Wow. I found myself reading The Inheritance very late into the night because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. This book had everything…compelling characters, captivating story, love, romance, tragedy, drama, entitlement, greed and redemption. Tucker and Willow are such strong characters and the push & pull between them is very well written. The secondary characters also add so much color to this story. Jim Bob and Monique are so loving yet very misunderstood. Ivy, Bubba & Tara are so ungrateful and entitled. And you can’t help but laugh & enjoy all of Stella’s funny sayings. And Grady is simply adorable.
A very refreshing read!

This was a bit of a bore to read and the characters not very inspired. The plot was good, but changed were bland,

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t think I’ve read anything else by Vali, but I know she’s written a ton of books, and I’m usually a sucker for instant family type books, so the premise of this intrigued me.

The problem is that the blurb is kind of misleading, in that it lead me to believe that the main characters (Tucker Delacroix, who runs a company with her much older brother James Robert, who goes by the unfortunate name of Jim-Bob, and Willow Vernon, an engineer who works for a company that does business with the Delacroix’s) would somehow end up raising their nephew after ‘tragedy strikes’. While that does happen, the way it happened was... well... a little much.

First off, Willow’s sister Monique is Jim-Bob’s mistress, and both Monique and Jim-Bob feature heavily in the first half or so of the book, as do Jim-Bob’s cliche ridden wife Ivy, and his two kids Tara and James Robert Jr, who goes by the even more unfortunate name of ‘Bubba’. These characters take up way too much space in the book. The MCs actually meet early on, but don’t know who the other is or how their lives are entwined and hook up for some sexy times. Then Willow discovers who Tucker is and blows her of with an unfortunate choice of words.

The rest of the first 65% of the book is mostly just a lot of angst ridden stuff about Jim-Bob’s life (which basically boils down to him being unable to man up and leave his bitch of a wife to be happy with the woman he really loves. Willow’s assessment of him is pretty much spot on) and how this impacts everyone around him. His kids are spoilt brats and his wife is a lush. Willow also has issues with her sister’s place in Jim-Bob’s life, so when the pivotal moment(s) arrive, she’s none too happy about it.

So the main thrust of what’s described in the blurb doesn’t actually take place til about the 70% mark. That means the MCs relationship is incredibly rushed, and just to make it more frustrating, Ali inserts (or really continues) a ridiculously over the top family/work related sub-plot into this section that quite literally had me saying ‘Oh come ON’ multiple times while reading it.

Tucker’s PA is also overly friendly in a way that would get one of them sued in the current climate, but at least Tucker’s mother Stella was a hoot and any scene with her in it was golden. The last 10% of the book is essentially spent tying everything up into a nice neat bow, with a HEA that didn’t feel anywhere near earned. The book also relies on way too many coincidences and contrivances to push the plot along.

I saw a couple of reviews that called this a ‘classic Vali’, if that’s the case, it’s probably my last. It wasn’t terrible, but there were too many contrivances for me, my suspension of belief only goes so far, and it was really tested here. 2.5 stars, rounded up because I liked the MCs and Stella, I just wish the romance had had more space to develop.

Willow Vernon’s works as an engineer for a firm that designed oil platforms, making pretty good money but when her firm along with the construction company that's going to build the rig, decides to cut corners to save money therefore endangering the lives of the people working on these rigs she decides to tell the owner of the company that ordered the platform. Problem is she doesn’t know just who she should report to. She’d met, through a business meeting a woman who she assumes is just a working stiff like herself, so when the woman asks Willow out for dinner it quickly becomes a one night stand. A very nice one night stand but when she finds out just who the other woman is she’s upset because she thinks the woman was using her, so she doesn’t return any messages left for her.
Tucker thought the one night stand was terrific and was hoping for a repeat but for some reason Willow didn’t seem to be interested. Tucker Delacroix, along with her brother Jim Bob owned the company looking for the new platform Willows company was supposed to be designing for them. She and her brother were very close despite the fact that her brother was twenty years older. She knew he was unhappy with his marriage but never thought her big brother was having an affair or that he fell in love with his mistress. Or that they had a son together and Jim Bob wanted to be with her.
Turns out the woman Jim Bob was with is Willows's older sister, Monique. Willow didn’t believe Jim Bob had any intentions of making a life with Monique, so when she found out the very hot Tucker was actually Jim Bob’s sister she didn’t like being the butt of a joke Jim Bob and Tucker was playing, using the sisters for their own amusement.
Now comes the life changing events that will force Willow and Tucker to deal with Jim Bob and Monique’s young son. Ms Vali has done it again giving her fans a very nice read along with more than a few twists and turns. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

