I was three hours into a logo redesign for a client who kept saying "make it pop more" when Evelyn Hugo started talking about her first husband. And I just... stopped working. Closed Illustrator. Let Frida curl up on my keyboard. Because this book? This book grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go for twelve hours.
Abuela would have loved this one. The glamour, the scandal, the forbidden love hidden behind seven marriages - it's basically a telenovela with literary credentials. She would have gasped at every revelation and then pretended to be scandalized while secretly wanting more.
The Voice(s) Behind the Legend
Okay, so here's the thing about this audiobook: it has Julia Whelan. You know how I feel about Julia Whelan. Her voice is velvet and honey, and she narrates Monique's sections with this perfect blend of skepticism and growing wonder. But the real revelation here is Alma Cuervo as Evelyn.
Alma Cuervo IS Evelyn Hugo. Full stop. She captures this aging Hollywood icon with such warmth and depth - you can hear the Cuban accent that Evelyn spent decades suppressing, the way it creeps back in when she's emotional. The weariness of someone who's kept secrets for fifty years. The defiance of a woman who clawed her way to the top and refuses to apologize for it. When Evelyn talks about Celia - and oh god, when she talks about Celia - Alma's voice cracks in exactly the right places.
Robin Miles handles some of the supporting sections, and the three of them together create this seamless listening experience. The transitions between narrators never felt jarring. It's like watching a perfectly edited film where you forget you're watching cuts between cameras.
Where My Heart Actually Broke
I ugly-cried at chapter 47. And 52. And basically the entire last two hours. My cats looked genuinely concerned.
The thing about this book is that Taylor Jenkins Reid makes you fall in love with Evelyn Hugo even when she's being absolutely ruthless. Even when she's using people. Even when she's making choices that hurt everyone around her. Because underneath all the Hollywood manipulation and the calculated marriages, there's this devastating love story about two women who couldn't be together in a world that wouldn't let them.
The pacing does drag a tiny bit in the middle - around husbands three and four, I was like "okay, we get it, she married strategically" - but honestly? It's worth it. Because Reid is building something. Each husband teaches Evelyn something, shapes her, brings her closer to or further from what she actually wants. By the time you understand why she's telling this story to Monique specifically... ugh. MY HEART.
The twist at the end? I didn't see it coming. And I usually see things coming. I was literally paused at a red light with my mouth open like an idiot.
The Vibes Are Immaculate
This is a rainy Sunday book. Or a long flight book. Or a "I'm calling in sick to work because I need to finish this" book. I listened while designing, while cooking, while lying face-down on my couch questioning all my life choices.
The audio production is crisp and clean - no weird background noise, no jarring volume changes. Just three incredible women telling you a story about love and ambition and the price of being yourself in a world that wants you to be someone else.
If you're someone who needs constant action, this might feel slow. It's a character study wrapped in a biography wrapped in a mystery. It meanders through decades of Hollywood history, lingers on costume descriptions and award show drama. But if you're like me - if you listen for the feeling of a book - the chemistry is chef's kiss.
Who Should Listen (And Who Should Skip)
Listen if: You want to feel things. You love complicated women. You appreciate queer love stories that don't shy away from the pain of hiding. You're a sucker for Old Hollywood glamour. You've ever made choices you're not proud of in the name of survival.
Maybe skip if: You need a fast-paced plot. You can't handle morally gray protagonists. You're looking for something light and fluffy. (This is not that. This will wreck you.)
I've already recommended this to three friends and my cousin who "doesn't do audiobooks." I told her to just trust me. Julia Whelan and Alma Cuervo will convert her.
The Verdict
This audiobook felt like sitting in Evelyn Hugo's apartment, drinking her expensive wine, and having her trust you with her whole messy, beautiful, heartbreaking life. The narration elevates an already incredible story into something that lives in your chest for days after you finish.
I added it to my spreadsheet. Four crying sessions. Tied with Beach Read for my personal record.
Abuela, wherever you are, I hope you're watching telenovelas with this kind of drama. You would have clutched your rosary so hard.
