I always find it interesting when well established authors in one genre transition to another. This isn't as big a leap as some, but it is certainly a far cry from a historical romance. And since I love Sarah MacLean's historicals, I knew I would be picking this up.

Put simply, this blew me away. The prose is lush and gorgeous and I found myself upset that I wasn't on a beach devouring this (I read it at work). Much like Franklin Storm had on his family, this book had a hold on me that wouldn't let go until I was done. The plotting and pacing was perfect, things building and building until they were finally forced to break. I love how it was a story about family, how it's messy, but sometimes, if you get lucky, you can still find your way back to one another.

And since Sarah is a romance queen, I adored the romantic subplot as well. Jack can consider himself entered into my lineup of book boyfriends. Alice was delicious and real and heart wrenching.

I also appreciated the nod to the Sarah MacLean literary universe -- I can't wait to see what she does next!

This was a really good read that would appeal to a wide variety of readers. Alice is part of the Storm Family, a super wealthy family in New England. However for the past five years, Alice has been an outcast as she did something to upset her father and he no longer wanted her around. Alice finally goes back to her family's home on Storm Island after learning about her father's death. Things take a turn though when Alice learns that she must stay a week and if she does not then no one will inherit the fortune her father left.

I was surprised at just how much I liked this book. Alice was a great character and I loved how she struck out on her own and made a life for herself trying to do the right thing. I was also fascinated with her family. The author did something a little different which I really enjoyed. The story was basically all Alice but there was one chapter dedicated to the three other siblings so as a reader I got to know them a little better. This really added to me feeling like I was part of their family. There was romance, mystery, and great writing. This book should be on everyone's summer reading list!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

When her father dies, Alice Storm is summoned to her family’s gothic manor house on the shores of Rhode Island to attend his funeral. Alice has been estranged from her family for years, but her father’s will stipulates that to inherit, each family member must stay the entire week and participate in a game to earn their share. In addition to Alice, the family includes Greta, the eldest daughter who seeks her mother’s attention; Sam, the only son and presumed heir to the family business; Emily, the free-spirited baby sister; and their mother, Elizabeth, who just wants to medicate with a glass of wine and check out of the whole thing. While this is not a romance, there is a MacLean hero in the form of Jack Dean, the man who is there to see that the terms of the will are met. After reading all of MacLean’s historical novels, it’s fun to read what she can do in a contemporary setting. This is the perfect beach read!

I was so excited to see Sarah MacLean take on contemporary fiction after knowing her from historical romance. Given the current political and cultural climate, only an author I trust could get me on board to read about manipulative billionaires being horrible to each other. The writing quality was there, but the story for me left me wanting.

For those looking for romance, there is a strong romantic subplot that I think the novel would have been better without. In a world where we have Succession and White Lotus exploring the pitfalls of wealth and ego, I’m not sure what this novel was trying to say.

I wish there was more focus on the family dynamics. They were all horrible in the exact ways you expect them to be horrible. I wish it was either 50% messier or more reflective of what wealth has really cost them. Everything felt very expected and the ending was far too tidy for what the story was presenting itself to be.

The writing was solid as always and I’d definitely give another contemporary fiction novel by her a go. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

WOW. What a ride.

What happens when the siblings of Succession have to come together to say goodbye to their complicate father and play one last game for him?

This book was an incredible easy gripping read. We mostly follow Alice as she returns home to her family’s island to say goodbye to her father. We get the complicated story of her family and get an intense romance subplot.

I was compelled from the first page and really have nothing bad to say about it.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher for the early access to These Summer Storms!

As a fan of Sarah Maclean's historical romance novels, I was excited to read her new work about the wealthy Storm siblings. This story revolves around a wealthy family in New England who come together after their larger-than-life father unexpectedly passes away. Long-buried secrets and resentments threaten to unravel everything, and I was intrigued by the family's hidden truths and the role of the mysterious fixer Jack.

The narrative is mainly told from Alice's pov, who became estranged from the family five years ago, with a few chapters exploring the perspectives of the other siblings. Despite the promising premise, I found the plot to be contrived as it attempted to explore complex family dynamics but ultimately fell flat and felt uninteresting.

