Approaching the end of her life, famous actress Evelyn Hugo selects young writer Monique Grant to write her official biography on the condition that it cannot be released until after her death. Evelyn tells Monique the story of her long, successful career and wild personal life, and Monique wonders why she had been selected at author this tale as she learns her own strengths and takes charge of her life The connection between the two women is revealed in a surprising ending. A quick and entertaining read.

4.5 Stars!

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author I've always wanted to read a book by but hadn't yet. I was very excited to get to read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and experience her writing. I had heard such great things about her books.

I was a little nervous about reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo because a couple of my trusted blogger friends were not impressed by it. After reading it, I can understand why this book may not be for some readers. It's filled with uncomfortable situations and moments. Evelyn was unabashedly candid in the telling of her life story. She was unapologetic about the people she hurt or wronged. Some, if not all, of her decisions will disgust some readers. Evelyn was simply unlikable.

I wasn't a fan of Evelyn's, but I did appreciate her story. The methods she used to get what she wanted were brash, but she acknowledged that. Everything she did, right or wrong, made for an interesting tale. I wasn't put off by most of her actions. I liked how they led to and explained her seven husbands. I truly enjoyed the journey through Evelyn's life and loves.

Monique wasn't much of a character at first. Her story loosely wove around Evelyn's, and I also found it hard to like her. I don't know that I ever ended up liking her, but I did end up respecting her. The things she learned about Evelyn and from Evelyn were profound. I loved that she put to use what she learned.

From the book blurb, the reader knows going into the story that Evelyn and Monique's lives intertwine in some way. I never could have guessed how. It was definitely a twist I didn't see coming. It was perfect and I really like what it did to the story line. It made the ending all that more perfect.

I may not have fallen in love with the characters of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I was mesmerized by the story. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer capable of weaving a multifaceted tale. I loved her writing style, and I am looking forward to reading her other books.

Thank you for providing this ARC! Full review closer to release.

The novel began as a story of an iconic, Academy Award-winning actress with decades in the movie industry revealing a salacious tell-all to a low-level journalist seemingly plucked out of obscurity. It is that to some degree, but 79-year-old movie star Evelyn Hugo’s story of her rise to fame and the reasons she had so many husbands is also about race, identity, and the discrimination faced by members of the LBGTQ community—the actors in front of the camera, the players behind the scenes, and the population at large.

Monique is having trouble with her own marriage and career when she learns from her editor that Evelyn wants her and only her to tell her story. Monique can’t figure out what Evelyn really wants and why it has to be her, but she realizes that this is the career opportunity of a lifetime.

Evelyn’s story of growing up poor (and beautiful) and making her way to Hollywood, her successes and failures in film and with her marriages, makes for compelling reading. I’ve read most of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s other books, and this is quite different than her other work, but I really enjoyed it (as I enjoyed her other novels).

Evelyn’s story of her ruthless and calculated ascent into the wealthy Hollywood elite is deliciously consuming, but it’s her historical journey through the 50s, the 60s when the Stonewall riots happened, though the Reagan 80s that make this a must read.

Evelyn Hugo, born Evelyn Elena Herrera, daughter of Cuban immigrants, grew up poor in Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. By 1955 she was in Hollywood.
Evelyn is beautiful....as tall and slim as a ballerina, with straight thick eyebrows, oversize almond shape eyes, blonde hair, ( dyed only after she arrives in Hollywood to help her get acting roles), rich, powerful, charming, and exudes a casualness and confidence that makes her all the more radiating.
This enchanting lovely woman was humble - down to earth in areas that mattered. Yes, she had seven husbands, too!

I was quickly bewitched, fully captivated by Evelyn Hugo. It was her calm wisdom - humble but direct speaking that moved me. She made a distinction about words and how they can be misleading, that made me want to SCREAM OUT AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT!!!!!!
There was a scene early in the book where it was very clear how one word could induce shame. Words really can hurt and paint evil pictures.... preaching...assumptions before asking.... sarcasm.....etc.
I sat and thought about all the times people have used words - not chosen them carefully - and as a result I'd feel hurt or belittled. I'm no better. I also thought about times I did the same to others. Words do hurt and damage the spirit- and the trust of the relationship.
Ms. Hugo, 79 year old Hollywood legend, handled those 'wrong words' with grace, correcting - teaching- inspiring her new-friend at the time while having compassion for 'herself'. Her purpose was not to hurt her friend who spoke the wrong words - but also not to allow for the misleading word to be, "misleading".
I started reading 'slower' ( wanting to take in every word out of Evelyn Hugo's mouth), when I realized this Hollywood notable Starlett was sincerely deserving- and worthy of the fans she has -- a celebrity to love!!!
I soon discovered this classy gorgeous woman had acute self-awareness, high levels of emotional intelligence, clearly socially aware, and relentlessly lived a full life of many experiences filled with joy and challenges.
I felt like I was given a gift - absorbing wisdom from this 79 year old woman. Her life experiences were fascinating, glamorous, scandalous and she herself was .....*extraordinary*. I was learning from this fictional character.

