Longtime (podcast) listener; first-time reader (I need to be in a very specific mood to pick up an historical).

Maclean has written a book for her readers who are looking to feel literary but still want the comfort of a capital-R Romance arc.

The whole "setting as character" rhetoric makes me cringe, so let's just call it Geography as Narrative.
This would not be the same book if it hadn't been set on Storm Island. Because a Gilded Age manor on a private island off the coast of New Hampshire is a *mood*.

Maclean takes great care in describing the island, the house, the weather. But the main POV character, the prodigal Alice, is a watercolor artist who hasn't been back in five years. So the attention to color, texture, light quality avoids feeling expository and instead works toward character development (Alice's, not Storm Island's, which is a character but you didn't hear it from me).

Alice's role is that of an observer. While not neutral, per se, she definitely has Middle Child energy: alienated, independent, and conflict avoidant. Her siblings also play the roles assigned to them by birth order. My favorite was Sam, whose text-to-speech running gag had me genuinely laughing out loud at times. Her mother is technically new money, but has Old Money energy. If you have "midday gin and tonic" on your bingo card, don't worry, they'll get there.

Jack, Alice's love interest, is a pirate. Ok, that's a lie. But I do know Maclean loves the name Jack for an MMC and also loves pirates. Jack was her dad's "fixer" and likes to silently show up where Alice happens to be. He also loves to sail and has a tattoo of both a compass *and* a sextant. So I only half-lied about the pirate thing.

They're all on Storm Island (name is destiny) because Alice's father recently died in a glider accident. He sounded like a fun-loving tyrant who garnered very mixed feelings from everyone who came into contact with him, including (and maybe especially) Alice.

The children are given tasks that they must abide by or complete within a week in order to get their inheritances. This could have easily turned Willy Wonka-esque device, where one by one each sibling learns their lesson and/or drops out. But the tasks are nuanced enough to avoid predictability and the lessons learned are never expressly laid out on the page for the reader. This is all to say, I think this will do very well on the book clubs circuit.

The romance is there, but doesn't steal the spotlight. It hits all the usual beats, but those beats are sped up and slowed down and rearranged to fit within the main storyline. By the end, I wanted Alice and Jack to be together because I like the idea of someone finding their person where and when they least expect it. But would I bet the Storm estate on an HEA? Eh...

All in all, I would recommend this for the unique authorial voice (I especially appreciate the parenthetical asides) and unique take on family wealth, sibling dynamics, and the grief of losing someone you loved but maybe didn't like.

Thank you to Ballentine Books for the ARC. That was going to be a brutal countdown to July.

This was my first book by the author but it won’t be my last. The suspense, women’s fiction, and the emotions all made for a quick read. To play a game to win an inheritance is unheard of. The characters are oftentimes unlikable but well developed. Sibling rivalry comes into play but in the end works out. Thanks NetGalley for an arc.

WOW, this book took me by surprise: inheritance games, a super rich, dysfunctional family with many secrets. The story takes place in a beautiful setting, a New England island estate. This is a mix of women's fiction, suspense, sprinkled with romance and dang, the romance plot was so so good! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!!

This is my first book by this author, but I will 100% be checking out her backlist.

"Bad decisions abounded that day, and he could easily be the worst of all of them."

"Don't you ever let yourself feel ordinary again."

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing this E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first read by this author, but definitely won’t be my last. This book is serious and at times dark, emotional yet real. Families are complicated, and none more than those with money. This book is intriguing and I couldn’t stop reading, I needed to k know what would happen next. The touch of romance in this book is deep and powerful. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

This was such a good vacation read! I enjoyed the romance and the story of the verrrrrrry strained family dynamics. The slow burn on the romance was very fun.

A new Sarah MacLean (SM) book always makes me excited. And, a new kind of new SM book made me super excited. Others might be unsure how she would adapt to a new genre, but I knew that with her immense talent with words, she would make it work.
I was hooked from the beginning. As I came to know all the characters in the Storm family, I became so emotionally invested in them - frustration, dislike, hate, anger, sympathy, empathy, hope. I found myself resenting having to leave the story to cook dinner and let the dogs out. It made me so happy to look down on my e-reader and see that I had 4 1/2 hours left to the end of the book. Hours left to spend time with the Storms, and follow Alice’s and Jack’s story. It was quite the saga and still, it wasn’t long enough. I want to know more! I want epilogues! I will read this book again - looking for things I may have missed this first time. I did catch the connection to Emily’s desk, and loved that I did. Are there more Easter Eggs hidden? I can’t wait until I can join discussions with others after publication. There is SO MUCH to talk about!
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to read an advance copy from one of my favourites!

I almost can’t believe that this author typically writes historical romance because this was a really well executed family drama/mystery type of novel! I was hooked immediately by the premise, and I flew through the chapters just dying to find out what happens next. It does feel a bit like The Inheritance Games but I also got a White Lotus vibe?? (More from the drama aspect.) Honestly, this the perfect book to start the warmer months off with - little tension, little drama, little romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc!

This was a fun surprise from Sarah MacLean! It felt like Succession with romantic suspense which was so so satisfying. Thank you to Ballantine for the early read!!

I loved Sarah's first departure from Historical Romance! This book tapped into so many different complex family relationships. It was introspective and thoughtful and at times made me giggle. I adored the setting of Newport, Rhode Island. It brimmed over into the overall vibe of the book and made it so easy to sink into. This will be a perfect beach read pick for those this summer who are looking for a light read with a little more depth.

