What a gorgeous debut from Melissa O'Connor! Vivian is an unforgettable heroine, and watching her grow from a scrappy girl doing what she can to make it to a bonafide star was truly a delight. O'Connor beautifully balances aching romance and fantastic period details (the outfits!) with the reality of what it was like to be in the studio system for both men and women -- and the cost many women felt they needed to pay to pursue their dreams. In the present timeline, Margot is a deeply relatable character, and, again, O'Connor crafts just the right balance between her grief and the stress of having to pack up a house and a life under a time crunch with the distraction and relief she finds with Leo and the mystery of the tapes. And that mystery pays off well, effortlessly underscoring the books themes. The writing is fantastic and the characters across timelines feel real and lived-in (Ruth and her dolls and her ketchup!). THE ONE AND ONLY VIVIAN STONE is a story that hooks you from the beginning and doesn't let go, and I look forward to Melissa O'Connor's future books! Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery for the ARC.

I felt like this was a good read about old Hollywood. It was very well written and atmospheric and overall just a good read Thanks Thanks.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

I really liked the story and the world of this book, and I love a dual timeline with a mystery, as well as a story about a complicated relationship with a grandmother, though I struggled at times with the writing style. I don't know that these comps were the best for this book - Maisel to me implies Jewish content, of which there was none that I recall, and Evelyn Hugo implies queer content, of which there were only passing references. I might have gone with Hacks instead, or even just the more obvious I Love Lucy. I loved how the ending complicated Vivian - that was truly the most interesting part to me, though I also loved her determination to make it in Hollywood.

This book is so funny and romantic!! I cried multiple times, laughed throughout, and swooned over and over. The story is pitched as the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel meets TJR's The Seven Husbands, and I couldn't think of a more perfect way to describe this book. Vivian's dialogue reminded me precisely of something Miriam Maisel or Lucille Ball would say, spoken with sass, confidence, and a touch of vulnerability in the interiority. There was an added layer of suspense in the form of the story (told through tapes that the present-day character Margot finds), and I loved watching the story lines connect perfectly at the end. Highly recommend!

I loved this. I love a good dual timeline type of read and I adore the building of a story, a mystery. I greatly enjoyed the characters, the building of the characters, and the look back at old Hollywood. Oftentimes, we idealize those days without realizing just how horrific it was for actors and, especially, actresses. Margot is all of us; everyone who has ever had regrets in her past. Great read and I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This book had a great combo of historical fiction, romance, and dual timeline. The story of present day Margot and Leo rekindling their past relationship while Margot is cleaning out her recently deceased grandmother house is intertwined with tapes found about a famous actress from the golden age of movies and the beginnings of television named Vivian Stone. This book had a sense of mystery about why these tapes were in Margot’s grandmother’s house, what was the connection???. This book will ultimately answer all with some background about Hollywood and television, with a hint of romance. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all who enjoy romance, mystery, and historical fiction.

This is the Evelyn Hugo I didn't know I needed! All the glamor of Old Hollywood with the shimmering romance that I want in a book. Vivian Stone was such a joy to read - her personality was just what I look for in a female character. She was decisive, kind, thoughtful, and she wasn't afraid to own up to her mistakes. I highly recommend for readers who finished Evelyn Hugo and thought "but where was the romance?"

All the stars!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery, and mostly the author for this ARC!

“The One and Only Vivian Stone” is by Melissa O’Connor. In this dual-timeline book, in present day Margot is cleaning out her grandmother’s house and comes across a box of letters and seven out of a series of eight cassette tapes. The tapes are recordings of the life of Vivian Stone - a famous TV show actress of the 1950s (thus the comparisons to “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”). Margot wonders why her grandmother had these tapes, but as the story of Vivian unfolds, Margot finds herself being sucked into it more and more. I have to be honest, while I found the overall idea of this book interesting, because I know a lot about this time period in Hollywood, I couldn’t help making comparisons to real-life stars (Lucille Ball immediately came to mind, but so did Gloria Swanson). I never felt a lot of sympathy for Margot (other than dealing with the grief of losing her beloved grandmother and dealing with cleaning out a home and all that entails - it’s not easy) until the end when the connection is made (though the connection was one I saw coming pretty early on). I was invested in Vivian’s story - the burning desire to become famous, hanging out with famous people, dealing with casting couch stuff (and avoiding dealing with it), finding true friends, and reinventing yourself as many times as necessary. I found Vivian’s story more interesting until one part - it sounded way too modern a storyline for me to believe happening in the press back in the 1950s. I did find this book an easy read and it was enjoyable, but I wouldn’t need to read it again.

The One and Only Vivian Stone is a fabulous debut by Melissa O'Connor. Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and readers of romance, this book took me on an emotional journey. Told in two timelines, one in the era of Vivian Stone, an actress in the 50s, and one in present day in the POV of Margot, a failed writer who finds tapes recorded by Vivian when cleaning out her deceased grandmother's home, the tale weaves intrigue as you question exactly how Margot and Vivian are connected, and root for both Vivian and Margot's emotional journeys. 
All the characters are so well-developed and their emotional connections are intricately woven. From Vivian, her friend Ruth, and her connections with actors Hugo and Kit had me flipping the pages. Vivian starts off as an aspiring dramatic actress, only to go on to achieve greatness in a way she never imagined. I was utterly captivated by the highs and lows of her life and her journey as an actress. 
Margot has been dumped by her ex, who is also a writer, and has vowed off on pursuing her dreams of being a writer thanks to rejection. Now, back in her hometown, she bumps into her first love, Leo. Forced proximity throws them together as Leo is the only one who knows how to salvage the mysterious tapes Margot found in her grandmother's home. But as they learn more about Vivian and her story, Margot and Leo learn more about each other and the love that they lost, and maybe can find again. 
I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read what O'Connor gifts us with next. A new auto-buy author for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery for an ARC.

Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Melissa O'Connor's debut is well paced and emotional, with two timelines (and two couples) for readers to fall in love with.

Historical fiction lovers listen up! The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O’Connor was an excellent read. Pick it up!

Margot must clean out her beloved grandma's house so it can be sold now that she's passed away. She finds old cassette tapes and her old boyfriend, Leo, gets them working again. The tapes are recorded by Vivian Stone, a famous actor from years ago. Margot doesn't know how her grandma got them.

This dual timeline novel goes back and forth present day with Margot and Leo reconnecting and the audio tapes of Vivian's life. I was invested in my stories and couldn't figure out how they connected. It was a captivating read!!