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The Inheritance
With a dramatic WWII love story woven throughout, JoAnn Ross's women’s fiction debut is a generational saga full of sisterly affection and rivalry, perfect for fans of Susan Wiggs, Mary Alice Monroe and Lisa Wingate.
When conflict photographer Jackson Swann dies, he leaves behind a conflict of his own making when his three daughters, each born to a different mother, discover that they’re now responsible for the family’s Oregon vineyard—and for a family they didn’t ask for.
After a successful career as a child TV star, Tess is, for the first time in her life, suffering from a serious identity crisis, and renewed resentment around losing her father all over again.
Charlotte, brought up to be a proper Southern wife, gave up her own career to support her husband's political ambitions. On the worst day of her life, she discovers her beloved father has died, she has two sisters she never knew about, and her husband has fallen in love with another woman.
Natalie, daughter of Jack’s longtime mistress, has always known about her half sisters. And she can’t help feeling that when Tess and Charlotte find out, they’ll resent her for being the daughter their father kept.
As the sisters reluctantly gather at the Maison de Madeleine to deal with their father's final wishes, they become enchanted by the legacy they've inherited, and by their grandmother’s rich stories of life in WWII France and the wounded American soldier who would ultimately influence all their lives.
When conflict photographer Jackson Swann dies, he leaves behind a conflict of his own making when his three daughters, each born to a different mother, discover that they’re now responsible for the family’s Oregon vineyard—and for a family they didn’t ask for.
After a successful career as a child TV star, Tess is, for the first time in her life, suffering from a serious identity crisis, and renewed resentment around losing her father all over again.
Charlotte, brought up to be a proper Southern wife, gave up her own career to support her husband's political ambitions. On the worst day of her life, she discovers her beloved father has died, she has two sisters she never knew about, and her husband has fallen in love with another woman.
Natalie, daughter of Jack’s longtime mistress, has always known about her half sisters. And she can’t help feeling that when Tess and Charlotte find out, they’ll resent her for being the daughter their father kept.
As the sisters reluctantly gather at the Maison de Madeleine to deal with their father's final wishes, they become enchanted by the legacy they've inherited, and by their grandmother’s rich stories of life in WWII France and the wounded American soldier who would ultimately influence all their lives.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2021
335 people are currently reading
6603 people want to read
About the author
JoAnn Ross
241 books798 followersNew York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross has written over a hundred novels for a bunch of publishers. Two of her titles have been excerpted in Cosmo and her books have also been published by the Doubleday, Rhapsody, Literary Guild, and Mystery Guild book clubs.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
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September 6, 2021
4.3 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
There would be no dramatic scenes with his three daughters---all now grown women with lives of their own---hovering over his deathbed.
Famous conflict photographer Jackson Swann is dying from lung cancer. Putting his affairs in order involves a winery in Oregon and three daughters that have never met each other. His eldest daughter Tess, was a childhood actress, pop singer, and now writer; the middle daughter Charlotte is a married southern socialite and interior designer; and his youngest Natalie is a street photographer. Not wanting to confront his daughters, he leaves it to his lawyer Donovan to travel, let the women know of their father's death and try and convince them to meet together at the winery. Jackson's winery manager, Gideon, convinces him to at least record video messages for all three sisters and is left with the task of explaining the winery to them when they arrive, their inheritance.
With high readability that will pull you into the story, The Inheritance was mostly women's fiction and at turns romance and historical fiction. With a handful of characters to keep track of, the oldest daughter Tess, takes point and we get the most from her point-of-view and as the most bitter towards her father, he divorced her mother when she was a toddler and never had communication with him since, she has the most emotional turmoil to overcome. Even though Tess takes point, Charlotte with her imploding marriage, coming out from underneath her controlling husband, and taking control of her career again, gets enough page time to get to know her. Jackson was still legally married to Charlotte's mother, they had an open marriage, but Charlotte got enough visits from Jackson over the years to love him. Even though she is the youngest, Natalie had the closest relationship with Jackson, he and her mother were in a 28yr relationship. Natalie has visited the winery, had a relationship with her grandmother, and knows about her other two half-sisters; Tess knew about Charlotte but not Natalie and Charlotte knew about neither.
Oh yes, she thought, Gideon Byrne could well be trouble.
The first half was heavy on the women's fiction tone, it's gradually paced as we learn about these women and their lives, it was also what I thought worked best. The middle has the reading of the will and the sisters learn that they will inherit an equal part in the winery, along with Gideon, who will have a controlling vote in decisions, but in order to inherit and possibly sell, they must spend a season at the winery. Tess, who knew her father the least, wants nothing to do with the winery but the first half had her softening as she gets to know her sisters, grandmother, and Gideon. I'm not sure all of her complicated emotions and journey to accepting her father's inheritance was fully conveyed, because of amount of character stories being juggled and page count. After the reading of the will, the tone changes from women's fiction to more romance threads being focused on. Tess with Gideon is the most prominent but moves a bit too quickly for romance purists to really sink into and Natalie's childhood love of her father's lawyer Donovan comes to ahead as Donovan seems to have his own complicated feelings for her. The author's romance genre background is evident in these threads but they hit a little too fast and furious in the latter second half (Charlotte even gets her own HEA in the epilogue) to develop much depth.
“[...] And that was the day I decided to join Maquis. La Resistance.”
The latter second half also gives us the historical fiction aspect, Tess' grandmother was a teenage girl in WWII France, joined the Maquis (French resistance), and helped hide a downed American pilot who she fell in love with and was the sister's grandfather. I thought this story thread would play a much bigger role in the story and was a little disappointed when it took until around the 70% for it to really make an appearance. As Tess is a writer, she wants to write her grandmother's fascinating story and we get the story with some flashbacks and oral history. It's an intriguing thread to put in and brings an encompassing feel and connection to the sisters, family, and winery but it also felt rushed and shoved in with it coming in so late to the story.
Overall, there were a lot of characters to juggle in this story but I thought the sisters and secondary characters carried their weight. There were also engaging aspects sprinkled into the plot with Oregon's jory soil, winery and WWII tidbits, that really drew me into the story. The women's fiction beginning was the best flushed out, the romances had the beginning sparks but not enough page time to give depth, and while the historical fiction thread was compelling, it was left too long and felt rushed at the end. I did read this in two days because of how easy it was to sink into and certain aspects of the story will be staying with me for a while.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
There would be no dramatic scenes with his three daughters---all now grown women with lives of their own---hovering over his deathbed.
Famous conflict photographer Jackson Swann is dying from lung cancer. Putting his affairs in order involves a winery in Oregon and three daughters that have never met each other. His eldest daughter Tess, was a childhood actress, pop singer, and now writer; the middle daughter Charlotte is a married southern socialite and interior designer; and his youngest Natalie is a street photographer. Not wanting to confront his daughters, he leaves it to his lawyer Donovan to travel, let the women know of their father's death and try and convince them to meet together at the winery. Jackson's winery manager, Gideon, convinces him to at least record video messages for all three sisters and is left with the task of explaining the winery to them when they arrive, their inheritance.
With high readability that will pull you into the story, The Inheritance was mostly women's fiction and at turns romance and historical fiction. With a handful of characters to keep track of, the oldest daughter Tess, takes point and we get the most from her point-of-view and as the most bitter towards her father, he divorced her mother when she was a toddler and never had communication with him since, she has the most emotional turmoil to overcome. Even though Tess takes point, Charlotte with her imploding marriage, coming out from underneath her controlling husband, and taking control of her career again, gets enough page time to get to know her. Jackson was still legally married to Charlotte's mother, they had an open marriage, but Charlotte got enough visits from Jackson over the years to love him. Even though she is the youngest, Natalie had the closest relationship with Jackson, he and her mother were in a 28yr relationship. Natalie has visited the winery, had a relationship with her grandmother, and knows about her other two half-sisters; Tess knew about Charlotte but not Natalie and Charlotte knew about neither.
Oh yes, she thought, Gideon Byrne could well be trouble.
