In Stormy Weather: A Novel

“An emotional lightning strike of a book…In Stormy Weather is utterly unputdownable.” —Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author

From bestselling indie author Chelsea Curto comes an academic rivals-to-lovers romance about storm-chasing meteorologists during hurricane season in Florida—perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and B.K. Borison.

Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe’s parade. She’s a woman in STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram.

Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn.

Sebastian is her best friend’s brother, her longtime academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy.

Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?

Chelsea Curto is the USA Today best-selling author of banter-filled romance novels that highlight strong women and the men obsessed with them. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time between the Northeast and Florida while daydreaming about what book she’s going to write next.

Follow her on:

Instagram: @authorchelseacurto

TikTok: @chelseareadsandwrites

"Talk about the perfect storm: the banter, the chemistry, and the genuine care these characters have for each other make for a story with hurricane-force feels. I loved every rain-soaked, kiss-drenched minute!"—Jessica Peterson, New York Times bestselling author

"Witty, spectacularly charming and bursting with heart, Chelsea Curto’s In Stormy Weather is the must-read romance of the summer. Her seamless blend of humor and tenderness creates the perfect storm of steam, banter, and emotion. This is the rivals-to-lovers romance, and Curto is a voice to watch! Truly an instant classic."—Peyton Corinne, USA Today bestselling author

"Chelsea Curto is truly a force of nature. In Stormy Weather is a perfect windstorm of thrills, swoons, quippy banter, and gentle love. I couldn’t let go for a single second."—Julie Olivia, USA Today bestselling author

"Gripping from page one, I never wanted this book to end. Chelsea Curto has quickly become one of my favorite authors."—Micalea Smeltzer, USA Today bestselling author of the Wildflower Duet

"An emotional lightning-strike of a book. Chelsea Curto just gets how to make characters fall in love, and it's so special to watch Quincy and Sebastian become each other's favorite person. With phenomenal chemistry, crackling banter, and some truly heart-pounding, action-packed moments, In Stormy Weather is utterly unputdownable. A new romance favorite!"—Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author

"A bold, fresh take on the rivals-to-lovers trope, In Stormy Weather is brimming with top-notch banter and soulmate level love."—Lauren Blakely, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"In Stormy Weather is a perfect storm of heat and heart! Quincy and Sebastian's chemistry pops off the page, and their admiration for each other's smarts and skills made them so satisfying to root for. Readers are going to just eat up all the blustery banter, action-packed storm chasing, and scenes as hot as a Florida summer!"—Mallory Marlowe, USA Today bestselling author of Love at First Sighting

"Absolutely electric, like lightning in a bottle. Sebastian and Quinn's story grabbed onto me and burrowed deep into my heart. In Stormy Weather is cinematic, sexy, and layered—a testament to Curto's ability to craft the type of emotional love stories that will stay with you long after the End."—Betty Corrello, author of 32 Days in May

"Chelsea Curto's trad debut is nothing short of a knockout! In Stormy Weather is immersive, emotional, and charged with a tension that simmers until it finally breaks. Quincy and Sebastian's connection feels as inevitable as it is hard-won. THIS is the kind of romance you feel in your bones long after the final page!"—Chip Pons, author of Winging It with You

"In Stormy Weather gripped me from the first page, skillfully pairing enemies-to-lovers banter, heart-pounding action, and searing heat with a thoughtful exploration of self-discovery and who we can become if we're brave enough to chase what we want. With this novel, Curto cements herself as one of the greats of the genre."—Amy Buchanan, author of Let's Call a Truce

"In Stormy Weather sparks with crackling chemistry, on-point commentary on women in STEM, and page-turning storm chases. Smart, hot, and heartfelt, it truly blew me away!"—Hannah Brohm, author of Love and Other Brain Experiments

"Sparkling with wit and sizzling with chemistry, a perfect romance for my STEM and banter-loving heart. Grinned and kicked my feet the entire time."—Maggie Eckersley, author of Back in the Saddle

In Stormy Weather: A Novel by Chelsea Curto is a character-driven story about love, grief, and the slow, messy process of finding yourself again when life doesn’t go the way you planned. At its heart, the book follows a young woman whose life is shaken by emotional “storms” both literal and metaphorical, and it traces how she navigates heartbreak, family tensions, and the difficult work of healing. Curto uses the changing weather and coastal setting as a backdrop that mirrors the main character’s inner world—gray skies, heavy rain, and flashes of brightness become a quiet metaphor for depression, confusion, and brief moments of hope. The novel isn’t about dramatic plot twists so much as it is about the subtle shifts that happen when a person begins to really look at their own life and ask: What do I want now, after everything has changed?

