Book Review: These Summer Storms
Here’s my review of These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean. Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’ve read it too, or if you plan to read it. Then see today’s writing prompt at the bottom of this post.
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean is a book that kept me turning pages, as I had to find out what the patriarch’s final wishes were for his family, as well as what each character might do to receive or evade their inheritance. I’m not usually a fan of domestic family dramas but this one held my interest the entire time I was reading it and made for a good summer read due to its main character’s romantic plot.
More than anything else in the novel, I was captivated by Alice’s unfolding relationship with Jack because it wasn’t always clear what his motives were and what Alice would do once she learned what he knew and she did not. It was always clear that they were physically attracted to each other, but whether their tension would or could ever lead to anything more was uncertain until the end of the novel.
On the other hand, I didn’t really care what happened to Alice’s siblings in the novel and even found the scarce chapters from their perspectives oddly placed and unnecessary to the overall plot of the novel, even a bit distracting. Yet their banter with Alice and one another was well written and really brought them to life.
I also appreciated the overall pacing of this novel, which is one of its strengths. As a reader, you will want to keep reading to figure out what each character will do and why, as long-held secrets come to light when they need to and not a second before. And while you might see some things coming, you won’t be able to see everything coming and how it all connects and unfolds in the end for each character.
That being said, there was some repetition throughout the novel, especially when characters referred to the patriarch, who didn’t seem fully fleshed out to me in the end (ironically), and what it meant to be a Storm. I also didn’t think there was enough intense drama to make it feel like the stakes were all that high for the siblings’ inheritance games (no one dies or gets hurt or goes missing, etc.) which, potential readers should be warned, makes for an engaging summer romance read, but not a thriller or propulsive mystery.
Overall, I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a good summer romance with witty banter and a bit of intrigue that will keep them turning pages. If you like shows like Gossip Girl and Succession, but want more romance than family drama, you will probably enjoy this book.
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Today’s Writing Prompt
Writing Prompt: Inheritance
Write a fictional scene that revolves around someone receiving an inheritance.
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