The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O’Connor was a winner for me.

The story begins in the present day as Margot Dubois returns to her childhood home after her grandmother’s death to prepare it for sale. While sorting through the attic, she discovers eight mysterious cassette tapes. Curious about their contents, she reconnects with her first love—and heartbreak—Leo, who helps her restore and listen to them.

Together, they’re transported into a dual timeline that takes us back to the 1950s, where we meet Vivian Stone, a legendary comedian. Vivian’s story is captivating and offers a vivid glimpse into the world of old Hollywood, especially the challenges women (and men) faced to stay relevant in the spotlight. In many ways, her experiences echo the stories we still hear today about the treatment of women in the entertainment industry.

Vivian is a gritty, resilient character who constantly reinvents herself and pushes against the grain to succeed. You can’t help but root for her and admire her strength.

The novel also explores themes of love and lost love in both timelines, emphasizing the importance of honesty and vulnerability in relationships—otherwise, both people risk missing out. And just when you think you’ve figured it all out, the story reveals why Margot’s grandmother had the tapes in the first place—a twist I didn’t see coming.

This is a 5-star read for me—a beautifully written story about strong, courageous women who take chances and chase their dreams.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#TheOneAndOnlyVivianStone, #MelissaOConnor, #NetGalley

This was a great read. I enjoyed going back in time through the use of cassette recordings and could only imagine this book on audio! I high;y recommend this book.

I felt this novel was so well done, especially for a debut. It contains an abundance of my favorite literary aspects - dual timelines (1951 & present), romance, and mystery.

In 1951 we're set in old Hollywood, a time when studios owned their stars and starlets and a time when accusations of sexual assault and harassment in the workplace were practically unheard of. Enter Vivian Stone, a rising starlet who is so deja vu of Lucille Ball.

Flash to present day and we have our 30 something protagonist, Margot, who has returned to her grandmother's house to sort through all of the possessions and get it ready to list for sale after grandma's recent passing. What does she find but a shoebox full of cassette tapes recorded by Vivian Stone in one of her grandmother's closets.

Through the cassette tapes we learn the Hollywood story of Vivian, but the mystery remains - how did Grandma know this Hollywood starlet? Through the help of Margot's old high school boyfriend, Leo (recently divorced), they set about listening to the tapes and solving the mystery.

The back and forth between the two time lines was so effective. Throw in a rekindled romance, alcoholism struggles, true love, and juicy retro Hollywood gossip, and you've got yourself a winner.

Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery Books, for this captivating debut that hits shelves July 22nd. Lovers of historical fiction with romance/mystery and a dual timeline, be on the lookout for this one.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Truly 4.5⭐️’s - I really enjoyed this book. I loved how the story unraveled on tapes and the Old Hollywood vibes. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because the ending felt disjointed from the rest of the story, like it was tacked on as an afterthought explanation. But I really enjoyed reading Vivian’s story!

Melissa O’Conner’s debut novel is a wonderful insight into the lives and struggles of women in the film industry of the 1950s era which was dominated by men who were essentially controlling and manipulating their lives.
It tells the journey of a present day woman, Margot, whose curiosity is aroused when she finds eight unmarked cassette tapes in her deceased grandmother’s attic and tries to find the connection between the movie star actress who made the tapes and her grandmother’s life.
I was mesmerized by the telling of this very emotional story of movie-making life in LA. I loved how the author used the tapes to create a dual timeline between Margot’s present day dreams and Vivian’s tape recorded messages and how they related to her grandmother. It captured the love and pain and betrayal from a time when a few bad men made life miserable for women who just wanted to do what they loved.
Thank you NetGalley for offering me this advance copy to read in exchange for an honest review. The story was awesome and believable. I recommend it.

3.5 stars

I really enjoy an Old Hollywood saga, and The One and Only Vivian Stone delivers on that genre. Vivian and her circle of friends are memorable, compelling characters, trying to figure out how to live their lives while also succeeding during the waning years of the studio system and the rise of television. Melissa O’Connor’s debut novel kept me engrossed from start to finish, its big plot reveal somewhat easy to deduce but not predictable.

I was less interested in Margot, Leo, and their present-day relationship. Those chapters just felt like a setup, a way for us to get from one of Vivian’s tapes to the next. We only get a surface-level understanding of Margot’s and Leo’s lives, in contrast to the depth of emotion and inner thoughts O’Connor excavates in Vivian’s story.

