This was an engaging read. I enjoyed the characters and the dual timelines.

Thank you to netgalley for an advance copy. My opinions are my own.

Margot’s grandmother dies, so she is cleaning out the house when she finds a box of tapes. The tape player doesn’t work, so she has Leo, her old boyfriend, help her out. They listen to one tape at a time. This is where old Hollywood comes into play and focuses on young Hollywood actors and actresses, mainly Vivian Stone.
The POV is goes back in time with Vivian to the current Margot and Leo story.
Great story. Well-written debut novel.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great read. A unique look at old Hollywood. Some parts I felt like the author was trying to convey the magic of Evelyn Hugo. But in other parts this book was completely its own. A tale of strong women in a world and time that didn’t acknowledge them.

The One and Only Vivian Stone is the debut novel from Melissa O'Connor.

"After her grandmother's death, Margot finds a box of cassettes while cleaning out her house. She asks her old friend, Leo, to help fix the tape player. Margot and Leo have a history but Margot is determined to keep him in the 'friend zone' no matter what emotions threaten to erupt. The voice on the cassettes is comedic legend, Vivian Stone. What was her connection to Margot's grandmother? Margot is inspired by Vivian's story but everything changes when Vivian reveals a secret tied to her past."

Vivian is one of those characters you just want to hang out with and hear their stories. She wants drama but is told she can't act - then she discovers a talent for comedy and her career takes off. There's some Lucille Ball vibes here. And the stories she tells of the men in power and control of her career - the things she had to do just to get her foot in the door. It's awful what women actors had to endure and O'Connor doesn't hold back. And Vivian is realistic about reaching her dream - to a point. She'll have her revenge later.
I was glad that Margot and Leo finally had the conversation they needed to have. The connection was a surprise - I tried to guess but wasn't close.

Enjoyable, entertaining, eye-opening debut from O'Connor.

Well written fun novel that kept you on the edge of your seat to find out Vivian's story. Such a good read, I couldn't put it down and a quick read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Thank you to Gallery Books and author Melissa O'Connor for the free e-ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction, dual-timeline story about Vivian Stone, born Vivian Mackenzie, an actress trying to find her path in 1950s Hollywood and in life. I'll say up top that this book invites Evelyn Hugo comparisons - and therefore Great Big Beautiful Life, as well. Unlike those books, however, the modern-day storyline does not involve any journalists writing about the past. Instead there is Margot, who discovers a series of tapes left behind by Vivian as she grieves the recent loss of her own grandmother. There was some romance in that timeline which I enjoyed, but I was most captivated by Vivian's story. Along those lines I'd say the balance of timelines is flipflopped from GBBL, with Vivian's life taking the main stage.

Separate from any comparisons, though, there are plenty of reasons to read this book! The plot kept me hooked as Vivian navigated multiple romantic relationships and plenty of professional obstacles. The book examines the seedy underbelly of Hollywood from multiple angles. And while I'd like to think it's better now, I somehow have the sense that not nearly enough has changed.

I ate this plot up. I cared about Vivian on both a professional and personal level. Once I got into the back half of the book I had that "stay up late, need to finish the book" feeling that we all love. The book planted so many seeds for future conflict early on that I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop and had to keep reading. Melissa incorporated reflections on so many important issues, like sexism and misogyny among others, but she deftly wove them into the plot such that it never felt distracting. If the synopsis and my review piqued your interest, I highly recommend that you give this one a try!

I almost chose not to read and review The One and Only Vivian Stone because it is blatant in its attempt at trying to pull me in, in every possible way as an Evelyn Hugo lover. But I am quite glad I ended up giving it a chance. I think you would be too. It may remind you a tad too much at one or two places but not enough in my opinion, for it to stop your enjoyment of Vivian and her own story.

3.75⭐️ Charming and intriguing debut novel. I am excited to see what else this author has in store for us. But to compare this debut novel to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo I think did it a disservice, it set my expectations too high for these tapes and to be honest it just wasn’t the vibe for me. Vivian’s voice at first came out as young and naive, but her story grew on me and I found myself really taken by the old Hollywood scene she painted and the mystery of it all. The mystery of who she was and how she related to Margot kept me going.

I wanted a bit more at the end with the reveal and for the present timeline with Leo and Margot, it got better as it went, but felt underdeveloped.

Thank You to NetGalley, Gallery Books and the author Melissa O’Connor for the advanced reading copy, all my opinions are my own.

