Pleasantly surprised by this book and hard to believe it is the author’s first contemporary novel! A well done family drama in a picturesque setting reminiscent of Elin hildebrand! The entire time I was reading this I kept thinking how it would make a great HBO show.

I'm a big fan of Sarah MacLean's historical romances! I do love those more, but this was an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for this eARC.

When rich people's baggage is unfortunately more relevant to our lives than ever, what can you do but read/watch stuff about their messy but fabulous lives! Into what I'm now thinking of as the Succession-verse comes this romance about the Storms, who are gathering at their Rhode Island private island after their patriarch (a tech titan) dies. Alice, the prodigal daughter, who hasn't spoken to her family in 5 years, even comes from her (gasp!) normal Brooklyn apartment.

I liked this. This kind of family story is, of course, well-trodden ground, but there were a few surprises here. I LOVED the setting - I have a well-documented fascination with books about summer homes, and a private island is the pinnacle of that kind of setting. I could really picture this gilded age house with the tacked-on modern office. My only real issue with this book, is that some things about it felt circular or repetitive, but maybe that is just a comment on the particular whirlpool these characters inhabit.

In the end it is all WHO WILL WIN A KISS FROM DADDYYYYYYY? And I was here for it.

I was on the fence about requesting this one and it fell flat for me. I think it was just too long. I read the first couple of chapters and nothing drew me in. I skipped around and just didn’t get into anything. I think it could have been a much better story if she cut 100 pages or so. A father dies and the family gets together, including the estranged daughter. As they work through their grief, the family is able to talk about things, yell about things, and be honest about people they do and don’t like. Fitting last name though.

Read this book if you think "money buys happiness."

The Storm family reminded me of the ABC-TV drama Brothers & Sisters (I'm dating myself) Instead of Ohai, CA, Rhode Island is the picturesque setting. I pictured Alice like Calista Flockhart (Kitty), Jack as handsome Rob Lowe.....

Alice's friend Gabi was my favorite character as she felt the most real.

I rate this 4 out of 5 pints of cherry vanilla ice cream (Franklin's favorite)

These Summer Storms is SO well written. I loved every single page and the emotions Sarah MacLean is able to invoke in the reader. She never fails to deliver the perfect novel time after time after time. Highly recommend - 5 stars from me!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

Being from New England I loved all the Rhode Island references. I loved the multi dimensional layers to each family member and their complex dynamics with each other. The slow burn/ build up of the romance was chef's kiss and gave all the feels. Where I feel the story fell a little flat was the mystery game contained in the will. It could have taken a bit more central role in the story and added another dimension.

However the beautiful writing, and complex characters still kept me engaged. This was my first book by Sarah and won't be my last.

Drawn back home after the untimely death of her father, Alice must navigate family dysfunction, old betrayals, and family politics. Emotionally charged, and under the watchful eye of her father's second-in-command, can the family that has been estranged for years come together?

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the ARC!

No matter the genre, Sarah MacLean always delivers. She has once again given us everything we could want from a book.

This was definitely more women’s fiction/contemporary, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment! These Summer Storms was messy and had me reading straight through for hours.

sarah maclean never misses!!! this book is perfect

thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean is a beautifully written, emotionally charged novel that captures the essence of love, loss, and personal growth. MacLean’s lyrical prose and deeply relatable characters create a captivating story that stays with you long after the final page. The romance is both heartfelt and powerful, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction. An absolute gem!

I really enjoyed this book! Sarah is such a fabulous writer! You could really feel all the emotions of the family. The dynamic of the family was interesting. I really enjoyed the ending! Check it out!

These Summer Storms straddles the line of family drama, mystery, and romance for a contemporary spin from the queen of historicals, Sarah MacLean. Alice Storm comes from a Succession-esque family -- her father founded a succesfull tech company, and she and her three siblings were raised in the most privileged circles. But privilege -- and access to the family money -- comes with strings, so Alice left years ago and hasn't seen any of her family since. When her father dies, she returns to the family's private island and estate off of the coast of Rhode Island to see the property, and her family, for the first time. Also on the island is Jack Dean, her father's employee, who is charged with administering her father's will...and the tasks each member of the family must complete in order to be eligible for their inheritance.

One of the strengths of this novel was it's sense of place. Sarah MacLean is intimately familiar with Rhode Island, and it shows in her gorgeous descriptions of summer in New England. The island felt so real, I wanted to visit! I also got such a kick out of the descriptions of old vs. new money, and the intricacies of the social nuances for each group. The romance was also extremely strong -- the chemistry between Jack and Alice was off the charts, and he was an excellent foil to some of her family's craziness. I also loved the chapters we saw from the other Storm family member's POV -- it added some depth to the whole story.

