Sarah MacLean is one of my all-time favorite romance authors so I couldn't wait to see what she does in her first contemporary fiction book, and THESE SUMMER STORMS did not disappoint! It's compulsively readable, perfect to toss in a beach bag this summer. I was immediately invested in Alice, the main character, and while the other Storms initially are deliciously unlikable, I had a soft spot for each of them by the end of the book. And Jack! Jack is a classic Sarah MacLean hero dressed up in contemporary corporate garb. I adored him. All in all, I loved that this book still felt like a Sarah MacLean book, and I hope it will pave the way to more readers discovering her historical romance backlist. Fans of Jenny Jackson's PINEAPPLE STREET and Alison Espach's THE WEDDING PEOPLE will love THESE SUMMER STORMS!

Although this is by no means original, it is a charming read. It’s the story of Alice returning home, after been exiled by her billionaire father, for his funeral. As always there is a mysterious, magnetic man there to rescue her and handle the extremely complicated directions left for tge family in order to inherit.

Somehow, the author keeps the plot fresh and moving. The main characters are likable and, despite the anticipated ending, it’s a fun, well written novel.

Thank you Netgalley for this very entertaining ARC.

Sarah MacLean's first contemporary romance is filled with just as much love and angst as her historical romances but with a healthy dose of family drama. I loved it! My only quibble is that I would have loved an epilogue set farther in the future with updates on everyone in the family. I loved these characters and the setting.

LOVED IT!

These Summer Storms has an inheritance plot scheme with the edgy conniving family structure of Succession (without being bleak or overly heavy). It had that same compulsive readability that Sarah Maclean’s historical romances have, but with a different flavor. It was a pleasure to read, and it deserves to be a huge hit. It’s the perfect summer book to throw in your beach bag & get lost in. It is soapy, funny, and even a little steamy… everything you want in a beach read.

This is the perfect sexy and smartly written beach read for 2025. The idea of the book seemed familiar, but the mix of family relationships and romances paired with grief took on a new story for me. MacLean is an expert storyteller. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Any book Sarah Maclean writes is always on my tbr list. I have been longing for Duchess’ story and began These Summer Storms with a bit of a chip on my shoulder that this book got in the way of me getting the book I wanted.

I get it. If I had These Summer Storms in my head, I, too, would have to get it on paper before I could go back to any other series.

These Summer Storms is full of well developed characters, a satisfyingly rich plot and plenty of twists and turns. SO GOOD! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

These Summer Storms is a family drama with a side of romance. To be honest, the romance feels like it got lost in the shuffle of the family chaos. The story follows Alice as she navigates the aftermath of her father Franklin's passing, dealing with complicated family relationships and a little bit of love along the way.

I really enjoyed the romance that was there. Alice and Jack had great chemistry, and I found myself wanting more of their moments together. Jack was an intriguing character but we barely scratched the surface with him, especially his relationship with Franklin. There was so much potential there and I kept waiting for more.

The family drama was a lot. There are so many characters and most of the conflict stems from a lack of communication. I wasn't a fan of the random single chapters from the other characters POV. They weren't distinct enough from Alice's perspective. I would have preferred to have those moments from Alice's perspective.

Overall the book kept me intrigued, I wanted to keep reading to find out what Franklin had up his sleeve. In hindsight, the family drama felt a bit flat and unrelatable. If you enjoy a complex (if slightly exasperating) family dynamic this might the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean. Anyone who has ever read a bok written by Sarah MacLean already knows her characters are going to grab you and not let you go. She is at the top of her game with These Summer Storms.

I'm not sure if Sarah MacLean has never written a modern romance or if I've just never read one of hers, but I will read anything she writes and this was just great. As in, stay up until 2am and regret it the next day at work great. Mystery, weird rich people, the fancy part of Rhode Island, decent politics, excellent setting. Would have taken 30 more pages at the end of what comes next. But loved Alice and Jack and just the whole deal.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley.

