Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Keywords: Generational trauma, Siblings, Surfing
Rating: 4/5 stars
I’m a little late to the game on this one, but I listened to Malibu Rising as my second TJR book! Unpopular opinion- I liked it a lot better than Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. All of the characters were likable, if not relatable, and I found myself pulling for them to succeed.
This book evolves around the notion of the “chosen family” versus the one you are born into. June Riva changes the course of her life when she marries up and coming singer Mick Riva. She soon realizes that this life she chose for herself isn’t the fairytale she imagined it to be. Years later, the 4 (that we know of) Riva children struggle to find their identities in a city full of greedy stars and those that will do anything to become one. Through new love, divorce, self discovery, and health scares- the siblings work together to survive.
I didn’t love the ending to the story; it seemed very unlikely and cliche. The story, however, was great, and the world that Reid creates is easy to immerse yourself in. I love each of the Riva siblings (except maybe Jay) for their own reasons, and the plot challenged me to put myself in the shoes of these different characters and ask myself if I would make the same decisions they did. Overall a great read, and would recommend to anybody looking for a summer read with some deep storylines!