In the aftermath of the American Civil War, Benjamin Lee, the son of a wealthy plantation owner, and Tobias, a former slave from that same plantation, return to Kentucky after years of refuge in Canada. They once fled Oak Grove to survive. Now they must decide whether to abandon it for good or confront what they left behind. Within the decaying halls of the family mansion, Ben uncovers long-buried secrets about his family's ugly legacy, truths that demand reckoning rather than escape. He longs to sever all ties to the land that scarred him. Tobias, however, feels called to remain and improve the harsh conditions endured by the freed men and women who still live there. Their conflicting desires strain the life and love they have built together. As tensions rise and those who oppose them grow bold, Ben and Tobias must decide what to do with the land and the history it holds.

In a region struggling to redefine freedom, they must determine whether their love is strong enough to survive. Inheriting the Oaks continues the story begun in the award-winning Come to the Oaks and can be read as either a stand-alone novel or the sequel to the saga of Ben and Tobias.