Malibu Rising is officially in my favourite reads ever. My heart raged and twisted, I was spluttering with fury and bubbling uncontrollably with such sorrow… honestly, a lot of bookworms will pick this book up thinking it has a pretty cover and the story’s locale is Malibu – a really cool, hip place – but it’s so much more than that. It exceeded any and all expectations. It was everything. It was an adventure of fun, scandal, an insight into another world… the definition of pure escapism. There’s no greater feeling than one of your most anticipated reads of the book year living up to the hype and expectations, but for it to reach beyond that feat to become an all time favourite is just an exceptional feeling *chef’s kiss*

On a serious note, Malibu Rising has truly left its mark. I’ll think on and refer to it in future and it will undoubtedly shape me as a reader going forward with respect to how I feel about other books I’ll read, because, I feel I’ve read perfection with this one.

As a starting point, I felt Mick and June’s story was quite similar to Billy and Camilla’s from Daisy Jones & The Six. I don’t know if that’s intentional or not, but the similarity was striking. I was a little put off by this at first, but with how captivating the Riva story was, it removed any initial bugbears about that.

Ooooh Mick was such a villain. He had big dreams, and because he felt he had nothing from the start, he felt he had nothing worthy to lose in his desire for success. He was ambitious and his inhibitions knew no bounds. My heart was in my mouth because in one way I understood his character - we all have goals and desires - but it’s clear one can only soar so high until you’re scorched by the Sun. It was dreadful to see how many people he hurt, and the carnage, devastation and suffering he left in his wake. You cannot cause such discord and heartache without a want for cosmic justice. He was such a fickle and careless man, which whether I like him or not, made for a great character narrative especially when it had such impact.

June was likeable, and a representation of a young girl that finds herself essentially stuck in the cycle of: happy home, happy life, happy wife - to rear children, be a sidekick to a husband, and the nurturer of a family. I was desperate for her to break free of the idea that her only goal was to make Mick happy. On one hand June’s actions are courageous, but simultaneously sacrificial. I wanted to be mad at June for being so reliant on the idea of a man, but her story is the story of thousands of women. It is rightly something that may infuriate you, but it will also move you by how gutturally sad and tragic it is. And what’s even sadder, is I think June knew all of this. And that just hurts beyond belief.

The parallels of mother and daughter were astoundingly done. Essentially, through June and Nina, the question of whether history would repeat itself was posed. This is done through Nina’s marriage to tennis pro Brandon. Brandon’s been raised in a way where he doesn’t cope with losing well. He’s the definition of someone who hasn’t been taught the word no is a legitimate answer. What he wants he’ll get, and he’ll do what he wants. I imagined him like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. He’s self assured, arrogant and silences Nina. I can only describe reading these parts as the biggest threat to my blood pressure I’ve ever read.

So, can you escape your destiny? Fate? Heritage? Legacy? Lineage? Can you escape the supposed predetermined promise one’s heritage brings? Like mother like daughter? That anxiety surrounding that issue is dominant and gallops with every page and discovery. I thoroughly, thoroughly loved the exploration of whether it is possible to escape the legacy of parents and children i.e. will I end up just like my mother? I was imploring Nina to go her own way and cheering for her to find her voice. I really, really related to Nina. She was a vessel for all kids who have had a parent who has been colossal disappointment. Malibu Rising is like a love letter to kids who have daddy issues.

As well as this, Malibu Rising is brimming with subplots with the other Riva children. Jay and Hud are twins in every sense of the word except biology, and as the story unfolds, their bond is tested - is it unbreakable? Will anything come between them? Moreover, they both face new challenges and are dealing with all the feelings that come with change. And lastly, Kit who’s the youngest and struggles to break out from the shadows of her prettier sister and her bolder brothers, is trying to find her way and understand her sexual identity.

The climax of the book! Oh smoke it was brilliant. It was dramatic, heart grippingly good and really emotional. One minute there was fireworks and the next a real need for tissues. There are so many questions raised throughout the story’s timeline, I couldn’t help but devour the book to reach the climax and get the answers, which ultimately felt very rewarding. The ending was so circular; renewal and hopeful amidst such sadness, separation, suspicion, speculation and strain. The promise of something more - better days - to come.

With Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins-Reid has wrote her best novel yet and it will be the must read book of summer, and quite possibly be the book of the year. It’s the champion of champions. I’ll never forget it for as long as I live and I will be rereading it again and again. Malibu Rising tells the tale of what a family is and what a family means, with threads of the experience of being a woman and finding your life path and purpose. It was glamorous, guttural and completely gripping. I cannot recommend it enough, and my profound thanks to Taylor Jenkins-Reid for writing what can only be described as a masterpiece.

