I loved this book! I am a fan of Jennifer E. Smith's writing and was excited to receive an advanced copy of The Unsinkable Greta James from Netgalley and the publisher.

This book is quick and fun to read and the characters of Greta and her father were so well written and I cared so much about their relationship. The tension between them was palpable and believable and I felt it in my heart. There is also a great love subplot and it was light and fun.

Jennifer E. Smith seamlessly transitions to the adult audience with The Unsinkable Greta James. Greta James has had a good deal of success in her career as a musician, but she's lost some of her passion and mojo after the death of her mother. Joining her distant father on the Alaskan cruise that her parents had dreamed about for years wasn't exactly in her plan, but it unexpectedly might be just the way Greta needed to reboot. Greta's passion, her fraught relationship with her father, and the companionship of a nerdy author combine for a story that felt meaningful., and the Alaskan setting is a great companion. I'll be handing this to fans of Tracy Garvis-Graves and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

I've read all of Jen E. Smith's books, but I haven't been into YA as much over the last few years as I was previously so I was so pumped to see she'd written her adult debut. This one definitely skews more general fiction with a hint of romance than full on romance (no on page sex and what sex there is at all is barely alluded to so that it could go right over your head if you want it to). Overall, I really enjoyed reading this. The setting of an Alaskan cruise was super unique, and I'm a sucker for "creative woman is misunderstood" tropes. I did feel like it was overly long (a good 50 pages could have been lopped off without missing anything) and I wish we'd gotten to see more of Greta spending time with her father (which was the entire point of the trip) but the characters were compelling, the story was fun, and there were some very heartfelt moments throughout. One of those books that you can wile away a whole afternoon gobbling up. Very much looking forward to more adult fiction by Smith!

It took me a while to finish this book (I found out I had COVID and I'm still recovering!) but it wasn't because I didn't enjoy what I was reading. I absolutely loved it.

When I picture Greta, I think of Sharon Van Etten, Phoebe Bridgers or Lucy Dacus, all musicians that I absolutely love and admire. @jenniferesmith wrote a story that resonated across so many levels: the music fan in me, a family saga and a character I couldn't help but to root for. There were several times I teared up while reading this because Greta's pain of losing her mother was just so searing and her relationship with her father was so fraught I felt it on such a deep, deep level.

My qualm is the romantic relationship she had with another passenger. Personally, I didn't see the need for the romance (that's saying something since you know I love a good romance!), because I thought the book was solid enough and stood on its own with Greta's relationship with her parents, especially her dad.

I thought Greta was a really fleshed out character and I just know that she'd be one of my most played artists on Spotify.

I want to thank Random House and Net Galley for the chance to read The Unsinkable Greta James as an ARC. I have not read any of Jennifer Smith's books before. She has written several YA novels and this is her first adult book. I am very impressed with this book. It is a quiet character study of a family in grief, and how the members cope. It is also a story of love, caring and passion, both romantic passion and passion for your life and craft. Greta Jame is 34 years old. She is a musician, singer/songwriter, who has been building a following with her guitar and music. Life was good until 6 months ago, when her beloved mother died suddenly, her relationship fell apart and her career took a derailing turn. After an embarrassing viral performance, Greta is doubting everything.
Greta's father never seemed to be as much a fan of her music as her mother. Their relationship was always tense. Now, without her mother,it is distant. Greta is urged by her brother to join her father and family friends on a cruise to Alaska. Greta's mother had planned the cruise for their 40th anniversary. Greta reluctantly goes along, but is she setting herself up for disaster?
There is a third major player in this book, although in many ways he is a more minor character. Ben is a writer, who is on the cruise to give lectures about Jack London, the subject of his book and his creative passion. Ben is going through a divorce, and, while drawn to Greta, has his own issues and problems to work through.
The story moves between past and present, as it tells the story of a family who is dealing with love and loss. It is moving and beautiful. I highly recommend it.