The first half was heavy on the women's fiction tone, it's gradually paced as we learn about these women and their lives, it was also what I thought worked best. The middle has the reading of the will and the sisters learn that they will inherit an equal part in the winery, along with Gideon, who will have a controlling vote in decisions, but in order to inherit and possibly sell, they must spend a season at the winery. Tess, who knew her father the least, wants nothing to do with the winery but the first half had her softening as she gets to know her sisters, grandmother, and Gideon. I'm not sure all of her complicated emotions and journey to accepting her father's inheritance was fully conveyed, because of amount of character stories being juggled and page count. After the reading of the will, the tone changes from women's fiction to more romance threads being focused on. Tess with Gideon is the most prominent but moves a bit too quickly for romance purists to really sink into and Natalie's childhood love of her father's lawyer Donovan comes to ahead as Donovan seems to have his own complicated feelings for her. The author's romance genre background is evident in these threads but they hit a little too fast and furious in the latter second half (Charlotte even gets her own HEA in the epilogue) to develop much depth.
“[...] And that was the day I decided to join Maquis. La Resistance.”
The latter second half also gives us the historical fiction aspect, Tess' grandmother was a teenage girl in WWII France, joined the Maquis (French resistance), and helped hide a downed American pilot who she fell in love with and was the sister's grandfather. I thought this story thread would play a much bigger role in the story and was a little disappointed when it took until around the 70% for it to really make an appearance. As Tess is a writer, she wants to write her grandmother's fascinating story and we get the story with some flashbacks and oral history. It's an intriguing thread to put in and brings an encompassing feel and connection to the sisters, family, and winery but it also felt rushed and shoved in with it coming in so late to the story.
Overall, there were a lot of characters to juggle in this story but I thought the sisters and secondary characters carried their weight. There were also engaging aspects sprinkled into the plot with Oregon's jory soil, winery and WWII tidbits, that really drew me into the story. The women's fiction beginning was the best flushed out, the romances had the beginning sparks but not enough page time to give depth, and while the historical fiction thread was compelling, it was left too long and felt rushed at the end. I did read this in two days because of how easy it was to sink into and certain aspects of the story will be staying with me for a while.
June 6, 2021
The Inheritance by JoAnn Ross is a fascinating dual timeline story that focuses on a French Resistance worker, and an American Forces Pilot in the World War II timeline, and three half-sisters, and their grandmother in the present-day timeline.
Tess, a novelist and former child actress, Charlotte, a southern designer, and Natalie, a French photographer are all summoned to the Maison de Madeleine winery in Aberdeen, Oregon, to listen to their Father’s reading of his will. Each of the sisters has different mothers, and they grew up separately, and not knowing each other. In fact, some did not even have knowledge of their sister’s existence until the summons.
At the winery, they meet their 96-year-old Grandmother who tells them her story of meeting their Grandfather during the war in France. They were each a hero in their own way during the French resistance and have a fascinating story of their own. The sisters also have to learn to forgive their father for his lack of parenting and learn to forgive and love each other as they learn more about their famous photographer’s father.
I found this book to be a fast read and I was engrossed in the story immediately. I love stories of sisters and forgiveness and love, and the author did an excellent job of giving us well-developed characters who are all likable and flawed at the same time. I also enjoyed reading about the grandmother and her time in Nazi-occupied France, and her rescue of the American pilot who she eventually marries. The suffering of the French people during this terrible time in history is illustrated in the Grandmothers story.
I recommend this book to fans of WWII history and lovers of multi-generational family sagas.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Tess, a novelist and former child actress, Charlotte, a southern designer, and Natalie, a French photographer are all summoned to the Maison de Madeleine winery in Aberdeen, Oregon, to listen to their Father’s reading of his will. Each of the sisters has different mothers, and they grew up separately, and not knowing each other. In fact, some did not even have knowledge of their sister’s existence until the summons.
At the winery, they meet their 96-year-old Grandmother who tells them her story of meeting their Grandfather during the war in France. They were each a hero in their own way during the French resistance and have a fascinating story of their own. The sisters also have to learn to forgive their father for his lack of parenting and learn to forgive and love each other as they learn more about their famous photographer’s father.
I found this book to be a fast read and I was engrossed in the story immediately. I love stories of sisters and forgiveness and love, and the author did an excellent job of giving us well-developed characters who are all likable and flawed at the same time. I also enjoyed reading about the grandmother and her time in Nazi-occupied France, and her rescue of the American pilot who she eventually marries. The suffering of the French people during this terrible time in history is illustrated in the Grandmothers story.
I recommend this book to fans of WWII history and lovers of multi-generational family sagas.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 4, 2022
When conflict photographer Jackson Swann dies, he leaves behind an inheritance and plenty of secrets from his life. That includes his three daughters, all by different mothers. Three daughters who have never met, or in two cases even known about each other. Until they find themselves called to Oregon with an inheritance of a vineyard. Not just any vineyard but one with a great wine reputation, Maison de Madeleine.
Tess is the eldest. After a career as a child actress she turned to writing about twin girls. Double Trouble became a spectacularly popular TV series as well as multiple books. Till now she is bored of writing about the twins and looking forward to a new challenge and inspiration for her writing. Maybe the trip to Oregon will help even though she resents the father who she never knew at all.
Charlotte has been brought up as a proper Southern wife. She gave up her own design business to be the accommodating wife for Mason and to hopefully fall pregnant. Mason plans to go into politics. Then on a day when she is already devastated by what she finds out, she also learn her beloved father has died and she has two half sisters she never knew about
Natalie is the youngest daughter of Jackson and long time mistress Josette. Though her half sisters don't know about her, Natalie knows about them.
What will happen when these three finally meet at the vineyard?. They will also meet their 96 year old grandmother, Madeleine. Her story of world war 2 , her risky role as a spy and love for an American soldier is told in brief chapters.
If readers go into this book looking for an in depth historical novel, then I suspect you will be disappointed. But if you are after a story about family and particularly sisters, a romance or two and quite a lot of inormation about vineyards and wine making, then you should enjoy it as I did. I liked the way the reader is introduced to each of the sisters and their sitiations so we get to know each of them before they meet each other at the vineyard. It is while all meet at the vineyard that the matriarch Madeleine tells her story but this is not the major focus of the book. I enjoyed this book and liked getting to know the characters. They are all likeable. Some aspects towards the end are a bit too neat and contrived I felt but still this is an engaging read that kept me interested. I would like to read more of this author’s work and since she has written a lot of books, I have plenty to choose from. Recommended if you like stories of secrets, families and romance.
.
Tess is the eldest. After a career as a child actress she turned to writing about twin girls. Double Trouble became a spectacularly popular TV series as well as multiple books. Till now she is bored of writing about the twins and looking forward to a new challenge and inspiration for her writing. Maybe the trip to Oregon will help even though she resents the father who she never knew at all.
Charlotte has been brought up as a proper Southern wife. She gave up her own design business to be the accommodating wife for Mason and to hopefully fall pregnant. Mason plans to go into politics. Then on a day when she is already devastated by what she finds out, she also learn her beloved father has died and she has two half sisters she never knew about
Natalie is the youngest daughter of Jackson and long time mistress Josette. Though her half sisters don't know about her, Natalie knows about them.
What will happen when these three finally meet at the vineyard?. They will also meet their 96 year old grandmother, Madeleine. Her story of world war 2 , her risky role as a spy and love for an American soldier is told in brief chapters.
If readers go into this book looking for an in depth historical novel, then I suspect you will be disappointed. But if you are after a story about family and particularly sisters, a romance or two and quite a lot of inormation about vineyards and wine making, then you should enjoy it as I did. I liked the way the reader is introduced to each of the sisters and their sitiations so we get to know each of them before they meet each other at the vineyard. It is while all meet at the vineyard that the matriarch Madeleine tells her story but this is not the major focus of the book. I enjoyed this book and liked getting to know the characters. They are all likeable. Some aspects towards the end are a bit too neat and contrived I felt but still this is an engaging read that kept me interested. I would like to read more of this author’s work and since she has written a lot of books, I have plenty to choose from. Recommended if you like stories of secrets, families and romance.
