So far I haven't read a Taylor Jenkins Reid book I didn't like, and Malibu Rising was no exception! Sun, sea and family drama - the celebrity kind - makes for a potent mix. I really enjoy the way these books link together without actually demanding familiarity with the other titles, it's a nice nod to fans whilst still keeping the stories accessible to newcomers. Really looking forward to reading the next one!

I’m never sure if it’s fair to give a rating of a book I didn’t finish but having made that clear, the first third or so I read is a 3* read and it wasn’t enough to sustain my interest. I loved Evelyn Hugo so maybe my expectations were too high, but this felt flat and shallow - I couldn’t invest in the characters. But this wouldn’t put me off reading more from this author. It’s just this one wasn’t for me.

I had heard about this book and this author and it has been sitting on my to-read list for a while now and as Carrie Soto is Back was creeping closer, I figured I would read this one now. The book starts by introducing us to Nina Rivera - she is married to Brandon who is a tennis player and currently cheating on her with fellow tennis star Carrie Soto. It is the night of their annual Rivera party, that celebrities from all over and it's a who's who event. Nina isn't in the mood but this party will be the defining moment of her life and will set a ripple effect on her life. Nina is the oldest of her siblings and she has been raising them herself since she was 17 as her mother killed herself and their father - a popular musician has been an absent father. Nina's siblings include Jay, her half-brother Hudson and Kit. During the party though, the family will grow an extra couple of members as we have newcomer Casey Green and Hudson's girlfriend makes an announcement. The book flips back and forth between the date that Mick first meets June - their mother to the present time which is the 1980s. The book was a bit slow-paced in parts and felt slightly disjointed but in the end it all made sense overall was a great family saga and uses the analogy of rising from the ashes with a new beginning which I loved as the ending was very much a poetic justice ending. I also like the crazy snippet we saw of Carrie Soto which makes me excited now to read her story. I also loved the part that surfing played in this story as I always wished that I could have learned to surf as it looks so much fun and the freedom of the wide-open water, but since I can't I have to watch and read about it instead and live vicariously through this method.

I really enjoyed this book!
I have loved some of TJR's books (loved Evelyn Hugo) so couldn't wait for this.
The premise really excited me, but having read it now, I think the blurb was a little inaccurate. It describes an 'epic party' thrown by a famous family, but I felt that the party was not dwelt on at all, and even though I loved the stories of the siblings and their lives, I think the party missed the mark for me. I didn't think it was the big 'denoument' that I had hoped for.
That said, the siblings' lives were eventful, and I was gripped through the book as they grew up in the public eye. I loved the characters and yet again TJR shows what life may be like as a celebrity, just like she did with Evelyn Hugo.
This was a great read, and now I know Carrie Soto is the character of her next novel, I am more excited for it!

Enjoyable, fluffy, very Sweet Valley High in setting and tone. Nowhere near as good as Daisy Jones or Evelyn Hugo, but I very much enjoyed the back story of the parents. The main character had zero personality though, and as is often the case, the supporting characters were far more interesting.

Mick Riva is a famous singer, husband and father but he is only good at one of these things. His four children have a difficult time growing up and their father has been absent for most of their childhood. When the oldest sibling hosts a party it will soon get out of control and secrets will be revealed.

I really enjoyed this one. I was invested in the character's stories and found that I couldn't put this book down. The relationship between the siblings was excellent. This story is told in two timelines and we see flashbacks to when the characters were children. I did feel that the ending was a little anti-climatic but overall I thought this was a good book.

“She had to choose what, of the things she inherited from the people who came before her, she wanted to bring forward. And what, of the past, she wanted to leave behind.”

Reid did it again. She wrote a story that i felt so connected to. A story about a family that has been through so much. About kids who had to fend for themselves, find their place in the world and choose to be better people than those who came before them.

The way you could feel the love the Riva siblings had for each other through these pages, the way the ocean connected them warmed my heart and had me on the verge of tears (lies. i cried many times) throughout this book.

I highly recommend the audiobook. Julia Whelan did a great job with the narration (as always. she’s lowkey my fav narrator). Thanks Libro fm for the gifted ALC.

I almost gave this 5 stars but i had some issues towards the end with the flow of the writing and jarring pov switches. However this might be my second favourite tjr book after Daisy Jones and the Six .

I think I was one of the four people that felt mostly neutral about Evelyn Hugo and people that loved that seemed less keen on this so I was kind of hoping for the opposite but no. Maybe Jenkins Reid just isn't for me.

This is a very character driven novel and I think your enjoyment is going to hinge heavily on how invested you are in the POV characters. I liked about half of them so that's probably why my rating is sitting at a three.

