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Skyland #1
Before I Let Go
13 hours, 45 minutes
Award-winning and bestselling "powerhouse" author Kennedy Ryan is at her absolute best in this compelling, scorching novel about hope and healing, and what it truly means to love for a lifetime (USA Today).
Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything.
It couldn’t save their marriage.
Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she’s finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.
Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another…and then more. It's hot. It's illicit. It's all good—until old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?
Award-winning and bestselling "powerhouse" author Kennedy Ryan is at her absolute best in this compelling, scorching novel about hope and healing, and what it truly means to love for a lifetime (USA Today).
Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything.
It couldn’t save their marriage.
Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she’s finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.
Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another…and then more. It's hot. It's illicit. It's all good—until old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?
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First published November 15, 2022
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About the author
Kennedy Ryan
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KENNEDY RYAN BOOKS -
I write contemporary romance and women's fiction. I always give my characters their happily ever after, but I love to make them work for it! It's a long road to love, so sit back and enjoy the ride.
I am wife to the love of my life, mom to a special, beautiful son, and a friend to those living with autism through my charitable foundation.
BOOKBUB:
AMAZON:
FACEBOOK:
INSTAGRAM:
KENNEDY RYAN BOOKS -
I write contemporary romance and women's fiction. I always give my characters their happily ever after, but I love to make them work for it! It's a long road to love, so sit back and enjoy the ride.
I am wife to the love of my life, mom to a special, beautiful son, and a friend to those living with autism through my charitable foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 15,652 reviews
August 8, 2022
Well . . .I wrote it, so you would assume I have glowing things to say about it. I hope it will glow. I hope many will see themselves in its pages. Will feel heard and validated and encouraged. There is a lot of healing that occurs in this book. Usually when that happens, you're healing FROM something. There are some heavy topics here, which you might expect if you've read my books before. As usual, there is lots of emotion, but I don't want it to overshadow the joy, the laughter, the strong friendships and family bonds that are such a part of Yasmen and Josiah's journey. They're a divorced couple co-parenting and running a business together. They are soul mates who got derailed by life. They heal as individuals, and that prepares them to be a couple again. It's a steamy, swoony, spicy, slow burning second chance. Hope you enjoy <3
Content warnings: Death of loved one (off page), stillbirth, depression, grief, passive suicidal ideation (no attempts)
Content warnings: Death of loved one (off page), stillbirth, depression, grief, passive suicidal ideation (no attempts)
February 23, 2025
4.25 stars!! I loveee how real this book felt. Kennedy Ryan did such an amazing job writing about grief, heartbreak, divorce, mental health, therapy, healing, etc. There was so much I related to and so much I've never experienced but it felt so easy to put myself right in the character's shoes.
So many romances are swoon worthy stories of characters meeting for the first time & falling in love (which I love!). But it was so cool how different this one was. It felt like we got to see what happens after the romance book ends- when life throws so much at you and what a couple has to do to heal and survive that.
So many romances are swoon worthy stories of characters meeting for the first time & falling in love (which I love!). But it was so cool how different this one was. It felt like we got to see what happens after the romance book ends- when life throws so much at you and what a couple has to do to heal and survive that.
September 7, 2023
♾ï¸/5 âï¸â€™s
"do people remember the exact moment they fall in love?"
"i do. yasmen brought me homemade chicken noodle soup when i was so sick it hurt to blink. tasted like day-old dishwater. not sure how you mess up chicken noodle soup, but my girl managed it."
this is exactly how this book starts. word for word. i can’t explain it, but i have to say that this is one of the most beautiful beginnings of a book i’ve ever read. i knew the moment after reading the first few sentences that this book would shatter my heart into tiny pieces and slowly put it back together. spoiler alert: that’s exactly what happened. kennedy ryan’s writing is beyond amazing. so amazing that in the first four pages of her book…she made me absolutely fall in love with the couple and feel connected to them instantly. FOUR PAGES and i was already obsessed with the mc’s. i’ve read 300+ and 400+ page books before and never once felt the same way i feel about josiah and yasmen…crazy.
if you want a good cry, but still feel so warm and fuzzy inside by the end…this is the book for you. this book was a roller coaster of emotions. i wanted a good cry and kennedy ryan deliveredðŸ¤i knew she would hehe. i manifested five stars and that’s what i got…although don’t be surprised if i change it to infinity stars😩
� plot summary:
hehe jk i’m not going to give you guys one…simply because i encourage going into this book blind!! but this book does have some trigger warnings that include: loss of a loved one, mentions of suicide (no attempt) and discussing topics such as grief and depression. this story is very emotional. it’s real, filled with raw emotions. a story about healing, family, love, and loss. every single page will have you wanting more. i honestly forgot i was reading, completely lost in this book. besties i 10/10 recommendðŸ¤i literally devoured this book in a day and stayed up all night like it is almost 8am and i haven’t slept because i needed to finish this breathtaking book!
