Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

★★★★

“Just because it is in Malibu’s nature to burn, so was it in one particular person’s nature to set fire and walk away.” 

Nina spent her entire life taking care of everyone else. Now it’s time to focus on herself.

Jay has a secret, a secret that threatens everything he’s ever known.

Hud messed up. He made a mistake that he really doesn’t want to fix.

Kit just wants to find her place in the world, something that proves to be harder than she thought.

The Riva siblings have been taking care of themselves for nearly their entire lives, but now they’re thriving. Nina’s a famous model, Jay’s the next top surfer, Hud is a well-known photographer, and Kit; well, she’s trying to figure things out. 

As the estranged children of famous singer Mick Riva, they’re constantly the center of attention in Malibu. People are always on the lookout for their next move. So when they throw their annual end-of-summer party, everyone is scrambling to score an invite. 

The party spirals out of control as the night goes on, with visits from surprise guests; both welcome and unwelcome. Something else happens though, something with much more historical significance. By morning, Nina’s house will be up in flames, forever known as the Malibu fire of 1983.

I really enjoyed this book, which was a big surprise to me. This historical/contemporary fiction novel is not something that I would normally read, but I think it was the refreshing break from romance novels that I needed. Reid keeps her readers thoroughly entertained with nonstop drama and secrets. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read; this is for you.