These Summer Storms is the latest from Sarah MacLean. I wondered how I would like this because I'm used to reading her regency romance, but this was fantastic. It's everything you love about Sarah MacLean, but in a different era. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy. These Summer Storms is slated for publication on July, 8, 2025

I adore all of Sarah MacLean's historical romances, so when I saw that she was dipping her toe into writing contemporaries, I was PUMPED. These Summer Storms had me intrigued from the first chapter and I didn't want to put it down as we figured out all the twists and turns in the Storm family saga.

Alice Storm is estranged from her family, but when her father -- a larger than life billionaire -- dies, she heads home to the family bunker to pay her respects. En route, she meets a mysterious stranger on the train and has a 'no names or identifying details exchanged' one night stand. The next morning, her conquest shows up at the family compound with letters for all of Alice's family members (except her) with one final game from their father. Each Storm gets a task they must complete within a week and if any of them fail, none of them receive their inheritance.

These Summer Storms is a delicious summer read full of family drama and intrigue. I would not call it a romance -- the focus of the story is primarily on the familial relationships, but Jack is a quintessential MacLean love interest judging by how protective he is of Alice. I simultaneously hated every member of the Storm family, and found my heart softening toward them as more of the baggage was unpacked. My primarily complaint was at 400 pages, this felt like it drug out a bit and I would have liked the pace to be a bit quicker for this type of summer reading.

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun, quick read. I liked it, but didn’t necessarily love it.
I love the premise of this novel. Like any millennial of a certain age and personality type, I devour anything slightly in the universe of messy wealthy family dynamics like Succession. But this felt like fan fiction, and I wanted to explore the other characters' back stories. Each one of the siblings in this book were GREAT and I loved their antics. I think the plot didn’t feel as dynamic as the figures in the book, and I just wanted a little more mess and backstory there.
This isn’t a romance. It’s women’s fiction with a romantic subplot. That romantic subplot is STRONG, and it irked me a bit that we didn’t get more of it. I loved Alice and Jack’s dynamics, and I wanted more of them as well.
All this to say, I did breeze through this one, and I’m excited to see how Sarah delves into contemporary in the future. This had strong bones, and I hope Sarah gets to delve a little more into the kookiness, the way she does in HR.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was such a wild ride. I am a Sarah MacLean die hard reader and loved this as her first non(ish) romance. It felt like succession, with side of love, and death. Truly, a great read full of twists and turns and well rounded characters. My only wish is that Sarah MacLean could release 100 more books this year. Thanks for the ARC :-)

I wanted to love this book with all my heart but it was just ok. I have read and really liked almost all of Sarah MacLean's historical romance novels but this one didn't land for me. The writing style itself feels very conversational. As a listener of Sarah's Fated Mates podcast, it almost felt like she herself was talking to me. I was intrigued by the plot and wanted to see how everything shook out but I did have trouble getting past the fact that this book is basically Succession fanfiction. It was fun to read the character dynamics and interactions but it didn't exactly feel original. And oddly enough, for a romance writer, the romantic subplot was the least successful part of the novel. I didn't really buy that the two MC's had any reason to like each other outside of a physical attraction. Despite Alice being our POV main character, she was the least developed. There was nothing concrete or distinct enough to give her a personality outside of her rebellion against the family company. My least favorite Sarah MacLean novel is still an enjoyable read though. My hopes were just much higher.

This book was a mix of messy family drama, secrets, a lot of rich-people-problem chaos and just enough mystery and romance to keep things moving,.

Alice Storm hasn’t been back to her family’s private island in years. But after her dad dies, she’s pulled back into the middle of it all. Of course, he couldn’t just die, he had to leave behind one last manipulative inheritance game.

With the boom you’ll get a “trapped with your dysfunctional family” setup, a dead patriarch still controlling things from beyond the grave, secrets being revealed one by one, and a literal storm rolling in while emotions boil over. All from a family who doesn’t know how to talk about or interact with emotions. Plus a one night stand turned enemies to lovers romance on the back burner.

The dad managed to be one of the strongest characters in the book despite being dead the entire time. His controlling, larger-than-life personality just hangs over everything. You can feel how much he shaped the family’s dysfunction, and how much they’re all still reacting to him, even when he’s not in the room.