.
June 20, 2021
Well, I didn't realize I was requesting a Harlequin-style romance when I asked for access to The Inheritance, but that's what it turned into, in the end.
The action is primarily dialogue-driven. No characters or scenes are particularly well-developed, not even the WWII spy activity. The 90+ year old character sounds like a 30 year old woke feminist. The dominated and jilted wife bounced back in two weeks. And hot love - surely strong enough to last forever - was consummated after a two week courtship.
I think I was annoyed because the advertising description made it sound as if this book was going to be character-rich historical fiction.
Not recommended, unless you just want a romance.
I received an advance reader's copy from #NetGalley #TheInheritance
The action is primarily dialogue-driven. No characters or scenes are particularly well-developed, not even the WWII spy activity. The 90+ year old character sounds like a 30 year old woke feminist. The dominated and jilted wife bounced back in two weeks. And hot love - surely strong enough to last forever - was consummated after a two week courtship.
I think I was annoyed because the advertising description made it sound as if this book was going to be character-rich historical fiction.
Not recommended, unless you just want a romance.
I received an advance reader's copy from #NetGalley #TheInheritance
September 1, 2021
I've never read Joann Ross before but after reading THE INHERITANCE, I quickly made a list of all of her previous books to read! Its quite the list let me tell you. This is a dual time line story, told in the time of World War II and the present. The present involves three half sisters coming to terms with their father’s death. The WWII story is about their grandmother and the French Resistance. Fascinating to say the least.
Charlotte, Tess, and Natalie are brought to Oregon to their father’s winery for the reading of his will. Being that they have never met before, there are many secrets and hurt feelings revealed. Once you start reading THE INHERITANCE be prepared not to do anything else until you finish. Ms. Ross pulls the reader in from the very first page as the story consumes them. I found myself afraid to turn the page for fear of what was going to be revealed next. I can’t believe I’ve never read this author before and Joann Ross is going on my auto buy author list right now!
The telling of how their 96 year old grandmother meets their grandfather was adventurous and heart stopping. Tess and Charlotte are meeting their grandmother for the first time and they are jealous of Natalie and the times she was able to spend with their father as well. I finished THE INHERITANCE in three days, but it will live in my heart much longer. I find myself thinking of the characters and the story often, and feel privileged to have been able to read it. If you enjoy bittersweet stories of love, war, and sacrifice, you will love THE INHERITANCE. The characters are all resilient spirits and their journeys were at times heartbreaking, inspiring and triumphant. When the story ended I was thinking that with their personal revelations many of the characters’ stories were just beginning. The message I took to heart in this story was that love is universal and love can heal.
Madeleine and the rest of the characters grew with each passing page, until I loved each and every one of them and their stories. THE INHERITANCE had me reaching for my box of Kleenex more than once. A war/love story like none I’ve read before. It’s filled with tradition, honor, triumph and tragedies. I strongly strongly recommend THE INHERITANCE.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Charlotte, Tess, and Natalie are brought to Oregon to their father’s winery for the reading of his will. Being that they have never met before, there are many secrets and hurt feelings revealed. Once you start reading THE INHERITANCE be prepared not to do anything else until you finish. Ms. Ross pulls the reader in from the very first page as the story consumes them. I found myself afraid to turn the page for fear of what was going to be revealed next. I can’t believe I’ve never read this author before and Joann Ross is going on my auto buy author list right now!
The telling of how their 96 year old grandmother meets their grandfather was adventurous and heart stopping. Tess and Charlotte are meeting their grandmother for the first time and they are jealous of Natalie and the times she was able to spend with their father as well. I finished THE INHERITANCE in three days, but it will live in my heart much longer. I find myself thinking of the characters and the story often, and feel privileged to have been able to read it. If you enjoy bittersweet stories of love, war, and sacrifice, you will love THE INHERITANCE. The characters are all resilient spirits and their journeys were at times heartbreaking, inspiring and triumphant. When the story ended I was thinking that with their personal revelations many of the characters’ stories were just beginning. The message I took to heart in this story was that love is universal and love can heal.
Madeleine and the rest of the characters grew with each passing page, until I loved each and every one of them and their stories. THE INHERITANCE had me reaching for my box of Kleenex more than once. A war/love story like none I’ve read before. It’s filled with tradition, honor, triumph and tragedies. I strongly strongly recommend THE INHERITANCE.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 29, 2023
Įdomi, jautri ir šilta knyga. Man patiko. 😉
January 19, 2023
Labai patiko: pradedant labai gražiu knygos viršeliu, baigiant gražia šeimos istorija. Įtraukė nuo pirmų puslapių ir nebepaleido iki paskutinio.
August 14, 2021
FULL REVIEW WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 11.
Three sisters who didn’t know each other existed needed to get together after their father passed.
They didn’t know each other because each sister had a different mother, and their father never really kept in touch.
A slow start to this book did lead to a terrific story line about the sisters, the house, and the information their grandmother relayed about her life as a member of the French Resistance.
Readers are treated to a book about the joy of finding family, finding love, and realizing happiness can come at any time in your life no matter how late.
An enjoyable read for women’s fiction fans and WWII fans. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Three sisters who didn’t know each other existed needed to get together after their father passed.
They didn’t know each other because each sister had a different mother, and their father never really kept in touch.
A slow start to this book did lead to a terrific story line about the sisters, the house, and the information their grandmother relayed about her life as a member of the French Resistance.
Readers are treated to a book about the joy of finding family, finding love, and realizing happiness can come at any time in your life no matter how late.
An enjoyable read for women’s fiction fans and WWII fans. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2024
Fotografas Džeksonas Svonas jaučia, jog žemėje jo laikas yra suskaičiuotas. Jis žino, jog jo mirtis atvers praeities klaidas, kurios daugeliui tikrai bus be galo skaudžios. Viena iš jų - trys dukterys, kurios nepažįsta viena kitos. Dukterys nebuvo klaida, tačiau klaida buvo laikytis nuo jų atokiai bei neleisti joms susipažinti. O dabar jos sužino, jog jų laukia vynuogynas Oregone bei tėvo mama, kuri be galo nori susipažinti su anūkėmis. Tik kur nuves ši pažintis?
Tai šeimos saga, kurios pradžia - Antrojo pasaulinio karo fone. Manau, jog vienas iš svarbiausių dalykų šioje istorijoje yra seseriškas ryšys. Natūralu, jog vos tik susipažinusios moterys jautėsi svetimos bei pasimetusios, tačiau po truputį užsimezga ryšys, kuris neabejotinai joms visoms taps pačia svarbiausia gyvenimo draugyste.
Tai jautrus bei teikiantis viltį pasakojimas. Taip pat vertėtų paminėti, jog buvo įdomi senelės istorija, kuri suteikė visai šiai knygai papildomo žavesio.
Tai gana nuspėjamas romanas, tačiau skaitymo malonumas nuo to nei kiek nesumažėjo. Manau, jog ši knyga patiks tiems, kam norisi jautrios bei šiek tiek romantiškos istorijos.
Tai šeimos saga, kurios pradžia - Antrojo pasaulinio karo fone. Manau, jog vienas iš svarbiausių dalykų šioje istorijoje yra seseriškas ryšys. Natūralu, jog vos tik susipažinusios moterys jautėsi svetimos bei pasimetusios, tačiau po truputį užsimezga ryšys, kuris neabejotinai joms visoms taps pačia svarbiausia gyvenimo draugyste.
Tai jautrus bei teikiantis viltį pasakojimas. Taip pat vertėtų paminėti, jog buvo įdomi senelės istorija, kuri suteikė visai šiai knygai papildomo žavesio.
Tai gana nuspėjamas romanas, tačiau skaitymo malonumas nuo to nei kiek nesumažėjo. Manau, jog ši knyga patiks tiems, kam norisi jautrios bei šiek tiek romantiškos istorijos.
