From the blurb:

After discovering a letter written by her mother shortly before her death, Anna Crawford, a London-based nurse, decides to travel to the Italian island of Capri in search of her father. What she doesn’t expect to find is that she’s heir to a vast family fortune. She’s even more surprised when the suspicious trust attorney questions her very identity.

Rafael Vialli has a suspicious nature – it’s the reason he became a lawyer. He blames his rough childhood. It may also have something to do with the fact that in the months since Giovanni Albertosi’s death, he’s been inundated with opportunistic women claiming to be his client’s missing heir.

Can Anna prove to Rafael that she really is the legitimate heir? And can Rafael trust enough to award her the inheritance… as well as his heart?

The book is set on the beautiful Italian island of Capri, and the author’s delightful descriptions of the island really transport you to this wonderful setting for this love story:

So far Anna loved everything about Capri. The smells were sweet and pungent, the heat balmy and all-encompassing. She’d never seen sky so blue and peering into the azure depths of the Mediterranean as the ferry docked, Anna was overwhelmed by its shimmering clarity. She could even make out the sandy bottom, which had her fighting the urge to throw her hot, sweaty self overboard and into the inviting depths. Capri was a far cry from the austere greyness of London and Anna felt like she had landed on another planet.

There are two main characters in this book, and the story is told from both their perspectives. Both are highly attractive – Rafael, the sexy, deep-voiced Italian, perfectly chiselled with a slightly rough exterior, who oozes confidence; and Anna, the tall, blond, model-like nurse from London, who is looking for a man to settle down with and start a family. Not necessarily two people you would expect to make a good love match. But Anna has not come to Capri looking for love; she is looking for the man she believes to be her father – only she has to get past Rafael first.

The chemistry between these two characters is instantaneous and fiery. Neither can help themselves. But what is confusing for Anna is that Rafael is definitely not looking for anything long term. In fact, he does not even believe that happy-ever-after exists:

Rafael shrugged. “That’s life. Who said it was fair?”

“It sucks. Have you ever loved someone who didn’t love you back?”

He glanced at her curiously. “No,” he said honestly. “I’m not sure I believe in love. Lust, definitely, but that fades with time. Loyalty, yes, for someone you respect. But love…” He shook his head.

The book explores the feelings of these two characters as they deal with tests of their own beliefs about love and lust. It is steamy and passionate at times, and you find yourself willing them on to just be honest with each other.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style, which is descriptive yet light, and at times even funny:

What the hell am I doing? The man is sex on toast and I’m refusing to take a bite. I must need my head read.

It is easy to engage with these characters, despite both their sex-god(dess) appearances. Their thoughts and feelings are clear and compelling. The unforeseen twist towards the end proves that the plot is not predictable, but the essential happy ending is there, true to genre.

In all, a fabulous story and a beautiful island that I cannot wait to visit.

The Italian Inheritance is available now from Amazon; click on the book cover below to visit the store.