Grandfather’s Legacy

Aleisha Kincaid is agonizing over the most difficult decision she may ever make in her life. Her business is in the red but the means to save it is within her grasp. With an inheritance from her maternal grandfather, a man she hardly knew but disliked for his treatment of her parents and his controlling ways, she could save her business – but there’s a catch. She must be married by Christmas Eve or she loses the inheritance, along with any chance to save her business. One man, Bart Ridgeway has agreed to marry her, for a share of the money. But Aleisha hates Bart, for reasons only a select few know. Best friends until the age of sixteen, Aleisha’s attitude toward Bart changed completely over the course of one weekend. Since then, she has avoided him whenever possible and been beyond rude when not. Though she hates Bart with a passion that leaves her family and his completely bewildered, her business means the world to her. In addition, Karen, her best friend and business partner, is reliant on her decision. Eventually, she decides marrying Bart is the only option she can take. At least the marriage will be platonic and unconsummated and annulled after the prerequisite six months. Does Aleisha really hate Bart – or is it the flip side of the coin? What happened ten years ago to so drastically change her feelings about him?

Bart has loved Aleisha for years and has never regretted anything more than the things he said to her on that long ago night. He was nervous, and whenever he gets nervous, angry or afraid, he has a terrible tendency to shoot his mouth off – as anyone who is close to him knows. He has wanted to apologize, but Aleisha has kept her distance and always been less than civil when they did come into contact. This only made him angry, causing him to retaliate in kind, making things worse rather than better. Bart jumps at the chance to marry her, hoping that doing so will provide him with another opportunity. It is soon plain to everyone that Bart loves Aleisha and wants to marry her for reasons other than the money – plain to everyone but Aleisha that is. Will Bart finally make amends for that night when they were sixteen? What did happen? When Bart’s past catches up with him, will his fledgling relationship with Aleisha survive – or flounder?

Grandfather’s Legacy is a brilliant tale that is not what it first seems. Every time you think Bart and Aleisha have sorted out their problems, something crops up and they are back to square one. Though obvious to everyone that they are deeply in love, this story aptly demonstrates that love does not solve all. You have to work together, not against each other, if you are to solve your problems. Letting misunderstandings, pride and hurt come between you is a sure fire way of kissing your relationship goodbye. There were many times when I wanted to whack Aleisha around the head for just this, but violence never solved anything and only aggravates an already trying situation. This story really grips the reader; much of the plot is completely unexpected. The reader is kept involved by the various plot twists and the emotions of the characters, which are described and developed so well they become three dimensional. The reader is able to at once sympathize with both characters, whilst hoping for the best and being angry that the pair let so much come between them. They both make so many wrong assumptions it makes your blood boil. The balance in this novel is most definitely more emotional than physical; though sex does enter into their relationship, it is not described in very much detail and can in no way be labeled erotic. This was highly enjoyable, a pleasure to read and one that is easy to commend.

Reviewed by: Elizabeth