Taylor Jenkins Reid is an American author who has become one of contemporary fiction's most beloved voices, crafting deeply emotional novels that explore fame, ambition, love, and the stories we tell about our lives. With a gift for creating unforgettable characters and innovative narrative structures, Reid has built a devoted readership that eagerly anticipates each new release.
Reid began her career with contemporary romance novels including Forever, Interrupted (2013) and After I Do (2014), which explored modern relationships with emotional honesty. However, it was her pivot to historical fiction with a contemporary twist that established her as a major literary force.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017) became a cultural phenomenon and remains Reid's most acclaimed work. The novel follows aging Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo as she finally tells the truth about her glamorous, scandalous life to an unknown journalist. The book explores themes of sexuality, ambition, love, and the price of fame, whilst delivering an epic bisexual love story set against Old Hollywood's golden age. Its devoted fanbase has kept it on bestseller lists for years, and it's become a BookTok sensation.
Daisy Jones & The Six (2019) showcased Reid's innovative storytelling through an oral history format, documenting the rise and fall of a fictional 1970s rock band. Told entirely through interviews, the novel captures the era's music scene whilst exploring creative partnerships, addiction, and the complicated dynamics between bandmates. The book's unique format and compelling characters led to a highly successful Amazon Prime adaptation.
Malibu Rising (2021) follows the four Riva siblings - children of a famous singer - during one explosive party in 1983 that will change everything. The novel examines family dynamics, the legacy of absent parents, and the cost of living in the shadow of fame, all set against the sun-soaked backdrop of 1980s Malibu.
Carrie Soto Is Back (2022) tells the story of a retired tennis champion who returns to the sport at age 37 to reclaim her record. The novel explores ambition, aging, legacy, and what it means to be labelled "difficult" as a woman in competitive sports.
Her most recent novel, The Soulmate Equation (2024), marks a return to contemporary romance with a story about a woman who discovers through a DNA dating service that she's scientifically matched with someone she already knows - and dislikes.
Reid's work is characterized by complex female protagonists who refuse to be reduced to simple categories, innovative narrative structures (oral histories, timelines, interview formats), exploration of fame and its costs, LGBTQ+ representation, particularly bisexual and lesbian characters, and deeply researched historical settings brought vividly to life.
Common themes across Reid's novels include the fluidity of identity, the stories we tell versus the truth we hide, chosen family versus biological family, ambition and its sacrifices, and love in its many forms - romantic, familial, platonic. She excels at creating morally complex characters who make difficult choices and live with the consequences.
Reid's accessible yet emotionally sophisticated prose appeals to both literary fiction readers and those seeking compelling page-turners. Her books are fixtures on book club lists and have inspired passionate online communities, particularly on BookTok and Bookstagram.