👍 The thing the author really excels at is crafting a setting and characters so vividly that you feel you could look up the events of this book on Google.
👍 The novel had an excellent sense of place and the setting beautifully tied into the events of the story.
👍 The family relationships are wonderful. The story between the siblings was the one that really had me gripped.
👍 There is a nice exploration of generational trauma and symmetry between the lives of June and Mick and the kids. Especially the parallel between June and Nina and how their stories ultimately diverged.
👎 This was a slow burn and just felt very... hollow. There wasn't enough definition to be a genre novel but lacked the meaning or art of a literary novel, leaving it just feeling indefinably lacking in some way.
👎 In part two several completely unrelated POVs were introduced for literally no reason. They were kind of vignettes from party guests but guests that played no impactful part in the events of the story and just bogged the pacing down.
👎 The book was just way too long, only made even more apparent with the addition of the above.
👎 There was some weird through line about Mick being a kind of morally grey character when he just isn't. He's just kind of awful. The lack of awareness about this fact from most of the characters was incredibly frustrating. Even Nina at one point said something like 'I think he's an a**hole but I don't know him well enough to tell'. Babe. You can tell he's an a**hole.

All that said, I enjoyed this just fine, it's just lacking that little extra something for me.

Loved this book so much. Could be my favourite TJR book so far. I love the setting of 50's/60's/70's Malibu, I really felt like I was there surfing the waves with the Riva children and attending a star studded party. Will highly recommend this book in store.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random House for approving me for an ARC of this book.

After reading and loving The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo I was very keen to read this. I also have Daisy Jones and the Six on my bookcase which I have heard a lot about.

The story is told from several POV switching from the night of the fire in 1983 to the 1960’s. In the 1960’s we learn the story of June and Mick Riva. June was a young girl desperate to escape the future of running her parents seafood restaurant. Mick was a young man looking for fame as a singer. When these two meet they set off on a rollercoaster of a story filled with love, heartbreak and sadness. I initially felt sorry for June and what she was going through but there was a point when I actually felt more sorry for her children and what they experienced. Mick Riva was selfish, fame hungry and loved to be loved. He was not father material.

In 1983 we meet June and Mick’s children, Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit. Each of the siblings have their own hopes and fears for their annual summer party and as the story progresses we learn more about them and their upbringing. Of all the siblings my favourite was Nina. I admired her not only for the role she played in her siblings lives but how she handled herself. She neve let life get her down and always strove to make a better life for herself. Along the way she got a bit lost and sacrificed too much but she did so with the best of intentions. When she confronted her father I felt deeply satisfied at what she said and wanted to give her a massive hug for saying what she finally thought.

This was a slow burn read that was about so much more than just a fire. It showed the connection between family, how deep our roots run and what we will do to protect each other. I found the final scenes between the siblings quite emotional and felt that despite their parents, they had done very well for themselves.

I love reading books set in the same universe, so seeing characters who appeared in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo appear again here in a more prominent role.

Taylor Jenkins Reid writes incredibly immersive fiction, with gripping characters. I was completely hooked on this story, and the fact this book only spans 24 hours but still gives so much depth is incredible.

However, I do think there were a few too many characters, some of who served little or no purpose in the story. I did get lost in trying to decipher who was who at times.

Overall a really gripping book, but I don't know if I enjoyed it as much as Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones.

A really great read. The story features Nina and her three siblings and is set in a beautiful location. it tells of their struggles and the back story of how their parents relationship affected them .Their father Mick was famous singer and a serial womaniser who realises too late what it takes to make a parent. It was a fantastic story I really enjoyed it

This is a book about Malibu
It’s about surfing
And world famous pop stars
Oh and a party

But really it’s about family and love and a little bit about forgiveness
Quirky and a great read

I really struggled to care about the characters in this one. Coming from Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones this one missed the mark.

The Riva siblings are famous for being the children of the singer Mick Riva, but they have all built a life for themselves: Nina is a surfer and model; Jay competes in surf championships; Hud's photographs have graced magazine covers; and Kit, the youngest, wants to become a professional surfer.
Every year, Nina hosts a party at the end of the summer. It is a huge event with celebrities attending as well as locals.
This year, Nina would rather cancel the party, but reluctantly agrees to go ahead with it. However, this year the party will be even more unforgettable than usual as it will end with the house burning down.

Having enjoyed, but not been blown away by the author's previous books, I was a little apprehensive as to whether this novel would go the same way as the others for me. However, already knowing part of the ending intrigued me and I decided to give it a go.
Possibly my favourite part of the book was the Riva siblings and their relationships. They were extremely supportive of each other and gave the book a lot of heart. I liked all the siblings, but Nina and Kit were my favourites. I really felt for Nina, who had put everyone else first her entire life and she'd had to give up so much.
The flashbacks were another favourite part of the book for me. They showed how the Riva siblings' parents, June and Mick, met as well as bits from their childhoods. I thought they were very well done and there weren't too many.
The plot was enjoyable and held my attention throughout. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I wouldn't say I was gripped.
The writing style was easy to follow and I got through the book quite quickly.
This ended up being my favourite book that I've read so far by the author, and I can see myself re-reading this in the future.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Malibu Rising highlights the rise of surf culture, beach bunnies and the legend that would become Malibu, against the fall of musical legend Mick Riva. Known for his smooth vocals and moves, Riva is also known for the string of women he’s left heartbroken. But, not much is known about the kids he left behind.

