I love family stories, add some dysfuction and set it in Rhode Island and I will read it. Family members are reunited at the passing of their father; even Alice who has been ousted from the family as a result of speaking out against her father's company. The character development is great , the storyline intriguing. I did have a little problem with the Jack character, whether to like him or disapprove of him. All in all, a great read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Great story. Love that it was set in Rhode island. Loved watching the characters change and develop. And the ending was perfect for this book.

Sarah MacLean leaps into contemporary fiction with all the heart, beautiful prose, and twisting plot that fans - including myself - have come to expect with her historical romances. This is a must buy and must read for summer!

This is my first Sarah MacLean book…and what an introduction to a skillful storyteller! This novel is the embodiment of a page-turner; I was drawn in and kept engaged from the first chapter to the last.

The Storm family is aptly named and the height of dysfunction as four siblings and their mother gather at the family compound on Storm Island off the coast of Rhode Island to commemorate…err, “celebrate” the passing of the patriarch. Known for his narcissistic, manipulative manner in business and family, their father, a self-made multibillionaire, set up one final game linked to their inheritance.

All the characters bear some deeply held flaw related to the family dynamics and secrets (some-not-so-secret) abound as the week following his death unfolds. What ensues is a mixture of unresolved and unacknowledged grief, resentments, anger, and rebellion that pits the family members against each other while simultaneously bonding them in a mutual need for connection. It is a wild, imaginative ride with some predictable aspects and a few twists that add dimension and depth.

Overall, this was a delightfully intriguing novel with a satisfying ending.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

There are two types of books that I'm a sucker for: romance and family sagas. When I heard Sarah MacLean had a debut contemporary literary fiction book about a family in Rhode Island, I knew I was going to read it.

This book is like if you took Steve Jobs's family (tech-rich and dysfunctional), mashed it together "The Nest" (so much sibling angst!), gave it some East Coast Gatsby location vibes (mansions on the water), and added a skilled dash of romance (just enough to complement the other storylines). It's a long book (but never boring) but one I had a hard time putting down. If you enjoy complex relationships, twists, and the masterful use of the parenthetical phrase, you'll like it, too.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I have always thought putting a romance writer at the helm of a different project would make said project infinitely better. Lo and behold, I was right. This book was an absolute delight and will be a forever favorite I reread often. Sarah MacLean just does. not. miss.

THESE SUMMER STORMS is a mashup of Succession, Emily Henry, and gothic romance in the very best way possible. A story about a billionaire father’s inheritance, and the games his grown children must play to win it, this story features secrets, lies, and betrayal galore. The setting is alive and decadent, the characters are distinct and mesmerizing, and the romance is one of the best I’ve ever ever ever read.

Alice, our main heroine, is deeply relatable, as flawed as all her siblings, and as likable as all her siblings too. I was rooting for every. Single. Character. They’re assholes (but don’t you dare call them that or I’ll fight you) with incredible nuance, and I LOVE THEM. ALSO—JACK. Jack is the most competent, hot, capable man of all time. He’s exactly what this story needed, an anchor in the storm (not apologizing for the puns), and don’t worry—he has nuance and secrets too. In fact, the secrets triggered my interest, beautifully laid out as the most delicious breadcrumbs, but the characters and romance are what kept me turning page after page, as fast as possible. This book is just perfection. Possibly the best summer read, I can’t recommend it enough.

No matter your preferred genre or age range, this book IS FOR YOU. Five out five perfect, hot, sensual, tense, secretive, glamorous, seaside, atmospheric, nuanced stars.

I great beach read full of family drama, secrets, love, and money. I loved how the relationships between siblings were portrayed... quite complicated for sure. I really enjoyed reading this book that was well written and quite complex. I would really recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

5 years ago Alice Storm was banished from her powerful family because of transgression against her father. Now back for his funeral, her father has created a game in order for each Storm to receive their inheritance. Each family member has a task to perform, and for Alice it’s spending a week on the island she was cast off from. Secrets come to light as the family navigate their grief and past feuds.

This started off a little slowly. While the historical tidbits Ms. Maclean included were interesting, it slowed the narrative down a little bit in the beginning. Luckily, the pace picked back up rather quickly. I really liked Alice as a protagonist. She was strong willed and the only member of the family that didn’t allow her father to control her while he was alive. She’s the prodigal daughter come home at last. The dynamics between her and her siblings were interesting, and Ms. Maclean did an excellent job of showing the complexities of their relationship. They both love each other and yet can’t stand to be near each other. Families, especially those who come from wealth and power, are complicated. You can’t help but feel heartbroken for Alice, as all she really yearns for is for her family to accept her and love her. In a way, each Storm child longs for the same thing, they just don’t know how to go about receiving it.

I loved the intrigue and mystery and how we got a deeper look at each sibling’s circumstances. The connection between Jack and Alice is hot. Ms. Maclean does an excellent job of building the tension between the two, and her classic witty banter is prevalent throughout the novel. While it is a drama, there are so many moments of levity. I did laugh out loud at times. She does a beautiful job of showing all of the aspects of human nature. Each character has depth and despite their first impressions, I was genuinely rooting for them. I couldn’t wait to see how it turned out, and really wanted a HEA for all of them, whatever that may have looked like, whether it was coming together or breaking apart. Overall, I really loved this novel!

I think maybe I’d give this 3.5 stars. I’m a bit of a sucker for really dramatic writing that kind of makes everything seem beautiful, and this book is that. It really is a bit too idealistic to feel true. Jack was pretty unrealistic as far as what a real man is like, so that’s why my rating was as low as it was. But I liked the writing style, so it made it more enjoyable.

I went into this very worried because I LOVE Sarah's writing so much but was thinking "how much am I going to be able to deal with a controlling and manipulative tech billionaire's decisions impacting those around him at this moment in history." But of course, I shouldn't have worried about that at all. I should have known that Sarah would find a way to tell a story about knowing yourself and finding yourself and grief and family secrets and unexpressed need for connection that's happening to characters we share virtually nothing in common with feel so relatable and compelling. I was so moved by how ultimately hopeful the Storm siblings became, despite their issues and despite their parents (yes, definitely both).

Romance lovers will also not be disappointed! There's really three solid love stories happening throughout the book. All of which I loved. Sarah walked the line of deep emotion and humor perfectly and ultimately this book just brought me so much joy.

This was riveting! Succession if it were a romance x inheritance battle and everyone was stuck on a private island together.

There is plenty of mystery, tension, questionable decision-making, and bad behavior to keep you entertained throughout. 4.5 stars.

Thank you very much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

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!!!