I'm obsessed. This book is obviously a huge departure from what Sarah MacLean usually writes (she is the regency romance queen of our era). It is both contemporary and more women's fiction than romance, with a little suspense thrown in. But the amazing banter, tightly plotted twists and turns, and vivid details and world-building that are in her historicals are all still here in this book. And there's unsurprisingly a strong romance plot as well! I've never read a book that both embraced the fantasy of being ultra-wealthy and strongly critiqued it at the same time. I laughed out loud. I swooned. I shivered. And I could not put this down ... except when I had to put it down...which was a lot...because I have a six month old baby.

Thank you to the publishers for giving me an advanced copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Sarah MacLean is one of the modern-day queens of historical romance, so I was really excited to be given a copy of this ARC. Unfortunately I don’t think this book is for me.

Things I liked: I liked the smut, the writing was good, and I finished this book in an evening so I was engaged throughout

However, I felt like this book was trying really hard to be the next great American novel (esp. Based on the setting) and that really annoyed me throughout. The amount of unresolved angst throughout the novel was really irritating. All of the characters are extremely unlikable and the hero is one dimensional so you’re not really rooting for anybody and are just waiting for the book to finish.

I’ll read anything she writes but next time I hope to enjoy myself more

Finished reading Sarah MacLean's first full novel These Summer Storms. Enjoyed the layers of each character and there coming to terms with how each of the four siblings deal with there father's death. By the end your rooting for each to get there happy ending. Highly recommend reading this summer book by the beach you will not regret it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for a honest review.

Sarah MacLean writes a dang good story.
For the author's first full-length foray into the contemporary genre, I found her modern voice incredibly natural and engaging, and felt completely submersed into the New England world of Rhode Island storms, eccentric and wealthy billionaires, and dysfunctional and strained families. This is the story primarily of Alice, the child of a wealthy tech billionaire who has turned her back on her upbringing until she receives word her father has died. The summons brings her back to their family manor on a remote island, where she must confront the past and the specter of her father, who won't leave things well enough alone, even after he has passed. (Lest you get mislead, this is not paranormal. Just very New England, rich people Gothic.)

MacLean's background in historical romance ensures that there IS a romance in the book, but the story is primarily a contemporary novel about family, and parents, and parental expectations, and how you are supposed to deal with all the things left unsaid when someone is gone. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the story. MacLean really puts the family through the wringer, but again, because of her background in romance, I had faith that she would not leave the characters in the ruins of their bad decisions, as many other authors might. Instead she brings the Storms to a healing, perhaps even peace-filled end after long choppy seas.

4.5 Stars.

Heat level: 4

Wow, i adored this book. Sarah MacLean’s first full length contemporary novel will be the hit of the summer. It is rich and layered and you find yourself rooting for all the characters by the end. Five stars!

Review to be posted publicly 2w prior to publication as requested.

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These Summer Storms is an absolutely wild ride of a novel. So many twists I didn’t see coming (and a few I did), as the Storm family gathers in the wake of their billionaire father’s death. Franklin Storm was, to be honest… a manipulative psychopath. He leaves one final “game” for his family to play before they can inherit his fortune. The family is already fractured thanks to a lifetime of his egomania and obsessive control.

The book occasionally jumps into the siblings’ perspectives, which helps develop their characters further. Sarah MacLean’s writing is compelling and addictive to read; the island setting and the drama of the 0.001% was fun to get lost in. So many secrets!! So many feelings!! All in all, this was such a creative and crazy book. I insist on a film adaptation in the style of Knives Out/Glass Onion.

All that said, I did find the main romance plot a little bit icky. I’m going to need to sit with it for a bit, but I’m not sure I can get past the various things that feel weird about it.

I just finished a new womens fiction book. These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean was a great read. Pick this one up.

this was a super interesting book! It had some good twists, and the "inheritance games" were eccentric for sure! I liked the storyline and how the author's writing flowed so well. Overall, it was a good book!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!