Quick Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean, a razor-sharp, wildly sexy novel about a wealthy New England family’s long-overdue reckoning . . . and the one week that threatens to tear them apart.

Publisher’s Synopsis

Alice Storm hasn’t been welcome at her family’s magnificent private island off the Rhode Island coast in five years–not since she was cast out and built her life beyond the Storm name, influence, and untold billions. But the shocking death of her larger-than-life father changes everything.

Alice plans to keep her head down, pay her final respects (such as they are), and leave the minute the funeral is over. Unfortunately, her father had other plans. The eccentric, manipulative patriarch left his family a final challenge—an inheritance game designed to upend their world. The rules are clear: spend one week on the island, complete their assigned tasks, and receive the inheritance.

But a whole week on Storm Island is no easy task for Alice. Every corner of the sprawling old house is bursting with chaos: Her older sister’s secret love affair. Her brother’s unyielding arrogance. Her younger sister’s constant analysis of the vibes. Her mother’s cold judgment. And all under the stern, watchful gaze of Jack Dean, her father’s intriguing and too-handsome second-in-command. It will be a miracle if Alice manages to escape unscathed.

A smart and tender story about the transformative power of grief, love, and family, this luscious novel explores past secrets, present truths, and futures forged in the wake of wild summer storms.

Book Review

These Summer Storms is about Alice Storm, who was exiled from her wealthy family, returning to the family’s private island compound when her father dies. When her mother and siblings gather round to hear the will’s reading, they discover their father was not finished playing games. To receive their inheritance, each family member must complete their assigned task. If one of them fails, none will receive anything. With tensions already high, will they be able to remain on the island and support each other in order to receive their inheritances?

I typically try to avoid family dramas and books about the wealthy and ultra-wealthy. I often find it difficult to empathize with characters who seem to have it all, yet think their lives are unfulfilling or complain. But I gave These Summer Storms a chance based on friends’ recommendations and the fact that the book is set in my former home of Rhode Island.

Because Alice Storm feels like the protagonist, I think this story works for both readers who like and dislike books about wealthy, dysfunctional families. Having been cast out by her father, Alice has adopted a “simple” life in Brooklyn as a school art teacher. She acts as a voice of reason and a semi-outside observer who sees her family members’ faults and openly criticizes them.

Although the setup may seem to be all about claws-out drama, These Summer Storms still manages to be a story about grief, love, forgiveness, and the power of family. I was quite surprised to be both riveted and moved by this book. The mysteries and secrets of the family easily compelled me to keep reading, staying up late to finish. I was equally invested in Alice reckoning with her place in the family and her grief for father, despite his cruelty. This novel is layered with emotion, immersive, and full of bite yet also tender.

Well-written with developed characters, These Summer Storms is a sharp, engaging narrative filled with tension and emotion. I definitely recommend this novel and suggest you give it a try, even if it does not sound like your usual cup of tea.