Malibu Rising is a delicious and delectable tale ignited by devastating long-held secrets, simmering suspense and intense drama. Mick Riva's four children are known and admired throughout Malibu. But not just for their famous father - a popular singer who rose to meteoric fame almost overnight in the 1950s, which is what helped woo their mother, June, at the time. Having grown up in the shadow of her cheating absentee father, young Nina became the parental figure to her siblings due to her mother’s chronic alcoholism. Now, each year the four throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer - it promises to be bigger and better each year. It only lasts a few hours, but it is enough to change their lives forever. Malibu, August 1983. It is the day of Nina Riva's annual party at her beach house, and everyone longs for nightfall and all the excitement it promises to bring. The person least interested in the event is surf model herself Nina, who never liked being the centre of attention and just ended her relationship with a professional tennis player fully exploited by the media. Perhaps surf photographer Hudson is also tense, as he needs to admit to his brother something that he has kept secret for too long, and it seems that this is the moment. Professional surfer Jay is counting the minutes, as he can't wait to find a girl who he can't get out of his head.

And Kit, an aspiring pro surfer, also has his special - and guest - secrets. By midnight, the party will be completely out of control. It has become a Riva tradition and it's normal to see celebrities from all around Los Angeles in attendance and equally as normal for it to descend into chaos with incredibly bad behaviour on show but the most affecting drama emanates from the Riva family secrets. Alcohol will flow, music will play and secrets accumulated over generations will come back to haunt everyone - until the early hours of the day, when the first spark arises and the Riva mansion is completely consumed by the flames. This is a compulsive and rapid-fire paced read about celebrity siblings living in beautiful Malibu; the descriptions of the area are nothing short of magnificent - you can feel the searing heat, taste the salt of the sea breeze and see the movers and groovers of the time shimmying around the locale. The descriptions are not only vivid and indulgent but the multiple story arcs are too - they are each handled superbly with seamless switching between times and plot strands detailing the emotional journeys of the four siblings as the tension builds and becomes ever more fraught. Its dual timeline intersects the years 1956–1982 and Mick and June’s love story and subsequent unravelling with the events of one fateful day, Saturday 27th August 1983, which crescendo to a dramatic finale.

This is the perfect summer beach read and for those looking for some much sought after escapism, you cannot go wrong with this riveting family drama. Taking place over the course of just 24 hours, this unforgettable story set in 1980s Southern California follows the Riva siblings as they navigate family drama, personal tragedies and their own insecurities. It's warm, decadent, propulsive storytelling with sharp observations and sparkling wit about the hedonism of the time written in an evocative, highly addictive and entertaining manner. Highly recommended.

Malibu Rising is truly unlike anything I've ever read; a wonderfully unique read. full of celebrity drama, but with family at its heart.
I was hooked from the opening page. Taylor Jenkins Reid's strongest quality is her characters; she writes such extraordinary and fascinating characters, you forget they aren't real people.
The pacing is perfect, the plot keeps you on your toes, and the cameo references to Evelyn Hugo characters made me ridiculously happy. Overall I cannot recommend this book enough!

Being a big fan of this author's previous work, particularly Daisy Jones & The Six, I was looking forward to reading this one.

Set over several decades and following two timelines, Malibu Rising is a very well-rounded story where we are meet famous wannabe singer Mick Riva. If you have read The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo, you may recognise him as her third husband, but although she isn't mentioned, I loved the little nod to the previous book.

Mick meets June before he is famous and we get to go on the journey of their marriage, ups and downs included!
The second timeline follows Mick and June's four children - Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit, and we see how their parent's issues have affected their lives and follow the lead up to the famous Riva party.

This is the perfect beach read. Not just because there is quite a lot of beach in it, but it is an easy, yet immersive read with some excellent characters and storyline. It is left slightly open-ended and I would love to revisit the Riva family in the future to see what they are all up to.

I received Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid for free on NetGalley by Random House UK, Cornerstone and Hutchinson in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for this advanced copy! This review is also available on my blog - Book, Blog & Candle!