A very well written storyline and unusual setting set this book up to be a highly anticipated novel. However, it’s not for me. I did not connect with either the main character or her romantic lead. In fact, I did not like her at all. She was self-centered. She blamed others for her problems. She refused to communicate in a grown up manner. She lived her life with a poor-me attitude. She did what she wanted, when she wanted, and everyone else be damned. He pursued a relationship with her without having finalized or closed the door on his current relationship, which skirts the line of adultery, in my opinion. If I had known, I would have passed on this book. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 only because of the excellent writing style and technique. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

In the Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith, we meet Greta James, a young and charismatic rock star soloist who performs on stages worldwide. Greta is fearless, brave, and talented in an industry with few female lead vocalists/guitarists. Yet, one-day post-concert, she gets the earth-shattering news that her beloved Mother has suffered a fatal aneurysm. Greta’s is devastated. Greta now has to face the reality of life without Mom and the thought that all she has left is a father who has never approved of her career, her boyfriends, or her life in general. Greta hits rock bottom in the middle of a concert when she falls apart, and walks off the stage mid-concert. The crowd is unhappy, her record label is not pleased, and she is bereft.  Greta hibernates in grief and tries to figure out how to live again without her mother and most prominent supporter. Before her passing, Mom had planned a cruise to Alaska with Greta’s dad, and somehow her brother convinces Greta to go on the cruise with Dad. At first, it is awkward, then almost hostile, but over time and especially during a memorable wildlife trek, the two find a way back to forgive. The cruise also introduces us to Ben, a professor and author who begins a secret romance with Greta on board the ship. It is through her mother’s friends, Ben, and a little magical bonding that Greta realizes the importance of her Dad and how much she loves him. The ending is sweet, and the story is poignant. I loved it, and I think it speaks of family, hope, love, forgiveness, and the power of second chances. I am eager for you to read this book.

A satisfying read, Jennifer Smith introduces us to Greta James. An indie rock star, Greta finds her center of gravity shattered when her mother dies, leading to an on-stage melt down that went viral. Her father, also reeling from the loss of his wife of almost 40 years, doesn't relate to her and disapproves of her career and lifestyle. He wants her to live a "safe" life with a husband and children. Manipulated by her brother into taking her mother's place with her father on an Alaskan cruise, Greta must face her grief, doubts and new fear of performing, while also trying to support her father whom she is more like than she wants to admit.

I enjoyed the cruise ship setting of the story, including the shore excursions in Alaska. Her somewhat sarcastic character is fun and sometimes funny, and blends well with a cast of long-time family friends who accompany them on the cruise and help move the story along. A romantic relationship for Greta develops quickly, allowing Greta to experience his family drama as well as her own. Overall, a sad start that builds to a satisfying end.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for letting me read the ARC in exchange for my review.

Easy, satisfying read! I felt like the characters were a little flat, but I did find myself invested in them and their great adventure. It felt a little YA at times, but I still flew through it and ultimately enjoyed it! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is a story about a woman navigating grief. What I loved about it is the unique and real way it was told. Greta is an indie artist, and her on-stage breakdown over the loss of her mother goes viral .Seeking an escape from the spotlight, she takes the spot of her late mother on an Alaskan cruise with her dad. Greta and her dad are nowhere near as close as she was with her mother, so this is bound to be an interesting trip. Greta then must navigate this relationship, as well as the grief they each feel. While on the cruise, Greta also meet a historian who is doing educational presentations. She then has to figure out how to navigate this budding relationship. This one was an honest and real portrayal of grief and relationships and just feels in general. It was honest in such an endearing way, and I just so loved Greta!

