My first book by this author and it was really well written. A heartfelt reunion of daughter and father - after the passing of the mother/wife. It's about them working through their feelings while on an Alaskan cruise, with two sets of neighbors.

Greta is a rockstar, reeling from her mother's death and subsequent breakdown on stage - she's getting ready for new big comeback and a new album, when her brother convinces her to take her mother's spot on the cruise with her dad. It was to be their 40th anniversary cruise - all planned by her mother. The cruise is a great backdrop for the story - set with family drama and romance as Greta and her dad flounder to get along.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

In this immersive and moving story, rock star Greta James is trying to put her life back in order after a public breakdown following the unexpected death of her beloved mother. She can’t find her old joy in her music, is not sure if she can perform again, and on top of that is manipulated by her brother into an Alaskan cruise with their father. Greta and dad Conrad do not get along, and he constantly rides her about her lifestyle choices, but during the cruise they grudgingly try to get past their differences and deal with their shared grief.
Smith is excellent at portraying emotional conflicts, and presents believable conversations/arguments between the characters, including old family friends and a… maybe new lover for Greta. No one is perfect or without justified guilt here, which is refreshing. I particularly enjoy the fact that Greta is unapologetic about her choice of a performing career over a husband and kids and suburban BBQs everyone else pressures her to embrace.
The details of the cruise and the stunning Alaskan wilderness are also wonderful, especially a pivotal trek to a glacier for Greta and her father.
Where the novel disappoints is that there is very little feeling of Greta as a musician and how she experiences and plays her guitar and sings. She struggles over writing new songs in her grief, but somehow that feels abstract. I didn’t feel the driving rhythms she creates, or the immersion in music.
Still, I cheer Greta on in her path following her Muse.

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer Smith is a slow build but phenomenal read! Greta is going through a rough point in her life with the sudden death of her mother. Her indie rock career is unstable and she is on a cruise with her dad and let's just say they don't have the best relationship. If you're a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid you will love this book and the story of Greta James!

I loved this book! I picked it because it was set on a cruise ship that was cruising to Alaska. We cruise a lot and one of our favorite cruises was one to Alaska. It was so much fun reliving our wonderful cruise (the amazing scenery, whale-watching) while reading this book. And it was also interesting to watch Greta's relationship with her father which was very similar to my relationship with one of my parents. Definitely a book I would recommend.

I sit here with tears in my eyes and a song in my heart! I loved everything about this book! Greta, an indie rock star grieving the death of her mother, finds herself on an Alaskan cruise with her recently widowed father. Her parents had planned this trip their closest friends. Greta and her father have always had a tumultuous relationship and the week on the ship has them searching for their sea legs! Rich, believable characters and a story that will break your heart only to mend it. I’d love to see this made into a movie. Grab a hanky and and be swept away.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This is an easy to read story about Greta, who is a musician. Her mother recently passed away and Greta is struggling with a huge mix of emotions. She agrees to go on a cruise with her father and a group of friends of her parents. Greta and her dad work to mend their relationship on the cruise, but at times, it seems like this will not be possible. One thing the author did quite well was describe the landscape of Alaska. I could see the beauty as she described it. The ending fell flat for me, as it seemed rushed, as other reviewers have said. I did enjoy this book.

The voice of the story telling in The Unsinkable Greta James is unique, like the main character. I really wanted to love the book, but by the end it left me a little empty. I loved the premise of the story – Greta is a grown daughter, now a semi famous rock star, who goes on an Alaskan cruise with her father three months after her mother’s sudden death. I love the relationship between the father and daughter, the points of tension at the beginning, the progression, and the end. I loved the side characters of the two couple friends of Greta’s parents. I loved the structure of the story, seven days reflecting the days of the cruise. I love the setting, with the cruise ship itself, a stop in Juneau, glaciers, whale watching. But the relationship aspect with the author/professor Ben left me disappointed. It seemed implausible, frustrating, unfinished and uncertain at the end. Greta accepts and seems destined for a life of empty short term or on and off physical relationships.

