Content Warning: manipulative parents

+ I’ve only read Sarah MacLean historical romances so I was excited to read a contemporary story from her! This one is filled with rich family drama. Franklin Storm is the richest tech baron (think Steve Jobs or the other tech barons out there) but for all his ambition, and wealth, his family is not perfect and he was part of making it that way. Now that he is gone they have one week to play out his last game for them, with his fixer/enforcer, Jack, there to make sure they comply or not inherit anything. It was interesting to see how money motivated or influence the people in the Storm family and some on the outside of it.

+ This is mostly a family drama, with the romance not being a focus, but it definitely adds to it all. The main person we follow in this book is Alice. Alice is the daughter who walked away from the Storm family wealth but she was exiled for it. We get POVs from all the siblings but I thought Alice was compelling because she was brave and didn’t want to play her father’s games. I like how we get to know each sibling and how they saw their dad, and what their dad and mom took away from them. The sibling relationships are great – tense at first but the more they remember and spend time together, I thought it was fun to see them interact.

+ The romance takes place in a span of one week, so it’s a bit insta-lust, but I enjoyed it because they had tension and a good spicy scene. Jack is stern, a Storm employee, and Alice is carefree but also smart.

~ I kind of wish we got more closure with their mom, Elisabeth Storm, but also I think she stayed true to her character. She is who she is, I just wish (personally) she apologized to her kids but that’s just me.

Final Thoughts:

I have always loved Sarah MacLean books and I’m happy to say I’m glad she is writing contemporary romance because she doesn’t miss a beat! The characters are interesting, the family drama was messy, the romance has good tension and heat and it took me two days to read this book – I didn’t want to put it down.

These Summer Storms certainly lives up to its title, delivering a tumultuous and gripping tale centered around a deeply dysfunctional family. At the heart of the “Storms” is a controlling father, surrounded by a web of family drama, secrets, and lies that keeps the tension simmering throughout. While the book unfolds as a slow burn, with a romance subplot adding some relief to the emotional chaos, it is undeniably captivating. This was my first experience reading Sara Maclean, and while the pacing may have been a bit too gradual for my personal taste, I found myself thoroughly engaged with the story. It's a compelling read that, despite its slower moments, offers an intricate look into family dynamics and the complexities of love.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy for my honest review.

These Summer Storms was a fantastic story. Reading it felt like being privy to juicy family gossip. I really enjoyed the last quarter of the book with multiple reveals. I also enjoyed just the little bit of romance that was part of the book. Overall it was fantastic, and I highly recommend this book!

When the queen of historical romances writes a contemporary novel you should read it, no questions asked. Alice escaped her billionaire father's control five years ago and lost the rest of her family in the process. After his death she returns to the family's private island in New England for a large dose of family dysfunction and actual inheritance games. Thankfully for Alice and for readers, her father's sexy second/fixer is there to run the show. This novel is Succession-light, the dysfunction not quite as unhinged, but with an excellent romance sub-plot.

I tore through this so quickly that I didn't even break to take notes! I think that's probably a testament to MacLean's storytelling and pacing, both of which were masterful and made this book virtually unputdownable. Part family drama, part romance, part mystery, this story has everything you're looking for in a gripping summer read--I guarantee I will read this one again in just a few short months when the sun is shining and I can comfortably park my butt outside with a cocktail. 5/5 - fantastic! Many thanks to NetGalley & Random House/Ballantine Books for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is Sarah MacLean’s first contemporary fiction novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot was so unique, and I really couldn’t put the novel down. The family dynamic is the center of this and it’s just so dysfunctional and compelling.

This one’s for you if you enjoy:
*** Family DRAMA
*** well developed characters
*** great chemistry
*** Secrets and lies

Sarah MacLean has a wonderful way of writing character depth. There were so many layers to each member of the family, I coudn’t wait to see what would surface next. I especially loved that each of the siblings got a chapter POV; I thought this added to the story so well.

