The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings is a powerful contemporary romance and psychological drama exploring love, family secrets, trauma, and emotional healing. A gripping story of truth, forgiveness, and self-discovery.
The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings is a contemporary romance novel that delves into themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. It is set against a backdrop of complicated relationships and family dynamics, following the journey of its protagonist as they navigate the emotional complexities of their life, dealing with personal trauma and the messy nature of love. It is a heavy dose of romance and a twist of mystery.
The book offers a deep exploration of human emotions and the boundaries that we create for ourselves and others in relationships. Ideal for fans of suspenseful fiction with emotional depth, The Conditions of Will is a powerful story about resilience, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to confront the truth.
“The Conditions of Will: Unraveling Family Secrets and Personal Trauma” is a gripping psychological drama that explores the fragile threads binding family, memory, and identity. When a long-buried will resurfaces after the death of a reclusive patriarch, a fractured family is forced to confront painful truths, suppressed trauma, and generational secrets. It is set against a haunting backdrop of emotional tension.
Georgia Carter is a London-based professional lie detector and body-language savant. She had been estranged from her family in South California. She comes back to the States for her father’s funeral. She meets Sam Penny, her gay, alcoholic brother’s AA sponsor.
Georgia and Sam are instantly drawn to each other; however, her brother also harbors feelings for Sam. Georgia doesn’t wants to hurt the only family she’s ever really had. Amid the tensions, dramas and revelations of the family reunion, their father’s will reveals a surprising bequest to a mysterious stranger. She begins to unravel her father’s hidden past. The delicacy in the family’s balance begins to fade. Old and new secrets threaten to push them beyond the breaking point, but there are only so many cracks they can take can take before it shatters!
The novel follows the journey of a determined protagonist unraveling her family’s past, seeking justice, healing, and self-discovery. As hidden motives come to light and loyalties are tested, each revelation threatens to upend everything the characters thought they knew about themselves and each other. With emotionally charged twists and a powerful exploration of mental health, abuse, and redemption, the novel invites readers into a deeply personal and universally relatable story. Ideal for fans of suspenseful fiction with emotional depth, this novel is a testament to the strength it takes to face the past—and the freedom that comes with telling your own truth.
About The Author:
Jessa Hastings is an Australian-native, who now lives in Sherman Oaks, California. She is an Australian-born author now based in the U.S. Jessa Hastings is splitting her time between Tennessee (or Southern California/Sherman Oaks) and London. She is a very successful author who has a six digit deal with Orion Fction. She remains humble and maintains a candid, informal tone, often joking about her difficulty writing concise bios.
“Magnolia Parks” was her debut novel, which further developed into “Magnolia Parks Universe”. She is also the author of “The Never Series”, “The Long Way Home”, The Great Undoing” and “Into The Dark”.
“The Conditions of Will” is her latest work. It is a blend of family drama, love and psychological suspense.
Book Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most families are dysfunctional-many are toxic as well
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2025
Okay, I need to talk about this book because I’m still thinking about it and have gone to reach for it a few times to reread it, but I hesitated because I knew I didn’t have the emotional fortitude for that trip again. Many times, I put the book down and thought about my own family of origin and our dynamics.
Georgia is the kind of character who gets under your skin—she’s intelligent and broken and honest in a way that makes you want to shake her and hug her at the same time. And Sam Penny? Don’t even get me started. This man has the emotional intelligence of a therapist and the communication skills most of us only dream about in our partners. He’s basically perfect, and I’m obsessed.
But here’s the thing—this isn’t just some fluffy romance. Hastings digs deep into family trauma and all the messy, ugly stuff that shapes us. She writes about addiction, grief, and toxic family dynamics without making it feel heavy or overwhelming. It’s raw and beautiful, and the kind of book that makes you highlight quotes until your pen dies.
The writing is gorgeous—like, actually poetic—and Hastings has a way of describing love that made me stop and reread sentences because they are so perfectly crafted. This book is definitely a reread plus a recommend, and a permanent fixture on my shelf.
5.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS BOOK
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2025
To be honest… when I initially read the blurb for this book I was pretty much decided that I would never pick it up. Then I started hearing other people’s reviews and FOMO set in. And I am so so glad it did.
2025 so far has truly been an exceptional reading year for me. I feel like every time I finish a book I am so sure it’s going to be my favorite read of the year, but these brilliant authors just keep outdoing themselves (and tbh I’m not THAT harsh of a critic). All this to say… I was absolutely blown away by this book.
I have read some, not all, of the “Magnolia Parks” series, and while I can see where people who adore the series are coming from, I just never really connected with it like others have. But “The Conditions of Will” is truly exceptional and I felt so connected to these characters, to the plot, the family dynamics, the romance. I could not put it down. Like actually. Less than 24 hours to read.
As usual, Jessa Hasting’s writing was incredible. The way that she described the experience of falling in love was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Her descriptions and metaphors were so profound and unique, but when you took a moment to really consider, it makes absolute sense. I found myself highlighting so many lines that my brand new highlighter ran out of ink.
The family dynamics in this story were so captivating and frustrating and notable. I hated so many characters, even some who our main character, Georgia, loved, because I loved Georgia and I felt like over and over she was selling herself short for the sake of other people’s feelings. Georgia herself was awe inspiring. Her profession was one of the most interesting aspects of this book to me and I absolutely loved the obvious thought that Hastings put into writing in that POV.
Oh and Sam Penny? Ohhh Sam Penny. Yeah he’s a keeper. His communication skills? Honestly I felt like they were top tier. His emotional intelligence? Just absolutely astounding. Please. Give me 10 of him.
I could go on and on but really all I need to say is READ THIS BOOK
3. Gabriela M
5.0 out of 5 stars Undoubtedly a FAV
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2025
I think I just found my new favorite book. This book had so many avenues of storylines and character development that kept me intrigued. Jessa did a wonderful job at expressing the thoughts of characters and putting them into words for such a complicated family situation. Not only that, but the family dynamic is so real and such a realistic storyline that i’m sure is without a doubt unfortunately a common one amongst families.
I will be recommending this book to everyone
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