Thanks to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for an early copy to read and review. This book is expected to be released in March 2022.

Greta James is an indie rocker whose mother, Helen, has recently died. The death of her mother and the fact she was away on tour when it happened has left Greta feeling heatbroken and guilty. These feelings have led to a disastrous performance and an inability to work. Greta's brother, Archer, convinces Greta to go on an Alaskan cruise with her father, Conrad. The cruise had oiginaly planned by Helen to celebrate Conrad's and Helen's anniversary. Archer hopes that the cruise will help Greta and Conrad mend their contentious relationship. During the cruise Greta meets and becomes with Ben, a novelist who is dealing with the breakup of his marriage.

The story is well written and absorbing. The characters are well developed. This is an engrossing and enjoyable read. The one flaw for me was Greta's lack of involvement with her father as a result of her relatinship with Ben.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and rate this title. I requested it do to a recommendation from an author I read, and was anxious to start. It is very well written with wonderful development of characters, but it just wasn’t for me. I’m sure others will enjoy if you like slower moving, descriptive stories, that touch your emotion.

I feel like I should have connected to this more. My mom, also named Helen, died last year and was a cruiser who loved to correct people who said "boat" with the ship. I also have had more contact with my dad than ever before. I just didn't feel much about the book at all. They sort of set up that Greta had this big upsetting incident that potentially derailed her career before the book begins and then we find out that it was that she got upset that her mom died? Okay. Big deal. I've been to hundreds of concerts and this would barely rate a mention. She wasn't even supposed to be that mainstream popular. Why did they have some weird fake new engagement? It made no sense. I felt like the bones were there but nothing else.

I felt like the ending was rushed and kind of trite. We spent a long time getting there for it to end with some sisterhood of the travelling sled dog novels. I don't care that they didn't really end up together and I think its more realistic that they didn't--what happens on the boat (ship!) stays on the boat--but that just seemed pointless. .

Thank you NetGalley & Publisher for the e arc of The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith. Also thank you Jennifer E. Smith for sharing your novel/story, this was my first time reading a novel of yours. 4*+

Overview/synopsis: "Right after the sudden death of her mother—her first and most devoted fan—and just before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta James falls apart on stage." (Overview) ... "An indie musician reeling from tragedy and a public breakdown reconnects with her estranged father on a week-long cruise in this "pitch-perfect story about the ways we recover love in the strangest places" (except by Rebecca Serle) ..."Greta will finally confront the choices she’s made, the heartbreak she’s suffered, and the family hurts that run deep. In the end, she'll have to decide what her path forward might look like—and how to find her voice again." (Overview)

This was a great novel with a lot of emotion that could be felt while reading. A story about loss, family dynamics, fear/confidence, love, patricidal living vs. living a dream, choices, finding ones path, etc.

I recommend to lovers of fiction; friendship fiction, family drama fiction, modern life fiction, etc.

Now I will go check out some of Jennifer E. Smith's other novels.

Shortly after Greta’s mom suddenly and tragically dies, she is coerced by her brother to accompany her father on an Alaskan cruise. Greta and her father, Conrad, have always had a tumultuous relationship as Conrad thinks her career choice to be a professional guitarist is petty and irresponsible. Her mother though was her biggest cheerleader and her death has a profound effect on Greta’s capacity to perform. She’ll need to overcome some obstacles to get back on stage.

During their weeklong cruise, Conrad and Greta argue, are disagreeable, give each other too much space and neither are expecting to have any fun with the backdrop of grief heavy in the air. The beautiful Alaskan scenery has an effect on mending their relationship and they finally open up to each other about the past and the future.

This story is so beautifully written, you can’t help but savor every chapter, every page, every word. I’ve been to Alaska and the descriptions are spot on. I cried with Greta, laughed with Greta and cheered her on. I adored this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of The Unsinkable Greta James.

First of all thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this beautifully written story. I absolutely loved the characters and story . I found myself laughing , crying and above all hopeful . I highly recommend this book.

