Malibu Rising has been featured in National Book Tokens' 21 books to look out for in 2021 article on Caboodle.

Of course I had to start reading this as soon as I got approved for an advanced copy! Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo are two of my all time favourite books and so naturally I had really high hopes for this and I’m so pleased to say it didn’t disappoint!

I just adore TJR’s writing style, it just instantly draws you in and her character development is absolutely fantastic. I loved the 80s setting, I loved the subtle references to her previous book and as with all her novels, I love the way she writes female characters in particular. It was just such an enjoyable read. Now for me, I personally preferred her last two books but this is still an easy 5 star read and I would highly recommend it!

Massive thank you to NetGalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite books, and so I was looking forward to read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest release. She is definitely showing her love for the glamour and the celebrity in her newest books, and Malibu Rising is no exception. It shows Hollywood in its gold age, but that is not the focus here. The main draw of the novel is family, or the Riva family in particular.

Jenkins Reid shows off her talent for writing interesting characters. You get to spend time with each member of the family, from the dysfunctional relationship between Mick and June, to how it effects their children later on in their lives and how it shaped them to be the people they are. Nina is the most interesting, because she had the most baggage and responsibility placed on her shoulders, and she shows her strength in how much she cares for her family and what she is willing to do for them. But no one is perfect in this story. Everyone is flawed, everyone has their issues, but that’s what makes them human and realistic, yet despite these flaws I was still compelled to be invested in their lives, and that’s a balancing act I’ve only seen Jenkins Reid pull off.

The family bonding scenes are my favourite. Just seeing the Rivas interact filled my heart because they had such a good sibling bond between them. Seeing the parents story as well helped to ground them, and helped to paint out the characters, how past mistakes are repeated, and raises the questions of how much we inherit from our parents, even the things we hate about them.

However, I was let down by the ending. It’s clear from the beginning that there was going to be a fire, and from the way some of the scenes were written, I thought there was going to be a fire at the party and someone was going to die. It seemed like that was where it was building up to, but we got to the end and that didn’t happen. I’m not saying I wanted the characters to die, but it was ominously written like that’s where it was going. Even if not, the ending felt too clean. Everything was wrapped up way too neatly. The conflict between characters were instantly forgiven, and Nina’s ending felt strange. Her siblings act like they were never going to see her again, but she was only moving to a different country. I know it was set in the eighties, but you can still call and visit.

To me, it felt like the ending was changed last minute to make it happier, but I don’t think it worked as well as it should’ve. To me, it felt safe. The fire symbolism was interesting, but the ending was still a let down. Maybe that was because I was expecting it to go a different route. It’s still an enjoyable read, and Jenkins Reid is an author I recommend to anyone.

As a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid - Daisy Jones and the Six was among my favourite books read in 2020, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was one of my favourites of 2019 - I couldn't wait to read this, and nearly hit my head on the ceiling jumping for joy when the publisher approved me for Malibu Rising.

Set, as you might expect, in the Californian surfing town of Malibu, the novel follows the Riva family - parents June and Mick Riva (a character who appears in both Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo), and their children Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit Riva. The story moves back and forth in time between the parents' meeting and them getting together and setting up house in Malibu, and the children - now adults - preparing for their annual blowout party at surfing supermodel Nina's clifftop mansion.

Jenkins Reid is an author who can handle a lot of characters, always bringing them warmth and distinction, whether it's a large band of musicians (The Six), seven husbands, and now the Riva family. But I must say the head-hopping within scenes, where we start in one character's POV and finish the scene inside another's, took me a while to get used to the style!

With so much setup at the opening of the novel about California burning (and I understand the novel's original title was Malibu Burning), I did think the story was gearing up towards a dramatic, fiery climax at the party... which isn't how it plays out. It's much more sedate in that way, spending more time on character than plot. But regardless, I loved how what looked like a privileged, beautiful family was full of individual struggles and hidden battles. I liked them all, and I'll peer over Taylor Jenkins Reid's shoulder at the seedy glamour of celebrities from film, music and television for as long as she wishes to write about them.

The perfect escapist read from the queen of glamorous stories featuring a large cast of characters you'll grow to love. Just what the doctor ordered.

Theres such an ease to Reids writing (well as a reader,probably not when writing).
The words just flow.
I was dragged in and felt welcomed by the majority of the Riva clan.
We learn about them,and their parents and grandparents,as the build up to the BIG party unfolds.

This is definitely a family I wish I could see more of,their dramas probably have a good few books in them.

It made me laugh,and it almost made me cry.
Very very well done.


