The Unsinkable Greta James is Rebecca Serle meets Taylor Jenkins Reid. A perfect tale of grief and redemption that will be enjoyed among readers of many different genres. Jennifer E. Smith crosses over to adult seamlessly but I would still consider this a great title for older readers who have graduated from reading YA contemporary.

This was such a heartwarming read! Such a good mix of romance, music, family and grief. Greta was such a fun main character, she really gave us rocker girl vibes but also quirky, fun, relatable vibes. Also can we talk about the setting!? Like I felt like I was on vacation during this book, the cruise and the Alaskan scenery, and the WHALES. I need to book a cruise asap now. I binged this one in 24 hours and regret nothing. Thank you NetGalley for the gifted copy!

Jennifer E. Smith has created a beautiful story of family, love, and second chances - all taking place on an Alaskan cruise! I was initially excited to read this book because I love all stories taking place in Alaska, and I myself have an Alaska cruise coming up. The setting served as a perfect backdrop for Greta to reconnect with her family and family friends after the recent loss of her mom. I cherished every page of this book, as Greta navigated the her relationships with family, her manager, and made a new connection with Ben, and rediscovers her love of music, all in the course of a week-long cruise. I look forward to reading more works by this author!

I have mixed feelings about this book. The writing is outstanding but I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between two very unlikely people, one a college professor and a father, the other an indie rockstar with few ties and grieving for her recently deceased mother, who died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm just before going on her bucket list cruise to Alaska.

Synopsis:
Greta James's meteoric rise to indie stardom was hard-won. Before she graced magazine covers and sold out venues, she spent her girlhood strumming her guitar in the family garage. Her first fan was her mother, Helen, whose face shone bright in the dusty downtown bars where she got her start--but not everyone encouraged Greta to follow her dreams. While many daydream about a crowd chanting their name, her father, Conrad, saw only a precarious life ahead for his daughter.

Greta has spent her life trying to prove him wrong, but three months after Helen's sudden death, and weeks before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta has an onstage meltdown that goes viral. Attempting to outrun the humiliation and heartbreak, she reluctantly agrees to accompany her father on a week-long Alaskan cruise, the very one that her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary.

There were flashes of happiness, but overall this was a very sad book, not my usual choice. It’s really a story between Greta and her father more than a love story. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Unsinkable Greta James was a @bookofthemonth option for March so I know a bunch of you must have this on your shelves. Raise your hand if you read and loved this as much as I did. 🙋🏻‍♀️
An Alaskan cruise brings Greta, grieving after the loss of her mother, together with her father who was supposed to be taking the trip with his wife. Greta James is a rockstar whose career is threatened after a recent viral video.
There was so much to love here including the depictions of Alaskan sightseeing (like, I really want to take an Alaskan cruise now). Greta and her dad have had a difficult relationship for a long time because of her career choice, but the forced proximity her made them face some of their demons and this was an absolute joy to read. Plus the smidge of romance with a Jack London loving professor was the Cherry on top. A heartwarming, uplifting novel about family and second chances.
I listened to this and I have another favorite narrator to add to my list. @mistergarf performed this to perfection. Loved it.
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Following a public breakdown brought on by the sudden death of her mother, indie musician Greta James agrees to accompany her father on a cruise to Alaska. They have always had a tense relationship, and while she was alive, Greta’s mother, her biggest fan, had helped father and daughter communicate. With her gone, Greta and her father Conrad struggle to bridge the divide between them especially in the face of their shared grief. Both hope the cruise to Alaska will help them learn to understand each other. In addition to trying to repair her relationship with her father, Greta is working on her sophomore album, dealing with fans on the cruise ship, re-evaluating her current relationship, and trying to recover from her public meltdown. Ultimately, The Unsinkable Greta James is a story about repairing relationships, finding your joy and living life to the fullest. I absolutely loved this one and highly, highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was an honest look at how people deal with grief. Greta and her dad are still reeling from the loss of Greta's mom and they embark on an Alaskan cruise. The author portrayed the strained relationship between Greta and her dad realistically. The characters were interesting and the story engaging.