I don't know how to read a Sarah MacLean that isn't based in the Regency or Victorian eras, but by god, did I figure it out fast! MacLean's voice shines through in her contemporary women's fiction debut and I am in awe. Eagle-eyed readers of her previous works will find an Easter egg linking back to her historical romance universe, but those who are new to her will thrive in this new setting (both time and location).

These Summer Storms is a taut emotional drama about a family fighting over the inheritances left by the enigmatic Franklin Storms, whose will has catapulted the Storms family into a week-long competition to complete tasks left to them in post-humous letters.

The result is a series of reckonings long overdue, dredging up family dramas small and large. It is up to the Storms whether their legacy will weather this one. (Sorry, couldn't help that one.)

It’s only February, but I already know this will be one of my favorite books of 2025!

Every Sarah MacLean novel is a masterclass in compelling characters and conflict, and this one is no exception. I absolutely loved her contemporary debut. My two favorite genres are romance and “beach read,” and this was a perfect combination of the two. Great love story and engrossing family drama against the backdrop of a richly imagined Rhode Island setting. Love, love, love!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the arc!

3.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book blends family drama with romance, and while I was hoping for something more focused on the romance, the story kept me intrigued. I appreciated how each family member faced their own struggles.

Some plot twists were a bit predictable, but I enjoyed the emotional growth of the characters. The setting was also charming, adding a warm atmosphere that complemented the narrative nicely.

My main issues were that some conflicts were resolved too easily, losing a bit of emotional impact and the romance, though sweet, was somewhat overshadowed by the family drama.

Sarah MacLean makes her contemporary fiction debut with a compelling family saga.

After patriarch Franklin Storm (think Steve Jobs tech genius meets Richard Branson) dies, noted on social media as 'the most billionaire death to ever billionaire', the Storm family, including black sheep Alice who was exiled from the family five years earlier, are forced to complete a an assigned task by Franklin on Storm Island for their inheritance.

All artist and public school teacher Alice needs to do is remain on the island for five days, to the chagrin of her siblings. Except this is no easy feat given Franklin exiled her after she refused to live the life he dictated for her. To her shock, Jack Dean, the man ensuring these tasks are fullfilled is the man she had a hot one night stand the night she arrived.

I was gripped by all the family secrets and realisations each has to come to in the wake of Franklin's death. Sarah Maclean manages to deftly balance between each family member's individual growth as they're forced to reconcile their grief and complex relationship with the controlling Franklin, who, even in death still controls them. At first you hate all of Alice's family members, but slowly you come to understand why they are the way they are, especially Sam, Alice's older brother who was desperate for his father's approval. I also loved the simmering chemistry between Jack and Alice (though I do think it needed a better resolution given Jack knew who Alice was without telling her) and the cute nod to Maclean's historical romances with the desk.

I devoured this book in one sitting. The only thing I wish is for an epilogue set a couple of years into the future to see where each character ended up, especially Sam. I can only hope. Loved it.

Thanks to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was first introduced to Sarah Maclean's writing through her wonderful historical romances. This book was a surprising treat. This was a juicy family drama that also had a great romance in it. I flew through this book.

Sarah Maclean writes a banger, and These Summer Storms while a departure from her typical historical romances featuring feisty feminists who don't rely on aristocrats to save them, is the contemporary fiction we all NEED this summer.

This is everything Succession was while also repairing some of the damage it did to your heart and giving the characters some redeemable qualities and a romance that you wanted to cheer for!

You’re going to laugh, you’re going to cry, you’re going to want to shake and slap some nepo-babies, but you’re most definitely going to have the best time on this emotional rollercoaster! I’m quite frankly OBSESSED and have no notes. 5🌟s

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Sarah Maclean for this eARC!

When there's a new Sarah MacLean novel, I know it will be an emotionally satisfying time. MacLean's foray into contemporary romance was no just as emotionally satisfying. As a longtime "Fated Mates" listener, I was super excited to hear MacLean discussing her completion of a contemporary romance. I think there's sometimes trepidation when authors venture into new territory, but MacLean was up for this challenge.

