In a compelling tale of secrets, inheritance, and fractured family ties, These Summer Storms draws readers into the turbulent world of Alice Storm, who returns to her family’s private island estate for the first time in five years—banished, estranged, and unprepared. The sudden death of her billionaire father, Franklin Stone, brings his four children and their mother back together, only to find that true to Franklin’s manipulative nature, their inheritance comes with strings attached.

A representative from Franklin’s company, Jack—a man who happens to be Alice’s enigmatic one-night stand from the evening prior—arrives to distribute letters outlining individualized tasks that each family member must complete in order to receive their share of the estate. Except for Alice. She is given no letter—only one condition: remain on the island for one full week.

Furious and unwilling to play games, Alice offers up her inheritance on the spot—only to learn from Jack that if one sibling opts out, the entire family forfeits their claims. Trapped on Storm Island with three siblings she barely recognizes anymore, a mother who was once complicit in her silence, and a man she doesn’t know whether to hate or trust, Alice is forced to confront a tangle of unresolved wounds and long-buried truths.

As the family competes in what they come to call their father’s final challenge—the “Stone Olympics”—the week unfolds into a revealing odyssey of self-discovery, buried resentments, and complicated love. Each task exposes deeper cracks in their relationships, and as accusations fly and secrets unravel, they must decide: Is the inheritance worth the price of peace? Or is reconciliation the greater prize?

Layered, emotionally charged, and laced with suspense, Storm Island poses a haunting question: What are we truly owed by the ones who made us—and what are we willing to forgive to reclaim ourselves? This gripping family drama invites readers to explore the lengths one might go to for family—and whether blood alone is enough to bind us

I've long enjoyed Sarah MacLean's historical romance novels, and it was a pleasure to read this foray into contemporary women's fiction! THESE SUMMER STORMS is funny and heartbreaking, playful and deadly serious, with a romance that complements the central family story. That MacLean managed to find satisfying endings for all these very different characters is a testament to her skill. A perfect beach read, or even better, the perfect book to devour on that rainy day mid-vacation, watching a storm at sea!

This is a fun read. With fascinating family dynamics, great snarky dialog, and a game set up to determine if the family will inherit great riches, it has it all. The beginning is strong. The latter part of the book was not quite as edgy as the start for me. A lot of it seemed pretty predictable. Having said that, it was still enjoyable. It would actually make a great limited TV series. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy.

A solid 4.5 stars. The writing took some getting used to (as it used a lot of parathesis), but the story hooks you right from the beginning. Jack and Alice's relationship (if we can call it that) doesn't always seem to progress logically and doesn't seem to flow at times. I enjoyed the characters and the Storm family. I definitely will read more by this author!

I really enjoyed the contemporary story from Sarah MacLean. I liked it more than her historical. I am hoping this is a start of a series. The romance , the family drama and the sibling relationships was amazing . The mom's character is interesting and you hate her the way the author wants you too

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
Please note that this book does deal heavily with grief and the loss of a parent. If you find that hard ot read at this time, please wait to pick this up when you feel ready.
These Summer Storms is a contemporary novel from Sarah MacLean. This book follows Alice Storm who is forced to go back to her family's island in Rhode Island when her father unexpectedly dies. But Franklin Storm cannot go quietly and he forces Alice to have to stay with her estranged family while they play a game devised by Franklin so they could gain their inheritance.
I had read Sarah's historical romance books before and really loved them. I also listen to Sarah's podcast, Fated Mates, pretty much religiously. So to say I was excited for this book was an understatement.
I will say that Sarah has said that this book does have a romance in it but it is not the focus of the book. I want to reiterate this sentiment as this book is such an amazing book and I do not want people judging it as a straight romance novel.
First off, I loved the plot of this book. The way Sarah was able to keep this so intriguing throughout the whole 400 pages and was able to drop little tidbits in a way that moved the plot perfectly was amazing to me. Her writing really fascinates me as she is such a perfect writer for making sure that the plot and plot twists are dropped and hinted at in perfect timing.
I really loved Alice as a main character and loved seeing how her relationship changes with teh characters around her. She has a really tough time with her family and the fact that she comes from such a rich family and the expectations of that. She's estranged from them due to a choice her father made and it was interesting to see her contend with that and her relationship with the family members that she still does love in her own way. I really loved seeing her grow in this book and start to realize things are not as they always seem. I also liked the romance that was in this book as I thought her and her love interest were really interesting to see together and see their dynamic.
I thought this book was honestly perfect. The writing was well done, the way that Sarah handled grief, and the characters personalities were so distinct. I cannot highly recommend this book enough.