This is a typical Ali Vali book, so if you're a fan you won't be disappointed. Rich, distinguished, family oriented butch meets 'fiery' femme they have a blazing attraction but femme's misunderstanding and supposed overreaction creates conflict in relationship. Femme realises butch is actually perfect, instantly they're in love and jump forward in their relationship where they're basically married. The end. This may seem like I'm mocking the book but that's how the story goes, if you're looking for a complex/riveting story where intimacy is explored and developed you won't enjoy this book. However if you're looking for something formulaic that will pass the time you will be fine for this book. Or if you just enjoy old school type romances.

This book reads as a loving homage to the author’s brother and is well written, but it feels a bit confused when you are expecting a romance. The romance is there, indeed the whole woman meets woman, unexpected troubles thwart their relationship, plus an ending, are all included. But I’m not sure how well that gels with the fate of the other characters (I’m being vague to avoid spoilers as best I can) and the emotional connection normally created by a budding romantic relationship. It’s a good book and I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t sure whether to be happy or sad whilst reading it. I was kind of both, but neither emotion was that strong. If the pathos had been greater, I think it would have been five star.

From beginning to end loved it. Jim Bob was the perfect big brother. Great romance to draw you in but also shows how tight a family should be.

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion.
The story of inheritance with semi bland romantic scenes. It wasn’t my favorite.

The Inheritance by Ali Vali is at its heart a story about family love and loyalty. When main characters Tucker and Willow meet they have a passionate one-night stand but then are pulled apart by a misunderstanding (and some very bad behavior on WIllow’s part). When they experience parallel and intertwined losses their lives are brought back together and they have to figure out how to heal from their losses and navigate their newly linked lives.

This book is classic Vali with strong themes of family and loyalty, sometimes maidenly so with some of the bad behavior in Tucker’s family.

I liked that Willow made some terrible decisions not in the past but on the page. I found her unlikeable but I liked that about her

This book had a strong family is everything message—usually, I like that but I also think if your family is abusive it’s ok to let go. I understand the plot reasons for not cutting anyone out, but emotionally it felt confusing to me

I liked Tucker a lot, and it’s always nice to read a butch/femme pairing. But while Willow’s bad behavior was called out and punished, Tucker’s went unremarked on and I actually found some of it really problematic. For example, Tucker calls Willow crazy a lot. Also, Tucker does something near the end to sway WIllow’s response to an important question. I don’t think this would have bothered me except that she’s doing this to influence her decision. I would have been ok with the move otherwise if the motivation was like family is important I want us to be together for this, or something similar.

Overall this is a sweet book with a nice pace.

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

The plot sounded good so I had some hopes about this. But sadly the blurb is a bit misleading and gives the wrong idea about the story.

Butch woman that dislikes their birth name and uses an unisex/male name and refuses so settle down, hates everything that has to do with marriage and commitment is an old and boring cliche.
There’s something about Tucker that rubs me a little wrong, her arrogance and her personality just makes me annoyed. I don’t really like Willow either. She refuses to believe that Jim Bob actually loves Monique, that he’ll marry her. Just cause people have money she’s rude to them and judge mental, even though she haven’t even met them before.
I get why Jim Bob fell for Monique, I kinda get why he didn’t leave Ivy all those years ago. What I don’t get is why he didn’t tell Tucker, the person he’s closest to, about Monique and Grady!
I didn’t find the sex scenes any interesting, actually found them kinda boring and bland.
Miscommunication, overreaction and telling people to drop dead! It takes a long time to actually get to the main story. We’re 70% into the story before anything really happens. This story was disappointing. Had higher hopes for it

We have two very strong-willed, business oriented characters that clash from the start, but the chemistry is undeniable. The tragedy that happens on both sides brings these two women together, in a not very friendly environment. It had its ups and downs but it was very interesting reading it and waiting to see what happens next.