Review to be posted at later date

With The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo being one of my favourite books of all time, I was so excited to read the latest story from Taylor Jenkins Reid.
I must also say that I wasn't as big a fan of Daisy Jones & The Six as others were but I had also read TJR's earlier book After I do, which I really adored.
If you go into reading Malibu Rising comparing it to Evelyn Hugo, which it shares several characters, in particular one of Evelyn's husbands Mick Riva, with. I think you might be a bit disappointed.
I definitely enjoyed how expertly the back stories for the main characters of the Riva children and Mick and June were crafted. Again, much like in Evelyn Hugo, you feel like these are real people and not just characters in a book.
And the world in which they inhabit feels real too. It leaves you longing to go back in time and visit Malibu to experience it for yourself.
Like the rest of TJR's work, it is really well written. But there were a few things that detracted from the main story for me. And as a result, meant that I couldn't give it 5 stars, as I had anticipated I would.
It is quite surfing heavy, if you're not really interested in that.
And for me, there were too many characters to keep track of. The four Riva children themselves and Mick and June are already a lot of characters to truly digest. They all have their own stories and lives. But when you add on top of that peripheral characters like Vanessa and even more minor characters/celebrities who are scattered throughout, that you need to try and remember who is who and what role or relationship they have with the Rivas or each other. It just starts to become a little bit confusing and there are too many offshoot characters and storyilines to keep track of and become fully invested in.
I did, however, enjoy Malibu Rising and would recommend it to TJR fans without hesitation. And I can't wait to read what she does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so glad I got to read this early! I loved both Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hardcastle and I was dying for something new from Taylor Jenkins Reid and this didn’t disappoint.
The story and its characters had me hooked from the very beginning. It was quite fast-paced which kept me turning the page and meant I had a hard time putting it down to do things like eat and sleep.
I really enjoyed the little easter eggs with references to characters and plot points from her other books (other than the main reference ofc). Am very much here for the Taylor Jenkins Reid Hollywood universe!!!
It had some moments of pure cheddar cheese, which I’m always here for, but if I have one point of criticism it would be that the ending came a bit sudden for me and was a bit anti climactic. There had been so much set-up that the then actual ending and wrap-up felt a bit rushed to me.
It doesn’t quite top Daisy Jones and the Six for me, but that book has a very special place in my heart! Other than that I thought it was a highly enjoyable read and I’m already desperate for another!

This isn't the sort of book I would normally pick up from the blurb but I'm a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid so was definitely going to give it a go. The books jumps between the 1950's when June meets Mick, a handsome confident man who is going places and she agrees to marry him. Part of the book also takes place in the 1980's when Mick and June''s children are all grown up and the complicated lives they've led start to unfold. I found this book hooked me in right away and I thought it was a great read. The characters are well developed and you definitely care about them. Loved it!

I gobbled this book up over the course of a weekend. What a book. I really enjoyed the pace of the story and whilst the main story happens over the course of one night, the back story and detail into thew characters lives was woven in beautifully.

I loved getting to know Nina, Jay, Hud and Kat and felt myself rooting for them from the start. The book deals with many themes, family being the main one and the question of what does it take to be a family or make a family. Alcoholism, betrayal, relationships, stardom, sexuality, friendship, poverty, to name but a few other themes Reid explores in this book. It felt like this book was more of a commentary on what makes us happy rather than one character's particular story. Truly enjoyable from start to finish.

Modern and whip smart - Taylor Jenkins Reid remains one of my favourite writers of today.

Just the thing for when you need some glamorous pop-fiction plus angsty romance but this doesn't have the charisma of Daisy Jones or the rewriting Hollywood appeal of Evelyn Hugo. Too many characters, too much jumping into minor character's heads dissipates focus and intensity. Fun as a light read but not memorable.

I really enjoyed this book. If you enjoyed the writing style of daisy Jones and the six, you will enjoy this. Nice easy read, and bonus... the cover is gorgeous

I loved "Malibu Rising"! It is another great book from the author Taylor Jenkins Read and is full of secrets, betrayals and unforgettable characters. We meet the children of Mick Riva, a famous singer, as they prepare for their famous annual party. Hosted by Nina, the oldest of the siblings, the party promises to be legendary, but NIna is still reeling from a very public breakup with her husband. Her brothers, Jay and Hud, and their younger sister, Kit, keep things hidden from each other. During this memorable night, tensions will run high, as secrets will be revealed and the house will burn - but will their lives be ever recovered from the ashes?

Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to write an oustanding family saga. Alongside the party, we are offered glimpses into the story of Mick, and the loves and heartbreaks that his family face that will lead them to this one eventful day. We also get to follow the Riva siblings during the day of the party, as they deal with their legacies and dreams, and how they decide to shape their own futures. It is a story about desires, fame, family ties, love lost and found, and about things that hold you up and things that make you fall. A memorable story with unforgettable characters, told by a master story teller, "Malibu Rising" is another bestseller in the making.

The cover of this book is so pretty, it makes me want to dive in straight away. I have never Taylor's books before but I may have found my new favourite author. Secrets, lies, betrayal all make this book one hell of a ride that you just don't want to get off. We flit back to the past and discover things that have consequently changed since then. A whole family that have been devastated by events that have occurred, a party that gets out of control but one where dramatic events happen. They each have their own story to tell but who is the one telling the truth. All wrapped into one book, it makes for a superb read.