The Conditions of Will Summary: Secrets That Shatter Families

Introduction: When a Will Becomes a Weapon

What if your father’s final wish didn’t bring closure—but chaos?

In The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings, a seemingly straightforward funeral uncovers a haunting legacy of secrets, betrayal, and conditional love. Set in the heat-drenched South Carolina lowcountry, this novel plunges us into the Carter family’s emotional unraveling after the death of their patriarch, William Carter. Georgia Carter, the family’s emotionally guarded daughter, returns home to discover that her father’s will contains more than inheritance—it contains revelations that could fracture the family forever.

Hastings, known for her emotionally complex storytelling, weaves a powerful Southern Gothic narrative filled with sibling rivalries, hidden relationships, and personal reckonings. If you’re drawn to family dramas that blend slow-burn mystery with rich psychological depth—think The Dutch House or Little Fires Everywhere—this book belongs at the top of your reading list.

In this The Conditions of Will Summary , we’ll explore each chapter’s turning points, the novel’s deeper themes, and character arcs that will leave you questioning: What do we inherit—and what do we choose to keep hidden?

The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings Quotes

I. Love & Human Connection

On Being Seen
“The nicest thing you can ever do for another human being is see them, and really see them, at that. To be understood is one of most base desires we as people have.”
Romantic Love (Georgia & Sam)
- “So maybe it’s the cosmicness of it, or maybe it’s the way his mouth feels against mine—like some sort of soul resuscitation, like Sam Penny is a heart-stretch put on the planet to reinstill faith back into mankind.”
- “His kisses are commas.”
- “Our eyes catch, and there’s that strange new warmth again… It’s to not feel alone in the world.”
Silence as Intimacy
“Silence with him is five fifteen in the morning before the sun’s up… He’s the heavy quilt you pull over your head… He’s a quiet mind.”

II. Grief & Pain

The Nature of Grief
- “People think grief is sadness, but it’s not. It’s the quiet unraveling of every lie you told yourself about the person you lost.”
- “Death is confronting… The idea that it all ends—that everything you spend your life doing amounts to nothing the second you take your last breath.”
Confronting Pain
- “You ignore [pain] and it just sinks down deeper. It lodges itself in the corners of our memories… under the pews in the back row of the church.”
- “You want to get over someone quickly? Feel everything. Every shred of loss… force yourself to feel all of it.”
Growth Through Pain
“It’s a funny part of growing up… Accepting that things that are better for you can still be painful. The worst day of my life became the most defining.”

III. Identity & Self-Perception

Self-Worth
“Wouldn’t it be lovely if we viewed ourselves through the same lens as the people who love us?”
Family & Childhood
- “He tried to smother the memories of our childhood. I tried to pull them apart.”
- “How my life might have felt different if he was the kind of person back then that he seems to be now.”
Subconscious Influences
“Conscious feelings are on the surface… but subconscious feelings dictate your decisions… you only realize that in retrospect.”

IV. Spirituality & Faith

God as Expansive
- “The real God is everywhere… in Narnia, Harry Potter, the trees, science, the stars… the way the sky looks sometimes.”
- “I think God is the kind of guy who… sifts through every drunken prayer, every Mumford & Sons song for a hint of belief.”
Critique of Organized Religion
- “Think about how being a ‘Christian’ has so little to do with acting Christ-like now.”
- “Girls who bat their eyes as they pick and choose from the Bible to create a world they’re comfortable in.”
Redemption
“I think the only thing that qualifies you to talk about the gospel is admitting you need it.”

V. Resilience & Survival

Endurance
“You survive whatever you need to, however you can.”
Small Acts of Rebellion
“I take a photo in my mind, let history rewrite itself… It scribbles over it in a louder color.”
Support Systems
“Sam doesn’t say anything—it’s not his fight—but his shadow casts on me and I know I’m not by myself.”

VI. Awe & Beauty

Music & Nature
“This is what music exists for. This is why birds sing… why the sun rises and the moon hangs ghostly white.”
Broken Beauty
“Isn’t it the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? Even though it’s broken?”

The Conditions of Will Summary Chapter-by-Chapter

Georgia Carter returns home after her estranged father’s death.
The reading of William Carter’s will shocks the family—particularly a conditional inheritance tied to Oliver’s sobriety.
Tensions flare at the funeral as old wounds surface and small-town gossip stirs.
A cryptic mention of “Alexis Beauchêne” in the will sets Georgia on a path toward uncovering her father’s secret past.

Georgia, accompanied by her brother Tennyson, follows clues to Louisiana.
Flashbacks and fragmented letters paint a portrait of William’s hidden relationship with Alexis—a man he loved but was forced to leave.
Oliver spirals into rage and substance abuse, clashing with Georgia over the truth and control of the inheritance.

