I thought the exploration of Greta’s grief was well done, but honestly I was a little frustrated how this book turned more into a romance with Ben than fixing her relationship with her Dad. They were on a cruise ship together for 7-8 days and yet their time together was limited. It didn’t feel like any progress and I think that’s a bit unrealistic to be honest.

It was definitely a “coming of age” vibe with the main focus on Greta as she had reflective moments from her past and forward growth through her mothers passing and her music meltdown.

I'm a devoted Jennifer E. Smith YA reader and will continue to be so! Unfortunately I felt this book read like a YA novel in which I was TOLD the characters were older, but I wasn't able to fully buy in. I look forward to more from Smith in the future, regardless of which audience she chooses to write for next.

Such a delightful book, gave me all the feels! The character development was remarkable, and I really felt like I was on this trip with them the whole time. Much thanks to Netgalley for allowing me on this journey.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book but by the end, I was totally sold! The Unsinkable Greta James follows indie=rocker Greta as she processes the loss of her mother - while on an Alaskan cruise with her father and family friends. The relationships felt respectful and realistic while also being fun. I was worried I was getting a bit burnt out on musician protagonists but this one was excellent - definitely a book I’d recommend!

Not always my go to type of book, after reading the synopsis of this one I decided to give it a try. I think the author is excellent at plotting a story but have to admit I felt that the book was a little dull. It could have been a me problem for sure as it gets many great reviews. Sometimes I think reading the right book at the right time is essential, and i feel this is the case with this one.

This was an easy read--sweet, charming, funny. I love how the entire story took place on a cruise ship and still managed to contain enough drama to keep me turning pages. Ultimately, this is a book about grief and I'm sucker for those. Would recommend.

This book was like a warm hug for everyone who has felt they don't fit with a family member. I personally connected with this book because of that. It deals with loss, love, and career happiness. It's one It made me want to go on an Alaskan cruise and remember to tell my loved ones that I love them every time I talk to them. For fans of AJ Fikry, A Man Called Ove, Sam Hell.

A lovely rom-com of a novel with the emotional heft of a father and daughter working through loss and their relationship. I'd liked to have a bit more of the Alaskan scenery center stage, but as it is it forms a beautiful backdrop to a fun but not excessively fluffy novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Unsinkable Greta James. The storyline deals with the complicated familial relationship between a father and daughter as well as Greta's own struggles after a bad performance threatens to undo her music career.
Greta's emotional journey was interesting to follow and I loved the setting of the Alaskan cruise.
Great read!

This book was just too cookie-cutter for me. The main character's personality was so paper-thin, that I didn't care what happened to her in the end. I wanted a stronger father/daughter relationship. Those are the kind of novels I gravitate towards. I don't know why every novel has to have a love interest. It's annoying and downright boring. I was hoping for sooooo much more.

This could have been an out-of-the-park read for me but there were a lot of elements that just didn't add up or mesh well.

I wish the author would have just focused this novel on the relationship between her and her father. The addition of a <i>love interest</i> was superfluous and completely unnecessary. First off, the love interest was so bland and icky. And second...it came off as very insta-lovey bordering on possessiveness. She owes this essential stranger <b>nothing</b> yet he is constantly bamboozling her for information he reads from tabloids? He was a complete ass and almost ruined the read. When scenes with him would pop up, I would groan internally.

Overall, it was a unique and fascinating read. It could have been more layered and complex if it just focused on father/daughter but overall wasn't a <i>terrible</i> read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I think I personally just wasn't in the right headspace to read this book because I didn't have a lot of the same takeaways as I've seen others have. I think this book could have hit me in a deep and profound way, but I just didn't connect to it like others have.

I really admire the way that the author portrays each and every character in the book. The characters were one of my favorite things about this book, and I also really enjoyed the setting of the book as well. I think the family dynamics were very interesting and were well unpacked and explained.

This book addresses loss and grief in such a real, raw, and beautiful way, and I respect it so much for that.

I really love seeing a YA author branch out into the adult world!

This book has a great balance of all the things I love in a story. You will not be disappointed with this one. I really enjoyed it.

