Inheritance : The Consecrated Book 1

by Kale Connor

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2026

Reviews

[Brita Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The man Delaney’s investigating is the man who hunts me. Rowe’s been watching her longer than she realized. And the people who sent him still want her back.

Rowe knew Delaney’s name before she said it.
He tracked her routes, her voice, her patterns.
He was sent to find her.
He chose to protect her instead.
Now they're hiding from the people who built Rowe — and the harder Delaney fell, the more she wondered if protection was ever really the plan.
They call it a selection.
She calls it a trap.
Either way, Delaney’s already inside it.
And maybe he always has been.

YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that may not be suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times. Reader discretion is advised. Intended for readers 18+.

Tropes: Manipulation, Ritual Violence, Cult Indoctrination, Power Imbalance Dynamics, Emotionally Intense, Obsession, Inherited Darkness, Survival, Forced Proximity, Off-Limits Attraction, Protective Alpha, Morally Gray FMC, Enemies-to-Lovers, Only One Bed, Us Against the World, Cult Escape, Secret Agenda, Dark Romantic Suspense, Morally Gray Characters, High Emotional Intensity.

Inheritance is book 1 in The Consecrated Series by Kate Connor.

Inheritance is a dual POV novella, it contains some very dark, cult/ritualistic themes. From the very first chapter you are thrown straight into the action, this does make it a little bit difficult to follow. I think that had we been given a short prologue with some information about the cult and the world that we were about to enter would have helped to give clarity to what was about to happen. This would have made it a lot easier to follow when we started the first chapter.

I found the dynamics between the main characters to be really very compelling – Rowe is initially supposed to be Delaney’s abductor but quickly becomes her protector. We quickly realize the story leans heavily into survival and tension rather than the romance between Delaney and Rowe. The forced proximity, captor turned protector dynamics really turns into some very strong emotional moments.

Inheritance’s concept is really very dark and twisted, and that makes it really very unique and an intriguing idea. It wasn’t until the second half of the story that things really started to come together and started to click – it was then that the plot and sub-plot became clear, the intensity finally ramped up.

This isn’t just a dark romance; it is also a thriller and a survival story. But overall, it is such an interesting and enthralling short story. I can’t wait to read the next installment of this series; I really look forward to finding out what happens next.

If you enjoy intrigue, suspense, mystery, thrillers, and a story about survival then you might just enjoy this first installment of The Concentrated Series by Kate Connor. Inheritance isn’t a clear-cut easy read, but it is intriguing and unique and one that I do recommend to the right reader.

[Christina Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inheritance by Kale Connor is an action-packed story that takes off right from the very first line. You’re dropped straight into the narrative with little to no backstory, which initially creates a strong sense of mystery and intrigue.

However, the lack of context can also be confusing. Without reading the book description beforehand, much of the story may not fully make sense until about 70% of the way through the book. Once you reach that point, though, it becomes much easier to invest in the main characters. The continued suspense and fast-paced action make the book hard to put down.

I would rate this book a 3.5 out of 5. It had the potential to be a 4-star read if there had been a bit more backstory to ground the reader earlier on. While the book ends in a way that could feel satisfying if it stood alone, there are still quite a few unanswered questions.

That said, my curiosity is definitely piqued, especially about who “them” are and what her “inheritance” truly is. So I’ll be picking up the next book.

I received an ARC for my honest review.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

While this story was good, it didn’t hit for me. I was looking for dark romance elements, but there really weren’t any. This was more of a cult, survivor thriller type read. And it that regard I loved it. It pulled me and kept my attention the entire time. Just disappointed that it wasn’t really what I was expecting it to be.

[Mandy Stafford]

Inheritance – ARC Review

I received this as an ARC; this review is voluntary and completely honest.

Inheritance is a duet POV short story with a very dark, cult/ritualistic theme. The story throws you right into the action, which made it a little difficult to follow at first. A short prologue or some additional background on the cult and the world could have helped clarify what was happening earlier on.

The dynamic between the main characters is compelling — he is initially meant to be her captor but becomes her protector. The story leans heavily into survival and tension rather than romance, and the “forced proximity / captor turned protector” dynamic creates some very strong emotional moments.

The concept of the inheritance itself is dark and twisted, which makes it a unique and intriguing idea. For me, the second half of the story is where everything started to click — the plot became clearer, and the intensity ramped up.

Overall, this wasn’t quite my usual type of read, since it leans more toward thriller/survival than romance, but it was an interesting and engaging short story.