The Carter siblings confront painful family truths: Margaret’s emotional neglect, Maryanne’s mental instability, and Oliver’s unchecked self-destruction.
Georgia’s internal conflict deepens—should she tell her mother about Alexis or protect the illusion?
Sam Penny, Oliver’s AA sponsor and Georgia’s emerging love interest, grounds the story with hope and emotional clarity.

Georgia inherits William’s lake house, only to find it was once Alexis’s retreat.
A boat named SS Avoidance metaphorically anchors William’s emotional evasion.
Georgia fabricates a version of the truth to protect her mother, sparking debate about whether silence is compassion or cowardice.

Oliver faces his ultimatum: choose sobriety or lose $16 million.
Margaret shows quiet recognition of Georgia’s choices—an unspoken moment of mother-daughter reckoning.
Georgia and Sam’s quiet romance becomes a stabilizing force amid chaos.

Deep Dive: Themes That Haunt and Heal

Is Inheritance More Than Just Wealth?

Inheritance in Hastings’ novel isn’t just financial—it’s emotional and psychological.

Georgia inherits the burden of truth.
Oliver’s inheritance is tied to his ability to stay sober—raising questions about conditional love vs. emotional control.
The will forces each character to reevaluate their worth, choices, and relationships.

Southern Gothic Meets Modern Identity

Set in a conservative Southern town, the novel masterfully blends:

Repression and religion: Alexis and William’s forbidden love.
Addiction and appearance: Oliver’s alcoholism vs. Margaret’s obsession with propriety.
Secrets and shame: The Carter family clings to image while emotionally crumbling.

Addiction, Control, and Redemption

Oliver Carter’s sobriety clause is the novel’s most powerful narrative device.

Frames addiction as both a disease and a tool of manipulation.
Sam Penny, as his AA sponsor, shows how empathy and structure can lead to healing.
Raises essential questions: Can family be both support system and prison?

Love That’s Hidden, Lost, and Conditional

Georgia’s love is loyal but cautious—seen in how she shields Margaret from painful truths.
William’s love for Alexis was real but suppressed—a casualty of social expectations.
Oliver’s love for his family is buried under anger and resentment.

Hastings portrays love not as salvation, but as a fragile negotiation between truth and survival.

Character Breakdown: Complex and Flawed

Georgia Carter: The Reluctant Truth-Seeker

Resilient, introspective, and moral.
Her journey is about learning to choose between truth and peace.

Oliver Carter: The Wounded Son

A man on the brink of destruction, both angry and vulnerable.
His battle with sobriety is the novel’s emotional pivot.

Tennyson Carter: The Silent Supporter

The responsible brother, always walking the line between protector and enabler.
Offers the most stability to Georgia.

Margaret Carter: The Matriarch of Denial

Elegant but emotionally frozen.
Represents an entire generation’s unwillingness to face uncomfortable truths.

Sam Penny: The Quiet Hero

Grounded, empathetic, and dependable.
Serves as the novel’s moral compass without overshadowing Georgia’s arc.

Conclusion: A Will That Demands Reckoning

The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings is more than a family drama—it’s a literary dissection of the emotional debts we inherit. With its slow-burning mystery, flawed characters, and poignant reflections on legacy, it compels readers to ask: What truth is worth telling, and at what cost?

If you crave emotionally rich stories with psychological nuance and social relevance, this novel will not only hook you—it will haunt you.

Read it, reflect on it, and ask yourself: What are the conditions of your love and loyalty?

FAQ: The Conditions of Will Summary

What is The Conditions of Will about?

It’s a family drama that explores grief, secrets, and the emotional cost of inheritance through the Carter family after their father’s death.

Who is Alexis Beauchêne in the book?

Alexis is revealed as William Carter’s long-lost male lover, a secret that reframes the entire Carter family’s past.

Does Oliver accept the inheritance conditions?

The novel leaves his final choice ambiguous, underscoring the tension between self-destruction and redemption.

Is the book based in the American South?

Yes, the story is set primarily in South Carolina and Louisiana, with strong Southern Gothic elements.

Is there a romance in the novel?

Yes, between Georgia and Sam Penny—a quiet but emotionally important subplot that reflects stability and trust.

✍️ About the Author: Jessa Hastings

Jessa Hastings is a contemporary author known for her emotionally layered novels that explore human vulnerability, family dynamics, and unspoken love. With a sharp eye for psychological realism, Hastings crafts characters that feel intensely real—flawed, hurting, and hopeful. Her background in literature and keen observation of interpersonal relationships allow her to blend literary elegance with emotional punch. The Conditions of Will is a testament to her rising authority in modern fiction, appealing to fans of Celeste Ng, Ann Patchett, and Delia Owens.