Malibu Rising

Let me start by saying I think Taylor Jenkins Reid is a phenomenal writer. I have greatly enjoyed almost every book I've read by her. Unfortunately, Malibu Rising is disappointing for me. I feel that Reid is attempting to capture an atmosphere with the 80s Malibu setting similar to what she did with the 70s music industry in Daisy Jones and the Six. I just don't feel that she is as successful with this one. While I enjoyed the story of the Riva family, I did not enjoy the setting of the celebrity-filled 80s party of the second half of the book.

In this story, we follow the Riva family in two time lines: June and Mick Riva circa 1950s-early 70s and then their children Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit circa 1983. The romance between June and Mick is heartbreaking, while the story of their children's sibling love and survival is uplifting. Nina, the oldest, has to hold the family together. By 1983, she has been taking care of her siblings for years while her own life and marriage is falling apart. On the night of the annual Riva party, several dramas play out and lead to much needed confrontations and resolutions.

The best part of this book is the relationship between the Riva siblings. Their bond and love is inspiring. Nina is the strong one that takes care of everyone else, but no one takes her for granted, which is refreshing. Hud is my favorite character because he is so unassuming and genuine. The entire group is likable, even with their quirks and flaws. My least favorite character is Mick Riva, who is about as selfish as they come. I do like that he owns it, though.

If this book had stuck to the story of the Riva family and not veered off into a portrait of 80s celebrity and excess, I would have enjoyed it more. The addition of so many secondary characters at the party is very distracting. I felt it completely unnecessary to the story Reid is telling in the book. None of these secondary storylines ever go anywhere important in the overall context of the book. When the narrative switches to some random partygoer, it breaks the flow of the real plot. It frustrated me as a reader.

I wish I could give this book two ratings, one for the story of the Rivas and one for the story of the party. The Rivas would get a 5 star rating, but because of the distracting and irrelevant subplots of the party, my overall rating falls to 3 stars. I think I understand what Reid is trying to do, but for me it doesn't work.