This book was ROUGH to get through. I sincerely cannot believe that in 2025, Sarah MacLean wrote a book in which readers are expected to feel sorry for a family of billionaires. Not only did I think this was poorly written, but the plot was clunky, slow moving, and did not entice me to pick up the book. I genuinely don't know how to review this book because I don't think this book knows what it is. It's certainly NOT a romance, despite what the author and publisher may be trying to convince readers into believing. And speaking of the so-called romance that's (a very small) part of the book is so unbelievable, it's almost insulting to Sarah's longtime readers.

Imagine if Bill Gates (or Steve Jobs, or some other rich tech bro) was a controlling manipulative father to 4 kids and died unexpectedly. Then you're stuck on an island for a week while his kids and widow are stuck jockeying to pretend they don't hate each other, they aren't sad, and all they want is to accomplish the silly tasks he wrote into the conditions to receive their billion dollar inheritances. That's the plot of this book.

What's really lacking from this book is a moral arc, or a point. There's no societal commentary, no moral to the story, nothing for readers to chew or reflect on. It's just a billionaires being bad at being a family story. The ending is so dissatisfying, that I'm still in shock.

Additionally, while the portrayal of a character's abortion isn't the most problematic, it's just strange. It feels shoehorned in, and like an attempt to make a small political statement in a book in which the main characters are caricatures of literal billionaires (hi Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos, Steve Jobs, Woz, and more). Speaking of, if you want to write a "ripped from the headlines" book, go for it. But directly copying storylines about actual billionaires was derivative at best. You're telling me that an author with more than ten NYT best selling books actually wrote the line " a pair of European princes from the same royal house who, if the tabloids were to be believed, did not speak"??? If this is supposed to be a book about billionaires behaving badly, at least respect your readers by creating some new ones.

Overall, while I don't think this book should hinder the author's attempts to transition (or try out) writing contemporary fiction, this book was not the summer blockbuster I think we were all hoping for. While there's nothing explicitly problematic included in this book, it's simply a story we do not need in 2025 while currently facing the reality of a late stage capitalist oligarchy.

Family drama and secrets with a dash of romance = 4.5 ⭐️s

When I heard that Sarah MacLean was writing a contemporary family drama set off the Rhode Island coast my first thought was — yes please! What could possibly make for a better summer read? Well, she did not disappoint.

The setting is strong and dynamic. MacLean‘s Rhode Island roots shine in her descriptions and in making the reader feel like they’re walking on Storm Island with the characters, weathering the metaphorical and literal S/storms.

While not a full-blown MacLean romance, there were enough familiar qualities here to satisfy her regular readers while delighting newcomers. Central protagonist, Alice Storm, has all the hallmarks of the prototypical MacLean FMC. She knows who she is, takes no crap, and tries her best even when it’s hard. And her family certainly hasn’t made things easy over the years. So she’s made a found one with BFF Gabi and a small few she can count on. Though Alice has been estranged from her bio fam for a while, her father‘s sudden death brings her back to the fold. Manipulated into remaining on the island to take part in a kind of inheritance game, family secrets and dysfunction bubble over in fascinating ways.

The Storms are an obscenely wealthy family. In fact, at the start, this was an aspect of the book that made me uncomfortable. I really don’t want to read about the one percent right now (not even to escape), but it becomes clearer as the story progresses that the discomfort is a feature not a bug. Because MacLean grounds the book through Alice’s perspective, and she is an MC who has become an outsider to this circus of wealth, the scenario is more bearable. It doesn’t make the obnoxious characters any less so, but that framing adds a buffer that makes me see less red at the parts where the rich are gonna rich.

