Book Club Night Kit
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Cozy night
A dazzling old-Hollywood confessional about a legendary star finally telling her real story, full of love, ambition, and secrets worth lingering over.
An Evening with Evelyn (Slippers Encouraged)
Come curl up for a cozy night of old Hollywood gossip, comfort food, and the kind of conversation that only happens when everyone is wearing soft pants. Bring your feelings about Evelyn Hugo, we will bring the warm drinks.
Reading level: Easy
Best for: clubs that love character-driven stories with heart, drama, and a glamorous backdrop
Discussion
Warm-up
- 1.Where were you when you did most of your reading, and did you have a favorite cozy spot or snack pairing while curled up with Evelyn?
- 2.What was the first scene that made you sigh, gasp, or text a friend about? Walk us into that moment.
Digging in
- 1.Evelyn shares her life by counting it in husbands. If you told your own story through a handful of meaningful chapters (no names required), what would you call them?
- 2.Which of Evelyn's relationships felt the most tender to you, and what about it warmed your heart?
- 3.The book lingers on the gap between a public image and a private self. When in your own life have you felt comforted by being truly seen by someone?
- 4.Old Hollywood glamour is such a soft blanket of a setting. What little details (a dress, a cocktail, a Sunset Boulevard moment) made you want to step inside the pages?
Going deep
- 1.Evelyn makes choices many of us would never make, yet she is hard to stop rooting for. What did the book gently teach you about offering grace to complicated people, including yourself?
- 2.Without giving anything away, how did you feel as you closed the book? What stayed with you on the walk from the last page back into your own life?
On the table & to sip
To eat
Cuban-style slow-cooked pork sliders with sweet rolls
A warm nod to Evelyn's Hell's Kitchen roots and Cuban heritage, served small and shareable for easy nibbling on the couch.
Creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese fingers
Old Hollywood diner comfort, the kind of late-night meal a starlet might sneak after a long shoot.
Chocolate icebox cake with whipped cream
A retro mid-century dessert that feels like a hug, perfect for lingering over the juicy reveals.
To sip
French 75
Evelyn's glamorous era in a coupe, gentle bubbles for clinking during gossip.
Spiked or unspiked hot toddy bar
Set out honey, lemon, and bourbon so guests can build their own warm mug. Cozy permission slip to slow down.
Cafe con leche or vanilla steamer (no alcohol)
A creamy, nurturing nod to Evelyn's Cuban background and a perfect non-alcoholic option for sipping between chapters of conversation.
Run of show
7:00
Soft arrivals
Greet guests in slippers-welcome mode. Hand them a warm drink and let them settle into the couch with the playlist humming.
7:15
Comfort food spread
Open the sliders, soup, and grilled cheese fingers. Encourage seconds. Casual plates on laps are perfect.
7:35
Warm-up questions
Start with the two warm-ups so everyone, including slower readers, can ease in without pressure.
7:55
Theme questions
Move through the theme questions gently. Let tangents happen, that is the cozy magic.
8:30
Dessert and deep questions
Slice the icebox cake, refill mugs, and dip into the two deeper questions while everyone is sugared and soft.
9:00
Trivia and scorecards
Wind down with a few trivia questions and pass out scorecards and bookmarks as a sweet send-off.
Host tips
- Keep the lighting low: lamps and candles only, no overhead lights. It changes everything.
- Tell guests ahead of time that finishing the book is not required. Cozy means no homework energy.
- Have throw blankets within arm's reach. Sounds silly, works every time.
Playlist
Soft, smoky, mid-century lounge with a touch of modern tenderness, low volume so conversation stays the star.
- 01 Dream a Little Dream of Me - Doris Day
- 02 La Vie en Rose - Louis Armstrong
- 03 Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
- 04 Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
- 05 Quizas, Quizas, Quizas - Nat King Cole
- 06 The Way You Look Tonight - Tony Bennett
- 07 Cry to Me - Solomon Burke
- 08 Lover - Taylor Swift
Trivia
- 1.Who is the author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? (Taylor Jenkins Reid)
- 2.In what year was the novel originally published? (2017)
- 3.What is the cultural heritage Evelyn was born into? (Cuban American)
- 4.What New York City neighborhood does young Evelyn grow up in? (Hell's Kitchen)
- 5.What industry is Evelyn famous in? (Hollywood film acting)
- 6.Name another bestselling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. (Daisy Jones and The Six (also accept Malibu Rising or Carrie Soto Is Back))
- 7.How many husbands does the title promise? (Seven)
- 8.What profession does Monique, the journalist Evelyn chooses, work in? (Magazine journalism)
Bookmarks
Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.
“Pour the tea, dim the lamps, the legend is talking.”
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid
bookclubnight.com
“Some love stories are told in whispers and warm mugs.”
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid
bookclubnight.com
“Stay a while. The best secrets travel by candlelight.”
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid
bookclubnight.com
Rate the book
Coziness of the Read☆☆☆☆☆
Characters You Wanted to Hug☆☆☆☆☆
Swoon Factor☆☆☆☆☆
Emotional Aftertaste☆☆☆☆☆
Reread Potential☆☆☆☆☆
One word for how this book made me feel: ______________________
The scene I want to reread with a cup of tea: ______________________
A person I want to lend this book to: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming
We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.