Sarah MacLean's foray into Contemporary was an absolute hit for me.

This book deals with some very serious topics - family estrangement, loss, failing marriages, and yet it absolutely has an underlying romance that will sweep you away despite all the heavy.

There were times I wanted to punch everyone of Alice's family members in the face and I don't know if I can count how many times I was like "just leave the island already!" but in a world of crazy and unreliable family Jack just felt like an anchor and seeing this group of family members transform over the time on the island was lovely.

I won't lie - I definitely want (need) more Sarah MacLean historical romance but I also hope she continues to give us more in this genre as well!

Thank you for the early copy for review!

These Summer Storms is a razor-sharp and compelling novel that combines family drama, simmering tension, and steamy romance into a captivating summer read. Sarah MacLean brings readers into the world of the wealthy, powerful Storm family, where buried secrets, long-held grudges, and a high-stakes inheritance game collide.

Alice Storm hasn’t set foot on her family’s luxurious private island in five years—not since she was cast out by her larger-than-life father. But with his shocking death, Alice is forced to return and face the family she’s worked so hard to escape. Her father, always the manipulator, has left behind a final game: spend one week on Storm Island, complete their assigned tasks, and the inheritance is theirs.

What follows is a high-stakes, emotionally charged week as Alice grapples with her complicated family dynamics. Her older sister’s secret love affair, her brother’s arrogant behavior, her younger sister’s need for constant analysis, and her mother’s cold judgment create a chaotic and tense atmosphere. Add to this the enigmatic and too-handsome Jack Dean, her father’s second-in-command, and Alice’s return to the island becomes even more treacherous.

This novel explores themes of grief, love, family, and the tangled relationships that define them. The writing is lush, the characters are complex and flawed, and the romance that simmers between Alice and Jack adds just the right amount of heat. These Summer Storms is a brilliant, emotional journey that will resonate with readers who enjoy stories of transformation, family reckonings, and the secrets that define us.

A perfect blend of mystery, romance, and family drama, this novel will keep readers hooked until the very last page.











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I received an ARC of These Summer Storms from NetGalley— and goodness, I’m glad that I did!! I absolutely devoured this book. Family drama, romance, grief: so many life truths built into this book and they are all blended together very seamlessly. This is 100% a must read. It’s early in the year but this is already going to be one of my top reads of the year. Wonderful, wonderful job!!

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC. I LOVED this book. Full of twists and turns along. I loved the entire thing from beginning to end. Alice was unlike any character I have read. The saying Money can’t buy happiness truly was the theme of this story.

Thank you NetGalley for provide this ARC for review. In her first foray into contemporary fiction, MacLean doesn't disappoint! The characters are well-developed - flawed but likeable. The romance in the novel is fun and spicy. With its tight plotting and surprise ending, I'm sure this book will appear in many beach bags this summer. Highly recommend!

Sarah MacLean has captivated us for years with her stunning historical romances, but her latest novel, These Summer Storms, proves she can seamlessly blend contemporary family drama with romance—and it exceeded all my high expectations!

This five-star read is an absolute must for your summer TBR. I love a novel that dives into the messy, scandalous world of the ultra-wealthy, and when you throw in a high-stakes inheritance competition following a patriarch’s death, I’m all in! The tension, the secrets, the betrayals—MacLean crafts every twist with precision, making this an addictive, unputdownable read.

Family dynamics are always intricate, but MacLean takes them to another level, delivering a story that is as emotionally gripping as it is extremely entertaining. With compelling characters and a plot that keeps you hooked from the very first page, These Summer Storms will be one of my top recommendations this summer!

These Summer Storms by Sarah Maclean will leave me thinking about it long after I have finished other books. I appreciated the masterful balance of a unique story line with a modern setting, family drama and an addictive romance. It kept me wanting to know more. As a fan of neat and tidy endings, I appreciated the resolution, however, I found myself wanting even more closure—especially a glimpse into how things turned out down the road for all the characters. That said, this book was a joy to read, and I highly recommend picking it up!

A huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book ahead of its public release!

Sarah MacLean is one of the strongest, most consistent, and best romance writers out today. These Summer Storms is the first in a new kind of series for MacLean, and I eagerly await the next book. I gobbled this up as quickly as life allowed and I actually want to read it again, but my TBR list would shame me. Get into These Summer Storms ASAP. I love a family saga and this did not disappoint,

“Succession” meets “The Perfect Couple” meets the grandma in “Gilmore Girls”

A dysfunctional tech family all comes back together on their personal island in the wake of the patriarch’s passing.

A slow burn, for sure. The first 25% was tough to get into as most of the characters are pretty “hate-able”. It’s a slow moving story overall, even though it only takes place over a 7-day period. Overall, glad I read it but don’t expect to be hooked right away. Give the characters a chance to see their redeemable characteristics. Lots of development.

Very entertaining! I finished this in just a few days. A dreamy, not-perfect hero and family turmoil. Like Succession if written as a romantic suspense and less childhood abuse. If you like Sarah Maclean’s historical romance novels, you’ll like this.

I've read all of Sarah's historical romances and I had to jump on reading this title. This was fantastic. I love that it was a slower paced read but it was still full of what I like to call "Sarah's Surprise". The way she paints a scene, and keeps the tension flowing while revealing bits and pieces of the story enough to say, one more page, one more chapter. Cannot wait to read wherever the contemporary world takes her.