Regular friends of the blog will know I’ve been meh about reading this year. I wasn’t pumped about books coming out and what I was reading early in the year wasn’t great. Until recently. (I enjoyed a few WW1/2 historical fiction novels, but I think most of you aren’t fans of historical fiction, so I’ll keep those thoughts to myself).
I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Swear on This Life back-to-back in the last week, both of which were amazing!
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (synopsis)
I have read all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novels in the last year; they’re easy reads, a bit emotional, some kind of love story, predictable at times but well written and enjoyable. I was number 1 on the holds list at two library branches so I could get my hands on this book as soon as it came out. It did not disappoint and rose to be my favourite TJR book.
The character of Evelyn is complex: lovable yet hateable, vulnerable but also a total bitch. The set-up and how the book was written was probably the best part. While the husbands themselves don’t matter (in the long run), the story line is laid out as you would imagine it to be the memoir Monique is writing about Evelyn: chronologically, following monumental moments in Evelyn’s life while married to each of her seven husbands. Full of old hollywood glam with a sprinkling of love, lust, and betrayal, it is the perfect beach read.
Swear on This Life by Renée Carlino (synopsis)
Even though this hasn’t been out a full year I feel like it’s been on my to-read list for months and months and months. I found out about it when living in London and was crushed the local library didn’t have it. After I moved back to Guelph and eventually grew my library card collection by adding the county library to my pack, I found Swear on This Life. Again, after what seemed like waiting for-ev-er, a digital copy was added to my e-bookshelf and I dug in.
You know when you’ve been waiting and waiting and what you were waiting for isn’t as great as the expectation you’ve built up? Yah? Not the case here. With breaks for breakfast with a friend and some Jays baseball, I devoured this book in one day (a half day?) sitting in the shady patch of my balcony.
Similar to 7 Husbands, it is written bouncing between present day and chapters from J’s book. Following the story of Jax and Emerson aka Jase and Emeline is heart-wrenching and adorable and then sad again. As kids, they had a real rough life but it’s a classic “look how far we’ve come” tale and you can’t help fall in love with the pair. And kind of hate Trevor.
have you read either? thoughts? what book are you looking forward to reading next?
you can follow along with everything I’m reading over on goodreads.
smitten 
I’ve been devouring books myself lately- I have a lot of transit time at work and have gone through 3 in the last two weeks! I just read “the singles game” by the lady who wrote the Devil Wears Prada, and liked it, but I also play tennis and being a professional is my secret dream, so it was really fun for me.
I actually love historical fiction, so you can send those recommendations over. But, thanks for these!
I’ll add Swear on This Life to my list!