Read in one day, practically in one sitting, THE STORM is one of the most engrossing and atmospheric reads in some time for me.

Something about this story just creeps under your skin, and the only comparison I have is reading MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD & EVIL when I was 15ish, and being blown away by the outlandish, hot southern night of novel. In fact, when that book is actually mentioned in this, I got goosebumps all over... KISMET I TELL YOU.

When Landon Fitzroy, the Governor's son dies in the hurricane of '84, it should have been left as a tragic accident. But, Landon was shacking up with Lo Bailey, the prettiest girl in St Medard's bay. She was also barely legal, and NOT his former Miss Alabama wife...

And so the dueling timelines begin. Flashbacks to many nights in St Medard's bay and current timelines in The Rosalie, the inn that famously withstands all the hurricane.
We meet Geneva the current innkeeper and daughter of Lo's best friend as finds herself smack dab in current affairs as Lo Bailey re-enters St. Medard's community with her ghostwriter in tow.

Seriously, every little way the plot unfolded in letters and articles and testimonials was PERFECTO. I would give this 10 stars if I could.

I love Rachel Hawkins’ thrillers and I knew I would love The Storm too - her new one out in January. Well of course I couldn’t wait and skipped a ton of TBR books for this gem. I’m not sorry. Hawkins’ twists get me every time and The Storm was no different.

I love a good hurricane storyline as I’m located in Florida and can def relate. Geneva’s family has owned and operated the Rosalie (hotel) located on the Alabama coastline for years, and it continues to stand strong (through the years and many storms). Now it’s Geneva’s turn to run the place and another storm is coming right for them.

Enter Lo - an infamous murder suspect from 40+ years ago and she wants to tell her side of the story with a blockbuster memoir and choses the Rosalie to stay with her co-author at. After all it’s here that the well known son of a senator died during yet another hurricane in the 80s. It’s complicated. Very. And I loved it all.

This one hits the mark for me and I loved to hate Lo and loved her story too. Let’s go. Get this on your radar now. You won’t be sorry. So glad I got an early copy of this one. It made my weekend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I just finished reading @ladyhawkins latest, The Storm and it was such a good time! I loved the way the story was written: multiple POVS, flashbacks, book/newspaper clippings. Swipe for the synopsis.

The story pulled me in from the first chapter and easily held my interest. There were a few surprises plot wise that I didn’t see coming, and others that I did. Regardless, I knocked this one out in two days and definitely recommend you adding it to your TBR! The chapters are quite long so be prepared to spend some quality reading time with this one.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the e galley in exchange for my honest review. Pub date is 01.06.26 enjoy!

4.5 Stars!

This was such a great story with an intriguing premise!

I was hooked from the very beginning and flew through this within a day! It had really great pacing.

I enjoyed the different POVs and flashbacks to the previous time periods based on the previous hurricanes. And I loved the use of mixed media throughout too with the different articles as well as the unpublished transcript of the book.

This is only the second book of this author that I’ve read, but I have now really enjoyed both and cannot wait to read her others.

Recommend checking this one out when it releases January 6th!

I love Rachel Hawkins! The Storm is a triumph! Atmospheric and brooding; rich, complex, strong female characters, complex story lines and flowing narrative make this a propulsive read! Don’t miss this one!

I LOVED this book so much. Rachel Hawkins is the QUEEN of the slow burn thriller, which in my opinion, is one of the hardest genres to pull off. The story of a small town on the Gulf Coast whose claim to fame is the amount of deadly hurricanes that have come through. And of course, there is history and a mystery.

Told in the perfect tone and with the perfect timing of the reveals and twists, this is a story that will captivate any reader.

I absolutely loved The Storm by Rachel Hawkins. It’s one of those books that pulls you in slowly, but once you’re in, you can’t stop turning pages. The setting is moody and cinematic: a century-old inn on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, battered by hurricane after hurricane, with atmosphere so vivid you can taste the salt air and feel the thunder rolling in. The dual timelines–present day and past storms–build tension masterfully, weaving secrets about Lo Bailey, Geneva, and the dark history of St. Medard’s Bay into something haunting and addictive. What kept me hooked was how Hawkins balances character. You grow curious about who people really are with mystery: small reveals, shifting points of view, and an undercurrent of unrest (both human and natural). The looming hurricane metaphor echoes throughout, making every twist feel inevitable yet surprising.

If you like gothic suspense with emotionally rich characters and mystery, this one delivers. Five stars!