Ali Vali did it again! This is a great enemy-to-lovers book about fierce love and family. Don't we all wish we had a lover like the ones Ali Vali creates in her books. Vali made me laugh and cry while reading this book.

In the first chapters, you get an insight into the most important characters. I instantly got a liking to Tucker, Jim Bob, Willow and Monique. Usually, I have a strong disliking towards people who have someone hidden aside their marriage. But the way Ali Vali lets you in on Jim Bob’s life you can’t do other than liking the man and maybe berating him for his stupid choice to stay with his awefull wife (I did want to use less suitable expletives here).
When Willow and Tucker meet their chemistry is great, as is their banter. A fast burn is what follows their first night out. But then Willow discovers that Tucker is Jim Bob’s little sister and breaks it off in a bad way.

What follows is what you know is coming. If you’ve read the blurb you know Jim Bob will pass. But leave it to Vali to make it into a heartbreaking scene in the book that’ll make you cry your eyes out. Vali and love in her books have always some kind of fierceness over it. So in those few pages, I’d become to love Monique and Jim Bob and my heart broke for their love not getting a chance to be a happily ever after. Imagine my heart breaking for a second time.

What Monique had in store for Tucker and Willow is just great, I read it with a smile on my face and it felt like sunlight coming through the clouds after days of sad and dark weather.

Although I love other books by Vali, this one stole my heart because of the simplicity of it. Earlier books by Vali that I read were mostly about crimes and you'll have to pay attention reading those book because of the many characters and intrigue she works in her plotline. In this book the plotline was less complicated, but certainly not less beautiful. The book is full of beautiful emotional moments and Vali did a great job writing down the good, the bad and the ugly. I cried and laughed while reading and had difficulty putting it away.

I can recommend this book to everybody who enjoys a butch-femme, enemies-to-lovers family romance. As a bonus, it is set in New Orleans, which I love. Read it, you won't be sorry.

Very unique story line. Finding your HEA in a mess of family, love and untimely death. The second quarter of the book was a bit slow, but the end was stay-up-past-bedtime-to-finish quality.

Tucker Delacroix and Willow Vernon get off to a hot start, but when Willow finds out that Tucker is the younger sibling of the man who got HER sister pregnant out of wedlock, Willow runs for the hills - after suggesting that the Delacroix siblings drop dead. Unfortunately, Jim Bob (Tucker's brother) soon does, leaving Monique - Willow's sister - heartbroken and the baby Grady without his father. Monique's sudden death soon after leaves Grady orphaned, and despite her reticence, Willow must work with Tucker to provide Grady with the loving home both Jim Bob and Monique wanted for him.

I really liked Tucker's character. Oftentimes the hard-ass, wealthy, CEO types are ice queens. But while being bad-ass at business, Tucker is really down-to-earth, confident but self-deprecating, and truly loves her family. Just a really well-written character.

** I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **

The Inheritance is the first book that I have read written by Vali. When I read the blurb on this book, I had no idea really what I was getting into. There are two MCs Tucker and Willow, but in many ways there is also Jim Bob and Monique who are sorta like mains because the story is in many ways driven by what happens to them. So with that said, The Inheritance is a book about Family, growth, trust and love.

There is a LOT of stuff going on in this one, but I still found it easy to read and only had to remind myself who Stella was (Tucker and Jim Bob's mom). I have read other books that had a many supporting characters There are a TON of strong characters in this one and they all feed off of each other. I must admit that if I had a least favorite character it would be Willow. For at least have of the romance she is irritating. At some point later in the book, I begin to like her because she does soften up a bit. I did enjoy Tucker, Jim Bob and Monique and they are what helped to make this story an enjoyable read. If I had any complaints, I would say that it would have been nice to have a little less going on in this one. To be more specific, the emphasis on will and the "inheritance" that Jim Bob leaves behind just was a bit much.

I give this one 4 stars.

As others have written before me, this is a classic Ali Vali novel. Don’t trust the blurb, it manages to both be misleading and give too much away.