This warmed my heart. I read it in 2 days. It is a story of healing and self discovery. I really enjoyed it.

This is a heartwarming, feel good, and well written story about the power of love, dealing with grief, and second chances. Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group Ballantine, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

We follow Greta James as she navigates through many of life's challenges. Any one of these issues might throw a weaker person into a permanent depression. Greta faces a very public meltdown on stage following the death of her mother. Since then, she has not been able to perform or even pick up a guitar.

She agrees to accompany her estranged father on the cruise which was to have been a celebration of her parents' 40th anniversary. Will this cruise be her ultimate challenge or is she really "unsinkable"?

Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Alaska, she learns truths about herself and her relationship with her family.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to others by Jennifer Smith.

THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES by Jennifer Smith was an engaging read. After the sudden passing of her mother, she’s asked to go on an Alaskan cruise with her father that was planned for their 40th anniversary before her mother’s death. As a successful musician, Greta is working to fix all that is broken with her career, her relationship, and her heart. The result is a fast reading story about the distances you have to sail and the honesty you need to embrace to find what you are looking for. Definitely an author that I will keep following.

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith is an emotional family drama that will warm your heart. Ever since I read Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone I have been obsessed with Alaska so when I found out this book takes place on an Alaskan cruise, I was sold.

Synopsis:
Greta James is an indie/rock musician that has made quiet a name for herself. But, when her mother suddenly passes away, Greta is left mourning her loss while on the road. Greta’s life seems to be falling apart, but when her brother asks her to go on an Alaskan cruise with their dad, Greta cannot refuse. She knows this was the trip her mother had been planning way before her passing. Greta and her dad have a stranded relationship, to say the least, so how will they do together stuck on a week-long cruise?


Thoughts
- Loved the Alaskan setting.
- Loved the growth of Greta.
- Loved that Greta was not creepily obsessed with her mother.
- Loved that Greta was thinking of her family during their mourning process and they were able to grieve and grow together.
- Wish there were more musical vibes with Greta’s career, but definitely loved that we got a glimpse of that part of Greta’s life as well.


4.5 stars for Greta James. I really enjoyed this book and was able to finish it is a few short sittings because I was so invested in the story. Plus, the cover is gorgeous.

Greta James is a thriving rock star... until her mother dies. Through a tumultuous relationship with her father, her mother was always the referee as well as Greta's biggest supporter and fan. When she is gone, Greta is unsure how to continue life on stage and off. She is convinced by her brother to go on a week-long cruise with her father and friends in place of her late mother. With their rocky relationship, Greta does not think the trip will go well. Not only does she need to repair the relationship with her father, but she also needs to figure out how to get back on stage after the dreaded night when she completely fell apart on stage. At times this story was laugh-out-loud funny but then was an emotional meltdown. I absolutely loved it. It was a quick amazing read and I would recommend it to fans of Daisy Jones and the Six. 5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC.

The Unsinkable Greta James really pulled me in and I was surprised to find how quickly I read it. Greta is a famous musician who has been taking some time off. Her mom passed away a few months ago and she broke down on stage after and video of it went viral. Greta’s brother convinces her to go on a cruise to Alaska with her dad and her parents’ friends.

I really appreciated the ways this book handled grief and family relationships. I just felt so drawn into Greta’s life that the book flew by and now I find myself wanting to know more about what will happen next for her.

Thank you to Ballantine and Netgalley for the free review copy.

I love Jennifer E. Smith’s YA books and this didn’t disappoint! I resonant story of family bonds and surprising paths taken.

I really liked this book! The characters were all very likable and I couldn’t really figure out how it was going to end! I loved reading about Alaska, too.

3.25 - 3.5

Greta James is an up-and-coming star that has just had the most embarrassing moment of her career, just lost her mother, who was her number one fan, and lost her boyfriend.

