Greta James is a talented musician, she sings, shreds on guitar and writes music. When her mom unexpectedly dies, Greta is thrown for a loop. She has a breakdown on stage shortly after her death and steps away from the spotlight to grieve.
Her parents had planned a 40th anniversary cruise to Alaska with some friends. When Greta's brother, who is married with kids and no available time off, asks Greta to go with her dad so she can keep an eye on him, Greta reluctantly agrees. She and her dad have had a rocky relationship and the idea of spending time with him without her mom playing referee worries Greta.
During the time on the cruise, Greta and her dad have some difficult conversations (or arguments), she grieves her mom even more, she attempts to reconnect with her music, and makes a bond with a professor/author on board.
This book was beautiful. It tackles the subject of grief in an honest and frank way. Greta and her father each grieve in their own way, along with her mom's friends. Their tense relationship felt so real because they both had valid feelings but had never truly communicated about them before. Greta's relationship with the professor offers her insight and another perspective about her family relationships and about her music and life. A young fan of Greta's helps her remember why music means so much to her.
I couldn't put the book down, my biggest complaint is that I felt it ended too fast! The ending was a little open-ended and while I have my interpretation of what it meant, I can see it being interpreted a few ways. I'd have loved a little more and to see actually see if I was right or not.

In The Unsinkable Greta James, we met up with indie rockstar Greta Jame shortly after her mom dies and shortly after falling apart mid-concert singing a song about her mom. Her brother convinces her to go on a cruise with her dad who has never been supportive of her music, despite how successful she's been.

I absolutely loved the Alaskan imagery in this book. I was transported and just loved hearing all the things she did and saw. I feel like the relationship with her dad was tense but relatable, and I appreciated how raw and uncomfortable it got at times. When they got into the rockstar plot, it was mostly really well done and I really loved when Greta was performing or playing music, but at times I felt like the author was floundering on how famous she wanted her to be. I would've appreciated more lyrics, ESPECIALLY for Astronomy or Told You So. If you're going to spend so much time telling us how emotional or angry a song is, can we please see it ourselves?

The romance in this book was with a separated but not divorced guy with kids who wasn't sure if his marriage was salvageable or not. This is the third or fourth book released in the span of a month that I have read where married people screw around on vacation, claiming the Ross Gellar excuse of "we were on a break". I really am not a fan of this trope (it's happening enough to feel like it's is it's own trope now) and it really casts an unsavory light on otherwise lovable characters.

Overall, this book fell flat for me and I was left mostly wanting more depth.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and Jennifer E. Smith for a gifted copy of this book!!**

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain"- Bob Marley

Greta James has been proving this adage since her teenage years. Starting as many guitarists do, in tiny coffee shops and school talent shows, she is now A Name in the music biz.. Her climb to semi-stardom, however, is interrupted when tragedy arrives at her doorstep: her mother has unexpectedly passed away. Greta made the decision not to leave her gig, but is wracked with guilt and dealing with the fall out of her first (and biggest) fan's passing. After losing it mid-song in front of a live audience, Greta feels the pressure to keep her career on an uphill trajectory while trying to heal emotionally. As if this weren't enough, brother Asher encourages her to accompany their father Conrad on a week long Alaskan cruise....one that he was SUPPOSED to take with Greta's mother to celebrate their anniversary. And of course there's the tiny fact that Conrad has never approved of Greta's 'unstable' career in the first place....

Once aboard, Conrad and Greta are forced to spend a LOT of time together, with friends and neighbors as their only occasional buffer...until Greta meets Your Stereotypical History Professor and Ultra-Cute Nerd Ben Wilder, who is obsessed with Jack London's Call of the Wild and has boarded the ship to deal with some emotional trauma of his own. Will Greta make it through the week in one piece? What does she have to learn from Ben...and will the ice, the snow, and the ever-widening chasm between her and Conrad hold fast...or like an ice floe, split off for good?

I've been wanting to dive into Jennifer Smith's work for a while, which up until this point has been in the YA world. I'm not sure how I'd feel about her YA work...but I have a pretty good feeling after reading this book, that I would ABSOLUTELY love it! The writing in this book is reminiscent of YA in certain respects, with fairly quick chapters, a reasonable page count, and characters you can grasp fairly quickly. In many respects, this COULD have been changed and pared down to fit a teenage audience...but I am SO grateful Smith didn't do that. The relationships in this one are so better realized as fully fledged adult relationships, with poignant reflections on careers, relationships, and most importantly, parent-child dynamics. The strife between Conrad and Greta was palpable, relatable, and beautifully crafted. It was hard to read at times, but gripping all along. Smith's choice to give the novel a bit of balance with the blossoming relationship between Greta and Ben was wise: it kept the novel from feeling TOO tragic, heavy, and dark.

