The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is Taylor Jenkins Reid's 2017 masterpiece that has become a modern classic, beloved by millions of readers worldwide. This emotionally devastating novel tells the story of aging Hollywood legend Evelyn Hugo, who at 79 decides to finally tell the truth about her extraordinary life - but only to Monique Grant, an unknown magazine journalist who has no idea why she's been chosen.

The novel alternates between Evelyn's recounted past and Monique's present-day life as she conducts the interviews. Through Evelyn's narration, readers are transported to 1950s Hollywood and follow her journey from Cuban immigrant Evelyn Herrera to one of the most famous actresses of the 20th century. Along the way, Evelyn marries seven different men, each marriage serving a specific purpose in her climb to stardom and her desperate attempts to protect what - and who - she truly loves.

What begins as a seemingly straightforward celebrity tell-all transforms into something far more profound. Evelyn's story is one of sacrifice, ambition, and the devastating compromises required to live authentically in an era that demanded conformity. At the heart of the novel is Evelyn's relationship with Celia St. James, a fellow actress and the great love of her life - a love she had to hide from the public for decades.

Reid masterfully weaves together multiple timelines, gradually revealing not only Evelyn's secrets but also the unexpected connection between the legendary actress and the journalist documenting her story. The revelation of why Evelyn chose Monique is one of the novel's most powerful moments, recontextualising everything that came before.

The novel explores Old Hollywood's golden age with meticulous detail - the studio system, lavender marriages (arrangements to hide homosexuality), the price of fame, and the limited options available to women and LGBTQ+ individuals. Evelyn's seven marriages include relationships of convenience, genuine friendship, passionate mistakes, and strategic partnerships, each illuminating different aspects of her character and the impossible choices she faced.

Reid doesn't shy away from Evelyn's moral complexity. She's ambitious, calculating, and willing to hurt others to protect herself and Celia. Yet she's also fiercely loyal, capable of profound love, and ultimately sympathetic - a fully realised human being rather than a simple hero or villain. The novel asks readers to consider what they might sacrifice for love, success, or survival.

Themes of identity, sexuality, ambition, sacrifice, and the stories we tell versus the truth we hide run throughout. The book is a love letter to bisexual representation, featuring a proudly bisexual protagonist whose attraction to both men and women is never questioned or erased. Evelyn's love for Celia is epic and all-consuming, but her feelings for some of her husbands are also genuine, showcasing the complexity of bisexual identity.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has become a cultural touchstone, particularly amongst LGBTQ+ readers and on BookTok, where it's frequently credited with making readers cry. The novel's exploration of queer love, female ambition, and the courage required to live authentically resonates powerfully with contemporary audiences.

For readers seeking emotionally rich historical fiction with unforgettable characters, sapphic romance, and stories about the price of fame, this novel is essential reading.