Willow Vernon meets Tucker Delacroix at a work meeting and they end up having dinner then spending the night together. Neither knows their siblings are involved and parenting a child together. Willow knows of her sister’s affair with a rich married man and when she realises Tucker is his sister, she feels played and nips the relationship in the bud. Then all sorts of events happen, both in their personal and professional lives, that bring them together, for better or for worse. I won’t spoil, the author took her time setting the scene and it wouldn’t be fair to jump the gun (though there’s no gun in this book).

The Inheritance is all about family, what makes a family and the sense of duty that goes with it It’s full of angst and miscommunication and banter. Yet for some reason, in Ali Vali’s books, that’s not enough for me.

I always get the same feeling with Vali’s novels, the story is good but I can’t get myself to care about the characters. I often find them monolithic, and the characters in this book are no exception. The butch hero is strong and loyal, her love interest is femme to some extent, stubborn and sexy. The villains are bad and more often than not stupid. I’m not saying it’s bad, it’s just not for me.

Then again I couldn’t stop reading, all the while rolling my eyes at how far-fetched parts of the story were. In her review, Lex mentioned the soap opera feel of this book and she’s totally right. Which makes me think that what doesn’t do it for me in Vali’s books is actually what her fans enjoy.

So if you’re already a Vali fan, you’ll probably like this book a lot. If you’re still on the fence, it might help you decide. And if you haven’t read any of the author’s novels so far, this might be a good place to start.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Ali Vali is ofcourse very well known for her Cain Casey novels...up until know I had only ever read her maffia related stories and this book deviates from the criminal into "normal" day jobs. It is about Tucker and Willow who meet and are interested in eachother unaware of the fact that Tuckers brother has an affair with Willows sister.

This book did not grab me from the first pages, but boy am I glad I decided to read on, because after 2 or 3 chapters the characters were solid, the events playing out drew me in and got me invested in the story and the outcome. Definitely well worth a read!

**ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

This was a good read it had a lot of family angst with mixed of romance.

Tucker and her brother Jim runs a successful oil company. When he dies suddenly she learns he had a mistress name Monique who had his child she wants her son to know his family without anything in return.

Willow works at the oil company and she doesn't care for the man her sister is with because he still married but when her sister dies she wants to step up and raise her nephew but what about to realize her sister has other plans.

Tucker and Willow are attract to each other as they tries to be there for their nephew. I like Tucker mother Stella and her no nonsense attitude how she help move Tucker and Willow into family with her grandson.

The Inheritance is a typical Ali Vali novel in every way. Inside the pages the reader indulges in a tale of family drama, family business and a butch/femme romance, all set in beautiful and charming New Orleans. Her devoted readers should be quite familiar with this city by now. Vali’s affections run deep for New Orleans and she often uses it as a backdrop for her romances.

Vali centers this dramatic romance around family ties and commitment, a theme she often uses in her stories. It is quite gripping and emotional at times, but loss and love can be that way. The Delacroix family is central to this tale, and I enjoyed their relationships and interactions very much. Family means everything to them, and blood runs deep. They honor and respect the family name. Tucker, of course, loves them all deeply and would do anything for them, especially her older brother Jim Bob. Her comment and love for him, even in death, leads her to an expected surprise, and it eventually opens the door for a family of her own.

Willow plays the femme against Tucker’s butch in this intriguing romance. Their love story is a little backward and not exactly conventional, but that’s what makes it interesting. Willow is an emotion mess at times, but Tucker remains patient. The things they both have to work through are trying and difficult. Willow eventually grows and makes the changes needed to step up and fulfill her sister’s wishes, despite her heartache and loss.

The supporting characters are compelling, especially Stella, Tucker’s mother. She was a real treat for me. Stella is sharp tongued and quick witted. I really enjoyed her appearances on the page. Monique, too, was another favorite. She is kind and loving. Her insight is what actually brings Tucker and Willow together. Her loving words brought me to tears. She had more emotional maturity than Willow. Through her infinite wisdom, she makes some decisions before her death that aid in gently guiding Willow to where she needs to be to find true love and family.

Though I enjoyed this story very much, there were moments that I felt were rushed. I frowned a bit when Tara, Jim Bob’ daughter, makes a drastic and sudden turn around. Throughout the story she is so hostile toward Tucker. I was confused by her sudden change of heart towards Tucker. It didn’t seem like it was consistent with her character development to that point. I understand that death often yields great life lessons, but I got the impression she is too immature, self centered and entitled to be open to Tucker and of her ideas. Don’t get me wrong; Tara’s change was nice to see, for sure. I just think we needed more pages and character development for that to seem authentic and genuine. I felt the same about Bubba, Jim Bob’s son. This, however, is just a personal opinion and does not affect the overall romance of the story in any way. It still remains a solid read.