Music is of course the through line for Greta, but she is far from the cliched rock star, and the layers of her personality slowly unfurl over the course of the narrative. I also appreciate that Smith didn't tack ANY sort of a groan inducing 'too-good-to-be-true' ending on this tale. It didn't need it, and would have done the character of Greta a great disservice. Grief doesn't get boxed away and tied up neatly just because a certain amount of time has passed, or a certain event has happened. It is simply to be managed, worked through, and used to create something better and more beautiful in the world. Greta does all of this and more.This is a tragic, lovely, and moving story that will have you reflecting on your own family, music, love, and so many other essential facets of life. Molly Brown might be the first Unsinkable woman---but Greta James is by far the most unshakable AND unbreakable!

4 stars

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. I was intrigued by the title and cover when I started reading, but knew little about the plot and wanted to be surprised. This was a delightful read that has a very lovable and relatable main character in Greta James. I enjoyed the isolated setting of a cruise ship and the interactions between Greta, her family, friends, and new love interest. I never read anything by this author before but look forward to reading more of her work in the future!

I absolutely loved this book. I was captivated from the beginning. Everyone wants a mom like Greta's and seeing her story told through Greta, her husband, and her friends was sad and heartwarming. So many feels! Plus, Greta's journey through her grief was so relatable even if I'm not a rock star like she is. Throw in Ben and Preeti and I was all in.

I'll be telling everyone to read this one!

This book is very inspirational, I loved everything about it. We meet Greta who is a famous indie artist, she just lost her mom, her biggest fan and her whole world has gone upside down. She has been away from the stage for a few months and she's debating if she even wants to go back into the music scene. Her brother recommends that she takes a trip with their dad, the trip that was meant for their 40th anniversary. This broke my heart, two people lost someone very important in their lives going on a cruise, and her dad and Greta are not the best of friends. There was so much misunderstandings between them that I was so happy to see ironed out, it was so heartwarming, I am telling you when Greta had recollections of her mom and the places her mom will go to support her and how her fans loved her mom, how her mom supported her, I was just in beautiful, I’m getting emotional writing this review now.

In the cruise she even meets someone who is just as famous, and you can see that she was slowly coming back to herself, even with the changes between her and her dad? Those were huge motivational points for her, she chose to not give up, and to keep pushing, and continue with her career since this is something she has always wanted. And the sweetest surprise in the end? I couldn't hold back the tears. Trust me this is no a sad book its amazing and uplifting, its emotional, and very inspirational, and so heartfelt, it was awesome.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I've always believed that family dynamics are ingrained in us early and carry through the rest of our lives. This book is a story of a family, the roles they are played and how they were forced to adapt to the loss of one of their own.

Asher, the boy in the family, always the favorite, always the pleaser. Conrad, the father, the one who taught them all to work hard, the one who was pretty much all work and no play. Helen, the always supportive and loving Mom, who dies much too early. And finally, Greta, the rebellious one, the wild child, the title character, the rock star.

Asher guilts Greta into accompanying Conrad on a vacation that was supposed to have been Helen and Conrad's anniversary trip, planned before Helen's death. Greta and Conrad have long had a troubled relationship, so she's anxious about spending a week trapped on a cruise ship with him. But, as she's currently not performing after an on-stage melt-down, she's available.

Those family dynamics I mentioned earlier are in full force during the cruise. Greta finds a diversion in Ben, a man she meets on the cruise. Will that work or is it just a diversion? Do Greta and Conrad find new dynamics and move forward, or remain stuck in the past forever? I don't write spoilers, so I won't tell you so you can go along on the cruise and see for yourself.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

this was capably written & well paced & had a. unique premise but, while i was expecting a study in. mourning, it became a romance novel, which is not what i had hoped for.

this was a perfectly pleasant but unmemorable read.

