My first foray into reading Taylor Jenkins Reid was with much-hyped The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo back in June of 2023, followed by Malibu Rising later that year. I really liked both of them and was intrigued how a minor character from TSHOEH was a more prominent main character in Malibu Rising, a characteristic of Reid’s novels that I’d discover in several other of her stories and of which I am a fan.
In January of ‘24 I read the short story Evidence of the Affair, and at the end of last year I decided to set a goal to read through the rest of her catalog as my main fiction goal for 2025. I’m not sure if at the time I knew she had a new novel coming out in June (I think I did), but it worked out perfectly timing wise. I’ve had a TJR novel to read over the course of every month this year. I finished her new book earlier this month, and now my quest is completed!
Timeline and ratings below, plus mini reviews of my four 5-star picks!
Timeline
6/9/2023-6/17/2023: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo — 4 stars
7/16/2023-8/6/2023: Malibu Rising — 4 stars
1/26/2024-1/28/2024: Evidence of the Affair — 4 stars
1/1/2025-1/28/2025: Forever, Interrupted — 4 stars
1/30/2025-2/15/2025: After I Do — 4 stars
2/23/2025-3/9/2025: One True Loves — 5 stars
3/31/2025-4/18/2025: Daisy Jones & The Six — 5 stars
5/3/2025-5/12/2025: Maybe In Another Life — 5 stars
6/2/2025-6/19/2025: Carrie Soto Is Back — 4 stars
7/20/2025-8/3/2025: Atmosphere — 5 stars
My 5-Star TJR Picks
No spoilers here, so forgive me if these reviews are on the vague side.
One True Loves – if my memory is correct, I teetered between a 4 or 5 star rating for this one, but ultimately decided on 5. I have read plenty of stories set in fantasy worlds and have been a fan of most if not all such stories that I’ve read to date, so I’m not against believing far-fetched plots at all. Demons, witches and wizards, vampires, and dystopian worlds, no problem. But when something happens in a storyline where I have to suspend disbelief in the midst of an otherwise seemingly normal world, I find it hard to do so. It feels like a big stretch. The premise of this story is one of those instances for me (maybe it isn’t for you)… Nevertheless, I quickly got over my “yea right!” mindset and was engrossed in this story of possibility, and it became a 5-star read for sure!
Daisy Jones & The Six – The format of DJ&TS took a little getting used to at first, and I didn’t love all of it mostly for that reason, but I still think it was a 5-star read. I actually loved it overall! And I loved the Amazon series too— I was so captivated by the lyrics during the song-writing scenes while I was reading them, that I was eager to finish the book so I could watch the show and hear them come to life! Did not disappoint! And while the show left out or changed some aspects from the original story, it still was great. Both book and show get 5-stars from me!
Maybe In Another Life – this is another one where I had to suspend disbelief, but there was no question it was a 5-star story! I didn’t know the premise going in, but I quickly realized what was happening within the first couple of chapters and I was hooked. Such a thoughtful read, how one decision can change the trajectory of your life in such profound ways.
Atmosphere – OMG, this book! A roller coaster of emotion, especially in the last chapter. I had read Carrie Soto Is Back right before this and I felt that story was very heavy on the technicalities of tennis (to the point it was over my head a lot of the time and I thought I might have my first 3-star TJR read, but it turned around and ended up with 4!) and I thought this would be the same with the world of astronauts and space exploration in the 80s, but it ended up being such a beautiful, touching love story that I had to give it 5-stars. LOVE!
Now that I can check this goal off my list, I don’t know what I’m going to do the rest of the year without a TJR book to read! I can’t wait for her next one, whatever and whenever that may be!
Have you set any reading challenges like this for 2025, or in years past?
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