is given their own chapter with a special title that applies to them personally or to Evelyn’s relationship or opinion of them.
I disliked many of them, and really loved others, as did Evelyn. But beware of Evelyn’s spin on things. She is determined to tell this tale her way and her outlook is often a matter of perspective.
As things progress, I began to see how Evelyn’s influence on Monique begins to take hold. She gives good advice even if it sounds selfish, greedy, or cold. She didn’t get to be the great ‘Evelyn Hugo’ without some verve.
Although there are strong passages regarding sexuality, and the hidden secret lives people were forced to resort to in those days, for me, the powerful transformation Monique undergoes under Evelyn’s tutelage is what sticks with me the most.
Now, this story could have worked as a fictional tell all from Hollywood’s golden age, but there are a couple of 'Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night'moments you won’t see it coming, which left me utterly speechless and completely flabbergasted. My emotions exploded in a million different directions at that point.
The conclusion is riddled with rich bittersweet irony, but couldn't have been more fitting.
Overall, this is an incredibly well written story, very atmospheric, multi-layered, thought provoking, and utterly hypnotizing. Someday, I would like to re-read this one so I can absorb all those nuances I missed leading up to that stunning conclusion.
This one was so good I had a little book hangover for a couple of days. Highly recommend!! show less
A story so well written I had to remind myself it was a work of fiction.
The cleverly titled novel appealed to my interest in old Hollywood, the scandals and cover-ups the public never had the slightest clue existed.
Evelyn Hugo is a faded movie star in advanced years who has decided to write her life story- a deliciously scandalous tell all with a sharp focus on her seven marriages.
To help with this task, she lures Monique Grant to her home under false pretenses, but soon seduces her into agreeing to take the job, by making her an offer she couldn’t resist.
The story moves slowly at first while Evelyn settles into her story and Monique learns how to handle Evelyn, show more often using Evelyn’s own advice against her to gain leverage.
But, once they have come to an understanding, Evelyn’s story takes center stage and what a story it was.
The first question Monique asked Evelyn is:
‘Who was the great love of your life?'
It seems like a reasonable enough question, considering Evelyn’s numerous marriages, but it turns out to be much more complicated than what it may seem on the surface.
I admit, I sat literally spellbound and mesmerized by Evelyn and her turbulent life as an actress and movie star, and the amazing twists and turns her life took in search of personal peace, love, and contentment. Her storytelling was an Academy Award performance.
Evelyn made concessions along the way to fame, allowing herself to be recreated by erasing her Cuban heritage and features, as well as leaving her first husband for a chance at fame and fortune.
Her love life takes many twists and turns as does her career, but what the public witnessed was nothing at all like what went on behind closed doors. Her life was like the old Hollywood is all ‘smoke and mirrors’ adage personified.
While Monique is the interviewer, her life and background deserves a close look. She is depressed over her failed marriage and her seemingly dead -end position at work. This gig is worth the incredible risk she takes, but she could never have guessed the monumental impact Evelyn Hugo would have on her life.
Naturally, I thought of Elizabeth Taylor and her many marriages, but the story also had a hint of Marilyn Monroe’s humble beginnings as well. However, a few of Evelyn's leading men mimicked or could have been modeled after real movie stars from that era as well.
But, the most significant points come from the relationships Evelyn developed, outside of the public eye, and how they managed to keep the situation a secret for so many years.
Each husband is given their own chapter with a special title that applies to them personally or to Evelyn’s relationship or opinion of them.
I disliked many of them, and really loved others, as did Evelyn. But beware of Evelyn’s spin on things. She is determined to tell this tale her way and her outlook is often a matter of perspective.
As things progress, I began to see how Evelyn’s influence on Monique begins to take hold. She gives good advice even if it sounds selfish, greedy, or cold. She didn’t get to be the great ‘Evelyn Hugo’ without some verve.
Although there are strong passages regarding sexuality, and the hidden secret lives people were forced to resort to in those days, for me, the powerful transformation Monique undergoes under Evelyn’s tutelage is what sticks with me the most.
Now, this story could have worked as a fictional tell all from Hollywood’s golden age, but there are a couple of 'Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night'moments you won’t see it coming, which left me utterly speechless and completely flabbergasted. My emotions exploded in a million different directions at that point.
The conclusion is riddled with rich bittersweet irony, but couldn't have been more fitting.
Overall, this is an incredibly well written story, very atmospheric, multi-layered, thought provoking, and utterly hypnotizing. Someday, I would like to re-read this one so I can absorb all those nuances I missed leading up to that stunning conclusion.
This one was so good I had a little book hangover for a couple of days. Highly recommend!! show less
4.5 star out of 5
"It's always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly."
