Thanks to Netgalley for a chance to read this book! I love a family drama story, and this did not disappoint. The storm family is flawed and at times quite awful. But sprinkled in were some funny one liners and the growth at the end was great to experience. 4/5 for me!

I've previously been a huge fan of Sarah MacLean's historical romance novels, so when I saw that she was authoring a contemporary fiction novel, I eagerly requested it on NetGalley. In These Summer Storms, our main protagonist is Alice Storm, the 3rd of 4 siblings in the Storm family, returning to the private island her billionaire father owns after learning of his untimely death. Alice, along with her 3 siblings learns that in order to inherit their father's wealth, they must follow the rules of his little game, with his second in command Jack Dean there to watch their every move and ensure no one makes a misstep. As noted in the summary from the publisher, Alice is the only Storm who has struck out on her own, exiled by her father after a disagreement 5 years prior to his death, and she is determined not to be pulled back into the family that she no longer feels part of, but events on the island have a way of pulling her back in to the fold.
As with MacLean's previous works, the story is skillfully told, with some changes in narrator as needed to move the plot forward. And of course, there is a romantic sub plot, with very strong chemistry between Alice and Jack from the first page they meet. I enjoyed the arc of this story as Alice comes to understand herself, and her family better, and heals from the past mistakes that they have all made. The ending was well plotted, and extremely satisfying as well.
Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

The novel These Summer Storms combines romance, family saga, and thriller elements. With distinctive characters, an island setting, and a suspenseful conclusion, Sarah MacLean captivates readers and keeps them guessing.

Alice Storm is summoned home following the death of her billionaire father, Franklin, having been estranged for many years. Her family treats her like an outsider, but soon discovers that she is the key to their inheritance. Although she desperately wants to leave due to their cruelty, she must remain on the island for a week, or everyone will lose their share. If not for Jack, her father’s assistant, Alice would never uncover the secrets, disillusions, and regrets the family has kept silent until now.

The premise kept me reading into the night, to reveal a shocking ending. The romance is hot, and the characters are cold and detached. But there is resolution and redemption, once Franklin’s will is read. I thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review These Secret Storms.

If Knives Out were a romance novel! What a fun read - I've never read MacLean before and didn't even read the synopsis before jumping in so I had no clue what to expect - I really enjoyed this book. It had complex story lines, individuals, and problems, but the romantic flirtiness and high stakes, thanks to the Storm Olympics "challenge" vibe of the novel. There were likeable characters and horrid ones, but even the ridiculous ones didn't feel like caricatures. If I had to give critical feedback I'd say that some of the lines the characters say (i.e., the way they speak) sound fake - like it's too flowery and flourishing for what people actually say IRL. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

The Storms are grieving the sudden death of their patriarch, Franklin Storm. Franklin, in my opinion, is based on the tech moguls of our time including Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Franklin had a tight hold on his four children and wife, he financed their endeavors with strings attached. They all gather together at their summer home on a island off of Rhode Island and find that they all have different challenges that will determine their inheritance. This "game" is met with mixed emotions and you get a view of each sibling and how they were impacted by their family. There is suspense and secrets are found out through out the novel.

I am glad I was able to see the list of other novels MacLean was written, her other series are solidly in the romance genre and are mostly historical romance. However, I think MacLean also branches out in this novel as she includes suspense and drama with the Storm family. The two parts of the story, romance and family drama, seem separate but do mesh well together if you know that MacLean is typically a writer of historical romance. There are steamy scenes that would not appear if it was more of a literary fiction focused on the family dynamics. It was fun to read and had a good balance of these two genres.

Definitely a sucker for a slow burn and grumpy/sunshine tropes
Perfect for readers who crave intensity with their romance and a heroine who doesn’t flinch at fire.
Short, sweet, and unputdownable!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

So good! MacLean‘s first contemporary novel was fantastic! This sharp, sexy story follows an uber wealthy New England family through ups and downs, secrets and lies, family members that you love and hate. If you are a fan of Succession, You really need to check this one out! Releasing July 8th, I highly recommend this one, it is the perfect summer read!

I love that Sarah MacLean is diving into contemporary fiction! Her historical romances are fantastic and I was anxious to read a modern-day story from her.

These Summer Storms is about the Storm family: Alice, the daughter of billionaire Franklin Storm, and her siblings, Greta, Sam, and Emily, and mom, Elisabeth, in the wake of Franklin's death.

If you've liked MacLean's books in the past, this is really more of the same. (I loved it.) All the archetypes of historical romance are there, set in the somewhat modern, somewhat throwback world of immense wealth. Billionaires are the equivalent of kings and everyone is subject to their whims. I mean, the story is set on a private island! (Aka, a castle with a moat...)

Lately, I feel like any book featuring rich people in any capacity is compared to Succession; it's getting overused. These Summer Storms really had the same feeling as Succession, though. It was like a new season, just for me. I want Sarah MacLean to write more!

Really enjoyed this! If you're a fan of Succession and family dramas, then this is the book for you! I just know this is going to be the perfect beach red for many this summer. I felt that MacLean really built out the storylines of each of the Storm children very well to the point that you were rooting for all of them by the end of the book.

