Sarah Maclean's contemporary debut does not disappoint. Alice has a dysfunctional family that she hasn't seen in years. She's also in close proximity to a sexy man that she does not want to be attracted to. A series of demands from a recently deceased father, family dynamics that could blow up at any time, and a sexy man all trapped on a private island prove a read that readers will not want to miss.

Well written with multi-faceted characters, a compelling and believable lot and great dialogue; this book is a great summer read.

These Summer Storms is such a fun read, and I'd love to see it on screen like a Succession 2.o. Four estranged adult siblings and their mother play a twisted, hilarious inheritance game on a private island, all at the whim of their deceased and decidedly megalomaniacal billionaire father. Sabotage, secrets, yachting, a hot but mysterious love-interest... Sarah MacLean knows exactly what her readers want out of a summer beach read and totally delivers.

I enjoyed this book and especially pieces where we got to know some supporting characters better. The pace was good and suspense on certain pieces kept me going just wondering what would happen! I typically find myself wanting to relate to characters and since my parents are not billionaires, I found myself looking deeper into characteristics and wanting to really understand everyone.

Thank you #NetGalley for the eARC of #TheseSummerStorms by Sarah MacLean

This book was reminiscent of Succession and The Inheritance Games, with a steamy slow-burn romance.

The setup: Franklin Storm, tech titan and world-class manipulator, dies and leaves behind not just a fortune, but one final twisted game. His four adult children (plus their icily composed mother) must spend a week on the family’s private New England island completing a series of cryptic tasks if they want their share of the inheritance.

The main character, Alice Storm, has been estranged from the family for five years—and she was perfectly fine keeping it that way. But grief, obligation, and her father’s last grasp at control pull her back into the emotionally fraught world she fled. And then there’s Jack Dean—Franklin’s handsome, watchful second-in-command—whose presence adds even more tension (and longing) to an already "stormy" situation.

Franklin Storm, tech billionaire, has died leaving his four adult children and his wife to participate in his “succession tasks” on their private, New England island under the watchful eye of his young (and attractive) second in command. They all must play along or no one inherits. Can they survive the week as long buried secrets are revealed or will they forfeit billions to get out from under their father’s thumb once and for all?

I love Sarah MacLean’s historical fiction romances so I was excited to see how she handled something contemporary and she didn’t disappoint. The ending was a bit rushed and not as exciting as I was expecting but I was entertained the whole time and loved getting to know these characters. Especially Alice and Jack. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley!

WOW. Sarah MacLean's foray into contemporary romance DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. Her style translates perfectly, arch and witty; the family cast is so well-drawn, hilarious types without being caricatures; and the romance is a perfectly steamy, tense, swoony slow-burn. There are several scenes that are seared into my memory, and I LOVED the payoff of the ending. Bravo!!

A complex family drama filled with entitled siblings whom all meet together on their families' island following the unexpected death of their father. The story mainly follows Alice, the sibling who is currently estranged from the family, paving her own way. The character development is excellent and does a great job portraying the complex realities of wealth and death. This is my first by this author, and overall I truly enjoyed this book. There were a few chapters that felt a little on the slow side, but overall the story flowed well and kept my interest. Perfect summer read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

* Will post review on IG closer to pub date

Exploring toxic relationships in an uber-wealthy dysfunctional family is an irresistible storyline for me! Throw in a private island setting and a steamy romance sub-plot and I’m sold.

This book reminded me a little bit of the show Succession, and I’d love to see a series or movie come out of this story.

In order to receive their massive inheritance, the four Storm siblings have to complete an individual task. These tasks were assigned by their father before he passed.

If one sibling fails to follow through, they all lose out… even their emotionally unavailable and moody mother has to participate.

The powerful Storm patriarch continues to manipulate and control his family from the grave!

Greta, Sam, Alice, Emily and mom Elisabeth begin their assignments, and as the week progresses, the proverbial onion begins to peel away its layers, revealing scandals and shocking truths.

The story is mostly told from estranged sis Alice’s POV, but we get a peek at the other siblings perspectives as well.

This addictive novel reveals the damage caused by extreme toxic loyalty, brutal money hungry ambition and obsessive control.
There is hope and healing and some reconciliations to be had as well. They learn that forgiveness and self-reliance can be powerful too.

I’d love to read a prequel or a sequel…the Storm family characters are compelling and complicated! I want to know more!

Thank you to the publisher, to NetGalley and the author for allowing me access to the ARC, I loved it !

These Summer Storms has everything you want in a beach read—family drama, a private island, inheritance games, billionaires, and an enemies to lovers romance. When the patriarch of the Storm family dies unexpectedly, his four children must return home to the private island off the coast of Rhode Island. Chaos ensues. It was the perfect summer read! Highly recommended!

This was kind of fun - reading about billionaires and their crazy extravagant lives. Four siblings come back to the family’s private island to learn about their inheritance after their larger than life father dies unexpectedly. Interesting portrayal of siblings and the roles of parents on the shaping of those siblings. Oh yes, and one of them has some very steamy times with the father’s “fixer”.

Sarah MacLean tells a beautiful story that keeps you guessing on how it will end. A stay up late night till you finish kind of read.

