This book started off strong and had a solid premise, but I struggled with how unlikable the family was. The drama and hidden secrets didn’t really catch me off guard—I found most of the twists pretty predictable, which made it hard to stay fully invested.
- 2.5 (rounded to 3)

Thanks to Ballantine Books for a copy of These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean. This is going to be a book of the summer!

This contemporary fiction is a fun family drama that you can't put down. I loved the family dynamics and the games their father put in place for the week. I loved how their secrets slowly came out and the romance between Alice and Jack. Plus the ending!

The New England compound setting was perfect and while I read it, everyone is talking about the Julia Whelan narrated audiobook.

Loved this! It was the perfect summer family drama with a healthy side of romance.

When her billionaire father passes away, Alice is called back home after being banished for 5 years. The Storm family has a lot of issues. They live a life of leisure and wealth, but they are not happy or loving. Can they face the past and figure out a way to be a real family in the future? Or will this week be the end of the Storms?

The vibes of this book were immaculate. I felt like I was in the chaotic environment of the Storm family at their Rhode Island summer mansion. It is filled with all sorts of family drama and every storyline was compelling. I especially loved Alice and Jack, our two main characters, as they got to know each other and fell in love.

This is Sarah MacLean's first contemporary novel, but I hope it won't be her last. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved this story. The MC, Alice is the daughter of Steve Jols in another universe, Franklin Storm. After Franklins sudden death 5 years after telling her to never come home, Alice has to put down her life to go home to their family's island off the New England coast. Her father, ever the game player has a set of rules and hoops to jump through for the family to receive their inheritance. The keeper of these rules is Jack aka daddy Jack her dad's right side man the last 5 years and instantly the love interest. The family drama. The romance and the setting of the New England coast. Perfect summer reading!!

Fans of Sarah MacLean's historical novels will not be disappointed in this modern day family drama/romance. Her characteristic empathy for her characters creates a very believable dynamic as the Storm family returns to their parent's home to "celebrate" their father's death. Although there is much to dislike about the family, MacLean manages to uncover much about their motivations, allowing them to be at least mostly relatable.

The developing relationship between Jack and Alice definitely rates as sizzling.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

📖 Book Review 📖 It’s been five years since Alice last saw her parents and returning to the family island off of Rhode Island after her father’s death is a personal challenge she was never going to be prepared for. The Storm name and legacy is a powerful force and even from the grave, the family patriarch manipulates his family into a game that will make or break them...all to win their inheritance. Sarah Maclean evokes the allure of the Gilded Age that still lingers along the coast of Rhode Island and mixes it beautifully with a modern family saga that captivates readers. These Sumer Storms is a charmingly gripping tale that enchants and awes as majestically as a summer storm.

In THESE SUMMER STORMS, Sarah MacLean weaves a compelling tale of family drama, intrigue and romance in her first contemporary novel.

Franklin Storms, a tech billionaire á la Steve Jobs, dies unexpectedly, bringing all of his family to the to their gothic mansion on a private island in Rhode Island. Alice, the central character, is returning to the island for the first time in 5 years after having been exiled from her family for standing up to her father. Once the family is reunited, they find that they have to participate in one last game in order for everyone to inherit Franklin's fortune, each family member having to successfully complete a task unique to them, all watched over by Jack, Franklin's second-in-command.

MacLean does a great job with Alice's emotions, balancing her anger at her father with mourning his death. All of the siblings and their significant others are fully fleshed-out characters (each sibling each had one chapter from their POV). And Jack is an exceptional romantic character--but as a fan of MacLean's historicals I knew she wouldn't let her readers down on the romance!

Sibling rivalry, family secrets, sigh-worthy romance, and evocative writing--THESE SUMMER STORMS is my pick for the book of the summer.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

I was engrossed in this book from the beginning. Even when I had guessed what was coming, I needed to keep reading to see how it was actually going to turn out. This was about the Storm family, and there were storms that occurred during the week of this story - so interesting title, for sure. Without giving away too much, this is a story where the father has set up a family game and all the siblings must play. Each sibling has a task (or not), and their father has assigned them what will pain them the most. The changes in the family dynamics are interesting and in the end heartwarming. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you Netgally and Ballantine Books for the ARC of These Summer Storms by Sarah Maclean. I really enjoyed this book. The setting was perfect as well as the cast of characters. Alice has been called home for her Father’s funeral. She has been away for 5 years, because she decided on a path for her life on her own and didn’t want to be beholden to her Father and his control and money. She doesn’t really want to go, she hates her family, none of them asked her to stay or worried about her when she was gone. Upon arriving home, she is immediately reminded of her Father and the games he plays, even though he is no longer living. The rest of the family is only concerned with their inheritance. Letters are given to all of the family members as to what they have to do in order ro receive their inheritance. Romance, family drama, realizations about life and the past are all encaptured in this story. A must read for the summer!