Monique Grant, Evelyn's new friend, 35 years old, is an unknown reporter at 'Vivant', in Los Angeles. Evelyn wants Monique to write a book about her life story. Everyone in the journalism community- including Monique's boss, Frankie, were shocked that Evelyn asked for Monique. ONLY Monique -- or no deal at all!!! There are some complications for Monique to figure out with work--plus her husband, David just left her....( not even married a full year), but her life is about to change.

Why did Evelyn pick Monique to write her book? We wonder right away!!!
We also want to know about Evelyn's life - her husband's - and which one she loved the most. We have many questions as we take this journey-- and it's delicious- with many insightful life lessons and messages along the path.

Intimacy - closeness - trust - and real friendship grows as Monique listens to Evelyn's life story. Monique is past the point of remaining objective. She knows how specular of a human being Evelyn is. Against all of her journalistic integrity Monique feels a full range of emotions for her.
Monique begins to feel a deep connection and love with Evelyn. There are many juicy stories that get revealed about Evelyn's past marriages, relationships, and movies she stars in, "Father and Daughter", "Little Women", and the title role in "Anna Karenina", however when Evelyn begins to share about her present day life......a secret door becomes unhinged. Both women will have to face the truth together.

My final words.... THIS NOVEL IS EARTH SHATTERING FABULOUS- FANTASTIC -WONDERFUL -soooooo GOOD I can barely stand it!!!!!! It's 'not' what you think it is!!!!!!
I laughed, I cried, and thankful that this book kept me cozy company while sick in bed!!!!!

Many Thanks Atria Books, Netgalley, Jamie, ( my friend who demanded I 'not' wait for the audiobook book as planned - that I RUN over to Netgalley and begged for this book and then drop everything and start reading if given the opportunity -- bless you Jamie Girl.... and last to Taylor Jenkins Reid... ( you really out-did yourself with this novel... amazing!!!! Love You for it!!)

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a digital ebook of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid in exchange for my honest review. This was my very first TJR ever, I know, insane...right? Trust me, when I say, I understand the appeal now. I am above all, a lover of words. I am a reader, a writer... I talk, obviously! I share my opinions on my Goodreads page, and on Maryse's Book Blog; where I am a resident chatterbox.

I had been going through more than a bit of a dry spell. 6 months... roughly, 60- 65 books, without a 5 star read, before this bit of amazing hit my kindle. I have to be honest. I was nervous. I wanted to be impressed; yet, was the build-up going to ruin it for me? This was, after-all... *the Taylor Jenkins Reid* we were talking about. I shouldn't have worried. This book was all that, and then some.

I do not like to give spoilers in my reviews, but I will tell you I ran the gamut of emotions in this book. Up, down, left, right... You'll get sucked into the vortex that is Evelyn Hugo's life. And what a full and pretzel tummy inducing life it was. You'll cry, cheer, rage... and simply stare in numb bewilderment wondering where in the world some of these people could possibly come from. They come from the creative genius, that is the author, Ms. Jenkins-Reid. It is with my most humble respect that I predict this book will top many 'Best of 2017' lists at the end of the year; my own, most definitely included. A fictional tale... but how many will wonder- could there be a kernel of truth buried deep somewhere amongst the pages? Oh, my hat is off to you!

The only criticism I had, was a medical event that would not have played out in real life as it did in the book... but that can be blamed on my real life experience as a medical professional and first hand working experience of crisis situations. However, that was so minor that it is not even hardly worth mentioning, and certainly not enough to take away a star for.

5 stars for masterful storytelling, world building, ceiling shattering, heart-mending or is it heart breaking? Just truly awe inspired words. Thank you again for allowing me the privilege of reviewing this copy prior to it's release.

i have read a few of TJRs books and i really enjoy them, so i expected to enjoy this one. other than that, this book was not what i expected at all. it's SO different from her other books, but in a good way, and i just have a lot of emotions. she's a fantastic writer. loved it.

I received an advance copy of this book, and am so thrilled I did so I can recommend it to everyone! I stayed up till the wee hours to read this in just two nights, because I just couldn't put it down. This book was fascinating, fast-paced, and thoroughly intriguing. I loved getting to see behind the scenes of old Hollywood, and the shifts between present day and the past were well done so as not to distract from the story. Usually, with this style, I like one story better than the other and am skimming the one I don't like, but in this case, the stories were well-balanced so I didn't mind the flips at all. My only point of criticism would be that it wasn't quite as thought-provoking as Taylor Jenkins Reid's other novels... but that was more than made up for by how interesting the plot was. Highly recommend!

From Taylor Jenkins Reid comes an unforgettable and sweeping novel about one classic film actress’s relentless rise to the top—the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.

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. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

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 seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds through the decades—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—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.

Filled with emotional insight and written with Reid’s signature talent, this is a fascinating journey through the splendor of Old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it takes—to face the truth.