Malibu Rising was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I can't even being to describe how grateful I am for being able to read an early copy! Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favourite authors and any book of hers is instantly an "auto-buy" for me!

Malibu Rising follows the story of the four Riva siblings - children of the legendary but absent Mick Riva (love the Evelyn Hugo Easter egg here!) - and the lead up to one of the most notorious parties in LA history as well as the great Malibu fire of 1983.

I absolutely loved the characters and how the author can make the reader feel so attached to them in such a short amount of time. Taylor Jenkins Reid is the Queen of character driven stories that portray the intricacies, complexities, flaws and beauty of human life. The closeness of the siblings was so special and I also really enjoyed the backstories of their parents and how everything builds up to this one night. The parallels between the parent's lives and the children's was so well done, it's funny how often history can repeat itself generation to generation especially the sacrifices that we're willing to make for the ones that we love.

I loved the writing style - I got swept up in the story from the very first line and I found it impossible to put down until it was finished. It's like gradually getting pieces of a puzzle and at the end when everything comes together it makes the most gorgeous picture. Also I do have to say that this is my fourth book that I have read by the author and literally every single one has made me cry. For writing to be able to provoke such intense and profound emotion is such an amazing skill and one that Taylor Jenkins Reid has perfected.

Malibu Rising is a brilliant story of family and sacrifice that is both heartwarming and yet also heart wrenching. An absolutely amazing read!

Thank you so much to the author and the publishers for this advanced copy - it has been an absolute pleasure to read and review!

Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to set a scene and transport a reader into the world of her books. Malibu Rising is no exception - in fact, this may be the best scene setting she's done yet.

The glamour of the 80s, the wild beauty of Malibu, and calm of hours spent in the water. All are depicted so beautifully in Malibu Rising and I felt fully immersed in the setting. And then there are the Riva siblings.

Despite their faults (or maybe because of their faults), I fell in love with Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit one by one as they were introduced and their stories were developed. I love a good story about siblings and this one was filled with sacrifice, betrayal, and secrets. But also so much love. And surfing.

This may not be as entirely unique as Daisy Jones or Evelyn Hugo, but I think that only shows how strong a writer Taylor Jenkins Reid is. Because I think this one is my favorite, one I'll most definitely reread whenever I want to be transported to the West Coast.

At its core, this was a story about siblings. The setting could've been tweaked and the details modernized and it could 100% take place today. And that's what makes it so wonderful!

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of Malibu Rising in exchange for an honest review.

What was your last feel good read?

"Just because it is in Malibu's nature to burn, so was it in one particular person's nature to set fire and walk away"

The Riva family. One of the most successful families known. Two sisters and two brothers having perfect lives. Do they though?

Family is a concept that's been prevalent even before humans came to this world. In the modern age, a found family holds more significance than a blood family. Why? Because we depend on our found family to never let us down, while our blood family has no obligation to do so.

'Malibu Rising' is not about found family, moreover it's a beautiful account on blood family that can be our source of salvation and downfall at the same time. It teaches us about relationships, our moral duty to uphold them and what happens if we fail.

Writte in two separate timelines, the writing style is reflective of how a person's/family's history can shape their future. Every page turner is a milestone crossed, but at the same time, this book is a pretty light read and can, in fact, provide you with unfound hope.

Especially considering what is happening in the world around us at the moment, I recommend you to read this book.

Rating - 🌟🌟🌟🌟.💫

Great story with lots of sub plots keeping you intrigued. Enjoyed how the ending could leave it wide open for a follow on book too.

This is my second book by this author, and it certainly won't be my last. I loved this as much as the first. The characters are so real, perfectly flawed, you have to remind yourself that this isn't a true story!

When June met the charismatic Mick Riva she thought she had found the love of her life, but life doesn't always go to plan. Cut to the present day when Nina, the oldest of the 4 Riva children is hosting a party at her beautiful seafront home in Malibu. Her siblings are are there too, bit a number of the unexpected guests throw several large spanners in the works! Can Nina protect her siblings, as she has done from an early age, or is it her that needs protecting?

