“Never let anyone make you feel ordinary.”
If you couldn’t put down The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, we can’t say we blame you. This tale of old Hollywood glamour, forbidden love, and the complex life of an icon has become a real book club favourite over the years. Whether you’re pulled to character-driven fiction, historical backdrops, or emotional stories with strong female leads, there are plenty of books similar to Evelyn Hugo that capture a similar magic. Today at What We Reading, we’re rounding up the best books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo that blend glamour and heartbreak. From biographical fiction to sweeping stories of fame, identity, and love, these reads are for anyone who loves stories with unforgettable women at their heart.
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo Summary
Ageing and reclusive former Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally prepared to reveal all about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she trusts unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant with the job, no one is more shocked than Monique. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique soon begins to hear the stories from the actor herself.
From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, acquiring and losing seven husbands along the way, Evelyn reveals a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love at the centre of it all. Monique soon begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but, as Evelyn’s tale nears its end, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversable ways.
Daisy Jones & The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Kicking off our setlist of books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is another one of the best stories in the Reidverse, Daisy Jones & The Six. Daisy is a girl coming of age in LA in the sixties. By the time she’s twenty, her singing has begun to be noticed, and she has the sort of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things. Another band getting noticed is The Six, led by the brooding Billy Dunne.
When a producer realises that the key to success is putting the two together, sparks instantly fly when Billy and Daisy meet one another. Daisy Jones & The Six charts the stunning rise and fall of one of the most unforgettable bands of the seventies. Brilliantly capturing a place and time through her utterly distinctive voice, Daisy Jones & The Six is powerful, glamorous, and utterly addictive.
Check Out The Best Books Like Daisy Jones & The Six
The Paris Library – Janet Skeslien Charles
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet seems to have it all. But, when the Nazis roll into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. Yet, when the war finally comes to a close, instead of freedom, Odile is confronted with an unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in her small town. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbour. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbour’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past binds them. One of the best dual timeline books similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The Paris Library is an ode to family, romance, and resilience.
Mary Jane – Jessica Anya Blau
In 1970s Baltimore, fourteen-year-old Mary Jane loves cooking, singing in her church choir, and enjoying her family’s subscription to the Broadway Show Tunes of the Month record club. She lands a summer job as a nanny for the daughter of a local doctor. A respectable job in a respectable house. But, whilst it appears respectable on the outside, the inside of the house is far more chaotic. The doctor is a psychiatrist who has cleared his summer for a rock star and his movie star wife to move in and dry out.
Jessica Anya Blau’s Mary Jane charts the resulting summer as Mary Jane introduces her new household to crisply ironed clothes and rigid dinner schedules, whilst also being given access to the liberal world of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. Like with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Mary Jane will arrive in September with a new idea about what she wants out of life, and what sort of person she’s going to be.
Beautiful Little Fools – Jillian Cantor
On a sultry August day in 1922, Jay Gatsby is shot dead in his West Egg swimming pool. To the police, it appears to be a routine case of murder/suicide when the body of George Wilson is found in the woods nearby. Then a diamond hairpin is found in the bushes near the pool, and three women fall under suspicion. Each of them holds a key that can unlock the truth about the mysterious life and death of the enigmatic millionaire.
In Jillian Cantor’s Beautiful Little Fools, the spotlight shines on the three women in the years leading up to the fateful summer of 1922, when all three of their lives are on the brink. Each of them is pulled into Jay Gatsby’s glitzy romantic obsession, with devastating consequences for all of them. Cantor’s novel revisits the Jazz Age world, retelling the classic story of Jay Gatsby from a female perspective, perfect for anyone who loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
The Spectacular – Fiona Davis
Set in 1950s New York, The Spectacular follows Marion Brooks, a young woman who defies her conservative upbringing to become a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall, the world’s most glamorous and prestigious art deco masterpiece. As she faces the pressures of fame, public image, and personal ambition, Marion is pulled into the mystery of the “Big Apple Bomber,” a real-life criminal targeting iconic city landmarks.
Much like Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Evelyn Hugo, Marion is a woman ahead of her time, wrestling with societal expectations, identity, and the pursuit of her own path. Brimming with historical detail and filled with emotional depth, The Spectacular is a book that explores love, fame, and the many sacrifices women make for their dreams.
Acts Of Violet – Margarita Montimore
Nearly a decade ago, iconic magician Violet Volk performed her greatest ever trick: disappearing mid-act. Though she hasn’t been seen since, her grip on the public consciousness has endured throughout. But whilst Violet thrived in the spotlight, her sister Sasha has always been the responsible one. Then there’s Cameron Frank, tapped to host a podcast devoted to all things Violet, who is determined to land his big break, even if promised to land an exclusive interview with Sasha, the one person in the world who doesn’t want to talk to him.
As the ten-year anniversary draws nearer, the podcast begins to pick up steam, and Cameron’s pursuit of Sasha becomes increasingly intrusive. Meanwhile, Sasha starts experiencing an unsettling series of sleepwalking episodes and coincidences, all of which seem to lead back to Violet. Pushed to her emotional limits, Sasha must finally confront the most painful truths about her sister and herself, even at the risk of losing everything in the process.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
