I really wanted to love this book. The book jacket sounded so interesting. While I enjoyed reading this, I felt it fell a little flat. At times, a bit boring. Ultimately I did finish the book, but it was a bit lackluster for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I am pretty sure I requested this one because the cover reminded me of a book I read not to long ago that I really enjoyed...and I am happy to say I enjoyed this one just as much if not more. When I started it, I had absolutely no idea what it was about but it turns out it is about a woman who lost her mother, who had already purchased her dream cruise to Alaska before she died...so Greta and the Father she has always had issues with are on a cruise to Alaska which should have been the most romantic trip of HIS life with the love of his life...and instead he is with his child who he isn't even sure likes him...obviously the rest is pretty cliche but I still loved to read it. And I am not gonna lie...until the last few pages, it was going to be a five star book for me...

This book was perfect to read on my Alaskan cruise as the characters visit cities in Alaska on their own cruise. This story is about a young woman grieving her mother and reconnecting with her dad. Great for summer reading.

“Greta finds it almost painful sometimes to think about all the different lives she could be leading, to know that every choice she’s made has meant the loss of so many other possibilities. Every day, more doors close. Without even trying, simply by moving forward, you end up doubling down on the life you’ve chosen. And the only way to survive is to commit to it fully, to tell yourself it’s the right one. But what if that’s not true?”

I think that this book does an amazing job at depicting the intricacies that come with human loss and trying to navigate those feelings in a way that doesnt make you just drown in them. I really think that this is a book that if you are going through a loss yourself, you might find to be therapeutic as it is not perfect but rather it is complicated and messy just how grief usually is. I really enjoyed this in a it ripped by heart out but also helped put it back together sense.

***I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

In this bittersweet novel, Greta, an Indie rockstar goes on an Alaskan cruise with her father, in the wake of her mother‘s death. There are so many emotions in this novel - anger and hurt, sorrow and grief, but also joy and hope - that the narrative can feel raw at times. Pro tip: have a tissue ready for this.

The story revolves around Greta James, a rising music star grappling with the loss of her mother, who was her biggest supporter. Just before the launch of her highly anticipated sophomore album, Greta experiences a devastating on-stage breakdown that goes viral, endangering her career. In an attempt to heal and reconnect with her estranged father, Conrad, Greta reluctantly embarks on an Alaskan cruise that was meant to celebrate her parents' fortieth anniversary.

The initial setup promises an emotionally charged journey of healing and self-discovery. I really enjoyed the Alaskan cruise setting, which provided an intriguing natural backdrop that paired well with the major themes of introspection and transformation. Unfortunately the story fell flat for me in the end. One of the main issues I had with the book is the lack of depth in character development. While Greta is a likable character, I didn't feel like I was able to completely connect with her, I was left wanting a more profound exploration of her emotional turmoil. That being said, I personally prefer novels that are more heavily character-focused and less plot-focused.

If you are searching for a light and easily digestible read, then you've found a great book! But readers (like me) expecting a more profound and emotionally resonant journey may be left a bit unsatisfied by this book.

A beautifully written examination of family and self set against an alaskan cruise. Smith has found a lot of success in the YA world but this one proved that she can hold her own in adult fiction as well.

"The Unsinkable Greta James" by Jennifer E. Smith is a heartfelt and emotional novel that explores themes of grief, family dynamics, and second chances. The author, that usually writes YA Fiction, skillfully switches genres, creating a heartwarming adult women's fiction and family drama that captivates readers. The Alaskan setting is brilliantly depicted, almost like a travel guide that will make you want to drop everything and visit Alaska. The complex relationship between Greta and her father, their past wounds, resentments, and misunderstandings, is analyzed perfectly, drawing readers in and making them emotionally invested in their journey towards healing. The romance aspect with Ben, the nerdy professor and guest lecturer on the cruise, adds a sweet touch to the story. Overall, this well-written and inspiring novel is recommended for those who enjoy well-developed, enchanting novels that explore themes of love, grief, choices, and second chances.

Full Review is set to post on duffrunstough on June 22nd.

When struggling musician Greta begrudgingly agrees to partake in a cruise with her recently widowed father, she discovers healing from multiple and unexpected sources.

The pacing to this started strong but eventually the disagreements between Greta and her father became very repetitive. Also, I wasn't too fond of the romantic aspect (and was relieved that there was no huge romantic gesture from either party by the book's conclusion). This was an enjoyable and relatively light and quick read, in spite of the serious subject matter, but there was nothing too special about it.

This was the perfect book to bring my summer vacation! Mix of some family drama, but also showing the importance of the all the relationships we have with others in our life.

3 stars.*

A cute story about a woman struggling after the loss of her mother. Having chosen a career path her father is uncomfortable with, guitarist Greta has a breakdown onstage following the sudden death of her mother. She is convinced by her brother to go in her mother's place on the Alaskan cruise she had planned for years alongside Greta's father.