I thought the amount of romance between Alice and Jack for this particular novel was perfect. The scenes we got were filled with chemistry and tension.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

This book reminded me of the Westing Game that I read in grade school but with more adult content and twists and turns. Alice has to return to her family property and complete a series of tasks to get her inheritance from her father following his death. The problem? Alice has not seen her family in years thanks to a large falling out. What could go wrong? Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Sarah MacLean's historical romances, so I was excited to learn about this title which was branching out into different genre territory. These Summer Storms sees the Storm family reunite at their Rhode Island family home after the sudden death of the family patriarch and billionaire founder of Storm Industries. This book has majorr Succession vibes: an extremely dysfunctional, richer than sin family; inheritance games; rich people behaving badly, but with MacLean's signature sexy twist. This book follows Alice, the black sheep child, as she returns to the family compound for the first time in years after a major falling out with her father. She navigates the minefield that is her family and a major uber-rich society event all while feeling a growing attraction to her late father's fixer. It's a dishy and delicious read. I'll follow Sarah MacLean anywhere.

Alice Storm travels by train home to a private island off the coast of Rhode Island from NYC where she lives in Brooklyn after the unexpected death of her tech billionaire dad. She has been estranged from the family for a few years and this will be the first time she is seeing anyone. This story is not a simple reading of the will and funeral - I don't want to give away too much of the plot, because it deserves to be read to be fully appreciated - it has the best plot twist right at the start which hooked me and made me stay up late one night until I got to the reveal (no regrets over lost sleep!!) .

These Summer Storms has all kinds of family drama including a secret that will keep you up reading late into the night to solve! There is an inheritance game where each of the family members have to do a specific task in order to receive it and there is a lot of bickering about whose task is the most arduous.

The drama, the laugh-out-loud worthy moments, the mystery, the romance - all of the plot points just WORK! It was a book I wanted to savor and I forcibly had to restrain myself from devouring it in one sitting. While this book is a departure from the historical romances Sarah Maclean usually writes, her artistry remains unmatched in world building - these characters are flawed and full of genuine emotions. I love forward to future books about the other Storm siblings!

My heartfelt thanks to Sarah Maclean, Random House, and Netgalley for letting me read this ARC - I have already preordered it!

This is the perfect summer beach read!!! Succession with slightly more functional people. I loved everything about it. Alice and Jacks chemistry was fire. I loved the family dynamics and even though I did see some of the twists a mile away it didn’t matter. I couldn’t wait to see them played ou.t.

Wow! What a book. As my toddler would say, these characters were "torrible," but it made for an engaging read!

After their eccentric billionaire father dies, four siblings are forced to compete for their inheritance. They each have complex relationships with their family. I liked that the POV rotates through the siblings. The siblings are toxic, but grow throughout the story. I loved how their relationships evolved!

This is my first book by Sara MacLean, but won't be my last. Dynamic writing and interesting plot.

Minus a star because the ending felt rushed and I wish there was an epilogue. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own!

This was absolutely amazing! When I first heard that Sarah MacLean was pivoting to contemporary fiction/romance, I was slightly disappointed, but I am so glad that she did (even if temporarily). Her writing here is top notch and surpasses even my favorite historical romances by her. The change of tone and time period feels like it opened up something entirely new in her writing, and I can't wait to read more like this!

I loved all the twists and turns of this fascinatingly dysfunctional family. The characters are multi-layered and deeply flawed--some irredeemably so--and all carry their own baggage from growing up under the shadow of Franklin Storm, the tech-billionaire patriarch of the family. As the family members are forced to carry out Franklin's final tasks in order to receive their inheritance, long-buried secrets come to light and they are all forced to confront the roles they have been playing with each other and reassess who they want to be in the "after" of Franklin's death. Although told primarily from the POV of Alice, the estranged daughter/sister who is returning to her family for the first time in years, we get interspersed chapters from her siblings' POVs which shed important light on their characters' inner turmoil.

I actually liked that the romance subplot was secondary to the family drama here. Franklin's "fixer," Jack, and Alice have excellent chemistry and their romance is well done (naturally). Alice's trust issues--which, to be fair, are legitimate--and Jack's reluctance to share anything personal pose a major obstacle for them, but they both learn to open up as the story develops. They, too, have to find a way to move past Franklin Storm's manipulations and mindgames, and figure out who they are without them. Their back-and-forth/backsliding went perhaps one too many rounds by the end, but it still was ultimately a satisfying conclusion.