Alice's character, who believes she is somehow superior to her family members because she left home to become an art teacher in Brooklyn, with hardly any other traits, didn't resonate with me. The 'secrets' that were meant to be shocking turned out to be fairly typical, and there was minimal exploration of their consequences. Additionally, the romance subplot felt forced, featuring a tall and mysterious love interest with an interesting sextant tattoo.

While the book didn't meet my expectations, I liked the small reference to one of Maclean's previous historical romances. Overall, this was a decent attempt, but it wasn't compelling enough to make me care for the family and their secrets.

These Summer Storms revolves around the 4 Storm siblings and their journey towards receiving their inheritance following their fathers passing in a tragic accident.

The story is told through Alice's POV, the estranged sibling following an argument with her father that is revealed about halfway through the book. This being said, I really enjoyed the 3 chapters dedicated to the other siblings POVs (Greta, Sam, and Emily) and I wish there was more POV changes. Each sibling has their own version of the truth regarding their father and their family dynamic.

I will say, the plot didn't really pick up until the final 70%. Once the "celebration" ended and all of the family was coming to terms with their tasks and what their next steps are, the book was hard to put down.

Overall, this is a great story of complicated family dynamics and healing following the passing of a loved one. I was expecting more of a mystery vibe than I was given but all in all, a good read.

Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, author Sarah MacLean, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

These Summer Storms is THE quintessential summer read (and boy, do we need it!). You know that feeling of waking up to the tang of salt air, the cool waft of sea breeze, the timeless scent of sunscreen (you know it), and the feeling of the real world falling away, somewhere blessedly distant and not for you to worry about right now? These Summer Storms is that feeling, in delicious, note perfect, book form. All the drama you leave behind the moment you hit the beach and that aperol spritz hits the lips? It's not your problem- it's the Storm family's problem, and their problems are a wild ride you absolutely want to take.

While there was no doubt, this book confirms Sarah Maclean knows the job. Her writing is as fresh and compelling as ever, and her nuanced knowledge of story shines here as much as it does in her romances. She hits all the notes you want- my feet were KICKING- but still manages to throw in plenty of curveballs and tasty surprises. This book is a delight- full of heart and tastefully complex characters, just as messy as their drama, it serves not only as an evocative romp into a pitch-perfect coastal vibe full of all the summer-in-the-Northeast tones you could ever hope for, it is also a heartfelt exploration of family, grief, and love.

These Summer Storms is absolutely delicious but it's more than that- it is a surprisingly powerful exploration of how we navigate loss and the ways we build, and change, our sense of identity. The book has as many layers as a folded mainsail- which, if you're not a sailor, is a lot. Whether you want an immersive and fun read to take you to that beach holiday you're longing for, or you want a romantic and sensitive tale of a complicated, deeply human family, These Summer Storms delivers.

So throw on your SPF, kick back, grab a cold drink, and ENJOY the ride.

For fans of Succession and Great Big Beautiful Life, this is about to be your new favorite book! As a big Sarah MacLean fan, I had zero doubts that this would be a riveting read...and I was right.

Okay where to start...

The Storms - They're like the Roys, but you love them as well as hate them. I'm not just comparing this to Succession because this is a rich family. The Storms have a heap of childhood trauma, none of which is resolved. You dive right into the s***storm that is the Storms and stay there for the whole book. You love them, you hate them, you feel their pain, and you roll your eyes at their rich people problems. I'd read more books about this family...just FYI...@sarah.

Alice and Jack - When Sarah MacLean said she was going to release a contemporary novel and didn't particularly highlight the romance, I was a little sad. I mean, Sarah knows how to make her romantic relationships essential in her historicals. Luckily, I was not left wanting. Alice had as many reasons to like Jack as she did to hate him...and you know that makes for an excellent enemies to lovers. The timeline of this book was fast, but I never felt like this relationship wasn't paced perfectly and beautifully. The way they intuitively knew what each other needed, what they wanted to say, and how they felt - even when they despised each other (maybe) - was enthralling. The era change did not dim the iconic MacLean heat in the slightest, rest assured.

