A story that revolves around moving on after loss and grief, this book will tug at your heart. Greta is a singer/guitarist who just lost her beloved mother, and is on a break from performing. Her brother, Asher, convinces Greta to go on an Alaskan cruise with their father, who is deeply mourning, and two of their closest couple friends. The descriptions of Alaska make me want to sign up for that cruise, while the deep emotions experienced by Greta and her father enhance the story. I enjoyed this book and recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

BOOK REVIEW

BOOK: The Unsinkable Greta James
AUTHOR: Jennifer E. Smith
FORMAT: eBook
GENRE: Contemporary Fiction
PUB DATE: 3/1/22
RATING: 8/10
4 stars

Thank you so much @randomhouse @netgalley for my #gifted advanced copy of THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES, out now!

MY THOUGHTS

I was super excited to read this one because I had seen glowing reviews for it (enough so that I forced one of my book clubs to read it in March :)) s/o #ALittleBitLiterate ilysm) and it definitely didn’t disappoint for me!

I think one of my favorite parts of this book was the simplicity of it. The story line was incredibly straight forward, there were not a ton of characters to keep track of, there was essentially one setting throughout the entire book. And while I love multiple POVs and nonlinear timelines, sometimes one POV and one timeline is a nice refreshing change of pace. The themes of this story were pretty deep and I love how the author handled them. I really enjoyed the complexity between our MC Greta and her father. I think my favorite part of this book was the ending. One part specifically made me put my book down and take a deep breath🥲🥲 and I felt like it really just came full circle in the simplest way.

I will say that with one POV and one timeline, sometimes the book can feel underwhelming. I think I was neither under nor overwhelmed, but just plain whelmed by this one. It didn’t WOW me, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. For such a simple story it really tugs on your heart strings!!

Definitely recommend this one!! There is a pretty decent CW⚠️ for the story line that I might encourage researching beforehand, or messaging me (always feel free to DM me about triggers and content warnings!), but otherwise a touching story.

Loved the setting and characters! Thanks for the early reading opportunity, NetGalley! My book club is reading it next month 😃

I have a soft spot in my heart for stories about musicians, and I'm not sure why. However, I was particularly drawn to this story of a successful guitarist and musician who finds herself stuck on a cruise with a father she continually disappoints only weeks after her mother's death.

What I Loved: Ultimately, this is a story about grief and healing and forgiveness and redemption, and I think Smith captured all these themes beautifully. How she portrayed Greta's relationship with both her mother and her father frequently left me in tears — both happy and sad. There were no quick fixes, no major a-ha moments, but a slow back and forth of giving and taking, repenting and forgiving, talking and listening. I know that some like their stories all wrapped up in a bow, but I think the open ending worked so well here and left the reader imagining a range of possibilities.

What I Didn't Love: This book is messy — as it should be — so you might find some parts slow, but that was okay for me. And just because I loved the book doesn't mean I endorse all of Greta's life choices, especially in the relationship department. But I do have to say that Greta will never find happiness or satisfaction in any of the areas she's searching for — her career, her family, her romantic relationships — and the book might lead you to believe that she can.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

5 STARS - WONDERFUL BOOK
A HUGE Thank You to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the e ARC of The Unsinkable Greta James. As someone who recently experienced a traumatic loss, I chose this book to hopefully aid in my healing journey. I am usually a psychological thriller reader and shy away from emotional reads, especially those with a hint of romance. And if I had followed my usual book picks, I would have missed this Extraordinary 5 Star 🌟 read!! I thought it was a quick read, but only because I enjoyed it so much. It pulled me in and I was rooting for Greta the whole way! The writing was comfortable, emotional and thoughtful. The story covered some difficult topics, difficult conversations, and difficult loss. But the underlying theme was Hope and I believe in Hope. And the ending... PERFECT!!
#NetGalley

Thank you Random House and Jennifer E Smith for an advanced copy of The Unsinkable Greta James. This is an excellent book. I would give more than 5 stars if I could.

