Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid | AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

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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 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. 

iMalibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid | AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

MALIBU RISING BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is still a pretty new author to me, so far I’ve only read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, and One True Loves. But Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones made a HUGE impression on me. Both became 5 star novels, and landed on my best of the year lists. That makes Malibu Rising only my fourth novel by this author, and I’m not kidding when I say that I had huge expectations.

In the end my expectations weren’t met per se, but I still devoured the audiobook and didn’t want to put it down. And that’s mainly because of a well written story and an amazing narration by Julia Whelan, one of my favorite narrators.

MALIBU RISING is a story about the Riva family, with Malibu, California as a backdrop, and Hollywood and Los Angeles as guests. I love everything Hollywood, and I especially love how the author knows it so well. It shows she lives in this area, because she brings these places alive.

The Riva family makes for a vibrant and fascinating story. From how it all began with the parents, to the kids, and then the climax: a fateful evening, a party Malibu won’t forget anytime soon.

The nice thing about this book is that I didn’t need any tissues. There was no heartbreak. Instead I got a story about a fascinating family. I was captivated by the siblings and their interactions, the family dynamic and the drama. It all made for a compelling read.

Although the book won’t make you think or talk nonstop about it. It won’t change lives. But it certainly entertains. The novel is well written, with some really interesting and genuine characters. It has a great backstory. Just the right amount of family drama. And a touch of Hollywood.

In the end the Riva siblings carried the book for me. They were solid. Loved each other, and had each other’s back. And I was really happy with how the book ended.

additional thoughts

Although the book starts and ends with the mention of Malibu burning, but in the end it’s just a cliff note. In 2020 California experienced some of the worst wildfires in the south as well as the north of the state. While I was living in California, I lived through multiple sommers when one wildfire followed another. There was no break. And these fires were terrible in size, human loss, and property damages. One year after another, California was covered in smoke for weeks and weeks. I woke up at night because I could smell the smoke and found ash inside my apartment the next day. It’s true that Californians know how to evacuate, but it doesn’t take away the anxiety that comes with each summer. Some fires start because of nature doing its thing, others because of human stupidity. But every single one brings devastation to the area it burns.

FOUR STARS

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Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid | AUDIOBOOK REVIEW