� yasmen wade:
- “it means seeing myself clearly—good, bad, beautiful, ugly, faults, mistakes—and acknowledging what i really think and feel, and not judging those emotions. understanding myself. not censoring it. having compassion for myself.�
- “and i think i’m most grateful for time, which doesn’t always heal all wounds, but teaches us how to be happy again even with our scars.�
- “for now just know i don’t need wishes as long as i have hope.�
i absolutely ADORE this woman. the amount of times i wanted to climb into this book and give my strong bb a hug and tell her everything was going to be okay…an infinite amount of times omg. i cannot imagine going through everything this woman went through and having to raise children at the same time. she’s a warrior🥹i admire her so much. the way i was rooting for her in every way possible. i don’t wanna talk too much about it because i’d prefer my besties to go into this book blind like i said earlier hehe, but just know that this woman is one of my favorite fmc’s now🥹
� josiah wade:
- "how do you breathe when the person you thought you'd cherish forever looks at you the way yasmen looks at me right now because you've hurt them so much?�
- “do people remember the exact moment they fall in love? i’ve learned it's not one moment, but a million of them.�
this man. i was hurting just as much for him as i was for yasmen. just a whole lot of hurt going on for their whole family omg. it makes me wonder how many couples go through/are going through all they went through, right now. i think that’s what made me cry a lot too is knowing that this book is a fictional book, but it isn’t a fictional story. the character development between both yasmen and josiah individually and as a whole was🤌ðŸ¼absolutely amazing.
"hey." she takes the last few steps until she's standing in front ot me.
"hey." i stuff my hands in my pockets because she looks good enough to grab.
"did you tell her that's ridiculous?" yasmen asks, eyes fixed on my face. "that you don't want me anymore? that you wouldn't touch me with a six-foot pole?"
i'm a glutton for punishment and a fool for lust because despite going weeks convincing myself one night would be enough, i cup her jaw and lay my hand on her waist, drawing her to me.
"i'm touching you now."
~i just know she got butterflies bc me too…🦋🦋🦋�
THE TENSION!?! THEIR CHEMISTRY!?!? THE ANGST!???
kennedy ryan…ðŸ‘ðŸ¼you killed it! one of my all time favorite second chance romances. because how is it that this DIVORCED couple had me feeling their strong connection way more than most couples i’ve ever read about. pls tell me this makes sense😩oh and the spiceðŸ˜yes. yummy. they’re so 🥵 mom and dad fr.
� deja, kassim, & henry wade:
their children omg…kassim i absolutely adored him. the sweetest little boy. a mama’s boy ugh so cute!!!! henry🥺sweet baby henry. deja, my heart broke for her. it hurt to see deja and yasmen’s relationship the way it was for the majority of the book and at times it made me not wanna like deja, but one chapter omg sobbing just thinking about it…it really just reminds you that these poor babies were going through just as much as their parents and it ripped me apart.
- "people don't become perfect when they become parents," i tell her. “if anything, parenthood gives us more chances to screw things up, just with higher stakes. we all mess up. sometimes we have to live with that for the rest of our lives. i can't promise i won't mess up, but i promise i will love you even when you do. unconditionally.�
shoutout to all the parents out there…especially the ones going through tough times. this made me immediately wanna hug my mom and dad🥺
� favorite moment:
"you're as beautiful as you've always been." i tug the sheet away, exposing the long, curvy, brown length of her body again.
"you do see the lumps and stretch marks, right?" she grins, and it’s the perfect mix of confidence and modesty she’s always had.
“know what i see?� i ask, kissing between her breasts and down to her belly.
she looks at me through her lashes, cupping my head and caressing my neck.
“w³ó²¹³Ù?â€�
i kiss her hip, brushing my lips over the small rings of saturn etched into her skin by her first pregnancy. "i see deja."
i lick at the concentric sunburst around her belly button. "i see kassim."
i caress the slightly raised c-section scar stretched between her pelvic bones. "i see henry.�
when i look up her eyes have sobered, saddened a little, but still burn hot watching me worship her.