The only thing I wanted more of? A bit more of a win for the kids at the end. After everything they went through, I was hoping for a little more payoff. Still, it was satisfying in that quiet, bittersweet way where you can tell they’ve change, but maybe not all in the ways they hoped.

If you’re into Succession, rich people drama, messy family stories, or just want a book that’s easy to get lost in for a weekend or vacation, this one totally fits the bill.

One of the best books of the year so far! The narrative, the characters, the setting are all just a phenomenal combination to bring this book to life. It’s very character driven and the writing really brings all of them to life so beautifully. How she could take some characters are a bit outrageous and make them so realistic is just outstanding. I would reread this several times.

Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Maclean for an ARC of These Summer Storms in exchange for my honest review:
Let me preface this by saying I've read every single Sarah book and have loved them all. She's always written historical romance so I was excited to check out something a bit different from her.
This is not your average romance book as the romance aspect was more subplot. Instead the story focuses on the Storm family, more specifically Alice, who hasn't seen her family in 5 years. Not since she was exiled. Until now. With the passing of her tech mogul father, the family comes together to each get their cut of the inherit an. However, there's a catch. In order to get the money they believe owed to them, they each have tasks they need to complete.
The story was filled with sharp humor, complex characters and with so much going on in each siblings own lives it kept me hooked. Finished this in less than a day cause I couldn't put it down.
Despite the book being slightly different from Sarah's other "bodice ripping romances", the scenes that did focus on the connection between Alice and our MMC, Jack, were beautifully written.
Yet ANOTHER 5 star read from Sarah!

I tore through this book in two days, the chemistry between Jack and Alice was perfect. The antics between the siblings is not to be missed and the ultimate journey of what it means to be family when secrets are revealed and lies are uncovered keep you engaged till the very end.

Thanks for Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Broken things can be fixed; ruined things can't. And it's the same for families. So all through this story we watch the characters try to grapple with the complicated dynamics of this tremendously difficult family unit. Every conversation is weighted with secrets, lies, hopes and disappointments. The end of the patriarch's life might mean a new beginning for those who remain, but it could also just be the permanent end of any kind of familial love and warmth. MacLean's historicals are wonderful, and here she adapts perfectly to a contemporary setting. And yes, there's just enough romance to satisfy us longtime fans.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Woooooow. Wow. Okay, so. One billion(aire) stars. Infinity stars for These Summer Storms. I loved this so so much and couldn't put it down, and not just because it's set in Rhode Island (which no books ever are), where I grew up.

The Westing Game meets the Last Great American Dynasty meets Pineapple Street meets romcom. This was both character-driven and plot-driven in a way I don't recall encountering before. It was interesting and twisty and had all the trappings of complicated family dynamics (which I always love) and also a slightly steamy little romance kind of out of nowhere. What a combo.

This is an absolutely perfect summer read, but it’s also a perfect anytime read. An engrossing book no matter how you slice it. This was my first Sarah MacLean and absolutely not my last. Excited to dive into her backlist now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the advance copy for review—I can’t wait to force everyone I know to read this, so good job you.

This is MacLean's first full length contemporary and she knocks it out of the park! The writing is atmospheric and characters are clearly drawn, some have stronger arcs than others, but being in the center of rich white people problems was so entertaining!! The messiness!!!! O the messiness!!! I loved everything about this book: the spicy hook-ups, sibling shenanigans, secret love affairs, complicated explorations of grief and a character that looms large in his absence but is nonetheless loathesome.

A true Hallmark of a MacLean novel is conflict. It's always so fascinating to be on the rollercoaster as the story develops, you know the HEA is coming, but you never know how MacLean will get there. The journey is never boring or contrived. In this novel the twists and setbacks keep coming!!!

You can always go home, right? MacLean turns this notion on its head. What if home is not where you are welcomed? What if home carries baggage? What if home is silence, subterfuge, and serving at the whims of a megalomaniac?

MacLean's historicals are an auto-buy for me and her novels never disappoint!

Perfect for fans of the Perfect Couple and Knives Out, These Summer Storms is a great pick for the summer! Sarah MacLean’s leap into modern day romantic dramas does not disappoint as she weaves a story of multiple intertwining, complicated characters.

