Review: The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor
Thank you Galley Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
I feel like there was a bit of fate and kismet with this book. I saw it on NetGalley and immedley requested it based on the synopsis. Then I was scrolling after dinner and discovered a local bookstore was holding an event to celebrate the book…because the author is local to me! It was so exciting and so I was even more excited to read it. It was a fun reading experience and I look forward to more from this debut author!
Synopsis:
“After her grandmother’s death, thirty-something Margot DuBois prepares to sell the house quickly so she can go back to her predictable life in Santa Barbara. There, no one knows she used to write and how not succeeding wrecked her confidence. While cleaning out the attic, she comes across eight unlabeled cassette tapes. Unable to use the damaged tape player, she calls in a favor from Leo—her first love and first epic heartbreak—and they strike a deal: he’ll fix the player if he can hear what’s on the tapes. When they manage to listen, the two are shocked to hear the voice of comedic legend Vivian Stone. Why did she record these tapes and how did Margot’s grandmother get them?
Between listening to Vivian recount everything from her forbidden love for Hollywood’s leading actor, to working under a misogynistic exec, to her chemistry with her costar-turned-husband on TV, Margot and Leo fall down a memory lane of their own. Margot is inspired by Vivian’s tenacity and courage to keep fighting for the life she wants, but everything changes when Vivian reveals a secret tied to her past in this moving exploration of how it’s never too late to start over.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Structure—As a big fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I’ll always look for other books that feel the same. This did, but spent even less time in the “present” so it really felt like Vivian’s story.
The Behind the Scenes Look at Hollywood—As an actor, I’m always fascinated by this and love it so much!
Pacing—It moved very well and kept me reading, wanting to know what happened next.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Twist Ending—I didn’t love the twist…I get why it had to happen and it definitely surprised me and kept me guessing. I guess I personally just felt icky about it, but it’s a me problem not a book problem.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Content Warnings:
pregnancy, pregnancy loss, alcoholism, sexual harassment