Succession mentioned in blurb = automatic read. I do feel like there was a lot of repetition in this story, which got boring eventually as we'd already seen these conversations play out (and sometimes more than once already). The complex relationships and big human feelings were well done, and overall I did enjoy the story!

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Terrible rich people, complex characters, SO MANY feelings! This one was a one day read for me, I could not put it down.

The family drama of this story was so compelling I couldn’t stop. At first it was simmering, but once the fire hit, the heat kept building. It was turn after turn and layer after layer of drama and secrets, and I ate it up. I’ve loved Sarah MacLean’s historical romances, but this book proves she does all writing well. The pacing and tension of this family was wonderfully done. It was missing the specific 5 star feeling for me, but still a great read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for this ARC!

A compelling setup, but unfortunately, much of the prose is repetitive and stagnant, leaving the reader wanting a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Sarah McLean, and Ballantine for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Not quite what I was expecting! This was an enjoyable summer read that definitely gave me Succession vibes. I enjoyed seeing the family dynamic of the Storms and was truly invested the entire time to see how the week would play out. Some things I expected while other plot points caught me off guard. My biggest issue with this book was the repetition throughout. This is not a super short book, and yet throughout the entire read, similar conversations and arguments are recycled at minimum 3-4 times. By the time I reached the end of the book, I was ready for it to finish, just so I wouldn’t have to read the same arguments between Alice and her siblings and mother again. I think some of the writing worked to convey the story and message, but it could have benefitted from a shorter page length. I also didn’t fully buy how serious the romance was and again, by the end, I would have liked to see less of it. If you like family dramas, I would recommend at least giving this a shot, but just know, it is very repetitive.

I picked this up because it was a family drama, but it read more like a romance and I was not in the mood for that. I found the writing to be very bland and boring. While some of the chapters were told from the perspectives of different siblings, they all sounded the same.

I just devoured These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean and absolutely loved it. Known for her historical romances, MacLean’s first contemporary novel completely won me over. The story follows Alice Storm, estranged from her wealthy family, who gets pulled back in after her tech mogul father dies and leaves behind a dramatic inheritance challenge.

Set in a stunning Rhode Island estate that feels part Succession, part Knives Out, the book delivers family drama, scandal, and so much tension. I adored the dynamic between Alice and Jack Dean, her father’s brooding right-hand man—the chemistry was electric. What surprised me most was how emotional it got, digging deep into family wounds and identity.

Some of the big reveals felt a little abrupt, but honestly, I was so wrapped up in the Storm family’s drama that I barely noticed. I stayed up all night reading because I had to know how it ended, and now I just want more from this family.

I loved this book! The character development was excellent and the family drama that intertwined was well done.

From the reviews that I read, I thought this would be a good book, but it was not. I'm sure many copies will sell, but I found it ridiculous. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

An intriguing family saga and the game element drew me in. Liked the private island setting and love story addition.

I loved this book. It was the perfect beach read filled with romance, family drama (lots of it!), and summery vibes. It reminded me of an Elin Hilderbrand book with the coziness, but still plenty of excitement and relationship drama. When I find a good book like this one, I typically read it slower so that I don't miss out on any of it. The character development was great and I would 100% read another book by Sara MacLean.

I think I was expecting a little more thriller-vibes than just rich family drama (and romance?), but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Wasn't a huge fan of the ending, I think a bigger "wow" factor would have helped since the premise seemed to be hinting at some big reveal/twist.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and author for an ARC of this book. Since I was given a copy, I felt that it was only fair to try and get through the book. I found this book hard to get into. The plot was slow and there was not a lot of action to keep me interested. I ended up skimming the last 100 pages to get to the point and figure out what happened for each character.

I absolutely loved this book, it was so hard to out down. The characters were funny and witty and I loved both the fmc and mmc. The family members were rich and spoiled and annoying but so funny and I loved reading their interactions. The love story within was so good! The yearning and secrets and mystery were fun to read. I also listened to this on audio and Julia wheland was phenomenal. Thanks to netgalley for the arc! I loved reading this book!

This was chaotic and so much fun to read. The rich, sibling mystery books are always so much fun because they can go in any direction and this was exactly that. The scandals, the drama all of it was such a ride.

I've found a new favorite author! I love a family drama and this did not disappoint. For anyone who likes contemporary fiction, try this one. A good summer read and one you can't put down.

This book absolutely gripped me, start to finish, and it’s the perfect summer read (or listen)! This is @sarahmaclean’s first contemporary and the landing was nailed, it’s a 10/10, absolute perfection. If you’re a fan of Succession (and the ridiculous but raw family dynamics), if you’re a fan of the way Emily Henry plays with location as a main character, if you love imperfect characters with banter, and if a broody fixer is your idea of a perfect MMC…this is the book for you.

On the surface, this book is about a wealthy family reckoning with the death of their patriarch. Beneath all that, it has some absolutely beautiful dynamics that range from the ostracized daughter (Alice, who is an absolutely perfect lynchpin to bring everyone back together), to a son who feels like nepotism should work harder for him but ultimately not for the right reasons, to a another daughter who is trying to toe the line between the love she wants and the loyalty that’s asked of her, and finally to one who is the favorite even those she’s less than what is expected conventionally. There are four siblings with strained relationships, a matriarch who is masking and in deep denial, and it all starts with a one night stand between Alice and the last person she should’ve slept with.

The writing in this was lush and fabulous. Brilliantly composed, and the right note struck between funny and poignant. It felt real and the pacing was completely on point. As a book that relies heavily on not only the romance, but family dynamics, I found it to be so compelling learning about the Storms and uncovering their own secrets throughout.

And, of course, the tension between Alice and Jack (JACK DEAN my grumpy fixer who wants nothing but Alice Alice Alice) was delicious and so steamy.

PLUS, this book was narrated by @justjuliawhelan and if Julia could please just narrate my life for me, it would be 1000x better.

Strongly strongly recommend this one, especially now as we are in August and this is SO “Last Great American Dynasty”/“august”/Rhode Island getaway coded.

Overall I enjoyed this book! It definitely ebbed and flowed for me where I was very interested for about 20 pages, and then it felt a bit slow for the next 20. It was a unique storyline, with very complicated family dynamics. This fits mainly in the contemporary category, but had a bit of mystery, along with a solid romance which made it enjoyable. This was a good summer read and I would be interested to read more by this author in the future.

Sarah MacLean is an author I love and have all her books. I was so curious how the jump from historical to contemporary would go. Smashing success, that’s how! I was absorbed into this world, onto this island. Reading this felt a little visceral. My heart ached for these characters while also wanting a shaken 2 liter to overflow right into their unsuspecting faces at times. Ugh, family. How she creates characters that you can have both such dislike and yet such hope for better for them is such a talent. She really managed to surprise me with some twist and turns. And that HEA made me big time smile. I wasn’t ready for the book to end but also was glad for a lovely sense of closure.

*Thank you for my ARC!! This is my honest review.

I do love a family drama, and goodness this one delivers. There is so much drama between the death of the father, the mother's behavior, the sibling rivalries, the guy who is running the game, love interests, just all of it! All of the characters are ones you aren't sure if you are rooting for them or not, because they are all pretty terrible in their own ways. But that is what makes this such an interesting read. I was totally invested in the family drama and couldn't wait to see how it all turned out. I was a little unsure how I felt about the ending? But I loved getting there. I would definitely read something else from this author.

**I received a copy of These Summer Storms from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**