↠ 5 stars ⭐︎

TL;DR: Just read the damn book. Please.

“People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is “You’re safe with me”—that’s intimacy.”

Evelyn Hugo, an iconic actress that has refused to give an interview for years, is finally ready to share her story—every last deliciously scandalous detail of it. She specifically requests Monique, a journalist working for Vivant magazine, to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, Monique is just as confused as her boss at Evelyn’s demand. She’s not particularly notable in the journalism world, so why her? As she interviews Evelyn, unveiling the details of her unwavering ambition, an unexpected forbidden love, and that life is not always as black and white as it seems, Monique comes to discover that her and Evelyn’s worlds are entwined in a way she never expected.

“I have no idea that in less than a week, Evelyn Hugo will finish her story, and I’ll find out what this has all been about, and I will hate her so much that I’ll be truly afraid I might kill her.”

THIS BOOK. How do I even begin? This book was absolutely incredible. From the very moment I read the first line until I [tearfully] finished the last, I was hooked. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. I audibly gasped. This book is spectacular, in every sense of the word.

Taylor Jenkin Reid’s writing is undeniably captivating, fully enveloping the reader in the world she creates with ease. The entire time I felt as if I was reading the autobiography of someone who really existed. All of the characters were incredibly well-written, so well that they came to life in my head, each of them endlessly complex and painfully human.

But Evelyn. Her character was on a whole new level. Intoxicating. Cunning. Independent. She is the definition of a badass bitch. You love her. You hate her. You want to be her. You want to strangle her one minute, then hug her the next. She was the perfect embodiment of opposites— selfish yet selfless when it counted; brutally honest about her manipulative schemes and lies; cold-hearted but loved as deeply as the ocean. She was intimidatingly self-aware of herself, and I admired the hell out of her for it. There’s a lot that can be learned from a character like Evelyn.

Not only is this story about Evelyn and her seven husbands, but it is a story of self-discovery, undying love, and true friendship. If there is a friendship anyone would be lucky to experience in their lifetime, it is one as pure and authentic as Evelyn and Harry’s. I absolutely adored their relationship, possibly even more than the forbidden love at the forefront of the story. “If there are all different types of soul mates … then you are one of mine.” I melted.

I loved that Reid's story had so many layers, slowly peeled away one after the other. It touched on many difficult topics in a simultaneously humorous but introspective way—emphasizing how life is not always clearly black and white. There was great representation: two biracial main characters, a bisexual character, a lesbian character, and a gay character. Each character's personal triumphs and struggles were addressed in a thoughtfully nuanced and authentic way.

OH AND THE TWIST AT THE END BROKE MY SOUL.

Anyway, I could go on and on about how immaculate this book is. If you’re considering reading it, just do it. You won’t regret it.