This has been one of my most-anticipated releases of 2017 since I found out Taylor Jenkins Reid had another novel coming out this year, and fans of her other books will NOT be disappointed. In fact, this is definitely my new favorite of her books.

Monique Grant, a relatively unknown magazine writer, is mysteriously sought out by Evelyn Hugo, one of the most widely recognized actresses in Hollywood, to write an article about auctioning off a collection of her old gowns for charity. Obviously more than a little confused as to why she was chosen out of any reporter in the world, Monique arrives to meet Evelyn only to find that the article was just a guise to get Monique to meet with her - what she really wants is for Evelyn to write her memoirs.

As Monique meets with Evelyn daily for weeks to hear the story of her life, and her infamous seven husbands, Monique begins to connect with Evelyn. In fact, she channels Evelyn’s ambition by making a deal with the magazine at which she works to get a promotion in exchange for publishing an excerpt of Evelyn’s memoir in the magazine - in addition to the millions of dollars the book itself will no doubt net her when it is published. However, Evelyn is careful to warn Monique that she wants the world - and Monique herself - to know who she truly was, not a fairytale picture of a woman who has never done anything wrong. Major foreshadowing alert - she also assures Monique that before they are through, she will hate Evelyn.

The book is written as if the reader is in the room with Monique and Evelyn as she tells her life story, so readers are swept into Evelyn’s story, her seven husbands, her one true love, and finally, the true connection between Evelyn and Monique. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is full of emotion, scandal, and tragedy. This is one book not to be missed this year!

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hands down, Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my most beloved authors. Her stories have a unique voice that really could only be penned by the author. And to me, this means a whole lot because finding an author like this is hard to come by. With that, this is a unique and utterly fascinating story that I wouldn't get enough of. I highly recommend it to ALL.

DNF at 38%. When I first saw this book I didn't think it looked like my cup of tea. But then I saw it was Taylor Jenkins Reid and I thought, "yes, please." Sadly, I should've gone with my first instinct. I pretty much hated Evelyn - both in the present and the past. I felt a little sorry for her as a young girl, but then she grew up into an awful person who did awful things and was not the least bit sorry about it. Now, I can read and enjoy books that have unlikable characters. But I either have to love to hate them or they have to have some type of redeeming quality and I felt like both of those aspects were missing here. I also didn't really find Monique developed enough to care about one way or the other, but by the time I stopped reading I was growing to dislike her a bit. I'm sure there will be many people who like this book, but unfortunately I'm not one of them.

I want Evelyn Hugo to be real, I want to watch her movies and I want to watch Celia's movies. Heartbreaking, intriguing and brave Evelyn Hugo is a great summer read. Thank you Netgalley for the arc.

I was invited to read this but it is not a title I'm interested in...

Perhaps I'm too young to fully relate to the idea of old Hollywood glamour but Jenkins Reid tries to make it relevant. Ultimately, it's dragged down by the idea of the seven husbands, who become a blur of the same "I married them but didn't love them for various reasons." .

LOVE IT!! Taylor is one of my all time favorite Authors and a must click always!

I really enjoyed this book. The Old Hollywood setting was vibrant and realistic, and Evelyn was a flawed, dynamic and interesting character. I wish that Monique had been given more depth, because even though she was really just a vessel for Evelyn's story, it was a bit off-putting to read her that way. And although I found Evelyn and her friends and family fascinating, I had a hard time connecting to any of them, besides probably Harry, who was my favorite. The twist at the end was unexpected, though I am not sure whether I liked it or not...Overall an entertaining read perfect for summertime on the beach or poolside, but ultimately not one that will really stay with me.

Unfortunately, I will not be reviewing this book formally as my review would not be favorable. I have loved every Taylor Jenkins Reid book prior to this one but this one feel infinitely short. It felt contrived to the extreme and I honestly couldn't find one positive thing to say about this book. Best of luck, I look forward to other books by this author in the future and hope they work out for me.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo better be on the top of your summer to-read list. If it's not--trust me you will want to add it!

For those of you who have read the magic that is Taylor Jenkins Reid, you won't be surprised to hear that her newest novel is nothing short of amazing. But here's a surprise: It's totally different from anything she's written before.

This story has the intrigue and scandal that you'd expect from anything centered around the 50s and 60s era in Hollywood but it also has much more. There's something so interesting about the sudden relationship between reporter Monique Grant and the famous actress, Evelyn Hugo. When Evelyn requests Monique out of the blue to write her biography, Monique is awestruck, suspicious and nervous. But as she listens to Evelyn tell her life story, there are many things that change for Monique. In hearing the struggles and various love stories from Hugo, Monique starts to untangle stories that are going on in her own heart. I just can't express how much I truly enjoyed this book. There are stories intertwined with the bigger plot that pull at your heart strings, there is a massively important theme about love, forgiveness and acceptance and major plot twists that you don't see coming...it's just an amazing story.