I genuinely enjoyed that the story addressed finding a way back to family, reevaluating how you fit into the dynamic and being okay if that fit wasn’t what you expected. A great thing about Alice is that she has herself pretty well figured out, even if everything around her is tempest-tossed. She is often the calm at the center of this storm of Storms.

If you come to MacLean through romance, you won’t be disappointed! Jack Dean is a more than worthy Sarah MacLean hero. He’s a little bit mysterious, a little bit gruff, but also all in when it comes to Alice. Not to mention those arms and that ink! And that library scene! ::heart-flutters:: So that’s awesome and definitely scratches the romance itch if, like me, you’re eagerly awaiting the story of a certain duchess. 😊🥰

All the secondaries are well-drawn and compelling. Those you can love, you will. And those you are supposed to loathe, you will loathe, MacLean makes sure of that! But she also fleshes even those characters out enough to make them more than one-note. This is especially true of a character who isn’t even alive in the book, but whose lack of presence still casts a long shadow. The death of the larger than life Storm patriarch jumpstarts the plot and I came out of this read as conflicted about Alice’s father as she was. On the one hand, I’m sorry she didn’t get a chance to reconcile with him
or at least have a conversation; however on the other, his manipulation and self-centeredness would likely have made him a hard character to get to know and care for had he been alive on page. So, I think maybe I feel as I should when it comes to him. Perhaps this is what MacLean intends.

Overall, this is an excellent summer read with the right balance of heart, humor, family drama, and romance. In the end, even when you’re backed into a corner and feel like someone else is pulling your strings, you can still make a choice and it is your choice. I appreciate how MaLean portrayed the idea that you can have agency even when other forces, be they family or circumstance, try to manipulate you towards a specific end. It’s a heartening thought.

I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of These Summer Storms. All opinions expressed are my own.

"These Summer Storms" by Sarah MacLean was definitely a read. It's all about the wealthy Storm family dealing with their dad's death and this wild inheritance game he set up on their private island. Alice, who's been gone for five years, comes back for it, and that's where all the family secrets and drama start to spill out.
I found it had a lot of family drama, which reminded me a bit of Succession, with all the hidden agendas and sibling rivalry. The private island setting was pretty cool for all the chaos that unfolds. There's also a romance brewing between Alice and Jack Dean, her dad's second-in-command, which adds another layer to everything. Overall, it's a story about family secrets, figuring out who gets what, and some personal growth mixed in with a bit of romance.

What a fun step into contemporary fiction from one of my favorite historical romance writers! I felt transported to Storm Island and was intrigued by the inheritance games the characters had to go through. My one gripe is that the pacing felt off for me - certain moments really dragged. But overall, this was a great summer read.

By the way - for everyone like me who loves a MacLean Hero, Jack definitely delivers.

** I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit I didn’t know that this was a romance novel when I requested it! I requested mainly I was familiar with the setting. I thought the family fighting over an inheritance was interesting , the romance a bit far fetched (if I saw the word growl one more time I was going to scream) but it was a good beach read

Sarah MacLean can write a good book. I've enjoyed each of her historical romances so tickle me pink that she wrote a contemporary lit book with rich people and secrets and a mystery man and all of the things. Y'all. This book was amazing.

Alice has been blacklisted from her family events because she did a Terrible Awful Thing to the company and made her billionaire father kick her out. Now her father is dead and she has come back to the family's summer island (super casual). The kicker? For everyone in the family to get their inheritance they must each complete a task before the week is over or else no one gets their inheritance. Duh. Duh. Duh. Also, there's Jack, Alice's fathers right hand man who is ensuring the tasks are complete, which is unfortunate because he is hot.

Let me say I stayed up WAY too late reading this book. I tried to put it down at 9pm and fall asleep... and then I picked it back up and went to work with less than 5 hours of sleep because I HAD TO KNOW. The antics they all got into!

I have not gotten into any of the Rich People tv shows, but this felt like it would be perfect for one of those. The secrets each of them hid. No one was a good person. Everyone was incredibly complex and interesting. You get sucked in.

This is still a Sarah MacLean book, so there was a very prominent romance thread through this novel. It was very satisfactory and felt very similar to a MacLean historical romance book, which I super appreciated. I mean somehow we had Jack be a contemporary historical romance MMC. Which, kudos to MacLean because OMG.