I’m so glad I requested this and that it was my first book of 2022. The underlying message of getting through the mess to find what’s meant for you was so inspiring but didn’t feel cheesy or overdone. I loved Greta as a character and was initially worried I wouldn’t relate to her being an artist but she’s written in such a way it’s impossible not to sympathize with her pain. I wish we could’ve actually had more than a line of “Told You So” as I think it would’ve helped flesh out her conflict with her dad. I also like how the ending was left ambiguous but in a positive way.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good family drama book! Greta, an indie rockstar coping with the death of her mother, decides to go on a cruise with her father in place of her late mother, a trip planned for her mother and father's anniversary. The rest is family drama gold. I could not put this one down! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Quick romantic read - Greta is a rockstar, literally. Through her hard work, her dreams came true and she makes her living playing her guitar and singing in front of thousands of fans. After the death of her mother, she falters and hasn’t played in months. Her brother urges her to join her father on a cruise that was intended to celebrate her parents’ anniversary. She does so without much enthusiasm, with a healthy sense of dread and gritting her teeth. Will she bridge the divide with her father or grow her resentment into the size of the glaciers her mother so wanted to see? Enjoyable, escapist fiction perfect for a cold locked in weekend night.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine books for the ARC of The Unsinkable Greta James. This is my personal review.
This book was about Greta James dealing with the sudden loss of her other.
She accompanies her father on an Alaskan cruise her parents had planned to go on for their anniversary.
Greta and her father were hoping that they could connect and deal with the loss they were suffering from during a weeklong cruise.
I wanted more from this book than I get. For me it just felt flat and drawn out. The story line was ok but it did not let me connect with anyone in the book.

At the end of 2021, I find myself involved with two books both targeting family dynamics. Luckily, both of them were enjoyable stories that I can recommend.
Greta James is a fairly successful indie musician who is dealing with her mother’s death. Her mother had been the one to stand between Greta and her father, who disapproves of her life. Now, she finds herself taking her mother’s place on an Alaskan cruise with her father. On board, she meets a professor hired to lecture on Jack London. He’s dealing with his own family dramas and the two hit it off.
I enjoyed this family drama. I’ve found that death always shakes up the family dynamics. Greta was a fully realized character. At age 36, she’s wondering how long her current lifestyle will work for her. I felt her grief, her doubts and her disappointments. But also her slowly dawning awareness of her father’s situation. I enjoyed seeing how these two were able to find their way towards not just a truce but an understanding of each other. I found myself shedding more than a few tears at the end.
I understand that Smith’s prior books were in the YA genre. But here, she writes an adult story. It’s heartwarming, but not at all sappy. I did struggle a little that Greta’s on stage meltdown after her mom’s death became such a big deal. But that’s a minor quibble.


I was impressed with Miller’s ability to create the Alaskan cruise ship atmosphere, both on and off the ship. This would make a great transfer onto the screen.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House -Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.

An overall enjoyable book with family drama overtones. I liked the storyline, I am a sucker for female characters whom are musicians dealing with fame.

I LOVED this book! It was a perfect post Christmas read. I'm not one to normally go for a romance but Smith's characters were so well developed that I found the whole story very believable, tender and sweet. I appreciated the depictions of grief in this novel, from both Greta and her dad, but also from Ben and the other side characters. Grief is not just something we experience when we lose someone we love, but also when we lose something and that was apparent in many different ways throughout the novel.

At the end, it did feel like Smith was forcing in a couple more romantic tropes that she didn't really need but by that point I thought the whole story was so well done that I didn't mind.

5/5. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for a review.

The Unsinkable Greta James is one of those books that will break your heart and put it back together again.

Reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Greta's brother Asher convinces her to go on the Alaskan cruise with her dad that her parents were supposed to take for their 40th anniversary. The cruise was the week leading up to a big concert for Greta, which incidentally would be the first time she would play live music since having a very public breakdown during a show after her mother's death.

While the premise sounds like it's going to be sad, it's a very uplifting and fun read. Greta's character is sarcastic and funny, and the whole band of characters accompanying them on the cruise has a great dynamic. While parts are certainly sad, overall the story is one that is very healing for all parties involved.

Beautifully written and a gorgeous cover too!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book about a daughter joining her father for what was supposed to be her parent’s anniversary cruise after the recent death of her mother. This story is a beautiful portrayal of processing grief and perfect for anyone who has ever felt misunderstood by a parent. I would definitely recommend to friends and look forward to reading other titles by this author!

YA not my normal read, although I did enjoy this book. The three main characters kept to engaged and I did shred a tear or two.
“Turn the page”