Tucker Delacroix runs a successful oil family business with her brother Jim Bob. Tragedy strikes and Jim Bob suddenly passes away leaving behind his mistress Monique and son. Monique wants her son to be recognized in the Delacroix family. Willow Vernon is Monique's sister and when tragedy strikes yet again Willow and Tucker fight for custody rights over Monique's son.
This is certainly an interesting story, who you thought were going to be the main character supports end up dead so for a romance there is a lot of tragedy! However it is handled well and one minute you're tearing up and the next you're laughing. Vali paints her characters well so you can truly empathise with Tucker and Willow when their siblings die and you'll find yourself on an emotional rollrollercoaster.
It's a good story with plenty of surprises to keep you interested.

Slow burn romance with two very interesting and strong main characters. Augusta “Tucker” Delacroix, talented business woman in business with her brother, Jim Bob. Willow Vernon, talented architect with a sister and nephew she loves deeply. Sadness befalls both Willow and Tucker. As a result, both come together in care of their nephew. How they come together makes for an entertaining story with supportive secondary characters especially Tucker's parents. This read was like watching a soap opera. The ups and downs. The give and take. If you like a strong femme character that knows how to hold her own and take care of yourself and a caring butch character that knows the importance of family, then this is the read for you.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the story.

I love Ali Vali's stories.

This is a fast paced, what the hell, let's take a chance on love book.

Willow and Tucker first meet as business associates and the chemistry is undeniable. Willow takes a chance and plunges headlong into a fling that should develop into more.

Through off the wall, unfounded assumptions, family drama and bad business, Willow torpedoes her affair with Tucker.

Tradegy strikes for both Willow and Tucker. They must learn to cope with secrets kept by loved ones, lives derailed by loss and greed.

A steamy story with heart.

Thank you Netgalley, Bold Strokes and Ali Vali for a great read!

This book is about family and the tragedy that sometimes comes with it. I couldn’t stop reading the book but I did roll my eyes a couple of times at the far-fetched part of the story are. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, they seem very flat. The setting of the story also isn’t my cup of tea, oil industry, not something I care I about. Might be the setting and the one-dimensional characters made it an ok read, but nothing special.

I do think it’s nice to read about strong family ties, but the stuff around is amazingly far-fetched. For someone to come up with that you actually have to give praise as well.

The Inheritance by Ali Vali
4 Stars

This is an “old school” Ali Vali romance. And that is a good thing.

This is the story of two sets of siblings. Tucker Delacroix and her brother Jim Bob have been running a very successful oil field supply company in Louisiana. Delacroix Oil and Gas Co. that was started by their father and grandfather, but under the leadership of the two siblings, the company has grown substantially. Monique and Willow Vernon are also very close siblings. Monique is a paralegal at a law firm that specialized in oil field contracts and leases and Willow is an engineer at a major oil company, Suntrust Oil. Willow isn’t very thrilled that Monique has been in a long term relationship with a married man and even less thrilled to learn that Monique is pregnant and she has yet to tell Willow who the father is. I think you can guess.

Tucker is one side of a classic Ali Vali heroine. Tall, dark and beautiful. She is charming, smart and the best at whatever she does and she turns women’s and men’s heads wherever she goes. Willow is the other half - petite, blond/reddish hair, green eyes and curves. Both women are fiercely loyal. Sound familiar? Yup, it’s the Xena/Gabrielle trope. Is this a bad thing? Not in Ali Vali’s capable hands. I might be biased. I never read Xena fanfic, but I did read Xena AU (alternative universe) stories. Usually, Xena/Gabrielle type characters in a modern setting. Vali’s online stories were among the first and best that I read when I started reading online fiction (2004ish).

This story has a lot of family drama and angst. I almost teared up at one point. There is also corporate drama, especially when there is multi-million dollar deals at stake. But mostly it is about family and of course romance.