The story is told in two timelines - that of June and Mick, and the more current one of the 4 siblings. A wonderful story, beautifully written. I can't wait to read more of her books.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3991044095

I've seen reviewers rave about Taylor Jenkins Reid's books on Goodreads for years, so I thought I'd give her latest offering (and seventh novel) - Malibu Rising - a try to see what all the hype was about.

Having given this a fair shot I'm afraid that it was absolutely not the book for me. Given the popularity of the author I expected more of the writing, but the dialogue was super cheesy and the characters felt like cliches, with ~dramatic~ things happening in the plot that were just totally predictable. The 1980s setting felt totally incidental too -- it's one of my bugbears when a novel is set in a specific time and/or place and the author makes a big deal of this to the reader, for it then to have no bearing or influence on the plot itself beyond a chance for readers who have links to that time to reminisce about fashions or trends from that time.

For less picky readers this might not be a bad choice for a beach read if you're looking for a light and pacy book with a large cast of characters and oodles of family drama.

It started out as a love story, but Mick Riva wasn’t made for loving only one woman, he was first of all made for a career in the music business and that’s what he did. His wife June though was made for loving but since her husband was absent, she only had to love her kids. The first born Nina, and the second, Jay, and the third who wasn’t her kid at all but she couldn’t just turn her back on Mick’s son Hud who was abandoned by his mother. And last but not least Kit, born long after her parents’ relationship had already fractured several times. While Mick was away, June took care of the kids until she couldn’t anymore, then quite naturally, Nina took over. Now, as a successful model, she is preparing for the legendary annual Riva party in her home in Malibu. Even though they have been having this party for many years, this year will be different and at the end of the night, nothing will be the same anymore for any of the Riva family.

I totally adored Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel “Daisy Jones & The Six“ which was totally lively and got be hooked from the first page. He latest book “Malibu Rising” had exactly the same effect. Her protagonist Nina, whose day of the big party is told alternatingly with the family’s story, is a strong character in a very special way. Her most striking feature surely is to take over responsibility and to do what needs to be done while totally forgetting that she, too, has the right to live. But instead of thinking about herself, she simply cares for the people around her, especially her younger siblings.

While everybody is preparing for the party, the biggest event every summer which is not to be missed by anybody important, Nina strikes a balance of her life so far. She made the maximum of the rather poor baseline. She has become one of the most demanded sports models, idolised by masses of people, her younger brothers are just starting their careers and also the baby of the family is going to fledge the family nest and to make herself noticed and a name. Their father has only ever existed at the edge of their life, it was their mother June who put herself last to make her children feel loved and have a good life despite all the adversities. Now, however, seems to be the moment for a big change.

Another set of unforgettable characters who know what is important in life and underline that there is nothing that will bring you down as long as you’ve got the ones who love you around. Even though nothing could be further from my life than surfing, I liked the passages where the author describes how the kids feel in the water and how surfing provides them with an unknown feeling of freedom.

The perfect summer read which is not at all the light feel-good novel but much rather a great story simply to indulge in.

Malibu Rising follows the Riva's; Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit, who are the children of Mick Riva an 80s superstar, and June. Flipping to the past when Mick and June meet, have their children and the children growing up, to the present when the children are all in their 20s and counting down until the big Riva party at Nina's house.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favourite authors, whilst I enjoyed this one it didn't live up to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones and the Six for me, so I was left slightly disappointed. It was such an easy read, which I read primarily on one day. My favourite parts was seeing the siblings all together, both in childhood and adulthood. They all had strong personalities and voices and I loved all of them, how they were there for and supported each other. The story also tackles some difficult topics really well and handled them with care.

The writing of this one just didn't feel as strong as her other two books. When it switches to the party where it goes from primarily the Riva's perspectives to random people at the party is where I lost some of my enjoyment. I just didn't care about all these people, not knowing who they were and not being able to keep track. It felt disjointed and just let down the beginning of the book for me, as I became less invested.