Without releasing any spoilers, I loved this story there was a bit of mystery and intrigue, there was the "gothic" setting of an island with multiple storms (see what I did there...I saw what she did there, too--name is destiny and everything). MacLean tidily ties up all the plots including HEAs where it may have seemed doubtful.

This may be MacLean's initial foray into contemporary romance, but I am surely hopeful that this will not be her last foray into this world. Contemporary really needs her voice and her commitment to social justice (which is written throughout this title). Bravo! Well done, Ms. MacLean!

Oh my goodness, I have to tell you about this book I just finished - "These Summer Storms" by Sarah MacLean! You know how sometimes you start a book and suddenly it's 3 AM and you're thinking "just one more chapter"? That was me with this one!

So MacLean, who usually writes historical romance, just made her first dive into contemporary fiction and wow, did she stick the landing! The story follows Alice Storm (great name, right?) who's been kicked out of her mega-rich family years ago. Then her tech mogul dad dies, and instead of just having a normal funeral like regular people, he sets up this wild inheritance challenge. Classic wealthy person drama, but I was living for it!

The whole thing takes place in this gorgeous Rhode Island estate that honestly sounds like something out of "Succession" meets "Knives Out." And let me tell you about Jack Dean - the dad's right-hand man who's giving off major brooding-but-brilliant vibes. The chemistry between him and Alice? fans self Every time they were in a scene together, I was just waiting for something to happen!

But what really got me was how MacLean digs into all the messy family stuff. Like yes, there's all this glitz and glamour and scandal (which I absolutely ate up), but underneath it's really about these siblings trying to figure out who they are beyond their family name. I found myself getting genuinely emotional at parts, which I wasn't expecting!

My only tiny gripe was that some of the big reveals felt a bit out of nowhere - you know when you're reading a mystery and you're like "wait, when was that clue mentioned?" But honestly, I was so invested in the Storm family drama that I didn't even care.

I literally stayed up all night reading this because I HAD to know how it ended. And now I'm sitting here hoping MacLean writes more about the Storm family because I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters!

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me this advance copy! I 'm so glad I got to read this in advance because waiting for it would have been torture!

When I see Sarah MacLean, I get excited. I’m obsessed with her writing style and fell in love with every character arc and story she tells in her historical romances. These Summer Storms is in every way a success as much as her other books & I am happy to say that she rocks the contemporary romance genres just as well. I particularly loved that there wasn’t a ton of text/phone/screen time in this book which takes me back to why i love historical romances in the first place — the suspense with not knowing what the other characters are thinking — cutting off the WiFi - brilliant idea Sarah.
Here’s the caveat - I recently lost my nephew to a skiing accident and have been dealing with my own grief and what that means for our family so this maybe wasn’t the right book for me to read at this time — anyone who has lost someone close to them, a parent especially.. this might not be the book for you. That being said, I think the way that Sarah writes characters is amazing and I still give it a 4 star rating because even though it wasn’t exactly what my soul needed right now, it was still a greatly written book that deserves its place among some of the great contemporary romances. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and look forward to seeing what Sarah has up her sleeves next.

These Summer Storms
Following the death of a tech billionaire, his family gathers to mourn the loss, plan a “celebration”, and finds themselves in the middle of a game over their inheritance. Who doesn’t love reading about uber rich people fighting over money?
However, this story ended up being so much more than that. We are introduced to our female main character, Alice, and quickly find she has been estranged from her family for the past 5 years. While traveling to her family’s remote island off the Rhode Island coast, she encounters a handsome and brooding stranger who comes to her rescue and shows her a great time without knowing who this man was.
Fast forward to the next day when Alice has returned to her family home to the judgmental stares and snide comments from her mother and siblings when she comes to find this handsome and brooding stranger is Jack, her father’s right hand man, who is here to deliver the family the shock of their lifetimes… that maybe their multi-billion dollar inheritances are not actually guaranteed. Each family member, except Alice (ouch), is given a letter with tasks to complete for a chance at receiving their inheritance. However, if one family member does not complete their task, they all lose out on their inheritance.
All Alice has to do is stay, which ends up being a harder task than you would think it would be. In the days that follow, the family must face the death of Franklin, plan the (funeral) “celebration”, and make sure that everyone else is following through with their tasks.

