Title: Malibu Rising
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Pages: 384
Publisher: Cornerstone
Release Date: 27th May 2021
Blurb from Goodreads:
Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of
the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives
will change 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 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 bubbling 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.
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop
My Review:
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My
thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley*
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.
