Which character are you from the Riva family? Nina? Kat? Jay? Hud? or Mick? maybe June?
Malibu Rising is my first read by this author but it was worth giving a try. I didn’t expect this book to be that impactful. It remains one of the books that literally touched my heart and soul through its story and writing.
Malibu Rising is a story that takes place on the beach where the waves hit the shore. The sun shines brightly in the morning and the sunsets are beautiful in the evening. It is the place where tons and tons of people wish to live and go on vacation.
Synopsis:
Malibu Rising: 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 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 promises she’ll be there.
And Kit has a couple of 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 bubbling to the surface.
Story
It’s the way the author has described each character’s story in such a detailed way. You feel emotions along with them as if you are having an emotional breakdown with them.
Mainly, there are four characters but as you go on reading, there are other side characters’ stories that are inter-connected with the main characters. Despite the little appearance, these side characters say a lot and are impactful, and feel important.
The story is not dramatic or exaggerated. It simply shows us the story of the Riva family. It is a realistic story with lots of ups and downs. The book shows the story of people like us – that are flawed and are not perfect, that make mistakes and hurt their close ones but also love them, that have a family but also have family fights.
Flawed character
As we know, we, as human beings are not perfect. Everyone has their good and bad side. The people that stick around with your bad side are like a family which is why family holds such great importance in one’s life. But, what if this same family is the main reason for the destruction??
The beginning of a relationship always starts with a good side, it’s all rainbow and sunshine but real hardships are in actually making it work. There are people who are willing to do everything for their family to make it work and there are people who just leave all their responsibilities for their own selfish desires.
The book beautifully explored all of their sides and the characters are built in such a way that you can’t hate them or love them.
Relatable Nina Riva:
For me, Nina has become the most relatable character because I am the eldest like her in the family too.
Nina Riva always thinks about her sisters and brothers, thinks about their well-being over her own desires, and thinks about other people’s comfort, in short- she is a selfless person who has seen a lot of hardships and downs in her life despite that, she remains hard as steel and moves forward just for her sisters and brothers.
The circumstances in her life had made her so much mature at such a young age that she forget to enjoy the little things in her life. Her life revolves around her family members rather than herself and hasn’t once lived for herself.
I think there’s a line in the book where her brother hates her for being the way she is, always thinking about others and letting them treat her wrongly. And, I just thought I am seeing myself in her in the whole reading.
The ending:
The ending holds such a great impact on all the turnings but feels incomplete too. Not everyone gets the happy ending, there are lots of unanswered questions and unresolved circumstances and there are lots of whys but I like it.
I think the way all the secrets were revealed at last to all the family members and all the apologies were expressed even if it was late, did justice to all the backstories. There was honesty, straightforward opinions, and bursting of all the frustrations and fed-up emotions, forgiveness, and love. And, I really like the character development in the last except for Mick Riva. Till last, I just can’t seem to forgive him for what he had done to the family.
I really like how Nina finally expresses her desires and dreams to her brothers and sisters for the first time and, of course, Riva’s mansion burning in flames, in the end, is just so satisfying.
Quotes
Here are my some favorites quotes that I have jotted down while reading.
” When there is only you, you do not get to choose which jobs you want, you do not get to decide you are capable of anything. There is no room for distaste or weakness. You must do it all. You must be capable of everything.
” Too much self sufficiency was sort of mean to the people who loved you. You robbed them of how good it feels to give, of their sense of value.
” She was a women, after all. Living in the 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.
” How were you supposed to change- in ways both big and small-when your family was always there to remind you of exactly, the person you apparently signed an ironclad contract to be?
Let’s Chat
What more can I say? Malibu Rising feels personal and real to me. It is not a fantasy that I wish existed nor it is something that I desire like in romance books. It feels like I just listened to someone else’s real story. Taylor Jenkins Reid has all my love and I hope to read many of her other books too. Let me know if you have already read Malibu Rising in the comments. Love to hear your thoughts xoxo.
If you like this one, read my other book reviews – All the Bright Places , Good Girl’s Guide To Murder
Want to learn more about me? Head out to my monthly wrap-up sections – Oct 2022 wrap-up