*The Good*
I found myself caring about these characters even in moments where I found them annoying. I kept anticipating that there was more to them than their basic storylines may suggest. The use of interstitial chapters in their POV was great, as it offered a deeper dive into their minds and helped me understand how they became the people they were. These chapters also helped break up the single POV (Alice’s) that dominated the bulk of the book. I also felt like the reason for Alice’s estrangement and what she “did” was totally justified and inspired more respect for her character. I thought there were also some great moments between the siblings that captured the complex nature of sibling relationships and showed how each child in the family often views a situation from a different lens.
As messed up as the controlling inheritance games may have been, I do think Sarah MacLean did a good job of “targeting” the requirements for each character for their specific weaknesses. Making Sam- your typical lazy and hardly working mega heir- do manual labor was very on the nose, as was making the critical and unforgiving Elisabeth say something nice about Franklin every day and finally tell the kids her biggest “truth.”
I am a sucker for contemporary novels that involve super rich people. They almost feel like fantasy- as I can’t imagine myself ever owning a private island, hosting parties with former Presidents and world leaders, or having the chance/expectation of inheriting billions of dollars- and are like candy to me. Give me all the fancy houses and helicopters and out of touch heirs and heiresses!

*The Meh*
I can’t pinpoint anything that I thought was truly “bad” in this book, and even if I could, I hate to shine too much light on negatives when I myself would not have the talent nor the confidence to write and publish anything for public consumption… However, I do think it would have been nice to get interstitial chapters from Elisabeth and Jack’s POV. Both characters clearly had complex feelings about their relationship with Franklin, and the chapters from the sibling’s POV helped make those characters feel more multi-dimensional and inspired more empathy.
There were also some pretty big revelations that were uncovered towards the end of the book that could have been foreshadowed a bit better for a stronger impact. Especially with topics like **SPOILERS** abortion, infidelity resulting in one of the children, and terminal illness- it would have been great to see stronger hints of these and the effects they had on the characters woven throughout the story. They kind of felt like they were dropped in our laps and abandoned after a few pages.
Jack and Alice’s relationship was a little more insta-lovey for me than I generally care for, and the strangers to lovers timeline was SO accelerated… especially given that Alice was freshly ghosted by her ex-fiance while navigating the sudden death of her father (even if they were estranged). Some of this is totally personal, as I tend to inject more “reality” into fictional relationships and timelines than I should. I also felt that the *ahem* intimate scenes read more “sweeping historical romance” than contemporary romance, and I could have done with fewer uses of the word “pleasure.” I also didn’t love that he knew so much about her AND WHO SHE WAS at the beginning, it just felt a little creepy. Also, I would have been fine without the “Grade A Stock” comparison that popped up a few times in reference to Alice.
**
Overall, this book sucked me in and spit me back out wanting more of the Storm family. I found myself thinking about what is next for these characters and how they will navigate life post-Franklin, but I appreciated that Sarah MacLean avoided the use of an epilogue to tidy everything up (at least in the ARC…).
If you are an Elin Hilderbrand/beach read/romance with a bit of intrigue fan, I think you’ll love this one! This is a great book to throw in a beach bag to read on vacation and was a strong entry for Sara MacLean into the world of contemporary romance. I will definitely keep eyes peeled for future releases into the genre from Sarah MacLean and may have to pick up the fully published version of These Summer Storms to see if anything is different. Many thanks to Sarah MacLean, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for providing an advanced release copy of this book!

Sarah MacLean delivers sharp, addictive storytelling with her signature wit and heat, and Jack Dean? Let’s just say he makes the storm clouds worth weathering. A compulsively readable mix of family drama, romance, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.