If you are a fan of Ali Vali, you will definitely enjoy this story of family, loss and love. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading an Ali Vail romance, but you enjoy a good butch/femme love story, give it a try. She writes intriguing books with compelling and interesting characters. The romance is always sweet and tender. Her stories are enjoyable reads.

I have come to really like Ali Vali and am in the process of trying to read her precious books. So when this became available I jumped at the chance to read it. This is a straight romance really. No gangs or super military people or cops of that nature. It's a sad story with happy elements and I really found myself liking all the characters. I will say that i wish more time was spent on the grieving process and that aspect than the business. I also felt that Jim was kind of blown over more than Monique and honestly both were equally sad and what they did made me a bit teary eyed. With that said I did enjoy the book and look forward to catching up on everything else.

I got confused in-between who's talking sometimes. Willow was annoying most of the time and I would've loved to see her grief more. for God's sake I loved her sister and honestly I cried when she died Like seriously I did not expect her to. Tuker was ok. I found myself not that attracted to either of the main characters but that did not made me stop reading however I loved the mom even thought she did not participate in a lot of chapters but she seemed super fun character. it's an interesting book. well written and audited that's why I'd recommend it.


thank you for the Author and her team for giving me a free copy in exchange of an honest opinion

I love this book, but I’m also a huge Ali Vali fan. But I have to say that the book was mostly about the relationship between the two MC’s, and then their breakup. The inheritance part didn’t come in til the end, but again, I still loved it.

I LOVED this :)

This is a story about love, loss, and family.. I haven’t read a lot of Ali Vali’s books before, but it seems I was missing out a lot!

This book was so entertaining because it wasn’t just focused on the romance which I loved because it was full of angst. This book could’ve easily turned into a boring one, had it not been for the amount of action/backstabbing/secrets.

What I liked most is the family aspect.. There’s a lot of family drama due to the passing of the MCs brother... and the storytelling I thought was brilliant.. It’s one of those books that that will get you hooked because with each chapter there’s something happening..

A lot of amazing supporting characters as well helped the plot become so entertaining.. at times it felt as if I was watching a TV series! I mean the amount of drama in this book is incredible I’m not sure how all this fit into one book! I guess that’s why this author is one of the seasoned authors in FF fiction.

The MCs were your typical butch/femme but what I liked about them was how strong they both were. The mother was also a very interesting character and I loved the banter between those 3!

I totally recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a family/drama/entertaining read with a very slow burn romance! For bonus points: sex scenes were HOT :)

My rating is a 4.5 rounded up to 5.

“I received an ARC for an honest review.”

The Inheritance by Ali Vali is an absolutely fantastic book. I was so engrossed in the story that I have to admit I cried a few times.
Tucker and Willow are both really strong characters and AV has written a great butch/femme meeting with this book.

If you're looking for an emotionally roller coaster with instant attraction thrown in then you're going to love this book.

Would I recommend: Yes most certainly

Ali Vali has such a unique writing style that if I were to jump into the middle of a book knowing nothing about it I would still know it's hers. Her characters' dialogue are always full of compound sentences and I can almost hear her saying the lines in my head.

The Inheritance is fantastic, plain and simple. Set in the New Orleans universe of several of her other books, this story is so different and plot-twisting that I couldn't put it down. At the heart of the story is a man who cheated on his wife, but because of the detailed extenuating circumstances and the way he treats the mother of his new baby, it didn't bother me at all. The story was chock full of family drama and angst, which had me in tears a couple of times. Every loose end was tied up nicely, and there were a couple I had forgotten were even loose.

Every single character was fleshed out to perfection, from the mains to the family members to the admins and the ruthless business rivals.

I hope there's a story in the works where the Caseys and the Delacroix meet and become friends and/or colleagues. Cain/Tucker and Emma/Willow would be entertaining to read about.