“The Unsinkable Greta James” is the first adult book by Jennifer E. Smith, who is known for her YA fiction. This book tells the story of musician Greta James, whose mother recently passed - and Greta feels guilt about not immediately flying back to the US to be with her after hearing the news that her mother was ill. Greta’s parents had planned a cruise to Alaska for their 40th anniversary with some friends, but Greta’s encouraged to accompany her father by her brother. This book deals a lot with feelings (feelings of guilt, feeling misunderstood, feeling hopeful, feeling trapped, feeling stuck), especially the feelings of coping after the death of a parent - and trying to recreate a relationship with the surviving parent who one wasn’t as close to. I found parts of this book hard hitting, dealing with both the loss of a parent and working on rebuilding a relationship with my surviving parent. There’s a slow build up of the main characters, which some probably will find too slow, and some of the minor characters I wished had had more screen time. There isn’t a lot of action in this book, but the building of relationships keeps it interesting. But, I read this book very quickly (in about twelve hours) and I really liked the ambiguous ending. I found this book promising and I’d most likely read another adult fiction book by Ms. Smith.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jennifer E. Smith for this advanced reader copy I’m exchange for an honest review.
This book was marketed to me as a book for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid. Since Taylor Jenkins Reid is now an official must-buy, add to cart author for me, I had to pick it up. Its main character is a musician, Greta James, which is similar to the Daisy Jones type of character but this is a completely different story.

I’m always a fan of any book that showcases Alaska, and this book was no exception. The slow unfolding of the characters’ backstories (but not too slow), coupled with its (mostly) avoidance of tropes, made it a sweet and quick read. Of course I was crying at parts (especially with the Steller’s Sea Eagle) but ultimately this book made me happy,

Greta James is a famous Indie rocker. She ends up on a cruise to Alaska with her dad following her mothers sudden death. We learn Greta and her dad have a tense relationship and as the book goes on the backstory unravels. We also learn Greta’s career is on rocky ground as she tanked during her last big performance. On the cruise Greta meets nerdy professor and writer, Ben. The two help each other cope with their own misfortunes while they explore the wonders of Alaska and free cruise ship booze.

Overall I enjoyed this book. There were parts that were slow and there’s certainly not a ton of action but the unraveling and rejoining of relationships kept me interested. Alaska as a backdrop was a nice addition too.

I’d recommend this one for people who like slower character driven books.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This is a delightful story about a professional musician whose mother recently passed away and she takes her mother’s place on an anniversary Alaskan cruise with her newly widowed father and his friends. During this seven day cruise, she and her father try to repair their fragile relationship. Greta James is a lost soul who cannot get over her mother’s death. The characters are interesting, however, the story is slow . The descriptions of Alaska and the cruise are very good and realistic.

I kept on trying, and got about half way through this book, but I’m not going to make it to the end. The author just didn’t succeed in making me care about the characters. Also, part of what attracted to this book is that it’s set on a cruise ship. The author couldn’t have ever been on an Alaskan cruise. I’ve been on four. And never once has the ship heaved or rolled the way this author describes. So many things don’t ring true. And I felt like she was disparaging cruises with the same old stereotype about cruise ships that are just filled with people in wheelchairs and on walkers. Thank you for allowing me to have a look at this book. I wish I could find more positive things to say.

Thank you to Random House, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for this advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

In this book you meet Greta James, an independent Indie rock star who's mother passes away suddenly causing Greta to break down on stage. She ends up going on a cruise with her dad shortly after the passing of her mom. Greta and her dad have always had a rocky relationship and loosing her mom made it worse. On the cruise, Greta meets a professor and Greta begins to evaluate her life currently and what she wants to prioritize in her life.

The storyline of this book made it hard to stop reading, The book is so genuine and realistic. I could be friends with any of the characters. This book will make you laugh, cry and ugly cry but it's worth it! I only wish the relationship with her dad had more of a role at the end.

Sometimes it takes reading a wonderful book to remind yourself how unsinkable you really are. I loved and related to Greta so well, and I was sad that this book ever had to end. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone, and think it would work especially well for book clubs.