I will continue to read anything that Taylor Jenkins Reid writes, but this one just didn't live up to my expectations for me unfortunately.

3.5

I really loved Daisy Jones and the Six when I read/listened to it a while back so I was quite excited to get my hands on this book as I had heard good things. Although it didn't quite hit the heady heights of DJatS, so close, so almost, it was a brilliant read in itself and well worthy of all the stars.
We go back to the 80s - my favourite decade so we are off to a good start - to Malibu. To the home of Nina Riva, on the day of her now famous end-of-summer party. If you know the address, you're invited! Nina is a supermodel and champion surfer but is a bit off kilter as her marriage has just broken up, her tennis playing husband having ditched her for a younger model. But she has the support of brothers Jay & Hud, as well as sister Kit. All famous in their own rights but also collectively as the children of the legend that is singer Mick Riva. All with secrets of their own, some they are desperate to spill, others to hide.
Sounds like a great foundation to a wonderful party and get together... well, you ain't seen nothing yet as this party threatens to be the party to end all parties, and not necessarily in a good way... with fire... but before we get there, there's a lot to discover...
Oh my days, this book hit the ground running for me right from the off. As with DJatS, this is a very character driven book, albeit also with a cracking storyline, so they have to be well drawn and easy to connect to / emote with. And they are. Every one. All managed to elicit such emotions from me along the way, especially those who were contained within the parts from the past, documenting Mick Riva's rise to fame and his relationships with his family and others. Blooming loved these parts - could have been a book in its own right.
I could wax lyrical about every other single thing I loved about the book, the characters, the story, the love, the humour, the whole shebang actually but I would soon start to bore even myself and so I will stop here. The only bad thing about the book was leaving the characters behind at the end but, hopefully I will get my hands on the audio book soon enough and revisit both them and the wonderful world the author has created for them.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Malibu Rising opens up with a striking prologue that details how the Malibu coast is often consumed by flames. But on this night, a fire begins at 7am, started by someone whose nature it is “to set fire and walk away”. As the hours tick down, your anticipating builds as you try to get to know each character and figure out if any of them have it in them.

With such a captivating opening, the story then bounces between the past, as we see how Mick and June began their relationship and welcome their four children into the world, with the present, as the Riva children prepare for a night that will have an impact on all of their lives.

Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit are the children of the famous singer Mick Riva, who many TJR fans will know as Evelyn Hugo’s third husband. Evelyn isn’t mentioned in the book but it’s a great nod to the author’s previous work, building on that flawed celebrity world that we have come to love reading about.

TJR is the Queen of creating interesting characters with strong bonds, and I absolutely loved this family of siblings. You get to know them all individually, see their typical sibling conflicts, but also feel the intensity of their support and commitment to each other.

There are a lot of other characters in the book with a host of random names dropped at the party. This is usually something that I would find distracting, but I loved the chaos of having a lot going on and seeing how all of these different classes of people behaved.

It’s this party setting that I loved most about this book, as TJR brilliantly captures the feeling we all have when celebrating something big. We hope for the best night and to achieve something desired, but we are also often filled with the dread of things not going to plan or living up to expectations. With the Rivas, we have the hope for things to work out but we are also filled with the worry of life taking its toll, as the pressure of the party looming builds up your tension.

Every Riva sibling has something that they need to share, as the story comes together exquisitely to reveal what that is and how they will overcome it. With this, TJR takes us on a compelling journey as we get to know each character and the threads of their relationships, see them confide their burden, and stand by their side in hope for resolution.

But not only does TJR create unforgettable characters, she also creates a beautiful setting. I love how she captures the 80s era but also the surf culture, giving her story a thriving and sunset-hued atmosphere. It’s the perfect backdrop to her story, as you become reluctant to leave both the Rivas and the Malibu coast behind.

Although the ending isn’t particularly shocking, I think that it fits with the tempo of the book flawlessly, forcefully striking and washing away the damage, just like the waves.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s gentle but powerful, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

She does it again. A wonderful character study and the perfect book to take to the beach, if we ever get the weather for it.

