The Inheritance: The Secrets of the Shetlands Book One By Michael Phillips

I received this book from Litfuse Publicity for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Description:

The death of the clan patriarch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whale’s Reef into turmoil.
Everyone assumed MacGregor Tulloch’s heir to be his grand-nephew David, a local favorite, but when it is discovered that MacGregor left no will, David’s grasping cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance, an estate that controls most of the island’s land. And while Hardy doesn’t enjoy much popular support, he has the backing of a shadowy group of North Sea oil investors. The courts have frozen the estate’s assets while the competing claims are investigated, leaving many of the residents in financial limbo. The future of the island—and its traditional way of life—hangs in the balance.
Loni Ford is enjoying her rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, DC. Yet in spite of her outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her paternal grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .
Past and present collide in master storyteller Phillips’s dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace, and of the dreams of men and women everywhere.


My Thoughts: 

The Inheritance is book one in Michael Phillips latest series, The Secrets of the Shetlands and it is a good story.  I have read some of Michael Phillips other books and have many more on my TBR pile so I was excited to have the opportunity to read and review it. Michael Phillips writes with authority about the history of The Shetlands, the culture and the hierarchy, the language and dialect of the areas, and oil companies. I found the start of the book a little slow but eventually it picked up and I found myself unable to put it down. I am glad I kept up reading the book! I loved the history of the book...to learn about the history of other places. I really enjoyed the mix of past and present in this book, Michael Phillips weaves them together seamlessly. The characters are definitely interesting and very well developed. They are real people who have secrets, troubles just like the rest of us. I found myself drawn to David Tulloch, his pride in his country and his role in his community are very honorable. His struggles are real and he works to get through them. I enjoyed Michael Phillips style of writing, I felt like I was there watching the events unfold. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction and/or books about the Shetlands, you will not be disappointed. As I stated I had a hard time in the beginning but give it a chance, you will be glad you did. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, The Cottage. I give this book 4 STARS.