Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

August 2, 2021

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Four famous siblings throw an end-of-the-summer party that is the event of the season in Malibu. No invitation needed, just show up at the mansion. But this year is different - by the end of the night, the Rivas mansion will burn down to the ground and all of their lives will change.

Disappointing overall. It's not well-written, which is unusual for a Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, and it needed a good editor. Lots of drama. The main character is a problem (actually all of the characters are a problem). Nina is a super-famous super-gorgeous super-model who is also a world-famous super-surfer. She has three famous siblings, a famous husband, a famous father, and famous friends. Come one - can't someone who has written as many books as TJR come up with a heroine who isn't famous for everything? You know, so that us mere mortals can empathize a little?

I have mixed feelings about TJR's novels. Some of them (Daisy Jones and the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo) I loved, the others not so much. Malibu Rising is in the "not so much" category. Diehard TJR fans will love it, but I'm starting to think that her writing isn't for me.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

August 15, 2022

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

For years, Carrie Soto was the G.O.A.T. of women's tennis. But then a younger player came and knocked her off her pedestal by beating her record of tournament wins. At near-40 years old, Carrie decides to make a comeback to reclaim what she considers to be her rightful place. But it's harder than she thinks it will be - the younger players have new strategies and stronger bodies. Carrie's father Javier, a country club tennis pro who was her coach during her early years of competition, is along for the ride, is along for the ride, coaching both her and Carrie's playing partner and sometime boyfriend Bode.

I wanted to love this as much as I loved Daily Jones and the Six, or the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I didn't. Carrie and Bode are loosely based on Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors, two professional tennis players of the 1970's who also had a well-publicized dating relationship. Connors was famous for throwing his racquet and having tantrums on the court when he didn't agree with the umpire's call. Real-life Evert seemed to be more personable than Carrie is.

Too much about tennis matches and training for tennis and psyching out other tennis players - and well, I found myself skimming the sections about tennis, which meant I easily finished the book in one day. I thought the storyline was predictable. Another annoying thing was having Carrie and her father converse in Spanish most of the time. I know enough Spanish that this wasn't an issue for me but many readers are not going to want to stop and look up the words to figure out what the conversation is about.

Overall disappointing for me, although I think hardcore TJR fans will love it. Characters from previous books (such as Mick Riva and Broderick the surfer) are mentioned. I didn't also love her previous book Malibu Rising (about a super-beautiful super-model who is the super-surfer of the world). As least Carrie isn't drop-dead gorgeous - there is another tennis player who gets that title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.