Early in her life, Josephine Malone learned the hard way that there was only one person she could love and trust: her grandmother, Lydia Malone. Out of necessity, unconsciously and very successfully, Josephine donned a disguise to keep all others at bay. She led a globetrotting lifestyle on the fringes of the fashion and music elite, but she kept herself distant.
While Josephine was trotting … trotting the globe, retired boxer Jake Spear was living in the same small town as Lydia. There was nothing disguised about Jake. Including the fact he made a habit of making very bad decisions about who to give his love.
But for Josephine and Jake, there was one person who adored them. One person who knew how to lead them to happiness. And one person who was intent on doing it.
Even if she had to do it as her final wish on this earth.
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Kristen Ashley at her best
The story line dragged quite a bit and I found the language and vernacular used by the characters to be impractical and unbelievable. No one speaks leaving out all pronouns all the time.
I have always attempted to give ‘star’ ratings on my completed reads, just as a tracking method for my titles that I have completed. I have unlimited packages for audio, kindle, and utilize the local/state library.
However, I do not check the ‘I recommend this book’ unless I am willing to reread a book and or a series.
[I read about 5-15 books a month through kindle, and I listen to about 15-30 books monthly]
I have a full life as a nurse, professor, wife, daughter [daughter in law], sister, and mother. I love to read and love a thousand other lives by turning the pages in countless books.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide a review. Happy reading 🙂
Audiobook edit: Except for the male voices, I loved the narration. I can totally picture Josie like that!
Beautiful! I loved this story so much! Josie and Jake were just too perfect. Add in the hot as hell locker room scene and you have one freaking amazing romance!
I really enjoyed this story.
There where a couple problems I ran into. One was a couple of typo/editing errors. Not many, but they are there. My biggest problem is there are areas that ramble on a bit, interfering minutely with the flow of the story. These are the reasons for 4 instead of 5 stars.
Other than that, this story was awesome. Kristen Ashley’s unusual talent to make the emotions of her characters so real you literally experience them like they are your own shines in this story. You, the reader, become a part of the characters. You aren’t just reading the scene, you are living it.
This is one of the reasons I am so enamored with her work. The way she expresses the intensity of the emotions her characters are feeling, her ability to create a world that is easy to see in your minds eye, her build of the characters themselves is an amazing.
This story draws you in and keeps you captivated.
A beautiful adult romance that will leave you craving for more of Kristen Ashley’s gift for words.
The Will is the first book in Kristen Ashley’s new Magdalene series. Now, even being my favorite author, KA still makes me anxious on new book releases, and it’s probably because I expect so much. But, as always, she always ends up surprising me as well as giving me everything I didn’t know I wanted and more. Lol.
Summary:
Josephine Malone hasn’t felt alone in a long time, but she’s feeling it now. She’s lost one of only two people she’s ever relied on and got close to, her grandmother, Lydia. Josie grew up in an unsavory and dangerous world, but she was saved, twice, from that world by Lydia. Lydia gave her somewhere safe to exist and be herself, that being Lavender House and the small town of Magdalene, Maine. Despite having her safe haven, Josephine still had trouble trusting just anybody, so in short, she put up a facade to keep others out. She also endeavored to be successful at a globetrotting dream job on the edges of music and fashion, but still kept herself distant so as not to risk being hurt as she had been in the past. But now, she’s come home to Lavender House but without her beloved grandmother, and she’s alone. Unbeknownst to Josie, Lydia took the matter of Josie’s distance into her own hands so as to give her granddaughter all her heart desires. While Josie was pursuing her life of hobnobbing with the elite, Lydia was busy bringing Jake Spear into the fold. Jake is a retired boxer, also living in Magdalene, but having a rough time of it. Whereas Josie hides, Jake lets it all hang out, including his very poor taste in women. When Lydia gives a helping hand to a hardworking man with three children, she forges a bond that will give her what she wants, and also Josie what she needs. Upon meeting, Jake and Josie aren’t sure what to think as they’ve just learned of Lydia’s dying wish, but soon, life takes over and leads them on the path they need to take. Josie is finally seeing that Lydia wished to give her a dream come true in giving her Jake and his children, and Jake is driven in finding any way to tie Josie to him, his kids, and Lavender House. Finding in each other what they’ve each always wanted is easy, but extraneous situations threaten to tear them apart. When Josie learns that Jake has been hiding a secret from her from the beginning, it will take a great deal of love and a strong woman who loves a strong man, to hold them together. Add to that being harassed by the local big man and a terrifying part of Josie’s past, inappropriate overtures from Jake’s ex-wife, and an unexpected explosion of feelings between Josie and her boss, Jake and Josie do not have smooth sailing, but having each other is all they need if they can trust in it.