Where the novel fell flat, for me, was in the Westing Game-esque mystery nature of the will. Each member is given a task, and it seems to be building to something...but the ending fell a little flat for me. The book was doing many things at once, so makes up for the weaker mystery aspect with a really strong romance and family drama.

Overall I really enjoyed reading, and would happily pick up Sarah MacLean's next novel -- whether contemporary or historical, she excels at all!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book!

Sarah MacLean has long been a master of historical romance, captivating readers with heroines who take center stage in empowering narratives. From the moment she released "Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake," I've eagerly awaited each new installment of her historical series. When she announced a shift into contemporary romance, I'll admit I was hesitant; too often, authors bend to trends at the expense of their unique voice. However, "These Summer Storms" defied all my expectations and left me utterly captivated.

This novel is nothing short of a literary rollercoaster, weaving a tapestry of emotions that had me spellbound from start to finish. MacLean's ability to craft complex characters and poignant relationships shines through in this contemporary setting just as brilliantly as in her historical works. "These Summer Storms" is a testament to her talent for storytelling—it's raw, it's real, and it's deeply resonant.

"DAMN!" is the one word that comes to mind when reflecting on this book. It's a testament to MacLean's versatility and dedication to her craft. While I eagerly anticipate the next installment of her historical romance series, I'm also rooting for her to explore more of what inspires her, whether in historical or contemporary realms. This novel is a testament to her ability to capture the essence of human connection and emotion, leaving readers like me hungry for more. Bravo, Sarah MacLean, for once again proving why you're a powerhouse in romance literature.

4 stars- i love rich people behaving badly. this is one i'd love to see adapted for tv to bring these characters to life. thank you netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah MacLean has been a go to author for me since her debut and I was curious to see how she did contemporary romance. While I liked this book, I didn’t love it. The characters in here are what makes this book a 4 star. They are very entertaining while have enough depth and plenty of flaws to make them interesting. Where this book falls apart is in the romance. So much of the book is on the family drama that that feels like the main genre and the romance is the background.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an early copy.

In a family of unimaginable wealth, it is interesting to see that with his words only. that Franklin continues to lead and expects everyone to abide to his every wish. He enjoys when he can play chess and move people around according to his wants at that moment in time. Therefore, it is not surprising that he gives each one of his children a task that only if the comply with everything he asks for a week, do they gain access to their respective inheritance. The "family" is not there to bond as a team but rather to get what they feel like they deserve. It is an emotional toll that Greta encountered with respect to Tony and I was so happy about their ending. She deserved love like Emily and Claudia. In Jack, Alice found her person and it was with a great amount of respect that she chose her voice and walked away from a highly lucrative position as his daughter. In doing so, she chose herself unlike Sam who always believed that he was worthy of the life that Franklin gave him. Regardless, Elisabeth set the tone for the family and even with wanting for nothing, was tremendously shallow and sad. No emotions were ever expressed even when deeming her husband's death as a celebration. She refused to mourn. That was not the path that the brother and sisters wanted to continue with their relationships with each other. Like the text thread, Alice started with "this is your sister".

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review
3.5/3.75 stars, I binge read this in one sitting cause I kept on turning the page. I loved getting to know this family and uncovering all the misteries. Also the romance plotline was so cute!
Really recommend picking this up if you enjoyed the inheritance games

I had a blast with this book! It's part mystery, part character study, part dysfunctional family drama, with a dash of romance and it was a grand time. Think Knives Out and The Inheritance Game (also apparently Succession but I haven't watched that so cannot personally confirm)

I expected to like it because I love Sarah MacLean's historical romances and think she is a really great writer who like gets fiction and what readers want. But I didn't expect to be obsessed with this book! I've been struggling getting sucked into books, but this one sucked me right in and when I wasn't reading it, I wanted to be reading it. 

This is a really gripping read. You want to turn the page and speed through it so you can put all the pieces together. It's slow in parts, but I don't mean that in a bad way. Sarah's writing is sort of Kate Clayborn esque here in that every description is impactful and the characters feel fully developed. At times the descriptions slow down the plot, but since plot in mysteries can be annoying this really worked for me. 

It was cool seeing Sarah write something besides historical romance and see how her voice changed for this type of story and it really worked. 
Obviously the romance was a grand time and I just LOL seeing some of Sarah's trademark hero qualities show up here with Jack. (died a bit at the pirate moment). My hot take is that even though this book isn't a romance (which I agree it's not) the romance plot line is way more fulfilling than a lot of the books that are being marketed as romances today. 

My only critique is that the ending and resolution didn't entirely work for me. I wanted more from it, but not entirely sure in what way because I was mostly happy with how it all worked out. 

I definitely could see myself revisiting this and savoring the writing a bit more bc I was flying through the chapters.