In The Conditions of Will, bestselling author Jessa Hastings returns with a layered and emotional family drama about grief, estrangement, and the secrets we inherit. Centered on Georgia Carter, who is reluctantly drawn back to her small South Carolina hometown, this novel explores what happens when the past is no longer willing to stay buried.
After learning of her wealthy father’s death, Georgia is summoned from London back to the town and family she left behind years ago. Once labelled a troublesome teen and sent away by her conservative parents, Georgia must now confront the lingering effects of her teenage years: a strained relationship with her siblings, small-town scrutiny, and a complicated history that resurfaces when her father’s will unexpectedly names an unknown beneficiary. As she and her siblings uncover long-held secrets, Georgia also finds herself drawn to Sam, her brother’s AA sponsor, whose presence stirs new feelings and old tensions alike.
Hastings’ writing is clear, emotional, and quietly captivating. With a casual narrative voice that feels both relatable and unpretentious, she invites readers into Georgia’s internal world, a world shaped by shame, memory, and quiet resilience. The dialogue flows naturally, and the small-town setting feels authentic and true-to-life. From nosy neighbours to family dinners laced with subtext, Hastings captures the particular discomfort of returning to a place that has held both love and judgment.
The novel is undeniably character-driven. Georgia, hesitant and guarded, carries the weight of her past in every interaction. Her return home triggers emotional fallout with her siblings: Oliver, the emotionally raw brother struggling to stay sober; Maryanne, the narcissistic older sister desperate to control the family narrative; and Sam, the outsider caught in the middle. Each character is distinct, and their dynamics are often tense, painful, and wholly believable.
At its heart, The Conditions of Will is about reconciliation; reconciliation between siblings, between the past and the present, and between who we were and who we are becoming. Hastings handles themes of familial obligation, addiction, betrayal, and truth-telling with nuance and grace. She understands that people can be both flawed and forgivable, and that healing rarely comes without discomfort.
While the narrative is consistently engaging, there are moments when pacing stumbles and some emotional beats feel a tad underdeveloped. Still, these brief missteps are overshadowed by the novel’s immersive storytelling and the slow unravelling of the family’s shared history. Like watching a trainwreck in slow motion, the drama becomes impossible to look away from—not because of the spectacle, but because of the vulnerability it reveals in its characters.
The Conditions of Will is a gripping and heartfelt exploration of family dysfunction, long-held secrets, and the fragile hope of redemption. With its emotional arcs and a protagonist you’ll root for despite her mistakes, this novel will resonate with fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Celeste Ng, or Elizabeth Strout. Hastings delivers a story that feels intimate, messy, and beautifully human.
The Conditions of Will is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis
From the author of the Magnolia Parks universe and the Never series comes a fresh family drama with a heavy dose of romance and a twist of mystery.
“I can’t remember the last time I couldn’t get a handle on myself and my emotions, but the lid is slipping.
Something about the slipping lid feels like it’s Sam Penny’s fault. Like he broke the seal and he’s slowly opening me up.”
London-based Georgia Carter, professional lie detector and body-language savant, has long been estranged from her infuriating, close-minded, wealthy South Carolina family. After a falling-out years ago, the chasm runs deep between the black sheep―Georgia and her gay, alcoholic brother―and their parents and elder siblings. But when their father dies suddenly, Georgia returns to the States for the funeral…where she comes face-to-face with Sam Penny, her brother’s AA sponsor.
Amid the tensions, dramas and revelations of the family reunion, Georgia and Sam are instantly drawn to each other. However, Georgia’s brother also harbors feelings for Sam, and the last thing Georgia wants to do is hurt the only family she’s ever really had.
When their father’s will reveals a surprising bequest to a mysterious stranger, Georgia’s ability to read people becomes crucial in unraveling her father’s hidden past. The delicate balance within the family teeters, and secrets―both old and new―threaten to push them beyond the breaking point.
There are only so many cracks a damaged family can take before it shatters.