Greta is a musician and just lost her mom. When her mom died, Greta had a meltdown at a concert and her confidence is gone. Prompted by her brother, Greta goes on an Alaskan cruise with their dad that their dad would have been on with their mom. Greta and her dad have had a rocky relationship because of his disapproval of her choice to go into the career she’s in.

All of the characters are great. You get to know Greta’s mom via flashback and when they talk about her. Greta is terrific. She’s true to herself. She’s going through so much with her mom’s death. She interacts with her dad. There are two couples who are friends of her parents and who she’s known since she was a kid. They are all supportive. She also meets Ben on the trip - an author giving lectures on the cruise.

The relationships are fully explored. You root for Greta and Conrad, her dad, the whole way. There are laughs and tears. Such a terrific book! This is definitely a book to reread and keep enjoying. You’ve got to read it! You’ll love it!!

All the feels!! Love, loss, family, grief. Can we forgive those we love the most, who can hurt us the most? This book has you questioning all of those feelings and all of those truths!!!

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith is my first Smith novel to read. Smith introduces us to indie-folk star, Greta Jones. Greta,, originally from Ohio has worked her whole life to get where she is today; propelled by her mom who never gave up on her. Greta gets the call she has always dreaded, her mom is sick and she needs to come back home. Greta will never forgive herself for not leaving the tour immediately. Why didn't she just stop everything and leave? Arriving back home after her mom's death is just another sign to her dad that she can't do anything right. After the funeral, Greta somehow ends up accompanying her father on the anniversary trip to Alaska that her mom had planned. She'll get Asher, her brother, back later. But for now, she is stuck on a cruise ship with her dad and two other couples from back home. Can she make it a week in her dad's presence? Although after a chance meeting with Ben, who thinks he is Jack London, maybe the ship won't be entirely terrible. Greta just may be able to turn this around.
I really like when I start reading a book with no preconceived notions. I had not heard much about the storyline yet and I actually prefer it to be that way. I really enjoyed The Unsinkable Greta James. Although it didn't have any wow moments for me but was just a nice easy read. Smith breaks the books into sections based on the days at sea, which I really liked. I would be interested to read another work by Smith and I will recommend this to my other book reading friends. Special thanks to NetGalley, Jennifer E. Smith, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 3. 5 stars for me.
#TheUnsinkableGretaJames #NetGalley

This was the perfect read that did an amazing job of combining grief, romance, and travel without feeling cheesy in anyway. This book follows Greta who is a famed musician who had some recent issues in concerts and recently lost her mom. Greta and her father end up going on an Alaskan cruise that was intended for his parents 40th anniversary. This book does a great job of focusing on the grief of losing someone while also focusing on finding joy after. loss while also a closed romance. If you need a light and joyful read for this summer, I cannot recommend it enough.

I was not sure what I was expecting when I sat down to read this but what I did get was a full on 100 percent enjoyable reading experience! I loved the characters and the plot flowed very well. Addicted to the authors writing as well! ALL THE STARS!

Such a good book, I think people are gonna really love this one. Keep me wanting more the whole way through. Thank you!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I am dealing with the loss of a parent and found this book to be healing and moving. It had romance, family drama, character introspection, and a nice epilogue that wrapped things up while leaving me wanting a sequel. The Alaska backdrop was also a nice touch.

Great story of dealing with grief and healing within a family. Loved the characters and felt like I was on the cruise with them. Very enjoyable read!

Thank you everyone for this gifted copy of The Unsinkable Greta James!

While skeptical at first, this book gets a high rating from me in the end! This book was beautifully written. It made me feel at home and cozy, all while tugging at my heartstrings. I laughed, I cried (multiple times), I felt so at peace while reading this book.

I notice that this is mostly a 4 star book, but it gets 5 stars from me because how I felt reading this book is how I want to feel while reading. I felt connected to the characters and their stories, and I just thought it was so well written.

You can also find me picking up a copy of The Call of the Wild to reread.

