Reviews

Honestly more like a 3.5/3.75? Y'all either WAY oversold this book or the hype completely destroyed it for me.

So I think the one of the biggest reveals of the book was spoiled for me before I read it, so the story of her husbands and the loves in her life wasn't really such a big deal? Evelyn is definitely a...complicated character, I'm not sure I was ever really rooting for her. She's entitled and self-serving and even when doing something nice it never feels like she's empathetic or understanding of any one else. l feel like most of the real action was in the last 50 pages, the rest of it read pretty straight forward (this happened, then this happened, then this happened).

Also, doesn't ANY one actually date in this book? What happened to getting to know someone first? I get that it was "different times" and "that's not how it worked" but STILL.

_dxmii_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ddmcp293's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

teriboop's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Evelyn Hugo lived her life large. As a young woman living poor in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York in the 50s, Evelyn just wanted to be in charge of her own life and be a glamorous Hollywood star. She yearned to love and be loved. As Hollywood's most intriguing and stunning starlet, Evelyn learned to use and abuse a system of connections to get what she wanted, yet she never could hold on to the one person that she was most devoted to. Evelyn lived a lie, and at 79, she was ready to spill the beans. She wanted, demanded, to do that through an endorsed biography written by the little-known journalist Monique Grant, who was dealing with an impending divorce and an unrelenting boss.

Seemingly pulled from obscurity, Monique listened to Evelyn's story for a chance at a tell-all book that could make her millions in the end. She heard the steamy details of Evelyn's seven marriages, each one was a marriage of convenience or a step to get what she wanted and needed. Yet she never never sealed a marriage with the one person whom she loved the most.

To me, this is a provocative and frustrating book. I wanted to think Evelyn was a strong woman who forged her own path in life, and she did, but at the expense of at least seven men and one important woman...then there is the whole reason Monique was tasked to write the biography. One last atonement that may have come too late. The premise of the plot is interesting, but ultimately, I was extremely frustrated with Evelyn, who considered herself a victim but was as much a user and abuser as her many loves.

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