“this body gave me my children,� i tell her, sliding down to lift her knees over my shoulders. “and it will always be beautiful to me.�
~this scene was so intimate…i will simply never be the same after this. forever engraved in my fucking mind. this is so beautiful, i can’t even describe just how much. butterflies all over again🦋🦋🦋these two are the definition of “made for each otherâ€ðŸ¥¹i love them endlessly.
� memorable/favorite quotes:
- "who wants a walk in the park? i think that man would run wild with you."
- "wanting my ex-wife is not new. have i ever not wanted her? i may want her till the day i die."
- “happy new year, baby." go read this book rn and see why this is one of my favorites😩🦋
- “i’ve fallen in love with the warrior woman who walked through fire, the one who came through stronger, reshaped by sorrow, reformed by grief, reborn in joy.�
- “understanding how you got hurt never makes it hurt less.�
- “finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.�
- “grief is a grind. it is the work of breathing and waking and rising and moving through a world that feels emptier. a gaping hole has been torn into your existence, and everyone around you just walks right past it like it’s not even there. but all you can do is stand and stare.�
- “till the wheels fall off.�
ps: i cannot wait for soledad’s book!!! i already loathe edward😠AND OMG HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT THE RECIPES AT THE END…y’all the food they were making throughout the book, i will be using those recipes for myself👩â€ðŸ�
old updates:
did i devour this book in a day? yes i did.
will i be giving kennedy ryan all my money? yes i will.
am i crying because of how heartbreakingly beautiful this book was? yes i am
review will be up very soon heheðŸ¤
i want a really emotional book, a good cry (why? idk😂) but i know kennedy ryan will deliverðŸ¤manifesting 5 stars🤞ðŸ¼ðŸ¤žðŸ¼
._. i’m on my period…i may have regrets :D i know nothing about this book either because i loveeeeeee going into a book completely blindðŸ¤ðŸ¤
"do people remember the exact moment they fall in love?"
"i do. yasmen brought me homemade chicken noodle soup when i was so sick it hurt to blink. tasted like day-old dishwater. not sure how you mess up chicken noodle soup, but my girl managed it."
this is exactly how this book starts. word for word. i can’t explain it, but i have to say that this is one of the most beautiful beginnings of a book i’ve ever read. i knew the moment after reading the first few sentences that this book would shatter my heart into tiny pieces and slowly put it back together. spoiler alert: that’s exactly what happened. kennedy ryan’s writing is beyond amazing. so amazing that in the first four pages of her book…she made me absolutely fall in love with the couple and feel connected to them instantly. FOUR PAGES and i was already obsessed with the mc’s. i’ve read 300+ and 400+ page books before and never once felt the same way i feel about josiah and yasmen…crazy.
if you want a good cry, but still feel so warm and fuzzy inside by the end…this is the book for you. this book was a roller coaster of emotions. i wanted a good cry and kennedy ryan deliveredðŸ¤i knew she would hehe. i manifested five stars and that’s what i got…although don’t be surprised if i change it to infinity stars😩
� plot summary:
hehe jk i’m not going to give you guys one…simply because i encourage going into this book blind!! but this book does have some trigger warnings that include: loss of a loved one, mentions of suicide (no attempt) and discussing topics such as grief and depression. this story is very emotional. it’s real, filled with raw emotions. a story about healing, family, love, and loss. every single page will have you wanting more. i honestly forgot i was reading, completely lost in this book. besties i 10/10 recommendðŸ¤i literally devoured this book in a day and stayed up all night like it is almost 8am and i haven’t slept because i needed to finish this breathtaking book!