Oh my heart!!!! I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into when I requested this from netgalley but apparently the universe knew I needed it and someone how I ended up with it ! The father daughter relationship def struck a cord … the loss of her mom hit me in relation to the loss of my grandmother …I don’t want to be a spoiler so I won’t say what I want to but there was a line (on “loc 3815” per kindle) that choked me and punched me in the heart and I was here for it!!! Honestly Jennifer Smith broke my heart like 7 times but mended it 8….I loved this story I honestly fell in love with Greta, Ben, Preeti and Conrad …. There is honestly just so much to love about this - lessons on grief, lessons in love , lessons on faith and bravery , lessons of change and just freaking LIFE lessons … I honestly just adored it and you will not hear me say or get me to say one bad thing about it !

The Unsinkable Greta James is a sweet story of an indie rock star, who's just lost her beloved mother. At the suggestion of her brother, "the favorite child", Greta joins her bereaved and difficult father on a weeklong cruise to Alaska. Along the way they both explore their love and loss, both new and old. Jennifer E. Smith is a beautiful writer who understands the difficult relationship between parent and child. This would be a very good book group read.

I really enjoyed Jennifer E Smith’s first adult fiction book The Unsinkable Greta James. It is such an uplifting story that many readers will enjoy. The story was not predictable and it had a satisfying ending. I think this would be a good book club book and I see it being made in to a movie. Hope Ms. Smith writes more adult fiction in the future.

Greta James is not in a good place right now. It's been 3 months since the sudden death of her mother, the parent she is closer to. This loss has caused her mental health to deteriorate; a meltdown on stage; and her and her boyfriend breaking up.

Now, instead of using the coming week to prepare for the upcoming festival, the worst has happened; she has to begrudgingly spend it with her unsupportive father on a boat in Alaska. Nothing could be worse, could it?

Over the course of the week, old wounds will be healed and many of the things Greta thought were true will be challenged. Particularly when she meets fellow lost soul and sexy professor, Ben.

It is important to note that if you are familiar with this author, that Greta is a grown woman. I, having only read YA by this author, did not realize this at first and was very confused for a bit.

Overall, this was a pretty good book. I enjoyed the tales of adventure that Greta finds herself on and I was rooting for her to find what she needed. However, the book, much like the main character, is very subdued.

Greta is reeling from the loss of her mother, she is not excited to be on a boat, or “ship” with her father. She is anxious about their relationship, and she is enjoying the company of Ben, but not sure if it's going to be a long term thing.

She is not excited or invigorated by much of anything in this book, and it makes the story stay very monosyllabic. The one thing she loves is playing guitar, but since her bad show she also has anxiety around that as well.

I am glad I read this book and I enjoy this author, though I wish there was more emotion beyond the still healing sadness and melancholy of the main character.

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith is a novel about indie music star Greta James. She was enjoying her newfound fame when her mother died, and she had a breakdown on stage. Since then, she hasn't know what to do with herself. Her brother convinces her to go on a cruise with her dad--the cruise that he was supposed to go on with her mother. She reluctantly goes and ends up learning and growing so much from the experience. This book was a delight to read--it was so well-written and inspirational. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This story has a lot to say about grief and family relationships, all wrapped in a delightful tale of a week-long Alaskan cruise. Greta James is an indie musician who seems to have made it, but after her beloved mother (and biggest fan) dies suddenly, Greta has a meltdown on stage that goes viral. She hasn’t performed since and is due to release her sophomore album shortly: pressure! Her relationship with her dad isn’t great; he’s always been concerned about the lack of stability of the life she’s chosen. But Greta agrees to join him and her parents’ best friends on what would have been her parents’ 40th anniversary cruise through Alaska, something they’ve longed to do. There are some great, awkward moments between Greta and her dad, and Greta and her parents’ friends. While on board Greta forms a relationship with Ben, a professor who is on board to give lectures about Jack London and his classic novels. Ben is going through his own family and career crisis.

The Alaskan setting came alive for me, as I reminisced about being on a similar cruise a few years ago. The descriptions were spot on. I appreciated the not-quite happy-ever-after ending - very realistic.

While I received the eARC from NetGalley, I wound up partially reading it and partially listening to the published audiobook by Random House Audio. The narrator, Mae Whitman, did an excellent job with the many voices.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.