Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo

For a book with over 56,000 ratings and 9000+ reviews, I'd say my opinion counts for squat. However, my average rating reflects how this book made me feel.Parts were great, parts were boring, overall it was meh. After the forth or fifth? marriage, it was like Groundhog Day.For me to be invested in a story, I need to care about at least one of the main characters. That didn't happen in this instance.

I read a review of this book that said it was an excellent summer read. I am half way thru and thinking about dumping it. Not very interesting. I guess the fact that the central characters are lesbians and the fictional writer is biracial it's enough to make it edgy and interesting for the author. Pure device. Better to read a bio of Elizabeth Taylor if you want to read about an interesting actress with a multitude of husbands. This book is plain dull.

This was not what I was expecting. The writing and storytelling was good and kept me reading to the end but turned out to be a preachy propaganda piece for a certain agenda. If I had known that I would not have purchased the book. If you are a conservative reader, pass this one up.

Do NOT buy! This is Propaganda at Best! The media spews propaganda in the daily. I don't care for my leisure time of reading to have assaults on the "white male", and the Lord's name in vain as Printed. If I could put no stars, I would. What a shame and a disgrace. When you are reading a story, you wish to escape. There is no escape from liberal propaganda by the likes of Taylor Jenkins Reed. Do not waste your money.

I read this at the recommendation of someone and I think that someone owes me a box of tissue.What to even say about this? I was at a loss for words when I finished reading this last night, and I'm still struggling.I don't want to recap the book because that has been done before already and I feel that it would be full of spoilers if I attempted to.The way the book was organized to take us on this journey was clever. It is alternately narrated by Monique, the reporter who has been appointed to write the biography of Evelyn (Herrera) Hugo, and Evelyn herself. Going back and forth between past and present while we move forward through time in the different era's of each of Evelyn's seven husbands. Tricky but creative. And it worked.This entire book had me feeling so angry and heartbroken. I kept thinking about how terrible it was that people had to do so much to maintain secrecy out of fear of ridicule (or worse). Then I had to remind myself that it is still that way today at times and in some places. I have been so fortunate that I have been able to live my truth with very little conflict or turmoil.I read a 1 star review for this saying race and whatever was added to be titillating. I wish I could say that was funny considering the themes of this book. Clearly that person didn't understand the message. But it just isn't funny, it is sad. I appreciated the diversity. Half back/white narrator. Black boss. Cuban American title character. That isn't titillating, it is representative of the REAL WORLD.Ultimately this story is about the love of Evelyn Hugo's life and her desire to tell her truth once and for all. She experience so much pain and hardship through all phases of her life. It was difficult reading everything she goes through. But I felt that one thing lead to another authentically. I think her actions were based on her experiences. I didn't agree with some of them, but I could understand them.The ending was a surprise, for sure. The author did a great job of planting seeds throughout the book that kept you hooked to want to know what this was all about.Evelyn was full of sexuality and sex was a constant theme. I'm so impressed how the author wrote about it without ever being explicit.In the end, I was moved by the story. I shed many tears. I may not have liked Evelyn Hugo. I don't think we are really supposed to. But I definitely felt empathy and sadness. As well as a sense that I had read something wonderful.

You know the saying about potato chips “bet you can’t eat just one!”? Well, don’t eat potato chips while reading this book. For starters potato chip grease gets on the pages, which is a pet peeve of mine. But, more importantly you will not be able to stop reading chapter after chapter and your stomach can’t handle all those chips. This can definitely be a one sitting book read.If you are looking for a book to start your summer off right: this here is your jam!As a teenager, Evelyn Hugo knew she wanted bigger and better things than Hell’s Kitchen. Her mom dreamed of Hollywood, and after her death Evelyn would do everything in her power to make her mom’s dream her own. She married her first husband to get her to Hollywood and the next six to keep her there.You only knew what she set up to tell you; only a few knew the real Evelyn. At the age of 79 she is ready to tell all and hires an unknown journalist, Monique Grant, to do the telling. Why now? Why Monique? And, what the public wants to know is out of the seven, who was the love of her life? Well that I will not tell you: you need to read the book!It was an addicting, brilliantly written story. Author Taylor Jenkins Reid reeled me in: hook, line and sinker. This is the first and certainly not the last book I will read by her.

My God, this woman can write!It's all here: scandal, honesty, brutal words, delicate words. Sentences that take your breath away. Definitely not a beach read, but a book with great depth.

Not for me this one, I was looking for something a little lighter to read, lighter is what I got! Just a very vapid tale about a shallow bunch of people. I didn't like either of the central characters, they had nothing interesting to say. Life, loss, regret - maybe so but these characters are so one dimensional nothing has any deep meaning or emotional content that truly hits. At times I found the narrative to be somewhat juvenile, ultimately just horribly superficial trying to be meaningful. No plot surprises at all just cliches.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was one of my favourite books of 2018. It centres on the life and times of Evelyn Hugo – an award winning movie star – and it charts her way to success; the good times, the bad times and the times when life was so hard it was unbearable. Not only does Taylor Jenkins Reid take you on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey through Evelyn’s life but she also looks at the hypocrisy of Hollywood during its golden age, it looks at the LGBT community and its rise to prominence and it looks behind the screen at the lives of Hollywood actresses – the parts that they don’t want us to see.This is the first book that I have read by Taylor Jenkins Reid but it certainly won’t be the last.The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is available now.