I have come to the conclusion that Taylor Jenkins Reid can probably make her shopping list engaging. She has a gift for setting up a story and creating an expectation in the reader but then completely turning it on its head so we end up with a diametrically different tale. Malibu Rising in no exception.

It took me a while to get into it partly because I though we were reading about entitled rich kids in an idyllic setting but that’s not it all all, once into the meat of the story I found it hard to put down and devoured the second half in an afternoon.

The huge blurb tells us as much about the plot that can be said without spoiling the lovely twists. This is a book where it is hard to pick out a single protagonist out of the four siblings. She does a wonderful job of creating characters you can really feel for and understand. I wish I knew how she does it but it seems effortless(but I’m sure its not).

This is a wonderful summer book, surfing in Malibu is just what we need to escape the travel restrictions and the like, even if its only in the pages of a book.

Told in two timelines both in the third person. One starting in the late 50’s and following the parents of the Riva kids. The second timeline takes place on a single day and night in 1983. The night of the Riva party. This second timeline has odd short sections written with the point of view of some of the party guests, they are the one weak link in this book and personally I personally would have cut half of them.

I love how it showed how life can utterly change in a 24 hour period, how fragile many of the things that we take as permanent really are.

What I Loved:
Well developed characters
Good character arcs despite a short time-frame.
The 24 hour framing of the party timeline added some urgency.

What I Didn’t:
The POV’s of random party guests bored me a little, but they were short.

Suitable For: Adults only
Sex: Yes
Violence: Some
Drug Reference: Ohh yeah, lots both legal and illegal.
Swearing: Yes

(Link will be live on 27 May 21)

This is my 3rd Taylor Jenkins Reid and everytime I read one of her books I loved it. It follows Mick Riva and her four children. There was a dual timeline. So we can read both Mick and June's story and the 80's where the party happens. One thing that I love about TJR's books that she can write very realistic characters and gave them very realistic backstories.
The first part of the book was full of emotion and drama. I cried a couple of times. The second part of the book was a little confusing because we read not only Riva's stories also read other guests' stories too. But it was great to know what other guests were thinking about their lives and the famous party. In the end, everything wrapped up really nicely. I'll definitely read more of her stories and I'll recommend this book to everyone who wants to start reading TJR's stories.

I want to move to Malibu...now!

This is another absolute belter from Taylor Jenkins Reid, set in Malibu over two different time periods, the 50's and the 80's.

We are told the end of the story at the beginning and then the book is set up in real time, so we know what happens in the hours leading up to the big party.

The story follows the lives of the Riva's. Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit are the children of 80's superstar Mick Riva. The kids have basically brought themselves up and are now celebrities in their own right. Nina Riva throws the party of the year every year at her beach front mansion and everyone who knows the address is invited! What could go wrong?

This is a slow burner of a book but I couldn't have been happier, I was more than happy to dream of a life in California with a house on the beach! The characters are really well written and I loved everyone of them. This is a story of love, loss and family bonds and I highly recommend, an easy 5 stars from me!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advanced copy in exchange of an honest review!

This book is due to be published 27th May 2021.

Having read both previous books from this author and from reading a few reviews for this one from fellow book bloggers who’s opinions I trust very much, I decided to go ahead and request an eARC from NetGalley.

Malibu Raising tells the story of Nina Riva and her family. The story is told over a 2 timelines. One is set in the past and one in the present. During the past timeline we learn details about Nina's parents and during the present timeline we learn about Nina and her siblings along with details of the lead up to the party. They story told in the present time is told during a 24 hour time scale.  Each chapter is told from a different characters perspectives. Although I found this confusing at times I thought Taylor Reid’s made it work.

As a whole I think the characters were done really well. My favourite parts where definitely when the siblings were together. You could really see that they have a strong family bond and care for each other very much. Although I liked the characters for their relationship towards each other, as individuals I didn’t really care for them, I didn’t agree with some of their behaviours and attitude towards things.