June 12, 2022
A recommendation from one of my fellow book club members this ticked all the boxes of an easy summer read. With a backstory of WW2, this is a book about love, secrets, forgiveness and new beginnings. An enjoyable read about 3 sisters, each with separate lives and personalities brought together through death.
October 13, 2021
THE INHERITANCE
JoAnn Ross
I started this and then almost stopped before I finished the first couple of pages. I don't know why exactly, it just wasn't engaging me. So I pitched it to the side and started something else, but came right back and started over. I wasn't sure that I could hang with the caustic attitude of Tess (a former child actress) as she plowed her way through the first 27 chapters. But I hung on because of the other girls, Charlotte (southern and an interior designer) and Natalie (French and a photographer) who are all daughters of their recently deceased father who owned a winery in Oregon. I was more connected to Nat and Char than to Tess, despite the fact that she was the main daughter character but by Chapter 28, her sarcasm smoothed out and some of the bitterness she so continuously expressed diminished. This was also about the time that she found Gideon, the man that ran the winery. His hotness was a good influence on her.
So now we have a dead father and 3 daughters, but they have a Grandmother who has an amazing tale to relate about meeting her beloved during the War in France. This storyline was really interesting and I loved it.... it was rich in history and love and was quite interesting. The historical storyline was very neatly pieced into the present-day winery storyline and both highlighted the idea that despite not being perfect, people often do the best they can. It takes the ability to forgive those that don't live up to our expectations and accept it as their flaw and not ours.
In the end, this was a pretty fast read and one that I actually enjoyed a great deal. It resonated with family values and that family can be constructed where there is heart. If you like historical fiction intertwined with family sagas, this might be a hit with you as well.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
JoAnn Ross
I started this and then almost stopped before I finished the first couple of pages. I don't know why exactly, it just wasn't engaging me. So I pitched it to the side and started something else, but came right back and started over. I wasn't sure that I could hang with the caustic attitude of Tess (a former child actress) as she plowed her way through the first 27 chapters. But I hung on because of the other girls, Charlotte (southern and an interior designer) and Natalie (French and a photographer) who are all daughters of their recently deceased father who owned a winery in Oregon. I was more connected to Nat and Char than to Tess, despite the fact that she was the main daughter character but by Chapter 28, her sarcasm smoothed out and some of the bitterness she so continuously expressed diminished. This was also about the time that she found Gideon, the man that ran the winery. His hotness was a good influence on her.
So now we have a dead father and 3 daughters, but they have a Grandmother who has an amazing tale to relate about meeting her beloved during the War in France. This storyline was really interesting and I loved it.... it was rich in history and love and was quite interesting. The historical storyline was very neatly pieced into the present-day winery storyline and both highlighted the idea that despite not being perfect, people often do the best they can. It takes the ability to forgive those that don't live up to our expectations and accept it as their flaw and not ours.
In the end, this was a pretty fast read and one that I actually enjoyed a great deal. It resonated with family values and that family can be constructed where there is heart. If you like historical fiction intertwined with family sagas, this might be a hit with you as well.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
September 23, 2021
Jackson Swann has passed away and he leaves his inheritance, a very successful vineyard in Oregon, to his three daughters. Not only have Tess, Charlotte and Natalie been born to different mothers, they had never met one another. All from different walks of life they now all responsible for the vineyard as they struggle to get to know each other.
Tess had always had a successful television career, but lately finding roles has not been easy, leaving her struggling with her life. Then Charlotte put her husband first in her life, even giving up a successful career, only to end up being betrayed. Natalie, a French photographer, is the only one who knew she had sisters and she is worried thatthey won't accept her.
Not only are the sisters spending time getting acquainted, they are spending time with their grandmother. As she regales them with a snapshot of her life and her relationship and marriage to their grandfather, she tells them about her role during WWII in France. Her stories are amazing, if not heartbreaking at times.
This engaging read was a wonderful dual-timeline story with delightful characters and stories. While Charlotte's marital life hits the wall, Tess and Natalie each have a chance at romance. The stories of their lives, and their grandmother's past, all come together in an engaging read. Meanwhile, as Tess is in the entertainment business, she sees their grandmother's story as one worth sharing, thus the family pulls together even more.
Many thanks to HQN Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
September 29, 2022
"Diversity " checklist strikes again - at 88%. While there is *some* basis for the gay male storyline, it really felt forced in.
Also, this book is much more contemporary fiction about the the three sisters than anything else. There is a secondary storyline about the grandmother in WWII, but grandma doesn't even appear until around 44%. And her memories only take up a small portion of the book. The cover feels like false advertising.
Pass 🪂
Also, this book is much more contemporary fiction about the the three sisters than anything else. There is a secondary storyline about the grandmother in WWII, but grandma doesn't even appear until around 44%. And her memories only take up a small portion of the book. The cover feels like false advertising.
Pass 🪂
September 7, 2021
My Review Of
THE INHERITANCE
By Author, JoAnn Ross
Published & Gifted by Harlequin Books
On Sale: 9/7/21
******
I was so engrossed in the family saga that encompasses three half sisters brought together by their father’s passing. Only of which knew him as more than a sperm donor by three different women. It tells a richly detailed and resonant story of forgiveness, learning to love and getting to know the past behind their father who was a conflict photographer.
This book reminds you why compassion is still needed and to listen before you judge. And the girls learn about where they’ve come to get their Inheritance and the women who the vineyard was named after. Their growth and healing from hearing stories are richly rewarding and touched by very soul. This dual time line take is a deeply thoughtful novel in which I will not soon forget.
THE INHERITANCE
By Author, JoAnn Ross
Published & Gifted by Harlequin Books
On Sale: 9/7/21
******
I was so engrossed in the family saga that encompasses three half sisters brought together by their father’s passing. Only of which knew him as more than a sperm donor by three different women. It tells a richly detailed and resonant story of forgiveness, learning to love and getting to know the past behind their father who was a conflict photographer.
This book reminds you why compassion is still needed and to listen before you judge. And the girls learn about where they’ve come to get their Inheritance and the women who the vineyard was named after. Their growth and healing from hearing stories are richly rewarding and touched by very soul. This dual time line take is a deeply thoughtful novel in which I will not soon forget.
September 13, 2021
Super promising beginning! Three half sisters unite after their father passes away, having never met before. They meet with their grandmother, a strong old woman who was a spy for France in WWII, where she met their grandfather.
Things I liked: I liked the personalities of the characters. I liked the premise, family secrets and forging relationships.
Things I didn’t like: ugh where to start…well first of all, the story started out promising when it spent a couple chapters introducing each daughter and getting to know them. I loved their personalities and was excited to see their interactions. But then…suddenly the whole book became Tess’s story (eldest sister). Which is fine, but why not have it be that way from the beginning? In the last hundred pages or so, Natalie and Charlotte hardly existed or had any bearing on the story. Second, I liked that Madeline, the grandmother, was a spy in WWII, but this didnt need that added story. It was a story of sisters becoming a family, we didn’t need historical fiction added in. Also, the WWII storyline was SO BRIEF. Again, all in the last hundred pages or so…if you were going to include it, make it more prominent. Third, the ending. Everything was going fine until suddenly there were love stories that had little-to-no bearing on the story and happened all too quickly.
Overall, it was a great premise and great beginning. But somewhere about 2/3 of the way through, it just felt like there was too much going and it strayed from the original theme that I thought the book was going for. I really was so disappointed in the ending.
Things I liked: I liked the personalities of the characters. I liked the premise, family secrets and forging relationships.
Things I didn’t like: ugh where to start…well first of all, the story started out promising when it spent a couple chapters introducing each daughter and getting to know them. I loved their personalities and was excited to see their interactions. But then…suddenly the whole book became Tess’s story (eldest sister). Which is fine, but why not have it be that way from the beginning? In the last hundred pages or so, Natalie and Charlotte hardly existed or had any bearing on the story. Second, I liked that Madeline, the grandmother, was a spy in WWII, but this didnt need that added story. It was a story of sisters becoming a family, we didn’t need historical fiction added in. Also, the WWII storyline was SO BRIEF. Again, all in the last hundred pages or so…if you were going to include it, make it more prominent. Third, the ending. Everything was going fine until suddenly there were love stories that had little-to-no bearing on the story and happened all too quickly.
