I know I’m three years late, but I need to rave about this book for just a moment. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid has made my list of top 5 books of all time, and that’s saying something. Its mix of suspense, relatability and humor will have you turning pages faster than ever before.
As the title states, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is based around a famous actress named Evelyn and her seven husbands, however it’s much more than that. Through her anecdotes about her marriages, the reader is able to learn all about Evelyn’s life, the good and the bad. It’s a coming of age story that emphasizes the importance of jumping over obstacles and constantly challenging yourself to grow.
Right off the bat, I fell in love with Evelyn for numerous reasons. I appreciated her humble upbringing and how she was motivated enough to get out of a horrible situation. She wasn’t initially dealt the best cards, yet over time she turned them into marvelous ones. I felt for her as a character, but also as a friend. The problems she encounters throughout the novel are very real to many people, one specifically being the struggles the LGBTQIA+ community encounters. Evelyn lived in a time where being gay was still not accepted in society. As the book progresses, the reader is alongside Evelyn and her friends as they find ways to show their support for the LGTBQIA+ community.
While there is an element of romance to this novel, I wouldn’t place it solely in the romance genre. There’s more to the story than simply her love affairs. In fact, the story has very little to do with her seven husbands; they’re only means of progressing the narrative along. While I inferred I would love this book from all of the stellar reviews, I was still surprised at how much I loved it. I usually just stick to romance novels because the love aspect gets me through the book, however I really enjoyed the element of memoir and autobiography of this novel. It felt as if Evelyn was in front of me, with a cup to tea, telling me her life story.
Overall, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars, and if I was able to give it more than that, I would. If you’re looking for a light read during the holidays, I would greatly recommend checking this one out. It’s the perfect gift for any book lover, if folded it can most likely fit into a stocking… or you could even it buy it for yourself, from yourself. (Those are the best gifts anyway).