3.75 STARS ROUNDED UP TO 4 STARS

I RECEIVED AN ARC COPY OF THE BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY AND VOLUNTAILY LEAVING MY REVIEW.

TUCKER CO-OWNS HALF OF A SUCCESSFUL OIL COMPANY WITH HER BROTHER JIM BOB. AFTER THE SUDDEN DEATH OF HER BROTHER ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE WITH JIM BOB'S WIFE AND ELDEST KIDS.

WILLOW ALSO WORKS IN THE OIL INDUSTRY AS AN ENGINEER. SHE IS NOT BEST PLEASED AT THE CHOICE OF PARTNER HER SISTER HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH.

THIS BOOK TOOK ME A FEW CHAPTERS TO GET INTO WHICH IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AS I HAVE LOVED WHAT BOOKS THIS AUTHOR HAS WROTE PREVIOUSLY. TUCKER AND WILLOW MEET AT FIRST ON WORK-RELATED BUSINESS. I AM NOT REALLY A FAN OF BOOKS THAT THE MC'S JUMP STRAIGHT INTO BED AFTER ONLY MEETING BUT IT WORKED FOR THIS STORY. I THOUGHT THE STORY LINE WAS GOOD, A COUPLE OF TWISTS AND TURNS IN THE BOOK. THE CHARACTERS WERE GOOD. I LOVED TUCKER FROM THE BEGINNING. WILLOW, AT TIMES I LIKED HER AND TIMES I DIDN'T. THE SECONDARY CHARACTERS WERE A GREAT BUNCH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF IVY, TARA AND BUBBA. THE PACE WAS JUST ABOUT RIGHT AFTER YOU GET PAST THE FIRST COUPLE OF CHAPTERS.

ALL IN ALL IT WAS A GOOD READ BUT NOT ONE OF MY FAVOURITES FROM MS VALI.

The Inheritance is such a classic Ali Vali book! It made me feel like I was home again as I read this story.

The main characters are exactly the type of people you expect in an Ali Vali tale. Tucker Delacroix and Willow Vernon are both strong characters. They are the butch/femme combo we have come to look for. As another reviewer mentioned, Tucker and Willow are similar in many ways to Cain and Emma Casey from the Devil series, except Tucker is a powerful and legitimate businesswoman while Cain is more of a mobster. The plot is complex with lots of twists and turns, and a few unexpected consequences.

As with all of Ms. Vali’s novels, there is a major theme about family in this story, and of course there is a child as well. That is a theme I’ve come to expect in all of her books. Some of Tucker’s family would fit very nicely in a Jerry Springer Show with their antics, and this creates a lot of conflict and drama.

What made this novel special for me is something I read in the Acknowledgments. Ms. Vali based one of the characters (Jim Bob) a little on her brother who passed away a few years ago. According to the author, her brother loved to fish, have fun with his friends and family, and he passed away way too young. The same thing happens to Jim Bob in the story. It is wonderful how she shares a little of her brother with us in this tale.
There is a good deal of angst in this novel, and it causes Tucker and Willow to be at odds for a good portion of the book, even though the attraction is almost instant when they meet. It is a very touching romantic tale when they finally do manage to come together as a couple and as a family.

There is one other thing I want to mention that Ms. Vali does with just about all of her books. She drops in little bits that puts most of her stories in the same universe (or the Valiverse as I like to call it). For instance, Jim Bob was mentioned briefly in Second Season, and Jim Bob’s “fishing camp” was used as a setting in that book as well as this one. There are several other mentions of people and places from the Calling the Dead series, the Cain Casey series, and other books, but I will let you look for those as you read.
One last note: I also bought the audio book and actually listened to the narrative as I read this e-book. The audio book is also well done, and I think this added to my enjoyment of the whole story. If you like books with strong characters, complex plots, family themes, and steamy romance, then you will like this book. If you are an avid fan of Ali Vali’s novels like I am, then you will love this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review. I also bought the audio book from Audible.

Ali Vali wrote a fantastic book! I love this author and The Inheritance lives up to the Vali talent. Set in New Orleans, Tucker and Willow journey a lot of hardships that many people in life have to face. The book is written with humor , compassion, and grace. The story is wonderful and the characters are well developed and the plot was different than I expected and it’s a privilege to have an author so talented sharing her great stories!

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!