Overall, it was a great premise and great beginning. But somewhere about 2/3 of the way through, it just felt like there was too much going and it strayed from the original theme that I thought the book was going for. I really was so disappointed in the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2021
Three sisters who had never met each other are summoned to their father’s home, a famous winery in Oregon, after learning of their photojournalist father’s death. They each have different reactions upon learning of his death.
I have mixed feelings about this book. At first it seemed to be one of those “sisters forced together come to live and rely on each other” books. I expected some romance as each would meet “the one” at the winery. While all that was true, it focused on the oldest sister’s romance, skimmed over the youngest sister’s relationship, and then gave an”oh, by the way” mention of the middle sister’s romance. It all ended so quickly that I felt as though the author had reached the required number of pages to please her publisher and just wrapped up the story. Not very satisfying.
All that being said, about halfway through the book, it became a historical fiction novel in the telling of their paternal grandmother’s part in the French Resistance during WWII and how she met Robert, their grandfather. That, too, was not given enough detail and suddenly was over just before the contemporary part of the story ended.
I really can’t recommend this. As I started it I was sure I would really like it but the author just rushed too much at the end.
I have mixed feelings about this book. At first it seemed to be one of those “sisters forced together come to live and rely on each other” books. I expected some romance as each would meet “the one” at the winery. While all that was true, it focused on the oldest sister’s romance, skimmed over the youngest sister’s relationship, and then gave an”oh, by the way” mention of the middle sister’s romance. It all ended so quickly that I felt as though the author had reached the required number of pages to please her publisher and just wrapped up the story. Not very satisfying.
All that being said, about halfway through the book, it became a historical fiction novel in the telling of their paternal grandmother’s part in the French Resistance during WWII and how she met Robert, their grandfather. That, too, was not given enough detail and suddenly was over just before the contemporary part of the story ended.
I really can’t recommend this. As I started it I was sure I would really like it but the author just rushed too much at the end.
June 21, 2023
☆☆☆☆☆
Labai graži šeimos istorija, apie tris seses, kurios neturėjo galimybės pažinti viena kitos ir savo bendro tėvo šeimos. Istorija pasakojama paliečiant Antrojo pasaulinio karo įvykius ir patirtis iki šių dienų. Moters stiprybę ir tikėjimą meile, šeimos tvirtybe. O kai šalia lmjusti sklandant ore meilę, skaityti buvo lengva ir labai greitai iki paskutinio puslapio.
Knyga romantikėms, kurios visada tikisi gražios ir laimingos pabaigos 💚
Labai graži šeimos istorija, apie tris seses, kurios neturėjo galimybės pažinti viena kitos ir savo bendro tėvo šeimos. Istorija pasakojama paliečiant Antrojo pasaulinio karo įvykius ir patirtis iki šių dienų. Moters stiprybę ir tikėjimą meile, šeimos tvirtybe. O kai šalia lmjusti sklandant ore meilę, skaityti buvo lengva ir labai greitai iki paskutinio puslapio.
Knyga romantikėms, kurios visada tikisi gražios ir laimingos pabaigos 💚
August 20, 2022
Hodnocení: 3,5/5 ✩
Příběh to je milý, vyprávěný vřelým tónem a napsaný velice čtivě. Osudy všech zúčastněných byly zajímavé, poutavé, hluboké a důkladně promyšlené. A tak mě o to víc mrzelo, že autorka zůstala pouze na povrchu jednotlivých osobních příběhů. Možná kdyby knihu rozdělila do několika dílů a jednotlivým osudům postav věnovala více prostoru, byla bych více nadšená. Takhle mě však vždy jen něčím navnadila, dokonce natolik, že všechno ve mě křičelo " víc, já chci vědět víc", a pak vše jen shrnula, nebo přešla po povrchu a plynule pokračovala dál, což knihu neskutečně sráželo.
Autorka píše skvěle, citlivě a přiznávám, že mě tím zaujala. Dokonce natolik, že zvažuji přečtení i dalších jejích děl. Otázkou však zůstává, jestli v dalších knihách věnuje svým postavám více prostoru.
Příběh to je milý, vyprávěný vřelým tónem a napsaný velice čtivě. Osudy všech zúčastněných byly zajímavé, poutavé, hluboké a důkladně promyšlené. A tak mě o to víc mrzelo, že autorka zůstala pouze na povrchu jednotlivých osobních příběhů. Možná kdyby knihu rozdělila do několika dílů a jednotlivým osudům postav věnovala více prostoru, byla bych více nadšená. Takhle mě však vždy jen něčím navnadila, dokonce natolik, že všechno ve mě křičelo " víc, já chci vědět víc", a pak vše jen shrnula, nebo přešla po povrchu a plynule pokračovala dál, což knihu neskutečně sráželo.
Autorka píše skvěle, citlivě a přiznávám, že mě tím zaujala. Dokonce natolik, že zvažuji přečtení i dalších jejích děl. Otázkou však zůstává, jestli v dalších knihách věnuje svým postavám více prostoru.
September 6, 2021
The Inheritance by JoAnn Ross takes us to the Willamette Valley of Oregon where three women have just inherited a winery. Three sisters are getting a chance to learn about each other, their father, their family, and their heritage. They may also find love while in wine country. I thought The Inheritance was a well-written story with good pacing. Ms. Ross is a descriptive writer. This allowed me to visualize the characters and scenes. I thought the characters were realistic and developed. I like it when the characters have flaws because it makes them relatable. The characters were likeable as well. I enjoyed the scenery of Aberdeen, Oregon. It sounds like a beautiful area. Interspersed among the present-day chapters were sections that took us back to World War II. Madeleine, the sisters’ grandmother, talks about her adventures during the war and how she met their grandfather. There is foul language in this story (just FYI). I liked reading about these four resilient women. The Inheritance is a story about forgiveness, overcoming tragedy, endurance, overcoming adversity, and love. Be prepared to stay up late once you begin reading The Inheritance.
September 18, 2021
This story has a grandmother relating her life in the French resistance to her three granddaughters. The girls have been summoned to her winery because her son has died and the sisters must live there for a year to get their inheritance. I love the switch between WWII and the present. It is easy to follow both time lines. Only one of the sisters has had a relationship with their father, the other two were abandoned with their mothers in his earlier life. A good story of family and the multi generations is one of my favorite themes. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 9, 2021
Another one for me that didn't work - I wanted a historical fiction - I got some sort of romance thing going on -- but again, there are numerous 4 and 5 star reviews on this - so you may enjoy it
September 3, 2021
Tess, Charlotte and Natalie are half sisters who inherit their father’s winery. Growing up they had never met or even knew about each other. The stipulation of their father’s will brings them together. Tess and Charlotte also meet their Grandmother for the first time.
There’s a lot going on in this book. We also get some insight to their Grandmother’s life working with the resistance during WW2. I do wish the book had gone on a little bit longer. All in all it was an enjoyable book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
There’s a lot going on in this book. We also get some insight to their Grandmother’s life working with the resistance during WW2. I do wish the book had gone on a little bit longer. All in all it was an enjoyable book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
May 27, 2021
Three sisters unknown to each other, one father, three lives forever changed. The Inheritance is a story of the three daughters of Jackson Swann, a famous photographer who was as conflicted as his photos were. His eldest Tess, was a child star whose idea of family is warped as was her childhood including her relationship with her own father. Middle child Charlotte, a proper southern wife had a relationship with her father although limited and she is always trying to please everyone but herself. Natalie, the youngest daughter, whose loving relationship with her father makes her stand out from her sisters, is a brilliant photographer in her own right. All three sisters learn of each other and of the vineyard their father left to them. Can they get past the hurt to learn not only about each other but about their grandmother for whom the vineyard is named? Madeleine has a delightful addition to their story as well. Told from the perspective of each daughter, the storyline works well with each narrative. Stories from all the women flow seamlessly and each chapter has you looking forward to where the sisters are headed. The story includes romance, acceptance of oneself and others, love, heroism and most importantly family in all its forms. This is a wonderfully written story, grab a glass of tea and enjoy this read.
