Why it’s essential
A reunion of listener favorites, as Alma Cuervo, Robin Miles, and Julia Whelan perform this story of self-discovery, love, true identity, and the true cost of fame.
Featured in: The Audible Essentials Top 100.
What is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo about?
Reclusive Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. When Evelyn chooses an unknown reporter, Monique Grant, to tell her life story, everyone (Monique included) is shocked. In a series of meetings, Evelyn recounts her rise to fame in Hollywood’s Golden Age and her famous seven marriages, and along the way, she reveals stunning secrets and lies to Monique. As Evelyn’s story is finally told, one question remains: Why has she chosen Monique for her final confession?
Editor's review
Audible Editor Patty has a tendency to judge a book by its cover—leading her to dabble into all genres; however, she’s never too far from a contemporary romance novel.
A little over a year ago, after much hesitating and stalling, I finally decided to join the #bookstagram community. Within the first hour of scrolling, two things were very apparent— people were raving over Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and despite never having listened to any of her previous novels, I had decided it was going to be my next listen.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is historical fiction that’s all about the life of a (fictional) legendary Hollywood actress, Evelyn Hugo, and her seven marriages. At the center of the story is Evelyn, a complex woman who has mesmerized the world with her beauty and talent, and is finally prepared to reveal the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. When Monique Grant, an unknown journalist, gets a chance to interview her for a tell-all autobiography, she discovers that there is more to Evelyn than meets the eye as the actress recounts her upbringing as the daughter of Cuban immigrants in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, through to her career at the pinnacle of Hollywood’s Golden Age. As the story unfolds, Monique starts to question if Evelyn's past is more connected to her own than she initially thought. The novel, which is full of twists and turns, includes the revelation of Evelyn's greatest love.
Have you ever been so invested in a story that you rooted for the main character to rise above their challenges just to shut their haters up? That's exactly how I felt while listening to the first half hour of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Although it's no spoiler that Monique was taken aback by Evelyn's invitation for an interview, it was her manager's response that really struck a nerve and kept me listening. From that moment on, I was wholeheartedly "Team Monique," no matter what her fate was going to be.
As the story progressed, and became more beautifully immersive, I was transported back in time to experience the glitz and glamour of Old Hollywood, which I absolutely adored! As I listened on, Evelyn Hugo's life unfolded like a cinematic masterpiece, thanks to the flawless narration of Audible favorites, Alma Cuervo, Robin Miles, and Julia Whelan. The three performers seamlessly weave this tale together, adding depth to Evelyn's captivating world. Beyond the glamour, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo addresses broader themes, such as homophobia and biphobia, the price of fame, the complexities of love, and self-discovery—all in a way that felt authentic to the 1950s/’60s time period.
Overall, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is truly a reunion of favorites. Taylor Jenkins Reid has not only written an engaging story, but she’s also delivered one of the most outstanding examples of representation in literature that I have ever encountered. And as the final reveals come to light, I can only confirm that my mouth was left hanging open, and I was left wanting more.
Did you know?
Taylor Jenkins Reid finished editing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a few days before giving birth.
According to Reid, her novels The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (1950s/’60s), Daisy Jones & The Six (’70s), Malibu Rising (’80s), and Carrie Soto Is Back (’90s) explore iconic eras through the lives of four famous women and "feel like a set."
The novel has its own hashtag, #TheSevenHusbandsofEvelynHugo, which has more than 240 million views across the BookTok and Bookstagram communities.
Daisy Jones and One True Loves will not be the only Taylor Jenkins Reid novels that we will see on screen—Seven Husbands is currently in development at Netflix, and Hulu is reportedly developing a TV series of Malibu Rising.
According to Reid, the character of Evelyn Hugo includes influences from Old Hollywood legends Elizabeth Taylor, who was married many times; Rita Hayworth; and Ava Gardner, whose intimate conversations with a journalist are compiled in Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations.
What listeners said
"I don’t know what exactly I expected—something light, an easy read. While it is an easy read, this story, or rather these stories, have such depth. Loved every minute of it. Don’t miss this!" —Maddy, Audible listener
"I chose this book at random and it ended up surpassing my expectations. Characters were well developed. The story was complex, but well-rounded. Most times, you honestly felt as though you were watching from inside the story!" —Michelle, Audible listener
Quotes from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
"You have to find a job that makes your heart feel big instead of one that makes it feel small."
"Sometimes reality comes crashing down on you. Other times reality simply waits, patiently, for you to run out of the energy it takes to deny it."
"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."
"But the truth is, praise is just like an addiction. The more you get it, the more of it you need just to stay even."
"It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly."
Adaptations
Fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo have been asking for an adaptation for a very long time. After some back and forth, on March 24th, 2022, Netflix announced that they had picked up the production rights to Seven Husbands, with the author, Taylor Jenkins Reid, serving as an executive producer.
About the author
Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Malibu Rising, and Carrie Soto Is Back, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. She lives in Los Angeles.
About the performers
Julia Whelan is a novelist, screenwriter, actor, and award-winning audiobook narrator of more than 500 titles. Her performance of her debut novel, the internationally bestselling My Oxford Year, garnered a Society of Voice Arts Award. She is also a Grammy-nominated audiobook director, a former writing tutor, a half-decent amateur baker, and a certified tea sommelier.
Robin Miles is an acting and accent coach and Assistant Professor of Speech at the SUNY Purchase Theater Conservatory. She has recorded more than 400 audiobooks, including Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures and Cicely Tyson’s Just as I Am.
Alma Cuervo is an actress, known for The Peacemaker, Celebrity, and All My Children. Among her many beloved audiobook performances are Julia Alvarez's In the Time of Butterflies and Afterlife, and Jodi Picoult's Handle with Care.
