Taylor Jenkins Reid

Julia Whelan

A Novel

Malibu Rising

A lifetime holding it together.
One party will bring it crashing down.

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.

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.

angie

The story of June and Mick Riva seemed like a tragedy to their oldest child, Nina. It felt like a comedy of errors to their first son, Jay. It was an origin story for their second son, Hud. And a mystery tot he baby of the family, Kit. To Mick himself it was just a chapter of his memoir. But to June, it was, always and forever, a romance.”

Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives forever.

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.

Nina May

They had taught her that family  is found that whether it be blood or circumstance or choice, what binds us does not matter. All that matters that we are bound.

Casey knew that in a few years the memories would begin to fade. She might forget whether her father had spilled mustard or ketchup. She might lose the ability to recall the exact smell of Wind Song. She might even forget about the reading glasses altogether after a while as much as it pained her to admit it.

June was gone. Yet here she was, living on through her children.

August,1983, it is the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone who is anyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: surfer and supermodel Nina, brothers Jay and Hud, and their adored baby sister Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over - especially as the children of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

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 of dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family will all come bubbling to the surface.

Lauren

 What was so hard about dedicating yourself to a woman? It felt so natural to him.

Beautiful but maybe a bit awkward. Awkward but maybe beautiful.

Jack O‘Conner

He was not a good man. Not an honest man. It was how he was born, how he was raised. But a good woman could save him.

She would let the ocean heal her like she always had.

Hud looked at her there, alone and unsure, on the threshold. "Come on, sit down. I don't care who your dad is. You're one of us." 

Kit scooted over to make room. And when asey sat down next to Nina, Jay squeezed her shoulder. Nina patted her knee. 

She needed someone to love her. And they could do that. That would be very easy for them to do. 

Nina looked her father in the eye and her face tightened. She felt for him. But it made her even more angry, that he had allowed her to lose what he himself had lost. He had -all alongknown the cost of it and had done nothing to stop it from happening to her, too.

He needed his children now that he was alone. Now that he was afraid he wasn't going to matter very soon. Now that he had a house that echoed. 

Nina turned and looked at her father. Mick caught her eye and relaxed into the softness of her gaze. "She deserved better," he said softly. "I hope she knew that."

 Nina watched her father's face. She watched his long eyelashes as he blinked, remembering looking at them as a child. 

"She didn't," Nina said, her voice almost as quiet as breath. "She didn't know that."  

Natalie Unsinn 

Every day of your life feels like you’re climbing up the mountain. And then you get there and you stay for a bit. And it’s nice at the top. But then you start sliding down the other side.

He hadn't seen that part coming. And it has hit him hard. 

Our parents live inside us, whether they stick around or not, Hud thought. They express themselves through us in the way we hold a pen or shrug our shoulders, in the way we raise our eyebrow. Our heritage lingers in our blood. The idea of it scared the shit out of him. 

She was a woman, after all. Living in a world created by men. And she had long known that assholes protect their own. They are faithful to no one but surprisingly protective of each other.

And so, in a way, you could say that this is when Mick fell in love with June, if falling in love is a choice. He chose her.

 But for June it wasn't a choice at all. For June it was a free fall.

She opened her eyes. "A family" she said. "Two kids. A boy and a girl. A good husband, who likes to dance with me in the living room and remembers our anniversary. And we never fight. And we have a nice house. Not in the hills or in the city but on the water. Directly on the beach. With two sinks in the bathroom." 

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Read with Jenna Book Club Pick as Featured on Today * From the author of Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo . . . ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Time, Marie Claire, PopSugar, Parade, Teen Vogue, Self * "Irresistible . . . High drama at the beach, starring four sexy, surfing siblings and their deadbeat, famous-crooner dad."--People Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives will change forever. 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. This edition includes an interview with the author, book club discussion questions, and more!

Kathi

l'm just really sick and tired of people thinking they can treat me like I don‘t have a heart. like mine doesn't break, too."

"Be my guest," Carrie said, gesturing to the door. "And feel free to fuck right off."

She did not seem to care that she was not only handing June a child but also breaking her heart. June narrowed her eyes as she thought of the unique combination of audacity and spinelessness that this woman possessed. Carol Hudson was a bold one indeed.

„…But you’re lucky I’m interested. It's not the other way around. I don t care who your daddy is.“ Jay figured it was then. That moment. When he fell in love with her. 

Sarah Campbell

Hud looked at her there, alone and unsure, on the threshold. 

“Come on, sit down. I don't care who your dad is. You're one of us.”

Kit scooted over to make room. And when Casey sat down next to Nina, Jay squeezed her shoulder. Nina patted her knee. 

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Time, Marie Claire, PopSugar, Parade, Teen Vogue, Self • “Irresistible . . . High drama at the beach, starring four sexy, surfing siblings and their deadbeat, famous-crooner dad.”—People

Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives will change forever.

