In Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel Malibu Rising, the raging end-of-summer party is about to
occur. It’s thrown by Nina Riva, famous model and surfer and her three equally celebrated
siblings - Jay, Hud, and Kit. Their fame is only expounded by the fact that their absent dad is
singer Mick Riva. Everyone who’s anyone will be there, and everything that’s anything happens
at the party. But today, a bundle of secrets will come to a head. Kit has privately sent out a
special invitation to an abhorred guest. Jay has also invited a certain person he can’t wait to
see. Nina has just been abandoned by her husband and has an important realization to make.
Hud has been hiding a relationship with Jay’s ex-girlfriend. And several guests have made plans
to bring more drugs and alcohol than ever before. By the end of the night, memories of the party
will be burned into everyone’s mind. A family’s trauma and history will be revealed and
concluded. And the entire coast will go up in flames as the police raid the house and arrest the
partygoers.
I really enjoyed this book. The pacing of the story was excellent, as was the placement
of flashbacks and the revealing of the backstory and buildup. I was a little disappointed by the
ending, as I didn’t think everything was tied up in the best way, but it was still a really satisfying
conclusion to a great story. A great summer read, the book wows with its descriptions of the
ocean and surfing. The family drama is engaging and addresses an important issue. Overall, an
amazing read that I would recommend to anyone.