I have heard this one touted as a read-alike to Daisy Jones and the Six. I see the connections, but found it to be a slower Daisy Jones, that focuses less on rock and roll and more on the grief process and rebuilding a father/daughter relationship. Greta reluctantly takes her late mother’s place on an Alaskan cruise with her father and their friends. Greta and her father have some work to do on their relationship that, initially, neither one seems too keen on confronting. I really liked how they resolved things in a quiet easy way that may only be possible when confined to a cruise ship. Some of my favorite characters may have been the family friends. They were so supportive and always had just the right thing to say. Greta and Ben! I loved them together, but I found their ending very unsatisfying…yet at the same time very satisfying. An engrossing and well paced novel. Excuse me while I book a trip to Alaska so I can taste a glacier.

I’m going to be thinking about this one for a long time. This book about love and loss and grief is achingly beautiful and heartwarming at the same time. The characters and their relationships are so well built and I couldn’t help rooting for every single one of them.

The Alaskan cruise and scenery was depicted beautifully. It felt like you were there and made me want to book a trip immediately.

This is my first book by the author but it definitely won’t be my last.

Maybe the wrong book at the wrong time, but this fell flat for me. The narration was a little uneven, and the characters, even Greta herself, felt a little one-dimensional, the romantic and familial relationships a little too forced and tied up a little too quickly and neatly. From my reading experience, it makes sense that this is the author's first foray into adult fiction from YA, so may appeal most to those who are familiar and enjoyed these works. 2.5 stars rounded up, since I did stick with it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Terrific! Greta, a rock star, came undone on stage shortly after the sudden death of her mom, who was always her anchor. Now, several months later, her brother Asher has convinced her to join their dad Conrad, on the Alaskan cruise their mom had booked for their 4oth anniversary. She's in an inside cabin with no windows, she's never had a good relationship with Conrad, and she's still trying to cope but this cruises changes everything. She finds a friend and more in Ben, a historian on board to talk about Jack London. Yes, there's a romance here but this is really more about dealing with grief. Both Greta and Conrad have unresolved issues to conquer within themselves and with each other. Anyone who has been on a a cruise- and specifically an Alaskan cruise- will recognize the details of that part of the story. The characters- not just Conrad, Ben and Greta- but also Conrad's friends, Jason, and best of all (honestly) the older women Greta keeps meeting in the elevator- are wonderful. This never goes too far one way or another- it's entirely believable. Smith is a wonderful storyteller. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. You, like me, might find a tear in your eye at Greta's concert in NY.

This is the first read for me from Smith and I was not disappointed! I love what I call "destination books" and this was one of those. And the punny title is just a bonus.

Greta, a famous indie rockstar decides at the last minute to join her widowed father on an Alaskan cruise. Ok, her brother may have guilted her into it. so, it's not as "awe" as it sounds. Greta and her dad have been at odds for years. They butt heads and never get along. This cruise is going to be challenging for all.

I kept picturing Greta as Brandi Carlile. Her dad, in my mind, was John Mahoney from the 90s. Their characters were both likable and as the reader, you have this understanding of both sides. There's love and caring there, but they have to address their issues if they ever want to connect. This cruise forces that. It was supposed to be an anniversary cruise for her dad and mom, but well, I'll let you read about that on your own. Icebergs. That's all I'll tell you for now.

The Sinkable Greta James was heartwarming, sweet, and almost a coming of age for an adult. Both Greta and dad grow on this cruise and you're going to love reading about their journey.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Greta has just agreed to accompany her Father on a cruise to Alaska. This trip was meant to be an Anniversary cruise for her parents and their friends before her Mother unexpectedly died. She is trying to come to terms with the death of her Mother and the breakdown of her music career.
After meeting a young fan of hers she is starting to feel like she may play again. Greta also meets Ben, who is a newly separated father and a guest author on the ship. Through these two strangers and her Mother’s friends she is slowly realizing that she can go on.
This is a story of forgiveness of self and others.

THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES is a lovely, quiet story about family and grief and making your own way in the world. The story is heartfelt and hopeful without being syrup-y or melodramatic. I loved spending time with Greta, sorting through her family’s dynamics, and “traveling” to Alaska with her.

Greta is a professional musician who is just starting to really make a name for herself. When her mother dies suddenly, she joins her father, Conrad, on the Alaskan cruise he was planning to take with Greta’s mother to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Conrad and Greta have a strained relationship and throughout their weeklong cruise, they being to heal their relationship and process their grief together.

