These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean

 

Summary (from the publisher): 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 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 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.

Review: Alice Storm has reluctantly returned to her family's private island off the coast of Rhode Island for the first time in five years. Her millionaire father has died but Alice hadn't seen him for years, not since he ordered her to leave and not come back. Now, reunited with her mother and three siblings, Alice and her family learn that her father left his family a final challenge. In order to receive their sizable inheritance, they must spend one week together on the island and complete their individual assigned tasks. Overseeing this process is her father's second-in-command, Jack Dean.

This had an intriguing premise. The opening scenes, when Alice is arriving back on the island and is instantly bombarded with paparazzi curious about the long-lost Storm daughter returning home, really reeled me in. The over-the-top setting of the private island, complete with a private jet and staff was likewise intriguing, as were the family dynamics of estranged siblings squabbling over an inheritance. 

In many ways, this reminded me of the TV show Succession, but in an island setting. Their father, who has recently passed away, devoted his life to trying to control his family, who always seem to fall short of his expectations. Even beyond the grave, he is trying to manipulate their life choices. Because the siblings are forced to stay on the island for a week together, this felt like a lot of waiting around. Most of the middle of this book felt like it moved very slowly with little happening beyond everyone stewing over what they'll do if they don't get their inheritance and bickering amongst themselves. 

I also felt like Alice and her main love interest had major issues! Other than immediate physical chemistry, I just could not buy in to the supposed connection between them, which felt flimsy at best. He lies by omission multiple times and has been operating under her father's directions. Despite this being a huge issue for Alice, she ultimately gets over it exceedingly quickly. This just felt like insta-love to me - but with no real substance behind their burgeoning relationship. How can they be so sure about each other after just a few days together, especially given the deception behind how they first meet?

Stars: 3