4.5 stars, rounding up! Listen, it’s a Sarah MacLean. The chances it wasn’t going to be at the very least a slam dunk, if not a half-court shot, no net (I don’t know anything about basketball), were very low. I’ve been chomping at the bit for Sarah to write a full length contemporary since I read her novella and she did not disappoint!!! The family drama! The interpersonal angst! The personal trauma! The lush description that makes me once again want to move to the New England coast!

What’s the 0.5 stars off? Shockingly, it’s gonna be for the romance. But not for the reason you think! I ended the book very much pro Alice and Jack loving and thriving together forever more. I liked Jack and also loathed him (how very Alice of me) and knew he would need a big grand gesture to make me forgive him. I stuck with it bc I knew my girl Sarah wouldn’t let me down but it required a lot of trust. Jack was a pretty standard SM hero, and this has made me realize how much I really need their POVs, because I’ve never had this reaction to any other of her MMCs. I needed to watch this man suffer more than I could from just Alice’s POV. We got one POV chapter each for the other 3 siblings—would have loved one from Jack too.

But other than that, can’t wait for Sarah to write more like this. It’s very Emily Henry meets Elin Hilderbrand.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

4.5 Stars – A Twisty, Heartfelt Family Drama Perfect for Summer

I absolutely devoured this book! It’s a compelling family drama woven with just the right amount of romance, mystery, and emotional depth. The writing is strong and engaging, and even though a few moments leaned a little cheesy, it honestly just added to the charm.

The story has Inheritance Games vibes with its layered family secrets and unexpected twists that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The mystery element was super fun without overpowering the emotional core of the book, which really focuses on the complexities of family, love, and self-discovery.

This is the kind of book that feels like it was made for summer—something you can get totally lost in whether you’re lounging at the beach or curled up on the couch. Definitely recommend grabbing this one when it drops!

Yall, this book is 🔥. I trust Sarah MacLean, she is a goddess on this earth, but I wasn’t sure how her style would translate to contemporary. Well , that was a dumb thing to worry about because my god, she knocked it out of the park. From the first scene I was hooked and I could not put this down. Now I need to go reread her backlist again because she’s like a drug. I need more!!!!

The family drama was interesting. I did not like the romance hero who made a dishonorable decision and seems to have been easily off the hook.

I devoured this book. It’s not a romance novel but definitely a novel with romance! Although tinted by astronomical wealth and a funny inheritance game, the family dynamics were very real with old grudges and miscommunications causing rifts between adult siblings and their mother. Highly recommend!

It was an ok book but a little too cutesy and heavy on the romance for me
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

This book has all the makings of a summer bestseller! Tricky family relationships and a cute hometown are the recipe for this lovely novel with a surprising twist!

These Summer Storm by Sarah MacLean
Writing: B
Story: C+
Characters: C ( Alice and Jack get an A )
Setting: B
Best Aspect: The interactions between Alice and Jack was all I enjoyed.
Worst Aspect: The other parts I was not engaged in.
Recommend: Maybe.
Released July 8, 2025

📚✨Book Review✨📚

These Summer Storms
Author: Sarah Maclean

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Notes: I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
⛵️ Sarah Maclean can do no wrong in my book. Every single book she writes features a FMC who is smart and resilient and a MMC that is strong, broody, and willing to burn it all down for their love. This book is no exception!

⛵️Longtime Maclean readers will love discovering a hidden Easter Egg that will make you stand up and yell out….I know that!

⛵️This book is a combo of all the things I love from historical romance and contemporary romances, mixed with influences from shows like Succession, Dynasty, and The Crown.

What I Didn’t Like:
⛵️I won’t give away any spoilers, but I do want more from that ending. I want to hear about the other siblings!

⛵️I needed a few more steamy scenes. I’m especially sad we missed out on their first encounter. 👀

Final Thoughts:
⛵️While Sarah Maclean is predominantly a historical romance author, this latest foray is something that I think many people would enjoy. If you are into shows that are more dramatic, but have a hint of romance, you would certainly enjoy this. I would recommend it to ALL readers!


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This will be THE book of the summer. As a huge fan of Sarah’s historical romances, I was vibrating with anticipation to read her entry into contemporary fiction and WOW it did NOT disappoint.

These Summer Storms has everything you want in a summer read: family drama, an abundance of secrets, and rich people talking about rich people problems. It was truly impossible to put down and I happily gave up sleep to devour this beauty. And if you’re a fan of Sarah’s romances, you will be delighted by what she has in store within these pages.

I cannot wait to have this book sitting on my shelves and will be telling everyone it’s a must pack for their beach or pool bag this summer.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book! Sarah Maclean is one of my favorite authors! I love her writing style and how it always draws you in from the very first chapter. I’ve been hooked on her historical romances, but this contemporary fiction was such a great read! I loved the complex characters, family drama, and the need to stay up reading to know how it ends! Definitely pick this one up in July - 5/5 stars!