Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Malibú Renace

Malibu Rising
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Family is found...whether it be blood or circumstance or choice, what binds us does not matter. All that matters is that we are bound.”

“Must be nice. To be able to be weak. I wouldn’t know.”

...........................................................

Let me say, this book was definitely not what I expected. I was thinking it would be the epitomy of summer, fun, lightheartedness, and Malibu. While I feel that it was none of those things, and I would not classify this as a summer read, I do think it is still a story worth reading. It tackeled some heavy topics and emotions, but I think going into this novel knowing that would have definitely enhanced the reading experience from the beginning. Also, I read this both in the physical format and listened to the audiobook, and I found that the audiobook by Julia Whelan made this a more enjoyable, pleasant, and easy read.

Taylor Jenkins Reid focuses on familial connections, relationships, and dynamincs in this story of four siblings spanning from childhood into their 20's, as well as their parents tragic love story decades before. With part of the story about their biological father who could have and should have done more, I found myself really connected to the four Riva siblings. Their story and triumph in this novel to overcome and perservere hardships and abandoment was inspiring.

I found Nina's character growth to be the biggest, but I really enjoyed Kit's character as well. I also really enjoyed Jay and Hud's relationship. Not all siblings are entirely related, some patially and some by connection.

My heartsrings absolutely tugged for June and everything she endured.

And Brandon... ew....and Mick double eww.....

I honestly, feel like there was a lot going on in this novel at times, and I am unsure if it was all entirely necessary. However, it was still enjoyable nonetheless.

⚠️Warning⚠️
Language, low spice, adult content, parent abandonment, death of a parent, alcoholism, drug use

Content Warnings

boba_nbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️

Malibu Rising is a love story, but it's not the kind you're thinking of. It is a story of familial love. Of siblings who give each other their all, who are still here despite all the odds stacked against them.

It's hard to describe exactly what Malibu Rising is about. It's a character-driven story that follows the Riva family. Parents, Mick and June, fall deeply in love, but Mick's rise to fame quickly drives a wedge between the two. Their children--Nina, Hud, Jay, and Kit--are left to fend for themselves and pick up the pieces of their parents' failed marriage. Now, the four siblings are all grown up and trying to cope from their childhood trauma in different ways. Every year, Nina Riva throws a party in her Malibu mansion, but this year is a little different than her past parties. The Riva party is a magnet to the rich and famous and those who want to be. Within 24 hours, there will be a fire in Malibu that will cleanse the shores and lives of the Rivas. But before that, all of the Riva's family baggage and secrets must be brought to light.

Taylor Jenkins Reid sure knows how to create a rich story with characters so relatable they break your heart. I loved each of the Riva siblings, but Nina especially wormed her way into my soul. She embodies a lyric from But Daddy I Love Him by Taylor Swift: "Growing up precocious sometimes means not growing up at all." Though Nina was forced to grow up much faster than any child should have to, she handled it all with grace and discovered that sometimes loving and caring for others means letting them love and care for you in return.

Malibu Rising poses the question: are we cursed to repeat our ancestor's mistakes? Time and time again, we see how the Riva parents' decisions and actions are mimicked in the lives of their children. However, once the children realize that there is a pattern, they are able to break it. And really, isn't that all we can do? Just try to do a little better than the generation before us.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It had me on the edge of my seat and on the brink of tears. Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid's other works will eat this one up.

Content Warnings

evelynnnn33333's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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cedence's review against another edition

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Kommer sannsynligvis til å sneile meg noen sider lengre i løpet av sommerferien, men sånn generelt orker jeg ikke mer av denne boka nå. Det er meningen at det skal være en fest, men så langt er klokka 12:00 på fest dagen og vi nærmer oss ikke 19:00-19:30 for at den skal begynne i det hele tatt. Jeg har lest nesten 150 sider av tragisk familie historie. Først likte jeg begynnelsen mellom June (mor til barna og Nina, som avholder festen) og Mick (far til barna), men nå har Mick

vært utro med June flere ganger, skilt seg fra henne, giftet seg tre ganger til i løpet av to år og vært utro med alle de også, før han kommer tilbake og giftet seg på nytt med June

årevis før festen i heletatt skjer i nåtiden. Den eneste personen jeg liker er June fra den generasjonen.
Vet ærlig talt ikke så mye om Nina ennå. Likte Hod og Kit, da.

Men ja det ble nok forhold og vi bare snakker sammen når vi har sex scener for min smak.

Håpte den skulle leve opp til Evelyn Hugo's Syv ektemenn, men det gjorde den ikke.

Content Warnings

iszys's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Oh sweet sweet eldest daughter Nina.

Although this was a bit cheesy and on-the-nose at times, this was a fun, emotional read that I absolutely devoured.

Content Warnings

aude's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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pugluver11's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this. This is very much an "all vibes no plot" type of book, but the characters are so vivid that it makes up for that. The narrator excellently captures the emotions of the characters. Even the minor characters feel fleshed out. This book touches on themes such as: family, trauma, grief, and self exploration. The author is great at describing settings vividly, to the point where it feels like you're there. I can tell that the author put a lot of thought into the plot points. Every scene feels like it has a purpose. I highly recommend reading this, especially in the summertime.

Content Warnings

mockingjayx16's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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