The Inheritance by Ali Vali

⭐☆

This was one hell of a disappointment from a usually dependable author.

Augusta “Tucker” Delacroix and her brother, Jim Bob, are co-owners of a hugely successful oil business. Despite twenty years between them, the siblings are close. Very close. But just not close enough for Jim Bob to confide about his mistress of over two years, Monique, and son with Monique, Grady. Willow Vernon, an engineer specialising in oil rigs and Monique’s sister, obviously and justifiably hates Jim Bob for the half-life he offers Monique. Willow and Tucker meet during a work meeting and hit off instantly to such a degree that a couple of hours later they are in bed. When Willow discovers Tucker is a Delacroix, she ghosts Tucker, convinced that the Delacroix siblings we in together on bedding the Vernon girls and were laughing at the sisters. Jim Bob’s wife, Ivy, and his two adult children absolutely hate him. He finally sets his divorce in motion and proposes to Monique. However before anything can really move, Jim Bob dies. Jim Bob had set a lot of his affairs in order before he died, including making Tucker the sole owner of the company. Strangely, even Jim Bob's beyond-the-veil letter to Tucker makes no mention of Monique. Ivy and her kids are not pleased about losing their lives, home and company even though Jim Bob has left them financially very well off and Ivy is on a mission to get back the company, which she feels rightfully belongs to her kids. Monique touches base with Tucker because she wants her son to know that side of his family. Tucker embraces Monique and Grady into her family and life, but much too soon, Monique dies. And then Tucker realises that Monique has a sister and that sister is Willow. Before dying, Monique makes a will that forces Tucker and Willow into co-parenting Grady together which somehow means that the two women have to live together for at least six years.

So yeah, it is a convoluted plot.

The start of the book was pure erotica. In fact, we were certain that this was Vali’s foray into erotica. (Side note: the typical Vali pairing of mega-rich-super-butch with sassy femme has grown rather old.) We didn’t like any of the MCs. Especially Tucker. Particularly her behaviour with her assistant, Syd. In a small role, Syd is the most likeable person in the whole cast. Everything that Syd is and does, in another Vali book, would make her the perfect femme lead instead of someone to be tossed aside.

Then there is Jim Bob's wife Ivy. All of Ivy’s actions, in another world, would be those of a protective lead and would be positive actions building the character instead of negative ones blowing up in her face. Unexpectedly, even though Ivy is painted totally black, we really felt for her.

In this one, neither Tucker nor Willow make a lot of sense. Their relationship doesn’t make a lot of sense either.

The positives? Excellent sex scenes.

This one is a total miss.

⭐☆