Disclaimer: I got this book from the library! Support your local library! All opinions are my own. 

 

Book: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo 

 

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid 

 

Book Series: Reidverse (Not Numbered) 

 

Rating: 4/5 

 

Spice Rating: 3/5 

 

Diversity: Cuban Bisexual MC, Biracial Jewish MC, BIPOC characters, Mexican character, Lesbian character, Gay character 

 

Recommended For...: Adult Readers, Historical Fiction, Old Hollywood, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, LGBT, Queer 

 

Publication Date: June 13, 2017 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction 

 

Age Relevance: 18+ (cancer, suicide, domestic violence, parental death, nonconsentual underage sex, sexual content, romance, child abuse, sexual assault, racism, incest, abortion, death, grief, biphobia, homophobia, drug use, underage alcohol consumption, alcohol consumption) 

 

Explanation of CWs: There are mentions and scenes involving cancer and suicide. There are scenes and mentions of domestic violence and child abuse. Parental death, abortion, death, and grief are all shown. There is one scene in which there is nonconsentual underage sex implied (MC was not of age to consent legally but lied about her age). There is one scene and mentions of sexual assault and a vaguely mentioned incest. There are scenes of sexual content and romance. There are small mentions of racism. Biphobia is shown and mentioned, homophobia is mentioned. There is some drug use. There are mentions of underage alcohol consumption and there are some scenes of alcohol consumption. 

 

If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Fresh Out The Slammer 

 

Publisher: Atria Books 

 

Pages: 389 

 

Synopsis: 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 is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways. 

 

Review: I have a strange fascination for Hollywood stars and blind items, so a faux-memoir of an Elizabeth Taylor-styled tell-all was all I needed to know to start reading this book. I was hooked from the very beginning and loved reading the story throughout. I thought the book did well to have this Old Hollywood style of storytelling and I thought it was really well done in how the author went between the past and the present. The world building was absolutely well done and the character development was as well. I also did NOT see the plot twist at the end coming and I thought it was so well done. 

 

The only issue I really had with the book is that sometimes it felt like we breezed by things way too quickly and the pacing waned a bit here and there. I didn’t like how some of the more abusive scenes were glossed over, especially when the biphobia occurred, although I was a bit relieved when the offended character did apologize in the end. I also will say that the author is a bit controversial as she writes about marginalized communities without accurately portraying the characters, which can be seen in this one as well (in that all of the Latinx characters were abusive and most were poor or in the service industry). 

 

Verdict: It was good, but make sure to listen to marginalized voices about the portrayal of these characters in books like this.