Goodreads says, "Alice isn't like the other Storm siblings. While the rest stayed to battle for their parents' approval, attention, and untold billions, she left, building her own life beyond the family’s name and influence. Nothing could induce her to come back, except the shocking death of her larger-than-life father. Now back on the family’s private island off the Rhode Island coast, she plans to keep her head down, pay the last of her respects, and leave the minute the funeral is over.
Unfortunately, her father had other plans. The eccentric, manipulative patriarch left his widow and their grown children a final challenge--an inheritance game designed to humiliate, devastate, and unravel the Storm family in ways both petty and life-altering. The rules of the game are clear: stay on the island for one week, complete the tasks, receive the inheritance.
One week on Storm Island is an impossible task for Alice. Every corner of the sprawling old house is bursting dysfunctional chaos: Her older sister’s secret love affair. Her brother’s incessant mansplaining. Her sister-in-law’s unapologetic greed. Her younger sister’s obsession with "vibes". Her mother’s penchant for stirring up competition between her children. And all under the stern, watchful gaze of Jack Dean, her father’s enigmatic, unfairly good-looking, second-in-command. It will be a miracle if Alice manages to escape the week unscathed.
A story about the transformative power of grief, love, and family, this luscious novel is at once deliciously clever and surprisingly tender, exploring past secrets, present truths, and futures forged in the wake of wild summer storms."
Alice Storm has been estranged from her family for over five years and hasn't visited the family estate on a private island in Rhode Island in years. She is part of the famous Storm family, thanks to her father, Franklin Storm's, success in business. Franklin's untimely death brings all the Storm siblings together on this private island along with their ice queen mother, Elizabeth. There's Elizabeth's sidekick/older sister and people pleaser, Greta. Then there's Sam, the older brother, who is vying for control of the Storm company even if that isn't what Franklin wanted. Lastly, there is Emily, who is a carefree hippy, and the least of Alice's problems. Alice has been shunned by the family for standing up to Franklin and feels deeply uncomfortable at this "celebration" of life for her father. Not to mention, Jack Dean, Franklin's right-hand man, is delivering all the information regarding their inheritance, and she had a one-night stand with him before she knew who he was. Jack reports that the Storm siblings must complete their father's challenges before getting their inheritances, and if one sibling fails, they all fail. Diabiacial to the end. Alice's challenge is to stay a week at their family estate, but she doesn't even think it can last one more hour. The more time she spends on the island, the more secrets are revealed about her family. Sarah MacLean's These Summer Storms is a pageturner of a drama filled to the brim with family, reminiscent of the TV show Succession.
I liked Alice from the start of These Summer Storms. Readers will appreciate her ability to stand up for what is right and forge her own life as a teacher and artist, without the support of her ultra-wealthy father. She sticks to her ideals, and money isn't a factor, unlike the rest of her siblings. I enjoyed the romance between Jack and Alice, and how it played out, despite an awkward first meeting and confusion of identities, at least on her end. The more time she spent with Jack, the more their attraction built and the more she learned about her father, too.
If you enjoy the TV show Succession, you will love These Summer Storms. The book frequently reminded me of the show, with its themes of an overbearing and controlling father, a brother vying for more power, and toxic family dynamics. Also, the coastal setting of Rhode Island enhanced the book's appeal as a beach read, especially with the storms rolling in.
However, I did have some complaints about These Summer Storms. The repetitive focus on inheritance and the accompanying "challenges," particularly the discussions surrounding them, became tedious. I also grew weary of the constant emphasis on "rich people's problems." Overall, despite these issues, it was an enjoyable beach read. If MacLean writes more contemporary novels in the future, I would definitely consider picking them up! Let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Sarah MacLean and your thoughts on These Summer Storms.
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