Malibu Rising: A Read with Jenna Pick: A Novel

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Read with Jenna Book Club Pick as Featured on Today • From the author of Carrie Soto Is Back, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo . . .

“Irresistible . . . High drama at the beach, starring four sexy, surfing siblings and their deadbeat, famous-crooner dad.”—People

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Time, Marie Claire, PopSugar, Parade, Teen Vogue, Self, She Reads

Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives forever.

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 rising 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.

• ISBN10: 059339576X
• ISBN13: 9780593395769
• Publish Date: 1 June 2021 (first published 27 May 2021)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Diversified Publishing
• Imprint: Random House Large Print
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 512
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593395769

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Okay, so to preface my review, I'm going to state that Malibu Rising is not normally a book I would pick up and dive into. I tend to be overly picky about my historical fiction reads.

However, Malibu Rising was one of the top contenders for BOTM's book of the year award, and that caught my attention. When given a chance to nab a copy (through BOTM) for free, I didn't hesitate.

Who hasn't dreamed of the fantastical parties that must occur around the rich and famous? Well, one party is about to get out of hand. The year is 1983, and one of Malibu's premier events is on the horizon: Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party.

However, she's not quite in the right headspace for this party. She and every member of her family seem distracted by personal issues. These issues set the tone for the party, which will eventually go up in flames. Literally.

“How were you supposed to change- in ways both big and small- when your family was always there to remind you of exactly the person you apparently signed an ironclad contract to be?”

Wow. There is SO much going on within Malibu Rising! I can see why fans ended up loving it so much. We're talking about layer upon layer of subplot and character-driven elements. All of which come together for an explosive finale. Sorry, last time I make a pun like that, I promise.

If you love historical fiction, suspense, or family drama, the odds are good that you're going to find something to appreciate here. It doesn't hurt that a lot is going on here. But I should probably take a step back for a moment.

Malibu Rising is predominantly told through two different points in time. The past and the present. One follows Nina Riva and her siblings as adults; the other follows their parents and younger selves.

I'll confess that I found one timeline to be more interesting than the other. It seemed like the present had many more threads to play with. However, I can see how the past was setting the scene for what was to come. So I wouldn't have cut it out, given a chance to do so.

I loved the added surfing elements and very individual plots each character brought with them. It felt like we were diving into a fleshed-out world. One that is admittedly very full of drama! It makes one grateful for a calmer life, right?

Overall I'd say that Malibu Rising was a fun and exciting read. While it was not my favorite, I can certainly see why so many loved it. More than that, I can see why it almost won.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

3.5⭐️

I have become such a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid. She is a great storyteller where she infuses just enough detail to make me feel like I'm there and these characters are real. Character driven books are not necessarily my favorite because I feel like most of the times not enough happens and it is not like a lot is happening, but the story of this family, their struggles, their personalities are just so interesting to me. Plus the setting is great, Malibu in the early 80's and kids of a famous rockstar. I loved it.

[Jeff Sexton]

Strong Story. Strong Storytelling. Don't Understand The Hype. Let me be extremely clear on this: This was a very strong story of a family's rise and fall across two generations, told in both past and "present" (with the "present" being nearly 40 years ago from the time of publication) and executed very well in both. The use of a full 24 hour timestamp as a narrative structure was great, as it really drove home that the story was counting down to some cataclysmic event. Truly, there is absolutely no doubt here - this is a great story superbly told.

But I would be remiss if I didn't share my *other* overriding thought about this book, and that is simple: I truly don't get the hype. I stand behind everything I said in the last paragraph 100%. But this was book 56 on the year for me and I've read over 250 since the COVID-related lockdowns began 53 weeks ago. And *many* of them were equally strong, and some quite similar in genre and tone. So I simply do not understand how this review will be number 990 on Goodreads - over two full months before this book publishers - while others languish in obscurity, seemingly struggling to get even double digit reviews even though they are at least as strong and good as this one. And again, I cannot emphasize this enough: This isn't saying in any way that this book isn't an excellent tale excellently told. My sole point is simply that there are *so many others* that could and arguably should receive the same amounts of attention and love, yet do not. And I truly don't understand how this happens. I mean, I know *how* it happens- massive marketing campaigns. I just don't understand the *why* of it and why *not* those others. Something that will likely always elude me.

Anyway, read this book. It deserves it. And maybe follow me wherever you find this review, and maybe you'll find some equally deserving books you weren't aware of. :D Very much recommended.