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.

arwen

this wasn't a bad book but i wasn't really invested in the characters. RTC

Hanna Rybchynska

This book was really good!
It focuses a lot about family. How it is important to remember our past but be able to change our future. We are our parents creations however we can also mold ourselves during all our life.

maya

3.75 stars! because there were so many filler characters 

nowhere nearly as good as the seven husbands of evelyn hugo but the way taylor jenkins reid writes about emotions and family trauma is just… wow. and nina riva <3

TJR books always find a way to surprise me. It’s been a while since I have read a book but I enjoy all of them. This one is better read after a couple of different ones because you can gather information on this world. That way you aren’t thrown into a clustering world of having to get to know certain people that have had small introductions and even interactions in other books. I will say the downfall of this book was that there was way too much happening. There were so many different people that actually had nothing to do with the main characters and were only included because of the party aspect of the book. Take that out and focus on the Silva siblings like it’s suppose to it would be really good. It tackled some good topics and having that dual part of the timeline really helped me see every aspect and build to the story. While I was frustrated so much by it I predict that to be a good thing while experiencing the book overall. 

Priscilla Stanfield

Darice de Cuba

** spoiler alert **
           The book reads easy and keeps you reading . But for me it was no where close to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Evelyn Hugo is hands down a much better book in every aspect.

Malibu Rising is set partially in the 80’s and the nostalgia was nice. There is that. 

Loved the Jennifer Beals cameo.

Sarah

mimansa 

** spoiler alert **
           Wow. just wow.
I read Seven husbands last week and since then i’ve been wanting to read this because i absolutely adored TJR’s writing.
I absolutely loved how TJR threw a few easter eggs which connected both(or more) of her books. 
The whole sibling journey throughout the book and the circle being completed at the end was so wholesome. It showed how important siblinghood is, especially during hard times.
It was perfectly set in order, between present day and their past and also showed how similar children are to their parents.
I liked how it focused on each and every character in so much detail that atleast someone would relate to atleast one of the characters. 
In conclusion, It was a whole ass journey reading this book and i loved every bit of it.

A fun read but a little heavy handed. this is a re-read, I always enjoy how her books are fun quick reads 

Daphne Li-Chen

Luke Harkness

I actually really liked this. It struggled in the middle a bit, but the final third rounded off what the rest of the book had been about nicely.
Keep an eye out for my full review on www.lukeharkness.com

Light, easy to read, made references to other Taylor Jenken Reid characters

Fumi

Teresa Bonifácio

I love how TJR can create these scenarios and make you want to be there. She is able to make the reader clearly see everything that is happening. 

This book is about four sibling and their love for each other. Is about how close they are and there’s nothing that can break them apart. It’s about one sister that sacrifices everything for her mother and siblings. It’s a love story.

Maria

3.5/4ish 

i’m on the fence about this one. for the most part its a 4 star read for me. the intergenerational trauma, the dysfunctional family, the burden of carrying all that as a child was so well done. my issue with it was the party itself. once we actually got to the party i just sort of didn’t care. it picked up again towards the end when things started going down but also… they kind of didn’t? it’s hard to explain, it felt underwhelming and also not. but i genuinely didn’t care for all the side characters that were introduced at the party and all their stories. i know they were supposed to add more to the drama and the insanity of the party itself but they did very little for me, i could barely tell some of them apart. 
all that being said i did care very much about the riva kids. especially nina. nina was a joy to read about and so was kit! june was endlessly fascinating and tragic and frustrating to read about. mick riva was an asshole to the very end. i think this is truly where tjr’s mastery comes through: in her characterisation. i felt for all of them, found myself in some of their struggles and worries. so i appreciated that a lot. 
the ending itself was satisfying and also underwhelming. i expected something i dont know grander maybe? it was a nice way to wrap things up just not how i imagined it would go.

Isabella 

Reading this book felt like watching a film. The imagery and characterization was phenomenal. I was actually scared to read this because I wasn't a big fan of TSHOEH, and I found out that this has the cheating trope (which I absolutely despise). However, I loved this book. The cheating trope isn't the 'cheating trope' I hate (where one or both characters cheat on their significant other to be with each other), but there was a part of it that had this, however, it wasn't the main plot, so it didn't really bother me that much. I read this in one sitting because it was THAT good; I couldn't bring myself to put it down. There were unnecessary parts though like the one with the extra characters??? Nevertheless, I love Nina so much; if I could, I would give her the biggest hug. (view spoiler)[ And fuck Brandon and Mick!! I also don't know what to feel about Ashley and Hud tho. Their story had the cheating trope I hate, so :// (hide spoiler)] I loved the siblings bond so much. I love this book so much. Definitely one of my favorite.