Alice Storm hasn't been back to the family island in five years. When her father, the billionaire CEO of a powerful tech company, suddenly dies, she returns for his funeral celebration. Franklin Storm loved games, and in order to fulfill the conditions of his will, he's set a final game for his family: each of them has a task, and all of them must complete their tasks in order for them all to receive their portion. Alice only needs to stay on the island for five days. Her family is more dysfunctional than most, and she's ready to walk without the money, except her siblings will do anything to keep her there.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect out of Sarah MacLean's first contemporary fiction book, but she nails the vibes. Rich people problems tied up to an inheritance scheme and wrapped in more family drama works incredibly well, and has broad appeal to a lot of readers. MacLean's voice is well suited to this style, and I found myself quickly settling into the book. Alice herself is very similar to MacLean's historical heroines - she's ardently feminist, looking to set her own path, caught up in societal expectations, and ready to rise up given the chance - and it works really well against the New England billionaire setting.

Each of the siblings is a well-fleshed out character, and even when they appear to be playing one-dimensional bit roles (like Greta as her mother's shadow), there is more to each of them as their tasks push them to their personal limits. I loved seeing the large family dynamics play out with the siblings and their partners, especially under pressure.

While it's clear that this book is not a contemporary romance - the central plot is the family drama and inheritance game - there is a strong romantic arc, which romance readers and non-romance readers alike will enjoy. (Thank you Sarah for leaving the door open just enough to fit the genre!) This book has broad appeal and has all the vibes of a New England summer beach read.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for an eARC. These Summer Storms is out 7/8/25.

I will admit I’m not too keen on reading about billionaires in this day and age but I found these rich people and their problems to be so compelling. Ultimately, many people feel like an outsider in their family, or underappreciated, or typecast into a role regardless of how many zeros are in their family’s bank account and I was amazed the author could make me feel sympathy for people born into a life of excess.

It does help that this book follows Alice Storm, the Storm who broke away from her rich and famous family to live a life of her own as a teacher & artist. She’s summoned home for the funeral of the family patriarch, a billionaire innovator along the lines of Steve Jobs. She hasn’t seen her family in five years, and this causes a whole lot of drama. Also causing drama: her father’s instructions to make his four children compete for their inheritance, each with tasks tailored to them. Let the games begin.

I flew through this one! I started it on a Thursday night and didn’t think I’d want to read about rich people problems but I couldn’t put it down and finished it by Friday afternoon. The drama was juicy, the characters richly layered, and I was just dying to see how they’d end up.

This is Sarah MacLean’s contemporary fiction debut, but not to fear there is still sex and romance involved. I highly recommend this one as a beachy summer read!

Thank you NetGalley, random house, and Ballantine books for the advanced reader copy of These Summer Storms.

Synopsis:
After receiving the news that her larger-than-life billionaire father has died, Alice Storm has returned home to her family's private island off the coast of Rhode Island. After being banished from the island, and the family, for the last five years by her father; Alice is fully expecting returning him to be awkward and hellish for the funeral.

However, Alice should have known her mother wouldn’t be planning an actual funeral; and that even after death her father would have found a way to control the Storm family. Let the inheritance games begins, where each family member must complete the tasks that their father had assigned to them. These all must be completed the week after his death and everyone must complete theirs in order for anyone to receive money from the inheritance. Whether these are done will be judged by her father’s handsome second-in-command, Jack Dean.

👍🏻: I like the way the story flowed together and had smooth transitions. It made the story easy to read and just soar right through. I liked the main female character of Alice and how she stands up for herself and what she believes in. That although she was raised in wealthy family, she is making it on her own with no help from her rich parents (not necessarily by choice). I enjoyed the blossoming of a relationship with Alice and Jack, and how her relationship with her siblings evolved.

👎🏻: I wasn’t able to give the book five stars because I had a hard time sympathizing for rich people complaining about having to do manual labor and worry about money. I also had a hard time with the way that Franklin and Elisabeth parented/treated their children, even in adulthood.

