The MacLeaniverse

It seems impossible that These Summer Storms is here in only five weeks! This book, which feels like it’s been in my head for a million years is so close to being in your head, and I cannot wait to share the Storm family and their wild story with you.

A bit about the book:

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 family’s name, influence, and untold billions. But when her larger-than-life father dies and Alice is summoned home to face the past, one week threatens to change 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. A 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.

Don’t worry, romance lovers…you didn’t think I’d miss a chance to write a MacLean hero in the 21st Century, did you?

In an interview with Kirkus Reviews (a magazine my daughter refers to as “Book Vogue”), I talked about my goal in writing this book — that I’d keep you up late reading. I hope I’ve achieved that…or at least, I hope it will make your summer reading a little bit juicier, a little bit swoonier, and a little bit more fun.

I’m thrilled to share some of the early reviews of the book, from some of my absolute favorite writers!

⛈️ "You may think you know Sarah MacLean, but you’ve never seen her like this. These Summer Storms lures you in with a gothic setting and rich people behaving badly, but it’s the way MacLean layers that with the transformative power of grief and a sizzling romance that will have you recommending this book to everyone you know.” (Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Paradise Problem) ⛈️ “These Summer Storms is like a hurricane that blows in from the ocean—powerful, tragic, and beautiful. Is there anything Sarah MacLean can’t do?” (Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Year Slip) ⛈️ “A great writer is a great writer, no matter the genre, so it should come as no surprise that Sarah MacLean’s contemporary fiction is equally compelling as her historical romance…deliciously impossible to put down.” (Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author)  ⛈️ “This steamy lovechild of Succession and Elin Hilderbrand is a perfect beach read.” (Library Journal, starred review)

You can preorder These Summer Storms in hardcover, ebook or audio from:

⛈️ Your local independent bookstore, ⛈️ Amazon, ⛈️ Apple Books, ⛈️ Barnes & Noble, ⛈️ Books-A-Million, ⛈️ Kobo, ⛈️ Signed from The Ripped Bodice, with extra goodies (more on that below!)

Autumn has arrived and I am deep in the writing cave, working on my next book — the Duke and Duchess of Trevescan are in absolute chaos right now, as is customary for all MacLean matches!

I’ll be writing all November long, alongside so many others who are participating in National Novel Writing Month. This is a fantastic time for you to start (or finish!) your own romance! If you’ve been thinking about taking the plunge, this is your sign.

To help, I’m once again offering my two-hour live, virtual class to help you get started! This workshop is designed for beginners, to help you get over the first and most difficult hurdle of writing a book…starting it! Updated for 2023, the class runs live via Zoom this weekend, Sunday, October 29 at 1pm eastern, and includes access to a video replay for the entire month of November.

Together, we’ll cover everything from ideas to characters to conflict to pitfalls. You’ll have a chance to ask questions, and get access to reading lists and resources for all of November.

Head over to the sign up page to learn more — spots are limited!

Knockout is here! This one comes with very a very big hero who feels even bigger feelings for my curvy heroine who is pure, delightful, explosive (💥) mayhem. It’s full of all my favorite things: 

Two people who are absolutely gone for each other

A group of friends who clock it from the start and get popcorn

Justifiable face punching

An exasperated bodyguard of a hero

A heroine who has no intention of being body guarded

Banter--my god, these two and their BANTER just get a room already! (spoiler: they get a room)

Only one bed in a London snowstorm 

Me and you against the patriarchy

💥💥💥💥

I hope you’ll love this one as much as I do. I am so so thrilled to share it with you, because I miss these two a whole lot, and I can’t wait for y’all to meet them.

YES! She's here!

Zoraida Córdova writes a terrific romance, and this one, a contemporary retelling of The Little Mermaid featuring two rock stars at different points in their careers, is definitely a new favorite for me. It’s sweet and funny and full of feelings…which is all I want in a summer read.

All four trade review journals have reviewed Knockout, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with this list of descriptions…

Imogen, of course, is partial to danger-filled (Tommy couldn’t agree more, begrudgingly).

As for me, my adjective for this moment is “grateful.” 🥰