Thank you kindly to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I love the way Taylor Jenkins Reid structures her stories - she knows exactly how to keep readers completely hooked. I didn't love this one as much as I loved Daisy Jones or Evelyn Hugo, but those do set a ridiculously high bar as two of my favourite books! Great characters, great writing. I'll definitely be recommending this when it's out!

I was so excited to read this book after being obsessed with the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo and this is very very similar in style. It is completely character focused and revolving around the lives of rich and famous people (how relatable). Firstly I have to say there are an abundance of characters in this book, I had a hard time keeping track but each and every character was so well developed and I truly fell in love with them all. I felt they were people I really knew as we saw their tragic lives from birth to adulthood, I felt their trauma with them and my heart broke multiple times.
What I didn't enjoy about this book was the lack of plot, the ending is very anticlimactic and I don't think I fully understand what the deeper meanings were or what the true intention of the book was. I thought the ending was going to be spectacular as we know it ends with a fire from the beginning (no spoilers here promise) but that was also lacking and had no relation to what was going on at all. Overall I did enjoy my read but not to the standard I thought I would. Definitely not a book for people who enjoy plot driven stories over character driven ones.

How to put my review into actual words...

Thoroughly entertaining, you won't want to put this book down. Thanks to its myriad of POVs, drama in abundance and relatively short chapters, the story of a wild party and the characters who inhabit it will keep you reading and reading once you've picked it up. TJR plays on her brilliant ability to crack open the lives of the rich and famous and explore them, creating characters that you sympathise with and root for, despite their ridiculous success. The first half of the book is intriguing, thoughtful and desperately, desperately sad - even in amongst the humour and light.

At around the halfway point, things start getting, for lack of a better word, claustrophobic. The book jumps between various party guests, most of whom have little to do with the central story, and these short vignettes seem like filler rather than actual narrative. It was very much settled in the territory of 'soap opera' for these sections and I didn't feel as though they were wholly necessary - just an emphasis on the lifestyle and 'craziness' of a Malibu party in the 80s.

I guessed a lot of the things that would happen to the characters, which isn't a bad thing. This isn't a thriller or mystery. I can see that - not if, but when - this book is turned into a movie or TV show (I would argue for the former), it will be a riveting, dramatic watch. But I will say - this is not my favourite of hers. That honour remains with Daisy Jones.

Nevertheless, if you enjoy Reid's writing, 'Malibu Rising' will certainly scratch that itch.

I was a huge fan of Daisy Jones and the Six - so definitely keep an eye out for this author now. It took me a while to get round to reading it - as I thought the blurb and the cover made it out to be about a celebrity party in Malibu - and this book has so much more depth than that. Ultimately a story about family bonds and the love between siblings - how they grew up, apart and together again. Nina, the eldest of 4 is the unofficial matriarch of the family, and as we go back in time to discover the story of how their parents met and fell in love, we discover why Nina was pushed into this role. Supported by her brothers Jay and Hudson, and her younger sister Kit. Nina is getting over a failed marriage, and trying to find out what her true role in life is - having spent so long looking out for others.
the beach party on the cover is simply the culmination of over 20 years of story - and the first half of the book is the real strength as we grow to understand the importance of sibling bonds.
A good holiday read, and I think will widen the Daisy Jones audience further.

Having read and loved two of Taylor Jenkins Reid's previous books I had high hopes for this one and it didn't let me down. It felt totally different to what I had read from the author before and I read it in a day. Malibu Rising feels like Jackie Collins has been resurrected and I mean that in the best possible way.

Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty, Malibu Rising draws us into the intoxicating world of the rich and famous, before bringing it crashing to the ground.

Much like Daisy Jones and the Six, Jenkins Reid's latest novel explores the highs and lows of fame, from wild parties and opulent mansions to drug abuse and betrayal. The novel depicts two alternative timeframes, both focusing on the Riva family, and in particular the four siblings Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit.

The first timeframe involves a twelve-hour-long, raucous party in 1980's Malibu, at the home of the eldest Riva sibling, Nina. The other timeframe moves backwards, exploring the siblings' childhood, as well as the lives of their parents, June and Mick. Each character is portrayed with warmth and nuance, and both timelines are equally as compelling.

Written in Jenkins Reid's signature style, Malibu Rising immediately draws the reader in with an intriguing premise, and the explosive ending will leave you reeling.

Malibu Rising is an incredible family saga about trauma, tragedies and abandonment. I loved the Riva children, their resilience and their strong bond. This book was such a page turner - with a dreamy setting - shifting between the past and the present. If you are looking for a book to get you out of a reading rut, this is the one.

