The Stats

Title: Malibu Rising

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Ballantine Books (1 June, 2021)

Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Trigger Warnings: Sexual Harassment, Child Neglect, Drug Use/Alcoholism, Abortion, Miscarriage

Read if you like: Daisy Jones and the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

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Feature Image from Bookish801 on Amazon

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The Review

Malibu Rising is the third book by Taylor Jenkins Reed, and set in the same universe as “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”. The story follows the Riva siblings, children of the famous musician Mick Riva, who throw an annual end-of-summer party that attracts a lot of attention from the media and famous personalities. The book weaves together two storylines, the first of which is the Riva family’s history, starting from the mid-1950s. The second storyline is the events of the party, which takes place over 24 hours and results in unexpected twists and turns.

One of the strengths of the book is the author’s ability to create flawed yet resilient characters who are struggling with their past and present issues. As I read about Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit, I found them to be well-drawn characters who have strong sibling relationships despite their parents’ toxic relationship. Nina’s sacrifices to raise her siblings and protect them from their parents’ destructive behavior was one of the most touching parts of the book. Kit’s emotional and sexual self-discovery was also a standout storyline, and her interactions with her brothers and sister felt authentic and relatable.

As someone who has read two previous novels by Taylor Jenkins Reed, I must say that “Malibu Rising” is my least favorite of the three. In the case of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” or “Daisy Jones and the Six”, the use of multiple narrators and storylines helped shape the story and grow the understanding of the characters. Whereas with “Malibu Rising”, I felt having the party theme storyline weaving in an out overshadowed the more poignant and heartfelt moments of the book. I would have enjoyed the novel more if it followed one linear storyline the whole plot, as the flashbacks to the Riva family’s history were some of the most compelling parts of the book.

Despite my reservations, I still found “Malibu Rising” to be an engaging read with well-developed characters and a captivating setting. The author’s ability to weave together multiple storylines is impressive, even if it sometimes felt like there were too many characters to keep track of. Overall, I recommend this book to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reed’s previous work and to those who enjoy family dramas with a touch of nostalgia. Also, it is the perfect beach read so do pack it on your next vacation!

Overall, I give “Malibu Rising” 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounding up to 4 stars on Goodreads!