ellelockley's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's August 1983 and Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party is underway. By 12am it is out of control, by the morning it will have gone up in flames. Taylor Jenkins Reid is an amazing world builder, the way all her books link to one another is absolutely fascinating. The characters are always so well written, whether they're terrible people or not. The Riva siblings are some of the most amazing character written in modern literature and I just adored this book so much. I loved the two different time periods going on at the start, and how it makes you want to keep reading further. Safe to say I will be reading more TJR books. I recommend this book to everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Vomit, Sexual content, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Gun violence
juliebrd's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Drug use, Alcoholism, Addiction, Infidelity, Abandonment, Suicide, and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Car accident
dkgreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
4.5
The thing about Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books is that they sink their claws into you. They’re ridiculously engaging, her characters are whole and terribly real, and you can’t help becoming so invested in the story unfolding on the page in front of you that you can hardly breathe. This might be the only TJR book that hasn’t made me cry, but it made my chest ache in a way that only deep connection and an abundance of feels can.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/injury detail
justovereherereading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
My first read of 2023 and it was a great one!
The story flows seamlessly through past and present times, building on the characters experience and story each time. Whenever I had a question about how a character had got to that particular point in their lives it was answered by the narrative of the past…knowing the characters past gave a real insight into the present storyline.
I did find the ending a little bit of a let down, I felt like I wanted more…but maybe that’s what makes a good book? It leaves you wanting more!
I will definitely be reading more by TJR.
The story flows seamlessly through past and present times, building on the characters experience and story each time. Whenever I had a question about how a character had got to that particular point in their lives it was answered by the narrative of the past…knowing the characters past gave a real insight into the present storyline.
I did find the ending a little bit of a let down, I felt like I wanted more…but maybe that’s what makes a good book? It leaves you wanting more!
I will definitely be reading more by TJR.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Infidelity
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
witcheslovingwitches's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Infidelity
zoeharvey__'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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
4.75
I want to give Nina a hug
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content and Infidelity
madelonpaige's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, and Infidelity
athena10257's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion, Car accident, and Miscarriage
evie_24's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Gaslighting, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Death, and Infertility
dlrosebyh's review against another edition
emotional
medium-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
In August 1983, Malibu, the annual end-of-summer party hosted by Nina Riva will happen today. Excitement levels are at an all-time high. Everyone wants to be around the well-known Riva family, which includes Nina, a gifted surfer and supermodel, Jay and Hud, brothers who are both accomplished photographers and surfing champs, and Kit, their adored baby sister. Since they are the children of renowned singer Mick Riva, the siblings are a source of intrigue in Malibu and throughout the globe.
The only person who is not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself since she has never liked to be the center of attention and because her professional tennis player husband recently very publically dumped her. Oh, and Hud—because it's about time he told his brother, with whom he's been inseparable since infancy, something.
Jay, on the other hand, is counting down the seconds till dusk since she promised to be there and he can't stop thinking about her. And Kit has a few secrets of her own, including a visitor she surprisingly invited.
The celebration will spiral out of control by midnight. The Riva home will be in flames by daybreak. However, the booze will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that have defined this family's generations will all rise to the surface before that first spark in the early hours before morning.
I liked how intricate the characters are; they seemed so genuine—so real that I became so disappointed when I googled their names on a web browser and didn't see a real person come up. As a character-driven prejudiced person, this book was very amazing for me. I believe that is consistently true of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books. They are largely character-driven and have a very raw feeling. They have more than one dimension. They are more complex than just "good" and "bad" characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Drug use