Before I begin, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in an exchange for a honest review.

Somehow, in the last 2 years, I've firmly arrived in the 'I'm-A-Taylor-Jenkins-Reid-Fan' camp. It's been an incredible journey.

It started around a poolside in Portugal (do you remember doing that?) with Daisy Jones and the Six which I thought might be overblown, but hey, I was relaxing and I'll read just about anything and it has arrived with Malibu Rising, her newest effort about one day and night in the life of one family. Another premise that did not quite tickle my fancy but she'd proved me wrong before.

The Rivas have not had it easy. The offspring of a famous singer, they have carved a path of their own creation in Malibu and remain somewhat of an enigma, even if everyone knows their names. Everyone, and I mean everyone, comes together for their epic summer bash at the eldest sister, Nina's, house and nothing will ever be the same.

Do you see what I mean? You think, oh it's one of *those* types of stories, how dull. And, guys, I'm here to tell you, it just isn't. It isn't one of those stories. You learn so much in such a short space of time and you end up coming away caring about all of them. You want happiness and joy and you ache for their heartbreak and sadness. That - THAT - to me is Jenkins Reid's gift. She makes you care about characters you barely meet in a short two page spread. It's magic, it's the gift of well weaved stories, it's brilliant.

Why not 5? It took a LONG time to get into the secrets of this particular party. I'm talking a solid 60% or so of an e-book. Whilst I know that's important to be able to get you into the backstory of the characters, the secrets just.. take ages to be revealed. That makes the treatment of one of them (an obvious one sure, but nonetheless important) really throw away and I think people might be a little annoyed by that.

The only thing too that would have made this so much better is sitting on the beach with a cold drink and the hot sun. But Jenkins Reid cannot weave her magic and make that happen for me, but boy, in the way she talks about Malibu, I could smell the sunscreen. It was a good enough balm for right now and that's what I needed.

The twenty seven miles of coastline off the Pacific Coast Highway, about thirty miles west of Downtown Los Angeles is known to comprise some of the most expensive real estate on the planet. Malibu is the retreat of the rich and famous, with an average home value in the millions of dollars. But it wasn’t always that way. In her latest novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells the story of four children who grew up along this stretch of land and of their parents who met here. It’s a bitter sweet tale which not only tells the bigger story but also, in alternating chapters, focuses on how the children, now teenage to early twenties in age, prepare for the party of the year.

Mick Riva is an aspiring singer hanging out on the beach when he spots June, the daughter of the owners of a local restaurant, posing in her new bikini. Immediately attracted, Mick wastes no time in introducing himself and then wooing her with his slick manners and confident ambition. He will one day be famous, he tells her, and he’ll buy her the house of her dreams. And he’s true to his word, when the bookings start to mount up and the path to fame and fortune begins to look like it might actually transpire he buys the beach house he always promised her he would. The children (Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit) follow as Mick becomes a singing sensation in the 1950’s.

In 1983, Nina awakes to a day she is dreading. It’s the date of the annual party she is due to throw at her massive house on Point Dume, set high above the beach. But things are not right in her life and she’s not sure she wants to be surrounded by lots of people today. However, Nina is survivor and a doer so she steels herself to just get on with it. Her first job is to meet up with her younger siblings at the family restaurant she’s now responsible for, and then maybe hit the beach for a spot of surfing. The way it works is if you know the address of the party venue then you’re invited – Nina is expecting lots of guests tonight.

The way the story is structured is clever, in that as I worked through the preparations for the party – each chapter ticking off another hour – I was alternatively absorbing the bigger family story and gradually becoming more and more invested in the fate of all of the characters. In truth, there aren’t too many surprises in the main body of the book but a number of threads are clearly readying themselves to come together when the party finally gets started. Some people are going to get hurt and each of the family members - at least, those still standing - will face a moment of truth.

It’s a light, easy read and I enjoyed getting to know Mick, June, Nina and the others. There is a decent amount of drama here together with good character development, and the setting is brought to life really well by the author. Malibu a place I once fleetingly passed through during a road trip holiday a few years back but it’s somewhere I now want to visit properly, if only drink in the atmosphere of the place and see how the other half live. Though regretfully I don’t think I’ll be divvying up for a beach house any time soon.

My first introduction to the author Taylor Jenkins-Reid.
This novel was set over several timelines with the Riva family members telling their stories.
The lifestyles of the rich and famous, building lives from nothing to extravagancy.
I enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher Random House UK and NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

I ADORED this novel, practically inhaled it in one sitting. Jenkins-Reid has a gift for creating complex, flawed characters that feel incredibly human and real and it's the Riva siblings and their complicated, shifting relationships with each other that make the novel as mesmerising as it is.

