Malibu Rising
Sisters Fiction, Family Saga Fiction, Women's Friendship Fiction
Ballantine Books
June 1, 2021
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle
384
From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo . . . 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.
“One of the most anticipated [books] of the year—and rightfully so. . . . It’s a must-read.”—Parade
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 rising 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.
Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest novel, is a summer hit
I didn’t have a moment when I wasn’t wholly into Malibu Rising while reading it. And even when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. If you liked Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones and the Six, you will LOVE Malibu Rising.
The story follows the four Riva siblings on the day of their epic end-of-summer annual party. Nina, the oldest, is grieving the loss of a relationship. Jay and Hud, the twins, are both planning for their next big adventure. And Kit, the youngest, is trying to break out of her role as the baby of the family. The Riva family’s tragic past has caused some deep-seated wounds, but they have found strength in sticking together.
Even though the close-knit siblings are jointly looking forward to the evening celebration, they all have expectations and plans for it that the others don’t know; some of them might even threaten their bond forever.
Alternating timelines build the perfect momentum
In the present, we are going through each hour of the Riva kids’ day ahead of the party. Throughout it, we look back to the story of their parents, the circumstances around each of their births, and the most defining moments of their childhood.
The buildup to this story’s unraveling is nothing short of perfection. I’m fascinated with how, in Malibu Rising, Reid gives us just enough information to feel like we know these characters intimately, but not more than exactly what we need to stay focused on the story. Every conversation, every thought, every memory links back to the plot she is building for us.
While the story is focused and patient during the day leading up to the party, the evening is precisely the chaos and rush we come to expect. As the evening progresses, we meet a flurry of new characters with their own motivations and expectations. We are at the party with each of them, witnessing their thoughts, feelings, and actions from our omnipresent perspective. We follow each of them closely and their effect on the Riva kids. The ending wasn’t quite what I expected, but it didn’t change how much I loved this book.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is an emotional rollercoaster with beautiful characters, just like I like it. This book is a perfect beach read.
Darienne was 15 when her aunt gave her a copy of Princess by Jean Sasson, and she has been hooked on books ever since. Originally from Puerto Rico and now living in Maryland, she’s always looking to visit new coffee shops and bookstores. Her favorite genres include YA, spicy romcoms, and women’s fiction. Thanks to the Bees, she’s also now obsessed with romantasy series. Other loves include lavender lattes, sassy coffee mugs, sunrises, sleeping in, small-town charm, and big city lights. One day, she’ll write that book that lives in her head.
