Review of Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Malibu Rising by  Taylor Jenkins Reid 

 

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published June 1st 2021 by Ballantine Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Adult Fiction

 

From Goodreads:  Malibu: August 1983. It's the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over--especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud--because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he's been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can't stop thinking about promised she'll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own--including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family's generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind. 

My Thoughts:  True Hollywood drama.  Malibu Rising tells the story of the Riva family as they struggle through living in Malibu.  There were times it was easier than others but never was in entirely easy.   

Nina, as the oldest child, took on a lot of the work of raising her siblings.  I admired at how she was willing to step in, raise them, and put her own needs out of thought.   She gave up so much to keep her family together.   Even when she becomes successful there are struggles.   The siblings were tight.  They stayed together through thick and thin, protected each other, and loved each other fiercely.  There was a lot happening with each character and Taylor Jenkins Reid did a wonderful job helping the reader keep the storylines straight while pulling it all together to keep the story flowing.   

Read this book.   I guarantee you will become a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid if you are not already.   She is a must-read author for me.  

**Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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