A huge thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. This was an incredibly well written debut novel reminiscent of Evelyn Hugo as well as All the Stars in Heaven, by Adriana Trigiani. I am sad to have to say goodbye to these characters.
I truly enjoyed the dual timelines and love stories and the story telling through cassette tapes and newspaper headlines. The story's focus is old Hollywood and its treatment of women in the 1950's. At the start Margot is tasked with cleaning out her grandmother's house after her passing. She finds a box of cassette tapes and reaches out to her old high school love to restore them. As the couple listens to the tapes they learn of Vivian's history and romances. Of note is her relationship with Hugh an unrequited love perhaps? This as well her determination to succeed in the male dominated dark side of Hollywood provides a beautiful and emotional story.
The mystery deepens as Margot must determine Vivian's relationship with her grandmother and their connection. Will she solve this mystery and determine who Vivian is? A must read for historical fiction fans and those who admire phenomenal writing. What a beautiful book!

ARC Review: The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor
Pub Date: July 22nd

Thank you @Gallerybooks for the eARC and to @just_talking_to_myshelf and @bookswithnopictures for arranging the traveling ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh my GOSH, you guys!! This is a book that will stick with me for quite some time - and it gets the rare honor of making me cry!!

When Margot's grandmother dies, Margot is tasked with cleaning out her house to sell it. She hasn't been back to town much since leaving and little does she know that her best friend and first love Leo is still in town. Margot finds some cassette tapes in the house but can't find a way to play them to see what might be on them. She gets help from Leo and they listen to the tapes together, only to find that they are from Old Hollywood star, Vivian Stone. On the tapes, Vivian walks through her life story from trying to make it in Hollywood to becoming a household name. As they listen, they wonder how Margot's grandmother got these and what the connection could be.

I don't always love dual timeline stories because I'm typically much more invested in one over the other but since this one spent most of it's time in the past with just a few chapters here and there in the present, it worked super well for me. I was so compelled by Vivian's story and it felt like I was really transported back to Old Hollywood. This book was immersive and I just couldn't put it down! And of course, there was just enough romance in both timelines to keep my little romance loving heart invested.

I could not recommend this enough - I have gone away from reading as much historical fiction in the last couple of years but this one reminded me of everything I love about the genre.

kinda Evelyn Hugo-ish, with a very traditional plot, but still a very solid read with some interesting vibes. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

A captivating story of the rise of a comedic TV star in the 1950s and of her life and loves. The story is told through a series of found cassette tapes hidden in the home of a deceased woman by her granddaughter. There is no apparent connection between the star and the grandmother and something is missing for the granddaughter to determine. A very compelling story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you enjoy a good historical fiction novel this is a must read! I hadn’t had this book on my TBR but I am so glad @moconnorwrites reached out asking if I wanted an advance copy.

Told in dual timelines, Margot is cleaning out her grandmother’s attic and finds some mysterious cassette tapes recorded by the famous Vivian Stone.

As Margot listens to the tapes we are transported back to the 1950’s when Vivian is an up and coming movie star and are taken along on her rise to fame. She tells of forbidden love, unbreakable friendships, career highs and crushing lows. She is a force to be reckoned with and wouldn’t settle for less than what she deserved.

Both Margot and Vivian were such well developed characters and it was satisfying to see how their pasts were connected. Thus book would make a great summer read.

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O’Connor is a delightful novel set in the present day with a novice writer, Margot, and in 1950s Hollywood with Vivian an up-and-coming star.
After Margot's grandmother dies, Margot prepares her house for a quick sale and discovers eight unlabeled cassette tapes and a broken player in the attic. She visits a local music store for help, where surprisingly her first love Leo works. She wants to see if he can restore the old tapes so they can listen to them. Leo is able to restore them and so together, they listen to the tapes that chronicle Vivian, a young actress’s journey through old Hollywood, revealing misogynistic behaviors, favoritism, and Vivian’s love life. As Margot and Leo are listening to the tapes, she is wondering, why in the world does her grandmother have them.
I loved this story and could not put it down. The story was so vivid, you could easily imagine what Hollywood was like back in the day! The book ends by revealing why the tapes were in the attic along with a major twist. I strongly recommend this story to anyone who likes to get involved so much in a story, you cannot put it down!! I look forward to the next novel by Melissa O’Connor. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this ARC.

This is a delightful escapist story into Old Hollywood. Vivian is the perfect character that you just want to root for in everything she does.

I enjoyed the mystery reminiscent of Evelyn Hugo. I really enjoyed the modern storyline as well with Margot and Leo. That elevator scene!

Definitely recommend picking this one up for a bingeworthy read!

I support new authors and applaud their efforts. I did like this book. The plot was good and characters believable. However, some of the story seemed based on the career of Lucille Ball and the tv series The Nanny. It struck me the author could not come up with an original idea.

