Completely captivating. Tragic and uplifting. Full of fun, sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll.  The buzz has been high on this one…and that actually made me skeptical.  Can I trust all of the hype?  And seriously, can Reid keep producing books that pace with Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo?  My answer is simple and emphatic… YES. YES. YES!    

 

This is a story about strong family bonds, about overcoming old wounds, and about learning to let go of the ideas you thought life should be to accept what you have. It’s also full of celebrities and gossip and drama…much like the perfect gossip rag.  Reid hits the perfect balance of thought provoking and entertaining.  

 

I often take for granted how much life can be lived…and changed… in a mere 24 hours.  This book is set in a dual timeline.  One within 24 hours on August 27, 1983.  The other chronicles the family history of Mick and June’s relationship starting in 1956.  The dual timelines blend seamlessly, and the family history creates the catapult for the transformation that takes place over the 24 hour period on August 27th.  

 

This book took me straight back to my early childhood in the 80s, and I loved every second…from the off the shoulder crop tops to huaraches to Tab to Virginia Slims…. Reid expertly placed cultural references and icons throughout the story to paint a vivid picture of the timeframe and the Malibu shoreline.  

 

The entire cast of characters is so real that I wanted to reach for my phone to Google pictures and more information about them, and they brought out every emotion from empathy (June) to disgust (Mick).  The Riva siblings are intricately woven and deeply complex.  They are authentic, flawed, easy to connect with, and completely loveable.  

 

Nina was my favorite of the cast.  Early on, she was trained to accept whatever life threw at her.  She knew how to withstand and endure, accept and keep going.  Her strength is part grit and part weakness.  I felt deeply connected with her, her inner struggle, and her ultimate evolution. 

 

The writing, the characters, the pacing, the plot…it was all spot on.  Completely perfect.  Some books take hold in your soul.  This one did that for me. 

 

Thank you Taylor Jenkins Reid, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.