Danielle Annika

i don’t even know where to begin. my journey reading this book was just so overwhelming. i feel like i’ve experienced every emotion in the most intense way while reading this book. by all means this book wasn’t perfect and tjr certainly could have done better, but i actually enjoyed this and i don’t understand why people hated this.

i love june, nina, jay and hud, and kit (as well *that* character at the end who i will not mention cause spoilers :P). they were all messy, flawed, and aggravating, but it made them feel so human. i saw parts of myself in each of them and i really love their relationship with each other. yes, i honestly wish we got to know more about the other characters, especially hud and jay. i do agree with people saying that the pacing was annoying and i got so irritated when the end of a chapter would leave you hanging and then the next chapter was about a useless character. personally, i would’ve preferred if the chapter did not alternate between timelines and we first focused of june and riva and then their kids. but all in all, i enjoyed this book, mick and brandon and just men are trash, and i will continue to read every single one of taylor jenkins reid’s books.

Ana Luiza

Mais uma vez a Taylor promete e entrega!!!!
Gente, que leitura maravilhosa. Do primeiro capítulo eu já estava completamente presa. Se não fossem os compromissos da vida teria lido em 1 dia, no máximo dois. A história é fluida e os capítulos pequenos, apesar disso não tive a impressão que o livro passou muito rápido. Gostei DEMAIS de acompanhar o passado, acho que foi minha parte favorita, e o presente também. Durante todo o livro a Taylor nos deixa com uma sensação que vai acontecer algo terrível no final, a cada capítulo sobre a festa eu ficava nervosa pensando "Meu Deus quem vai morrer?". Ela nos apresenta vários personagens diferentes e eu sempre ficava pensando "é esse que vai fazer a merda e matar todo mundo..."
O final não uma quebra de expectativa imensa mas que eu adorei. Eu amei TANTO a Nina, que personagem maravilhosa. Todos eles eram sensacionais, mas não há palavras para a força de Nina Riva. O ódio que eu senti de Mick e depois de Brannon também foi imenso, Taylor escreve tão bem que em poucas páginas você já começa a sentir pelos personagens. E, olha, o Mick é um dos homens mais merdas que eu já vi nessa vida. 
Evelyn Hugo continua sendo meu favorito mas acho que gostei de Malibu mais que Daisy Jones <3
quero mais mais e mais de Taylor logoooo!!

gabby

Arielis Valentin

Sonia Grgas

The zeitgeist's book of the summer! I almost DNF’d it but kept on reading, loved it by the end. A lot to think about, the celebrity life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially for the celebrity’s family members. This is also the theme of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo which I recommend. Looking forward to whatever she writes in future.

Julie Rubens

I enjoyed reading this book a lot, I just really like Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing. It’s always very easy, interesting and gripping and I just enjoy reading her books. I definitely didn’t like this book as much as I liked Evelyn Hugo, but it was very good and I would definitely recommend it!

Read with Jenna Book Club Pick as Featured on Today • 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.

Brittany Wu

** spoiler alert **
           Taylor Jenkins Reid does not miss! I love her writing style - it’s easy to digest while adding character development amongst the family. 

Her use of different timelines is unique and adds context as to why the characters act the way they do. 

It’s interesting to think about how alcohol abuse, neglect, and family can intertwine, while making an impact on the decisions that each character makes. Although, overall, Mick is a scum. 

If it hasn’t already, can this be a TV mini series adaptation??

Bethany s. 

** spoiler alert **
           4.25 stars. Such a fantastic read that I blazed through all 350+ pages in one afternoon. It’s heartfelt, and fast paced, and heart wrenching in the best way. So many great things about this book and very little wrong with it. 

I did feel a little letdown by the ending, because I felt like the fire, the very hook from the beginning that I was so intrigued and excited to read the unfolding of, was an afterthought. Which to be fair, is a parallel to the story and to the characters finding what really matters. But I don’t like to be drawn in on a premise that doesn’t deliver; it makes me feel cheated. 

But that’s a very small complaint and I’m ultimately pleased with the sum of the story. So good!

rhegan🧋

tjr rly has a way of making you love and care ab these characters. i didn’t enjoy this as much as daisy jones but enjoyed it nonetheless. I really loved the whole riva family (minus mick) and enjoyed the story

Yaffa

Before i say anything, i think i will absolutely read anything Taylor Jenkins Reid put out. ever.

Another guaranteed fun summer read. I would say not as impressive as Evelyn Hugo, but still this is definitely a TJR classic. It has heart, passion and excess of wealth being displayed (as always), but it kinda feels too unfocused and lacking depth. Also this is how I found out that all her books are connected lol.

does tjr only write about dysfunctional famous people??? not as good as daisy jones or evelyn hugo but kept me fairly entertained i guess. good little beach read vibes!! 

Malibu Rising A Novel

Reviews

Highlights