Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers another character-driven family saga that balances Hollywood glamour with genuine emotional depth. Set over 24 hours in 1983, the novel follows the four Riva siblings—Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit—as they prepare for Nina's annual end-of-summer party while grappling with their complicated legacy as children of a famous singer who abandoned them.

Reid excels at creating distinct, believable voices for each sibling: Nina, the reluctant supermodel carrying the family's burdens; Jay, the professional surfer struggling with his identity; Hud, the photographer caught between loyalty and love; and Kit, the youngest, desperate to prove herself.

The author's strength lies in her ability to weave together multiple timelines, gradually revealing family secrets while building toward the climactic party that becomes Malibu legend. The 1980s setting feels authentic without being heavy-handed, and Reid captures the specific culture of Malibu's surf and celebrity scene with convincing detail.

However, the novel's structure sometimes works against it. The buildup to the party creates expectations for dramatic revelations that don't always pay off, and some plot threads feel more manufactured than organic. The pacing can drag in the middle sections, particularly when Reid delves into the parents' backstory, which, while necessary for context, lacks the energy of the siblings' present-day drama.

The book works best for readers who enjoyed Reid's previous novels and appreciate character-driven stories about family dysfunction and resilience. It will appeal to fans of multigenerational sagas and anyone drawn to stories about the price of fame. However, readers seeking fast-paced plot-driven narratives or those who found Reid's other work overly sentimental should probably skip this one. The novel's focus on beautiful, privileged characters may also feel tone-deaf to some readers. Despite its flaws, 'Malibu Rising' succeeds as an engaging summer read that offers both escapist glamour and genuine emotional moments, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of Reid's best work.