I do wish that Jack was a little more fleshed out. I wanted some more of him. He had some characterization, but I wanted a bit more of his history and what he wanted out of the future. I felt like I got that from all of the other characters, except for Jack.

Long story short, YOU NEED TO PICK THIS BOOK UP. Like I've already reread half of the book... less than a day from finishing it with a whole work day and sleep having occurred. I've also made my mom and coworker promise that they're going to read it once it comes out.

Thank you, Ballantine, for an ARC and all opinions are my own.

Alice Storm doesn't want to be a world-famous Storm anymore, especially after her incredibly powerful father told her to never come back to the island 5 years ago. She's made peace with living a life that's her own-- or so she thinks, until her father dies suddenly in an accident, and Alice returns to Storm Island and the rest of her incredibly fractured family. Can these siblings be a family again? Can they find compassion for each other when their father controlled everything and kept so many secrets, even after his death? MacLean writes strong, intriguing characters that draw in the reader.

Sarah MacLean's general fiction debut is the perfect summer read--it's a heartfelt but also soapy family drama, Jack is a Certified MacLean Hero (tm), and it gives the Succession meets White Lotus meets We Were Liars energy you're craving. I couldn't put it down, even after I should have been in bed.

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean is a novel that combines elements of mystery, romance, and contemporary fiction, featuring wealthy characters with complicated relationships, forbidden love, family secrets, and an intriguing inheritance scenario if the Storm siblings choose to engage with their late father's game.

Billionaire Franklin Storm's passing leaves his wife and four adult children to play a game he orchestrated before his passing for his estate. Alice, the middle daughter, has been estranged from her family for five years and appears to be the least interested in the inheritance; her primary concern is her relationship with her siblings, so she returns home. She feels compelled to participate in her father's game so that each of them can receive their rightful share of the estate.
Upon Alice's return to Storm Island, her childhood home, she becomes involved with her father's fixer, Jack Dean, leading to increasingly complicated situations.

Fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Inheritance Games series will find this book enjoyable; however, unlike The Inheritance Games, These Summer Storms is intended for a mature audience rather than young adults.

While I appreciated the setting and the novel's premise, I found that, at times, the plot became overly lengthy, which led to moments of disengagement. I expected a stronger focus on mystery, but the story leaned more heavily into romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing this ARC.

This book started with some really strong Succession vibes (which I loved) but then kind of turned into a dysfunctional family squabble fest with LOTS OF SECRETS revealed at the end. Uber wealthy tycoon Franklin Storm dies and his four children gather at his private island for the funeral oops celebration where they learn they have tasks to complete before they get their inheritance. I liked the first half but not so much the second half--not enough description and too much arguing.

I love Sarah McLean's historical romances so I was excited to jump into a contemporary fic by her. Great character development, setting, and plot. Brava!

Thank you Random House-Ballantine & Net Galley for an early copy of These Summer Storms. This was a good read, the characters were well written, you definitely felt like you were in the book with them. Many emotions I felt but sadness was the most. I liked Jack and I felt bad for Sam and also Elisabeth. I'm happy with the way it all turned out for them but it took a lot of hurt to be restored in a healthy way. Great family dynamics.

I loved this book. Great story line. Loved Alice and Jack. This is a family story with some secrets which are not revealed till the end. Great read.

Thanks to publisher for the opportunity to read ARC

3.25 out of 5 stars ⭐️

I was so into the premise of this book- rich people behaving badly, an island in New England in the summer, sailing, dysfunctional families, and a romance. Unfortunately, this one fell a little flat for me. Again, setting was an A+. Perfect for a beach read and beautiful descriptions. What worked less for me was the romance between Alice and Jack- it felt forced and rushed. I also felt like so many parts of this book just dragged on when I would have loved more back story on each of the Storms individually. There was a lot of waiting to find out the “tasks” and the inheritance and then they were kind of rushed through as well- like too much time was spent on trying to make the romance fit into the book. I loved the multiple perspectives and again wish we got more there- would also have loved to know more backstory on Franklin. Anyway, it’s entertaining and not too heavy, so it works for a beach read, and I will still recommend.

Thanks so much to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel!