1/3 Succession, 1/3 Dynasty, 1/3 Survivor, 100% drama, this is the very definition of a beach read. Setting aside the obvious fact that the cover depicts a beach, this book is soapy, full of toxic family dynamics, big time drama and secrets, a dead patriarch, and a family in crisis.

I believe this is labeled a contemporary fiction as opposed to a Romance Novel but given that Sarah MacLean penned it, you can rest assure that there is a big romantic plot line running through this book.

In short, I had a delightful time reading this book and could not bring myself to put it down. It kept me up far too late at night, the Storm siblings and their dysfunctional family, and even as I felt like that gif of Jon Stewart eating popcorn as he avidly watches the drama unfold, I was also relieved I was just a curious bystander and not an active participant in this deeply troubled family.

There are Romance Novels where you immediately fall for the characters, root for them, maybe even relate to them, and become deeply invested in their HEA. While I did like the romantic pairing of Alice and Jack (a more quintessential MacLean hero there has never been but this time in a contemporary setting, strong and sturdy and stern and full of secrets), I'm not entirely convinced I liked any of the charactersr. At least, I wouldn't really care to be friends with them. But I was invested and fully engaged in this compelling story.

It's a story of power and control, of unimaginable wealth, and a family torn apart and forced to come together when their patriarch, the egocentric tech billionaire, Franklin Storm dies, as one does, in a hand gliding accident. The terms of trust require each of his four children and his wife to complete certain tasks in order to inherit. With his "fixer" Jack Dean playing judge and jury to make sure all of them meet the terms and conditions of Franklin's diabolical last wishes, a week of forced togetherness unfolds with much drama and chaos and a sexy and surprisingly tender romance. (Each time Jack called Alice "sweetheart", I melted a little).

One of my favorite throwaway moments of the book was actually a fun little scene about the origin story of Franklin's desk, allegedly owned by the female owner of the longest standing private casino in London, and then passed to her daughter, the first woman to own a major newspaper, a neat little callback to MacLean's histrom roots. (If you've read her backlist, you'll know exactly who this is referencing).

In short, this was highly entertaining, a perfect beach read and I am probably going to get it on audio because it's narrated by Julia Whelan.

Good summer read about family, secrets, reconnecting and finding love. I enjoyed Alice and felt she was a pretty strong character. Family drama was throughout this book which is common in most families. Overall a good read. Thank you to Ballantine and Netgalley for this ARC.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Ballantine Books. This book started out really strong for me and hooked me in. I enjoyed reading about each of these character siblings and how their story progressed. It gave me little bit of murder mystery dinner party vibes without actual murder with a little bit of clue vibes. I kept wanting to read to see what would happen, although it did progress little slow towards the middle. I will say that the ending wasn’t my favorite, but I still enjoyed the over all story!

This is going to be the beach read. Not only for the setting but for the mess. Oh how I love mess and this book is FULL OF IT. We've got family drama, inheritance games and romance, all done with the finesse that Sarah MacLean has always brought to her stories. This is not a book I think you can easily put down. At least for me. I wanted to know what unexpected turn the story would take and I couldn't stop. I think this is a popcorn book. Or maybe pringles? Once you pop, you can't stop. Pre-order this one and go along for the ride!

I didn't engage with the whole story. All the characters are horrible, but not in an interesting way. Too many scenes put on the novel unnecessarily.

When the patriarch of an New England dynasty & creator of a tech empire dies, his shamed prodigal daughter Alice Storm returns home to pay her respects but instead gets caught up in a game of sorts alongside her siblings in order for them to earn their inheritance. Alice truly couldn't care less about the money since she's made a life for herself on her own in the years since she's been exiled, but per the stipulations of the will, *all* the siblings must comply with their one task assigned or no one will receive their cut of the fortune.

And so it begins, a complex game of sorts that none of the Storm siblings are a stranger to having grown up with the manipulative and controlling man who constantly made them compete for his favor. Each character is so vivid and interesting, birth order and childhood upbringing having had made their mark on their lives and leaving you to decipher where their loyalties lie in the present. And then there's the wildcard - Jack Dean, the executor of the will, Franklin Storm's right hand man, and Alice's love interest. Alice is desperate to forget their connection as she tries to interpret his motivations and what part he plays in her father's test.

While you mostly get Alice's viewpoint in this, occasionally you get a chapter from another Storm sibling, which is enlightening especially as they are faced with their task - some much easier than others. And despite there being only one main character, you oddly find yourself rooting for each of the siblings in different ways.

I'm a bit of a stranger to Sarah MacLean, only having read one or two of her historicals over the years, but this release peaked my curiosity since she was jumping genres and because I love complex family dynasty types of stories (like Succession). Juggling multiple character arcs is no small feat, and MacLean did it so extremely well here. This book felt like a big epic drama, something carefully architected and thought out, and I could not put it down.

4/5 ⭐

I don't get the strong reviews for this one. it's well written but mam, these dysfunctional characters were insufferable. I hated hanging out with them. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book! It felt like the pacing for the romance was a bit rushed and the reactions to certain secrets felt off. I did enjoy the multiple viewpoints and setting

Alice Storm returns to her estranged family's private island upon the death of her father, only to discover that her mother and siblings must play an inheritance game with high stakes. As each character completes their assigned tasks, they are also navigating complicated family dynamics, long-held resentments, and grief over a powerful and controlling patriarch. I was hooked right from the beginning and couldn't put this down. There were a few twists and turns, some of which I guessed and others that left me reeling.

MacLean is a well-established author of historical romances. This contemporary drama is a big departure from her norm, but does feature a strong romance subplot. Recommended for readers looking for a family drama with complicated characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

These Summer Storms is an excellent “play on words” with the family’s surname being Storm, and the story’s setting being in the summer in Rhode Island. A death if a father brings out all kinds of feeling and emotions and this book is no exception, siblings having Tom”work” for their inheritance as directed by the deceased. Each sibling has a different task and set of their own issues that the father knew too well. An interesting concept and subject. I was pulled in and engrossed to see if and how the siblings would survive these tasks to get their Inheritance.

This would a fantastic summer read as it has it all. An eccentric, rich old man gathers his heirs on the family's island to make them compete one last time for their inheritance, overseen by his right hand man (who is of course single and incredibly handsome). The family drama comes out, past hurts are revealed, and romance ensues. Would recommend.

This will absolutely be your favorite book of the summer! These Summer Storms strikes a great balance between intrigue and sweet, slow-burn romance. The complex family dynamic among the four Storm siblings is portrayed with authenticity, especially when it comes to birth order dynamics.

And then there’s Jack. The banter between him and Alice is witty, electric, and full of tension. I stayed up late most nights to see how their story would unfold.

This was my first Sarah MacLean novel, and it did not disappoint. Thank you to NetGalley for the privilege of reading this ARC!

I'm not typically a reader of historical romances so haven't read any of Ms. MacLean's many earlier novels. This is her first contemporary fiction novel and reflects a successful transition to a new genre.
In These Summer Storms, we meet Franklin Storm, husband of Elisabeth, and father of Alice, Greta, Sam and Emily. Franklin may have been a technological and marketing genius but he was a horrible father and not a pleasant man. The book takes place over the course of a week after his sudden death when all the family members gather on the palatial Storm Island, off the coast of Rhode Island.
Navigating life after the death of a parent can be challenging for anyone, but the Storm children all had complicated relationships with the father and vice versa, and so their situation seems even more challenging. This is a book for people who like family drama featuring rich people behaving badly. There are some predictable elements, and the romance scenes, for me, especially reflected the author's deep experience with historical romance writing. One structural element I found annoying and distracting was the presence of a narrator, of sorts, who had many side comments and often snide remarks.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read These Summer Storms. I received a complimentary copy of the book and opinions expressed are completely my own.

DNF @34%

Firstly I just wanted to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC before its publication. I am very grateful.

I was not a fan of this book and have ultimately decided to DNF it. I was bored and could not connect to any of the characters to save my life. They are extremely unlikable (that is the authors intent so not a fault of the book) and I strongly disliked every character. The only time I felt even slightly invested was when it was just Alice and Jack in a scene. But that was not enough to keep me invested unfortunately.

Another pro I have to offer is the setting. It is very vivid and I could picture it very well in my mind. So props to the author for the great imagery.

But yeah I wish I enjoyed this more but I truly feel others will enjoy this book more than me. I just couldn't connect to it and that's okay!

As a longtime reader of Sarah Maclean's historical romances I was curious how this contemporary fiction title would be. No need to worry, it's fantastic. Fast moving story with twists and romance.

Heat Index: 5/10

—Succession vibes but make it lighter

—stuck on an island

—lost siblings finding each other again

—a stern, stern, hot, hot man

The Basics:

Alice hasn't spoken to her family in years—certainly not her father, billionaire Franklin Storm. But his death does draw her back to the family's private island... running into Jack, a man who turns out to be Franklin's fixer and the executor of a rather interesting inheritance game. Each of the siblings has a task to complete; and each task is, in its own unique way, a punch to the gut. There are secrets to uncover and bonds to rebuild—but is either of those things even possible amongst the Storms?

The Review:

Sarah MacLean is an icon of historical romance—so yeah, it raised some eyebrows when she announced a contemporary that wasn't even a romance. As a MacLean connoisseur, I'm here to assure you that, yeah, this is really, really good. And yes, it's a classic MacLean in a lot of ways, albeit with a different shape.

And... while it doesn't fit the romance genre, exactly, there is a killer romance subplot. (Technically two, though one is more prominent than the other.) It is hot, and it will, I'm so sure, please those looking for a MacLean romance fix.

But the reason why it's fair to call this not-a-romance is that ultimately, this is the story of a family. It gives a little Succession (not nearly as dark, but with its own commentary on late-stage capitalism), a little Arrested Development (albeit with a good bit more drama and emotion), and a bit of a great drama with a bit of gloss, a la Big Little Lies (the show more so than the book).

Each of the Storms comes to life in their own unique way, though Alice is ultimately our core protagonist. She's the artist who separated herself from the family physically, but not quite emotionally—daddy issues galore (but isn't that all of them?) and ready to blow it all up... but not without pain. Greta, the oldest of her siblings, is their mother's shadow, devoting herself to a family that doesn't seem to offer any devotion in turn. Sam, the only son, is following in his father's footsteps in name only, unhappily married, annoying as hell, and somehow hilarious (his challenge dealt by Franklin is by far the funniest) and oddly endearing. Emily, the youngest, is very witchy woo woo and seemingly without the shackles her older siblings seem to feel. But why?

I mean, I didn't even get into the mother, Elisabeth. MacLean weaves a classic grand dame there, alternating between loathsome and horribly human. She has several moments I found utterly despicable; yet she was also completely compelling. And, I mean—points were made.

Let's circle back to that main romance subplot and talk about Daddy's fixer, the true Daddy of the novel, Jack. If you need a MacLean hero in your life, look no further. If we're being real, Alice is the heroine and Jack is the love interest more than a hero, but damn, does he have those MacLean hallmarks. He's stern, he's ultra-competent, he throws a punch in Alice's name with incredibly efficiency, and BOY does the man deliver a line. I was swooning. And frankly. despite the fact that MacLean is juggling (extremely well) the character development of an entire family, Jack has his own arc and his relationship with Alice feels fully formed. It's hot, it's a little dreamy, and I was as sold on it as I would be with any of her historical romances.

So if you're a "romance or die" person made a little curious by the author involved... I recommend giving this a shot. I used to read a lot more contemporary fiction than I do now. But this has me kind of really wanting MacLean to write more along these lines. I mean, don't get me wrong—more historical romance as soon as she's got it ready. More historical romance FOREVER (and romance in general if she wants to try other subgenres; I'll read anything she writes, frankly). But this gave me the kinds of feelings that are hard to get from a contemporary—sweeping and epic, even if the drama is very interior.

This is a family drama at the end of the day, and it's deftly done. Anyone who has a complex relationship with their father (don't we all?) is bound to feel a bit of a gut punch. While the ending had me smiling, it doesn't wrap everything up with a perfect bow and promise there will be zero challenges ahead for our Storms. And that kind of added a bit of gorgeousness to it all. Things don't have to be perfect for us to grow; they don't have to be flawless for us be fulfilled.

The Sex:

There isn't a ton of sex on the page here, but I kind of expected... a full closed door situation, maybe? And nope! This is not that! I am happy to say that Sarah MacLean dials up to heat exactly when you need it in this book. And Jack can play the game with any of her 1800s boys.

The Conclusion:

These Summer Storms is evocative, a little soapy in the best possible way, and, in some ways, a throwback. Pick it up ASAP.

(And uh, let's call out those billionaires, yeah?)

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a juicy story of a wealthy family with four siblings navigating the aftermath of their father’s death. It’s packed with long-held sibling resentments, parental disappointment, and the heavy expectations that come with insane riches. Not only that, but we get to read a romance filled with sizzling chemistry.

The somewhat sadistic inheritance game arranged by Franklin Storm, the patriarch of this family, ahead of his death, provides the backdrop for jealousy and sibling squabbles. Alice has returned after five years of exile from the family, unsure of whether she still fits with those who remain. And then there’s Jack Dean, formerly her father’s right-hand man, who’s overseeing the inheritance game which requires each sibling, and their mother, to perform specific tasks for one week in order to receive their cut of potential billions.

This was so fast-paced, and the author dives into every POV character so well, I could hardly put it down. Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel!

I could practically smell the ocean breezes (and winds!) in this novel. Sarah MacLean is a favorite romance author, and I really love the romance subplot in this family novel. Rich People Problems in fiction are interesting to me, even though rich people IRL are not. I was raised on all those long meandering family sagas published in the 1980s. These Summer Storms is a trifle reminiscent of those. A fabulous, fast read, well-written by an author truly steeped in the storytelling pace of genre fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC. I had no idea what to expect going into this book but I really liked it. Fantastic version of the “rich people doing bad things” genre, I loved the New England setting, and the characters, even though they were mostly terrible people. The plot kept you guessing the whole time, and it defies all genres. A little romance, a little mystery, a little literary fiction.

I enjoyed this book while getting to know the Storm family. The setting is idyllic, and I'd love a chance to visit a place like their island. I thought the flow was well paced, and I didn't see any of the secrets coming before they were revealed. Well, I almost guessed one, but I was a bit off.
The ending was a bit rushed and anticlimactic for me. I wanted more from the father, but he wasn't a great character, so I'm left feeling disappointed.