Final note: I loved the hidden easter eggs for historical romance fans with the discussion of the history of Franklin Storm's desk!

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

I am already a big fan of Sarah MacLean and was looking forward to this contemporary new novel. It was romantic with elements of suspense and intrigue. It was a story of an estranged daughter/sister returning home during a time of loss and of the romance, drama, and conflict that ensues. The main character was engaging, and the atmosphere was perfectly created. Fans of Succession would really enjoy this (although the similarities of the fictional father tycoons were a little distracting). I felt that the very brief additions of the other sibling point of views detracted from the book v. building empathy for the characters through their interactions with the main character. If half ratings were an option this is a 3.5 for me. I am rounding up to 4 for the swoony romance and intrigue it built to the end.

Wow. Talk about a storm! This book was filled with angst and secrets and pain. But much like a storm, the promise of a new dawn. I really liked Alice, and I absolutely loved the siblings interactions. They felt so real, so much like my brother and sisters and I arguing but still having each others back but definitely still arguing! All in all, this was fabulous!!

I thought this was a summer read and I was happily surprised to find it was not!

The Summer storms in the title refer to the Storm family as they all return to their father's private island in Rhode Island following his surprise death in a hang gliding accident. This novel blends family dysfunction, power struggles, and slow-burning tension as the family is asked to follow a series of directives delivered by letters post death—an actual inheritance game that requires the entire family to remain on Storm Island for a week.

Alice Storm has returned after five years, cast out by her billionaire father. Her return has caused plenty of hurt feeling to resurface and old wounds to open. MacLean has created deeply flawed characters, each struggling with their own motivations. The story does not simply focus on the wealth and scandal of the Storm family but explores the emotional weight of legacy, exile, and the struggle to break free from predetermined roles.

The novel’s pacing is brisk, though some of its major reveals arrive suddenly, leaving certain twists feeling slightly underdeveloped. However, the tension and character depth ensure that every moment remains engaging.
These Summer Storms is a suspenseful novel filled with plenty of contemporary family dysfunction.
#randomhouse #ballantine

These Summer Storms may be a departure from MacLean’s historic romance catalogue, but it definitely doesn’t depart from the quality I’ve come to know and love in her writing. The Storm siblings are wonderfully complex characters, who quite often made me want to rip my hair out. The supporting characters were just as interesting, and I wanted more of them even though that likely would be a whole other book (Tony! Ugh my heart!) I also was positive at the beginning of the book that I would hate Sam forever and somehow she made me feel for him by the end. I’m glad we got more of Jack as the book went on because he’s a damn hunk (MacLean specializes in writing hunky men you want to take a bite out of.) There were parts that I thought would be predictable (which isn’t always a bad thing) but I was thrilled that they didn’t turn out to be. I will read whatever Sarah MacLean writes and this makes me really excited for whatever is next for her! Thank you to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC.

Wow! What a great book! The Storms are a completely dysfunctional family controlled by their father, Franklin. He being the person who changed the world with his inventions. Dying suddenly, the children come home for the celebration including Alice who was kicked out five years ago. Franklin gives them one last test before they can inherit his fortune. The week is filled with surprises, confessions, and discoveries. A good read!

A decadent and delicious novel that is filled with family woes, loss, love and fortunes. This was witty, thrilling and heart-rending. It was fast paced with intriguing characters and a entertaining plot. Perfect for readers who love Big Little Lies and Succession. Great to read over a long rainy weekend, or basking in the sun on a beach. 5 stars.

4.5 stars. Historical romance maven Sarah MacLean's first foray (as far as I know) into contemporary fiction is emotional, warm, and funny. MacLean seems the right age to have also read and loved The Westing Game as a kid, and there's some of its DNA here, with the late Franklin Storm's grown children competing for his inheritance. The private island setting feels almost like a locked room mystery. And the burgeoning romance between Alice and a man with hidden motives is heated but also sweet. I'm happy to read whatever MacLean decides to do next!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

One word: perfection. I loved everything about this. Crisp, dynamic writing. Flawed, multi-dimensional characters. Sexy AF energy. It's like Succession, but sexier. Just read it, you'll love it.