This is a book which surprised me.I was expecting a lurid tale of glamorous people in old Hollywood. You know the kind of thing: sex, betrayal, drug abuse and maybe an untimely death or two. Okay, a lot of that is in here, but what I actually took away was a touching love story. There’s a real heart to this novel, one that loves its central characters and as such tells a story which isn’t just about film stars behaving badly, but instead seemingly real people and a distinctly real feeling relationship.Obviously owing a debt to VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (which really is a book about film stars behaving badly), we follow ultra-gorgeous actress Evelyn Hugo as she makes her way from Hell’s Kitchen hopeful to one of the world’s most beloved and sought after stars, while at the same time working her way through a Liz Taylor-eqsue seven husbands. But who is the real love of her life?If I have a criticism, it’s that this book doesn’t feel like it belongs to real Hollywood. All the movie stars at its centre are fake movie stars, which given its fiction is understandable, but all the people they bump into are fake movie stars as well. There is virtually no reference to the real contemporaries a character that Evelyn would have had. No passing allusions to a Monroe or a Hepburn. As such it feels like it takes place in a parallel universe, one with a completely different set of stars, and because of that it lacks a certain tactility.But I forgive it that as its heart is in the right place and its love story rings true and in the end it’s hard not to be moved by it.

Wow! Where do I start with this book! I enjoyed EVERY. SINGLE. WORD! It was hard to put down and when I did I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again!An historical love story with a bisexual narrator, a famous old Hollywood actress, and all of her seven marriages. It tells the story of Evelyn, who wants to be famous, who learns early on in life that to get what she wants she has to play the part in every sense of the word. Now in her seventies Evelyn wants to share her life story with journalist Monique who has been personally picked by Evelyn. A tell all memoir about her life and her rise to fame. The glitz and glam of old Hollywood, the manipulation, the scandal, Hollywood cover ups, having to conform to society norms of the time and what it meant to be gay/bisexual during that time period.It felt like non fiction. Like I was reading about Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor. Everything was so detailed. All the characters felt so real. Evelyn is flawed, ambitious and strong. A completely unapologetic character, manipulative and selfish who I loved! There are times she will frustrate you as a reader, but she is compelling and unforgettable! And with each husband she captivated me more with her spell.The real reason for Evelyn picking Monique is intriguing and kept me hooked in the present day story telling. Evelyn’s rollercoaster life flows chronologically over the years and covers topics such as LGBTQ+ rights, diversity, female empowerment, sexuality, found family, motherhood and love. It is as much a story about Evelyn as it is about Harry and Celia’s life too. These two characters completely had my heart. I went on as much of an emotional journey with them as I did with Evelyn.Taylor Jenkins Reid is without a doubt, a fantastic story teller. The way she writes her characters and their lives is addictive and very special.Enough of my gushing. Remember. Life is short. Life is precious. Live life without regret. Hold loved ones tightly. Love who you love. Make memories to last a life time. Laugh. But most of all be unapologetically you! Always! ❤️

I kept seeing this book pop up everywhere and everyone is loving it, so, even though it is not my usual type of story, i jumped in without reading the blurb.This book deserves ALL of the hype and then some!!I cannot recommend this book of perfection enough, honestly, it is just so beautiful.Evelyn Hugo is an icon to a lot of people, she was the style icon for women and men around the world, Women wanted to look like her, and men wanted to bed her, and lots did.She was Hollywood's 50's glamour girl, a movie star, a sex symbol - think Marilyn Monroe / Jayne Mansfield / Elizabeth Taylor.When budding journalist Monique gets a call at work for her to visit Evelyn, well she jumps at the chance just like anyone would.The request is for Monique... JUST Monique, but why her?Deciding that she wants Monique to write her memoirs, Evelyn then tells us the story of her rise in Hollywood, and the thing that everyone wants to know, out of her 7 husbands, who was the greatest love of her life?This gets answered in spades and we learn a hell of a lot about Evelyn, sometimes, not so good things about her.We learn about her using her strengths *cough* Boobs *cough* to get herself ahead in the business, we learn about her actually falling in love and who with, we learn about an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love.We learn that, even though Hollywood is this glamorous place that we all seem to view through rose tinted glasses, it actually is a place that strips you of your own self, your heritage, your name, even the people who you are "supposed" to be in love with.Oh how I cried reading/listening to this, by the time you have read to near the end of the book, Evelyn feels like a real person, i even googled her because i thought that she was an old Hollywood actress (spoiler, she isn't)🎧🎧 - Narrated by the always wonderful Julia Whelan and 2 new-to-me narrators Alma Cuervo and Robin Miles, this was one of the best books i have listened to in a long long time.If you really want to read something that is going to become a best BEST seller, and i have absolutely no doubt a movie for sure, then you should pick up this stunning piece of gorgeousness