September 1, 2021
Terrific story of family, love, loss, and healing, combined with some fascinating WW2 history. I loved seeing the three sisters go from wary strangers to loving and supportive siblings as they got to know each other, their grandmother, and their family history.
The story opens as Jackson Swann, conflict photographer and father of three daughters - from different mothers, nears the end of his battle with cancer. He has many regrets, not the least of which are his shortcomings as a father. In the end, all he can do is give them each other and the family they never knew. In the little bit of Jack we see, it is evident that he is driven by his need to show the starkness of the conflicts he photographs. As much as he would like to be the kind of father his father was, he can't change who he is. Most of what we learn of Jack comes through the memories from other people, except for the videos he leaves for each daughter. I liked the honesty of his last words to each one.
Tess is the oldest daughter, born from Jackson's very brief marriage with her mother. Jackson played no part in her life, causing Tess to refer to him as simply "the sperm donor." A former child TV star and currently a bestselling author of books for teens, Tess isn't interested when Donovan, her father's lawyer, comes to tell her of his death and her inheritance. However, with a case of writer's block and a looming decision about her writing, Tess decides that an Oregon getaway might be just what she needs. Tess knows of Charlotte's existence, but not about Natalie.
Raised by her high society, Southern belle mother, Charlotte rarely saw her father. Jack's relationship with his wife was volatile at best, and Charlotte would retreat in the face of their arguments. The best thing Jack did for Charlotte was encourage her to pursue her dream of interior design and never forget her passion for her work. However, her mother's influence remained strong, and Charlotte found herself putting her career on the back burner when she married a politically ambitious man. On the same day she learns of her father's death, she discovers her husband is cheating on her. Suddenly, escaping to Oregon sounds like a swell idea. Charlotte had no idea she had sisters before learning of Jack's death.
Natalie is the youngest daughter and the one who saw the most of Jack. Like Jack, she is a talented photographer, though she focuses on the lighter side of life. Natalie is still grieving the loss of her mother when Donovan tells her about Jack's death. She's always known about her sisters and wanted to meet them, but now she's nervous about it. Will they like her, or will they resent the amount of time she got to spend with Jack?
Madeleine is Jack's mother. She is a French war bride and former resistance fighter whose husband turned his family farm into a vineyard and built a French-style house to make her feel more at home. Though devastated by her son's death, Madeleine is thrilled to have all three of her granddaughters under one roof. She immediately makes them feel welcomed and loved.
Gideon is the widowed father of a teenage girl. When Jack's father died, leaving the vineyard and winery to him, Jack immediately hired Gideon to run the place for him. As the story opens, Gideon worries about his job if the winery ends up sold.
I loved watching the relationships develop. Each of the sisters had a different kind of relationship with her father. I liked seeing them sit down and share their experiences, gaining insight into Jack and his issues. None of them expected to inherit anything and were stunned to discover that they would share ownership of the winery with Gideon. The only caveat was that they had to stay through the harvest before any of them could sell their share to Gideon. With that requirement, each of them became more invested in the business's success and brainstormed ideas of changes they could make.
Another big part of remaining in Oregon was the chance to get to know Madeleine. Sprinkled throughout the book are flashbacks to her time with the French Resistance. Her progression through the ranks kept me intrigued, and more so when she rescued the American pilot who would later become her husband. The narration of their escape into Spain had me glued to the pages until they were safe. Madeleine's story provided a burst of inspiration for Tess, who needed a new direction for her writing.
Each of the sisters faces a turning point in her life, and their time in Oregon gives them the space and support to make their changes. Tess has reached the end of her long-running teen series and wonders what to do next. Before settling on telling her grandmother's story, she also considered a wine-themed murder mystery. I enjoyed seeing her bounce ideas off Gideon as he taught her about the vineyard and winery. Charlotte faces the end of her marriage and realizing that she allowed her husband to chip away at her self-confidence and self-worth. I loved watching her rekindle her love for design and how the support of her family boosted her confidence. Her joy at arranging the celebration of Jack's life lit up the pages, and also using her skills to improve the winery. I loved the scene where she told off her husband. Meanwhile, Natalie looks at whether to risk her friendship with the man she secretly loves.
Along with learning the wine business and family history, romance also finds its way into each sister's life. For years, Natalie has been in love with her father's lawyer, Donovan, but hesitates to make a move. Their friendship is solid, and she doesn't want to lose it, but neither does she want to lose out on the possibility that it's returned. As outsiders, the reader can see that Donovan is just as conflicted. I loved seeing Natalie take matters into her own hands and had to laugh at Donovan's reaction. Charlotte is the wariest of the trio, still reeling from what she sees as her poor judgment. However, she isn't entirely man-averse as we see her show an interest in the man helping with the winery renovations.
Most of the romantic attention goes to the growing feelings between Tess and Gideon. They connected from the first day Tess arrived. I enjoyed seeing his amusement at how she would plot murders as he explained various steps in winemaking. It wasn't long before the sparks flew between them. I laughed out loud when Gideon's daughter pushed him to ask Tess out, even advising on the type of date it should be. I liked that both Tess and Gideon are mature enough to be honest about their feelings. I loved the scene at the restaurant as Gideon nervously but eloquently told Tess how he felt, and Tess's reaction made me grin.
I loved the epilogue, which showed the sisters eighteen months later. The changes in their lives are remarkable and something none of them had foreseen. I do wish that there had been more time spent on Charlotte and Natalie's romances. I loved the nod at the end to the author's Shelter Bay series, one of my all-time favorites.
#netgalley
The story opens as Jackson Swann, conflict photographer and father of three daughters - from different mothers, nears the end of his battle with cancer. He has many regrets, not the least of which are his shortcomings as a father. In the end, all he can do is give them each other and the family they never knew. In the little bit of Jack we see, it is evident that he is driven by his need to show the starkness of the conflicts he photographs. As much as he would like to be the kind of father his father was, he can't change who he is. Most of what we learn of Jack comes through the memories from other people, except for the videos he leaves for each daughter. I liked the honesty of his last words to each one.
Tess is the oldest daughter, born from Jackson's very brief marriage with her mother. Jackson played no part in her life, causing Tess to refer to him as simply "the sperm donor." A former child TV star and currently a bestselling author of books for teens, Tess isn't interested when Donovan, her father's lawyer, comes to tell her of his death and her inheritance. However, with a case of writer's block and a looming decision about her writing, Tess decides that an Oregon getaway might be just what she needs. Tess knows of Charlotte's existence, but not about Natalie.
Raised by her high society, Southern belle mother, Charlotte rarely saw her father. Jack's relationship with his wife was volatile at best, and Charlotte would retreat in the face of their arguments. The best thing Jack did for Charlotte was encourage her to pursue her dream of interior design and never forget her passion for her work. However, her mother's influence remained strong, and Charlotte found herself putting her career on the back burner when she married a politically ambitious man. On the same day she learns of her father's death, she discovers her husband is cheating on her. Suddenly, escaping to Oregon sounds like a swell idea. Charlotte had no idea she had sisters before learning of Jack's death.
Natalie is the youngest daughter and the one who saw the most of Jack. Like Jack, she is a talented photographer, though she focuses on the lighter side of life. Natalie is still grieving the loss of her mother when Donovan tells her about Jack's death. She's always known about her sisters and wanted to meet them, but now she's nervous about it. Will they like her, or will they resent the amount of time she got to spend with Jack?
Madeleine is Jack's mother. She is a French war bride and former resistance fighter whose husband turned his family farm into a vineyard and built a French-style house to make her feel more at home. Though devastated by her son's death, Madeleine is thrilled to have all three of her granddaughters under one roof. She immediately makes them feel welcomed and loved.
Gideon is the widowed father of a teenage girl. When Jack's father died, leaving the vineyard and winery to him, Jack immediately hired Gideon to run the place for him. As the story opens, Gideon worries about his job if the winery ends up sold.