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor is a highly recommended romance novel and historical fiction presented in two timelines. This is O'Connor's debut novel and romance novel readers will likely love it.

In the present day Margot DuBois is cleaning out her grandmother's house to sell it. She finds a mysterious box of cassette tapes with a damaged tape player. She turns to her first love, Leo, to fix it. He finds a working cassette player and sets to work cleaning up the tapes, one at a time. The two then listen to the eight tapes over a series of days and reconnect with each other.

The tapes tell the story of Vivian (MacKenzie) Stone early in her career as a famous comedic actress in the 1950's Hollywood studio system and later on TV. Vivian recounts her life story with her friend Ruth and her two great loves, Hugh Fox and Kit Pierce. On the eight tapes she honestly shares and vividly describes the wins and struggles they all endured at the time. She had wanted to be a dramatic actress but her fame came when she took on comedic roles.

Vivian's story is the stronger narrative of the two stories. The novel shares what was on each tape, with Vivian telling her story. The tapes sections include excerpts from gossip columnists that add context and tone to the narrative.The tapes contain many descriptions of 1950's fashion, which is interesting. In between the tapes sections is the shorter present day plot with Margot and Leo.

As Vivian is described, readers will immediately view her as a Lucille Ball like character. She is written as an intelligent woman who realistically faces life and the studio system with determination and fortitude. Margot is settling for a lesser life than she envisioned and cleaning out her beloved grandmother's home. Reconnecting with Leo and listening to Vivian's story encourages her, but the real revelation is when she learns why Vivian sent the tapes to her grandmother in the first place.

The One and Only Vivian Stone is a great choice for historical romance novel readers. Thanks to Gallery Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor

For fans of the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - this is your next favourite book.
This is a 5 stars from me read. I could not put this down. I spent the first half of the book grinning from ear to ear trying to decide if I was team Kit or team Hugh and the second half obsessively reading wondering what was going to happen to Vivian and what her connection was to Margot. This is a book that gets 5 stars from me more because of the way it made me feel and because I just couldn't stop reading it until I made it to the end.

Of course, I was more interested in the story of the past than the present day, but a couple of steamy scenes in the present day helped keep me engaged in the present day characters of Margot and Leo.

Synopsis: Margot is cleaning out her grandmothers house after her passing when she comes upon a note with 7 cassettes (the 8th one is missing), which sends her to her ex-boyfriend to help her connect the tapes with a cassette player. They. begin to listen together and are enraptured with Vivian Stone's story of Old Hollywood, love affairs and the treatment actors had to endure from studio heads (and still do).

In the post Weinstein/me too movement era, to read some of these Hollywood/Executive Studio Head stories wasn't shocking but infuriating all the same.

I highly recommend this book to all readers, as it is a multi-genre book and sure to capture the attention of many different readers alike.

Thank you to the publishers at Gallery Books and to Melissa O'Connor for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for recommending and providing a free copy of The One and Only Vivian Stone. Melissa O’Connor hit it out of the park with The One and Only Vivian Stone. I was hesitant to read another ‘50’s starlet’ book, but I could not read this one fast enough. O’Connor tells the story of Margot, a woman in her 30’s who was pulled back to her hometown after her grandmother died to clean out her house where Margot also grew up. In the middle of cleaning she comes across cassette tapes of 50’s actress Vivian Stone. We follow both leading women through love, loss, fame and failure. How are these two connected? You will have to read and find out. Please read the trigger disclosure at the beginning if you are sensitive to certain subjects.

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O’Connor is a debut novel about family secrets. Margot DuBois arrives back in her hometown to sort out and sell her childhood home after the death of her grandmother. Her lifelong dream is to be a published writer but to date she has had no success and has settled on editing to keep her afloat. She comes across unlabeled tapes when cleaning out her grandmother’s attic but the player does not work so she is unable to listen to them.

The town has a music shop that she use to frequent all the time in her youth. She brings it there in hopes of having it fixed. It is there that she meets Leo, the boy that was her first love, as he has taken over the shop from his father. Leo has never really gotten over their relationship. He said he was unable to fix the player but would loan her one of the stores with the condition that he could listen as well.

As they start listening, they become aware that the tapes are all about the life of Vivian Stone, a well known actress. Of course the real question is why does her grandmother have these tapes, and how does she relate to Vivian Stone. They listen to all 8 tapes, and Margot discovers secrets that both she and her mother had no idea about her grandmother. In doing so. she also discovers things about her self.

I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this uncorrected readers proof.