Welcome to one of my most enjoyable books of 2025 thus far.
I’ve loved Sarah MacLean’s books for quite some time, especially her Hell’s Belles series, so I was a little caught off guard when I heard she was publishing a contemporary novel. She’s iconic in the historical romance space, and the switch made me curious about what idea grabbed her hard enough to try a different genre.
These Summer Storms [Buy Bookshop Amazon LibroFM] starts with Alice taking a train as part of her trip to her estrange family’s private island. Her very rich and famous father passed and she’s been summoned to the island for the celebration of life and will reading. But while on the train, she opts for a one night stand with the handsome stranger with swoony forearms to delay going home.
Turns out, that stranger is the man tasked with executing her father’s will and the inheritance games to get his money. Now, she has to stay on this island near him, even though she has no interest in her father’s billions or being near her terrible family.
I like to call These Summer Storms an adult version of We Were Liars. Both have rich family on private islands dealing with a death and aspects of some kind of game involved. However, this one is more steamy and less traumatic at the end. IYKYK…
This feels very different from a typical Sarah MacLean novel, but I can’t tell if the voice is truly a departure from her typical style or if it just feels that way due to the change in setting. There’s still the sense of justice that permeates her stories, so don’t think just because the family is billionaires that Sarah has forgotten where she stands on social issues. The ending felt a little cheap but it does fit with who Sarah is.
The romance is pretty fun. It has elements of sneaking around and forbidden vibes, but he’s also doing a decent job of pursuing her. Plus, he has great forearms, so what more could you ask for in a romance hero? 😉
The sibling relationships are just as entertaining as the romantic one. Alice is one of four kids, but she’s the only one who got away from the money. Her brother Sam is quite terrible and married a possibly more terrible woman, so I definitely enjoyed his suffering during his inheritance challenge. He was definitely as annoying as you’d expect the only son of a billionaire to be otherwise. I feel like Sarah played the sibling stereotypes so well with the perfect oldest sister and innocent baby sister.
This is one I started reading with my eyeballs, then got an early audiobook copy, and switched to listening. Julia Whelan narrates this book and she’s basically perfection. This is not my first audiobook with her and it won’t be my last.
Overall, a fun, steamy beach read for those who love a side of family drama and mystery with their romance.
85. SARAH MACLEAN: Switching genres, swoony forearms, terrible billionaires, & Fated Mates | These Summer Storms – LiteraryHype Podcast
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