While reading this, I just kept thinking about how real Evelyn felt. How she truly felt like a famous actor and not just a character in a novel. Which in part I think had to do with the way that throughout the story we don’t just see the fake glamor and that we truly see it all. Going in I knew nothing except that it has some hints of LGBTQ+ and knew people who enjoyed it, so I gave it a go. And I’ve realized doing this recently with a lot of my reads has really made me appreciate it more. I don’t know what the story is about and it unfolds itself to me in the best way. Here it did just that. From the moment I started reading I was captured by this entity of Evelyn and just like everyone in the story wanted to know why she had seven husbands. It wasn’t until I made it a third of the way that I realized that it wasn’t the husbands that kept me reading but her life. To see what she does next and how she overcomes it. 

As it seemed like when things were going right, everything just was moments away from crashing down. After a while it seemed predictable. We knew when Evelyn was on a high it wouldn’t last long. It stayed pretty consistent and predictable with that. Though showing how different life was in the 50s in general but especially if you were part of the LGBTQ+ community, I think TJR did a wonderful job at showing that, especially certain aspects with Evelyn. I will say Celia’s character did bug me at times. I get why she was annoyed but god the amount of times I just wanted them to sit and talk it out properly and try to understand not just say things they knew the other didn’t mean. As well as not fighting when clearly the best thing to do is argue it out and then just accept it and say “it's okay I love you” because sometimes that does more harm than good.

like I get Celia being insecure and everything but like the constant bi erasure she did of evelyn just didn't sit right with me. I also get that the way evelyn was portrayed it could seem as "gay for you" but it never said thst evelyn didn't think or look at other women. She just loved Celia to much. Which I get.

But we also only know it from Evelyn’s POV. It’s like knowing only half the story and I DON’T LIKE THAT. That twist at the end was also something completely unexpected.

I do believe that as much as Monique wants to hate Evelyn for doing what she did. I do believe that Monqiue understands it and forgave her eventually. Because just like Monique said you would do anything to protect the people you love. The ending also made me believe that Monique dad was in a similar situation like Evelyn. He might have been bi might have been gay but regardless of the label he did love Moniques mom just not like the passionate love like he had with Harry. The way Moniques mom also talks about their relationship makes me believe she was asexual or so. As she didn't care for the passion. She just wanted someone who she loved and loved her. Who was her best friend and that's it. Which I personally really loved and appreciate.

I do think this entire novel does a great job at showing different kinds of love. That nothing is as black and white as we believe it to be. You can love someone even if you hate them, you can care for someone but also not give a damn about their decisions. 

I will say, I 100% agree that this book is a good beach read. The story captures you but it isn’t too complicated nor confusing that you don’t understand what’s happening. I just know personally I was able to read through it a lot faster than others, maybe because there wasn’t any second hand embarrassment nor anything I felt like would make me freak out. As Evelyn is unapologetically her. She knows her faults, she knows what she did, she isn’t trying to hide that, she’s made peace with it. While a lot of other novels focus on characters younger than Evelyn it makes sense why they aren’t as contempt and would give the reader such anxious feelings about what’s going on. 

Will say, I did enjoy the stylistic choice of including newspaper and online articles to help create the story. As well as going into Evelyn's POV for the flashbacks but written in a sense where it’s clear she’s telling a story but at the same time making it feel like you are currently experiencing it. 

I didn’t really have much expectations for it or anything so it was definitely enjoyable. The ending is very bittersweet to me. It’s the best ending but I also felt so attached to the characters, to Evelyn. That meeting her and then leaving her story within what I believe is like a week or so with her and Monique. 

Also I stand by the statement that the best person in this is Harry, he can do no wrong. Everyone needs a friend like him. Like he was the best and honestly showed really well that you can choose your family.