I loved, loved, loved Josie! She has definitely moved up as one of my all-time fave KA heroines. Her manner of speech, personality, kindness, loyalty, love, determination, and strength are only a few of her shining qualities. She was perfect, and having the past she did, I’m surprised she was as put together as she was. Jake, wow, was a hunka hunka burning love. He was fantastic. He was strong, protective, fierce in that protectiveness, and so very alpha. I loved every inch! Favorite scene, hands down, was after the first fight Josie watched. A-ma-zing!! I love Connor, Amber, and Ethan. They were a hoot, and exactly like a real family. I literally felt like I was standing in the midst of my own family, only reversed (as I am the oldest with a brother in the middle and a little sister). I hope and pray for a happy ending for both Connor and Amber. Supporting cast was excellent and I definitely want the series to continue with stories for Mickey and Coert at least. I just can’t begins to explain the emotions I felt reading this. They ran the gamut, and I’m left feeling empty, yet fulfilled all at the same time. Kit did a fantastic job and I don’t know where she gets her inspiration or words, but I pray she keeps them coming because I am a fan for life! <3
Love this author
love this book and most of kristen ashley’s books .
Ms Ashley never fails to deliver and this book is definitely another hit. Great story, amazing writing, and just a awesome read. I am always impressed with this author’s ability to make characters so real and so easy to like and care about. Another hit from a writer who always satisfies and creates a great read.
I had my worries the Jake wouldn’t be an alpha male like Kristen’s other book boyfriends, but I should have NEVER doubted that because Jake was all alpha, “and I shouldn’t have asked you about where we’re goin from here because I don’t give a eff about where you think we’re goin’.” He’s very open about his club and how he runs it, “babe, I need a dancer, I put an ad in the paper. I don’t go out on the street, kidnap them, jack them up with junk and force their a**es on the stage.” He doesn’t like other men going after what’s his, “more pressure hit the room, making me press back into the counter before he asked, “some di** hit on you last night?” Josie in the beginning is quite timid and shy:
“Got your message, babe,” he said.
Well that didn’t take long. “Good I replied quietly.
“Hauled your a** to a ti*ty bar to see me,” he noted.
Jake doesn’t bullsh** around, actually I don’t any of Kristen’s men bullsh** around, “effin’ my woman who’s wearin’ the sexiest effin’ dress that’s ever been in that arena, doin’ that for the first time in the arena’s locker room, it bein’ hot as eff, all that sh** tends to make a man get over bein’ seriously effin’ pi**ed and it does it fast.” I like Jake’s diversion tactics, “one of his hands slid down to cup my bottom and his eyes dropped to my mouth. “You gonna take my mind off this sh** by kissing me or are you gonna take my mind off this sh** by kissing me then letting me eff you on my desk?” he asked.” They really are a happy couple and I loved that, “baby, it’s not yet seven, got my girl who hates to get up early in my arm, a coffee from The Shack she got for me, and I’m gonna get me some in about two hours. I’m thinkin’ you keep gettin’ more wonderful too.” This is another series that is going to be popular I just know it.
Shyly she asked, “This is real, right?”
Fuck him.
Last night, she told him she liked him.
He knew that before she said it.
Right then he knew she really fucking liked him.
“You think you’re dreamin’ baby?” he asked back.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Fuck.
Him.
“It’s real, Josie,” he promised.
I remember reading The Will when it first released, but somehow it didn’t imprint on my heart the way that Kristen Ashley books normally do. I can’t say exactly why, because I liked the story and remember enjoying every moment of reading it. Because of that I didn’t read Soaring when it released, thinking that I wasn’t a fan of the Magdalene series. But once The Time in Between was being hyped up for release & my best book friend was talking up the series, I decided to go back and do a re-read. When I did … man oh man, I don’t know what happened that first time around!
The beginning of this story is a little rough to connect to. Josie is very proper, and that makes her seem a bit distant and cold. This could not be farther from the truth of her, and I’m not sure I’ve seen a woman with a bigger heart. Josie has dealt with a lot in her life that has lead her to where she is now, and her loyalty to her grandmother is something of beauty.
Jake … I wasn’t certain about him at first. He was definitely an alpha, but not in the typical sense. He wasn’t really a jerk, he just wanted to make sure he honored Lydie’s memory and wishes, as well as protect and love Josie. He is a great father and his children bring so much joy into Josie’s life.
All around this book brought me so much happy. I loved the feel of the town, the close-knit relationships of everyone, and the fact that family isn’t always blood, but rather the people who take care of you when you need them. If you haven’t read the series, I’d definitely recommend it!