Thank you Net Galley, Sarah MacLean, and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC of These Summer Storms.

While I’ve read a few historical romances, I had never read anything by Sarah MacLean. She was actually an author recommended to me by my friend Margaret. So when I saw a contemporary romance written by the same author on NetGalley, I requested this book ASAP. From what I understand, this is her contemporary romance debut, and it did NOT disappoint!

Set against the backdrop of a picturesque island in Rhode Island, These Summer Storms delivers a compelling tale of the four Storm siblings and their mother navigating family secrets against the aftermath of their manipulative billionaire father’s death. Centering on Alice Storm, the novel opens with her returning to the island by train where she encounters a mysterious man who will change the course of her and her family members’ lives forever.

One of the standout elements of These Summer Storms is how Sarah MacLean paints her characters in morally grey tones, giving the novel a deeply human and emotionally charged atmosphere. No one in the Storm family emerges as purely good or evil. Instead, every character is shaped by complicated histories, poor choices, hidden traumas, and the desperate need to be understood or redeemed.

What makes this novel so emotionally resonant is how each character still manages to grow in the shadow of Franklin Storm’s manipulations. Their late father’s influence looms over the island like a ghost: controlling, calculated, and impossible to ignore. He didn’t just fracture the family; he turned them into strangers who only speak in sharp glances and buried resentment.

And yet, despite that wreckage, they evolve. The storm Franklin left isn’t a metaphorical one. It’s real and emotional and still roiling in every room of the Storm’s island house. And by the end, each character stands a little taller in its wake. Maybe not fully healed but seen and changed forever.

Alice is summoned by her mother - whom she has not spoken to in 5 years - to come back home after her father’s sudden death. She’s been free of the dysfunctional Storms family, working as an art teacher in NYC. Emotions are high upon her return, complicated by a chaotic sibling dynamic. Her father was not your average patriarch, he ran an empire worth billions. Much to the family’s chagrin and unbeknownst to his wife of 40 years, Franklin Storms gets the “last laugh” from six feet under as he will makes a cutthroat game out of sequestering their inheritances, perceived nearly impossible or ludicrous to the Storms siblings. There’s romance, backstabbing and secrets galore. But refreshingly, there’s depth and discovery too. What more could you possibly want in a summer read? The novel is anything but stagnant, kept me on my toes until the last pages. I think I truly come to appreciate this quirky bunch. I could not help but compare it to the Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, definitely a more adult version. If any of this sounds intriguing, pick it up as it was worth the read.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group, for the ARC.

Review posted on Goodreads on 4/20/25

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

This wasn’t what I thought it was going to be . But u loved the drama the mystery ! I was hooked from the beginning

Maclean does it again! All of the character and plot you’ve come to love from her historical romances PLUS the tension and turmoil of a modern family drama. Truly an excellent start to what will hopefully be more contemporaries from a beloved writer (in addition to the hist-roms we adore!).

This will be *the* book for your beach bag or book club this summer. In particular, I love the way even though I had an inkling of the turns in this book, Maclean still managed to surprise and delight me as a reader. Characters are fully drawn and surprisingly sympathetic despite their obvious flaws. The Storms family dynamics feel right & true, even though most of us will never know the opulence we get to peer on these pages. Maclean has created an inclusive cast of characters, with careful nods to the privilege experienced by the uber-wealthy, white characters in our titular family.

This is one I will recommend to all of my friends & I can’t wait to grab it in hard copy!

Thanks to Ballentine for the ARC of this book.

This was my first book by Sarah and it was a delight! I loved that it kept me guessing until the very end how it would end up for the family. I also loved the relationships that were woven into the stories between different main characters.

I loved this. It’s emotional, funny, mysterious. I know it isn’t technically a romance, but Sarah MacLean is gonna Sarah MacLean. There was an Easter egg to one of her other series that made me cry. This was excellent and I will definitely recommend this

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

This novel was very interesting and quite a departure for the author. I enjoyed the complex relationships and the drama that arose from them and the “game.” I ultimately wanted more from Alice and Jack. I loved their dynamic in the first half but would have liked to see their relationship continue off the island.

Rating: 3.75 rounded up

Having long been a fan of McLean's classic "bodice ripper" historicals, so I was quite excited to see what she could do with a contemporary romance. While this has romantic elements (that MacLean does with her usual style and heat), the book straddles that line between romance and "women's literature" (whatever that is!) The romance happens incidental to the emotionally driven plot, not with an HEA at the planned forefront.

The prose is amazing and absolutely nails the Rhode Island vibe of rich vacationers cosplaying "family cottage" on private islands in million dollar boats. Family dynamics and how people dont change, just become more themselves, serve an integral role in how this week of family shenanigans plays out. MacLean does a great job with this story while being heartfelt and hilarious in turn. The characters are all equally hateable and loveable, each one being well developed and showing growth.

My only note, and the only thing that prevented a five star review, is the slight Agatha Christie style reveals. Sometimes key elements were announces with seemingly no prior indication to the reader. The ending itself was heavily implied from the start, but for a "mysterious game" subplot, the reader was not always given access to the clues.

Despite the sometimes difficult subject matter, and the complexity of the narrative, the book is a very pleasant read. Perfect for your beach bag this summer to really set the mood.