I loved watching the relationships develop. Each of the sisters had a different kind of relationship with her father. I liked seeing them sit down and share their experiences, gaining insight into Jack and his issues. None of them expected to inherit anything and were stunned to discover that they would share ownership of the winery with Gideon. The only caveat was that they had to stay through the harvest before any of them could sell their share to Gideon. With that requirement, each of them became more invested in the business's success and brainstormed ideas of changes they could make.
Another big part of remaining in Oregon was the chance to get to know Madeleine. Sprinkled throughout the book are flashbacks to her time with the French Resistance. Her progression through the ranks kept me intrigued, and more so when she rescued the American pilot who would later become her husband. The narration of their escape into Spain had me glued to the pages until they were safe. Madeleine's story provided a burst of inspiration for Tess, who needed a new direction for her writing.
Each of the sisters faces a turning point in her life, and their time in Oregon gives them the space and support to make their changes. Tess has reached the end of her long-running teen series and wonders what to do next. Before settling on telling her grandmother's story, she also considered a wine-themed murder mystery. I enjoyed seeing her bounce ideas off Gideon as he taught her about the vineyard and winery. Charlotte faces the end of her marriage and realizing that she allowed her husband to chip away at her self-confidence and self-worth. I loved watching her rekindle her love for design and how the support of her family boosted her confidence. Her joy at arranging the celebration of Jack's life lit up the pages, and also using her skills to improve the winery. I loved the scene where she told off her husband. Meanwhile, Natalie looks at whether to risk her friendship with the man she secretly loves.
Along with learning the wine business and family history, romance also finds its way into each sister's life. For years, Natalie has been in love with her father's lawyer, Donovan, but hesitates to make a move. Their friendship is solid, and she doesn't want to lose it, but neither does she want to lose out on the possibility that it's returned. As outsiders, the reader can see that Donovan is just as conflicted. I loved seeing Natalie take matters into her own hands and had to laugh at Donovan's reaction. Charlotte is the wariest of the trio, still reeling from what she sees as her poor judgment. However, she isn't entirely man-averse as we see her show an interest in the man helping with the winery renovations.
Most of the romantic attention goes to the growing feelings between Tess and Gideon. They connected from the first day Tess arrived. I enjoyed seeing his amusement at how she would plot murders as he explained various steps in winemaking. It wasn't long before the sparks flew between them. I laughed out loud when Gideon's daughter pushed him to ask Tess out, even advising on the type of date it should be. I liked that both Tess and Gideon are mature enough to be honest about their feelings. I loved the scene at the restaurant as Gideon nervously but eloquently told Tess how he felt, and Tess's reaction made me grin.
I loved the epilogue, which showed the sisters eighteen months later. The changes in their lives are remarkable and something none of them had foreseen. I do wish that there had been more time spent on Charlotte and Natalie's romances. I loved the nod at the end to the author's Shelter Bay series, one of my all-time favorites.
#netgalley
October 22, 2021
This is my first book by Joann Ross and I really enjoyed it.
I found this book to be a fast read and I was engrossed in the story immediately. I love stories of sisters and forgiveness and love, and the author did an excellent job of giving us well-developed characters who are all likable and flawed at the same time.
I recommend this book to fans of WWII history and lovers of multi-generational family sagas.
I found this book to be a fast read and I was engrossed in the story immediately. I love stories of sisters and forgiveness and love, and the author did an excellent job of giving us well-developed characters who are all likable and flawed at the same time.
I recommend this book to fans of WWII history and lovers of multi-generational family sagas.
June 26, 2021
This novel just didn't work for me. I expected more historical fiction, and the whole WWII backstory came across as an afterthought which was not given it's due or the substance it deserved after the build up - it didn't really appear until 75% into the book! Hard pass on this one.
Read
September 1, 2021Originally published at Reading Reality
When Pulitzer Prize winning conflict photographer Jackson Swann died, the most important thing that he left to his three daughters was not the award-winning Oregon winery that had been handed down in his family for generations, but each other.
The problem, the one that he left to his lawyer and his winery manager, was to get them to accept. Not just the winery – although certainly that, too – but mostly each other.
Tess Swann, Charlotte Aldredge and Natalie Seurat are all adults, all have – or have at least the shreds of – artistic careers of their own. But they’ve never met. They haven’t necessarily known that the others even existed.
These three women have been gathered together, not so much to celebrate the life of the man who links them, but rather to pick up the pieces of their own.
Tess, after a successful career as a child actress, a spectacular failure as a pop singer, and another successful career as a best-selling novelist, is looking for a third act in a life that has already seen plenty. She comes to the winery to recharge and search for a story idea that will get her past her writer’s block.
Her career sacrificed to her controlling husband’s political ambitions, her supposedly perfect marriage in tatters, Charlotte comes to the winery in search of respite and a place to call home – because her soon-to-be-ex-husband’s over-gilded and over-decorated faux antebellum McMansion certainly wasn’t it.
While Natalie returns to the winery to mourn the father that she knew best of all the sisters, and to make sure that her beloved, 96-year-old grandmother is doing as well as she can in the wake of her only son’s death.
Whether they will find what they are each looking for, or something more, or merely closure, they have one growing season at the winery to figure it all out together – or to tear themselves apart.
Escape Rating B: Like yesterday’s book (and a fair number of books in the chick lit/women’s fiction/relationship fiction genre), this is a story about three women, all of whom, coincidentally or otherwise, are at a crossroads in their lives or that face a crossroads because of the events of the story that bring them together.
In this case, the death of their larger-than-life father, no matter how much (Natalie) or how little (Tess) he participated in their lives. Jack Swann, who never seemed to quite know what to do with any of them when he could, manipulates them all after his death in a way that could have been horrible, but isn’t.
He provided an opportunity for all of them that he couldn’t have managed in life, for them to meet, be obligated to spend time together, get to know the grandmother that only Natalie was allowed to know about, and discover the legacy of the family they share.
The story of The Inheritance is, in a word, charming. Just as Jack Swann himself was, even if he couldn’t ever manage to stick around. The sisters are different enough from each other to stand as individuals, while at the same time sharing just enough characteristics to seem like they might make their initially tenuous connection work.
Their father turns out not to be the glue that ultimately binds them. That position is reserved for their grandmother Madeleine, who tells them the story of how she met and married their grandfather in France fighting for the Resistance in WW2. A story which inspires Tess’s writing, Charlotte’s realization that the life she has is not the one she wants or needs, and Natalie throwing caution to the winds in order to pursue the man she’s loved all her life.
I was charmed by this story, and thought that the way that the lives of the sisters finally mingled was lovely even if it was a bit contrived in the service of the story. There were a couple of bits that niggled at me.
Tess never met her father. That he didn’t raise her was one thing, but they never seem to have met at all in her conscious memory, and we never do find out why. As many family secrets as get revealed – and there are PLENTY – that omission felt like it just…dangled. Even after his marriage to Charlotte’s mother fell apart he was still a real if occasional presence in her life. But not Tess.
Second, there’s the show/tell repetition of Madeleine’s fascinating story about meeting, falling for and marrying her American pilot, Robert Swann. It’s a lovely and romantic story, and it serves as inspiration to all three sisters even though Tess is the one who plans to turn it into a novel. But we read Madeleine’s account as she remembers it and then it is repeated as she tells it to her granddaughters. While it’s normally better to show instead of tell, by the way the story works the telling feels like the better option. But one or the other would have been sufficient.
So I enjoyed reading The Inheritance, but it didn’t quite hit the spot as well as yesterday’s book. That’s possibly because this one reminded me a bit of Rhys Bowen’s World War II books, particularly In Farleigh Field, one of the subplots in Pardonable Lies, part of the Maisie Dobbs series and a third book I can’t put my finger on and it’s driving me bananas. It could be just because it’s a bit too similar to yesterday’s book and would have been a better read not quite so close.
But if you’re looking for a charming read that touches on a few dark places but doesn’t go too deeply, includes not one but four happy endings, and tells a lovely story of a surprising sisterhood, The Inheritance is a great way to while away some cozy reading hours.