Two other, smaller notes about things that I tripped over:

1. The chapters that are supposed to be transcripts of Vivian’s tapes really don’t sound like someone speaking; they read as a novel, written on the page. I would have liked more thought given to how someone tells a story in spoken versus written form.
2. Throughout most of the book it seems that Margot has no idea who Vivian Stone is, yet at the very end she calls her “one of the most recognizable faces in television history.” I found this disconnect confusing.

All in all, The One and Only Vivian Stone is an entertaining summer-afternoon read, and I’ll look out for future books by Melissa O’Connor.

I enjoyed this book very much. Reminiscent of days long ago in Hollywood. The reveal, at the end has the story, culminates to an interesting ending. The parts with Leo and Margot, were lackluster. Vivian Stone was the highlight! Thank you NetGalley and Gallery books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #Goodreads, #GslleryBooks, #NetGalley.

This was a sweet story with a variety of characters. It takes you back in time, and brings you into the future. It was a fast read with a bit of nostalgia. I really liked all the characters, though I wish we had more development on the main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed, great debut novel.

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O’Connor is a compelling blend of historical fiction and modern-day mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish. Told in dual timelines~1951 and the present~the story unfolds through engaging newspaper clippings and cassette tape recordings, creating a layered and immersive reading experience.

Vivian Stone absolutely steals the show in the 1951 timeline. Her sharp wit and humor bring a vibrant energy to the historical chapters, and her story is filled with intrigue and complexity. She’s a character you want to keep following, page after page.

In the present-day storyline, I enjoyed the connection between Margot and Leo as they work together to unravel the mystery behind Vivian's past while also working on their own past. Their dynamic was heartfelt and added an emotional anchor to the investigative journey.

The overall mystery was strong and satisfying, the interwoven narratives were well-balanced, and the format made for a unique and engaging read.

If you enjoy dual timelines, historical intrigue, and a story with a strong female lead, this one’s worth picking up!

Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery books for the ARC.

I had to read this because it’s described as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel & it was! Margot returns to her hometown to clean her grandmother’s house after she passes away & finds cassette tapes from a Hollywood legend. The story switches between Margot & her estranged first love listening to the tapes & the story of Vivian Stone’s life in the 1950s. There’s romance in both stories, old school Hollywood drama, and the intrigue of why Margot’s grandmother had the tapes at all. I devoured this book in 24 hours. I especially loved reading about how Vivian never gave up. Such a fun and enjoyable read!

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing the ARC for my honest review!

This novel is set in the historical era of Hollywood in the 1950's. What a difficult era to be in the movie business. Either the motion picture people liked you or did not like you. Then when you signed a contract you had to follow their rules of do's and don'ts, a tough and emotional journey for your life. Some people wanted to do a certain type of acting, for example drama. But maybe you were better at a different type of acting and they would express that to you.

Vivian Stone came from the east coast, along with an accent, so this also made it difficult to get parts. She met many people and also had strong ideas of what she wanted to do. She met a man that wanted to help her in the business, Hugh Fox. Now mind you, these were stage names, not their given names. Learning to deal with actors, actress, directors and much more was a challenge at times. She got parts for movies, but not what she really wanted. Hugh told her she was really good, they became really good friends.

You go from the past, 1950's to the present. Now you will met Margot DuBois who lives in Santa Barbara. She returns to her home town, as her grandmother has passed away. Margot goes to get her grandmother's house ready for sale. To her surprise she finds cassette tapes, and who and how did grandmother get them? But she needs help because she needs a working cassette player. Going into her past, she ask for help from her high school boyfriend, Leo. Listening to the tapes they find the voice of the iconic legend Vivian Stone. It is quite a journey, as there are eight tapes. In the end, they find there has been an unknown family secret.

I want to thank Galley Books for the special invitation to read this debut of Melissa O'Connor's. It is really special to me to be asked to read a book prior to publishing. Melissa has a very special talent in her writing. What an remarkable read for me. Loving historical genres, it was a pleasure to read this first book of Melissa's. It is an addictive page-turner. So looking forward to future writings of this first time author. She is high on my list of special authors to read in the future.

This is an entertaining dual-timeline story about Hollywood in the 1950s. There is an inherent mystery associated with the discovery of a box of cassette tapes, but if you’re paying attention, there’s a major clue to the answer available to the reader.