I could say so much more about this book, but I'll keep the spoilers out and keep my fangirl-ing to a minimum.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my first ever advanced copy!

P.S. If you are also a MacLean Universe reader, there is a VERY special surprise waiting for you toward the end of this book. I'm squealing just thinking about it.

✅ Meet the main characters:
Alice Storm, estranged daughter of tech magnate Franklin Storm returns to her childhood home on Storm Island when her father dies.
Also present:
Elizabeth Storm - matriarch obsessed with the Storm image
Greta Storm - the oldest, in a years long illicit relationship with Tony, Franklin Storm’s driver/bodyguard
Sam Storm - believes he’s the heir apparent for the Storm corporation
Emily Storm - the youngest, yoga instructor, recently married
Jack Hale - Franklin’s right hand guy
✅ Jack and Alice have a one night stand before she realizes who he is
✅ inheritance battles, family drama
🌶️: yes

Rich people behaving badly. Read for White Lotus vibes (without the murder mystery piece)

4 stars.

Damn those meddling rich people! "These Summer Storms" by Sarah MacLean is a doozy! I liked reading this, but I *didn't* enjoy reading this content-wise, does that make sense? Just because of the nature of this rich, entitled family... they all needed a good smack in the face! Man, I got so ANGRY while reading this book. Estranged/exiled children, secrets galore, art, shocking twists, a budding romance, lies, lack of trust, sibling rivalries, uncaring parents, death, snobby rich people, backstabbing, steamy liaisons, Picasso, tonnnnnnnnnnnns of family drama, and even more MESS. Mess is the name of the game here, and MacLean writes it so, so well. The main character, Alice, is such a compelling person. I love how she broke away from the shackles of her family/father's clutches/money so she could live her own independent life. She risked everything to do so, starting from scratch to gain her independence. When her father dies, she is thrown right back into the Storm family fray after five years of no contact. Even in death, the patriarch of the Storm family has found a way to keep his entire family in his clutches as each member of the Storm bunch has been given a specific task to complete in order to gain access to their inheritance. I also really liked Jack, Alice's father's right-hand man, the one who gets/got things done for her father. The attraction between Alice and Jack is palpable from the second they lay eyes on each other. I also loved the dynamics between Alice and her siblings. Readers will eat this book UP. It's scandalous, delicious, entertaining, full of drama... It's the perfect poolside/beach time read. I think it could have been a tiny bit shorter and a little bit faster-paced here and there, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it. I can't wait to go back and read Sarah MacLean's other books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah MacLean, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

4.5 stars
This is basically The Inheritance Games, if written by Elin Hilderbrand. This is a compliment of the highest order, and I cannot stress this enough. I did figure out the twist relatively early, but I enjoyed every part of this book and I absolutely flew through it. Put this one in your beach bag for sure!
I will definitely recommend this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC!

These Summer Storms is the perfect beach read. There’s enough drama, romance, and rich people behaving badly (one of my personal favorite forms of conflict) to keep anyone entertained during those long, lazy summer days. I loved the Storms and their quest to keep their inheritance after their father’s untimely death. Watching them heal old hurts and discover what’s really important gave me all the feels, which is exactly what a problematic summer read should be. Sarah MacLean’s latest should be in beach and pool bags everywhere this season.

“Alice Storm hasn’t been welcome at her family’s magnificent private island off the Rhode Island coast in five years—not since she was cast out and built her life beyond the Storm name, influence, and untold billions. But the shocking death of her larger-than-life father changes everything.”

This book was intriguing from the start. It definitely made me want to keep reading to figure out the little mysteries embedded in the storyline. There were parts that definitely drug along longer than they should have but at about 60% I literally couldn’t put it down! I loved how different chapters were solely the POV of a certain character (there are a lot) which made you get to know each person in a new light. Overall I really enjoyed this one. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for my eARC in exchange for an honest review. These Summer Storms comes out on July 7th 2025!!