When Pulitzer Prize winning conflict photographer Jackson Swann died, the most important thing that he left to his three daughters was not the award-winning Oregon winery that had been handed down in his family for generations, but each other.
The problem, the one that he left to his lawyer and his winery manager, was to get them to accept. Not just the winery – although certainly that, too – but mostly each other.
Tess Swann, Charlotte Aldredge and Natalie Seurat are all adults, all have – or have at least the shreds of – artistic careers of their own. But they’ve never met. They haven’t necessarily known that the others even existed.
These three women have been gathered together, not so much to celebrate the life of the man who links them, but rather to pick up the pieces of their own.
Tess, after a successful career as a child actress, a spectacular failure as a pop singer, and another successful career as a best-selling novelist, is looking for a third act in a life that has already seen plenty. She comes to the winery to recharge and search for a story idea that will get her past her writer’s block.
Her career sacrificed to her controlling husband’s political ambitions, her supposedly perfect marriage in tatters, Charlotte comes to the winery in search of respite and a place to call home – because her soon-to-be-ex-husband’s over-gilded and over-decorated faux antebellum McMansion certainly wasn’t it.
While Natalie returns to the winery to mourn the father that she knew best of all the sisters, and to make sure that her beloved, 96-year-old grandmother is doing as well as she can in the wake of her only son’s death.
Whether they will find what they are each looking for, or something more, or merely closure, they have one growing season at the winery to figure it all out together – or to tear themselves apart.
Escape Rating B: Like yesterday’s book (and a fair number of books in the chick lit/women’s fiction/relationship fiction genre), this is a story about three women, all of whom, coincidentally or otherwise, are at a crossroads in their lives or that face a crossroads because of the events of the story that bring them together.
In this case, the death of their larger-than-life father, no matter how much (Natalie) or how little (Tess) he participated in their lives. Jack Swann, who never seemed to quite know what to do with any of them when he could, manipulates them all after his death in a way that could have been horrible, but isn’t.
He provided an opportunity for all of them that he couldn’t have managed in life, for them to meet, be obligated to spend time together, get to know the grandmother that only Natalie was allowed to know about, and discover the legacy of the family they share.
The story of The Inheritance is, in a word, charming. Just as Jack Swann himself was, even if he couldn’t ever manage to stick around. The sisters are different enough from each other to stand as individuals, while at the same time sharing just enough characteristics to seem like they might make their initially tenuous connection work.
Their father turns out not to be the glue that ultimately binds them. That position is reserved for their grandmother Madeleine, who tells them the story of how she met and married their grandfather in France fighting for the Resistance in WW2. A story which inspires Tess’s writing, Charlotte’s realization that the life she has is not the one she wants or needs, and Natalie throwing caution to the winds in order to pursue the man she’s loved all her life.
I was charmed by this story, and thought that the way that the lives of the sisters finally mingled was lovely even if it was a bit contrived in the service of the story. There were a couple of bits that niggled at me.
Tess never met her father. That he didn’t raise her was one thing, but they never seem to have met at all in her conscious memory, and we never do find out why. As many family secrets as get revealed – and there are PLENTY – that omission felt like it just…dangled. Even after his marriage to Charlotte’s mother fell apart he was still a real if occasional presence in her life. But not Tess.
Second, there’s the show/tell repetition of Madeleine’s fascinating story about meeting, falling for and marrying her American pilot, Robert Swann. It’s a lovely and romantic story, and it serves as inspiration to all three sisters even though Tess is the one who plans to turn it into a novel. But we read Madeleine’s account as she remembers it and then it is repeated as she tells it to her granddaughters. While it’s normally better to show instead of tell, by the way the story works the telling feels like the better option. But one or the other would have been sufficient.
So I enjoyed reading The Inheritance, but it didn’t quite hit the spot as well as yesterday’s book. That’s possibly because this one reminded me a bit of Rhys Bowen’s World War II books, particularly In Farleigh Field, one of the subplots in Pardonable Lies, part of the Maisie Dobbs series and a third book I can’t put my finger on and it’s driving me bananas. It could be just because it’s a bit too similar to yesterday’s book and would have been a better read not quite so close.
But if you’re looking for a charming read that touches on a few dark places but doesn’t go too deeply, includes not one but four happy endings, and tells a lovely story of a surprising sisterhood, The Inheritance is a great way to while away some cozy reading hours.
February 20, 2023
"The Inheritance" is an emotional story of love, failure, courage, starting over, family, friendship, and forgiveness.
It starts off slowly and builds up to the emotional pay-off. This is a character driven story, with little external conflict. But oh, there's plenty of internal conflict. An absent father, unknown relatives, major life changes, even a love story - Ross slowly spins a story that lures you in. At heart, the story is about change. Life is ever-changing and change can be good, bad, or both simultaneously. It's how we handle it that matters.
Tess, Charlotte, and Natalie are all engaging women who are struggling with the upheavals to their lives. It's a shock finding out you have siblings, and then to be expected to spend time together, work together and live together. Their struggles were relatable as they dealt with existing problems in their lives, newfound sisters, a grandmother, career changes, and love interests. I was surprised to find that I wanted more of the story to be set in WWII. I'm not usually a fan is historical stories, with some exceptions, but I enjoyed the snippets of the story set during the war. The epilogue was, not to my liking. I can't say too much or I'll reveal spoilers but it was sappier than I personally like. Other readers may love it.
"The Inheritance" was sweet, weepy, and engaging. If family drama is your jam, pick up "The Inheritance".
It starts off slowly and builds up to the emotional pay-off. This is a character driven story, with little external conflict. But oh, there's plenty of internal conflict. An absent father, unknown relatives, major life changes, even a love story - Ross slowly spins a story that lures you in. At heart, the story is about change. Life is ever-changing and change can be good, bad, or both simultaneously. It's how we handle it that matters.
Tess, Charlotte, and Natalie are all engaging women who are struggling with the upheavals to their lives. It's a shock finding out you have siblings, and then to be expected to spend time together, work together and live together. Their struggles were relatable as they dealt with existing problems in their lives, newfound sisters, a grandmother, career changes, and love interests. I was surprised to find that I wanted more of the story to be set in WWII. I'm not usually a fan is historical stories, with some exceptions, but I enjoyed the snippets of the story set during the war. The epilogue was, not to my liking. I can't say too much or I'll reveal spoilers but it was sappier than I personally like. Other readers may love it.
"The Inheritance" was sweet, weepy, and engaging. If family drama is your jam, pick up "The Inheritance".
August 30, 2025
3.5 stars - This is a book about three sisters, their father, and an amazing story from WWII about their grandparents. I enjoyed reading it, but felt something was lacking, almost like some of the story was missing. Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, I just wish it had more to it. The female characters are all brave and strong, and are willing to help each other. The love story of Madeline and Robert and how they met during WWII was compelling. Jack, the father of the three sisters, was a combat photographer and it affected his personal life, marriages, and children greatly. His daughters Tess, Charlotte, and Natalie all grew up separately and apart, really not knowing each other at all until they were brought together after Jack's death. I liked reading about the vineyard and learning about growing grapes and wine-making. When it mattered most, the sisters came together and became close and they all got their happily ever after. Madeline is an amazing woman, from her resistance-fighting days in France, to her life with Robert and Jack at the vineyard in Oregon, to being a widowed 90-something-year-old woman who's still as feisty as ever. She's an amazing character.
January 3, 2023
The Inheritance by Joann Ross is a heartbreaking yet beautifully written tale. A tale of a dying man's wish for his daughters he has neglected to finally meet. He knows they will not want anything to do with him, so he waits until he dies for them to meet and run the family vineyard. Each daughter is going through her own personal hell. Only one of them is aware of her real father. Another is aware of all her sisters. Like a grand puzzle these women fit so well-together. I laughed and cried so much while reading this. The World War II parts were just as good as the rest of the book. Each sister had her own path to follow and new beginnings to make. Overall, I highly recommend this novel to all fans of contemporary romance and historical fiction.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
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