3.75 Stars. This book felt very typical Vali but I enjoyed it anyway. If you like the feel and vibe of Vali’s books- her loyal family oriented butch character and her strong femme character- chances are you will enjoy this. And while the characters felt very familiar, their storylines weren’t. Interesting jobs mixed with a crazy family dynamic made this really entertaining to read.

This best way to describe this would be a family-drama romance. And there is a lot of drama so this actually had a very soap opera-ish feel to it. I don’t know if it was because I grew up with my mother watching her soap’s every day, but I actually like this over the top drama feel. Actually, if you have ever read Vali’s Cain Casey series, Tucker (the main in this book) is the more level headed, law abiding version of Cain. There is plenty of secrets and backstabbing that could fit right in with the mobsters Cain knows. So if you enjoyed the Cain books but are interested in a more law abiding, violent free version, I think you will enjoy this too.

The romance itself is actually very slow burn. While the chemistry and attraction is there right off the bat, all the drama turns this into a very slow burn. While it’s slow, it’s never boring. Because of all the drama in between everything, the book stays entertaining and kept me turning the pages. I even teared up a few times since Vali wasn’t worried about playing with my emotions. Once the romance heated back up I was pretty happy with it. It did get a little fast towards the end, but Vali obviously wanted to give us a very big HEA after everything the character went through so I was okay with it.

I don’t think I would put this on my favorite list of Vali books, but as I said it was classic Vali, which I enjoy, and I was very entertained. If you want a romance packed with a lot of juicy drama, this book is for you.

This is a fairly typical story in the books of this author, both in standalones or in series, her main characters are usually a buch and a femme with quite marked roles, also with a great sense of family and honor., although the buch woman has a lot of sensitivity and the femme a very strong personality. And this is what we have here.

The story has its charm, since the two women meet first in work-related circumstances, which quickly become hot and move to a physical level that does not end well. But then other circumstances bring them together, not very pleasant family issues, which will make them commit themselves to each other.

The development of the story has ups and downs, it has many clichés and a certain intrinsic machismo, many times I have not been able to stop eye-rolling and sometimes even laughing.But it all adds up and makes it entertaining and enjoyable to read.

There is nothing complicated or new here, but it has the pieces that are necessary to get a good tipical romance.

This is another entertaining Ali Vali read. The characters are great, butch/femme, if that's your jam and really entertaining. Great job, Ali!

Love in the Family
Tucker and her brother Jim Bob run a growing oil company. Shortly after Jim Bob unexpectedly dies, the family lawyer introduces Tucker to Monique. Not only is she her brother’s mistress and fiancée, she is the mother of his son. She wants nothing for herself but it is important that her baby know his father’s family and Tucker is going to make sure that happens! Willow works in the oil industry and is very familiar with the Delacroix name, not just because of the business she is in but because Jim Bob is the scum sucking jerk that got her beloved sister pregnant and still lives with his wife. When she meets Tucker at a meeting, sparks fly and the women are attracted to each other in a big way…Until Willow realizes what Tucker’s last name is anyway. When Monique suddenly dies Willow rushes home to take care of her nephew only to find out that’s not quite what her sister had in mind and Tucker plays a big role in the plan…

WOW! What an interesting tale! It was really good and I was drawn in right away. There are a lot of emotions in this novel. It made me laugh, made me sad, angry, then happy and finally at the end very content. Tucker is a force of nature… She’s tough and strong, stubborn and adorable. Willow is equally stubborn and determined. She has some real problems but does her best to do the right thing. Both women are heartbroken by the deaths of their siblings and have a hard time coming to accept their new roles but they are 100% committed to doing right by the little orphan boy. With the help of Tucker’s parents, they find themselves becoming a happy and loving family. I loved this story and highly recommend it. I truly hope Ms Vali will grace us with more romance novels in the near future!

The Inheritance by Ali Vali is what I expected. A butch / fem romance. This is not a bad thing. Loved the characters and enjoyed the read. It's all you expect an Ali Vali book to be. I recommend.

I went back and forth between three and four stars way too long before ultimately deciding I was going to round up. Why the big internal debate? Allow me to explain…

The best thing about The Inheritance is that it has the fantastic feel of a traditional Ali Vali romance. You’ve got your gallant, sexy, family-oriented (and usually rich) dark haired butch who quickly and completely falls for the strawberry blonde femme who is strong, has a sharp tongue, and is sexy as hell. They always have sizzling chemistry and funny and sweet banter. The family usually plays a big role in some way, too. And business. All of that was present in the newest book.

The Inheritance was also missing the thing that has really bothered me in the past couple of stand-alone romances I’ve read by Vali – the rush ending/resolution. With this one, there was a lot going on and some of it did get wrapped up quickly but I didn’t feel like we were pushing a page limit or that the author just decided it was enough. I was given the time to believe in the partnership development and connection.

Now for the things that prevented the book from being a 5-star for me. There were a couple of times where I felt that plot twists were just over the top. My BS meter was pinging so hard my Kindle was shaking. But, those bits didn’t last long and even though I rolled my eyes and grimaced, I didn’t feel like quitting. The other thing that got me was the switching of POVs mid-scene with no warning. I know some authors and readers are cool with this but nothing – and I do mean nothing – will rip me out of a scene faster than being yanked out of one head and dropped into another. It causes me to stop, figure out if I’m losing my mind, backtrack a few sentences or paragraphs to see if I missed something, readjust to the new mental setting, and then start over where I got caught off guard. I really wish that didn’t happen. Particularly because it tends to happen during emotionally intense scenes because the author is trying to show all the feels from everyone. I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.

So there you have it. I absolutely recommend The Inheritance for all you Ali Vali fans. It’s sweet and funny and the best stand-alone romance by the author I’ve read in a long time. Makes me want to reread Carly’s Sound again. *sigh*

Thanks to BSB and NetGalley for the chance to take an early crack at it!