The One and Only Vivian Stone

By: Melissa O'Connor

Narrated by: Alex Finke, Patti Murin

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in this enchanting novel about estranged lovers reconnecting over mysterious tapes found in an attic and the old Hollywood secret hidden within them.

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.

Old Hollywood dual time line

Very much enjoyed this listen - no other cimment but 15 words required for a minimum

So entertaining!

This title had me hooked from the beginning. Both narrators did an amazing job bringing all of the characters to life. Their performances are why I will always want human voices narrating audiobooks. I thoroughly enjoyed the story from beginning to end!

Cute story

Cute story and heartfelt ending. It was just ok for me. Nothing spectacular, but an easy quick listen to pass the time.

Engaging Story

The narration and dual timeline worked seamlessly. Vivian’s character was very like-able and nuanced. 10/10 highly recommend.

Beautiful story

I loved the back and forth between Vivian and Margo’s stories. The highs and lows that made Vivian were so relatable!