Alright folks, grab your popcorn, because today I’m dishing out my honest review of a book that’s more dramatic than my last family Christmas. If you thought old Hollywood was just glitz, glam, and nice hair, think again. This story has secrets, ambition, heartbreak, and more twists than a pretzel at a carnival. Trust me, I read it with my pal Janice, and we spent half our time yelling at the pages and the other half trying to guess what Evelyn would do next. So, buckle up as I spill the tea on whether this much-hyped novel actually lives up to its fame.
Evelyn Hugo: Glamour, Secrets, and Big Feels
In a nutshell
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a spicy, drama-filled novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. You get a tasty mix of historical fiction and romance, with a pinch of Hollywood glitz on top.
The book follows the mysterious movie legend, Evelyn Hugo, who finally tells her wild life story to a young reporter. It’s packed with juicy secrets, big dreams, forbidden love, and hard choices. Themes like ambition, identity, fame, and love swirl around Evelyn like camera flashes at a red carpet show.
If you enjoy stories about old Hollywood, messy relationships, and finding the real person under all the glitter, this book is worth your time (and maybe a box of tissues).
Evelyn Hugo: A Star Shaped by Her Own Choices
Let me tell you, Evelyn Hugo is not your typical leading lady. If I had a dollar for every time she surprised me, I could probably buy a steak dinner at one of those very fancy places Evelyn would have attended. Evelyn Hugo starts her journey as a poor girl in New York with nothing but a stubborn will and a killer smile. She’s brave, sharp, and at times, almost too clever for her own good. Throughout the book, I felt like I was watching someone wrestle with their own shadow. She knows what she wants, and she’s willing to pay the price. Sometimes that means heartbreak, and sometimes it means breaking a few hearts herself (seriously, her husbands should have formed a support group).
One thing I respect about Evelyn Hugo is her honesty with herself. She makes mistakes—big ones, and not the sort you can sweep under a rug. But the way she learns from them, and how she grows, kept me hooked. I found myself rooting for her, even when I wanted to shake some sense into her. Her personal journey is messy and bold, just like a real person. She isn’t perfect, but she owns her story. And honestly, I wish I had half her guts.
If you think Evelyn Hugo’s life was all glitz and no grit, just wait until we peel back the shiny layers and snoop into her vault of Hollywood secrets, coming up next!
Hollywood Secrets and the Glitter of Old Hollywood Glamour
If you love secrets and drama, this book serves it up better than a fancy Oscar party. Evelyn Hugo does not just slide into old Hollywood—she owns it, and then some. Picture the golden age of Hollywood: shimmering gowns, martinis, and red carpets. Now, picture Evelyn using every trick in the book to survive and thrive in a world run by men in sharp suits and sharper smiles.
The book gives us a peek behind the velvet curtain. You get the gossip, the affairs, the studio deals that would make your grandma clutch her pearls. Evelyn Hugo’s life is like a rollercoaster, except it runs on secrets and champagne. She’s glam, clever, and always working the room. This isn’t just about pretty dresses and big movie premieres. It’s about power. Secret marriages, hidden lovers, and fake headlines—Evelyn plays the Hollywood game and makes her own rules.
There is a layer of sadness too. All that glitz comes at a cost. Evelyn knows how to shine in the spotlight, but she hides her pain with a red lip and a killer dress. Taylor Jenkins Reid paints old Hollywood so well, you can almost hear the clicks of cameras and the whispers in dark hallways. It’s a love letter to a golden era, but also a warning: nothing is ever as perfect as it seems.
Next up, I’ll spill the tea on the juicy themes of love, ambition, and sacrifice—so stick around for the emotional plot twists!
Themes of Love, Ambition, and Sacrifice in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
When I finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, my first thought was: “This woman could teach a class in ambition.” But not your average classroom—more like a rollercoaster where every loop is a major life choice. Evelyn Hugo isn’t just chasing fame; she’s steering her own ship in waters more full of sharks than a rerun of Shark Week. Her ambition is sometimes wild and sometimes wise, but it’s always blazing with that star-power glow. I remember telling my friend Sue, “If Evelyn says she wants something, you better step out of the way or risk being knocked over by her stiletto.”
Love in this book? Oh boy, it’s never simple. Evelyn’s romantic life is like my attempt at baking bread: chaotic, surprising, and filled with a few regrets. The book explores all of her seven marriages, but it doesn’t stop there. Evelyn is honest, sometimes painfully so, about loving more than one person, loving the wrong person, and even loving herself, which in Hollywood is a radical act. There are moments when she gives up almost everything for love, and others when she gives up love for her goals. If you enjoy stories where the heart and ambition are in a tug-of-war—this book’s got you.
But wait, hold onto your hats (or pearls, if you’re feeling glamorous). In the next section, I’ll get into Evelyn Hugo’s groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation—and trust me, the romantic sparks will fly like spilled glitter at a drag queen brunch.
LGBTQ+ Representation and Sizzling Romantic Tension in ‘Evelyn Hugo’
Every now and then, a book comes along and smacks you upside the head with how casually cool it handles LGBTQ+ characters. ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ pulls this off like a magician sneaking the last cookie. Taylor Jenkins Reid does not just sprinkle in some token romance; she cooks up a full-course meal of feelings, drama, and truth bombs.
Evelyn Hugo herself? She’s the queen of complex. The relationship between Evelyn and Celia St. James had my heart playing ping-pong. The tension is like that awkward moment when you run into your ex at the grocery store—except here, it’s beautiful and heartbreaking. Their love story gives so much more than the usual romance fluff. It shows the painful choices faced by people who can’t always live their truth, especially under the old Hollywood spotlight.
If you read only one sapphic romance this year, let it be this one. The chemistry crackles, the stakes feel real, and the support cast actually supports (big win there!). Even old school Hollywood doesn’t overshadow these moments of real, raw love and heartbreak. It feels honest, not forced.
But is it perfect? Not quite. I sometimes wanted less drama and more joy. But maybe that’s the point—the joy is hard-won. If you want a book that treats LGBTQ+ characters with respect and depth, Evelyn Hugo holds the crown. I’d recommend this book to anyone, except people who dislike feelings, glamour, or strong women—then you might want to try sudoku instead.
Conclusion
That wraps up my review of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”! This book grabs you with juicy old Hollywood drama, then pulls you into Evelyn’s wild, bold, and heartbreaking life. It’s got secrets, steamy romance, fierce ambition, and enough emotional moments to make you want to text your ex (but please don’t do that). While the glitter and gossip are a blast, it’s the honest look at love, identity, and sacrifice that makes this book worth your time. Sure, some bits can feel a bit soapy, and you might want to yell at Evelyn for her choices, but hey, that’s what makes her real. If you’re after a glamorous page-turner that’s as messy as Hollywood itself, give this one a shot. And if you don’t, Evelyn Hugo will probably haunt your dreams in a fabulous dress. End of review—now go read it, or at least Google some old movie stars for fun.
