4/5 stars
Wildfires are not uncommon in California. In 1983, Malibu burned because one family hosted a party. Not just any party. The annual be-there-or-be-square Riva Party. (I really just wanted an excuse to say “be there or be square,” so thank you, TJR for that opportunity.) You may have known that Mick Riva was one of Evelyn Hugo’s husbands. You might remember that he was famous somewhere around the same time as Daisy Jones. You probably figured out he wasn’t exactly the greatest guy on earth. Malibu Rising is the story of the Riva family. The four siblings: Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit. Their mom, June. Their absent, deadbeat dad, Mick. It’s a story of fame and famine, wealth and want. Completely falling apart and rising again, this family is a phoenix.
I’m trying to be impartial in writing this review. As though I don’t irrationally believe that someday, Taylor Jenkins Reid and I are actually going to end up BFFs. I want to give her 77 million gold stars for her amazing growth as a writer over the last few years. I loved Forever, Interrupted and After I Do. They are endearing and adorable and I will always come back to them on rainy days. But they aren’t Evelyn or Daisy. And they aren’t Malibu Rising. This novel has a depth, a vulnerability, and a maturity that wasn’t quite there yet in the early novels.
One last thing to note: Of any author I have ever read, TJR puts the most effort into her acknowledgements. I love them. They’re heartfelt, quirky and cute. Just another thing that makes her unique! Highly recommend taking the few extra minutes to read them.
Thanks to Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.
