Book Review: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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I had Malibu Rising on my Amazon wish list and someone gifted it to me. I had seen everyone raving about it but really didn't know anything about the book. But the cover and raving enticed me. ~~~~ [/i]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. The siblings are a source of fascination - especially as the offspring of legendary singer Mitch Riva.[i] [/i]The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who has 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 his dear brother. 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 of secrets of her own...[i] [/i]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 the Rivas 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.[i] ~~~~ This story was an easy read as the "chapters" were short. They are not numbered chapters. The story takes place over the course of one day so the sections are time-stamped. But also, there are sections of flashbacks to how the parents of the Riva siblings met and how the family came to be. The reader is informed of the fire before the story even begins so we know how it will end, sort of. Like I said, I really didn't know what this story was about. I honestly didn't even read the synopsis before checking it off as a must read. So I was a wee bit disappointed, but that's on me. The story itself is filled with so many feelings and events leading up to the climactic ending. The end-of-summer party is huge... over 200 people. There were a lot of new names thrown into the mix at the party which confused me briefly, but not enough that I had to turn back the pages. One is quickly reminded who each character is, even though their roles are limited. There is never a dull moment in this story. There is probably at least one character one can relate to regardless of the fact the Riva's are each famous in their own way. I do not regret putting it on my wish list. I really did enjoy the story. I gave it 4 stars.