This is the story of Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit Riva, the mother that brought them up, the famous father that failed them, and the secrets that surround them all.

The story is told in alternative timelines. The highlights for me were the scenes set in 50’s Malibu where June and Mick’s story begins. The other is set in the summer of ‘83, where Nina is preparing for her annual summer party. Dubbed the event of the year, if you know you know, and you’ll definitely be rubbing shoulders with the coolest of the cool.

While I loved the ‘then’ scenes, I found the present day scenes pre-party a little slow. The pace change between the two pulled me out of the story, and at times I found myself a little bored in the 80’s, rushing back to get to the 50’s. Once the party started, I was entertained with how all the loose threads came together into what devolved into a 90’s teen movie crossed with the drama of The Young and the Restless.

The book touches on themes of loyalty, family duty and sibling love/rivalry. It was character driven, filled with unlikeable characters (and some cameos from past books!). I disliked Mick, almost as much as I admired Nina for her strength and her quiet tenacity. Overall, the book fell a bit flat for me. I just didn’t find myself wanting to pick it up to read it, and that’s never a good sign. It was well written, just a bit... slow?! If you love the glamour of old Hollywood and family drama, you may enjoy this!

Never fear, this is not my first TJR and it won’t be my last! I’ve got a few left from her backlist that I’m hoping to pick up soon.

I honestly do not know how she does it. Taylor Jenkins Reid is the queen of writing addictive and emotionally gripping stories that makes you crave more.

I was scared going in to Malibu Rising incase it didn't live up to the pedestal I placed it on but oh my god it deserves to be there. This book was amazing in every aspect and now confirms that I need to read her entire backlog.

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.
By midnight the party will be completely out of control.
By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames.

Being honest, this probably is my least favourite book of TJR...

The characters and the way they acted seemed almost comical. For me they just didn't seem life-like at all, all the relationships seemed forced and didn't read as very convincing.

I did enjoy that characters from other TJR characters had some cameos though!

I read another review that summed it up pretty well that kind of made me chuckle a lot:
This book is basically rich people with Daddy issues 😂

I'd still recommend it, just not to everyone. It's a quick entertaining read, it just is not as good as the other books TJR wrote.

Initially, the synopsis failed to amaze me and I was prepared for a dull read, yet Malibu Rising took me by complete surprise.
It tells the story of the Riva family - surfer siblings Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit, as well as their mother June and their father, the world-famous singer, Mick Riva. Set on the 24 hours leading up to Nina Riva's infamous Riva party, Malibu Rising also explores generations of secrets and traumas.

I was ready to not enjoy it, but there was something so compelling about this story. The first 60% was the strongest part, and I loved following the growth of the family from the '60s into the '80s, but my interest did dwindle for the actual party itself. I'm a huge fan of family saga's so I loved the Riva family. Nina was such a strong character and very easy to relate to. It was nice to see a part of myself in her character and story.

A surprisingly good read that manages to encompass an array of themes. Very glad that I picked it up!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is the first Taylor Jenkins Reid I have read, and I'll be honest - I was a bit underwhelmed. I know she has been really loved due to Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - I don't know how this compares to them, but I think from that hype I was expecting a lot more.

This is about the Riva siblings, the children of a famous, Frank Sinatra-type singer with whom they have no contact. Now all in their 20's, they have basically been raised by their older sister, Nina. Nina herself is now a successful model married to a pro tennis star, and at the start of the book we know that Nina's relationship with her husband has broken down after he has cheated on her. She's struggling with that, but feels like she has to go ahead with the big party the family throws every year - a very anticipated event, attended by celebrities and always full of salacious goings-on. This book charts the 12 hours of the build up to the party, the party itself, and the aftermath when things go very, very wrong.

I definitely found the second half of this book to be much better than the first. The start is really quite vapid, reducing a lot of the characters to their physical descriptions - all very taut bodies and bikinis. It just didn't give off the vibe of something I would like. And it's very white - I think the only character of colour, it's remarked upon that that people wouldn't have thought his girlfriend would be with a man of colour. But I do love family secrets, family histories coming out, seeing how that affects the different members of the family, and the second half of the book delivers on that front. The mounting tension with the party also builds up and comes to a head in the second half, which made it much more interesting to read. I can see why people would like this author, but I'm just not very interested in the type of people she seems to write about, and I don't know if I would be in a rush to pick up any more TJR books. It was kind of middle of the road for me.