Unpopular opinion here. This was not at all what I was expecting and I was not a fan of it. The only good parts were the conversations between Alice and Jack. I did not like any of the characters though, including Alice and Jack. The family dynamics were not good even for a family who is selfish and spoiled. The ending was predictable and I was bored with over half of the book, knowing what was coming. This just was not the book for me, but I can see how some may enjoy it.

Sarah MacLean trades Regency ballrooms for Rhode Island estates in These Summer Storms, a sharp, emotionally charged contemporary debut filled with family secrets, high-stakes inheritance drama, and a sizzling second-chance romance. When Alice Storm returns to her late father's island compound for a twisted inheritance competition, she doesn’t expect her one-night stand to be her father's most trusted advisor—or her biggest obstacle.
With echoes of Succession and The Inheritance Games, MacLean blends razor-sharp dialogue, layered characters, and slow-burning romantic tension into a story that’s as compelling as it is compulsively readable. These Summer Storms is a gripping, sophisticated beach read—perfect for fans of smart romance with a dark, stormy edge.

I am only familiar with Sarah McLean from her historical romances and definitely requested this arc expecting a contemporary romance-so imagine my surprise that it’s actually contemporary fiction?! And a good one at that! Reminded me of Elin hildebrand a bit. I do wish i had done myself a favor and actually read a little more about the book, but ultimately loved the setting, loved the characters, loved the premise and really loved the ending.

This exceeded all my expectations. Sarah’s first foray into contemporary lit, it’s a little bit Succession, a sprinkle of Knive’s Out, a small helping of This is Where I Leave You, and a very healthy dose of swoon-worthy romance. This absolutely worked for me and I was riveted from the first to the last page.

At first glance, this story features messy and unlikable characters through the eyes of Alice, estranged/prodigal daughter of the Storm family. And while they all remain far from perfect, I think Sarah accomplishes a fascinating character study of their individual traumas. The characters, relationships, and reveals kept me thoroughly invested.

Don’t get me started on the romance - Jack Dean the man that you are!!! Who doesn’t love a stern, protective, and mysterious MMC? I, like Alice, would not have been able to stay angry with this man. Thank you Ballantine & NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

Alice has been estranged from her entire family for years when her tech billionaire father passes away. The siblings are left with unhinged tasks to try to win their inheritance and the family drama ensues. Alice meets her father's fixer, Jack, and they have immediate chemistry. This was a fun read summer read, set on a private island in Rhode Island. Highly recommend!

As a big Sarah Maclean fan, I was so excited for this contemporary story from her—and it did not disappoint. The characters are sharply drawn and by the end of it, you can't help rooting for them all, plus the mystery is compelling! The perfect summer read—sexy, fun, and a little dangerous.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

Alice Storm has tried to run from her family for the last five years, ever since her father--the culture changing tech billionaire Franklin Storm kicked her out--but now she's headed home. Franklin has died and Alice feels compelled to go back and mourn the man who she both loved and hated (and to maybe rebuild some bridges with her siblings). Instead, once she's on the family's New England island house she finds out that her game-playing father has one last game in mind for his family, requiring them each to do very hard things in order to receive their share of the inheritance. For Alice it means having to stay in the house, on the island, with her family, for an entire week. And the person who'll oversee whether everyone achieves their goals? Jack Dean, her father's right-hand man...and also the stranger that Alice slept with the night before she showed up at the house.

I've never read a Sarah MacLean book (I'm not into historical romance), but I love her podcast Fated Mates, so I was excited to see what she'd do with a contemporary setting. While this book isn't technically a romance, there are lots of romantic elements and some spicy sex scenes. The bulk of the story centers around Alice, who is a compelling character to follow--as the only Storm sibling to walk away from the family (after being kicked out by her dad, Alice moves out of the apartment he was paying for, gets a regular job, and doesn't speak to any of her family members). MacLean did a great job of balancing Alice's anger about being thrown away by her family with her deep desire for them to want her back in their lives. And Jack is an enigmatic character, whose allegiance isn't clear for a long time, giving a little mystery to the story. This was a great read and I'm looking forward to the next contemporary that MacLean writes.

These Summer Storms is out July 8, 2025.