5 stars.. well done, SM! As if by magic, MacLean has seamlessly transitioned from regency romance to contemporary fiction giving readers a new genre to anticipate. The book’s setting is on the Storm’s private island off the coast of Rhode Island where the family is gathering after the death of their billionaire father, Franklin Storm. The funeral quite unexpectedly turns into a set of challenges each must compete in to gain access to his fortune. I LOVED the messy family drama, inheritance games vibe, and that gorgeous ISLAND setting. FUN SUMMERTIME tale that’s not to be missed. ❥ Pub. 7/8/25

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was bleak, dark and depressing. A lot of unhappy rich people arguing. I got tired of the fighting.
Thank you to Ballantine for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

this started off strong! lots of family dynamics and different perspectives but by 58% I had grown bored of the family and their "distressing" life as billionaires.
* I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

4.5* "New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean’s first foray into contemporary fiction, with a sharp, sexy novel about a wealthy New England family's long-overdue reckoning with hidden desires, destructive secrets…and one week that threatens to tear them apart."
Absolutely a top summer read!! Full of family drama that sucked me in, so I couldn't put this one down until the last page. A massive Gothic manor sits on a private Island in Rhode Island, belonging to the Storm billionaire. When he passes away, the family comes back together to pay their final respect or more less to see what they will inherit. Surprisingly, their father had another idea. They must all participate in an inheritance challenge in order to get their billions. This dysfunctional bunch's relationships are humorous and chaotic. With all of them fighting their own demons and desires, they become destructive without trying. I enjoyed the dramatic effect as the author brings the island to life. I really wanted to be a part of this crew, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
With the siblings all together, you can see why the father would challenge them to work for the good of the money. Then there is Jack, his right hand man, that must see the tasks carried out to completion. The book is based around Alice, who left home to get away from it all and now returns only for the funeral and plans to leave immediately. Her father has created a storm that has nothing to do with the weather elements that she must comply with. She has a rough start when her and Jack build tension between them until it becomes a romantic story. It doesn't offer any surprise twists, but it does keep you in suspense to see how this plays out.
If you love family drama, especially the extremely wealthy and dysfunctional, this may be your summer read. I just finished the We are Liars series, after reading the book and could see them as adults playing this one out.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah MacLean does it again. Her historical romances have always been must-buys for me, and this contemporary book really defies genre. It's fiction rooted in a family drama, but there's also a very strong romance throughline. Some really devastatingly romantic moments. And there's a family island house as well, so it's got beachy vibes too. Succession on the beach.

After being exiled from her family, Alice returns to Storm Island after the sudden and tragic death of her father. It's on the island that she has to figure out if she can or even wants to reconcile with her mother and three siblings. She also has to decide if she can trust the man she can't stop thinking about who also happen to be her father's second in command. So much sexy intrigue. I stayed up all night for this one, and it was worth it. I loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for toxic family vibes and a fast burn romance, look no further.

Billionaire tech legend Franklin Storm has died at 70. His family has come home to Storm Island to gnaw each other to bits mourn together. Sort of. Everyone had a complicated relationship with Franklin and his billions of dollars.

And Franklin may be gone, but his mind games continue. Jack, his right hand man and “fixer”, is there to issue some stipulations to the family’s inheritance. Alice, the daughter who was exiled five years ago, is unsurprised. Franklin wouldn’t relinquish his control of them just because he died.

Each family member has tasks that must be completed within a week while still on the island. All this forced proximity is going to cause some tension, some awkward conversations, some boiled over resentment.

And we also have a delightful romance in the midst of all this hullabaloo. Jack, so stern and serious. Alice, so guarded yet hopeful. Together they’re exploring what might be if they let themselves.

I always love MacLean’s historical romances, so I had high hopes for her first contemporary novel. It worked for me. I enjoyed the hell out of it. She did use a lot of parentheses which I thought was an odd stylistic choice, but it kind off worked. I used an example in one of the quotes slides. I also can’t wait for a reread via audiobook which I’ve preordered and is narrated by Julia Whelan. 🙌🏻

Highly recommended for lovers of toxicity (think The Favorites), summering in the monied New England way, men with meaningful tattoos and the women who want them.

I was given an eARC via #netgalley and @ballantinebooks. All thoughts are mine alone.

#contemporaryromance #contemporaryfiction #thesesummerstorms #sarahmaclean #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram

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

I’ve read a couple of Sarah MacLean’s historical romances, so I was excited to give this one a try. I LOVE a book about rich people messiness, and this delivers!

Alice is the estranged Storm sibling, and on the death of her billionaire father, returns home for the first time in five years. There, she learns that for the family to inherit, they’ve all been given tasks for the week. Tensions boil over and secrets are spilled, and romance sneaks up on Alice as she learns more about her family.

This family dynamic is so fun! We’ve got the eldest daughter, who is the eldest daughteriest. The slacker son who had a shotgun wedding. Alice, the artist, who “betrayed the family”. And Emily, the baby, who does tarot readings and sells crystals. And the mom is probably the worst of them all.

This is a perfect summer beach read if you like drama and mess and families coming together.

Thanks to Ballantine for the ARC!

a complete mess with siblings. it will keep you interested to see how it plays out.
imagine being stuck with your siblings after your father passed away. then all of sudden you are forced to deal with drama and family messiness.

thank you, Random House, and Netgalley for the arc.