Synopsis: Greta, a rock star, is making sense of her own life after losing her mother who was also her biggest fan. Misunderstanding has caused a strained relationship with her father. Greta now finds herself on a cruise boat with her dad. They are both grieving and remembering the mom/wife they both loved so much. Will Greta make peace with her dad and in her own life choices or will they continue this strained relationship?

Have you ever just connected with someone in a story? This is how I felt about Greta. Her pain, sadness, grief and plain hard headed decisions just resonated with me. I thoroughly I enjoyed this book and found myself slowing down to read it so that I could enjoy each moment.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My review posted on Instagram @aprilmayreadit

I loved this heartwarming story of a rock star who finds herself on an Alaskan cruise with her father after her mother's death. Still reeling from an onstage meltdown that could threaten her career, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Ben, a Jack London lecturer who is estranged from his wife. Gets my vote for best cover of the year!

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith is an endearing story about love, loss, the complicated relationship between fathers and daughters and the price of musical stardom. This fun and unusual setting on an Alaskan cruise allows for refreshing content. It was a joy to ride the ocean with Greta, her father, her mother’s memory and the famous author, Ben Wilder.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book as covers can be very telling these days. Any type of cartoonish or hand-drawn art leads me to believe it’s a romantic comedy. I’m learning that this type of cover, without people depicted on it, can simply mean women’s fiction, rather than rom-com, and that’s where this one landed for me.

During their week at sea, a lot of tough conversations, healing and understanding occurs. There’s erasure of self-doubt, which was heavy enough for Greta to sink the ship at the start.

Smith’s writing was sure-footed, and she was able to keep the reader invested, especially with Ben, the new guy in the picture. I listened to this on audio and the narrator did a splendid job. Her characterization was appreciated. I look forward to reading what’s next from this author.

In “The Unsinkable Greta James” by Jennifer E. Smith we meet Greta James, an indie musician who had recently lost her mom and her will to play the guitar. So, when she joins her dad and his group of friends on a cruise to Alaska that was supposed to be for her parent’s anniversary, she is forced to face decisions about herself and those who love her.

A fun read about love, grief, and family. I am keeping my fingers crossed for that walk in the snow to Central Park .

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley, and this is my honest opinion.

The Unsinkable Greta James
Jennifer E. Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Isn’t it so funny when we read books at the perfect time? Especially when you have no clue what the plot of the book is?

It might have taken me all of April to read this one, but it was worth it. I had to tread lightly with this one because it was hitting so close to home! I might not have been on an Alaskan cruise, but I have been struggling with adult life and all those fun things.

I found Greta to be a very likable, relatable character. Maybe I feel that way because I also lost my mom. Because I’m definitely not a rockstar so we know there’s no connection there 🤣 The ending was perfect in my opinion and I couldn’t help but smile. I think this is the perfect light-hearted/wholesome read.

I expected to love this book based on the description. It tackles grief and loss and forgiveness and reconciliation, all things that speak to me so I was surprised that this book didn’t resonate much. I never really grew to love the characters. The writing was really good though and maybe I just didn’t connect because I couldn’t relate to the musician life as I have zero musical inclination. I do think this book would speak to a lot of people though and don’t hesitate to recommend it.

**Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy they sent me in exchange for my honest review.**

The Unsinkable Greta James is a charming and compulsively readable book about family and mending relationships. I loved the writing style and relatable characters. I would definitely recommend if you like Taylor Jenkins Reid's books.

Greta is a thirty-something minor rock star whose career has stalled. Several months before, Greta's mother dies unexpectedly, shattering her and her father. She agrees to go on an Alaskan cruise with her father that was meant to be an anniversary trip with his beloved wife. Greta's relationship with her father has always been strained so the trip presents an opportunity for reconciliation if they're open to it.

On the cruise, she meets Ben, a semi-famous author who gained fame from a fictionalized book about Jack London. I really enjoyed how their relationship blossomed and taught them about themselves. I loved having a bird's eye view of Greta's life and her relationships with her father and Ben. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

An emotional story about a young woman joining her father on an Alaska cruise. Her mother recently died and she struggles overcoming her grief and getting over a recent break-up with her boyfriend.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

For fans of Daisy Jones & the Six and Songs in Ursa Major - Greta James has found herself on a boat, or as her father says “a ship” in the middle of Alaska on a 7 day cruise she wasn’t supposed to be on. A musician (and famous one at that) as well as a grieving daughter, Greta has agreed to accompany her father, Conrad, on the trip Conrad and Greta’s late mother had planned to take before her death.

As the ship sets sail, Greta’s trouble begin to compound - her tense relationship with Conrad, her looming performance at Gov Ball, her last disaster of a performance (with a demanding label and publicity team thrown in).

A delightfully quick read, The Unsinkable Greta James explores love, loss and self-discovery in the wild of Alaska. Jennifer Smith leans fully into her YA background to give a grown up view on individuality and coming into one’s own.

I really enjoyed this as a break between heavier novels. It was an engaging read and while not light hearted, was heartfelt and endearing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Indie music star Gretta James is going on an Alaskan cruise with her dad in place of her late mother. Heavy stuff.

Gretta’s mom was her first and biggest fan; losing her was so unexpected and heartbreaking. When Gretta has a public, onstage breakdown that goes viral, her career is in a precarious place. She hesitantly agrees to accompany her father, who has never supported her career choice, on a cruise celebrating her parent’s fortieth anniversary that her mother had looked forward to for over a year.

This book made me feel everything that Gretta was feeling despite never having experienced a single thing that she went through. Definitely not a light read, but so so good. I was worried about how it might have ended, but was pleasantly surprised and delighted with every turn of this story. It was definitely slower paced than I am used to, but I was still captivated.

Thank you so much to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After her mother dies and she has a breakdown on stage, indie-musician Greta James goes on an Alaskan cruise with her father. He's never been very supportive of her career, unlike her mother. You also meet Ben Wilder, an author connects with Greta right away. Experiencing loss and the start of new love, follow along on Gretas' new life, if she will let herself move on,

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.