“Our family histories are simply stories. They are myths we create about the people who came before us, in order to make sense of ourselves.”
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is the ultimate sun-soaked escapist read, with decadent settings, realistic and relatable characters and the sort of dysfunctional family set-up any reader can get behind. The book tells the story of the four famous Riva siblings: Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit. The offspring of legendary singer Mick Riva, the siblings are preparing for Nina’s birthday in August 1983, which everyone in Malibu is keen to attend. By the morning after, however, their mansion has gone up in flames, exposing the loves, secrets and betrayals kept hidden by its members. An addictive story that explores the realities of fame and fortune, family history and reconnecting with your roots, join us at What We Reading for the best books like Malibu Rising. These stories all feature picturesque surroundings, family secrets and slow-burning mysteries, perfect for any fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid!
Daisy Jones & The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Where better place to start in a list of books like Malibu Rising than with another one of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best stories, Daisy Jones & The Six. This 2019 historical fiction book introduces readers to Daisy, a young woman coming of age in Los Angeles during the swinging sixties. Enamoured by the world of rock and roll by the time she’s twenty, her voice is starting to get noticed by the big players in the music industry.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the enigmatic Billy Dunne. After finding out his girlfriend, Camila, is pregnant, Billy veers onto the wild side ahead of the band’s first tour. One producer spots the potential for supercharged success, bringing Billy and Daisy together for an experience that will be unforgettable. Daisy Jones & The Six is a powerful story that brilliantly captures the vibe of the early seventies and the biggest bands that have become synonymous with it.
We Came Here To Forget – Andrea Dunlop
We Came Here to Forget is a 2019 fiction book by Andrea Dunlop; similar to Malibu Rising, it is a glamorous story of family, fate and wealth. Katie Cleary had always wanted to be the best skier in the world. Thanks to the wealthy parents of her two best friends, Luke and Blair, and her unwavering determination, her skating career soon blossoms. Until a shocking truth about her sister is revealed, which not only dooms her skating ambitions but also her relationship with her family, as well as her best friends.
With her life shattered, she flees her hometown and lands in Buenos Aires. There, she reinvents herself as Liz Sullivan, encounters a colourful crew of expats, begins to feel at home in the beautiful surroundings of Argentina’s capital, and meets the alluring Gianluca Fortunado. Taking readers on a blistering journey from the ski chalets of the American West to the milongas of Argentina, We Came Here to Forget is a story of dreams and ambitions, as well as what is left behind when they fall through.
The Paper Palace – Miranda Cowley Heller
One perfect July morning, fifty-year-old Elle, a happily married mother of three, wakes up at ‘The Paper Palace’, the family summer house she visits every year. Only this morning, she wakes up remembering what she had done with her oldest friend, Jonas, the night before. The previous night, the pair had slept together, whilst their spouses continued to socialise inside and unaware.
Miranda Cowley Heller’s The Paper Palace follows Elle over the next twenty-four hours as she grapples with the choice between the pleasant life she has now, and the life she has always imagined she would have. One of the best books like Malibu Rising for its compelling character studies, the fine tense line between desire and dignity, and the issues of families, Heller lifts the lid on the experiences that led Elle to that one evening with Jonas, and the impossible decision facing her.
Happy Place – Emily Henry
One of the best romance books from 2023 by serial bestseller Emily Henry, Happy Place is the story of Harriet and Wyn. Ever since they met in college, the pair have been the perfect couple. Except, now they aren’t. They broke up six months ago. And they still haven’t told their closest friends.
The reason for this is their friendship group’s annual vacation to their cottage in Maine, and a week of escaping their hectic daily lives in favour of seafood, cheese, wine, sunshine and the salty coastal breeze. Not wanting to cancel the trip and break their friends’ hearts, Harriet and Wyn agree to fake their relationship for the sake of the holiday. After years of being madly in love, how hard can faking things be? Even if it is right in front of the people who know you best?
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The Last Book Party – Karen Dukess
Another one of the best books like Malibu Rising set on the beaches of Cape Cod, The Last Book Party is a 2019 story by Karen Dukess. In the summer of 1987, aspiring writer Eve Rosen is stuck in an entry-level assistant job, being crushed in the shadow of her brilliant brother. She grabs at the chance to attend an early summer gathering being hosted by renowned writer Henry Grey and his wife, Tillie.
Having been enthralled by the glamour of the guests and his artistic son, Eve picks up a job working for Henry and receives an invitation to their exclusive ‘Book Party’ – a night where all guests dress as literary characters. But, similar to Malibu Rising, this party is where Eve begins to discover uncomfortable truths about her summer affairs and how the literary world she thought she was joining may not be all as it seems.
Bad Summer People – Emma Rosenblum
Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. Holding sway from the tennis courts to the beachfront, they are experts in manipulating the locals into getting whatever they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have both vacationed together at Salcombe for years, but both hold their dark secrets and grudges. Rachel is the group’s only single member, and she’s determined to emerge from the summer with a new partner in tow, whether he’s a tennis professional or a happily married husband.
None of these characters claim to be good people, but could any of them be capable of murder? This is the question they’re all confronted with when an ordinary summer turns deadly in Emma Rosenblum’s 2023 book, Bad Summer People. Similar to Malibu Rising, it is a stylish and subversive story set across a stunning sun-soaked backdrop where every character has something they’re hiding.
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Sinful Lives Of Trophy Wives – Kristin Miller
Kristin Miller, New York Times bestselling author of In Her Shadow, takes readers into the heart of Presidio Terrace, San Francisco’s most exclusive, and deadly, neighbourhood in her 2021 thriller, Sinful Live of Trophy Wives.
Brooke Davies is the newest member of the community, a mystery novelist whose husband, Jack, recently moved to the neighbourhood. He demands perfection, and she’s happy playing the doting housewife. Erin King is the chair of the community board whose professional successes have left her marriage feeling loveless. Georgia St. Clair allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her two previous husbands but swears she has found true love the third time around. But, a tragic accident soon forces the residents to question whether Georgia has struck again. And how far she is willing to go to protect her secrets.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