It not all drama. I loved Tucker’s Louisiana mother, Stella full of wisdom and sass. Willow described her as “a woman who exuded strength, and she seemed to genuinely care about those she loved”. A couple lines I highlighted –
On Ivy, her daughter-in-law: “Hell, God himself is unfit to deal with Ivy even with Satan backing him up.”
Or… “Being different isn’t a bad thing. Who we are as individuals is not only what makes life a wonderful thing, but gives us power to annoy the hell out of people.”

If you want to read early Ali Vali fiction – check her out her page on Academy of Bards or Xenafiction.net (Athenaeum). After I finished this book, I went back to read a couple of favorites – Over Easy and her Harry & Desi series.

I fear I am in the minority with this one. A WHOLE LOT happens in this book. A whole lot. Unfortunately I felt very little of it. There were wide swaths of this book that had me scratching my head. A couple of times I almost just stopped. Just not my cup of tea I guess.

I received and ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I was taken by surprise with this read as I felt the description was different than the book itself. I liked that as I went in expecting something and going something else instead. I didn't feel the chemistry between the two characters and the jumping the gun accusing each other really bothered me. After the deaths I started liking the story and characters more but half the book was over at that point. This was a good romantic read but it wasn't outstanding.

2 stars, This book is about Tucker Delacroix, who owns an oil company with her older brother, Jim Bob. Jim Bob has an affair and falls in love with another woman and has a secret child with her. Jim Bob has been in an unhealthy marriage for many years with an alcoholic wife and children who hate him based on words their mother has told them. Tucker find out about the baby, Grady after Jim Bob dies and leaves a note for her in his will. Tucker is to take responsibility of Grady with Grady's other niece, Willow. Willow's sister, Monique was Jim Bob's mistress until she also tragically dies.

This story has more twist and death than any other novel I have read. This novel seems to be unrealistic in that aspect as the two people die separately and a few months apart. It takes a while to get to the plot described, and when it finally gets to Tucker and Willow spending time together it is over half way through he book and they have not spent that much time together. I feel like the dynamic between the two of them is rushed a lot and develops too quickly. I would have liked more tension and more time with Tucker and Willow. The way the book was described I thought it would be a lot better. The story is very convoluted and does not make a lot of sense. It also has too many story points that don't make sense and I was not interested in. I would not recommend this novel as it was not well written to very good dynamic between the two characters. They instantly fell in love which I never enjoy.

I am such a fan of Ali Vali's that I will read anything she puts her name on. Even a romance without mobsters.
I read The Inheritance in three sittings, interrupted by life the first two times. But once I was able to read without interruption...I tore through this book.
Tucker has shades of Cain Casey and Sept, but she is very much her own person too. She is funny as hell, I can't tell you the number of times I laughed out loud reading in the dark. I'm sure I woke my partner a few times. I really liked Jim Bob, Stella, Monique and Willow. Boy, that woman needs a social filter when she gets mad! She really knows how to wound someone with words! Speaking of words, I actually highlighted a few things that stood out for me.
"I'd rather have my fingers ripped off by a rabid monkey"
"Are you some gun nut who votes Republican? If you admit to voting for the Cheeto, we can't be friends, and I'll need therapy for sleeping with you."
Sweet baby goats, she had to get out of here before she embarrassed herself.
"You look like homemade sin" (Apparently this is not a compliment)

Every one of these lines shows the author's skill with dialogue, and her skill with characterization is just as sharp. It's the people in her stories that make an Ali Vali story so readable. Yes, they are usually more successful than us, but we want to be their friend. Most are good people that we would enjoy spending time with.
(Okay, except for Ivy and her kids)

The characters (including the aforementioned kids) grow and develop, frequently reflecting the best of what it means to be a caring human being. (Except for Ivy). As in every one of the author's other books, family and the commitment to them is front and center in this book. It's clear that family means a great deal to Ali Vali, and the fact that this carries over to her fiction provides a layer of identity and consistency for her readers.

I would happily give this book much more than five stars if I could.
Brava, Ms. Vali!