My favourite thing about the book by far was the setting. I loved the descriptions of the beaches and scenery. They have made me want to visit Malibu even more. One thing that I was disappointed about was the climatic build up.  Jenkin Reid’s builds up a climax very slowly, which definitely keeps you turning the pages, but just as you think something big is about to be revealed, it's not. Sadly for me this big revelationthever came.

Although a bit of a slow burn read, this was still a good read.  And one I would recommend especially If you’ve read and enjoyed Jenkins Reid’s previous books.

Malibu Rising is set over several decades, with two timelines. The “present-day” timeline is set in the early 1980s while the past timeline begins in the 1950s.
It follows four siblings who are well-known for being the children of the famous singer Mick Riva. If you recognise the name, it’s because Mick Riva is also a character who appears in TJR’s previous book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Every year these siblings host a party to celebrate the end of the summer, however this year the party becomes out of control and by the end of the night the mansion has burnt down.

TJR has this incredible ability to write characters that feel like real people, and although this is a slower-paced book, my interest in the characters and the family drama meant I never felt bored. The only reason I didn’t give this 5-stars is because I found the ending a little underwhelming. There was a lot of build-up but I felt the conclusion kind of fizzled out.

Would recommend it, especially if you’ve enjoyed other books by this author.

TL;DR Recommendation:
Heavily liked. Slow but easy, wonderful read. Gets a bit chaotic towards the end and my poor noggin can’t keep up.

I feel like everyone on this wonky planet of ours has heard of Daisy Jones & the Six. I mean, it’s even stuck on the front of this book BUT I have not read it. It taunts me in bookshelves, side-eyes me in those creepy Google ads that stalk your existence, however, I was happy to continue on through life without reading it.

That was until I saw Malibu Rising and I was alright F I N E show me what you’ve got and maaayyybbeee I should have given in to temptation a little bit sooner. If you grab this book, this is what you’re in for:

✨ 1983 Malibu. Never been to Malibu but presume it’s nice and full of pretty people
✨ A dad (otherwise known as wankerface) that was more interested in his legacy than his gaggle of children
✨ Going from humble beginnings to full-blown, ass out fame
✨ One mental party that will be known for all eternity (probably)

You get to know June and Mick Riva; their dirty secrets, the alcoholism, the spiral into a nightmare but, ultimately, it’s the kids that suffer. Nina grew up too fast. Left to save her dysfunctional family from literal poverty, she spent her days looking after Hud, Jay and Kit instead of herself until she was spotted surfing. Pulling themselves above what can only be described as the precipice of hell, they start living life and to mark it, they threw one hell of a party every year.

I’m not going to bullshit you – this type of book isn’t usually for me. General fiction tends to bore me and romance (unless in a fantasy world) just doesn’t do it for me. This book, THIS BOOK was different.

This story is told by the year and the hours leading up to that party. You get to know everything that’s lead up to this event and everything is woven together real nice. Main characters are easy to follow and you genuinely feel sorry for the hell they’re living through. Everyone except wankerface Mick that is.

So, the downside? Whilst it’s a very easy read, it’s sloooow. There’s a lot of world-building and that’s never a bad thing – it’s just my attention span wanders. And talking of attention spans, there are a lot of characters once it kicks into gear. I struggled with who was who and ended up rereading chunks to catch up.

That being said, it’s a good wee book for anyone who likes 80s fiction, wildly flawed families and sobbing despair.

I was definitely born a decade too early.

Despite knowing about Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work for years now, this is my first book of hers.

The writing is outstanding. The love and support between the siblings is endearing. The journey over a 24 hour period that leads to self-discovery, self-actualisation and character development was divine.

But, there was entirely too many characters and too much going on. Had the story just focused on the siblings and the parent chapters, this would have been fine, but following the guests was chaotic, and tiring, and dizzying. And maybe that was the point, but it made my head hurt.

Thank you to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Random House UK, Cornerstone, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.