It took me a lot of to and froing to settle on a rating for this one, but I feel comfortable with 4.5 stars. As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I think it is important to give mention to those from the latinx community who have raised issues with the portrayal of latinx individuals by the author. As a white woman, it isn't my place to comment, but it is my place to support. Having said that, I won't mention this again within this review, simply because I do not have anything of value to show more add to this particular conversation.
As a hugely recommended book (especially on Booktok), I had my apprehensions going into this one. I needn't have; I was less than a quarter of the way through before I'd purchased another TJR book, already confident in the fact that I enjoyed her writing style and her stories. There isn't anything complicated about the way she writes - it's simple and easy, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I have seen some criticisms levied at the author that suggest her writing has a 'wattpad' quality to it - I feel the need to disagree with those. As someone who reads a vast variety of genres and styles, but who is incredibly picky when it comes to writing styles, I enjoy TJR's! There are a few authors who come to my mind, when thinking of 'wattpad writers', and TJR isn't one of them.
The golden age of Hollywood has always existed to prove that not everything that glitters is gold. Evelyn Hugo is a complicated character; unapologetically herself, even when perhaps apologies are due. Despite her unlikeable qualities, I found myself (much like Monique) drawn to her; impressed by her tenacity, and her ruthlessness. Her desire to get what she wanted, and her drive to do whatever it took to get that.
I liked the way the book was split into chapters dedicated to those portions of her life spent with each husband. Thought I already knew of the LGBT aspect to it, I was still delighted to read about the relationships. It warmed my heart to see Evelyn depicted as a bisexual woman, in a time where that was inherently dangerous. I also loved how much of an advocate she was for herself and for bisexuality in general, especially when there was some rampant biphobia throughout the book that she faced in her life. It was important, I think, to show that side of things; of bisexuality being dismissed even by members of the LGBT community for so long. And even more important to see Evelyn challenging that throughout.
TRJ proves the fact that a sentence does not need to be flowery and beautiful to be impactful. Some of the most simple lines throughout this novel were ones that I tabbed, that made me feel the most, regardless of the emotion it drew.
The only negatives (aside from what I mentioned within the first paragraph of this review), for me, were few and far between. I didn't find Monique to be a particularly engaging or interesting character, though perhaps nobody can be as interesting as Evelyn Hugo in a tale such as this. There were also a lot of sentences that started with 'and' within the same paragraphs, and that is a minor writing peeve I have, because it was pretty constant.
But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I was totally drawn into the tale and the characters from the very beginning, and it's definitely a book I think I would come to reread.
"She looked at me. And the way she did it made me feel as if no one had ever really looked at me before." show less
"It's always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly."
It took me a lot of to and froing to settle on a rating for this one, but I feel comfortable with 4.5 stars. As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I think it is important to give mention to those from the latinx community who have raised issues with the portrayal of latinx individuals by the author. As a white woman, it isn't my place to comment, but it is my place to support. Having said that, I won't mention this again within this review, simply because I do not have anything of value to show more add to this particular conversation.
As a hugely recommended book (especially on Booktok), I had my apprehensions going into this one. I needn't have; I was less than a quarter of the way through before I'd purchased another TJR book, already confident in the fact that I enjoyed her writing style and her stories. There isn't anything complicated about the way she writes - it's simple and easy, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I have seen some criticisms levied at the author that suggest her writing has a 'wattpad' quality to it - I feel the need to disagree with those. As someone who reads a vast variety of genres and styles, but who is incredibly picky when it comes to writing styles, I enjoy TJR's! There are a few authors who come to my mind, when thinking of 'wattpad writers', and TJR isn't one of them.
The golden age of Hollywood has always existed to prove that not everything that glitters is gold. Evelyn Hugo is a complicated character; unapologetically herself, even when perhaps apologies are due. Despite her unlikeable qualities, I found myself (much like Monique) drawn to her; impressed by her tenacity, and her ruthlessness. Her desire to get what she wanted, and her drive to do whatever it took to get that.
I liked the way the book was split into chapters dedicated to those portions of her life spent with each husband. Thought I already knew of the LGBT aspect to it, I was still delighted to read about the relationships. It warmed my heart to see Evelyn depicted as a bisexual woman, in a time where that was inherently dangerous. I also loved how much of an advocate she was for herself and for bisexuality in general, especially when there was some rampant biphobia throughout the book that she faced in her life. It was important, I think, to show that side of things; of bisexuality being dismissed even by members of the LGBT community for so long. And even more important to see Evelyn challenging that throughout.