Despite the fact that it had a side-story featuring one of my worst nightmares (getting a stomach bug on a cruise ship), this is one of those books I wanted to hug when I finished. I loved the scenes with Preeti, Greta’s young fan that she encounters on the ship — I couldn’t help but smile at their scenes. I enjoyed the romantic storyline, but even moreso enjoyed that the romance was not the end-all for Greta. Greta had more to do than fall in love. And I adored the way Smith ended the book. Those last two chapter were just *chef’s kiss.*

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for an advanced e-copy of this book. Will post on Instagram on or after 3/1 @fromsarahsbooknook.

As someone that has been on an Alaskan cruise, I especially enjoyed this story as I could picture many of the places talked about.

Greta James has managed to make a name for herself in the Indie music scene. Her mother was extremely excited about this success and never failed to attend as many concerts as possible with her sign proclaiming she was Greta's mom. Her dad wasn't nearly as thrilled. He wanted to see her at a "real" job making honest money and was just waiting for the floor to fall out underneath her. This obviously created a lot of tension in their relationship. Greta's parents plan an elaborate once-in-a-lifetime Alaskan cruise that they've dreamed about and saved up for. But when Greta's mom becomes sick and can't go, Greta unhappily steps in to support her dad. We get to watch a relationship that should certainly crash and burn actually start to make waves towards love and support. This was a really sweet story. A lot of humor thrown in with the hard stuff and I like that it wasn't a magical turnaround for either person. There was a lot of soul-searching done by the father and daughter and I enjoyed that journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a great read! I loved it and am going to check out other books by this author. Greta has a lot of childhood angst revolving around her father and how she felt he didn't support her choice of a career in music. After her mother suddenly dies, Greta joins her father on the anniversary Alaskan cruise her parents were taking together with friends. I'm getting this book for our book club to read!

Three months after the sudden death of her mother, Greta James finds herself in Vancouver, about to head off on an eight day Alaskan cruise with her father and four of her parents' friends. It would have been a celebration of her parents 40th anniversary.
The Unsinkable Greta James is a poignant story about two people coming to grips with the loss of the woman who was most central to their lives. And, then trying to determine what their relationship will be moving forward. I loved traveling to Alaska with Greta and the author made me want to sign up for a cruise. Greta's battle with second guessing her decisions was beautifully written and likely very relatable for anyone who has suddenly lost a loved one. The insights into the life/world of a rock musician were also very interesting.
The Unsinkable Greta James is a lovely book and while the ending might have been a tad predictable, it was the right one and made me smile. I am curious about if there's any connection to the movie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown!
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for the opportunity to read The Unsinkable Greta James in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book! It is beautifully written and compulsively readable. Jennifer E. Smith has created an emotionally complex and poignant story that I became wholly invested in. Character-driven look at grief, loss, estrangement, and forgiveness; this one covers some territory and does so very tenderly. The characters are relatable, and their development is thoughtful and natural. Exploring all the emotional issues Greta, her father, and Ben go through is heart-wrenching but not over the top, which was refreshing. The romance sub-plot is well-done, and Ben provides some funny moments. The secondary characters are charming. Greta is a well-known musician but not widely known, which works so well for this story, as she has more freedom than you would expect a rock star to have when most of the people on the ship do not know who she is. Thankfully, she is not a massive cliche, which endeared her to me even more. Interactions between Greta and her father were so heartrendingly written that the emotions were palpable. The Alaskan landscape was beautifully described and I just loved those scenes. Big fan of the ending too, it just felt "right." Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for this ARC. I enjoyed it tremendously! Review posted to Instagram 2/22/22

I really wanted to like this one more than I did.

Greta, 36, is a bit of an indie rock star who writes her own songs and loves playing guitar. She is heartbroken when her mother (her biggest fan) suddenly dies before she can make it home from tour. Her brother suggests she take the Alaskan cruise with her dad that her mom had planned for their anniversary. Even though she and her dad have a contentious relationship stemming from her career choice and seemingly unorthodox lifestyle, she reluctantly agrees to go.

While parts of this were bittersweet and poignant, my big issue was that I really didn’t connect with the characters or even like most of them very much. Both Greta and her shipboard romance Ben were too immature in their actions/mindsets. And unfortunately I’m all about the characters.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #BallantineBooks for providing me the free early arc of #TheUnsinkableGretaJames for review. The opinions are strictly my own.