Greta's parents had planned an Alaskan cruise for their 40th anniversary. Now that her mother is gone, Greta's brother talks her into going on this cruise with her father and some of their friends. Greta and her father have always had a strained relationship. Instead of encouraging her to go after her dreams, he wanted her to settle down and have a more stable career and lifestyle.

Greta goes on the cruise to hide from her current problems and hopes to be able to finally connect with her dad.
While on the cruise she sees some amazing sights including Ben Wilder, who is a historian on the cruise to talk about his books on Jack London. Greta and Ben both have so many things to think about and might just be able to help each other through this 7-day trip.

I loved Greta as a character. I did not like Ben as much. I don't think that their relationship really brought anything extra to the story that couldn't have been handled through her relationship with her father and his friends. I just felt like romance was unnecessary and kind of glanced over if it was supposed to be a major plot point. I also would have liked to have had more of the relationship with Greta and her dad from her childhood, adulthood, and even their time on this trip together.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. It's been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. I nearly read it all in a single sitting. The characters are complicated and hurting and totally real and yet the story has such an uplifting feel to it. I'll be recommending this one to everyone I know.

WHY DID I LISTEN TO THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES BY JENNIFER E. SMITH?
I have been a long time fan of Jennifer E. Smith. There was something special and deeply absorbing to me when it comes to her young adult contemporary books. When I heard that she was coming out with a book aimed at adults, I knew I had to get my hands on it and read it. As my life has been so jam packed with different things lately, listening to the audiobook of The Unsinkable Great James meant that I got to this book much sooner than anticipated. Also, I love a good adult contemporary fiction audiobook.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Smith’s The Unsinkable Greta James follows main character Greta James who is an indie musician who has hit it big. Greta’s number one fan was her mother Helen who would often come to Greta’s concerts with a sign that said Greta’s mom. Helen dies quite suddenly. Greta, while performing, has a meltdown on stage in her grief and it goes viral. Unlike Helen, her father Conrad, grew up quite poor and so he’s not all about Greta’s career and would prefer to see her in a much more stable job. The two get along like oil and water.

Greta agrees to go with Conrad on an Alaskan cruise which was supposed to be for their parents fortieth anniversary. Along the way, Greta must lick her wounds, heal and eventually make her way back to performing. She also begins the work of healing her relationship with her father. Oh, and there’s a little romance with a professor on board named Ben Wilder who also happens to be going through something as well.

HOW DID I LIKE THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES?
I ended up really enjoying The Unsinkable Greta James. The backdrop of the Alaskan cruise was a fabulous setting. I loved the portions delving into nature — particularly when they see this bird that turns out to be a big deal. Greta’s healing was so special to read — I am not sure if that makes sense. However, I always root for a character who experiences a level of personal growth and change –and that’s Greta. The romance wasn’t too bad either, but for me, not the focus or rather where I had my focus while reading. I also liked the complicated relationship between Greta and Conrad and could understand the perspective of both characters.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook is narrated by Mae Whitman. I believe this may be the first time I have listened to a book narrated by Whitman. It will not be the last. Whitman does a wonderful job voicing Greta’s story and keeping my attention. Looking back, this audiobook was actually longer in length than it felt. It is eight hours and fifteen minutes long, however, it does genuinely feel faster.

This is a great family drama, finding oneself, second chances story If you love cruise ship settings you'll love this as the Alaskan setting, which we got from the excursions that they went on were amazing. Greta agreed to go on the cruise with her father after her mother's unexpected death. Her mother had planned the cruise for their wedding anniversary. I loved the dynamic of having Greta and her father's complicated relationship challenged and explored. I really enjoyed getting to know Greta as she struggled with her grief, her relationship with her dad which he was difficult to like a lot of the time, and the possibility of her finding love with someone who was really her opposite. A really enjoyable story with characters I was happy to spend an afternoon with