Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my all-time favorite authors. Best known for her hugely popular novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Reid has found her niche writing about the lives of fictional celebrities, often exploring how fame affects personal relationships. In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, this article ranks some of Reid’s notable pairs of lovers, from the toxic to the transcendent. Minor spoilers ahead!
#5: Nina Riva and Brandon Randall (Malibu Rising)
When Malibu Rising begins, Nina’s husband has just left her for another woman (who is none other than Carrie Soto, the protagonist of another Reid novel). The context of their relationship, revealed later, does not improve matters. From Brandon’s infidelity and departure to his later pleas for Nina to take him back, this love story has striking parallels to Nina’s parents’ similarly disastrous relationship. Though Brandon charms Nina with loving gestures and his affection towards her siblings, he soon begins to disregard her thoughts and wishes, eventually leaving their marriage with barely an apology. The relationship between Nina and Brandon (or, equally, between Brandon and Carrie) is a perfect example of what not to look for this Valentine’s Day.
#4: Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne (Daisy Jones & the Six)
Daisy and Billy, two members of the band Daisy Jones & the Six, are strong personalities who both infuriate and inspire one another. This book is packed with interpersonal drama among the band members, most of all the complex mixture of chemistry and conflict between Daisy and Billy. Their dynamic is further complicated by the fact that Billy is married. Unlikeable as these characters are at times, Reid’s depiction of their respective internal conflicts invites the reader to empathize with them even as they make self-destructive choices. Their relationship is far from healthy, but I loved reading about how profoundly these two musicians’ feelings for each other influence the songs they write together.
#3: Carrie Soto and Bowe Huntley (Carrie Soto Is Back)
Carrie Soto is about a star tennis player who comes out of retirement to defend her world record. In the midst of Carrie’s intense pursuit of victory, she finds both companionship and training time with fellow tennis player and former lover Bowe Huntley. Despite the rocky beginning to their relationship a decade earlier, when they reunite, they find common ground in their fierce determination to keep winning despite the challenges of aging as an athlete. Playing tennis is harder in their thirties than it was in their twenties, but it seems age has also given them a healthier approach to romance. While their hot tempers occasionally clash, their ability to work through their conflicts shows the reader how deeply they care for one another.
#2: Evelyn Hugo and Celia St. James (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo)
Told from the point of view of a young journalist interviewing glamorous movie star Evelyn Hugo in order to write her biography, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo follows Evelyn’s entire life, beginning with her teenage years in the 1950s. As it turns out, the great love of Evelyn’s life was not any of her seven husbands; instead, she was deeply in love with fellow actress Celia St. James. But Hollywood is unforgiving to two women in love, and Evelyn and Celia must balance being together with preserving their careers. Celia is at the center of Evelyn’s life story, and though their differing perspectives on how to handle the necessary secrecy of their relationship create conflict and sometimes drive them apart for years at a time, they always find their way back together. Evelyn and Celia’s relationship is beautiful because of how thoroughly they know one another and how committed they are to wanting the best for each other, even when they are apart.
#1: Joan Goodwin and Vanessa Ford (Atmosphere)
Reid’s newest novel, Atmosphere, centers on the love story between Joan and Vanessa, two of the first female astronauts at NASA in the 1980s. Like Evelyn and Celia, Joan and Vanessa must keep their relationship a secret or risk losing their jobs. Despite their share of disagreements, Joan and Vanessa seem more aligned on their approach to a secret relationship than Evelyn and Celia were. However, the true tension of this story comes instead from the climactic final scene, told in short chapters interspersed throughout the novel, in which a space mission goes terribly wrong. Joan and Vanessa have my vote for best Reid couple because of Vanessa’s affection for Joan’s young niece, Frances. Oh how hard I cried at the end of this book, especially the beautiful way outer space serves as both a symbol and a backdrop for their relationship.
One of my favorite aspects of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing is her exploration of human emotional complexity. Her characters are not perfect; they make mistakes and bad decisions, sometimes decisions that hurt the people they love. Still, all these characters find people who love them wholeheartedly, flaws and all. I hope you have that kind of love, whether romantic or not, this Valentine’s Day.
Raina Lockwood is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at rl978@cornell.edu.
Raina Lockwood is a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a contributor for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at rl978@cornell.edu.