These Summer Storms will make you feel any better about any dysfunction in your own family and it’s the most dramatic, entertaining summer read I could possibly come up with. Alice is one of Franklin Storm’s daughters, a tech pioneer who is larger than life and even larger in death. She’s been estranged for the family for five years (although the reason why doesn’t come out until the middle of the book) when he dies and she’s called home to the family compound on an island off the coast of Rhode Island. Alice has to reconcile with the realization of his influence in her life even after they no longer spoke, and how it’s still continuing now that he’s died. She has to come to terms with her relationship with her mother and siblings, all of whom ignored her when their father cut her off. And in the middle of it all is Jack, her father’s fixer who is there to make sure certain requirements are met before they get their inheritance and there is a definite attraction between Jack and Alice. I know some people hate the term beach read but this is truly a fantastic one, meant for getting lost in. I picked it up 24 hours ago and really couldn’t put it down until I was done, except for pesky things like making my family dinner. Definitely worth the read!

4⭐ (maybe more)

This one completely surprised me—in the best possible way. I went in with expectations of a solid historical romance (because, well, it’s Sarah MacLean), but These Summer Storms ended up delivering something even more emotionally layered and impactful than I was ready for. There’s an unexpected tenderness to the story that crept up on me. It’s not just about the romantic tension (which is chef’s kiss, by the way), but also about healing, reckoning with the past, and claiming the kind of life you didn’t even know you deserved.

The characters have a rawness that made their journey feel especially intimate. Their growth, both together and individually, felt earned. And the setting—stormy both literally and metaphorically—mirrors their emotional states so well.

It’s one of those books where I closed it and immediately started wondering if it’s actually more than a 4-star read. It sticks with you in that subtle, quiet way that sneaks into your thoughts later. Definitely a standout.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

The overall concept/premise of this book is 10/10 for me, but I just think it fell a little short in the execution.

Definitely read if you love:
Family drama
Isolated setting
Forbidden/unexpected romance

I had a hard time staying focused at times, because everything just felt so long winded and drawn out. Alice's family is truly unlikeable but almost in a boring way? I felt the most engaged when Alice & Jack interacted, but even those two (my fav characters from the story) were just okay for me. I think this would be a decent summer read, lounging by the pool.

Alice Storm, the estranged daughter of Storm Inside’s founder, Franklin Storm, is called back to her family’s private island after the sudden passing of her billionaire father. Expecting just to keep her head down and attend her father’s funeral, Alice was not expecting to participate in an inheritance game devised by her father. Now Alice and the rest of the Storm family are trapped on the island playing a game that upends her entire family as she knew it- all under the eyes of her father’s second hand man, Jack Dean.

These Summer Storms is Sarah MacLean’s first contemporary romance and it completely exceeded all of my expectations. This book was such a fun read but I also found myself extremely emotional at some parts. I ended up loving this book so much. Each member of the Storm family and their relationships felt so real and their stories were so emotional and complex. I loved seeing how each relationship evolved throughout the book as everyone navigated their complicated feelings of grief in such a complicated family dynamic, while also exploring their own identities and also having to abide by the rules of the game for the entire week.

Although the romance in this book felt more secondary to the family drama, it was exceptionally well written. The yearning, the tension, the forbiddenness of it made it one of the best romances I’ve read in a while. This was a phenomenal debut into contemporary romance for Sarah MacLean.

My only complaint was that there were a lot of different plot points that made the book feel a bit clunky, but I loved this book so much I didn’t even care.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

A bit Succession and a bit summer beach read, and I loved the combo! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I absolutely enjoyed this book! The family drama, Jack and Alice, the Storm olympics. The family is unhinged and the drama kept me on my toes. I loved that Jack and Alice had instant chemistry and that they kept coming back to each other! Alice finally gets to go back home after being away for five years to grieve her father, but the family has to end up playing a “game” to receive their inheritance! The secrets that are revealed and the “terms” of the game really made me not want any to put the book down!
I have never read anything by Sarah MacLean before this book, but I absolutely will after this book!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy of this book!