Never before has “worth the wait” has such power as All In. Not only have Kit and Preston had a long and complicated journey to this show stopping finale, but author Ashley Jade herself has had quite a journey in writing this trilogy. But every word, every moment, was worth the wait. And, like so many other stories told by this unique and bold story teller, All In was nothing like I expected, yet somehow everything I needed. At long last, Kit and Preston’s journey has come to a close, and I find myself even less ready to say goodbye. With every passing page, Ashley made me fall more in love with this special couple. There is no other story out there like this- Kit and Preston are in a league of their own.
Ashley has such a keen ability to take a trope and rewrite it- stories that are refreshingly different and unexpected. There’s gutsyness to her storytelling- she’s unafraid to tell stories that aren’t easy to swallow, in fact, she savors them. And she is unafraid to do what so many avoid- she lets her characters be deeply flawed, characters that end up being their own villains. And that’s the crux of what makes this trilogy so damn consuming- Kit and Preston are not your average love story. And their own character flaws are the villain.
This loves story began with the most unlikely beginnings- a lesbian and playboy, brought together by their shared cheating girlfriend, a broken engagement, and an unplanned pregnacy. And thus is the magic of Ashley Jade- that commitment to finding beauty, truth, and love in the most impossible, the most complicated dynamics - and somehow that story becomes her most romantic story she’s told. And boy does this finale deliver on the romance. Oh, we have all that characteristic AJ drama, but we have so many swoons, so much heart, and so much heat. Fans will know Ashley loathes spoilers of all kinds, and I respect her vision, and your reading experience, too much to share too much about this story. What I will say is that Ashley packs a lot into this finale- threads I anticipated, those I did not, yet each moment serves a profound and poignant purpose in each characters’ arc. I flew through this long story in one sitting, mesmerized by every word. It’s unexpected, but just right, messy, but perfect.
What makes this series are the characters. Oh these characters. Kit’s is a journey about identity and acceptance- one that flips that experience on its head, but shines the same thematic light. About a broken girl who just wants to be loved, letting herself be loved by someone that challenges her very sense of self. And Preston’s is a story of redemption and forgiveness, about a broken boy figuring out how to face his trauma, how to heal instead of self-destructing because of it. And their love is the catalyst- a love that is an exception. A love that is an anomaly. And that’s the brilliance of their chemistry and their connection. How Kit finds her truest self in loving someone that, at first, feels at odds with everything she knows about herself. A love that fractures the identity she fought so hard to claim somehow helps her find her truest identity. And how Preston heals by finding a love that breaks him completely, how he finds safety and redemption in someone who exposes him so completely- to himself.
I could not adore Kit any more. She’s one of my favorite heroine’s of all time, and certainly one of the most interesting, nuanced, and captivating characters that Ashley has ever written. I related to her so fiercely- her need for love and acceptance. Her bleeding heart and wounded vulnerability- she’s just so GOOD. Such a beautiful spirit. A light and open heart. The perfect contrast to Preston’s dark repression. I loved Kit from the start, but I’m not sure I truly loved Preston until this finale. And I FLOVE him. He’s still quick tempered, brash, and brooding. But he is beautiful. Ashley lets us see all of his complexities, she opens his heart. And like Kit, he has so much goodness, but he just keeps making mistakes, and he just can’t seem to conquer his demons. I felt so deeply for his journey- as both characters really confront the best and worst parts of themselves as they learn that that is the ultimate barrier - the parts of themselves they refuse to face. And face them they do, bolstered by the love of each other. And even better, the infamous trio from Complicated Hearts has an indelible impact on Kit and Preston’s conclusion in ways both messy and unique, just like their own story, but in ways that also highlight what makes each of these characters so special. And Ashley’s unapologetic portrayal of them, just as they are.
Secrets, past pain, complicated questions, and twists abound- but this story stays true to its core tenet- love. A love unexpected and unbreakable, a love that liberates, a love that redeems, a love that defies trope or explication. And that love is what Ashley is trying to help us see- that love doesn’t have to be understandable or neat or traditional. Love can defy expectation or understanding, love can be chaotic and flawed, but at the end of the day, love is home, safety. Love is where you find yourself- even if you find yourself with someone unexpected. And Kit and Preston prove that better than anyone else- the lesbian, the playboy, that met because of their shared cheating girlfriend. Two people who had seemingly impossible odds, two people whose story is messy and destructive. They have the most beautiful and powerful love of all - a connection so deep that it topples everything they know and has the world rebuilt around it. All those complicated parts somehow fit together- jagged on their own, complete and whole together. Brava, Ashley- this is what makes your writing so special. THIS is how you tell love stories that change us. And Kit and Preston, they’ve changed my heart.