Wow! What a great book and a wonderful writer! Being a mom of 2 amazing people I was drawn into this story very quickly. Also, being a daughter who was never a “favorite” I could also relate to Greta’s relationship with her father. Ms. Smith tells truths about all kinds of relationships and brings this story to a VERY satisfying conclusion. Well….maybe NOT a conclusion!

Absolutely loved this book! Greta is a rock star as you’d hope they’d be in person…down-to-earth and unassuming. Her brother coerces her to go on an Alaskan cruise with her father soon after their mother’s sudden death. Greta and her father have a rocky relationship she hopes to mend.

The dialogue was perfect…fun and flirty with Ben , her cruise ship romance, and awkward and uncomfortable with her dad. I really liked all the characters and didn’t want them to disembark from the cruise ship and miss reading about them when I finished the book.

The ending left me hanging a little bit but not enough to ruin the ending for me.

One of the best books I’ve read in awhile. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book.

This well-written book is my first exposure to this author’s work and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and coming to know Greta James, the protagonist.

Greta has achieved a modicum of fame as an indie singer/songwriter/musician through hard work, perseverance and a good helping of faith in herself. That is until her mother suddenly dies of a ruptured brain aneurysm while she is a concert tour and she misses the opportunity to say goodbye. Overcome by grief and guilt, she has a meltdown on stage shortly afterward and withdraws from all her career-related activities, including simply playing her guitar for the sheer love of making music.

The story unfolds as Greta’s brother convinces her to accompany their father on an Alaskan cruise, which was planned as a 40th wedding anniversary celebration. Given her long-standing strained relationship with her father, she reluctantly agrees to go. During the course of the seven day trip, Greta begins to reevaluate the trajectory her life has taken.

The beauty and wildness of Alaska, the activities and the relationships – new and old – all conspire to begin the healing process over her mother’s death, but also to begin rebuilding her relationship with her father. Added to the mix is the potential for a romance with a literature professor whose life is the polar opposite of Greta’s free-wheeling life style and a connection with a young, budding musician that reminds Greta of her own, deep commitment to her talent and her craft.

This is a wonderful story of redemption, forgiveness, self-exploration and healing I appreciated the author’s approach, which is realistic and compassionate throughout. The dialogue is natural and the characters highly relatable – even if you don’t have a musical bone in your body. There is even a light touch of wit between Greta and the professor that underscores the balance present even in the midst of some of life’s most difficult challenges.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

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

In Jennifer E. Smith's Adult novel Debut, you meet Greta James, an Indie rock artist who ends up going on a cruise with her dad shortly after the passing of her mom. Greta and her dad have had a rocky relationship for a while and dealing with their new loss and this trip to Alaska was something that her mother had planned and was looking forward to. On the trip, Greta meets Ben Wilder, a professor with a love of Jack London. On the cruise, Greta begins to evaluate her life currently and what she wants moving forward.

I read Jennifer E. Smiths YA books when I was growing up and I remember really enjoying them and this book did not disappoint. Smith's writing style really drew me into the story and made it impossible to put down. This book just felt so genuine and authentic and honestly, I wanted to be friends with a majority of the characters. I laughed, I cried, and I really wanted to go on a cruise to Alaska. While there was a romantic aspect of the story with Ben, the focus is mainly on Greta's relationship with her family as well as discovering who she is and wants to be after dealing with loss. While I wish there was a little bit more closer in the ending, but overall I really loved it.

I cannot wait to read this book again when it comes out in hard copy next March!

The Unsinkable Greta James
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨ 4.5/5
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: Literary Fiction/Women’s Fiction
Clean Read: Yes
Content Warning: Grief

Thoughts:

So many people can remember and still live the dream of getting out of their small town and making it “big”. Like the dreamers of the world, Greta wants to leave her mark and be remembered. As the story goes on, the reader learns how deeply she fears the mundane and craves the excitement of rock ‘n’ roll. Thanks to her incredible talent, she’s riding a shooting star to fame and building a career with that same talent, grit, and hard work. As her career starts to peak, she suddenly she loses her Mom and her life crashes in on her. She and her father who have been at odds for most of her life, are forced to spend a week together on a cruise.

We all have an experience that has made us so low that only the unconditional and unwavering love of of people who really KNOW you, can get you though the sorrow by wrapping you in comfort and love. I really enjoyed the familial relationships and how naturally written they are. The setting (gray Alaska/wild/unsure) is the perefect backdrop and metaphor for grief and a tumultuous life event. Your heart drops and emotion is at the surface after Greta and her father, Conrad, finally open up to each other in what seems to be the first real and honest conversation they've had in a very long time.

This is a story of redemption, forgiveness, and family. There is some romance added in but in an authentic and unassuming way. It never clouded the focus of the book being on Greta and her father, and I enjoyed it as a subplot so much that I wish there was a more definitive ending with Greta and Ben, and that’s the only reason I’m holding back the 1/2 star!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, Ballantine Books and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

A touching story about loss that takes place on a seven day cruise.

This is a very charming story about a 7 day cruise that became life changing for a bereaved family. Greta James is a rock star and composer who disintegrated after her mother died. Her brother pushed her to go on a long-planned cruise with her very difficult father. The short cruise allowed them to work through mourning together.

The author adds a sweet romance to the emotional mix, but keeps it real. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. The author manages to combine romance and family drama in this novel.

I enjoyed it and recommend it to reading groups, it will lead to interesting discussions, especially for those of us with adult children.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Love love loved this book. As a Jennifer E Smith YA fan, I was excited for this adult debut, and from the beginning of this story I was captivated.

With similar vibes to that Netflix Kristen Bell movie Like Father, I loved following along as Greta discovers more about herself, her family, and relationships in general.

Highly recommend.

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" (Rebecca Serle) from bestselling author Jennifer E. Smith.


The Unsinkable Greta James is a moving and riveting read. From the time I began the book until I finished I wasn't able to put it down. Smith does a great job tackling some heartfelt issues in a lighthearted manner. Her prose reads beautifully and the character building she does pulls you into the story and invests you in the world of Greta. From the conflict with her father to the grief of the loss of her mother, her troubles with relationships, and her self-doubt in her talent and career, Greta James is a relatable character that you want to root for.