She meets a boy. Things proceed.

I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. It was cute.

*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!


The Unsinkable Greta James is a perfect vacation read and one to consider as we go into spring/summer.

Greta James is grieving the death of her mother and joins her father on an Alaskan cruise that he had planned with her mom. Throughout the cruise Greta and her father mending their broken relationship. She even finds a love interest on the boat! It was a super quick, and heartwarming read. I feel that the author discussed brief appropriately and relatedly. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an early copy of this book

A rock start has a meltdown on stage. Family drama. A trip to the middle of nowhere. It sounds like it should add up to a great story. I really wanted to love this book because I'd heard so much about it, but it was just okay for me.

A wonderful book that leans into hurts, misconceptions, reconciliation and new beginnings. Greta was such a relatable character. Between her success as a musician and the deep sorrow that crippled her career. Following her journey to find herself again kept me mesmerized.

🛳 It has been a long time since I read a book in one day, but it finally happened with this one!

🛳 I was engaged from the start. The story isn’t what I expected, but I got more than I anticipated, and I loved that. This story has some interesting depth, particularly in the relationship between Greta and her Dad.

🛳 The story deals with grief, insecurity, humiliation, and heartbreak. But it is also about mending relationships, understanding others, kindness, learning to handle grief, and second chances.

🛳 I loved the references to The Call of the Wild by Jack London. I just love it when book characters talk about books I know and love. It makes them feel like my friends.

🛳 I love the title!

🛳 This book was more profound than I thought it would be and I enjoyed it immensely. I wish I had read it sooner.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse #ballantinebooks for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Greta James, an indie music star, heads on a cruise with her father to discover more about her mother, her life, and her past. I found this book completely enjoyable and was drawn into the story and the characters. You take the journey with Greta- and grow and learn with her as the book progresses.

Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC. #TheUnsinkableGretaJames #NetGalley

Easy read and a nice summer page turner. There are family relationships that every one can relate to. Highly recommend.

4 stars because I found this book an enjoyable, light read.

I found Greta, as a character, insufferable at times, but her relationship with her mother humanized her for me. That was enough for me to have something to latch onto so I could root for her. I did really want to see her repair her relationship with her father. I thought the author wrote about the family dynamic and drama convincingly.

There was enough humor sprinkled throughout the book to keep it from getting too heavy and I appreciated that.

I would recommend this book. It could be a good book club read or a great way to pass time on a plane.

Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars

The Unsinkable Greta James follows the titular rockstar of a main character, who is dealing with the sudden loss of her mother as well as the fallout of a public breakdown on stage during one of her concerts due to her grief, and a subsequent breakup with her celebrity beau. All of this is complicated by the fact that her brother has asked her to take their mother's place on a pre-planned trip on an Alaskan cruise their mother had planned with their father (whom Greta is estranged from) and their group of best friends for her parents' 40th anniversary. Due to the fact that her life is falling to pieces - and knowing it is likely what her mother would have wanted - she inexplicably agrees.

There are certain aspects of this book that work extraordinarily well. Smith does an excellent job touching on some of the less "glamorous" aspects of grief: the numbness, the guilt, the usually misappropriated blame (because someone has to be responsible for the loss), and the way it can spiral out and quickly engulf every aspect of your life. She also depicts with veracity the complexity of child/parent relationships, especially when that child becomes an adult in their own right, and how you can be estranged and have so many issues, but still very much love one another unconditionally. The story definitely made me more emotional than I was expecting to be, and despite the fact that Greta is a rockstar, Smith writes the characters and conversations in such ways that you frequently forget this fact and just see the story for what it is: a daughter and a father, loss in their own grief and separated by their past, who are trying to find their way back together to heal. The plot is easy flowing, and the descriptions of the Alaskan scenes made me want to book a cruise there immediately.

My biggest hang-up is that I wasn't a huge fan of Greta as a character. It felt kind of random to make her a rockstar - although it does add to why she's estranged from her father - in a Mary Sue-kind of way. I also feel that the romance plotline detracted from the larger story, although I did enjoy Ben as a character (but not her almost/kind of/past? love interests). I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it had focused on Greta herself and working on her relationship with her father, rather than tossing in other relationships to boot. It did provide some often needed relief from otherwise heavy scenes, but other than that, I did not feel like it really added anything into the story significantly.

Overall, I think I would recommend this book to someone who was looking for a lighter book about grief or tense parent/child relationships - which, I know, sounds like an oxymoron. But I think it does touch on the complexities of these issues without being too dark or triggering, which is a feat. I just definitely could have done without the romance, and the unnecessary aside of Greta's rockstar status.

I love a good romance, but i wanted this to focus more on the father daughter relationship, and not the on ship romance that happened. Can't believe I just said that. I believe the synopsis was a little misleading as it really highlighted the estranged father part, but maybe that was just on me and my misunderstanding.

Still very enjoyable and made me want to look into her other published works.