I found Vivian’s story the most interesting part of the book. The struggles for a woman in the film and television industry rang true. The present day scenario with Margot and Leo lacked depth, but at least those chapters were the smaller part of the story. Overall, it’s an enjoyable and quick read.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The One and Only Vivian Stone is a dual timeline story. In current day, Margot was very close to her grandmother and is left to clean out and sell her beloved grandmother's house after her death. She finds a box with cassette tapes and visits the local music shop to try to get her old cassette player repaired, reconnecting with her former boyfriend, Leo. Sparks still fly between the two as they listen to each old cassette, in a voice that Margot does not recognize. She learns the person who recorded the tapes was a Hollywood star, comedic legend Vivian Stone - but how was she connected to Margot's grandmother? In the second timeline, Vivian tells her story about her life, what she had to do in old Hollywood to become a star, her close friendship with Hollywood heartthrob Hugh (who she had nicknamed "TDH" for tall, dark, and handsome), her marriage to another star, and so much more about the good, bad, and ugly of old Hollywood. I could not put this one down and found myself reading way later than I should have to finish the novel. No spoilers, but all the loose ends are tied up nicely and there was a satisfying ending to the story. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

It’s hard not to compare this book to “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” even though I know stories of stars in classic Hollywood exist outside of these two books.

If you like old Hollywood and romance, you will certainly enjoy this book.

Vivian Stone is a warmer character than Evelyn Hugo was. And her story is a lot simpler. (I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say she does not get married 7 times.) Overall, it’s a sweet story and with some delicious yearning. But there are some intense moments for anybody who needs to check trigger warnings.

The modern-day story (of a woman finding tapes in her late grandmother’s house and listening to Vivian’s story) isn’t super compelling, but it was decent.

I more enjoyed Vivian and her friends. I especially liked how the author showed us Vivian actually being funny. Too many times readers are told a character is hilarious without the character ever doing or saying anything funny (because the author doesn’t know how to be funny).

While not groundbreaking, this was an enjoyable, easy, satisfying read.

While preparing to sell her grandmothers house, Margot finds cassette tapes in the attic that will transport her back in time to old Hollywood. This novel is reminiscent of the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. But here we get dual time lines w Margot and her reuniting w a past love, Leo, who helps her access the tapes. Because really, who has a cassette player anymore? A frothy summer read that combines historical fiction and contemporary romance. Recommended for public libraries.

I loved this book! I flew through it. Dual timeline- A woman who is trying to become a drama actress, and then current time someone is cleaning out their grandma’s house and finds tapes and hears these marvelous stories, and wonders who are these people?
The writing was so engaging and kept me reading!

This book was phenomenal! I have been waiting to read this for months and I hate that I waited so long.

This dual timeline story telling was all consuming. I was reading and trying to figure things out for the whole book.

Vivian Stone was an ICON. She endured so much and came out on top. Hugh and his love. I was rooting for this man. Kit…..oh Kit. My heart hurt for him. Alcoholism is a real disease. Then Leo and Margot with the second chance romance. I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting.

Melissa’s story telling was perfection. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this story early!

The One and Only Vivian Stone is a story that felt like a warm, funny, and sometimes bittersweet dive into figuring out who you really are when life doesn’t go the way you planned. Vivian is such a relatable character. I loved how honest she was, even when she was messy or unsure of herself. Watching her navigate career struggles, complicated friendships, and the chaos of starting over felt real and refreshing. She wasn’t perfect, but that’s what made her easy to root for. I found myself genuinely caring about where she would land. The humor in the book balanced out the more emotional moments well. Some scenes made me laugh out loud and others that quietly stuck with me. O'Connor’s writing was smooth and conversational, which made it feel like I was hearing a story from a friend.

Fun and entertaining historical fiction/romance with dual timelines. I enjoyed this story and thought it was a quick read, liked the look into early Hollywood and television. Would recommend 3/3.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few books in the past couple of years focusing on on early female pioneers in film and TV so this wasn't new in that respect. I will always enjoy a dual story and liked how the main link between past and present was a set of cassette tapes telling a story. Vivian was a likeable character and i wish we got to see a bit more of Margot. Vivian's story give the reader a peek into the studio era and some of the early days of television. It managed to fit in peeks at the casting couch, doling out of drugs and general control that the studios had over their actors. Vivian's feelings of regrets linking the two stories did seem a bit extreme given the situation. This was a quick and enjoyable read even if I didn't learn any thing new about this era.