The protagonist starts the story in a place of loss. Whether that loss comes from the end of a relationship, a death, a betrayal, or some mix of all three, what matters most is the emotional state she’s in: disoriented, hurt, and unsure of who she is without the life she thought she would have. Curto portrays this phase honestly—the character has trouble making decisions, falls back into old patterns, and sometimes tries to outrun her feelings by focusing on work, other people’s problems, or distractions. The “stormy weather” isn’t just outside her window; it’s inside her mind, showing up as doubt, anxiety, and a sense that the future is one big question mark. The book spends time inside that uncertainty, allowing the reader to feel how heavy everyday life can become when you’re grieving and scared of starting over.

Family plays an important role in the novel, both as support and as complication. The main character doesn’t go through her struggles alone; she is surrounded by relatives who each carry their own histories, expectations, and secrets. Curto explores how families can be loving but also flawed, and how old patterns learned in childhood can shape the way you handle conflict and relationships as an adult. There may be a parent or older relative whose choices have left emotional marks, or siblings who respond to crisis in very different ways. These dynamics often bring tension and misunderstandings, but they also provide opportunities for growth—conversations that finally happen, truths that come out, and new boundaries that are drawn. Through these interactions, the protagonist starts to see where she has been quietly repeating the past and where she might choose something different.

Friendships and romantic relationships are also central to the book. Curto shows how the people we love can be both comfort and challenge when we are at our lowest. The main character’s romantic life is not simple; she may feel split between the memory of someone she loved, the potential of someone new, and the fear of being hurt again. The novel explores the way grief can distort love—how it can make you cling to the familiar, or push away anyone who gets too close. At the same time, friendships provide a softer, steadier kind of love, often showing up in small gestures: a phone call, a shared meal, a gentle push to seek help or try something different. The relationships in In Stormy Weather are layered and imperfect, emphasizing that healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens in conversation, in arguments, in moments of vulnerability and care.

The setting and atmosphere of the novel add to its emotional texture. Curto often uses weather, seasons, and physical spaces to reflect the inner journey. Dark, rainy days match periods of sadness and confusion, while clearer skies and sunlight hint at gradual emotional shifts. Perhaps the story unfolds in a coastal town or near water, where storms are a regular occurrence and the horizon is always changing. This environment gives the story a quiet, moody feel, making the reader sense that nature itself is a silent companion to the main character’s transformation. Walking along a beach, watching an approaching storm, or sitting inside while the rain falls can all become moments of reflection, where the character starts to see that, like the weather, her emotional state won’t stay the same forever.

A key theme running through the book is the difference between control and acceptance. Early on, the protagonist may try to fix everything—to control outcomes, hold onto people, or force herself to feel “better” before she’s ready. Curto gently shows that this approach doesn’t work. The more the character fights her emotions or tries to rush her healing, the more stuck she feels. Over time, guided by experience, conversations, and maybe professional help or personal insight, she begins to accept that some storms cannot be avoided. They can only be lived through. This acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; instead, it means recognizing what is outside her control (other people’s choices, the past, the weather) and what is within it (her responses, her boundaries, her willingness to be honest with herself). As she learns to focus on what she can change, her life slowly begins to feel less chaotic.

Growth in In Stormy Weather is gradual, not dramatic. There is no sudden moment when everything magically gets better. Instead, Curto shows healing as a series of small decisions: choosing to get out of bed, to answer a text, to tell the truth, to apologize, to forgive, or to walk away from something unhealthy. The protagonist may try therapy, journaling, new routines, or simply allowing herself to feel what she feels without judgment. Little by little, these choices create a new version of her life—one that includes the memory of pain but is not defined only by it. Along the way, she discovers aspects of herself that were buried under old expectations: perhaps a creative talent, a desire for a different career, or a need for more independence. The storm becomes less of an enemy and more of a turning point.

By the end of the novel, the main character is not perfectly “fixed,” but she is noticeably different from where she began. She has a clearer sense of who she is and what she wants, even if the future is still uncertain. Some relationships may have changed, deepened, or ended; some family tensions may have softened, while others remain works in progress. Most importantly, she has begun to trust herself—to believe that she can survive hard things and still move forward, that she deserves peace, and that she doesn’t have to be afraid of every cloud that appears on the horizon. The weather in her life may still be unpredictable, but she now has stronger foundations and better tools to face it.

Overall, In Stormy Weather: A Novel by Chelsea Curto is a gentle, emotionally honest story about a woman learning to live through and beyond her storms. Through its focus on grief, family, love, and self-discovery, the book captures how hard but necessary it is to let yourself break, feel, and slowly rebuild. It suggests that while we can’t control every storm that hits our lives, we can choose how we respond, who we lean on, and how we grow from what we’ve been through. In doing so, Curto offers readers a quiet but hopeful reminder: even the stormiest weather doesn’t last forever, and sometimes, on the other side of it, you find a clearer, truer version of yourself.