TRJ proves the fact that a sentence does not need to be flowery and beautiful to be impactful. Some of the most simple lines throughout this novel were ones that I tabbed, that made me feel the most, regardless of the emotion it drew.
The only negatives (aside from what I mentioned within the first paragraph of this review), for me, were few and far between. I didn't find Monique to be a particularly engaging or interesting character, though perhaps nobody can be as interesting as Evelyn Hugo in a tale such as this. There were also a lot of sentences that started with 'and' within the same paragraphs, and that is a minor writing peeve I have, because it was pretty constant.
But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I was totally drawn into the tale and the characters from the very beginning, and it's definitely a book I think I would come to reread.
"She looked at me. And the way she did it made me feel as if no one had ever really looked at me before." show less
It is one of the books i did not read either about the context or reviews, before choosing to read it. I was simply intrigued by the title and bought it. And i am glad i did. It is a story about a famous(fictional) actress in 70's Hollywood, all glamorous and every bit scandalous, as a woman has to be since she married, *cough* seven times. The book takes the reader through Evelyn's journey of how and why she ended up marrying each of her husband. And through these stories, you get to see the complexity of Evelyn's character. She is not a saint. But you can't really hate her. It is sensual. It is thrilling. It is heartbreaking . But most of all, it is about complexity of human endeavours. As the story reminds the reader over and over show more again, nothing is either black or white. Neither are our feelings. Or our actions. It is very, very humane.
I will always remember this line from the book, "No one is just a victim or a victor. Everyone is somewhere in between. People who go around casting themselves as one or the other are not only kidding themselves, but they're also painfully unoriginal." show less
I will always remember this line from the book, "No one is just a victim or a victor. Everyone is somewhere in between. People who go around casting themselves as one or the other are not only kidding themselves, but they're also painfully unoriginal." show less
“People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is 'you're safe with me'- that's intimacy.”
By far my favorite read this year, maybe in the past 2 years or more. The worst thing about this book is that Evelyn Hugo was not a real person because I desperately want to go watch ALL of her movies and look at all of her pictures. While on the surface this was simply a story about the behind the scenes life of a celebrity, there was so much heart and life in the relationships she built, the choices she made, the loves and the heartbreaks that it kept me fully engaged from show more beginning to end. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up. show less
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in Someone explain it to me... (December 2023)
Author Information
18+ Works 47,028 Members
Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author, essayist, and TV writer. Her debut novel, Forever, Interrupted, has been optioned with Dakota Johnson attached to star. She is adapting her second book, After I Do, for ABC Family. Her most recent novel, Maybe In Another Life has become a best-selling e-book. In addition to her novels, Taylor's essays have show more appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, and a number of other publications. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Awards
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Notable Lists
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
- Original publication date
- 2017-06-13
- People/Characters
- Evelyn Herrera aka Evelyn Hugo; Cecelia Jamison aka Celia St. James; Harry Cameron; Elizabeth Monique Grant; Ernie Diaz; Don Adler (show all 17); Mick Riva; Rex North; Max Girard; Robert Jamison; Ruby Reilly; Connor Margot Cameron; John Braverman; James Grant; Angela Grant; Frankle Troupe; Monique Grant
- Important places
- New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA; Aldiz, Spain; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Dedication
- For Lilah
Smash the patriarchy, sweetheart - First words
- Film legend and '60s It girl Evelyn Hugo has just announced that she will auction off 12 of her most memorable gowns through Christie's to raise money for breast cancer research.
- Quotations
- “… When you’re given an opportunity to change your life, be ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen. The world doesn’t give things, you take things. …”
I think the difference between an actress and a star is that the star feels comfortable being the very thing the world wants her to be.
Intimacy is impossible without trust. And we would have been idiots to trust one another.
But the truth is, praise is just like an addiction. The more you get it, the more of it you need just to stay even.
You know the key to impulsivity is believing you are invincible. No one goes around throwing caution to the wind unless the wind is blowing their way.
… you can’t tell a single thing about a person’s true character if you both want the same thing. That’s like a dog and a cat getting along because they both want to kill the mouse. (show all 7)
When you dig just the tiniest bit beneath the surface, everyone’s love life is original and interesting and nuanced and defies any easy definition. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"No," she told me. "Because they are just husbands. I am Evelyn Hugo. And anyway, I think once people know the truth, they will be much more interested in my wife.”
- Blurbers
- Giffin, Emily; Blynn, Jamie; Petersen, Anne Helen; Beverly-Whittemore, Miranda; Davis, Fiona; Cocks, Heather and Morgan, Jessica
- Original language
- English US
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
- Canonical LCC
- PS3618.E5478
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