The Unsinkable Greta James is a story about coming to terms with loss, repairing relationships, and finding yourself again while all being set on a cruise ship in Alaska. Greta James is a rock star who has recently experienced lost her mother/biggest fan and has not been able to play. When the anniversary cruise that her mother planned for herself and Greta's father as well as some family friends comes up it is determined that Greta will take her mother's place. Ever since Greta decided that music would be her life she has not had a good relationship with her father and they cannot seem to break through the walls each other has setup over the years.

While the topics this story deals with are tough they are handled in a way that makes this a quick, enjoyable, lighthearted read. I would suggest this book to any reader young or old, male or female (although more female), light fiction or high stacks mystery reader. The characters are great, realistic, and you are able to take and understand everyone's side at the same time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, very good for fans of where’d you go Bernadette. Going to be doing this for book club next year,

This book kind of has it all! It is sad, heartwarming, sweet and funny. The characters are so endearing and well-developed that I felt emotionally connected to each one. I loved the Alaskan cruise ship setting. The story is so engaging and beautifully written. I love books about family dynamics and family drama and this one has romance to boot. Jennifer Smith's venture into adult fiction from YA does not disappoint in my opinion. The cover is beautiful too! Highly recommend Greta James!!

I am mad at myself for letting this sit as long as I did. It is a great story of a daughter trying to find herself and rebuild relationships after the death of her mother. It reminded me of Daisy Jones or Songs in Ursa Major with the music component, but the author focused a lot on the character herself and how she was adapting at life.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Greta James is a indie star - she has worked really hard at her craft since she first held a guitar in elementary school. Her mom, Helen, is her biggest fan. Conrad, her father, her smallest. He never seemed to support her dream and always seemed disappointed/disinterested in her dream. This, Greta sees as a challenge, and goes out everyday to prove him wrong.

A few months prior to the release of her sophomore album, Helen dies quiet unexpectedly. When Greta takes the stage to sing a song to promote the album, she sings a song that is NOT on the album. It is a song she wrote while flying home from Germany due to her mom's death. The song is not ready, still too new, and Greta has a complete meltdown on stage and goes into hiding as a result. During her hiding, her brother reminds Greta that her parents were slated to take an Alaskan cruise. Her encourages her to go so that they may be there for each other and help the healing of their relationship.

Greta agrees to go and it is rocky, not just the terrain, but their relationship. A lot of old wounds reopen; however, there is room for discovery and healing. Along the way, Ben Wilder, an author, enters her life and helps her to see things from another perspective.

A wonderful book that kept me interested from page 1. I look forward to reading more by this author.

3.5 stars rounded up

This atmospheric novel set on an Alaskan cruise ship had a lot of heart. I cried twice while reading this and was clearly emotionally affected, but struggled with aspects of this novel.

Greta is an Indie rockstar reeling from a public emotional collapse onstage after her Mother’s death. She’s struggling with returning to her music when she joins her father on what would have been his anniversary trip on an Alaskan cruise.their father daughter relationship has always been strained and the two are forced to find new footing without the matriarch of the family as a buffer. While onboard, Greta meets nerdy author Ben that she has a spark with despite their vastly different lives.

I’m so conflicted on my rating on this one. I thought the complicated Father Daughter relationship was incredibly captured and the heart of this novel. The grief they share, the values they differ on and the conflict they’ve avoided for years all has come to a boiling point. As someone who works professionally in the arts, I found the concerned parent who wants his daughter to find a steady career hitting close to home. Smith vividly describes Alaska, which is now even higher on my bucket list.

The lower rating really stems from the romance plot line in this book. I just…didn’t care or buy it at all. Ben and Greta are too different and it was such a reach for me. The dichotomy between the pair’s different lives seemed too convenient and unrealistic. But overall, I was emotionally affected by this book and would read another by this author.

⚠️Trigger Warning: Death of a Parent, Infidelity

This is a sweet read that will make you want to book your own Alaskan cruise. While it's fairly predictable, it's also beautiful and fun to read.