I loved the Malibu setting and the look into the excesses of the eighties and how dangerous fame and celebrity can be as it characters use it to justify despicable behaviour and twist morals.

A brilliant read and one of my books of the year (already!)

As a teenager in the late 80's I dreamed of heading off to California and hanging out on the beach with actors, models and all the hip young things. This book is that dream come true.
Set in 80's Malibu the book centres on the one day in the year that that the glamorous Nina Riva and her three siblings throw their annual party to which everyone who is anyone comes. Underneath this fun, glitz and glamour, this is a book layered with emotion as flash backs to key moments in the family's past intertwine with events on the day of the party. This is a story about family and love, loyalty and knowing when to let go. It's about fighting for what you want and standing up for who you care for. I absolutely loved every minute of it.

My thanks go to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

This book follows the Riva siblings, children of the famous singer Mick Riva, as we lead up to their party of the year. The book jumps between the present timeline and a past timeline where we see their parents meet and their childhood.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is great at writing characters. She makes them feel like read people. I was immediately drawn in to the story of this family. This I feel is the strongest part of this novel.

Unfortunately I feel the latter part of the party lost me as we traveled between some unknown perspectives. I would have preferred to have stayed with the family. For me the ending felt a little anticlimactic.

Although I have these issues I still enjoyed reading the book and still want to read more Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Another addictive title from Taylor Jenkins Reid. I loved the Malibu setting, could smell the salt in the sea and feel the sand under my feet and desperately wanted to be there. It felt like a bit of a cross between Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo, and Valley of the Dolls.

That said, for me it wasn't as good as Daisy Johes or Evelyn Hugo (which is one of my favourite books). I'd have loved a bit more about the surfing world and competitions and ' because there were so many characters and sidenotes - it didn't feel like you got under the skin of the main characters in quite the same way that you did in those novels. I think I'd almost prefer to read the sequel to this book, with Kit as the main character (please?!).

Even so, I still enjoyed it and raced through it. A perfect fun, escapist summer read.

Overall not my favourite Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, but it was another enjoyable, escapist read that I was reluctant to put down.

Malibu Rising tells the story of the Riva family, flipping backwards and forwards between 1983 and the 1960s. Although set in the glamourous world of Malibu and celebrities this very much a story about family and family relationships.

I loved all the little nods that it gave to previous TJR novels as well as the '60s and '80s details.

In typical Jenkins-Reid fashion, there are plenty of complex characters to keep up with, and a glorious insight into a fictionalised Hollywood history. A must-read for all fans of Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!

Malibu Rising is a portrait of a family, with a dual narrative that shifts between a single day in the life of the four Riva siblings - supermodel and eldest sibling Nina, surf champion Jay, photographer Hud, and little sister Kit - as they prepare for Nina's annual Malibu mansion party, and the wooing and subsequent abandonment of their mother by their father, 1960s pop star Mick RIva. It takes a great writer to elevate what is ostensibly a fairly mundane 'day in the life' narrative to something this gripping: luckily, Jenkins Reid is a great writer. And while we won't be going on beach holidays any time soon, Malibu Rising is the perfect escapist read for summer. Long time readers of her work will enjoy the references to her characters from previous smash hit Daisy Jones & The Six and the brilliant The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo scattered through the narrative like Easter eggs in a game.

I'm not sure what happened here but I found Malibu Rising disconnected, predictable and over the top.

The book has a dual timeline, one that describes a summer day of 1983 when Nina Riva - a famous model - and her 3 siblings host their annual party in Malibu and a second one which follows the backstory of how Nina's parents June and Mick met and the tough upbringing of the Riva siblings.

I enjoyed reading parts about the relationship between Nina's parents and Mick's rise to fame even though I did feel I've seen it all before. The book as a whole felt very disjointed and some scenes and characters were overly exaggerated making me roll my eyes several times. I understand this is supposed to be the world of celebrities which to ordinary people like myself often seems remote, but I felt the author really overdid it here and tried cramming in too many Hollywood stereotypes. There were also a ridiculous numer of random characters introduced that didn't add anything to the story and I couldn't see the point.

I think the hardcore TJR fans will enjoy the novel but perhaps will agree this is not her best.

Really enjoyed this read. All I needed was a beach to lie on and this would be a perfect beach read. Engrossing well told story set around the day of a party in Malibu. I particularly loved the flashback chapters of Mick and June and felt that period was very well depicted. I slightly preferred those chapters to the party chapters but overall it comes together beautifully in the end.
Would recommend this one.