� yasmen wade:
- “it means seeing myself clearly—good, bad, beautiful, ugly, faults, mistakes—and acknowledging what i really think and feel, and not judging those emotions. understanding myself. not censoring it. having compassion for myself.�
- “and i think i’m most grateful for time, which doesn’t always heal all wounds, but teaches us how to be happy again even with our scars.�
- “for now just know i don’t need wishes as long as i have hope.�
i absolutely ADORE this woman. the amount of times i wanted to climb into this book and give my strong bb a hug and tell her everything was going to be okay…an infinite amount of times omg. i cannot imagine going through everything this woman went through and having to raise children at the same time. she’s a warrior🥹i admire her so much. the way i was rooting for her in every way possible. i don’t wanna talk too much about it because i’d prefer my besties to go into this book blind like i said earlier hehe, but just know that this woman is one of my favorite fmc’s now🥹
� josiah wade:
- "how do you breathe when the person you thought you'd cherish forever looks at you the way yasmen looks at me right now because you've hurt them so much?�
- “do people remember the exact moment they fall in love? i’ve learned it's not one moment, but a million of them.�
this man. i was hurting just as much for him as i was for yasmen. just a whole lot of hurt going on for their whole family omg. it makes me wonder how many couples go through/are going through all they went through, right now. i think that’s what made me cry a lot too is knowing that this book is a fictional book, but it isn’t a fictional story. the character development between both yasmen and josiah individually and as a whole was🤌ðŸ¼absolutely amazing.
"hey." she takes the last few steps until she's standing in front ot me.
"hey." i stuff my hands in my pockets because she looks good enough to grab.
"did you tell her that's ridiculous?" yasmen asks, eyes fixed on my face. "that you don't want me anymore? that you wouldn't touch me with a six-foot pole?"
i'm a glutton for punishment and a fool for lust because despite going weeks convincing myself one night would be enough, i cup her jaw and lay my hand on her waist, drawing her to me.
"i'm touching you now."
~i just know she got butterflies bc me too…🦋🦋🦋�
THE TENSION!?! THEIR CHEMISTRY!?!? THE ANGST!???
kennedy ryan…ðŸ‘ðŸ¼you killed it! one of my all time favorite second chance romances. because how is it that this DIVORCED couple had me feeling their strong connection way more than most couples i’ve ever read about. pls tell me this makes sense😩oh and the spiceðŸ˜yes. yummy. they’re so 🥵 mom and dad fr.
� deja, kassim, & henry wade:
their children omg…kassim i absolutely adored him. the sweetest little boy. a mama’s boy ugh so cute!!!! henry🥺sweet baby henry. deja, my heart broke for her. it hurt to see deja and yasmen’s relationship the way it was for the majority of the book and at times it made me not wanna like deja, but one chapter omg sobbing just thinking about it…it really just reminds you that these poor babies were going through just as much as their parents and it ripped me apart.
- "people don't become perfect when they become parents," i tell her. “if anything, parenthood gives us more chances to screw things up, just with higher stakes. we all mess up. sometimes we have to live with that for the rest of our lives. i can't promise i won't mess up, but i promise i will love you even when you do. unconditionally.�
shoutout to all the parents out there…especially the ones going through tough times. this made me immediately wanna hug my mom and dad🥺
� favorite moment:
"you're as beautiful as you've always been." i tug the sheet away, exposing the long, curvy, brown length of her body again.
"you do see the lumps and stretch marks, right?" she grins, and it’s the perfect mix of confidence and modesty she’s always had.
“know what i see?� i ask, kissing between her breasts and down to her belly.
she looks at me through her lashes, cupping my head and caressing my neck.
“w³ó²¹³Ù?â€�
i kiss her hip, brushing my lips over the small rings of saturn etched into her skin by her first pregnancy. "i see deja."
i lick at the concentric sunburst around her belly button. "i see kassim."
i caress the slightly raised c-section scar stretched between her pelvic bones. "i see henry.�
when i look up her eyes have sobered, saddened a little, but still burn hot watching me worship her.
“this body gave me my children,� i tell her, sliding down to lift her knees over my shoulders. “and it will always be beautiful to me.�
~this scene was so intimate…i will simply never be the same after this. forever engraved in my fucking mind. this is so beautiful, i can’t even describe just how much. butterflies all over again🦋🦋🦋these two are the definition of “made for each otherâ€ðŸ¥¹i love them endlessly.
� memorable/favorite quotes:
- "who wants a walk in the park? i think that man would run wild with you."
- "wanting my ex-wife is not new. have i ever not wanted her? i may want her till the day i die."
- “happy new year, baby." go read this book rn and see why this is one of my favorites😩🦋
- “i’ve fallen in love with the warrior woman who walked through fire, the one who came through stronger, reshaped by sorrow, reformed by grief, reborn in joy.�
- “understanding how you got hurt never makes it hurt less.�
- “finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.�
- “grief is a grind. it is the work of breathing and waking and rising and moving through a world that feels emptier. a gaping hole has been torn into your existence, and everyone around you just walks right past it like it’s not even there. but all you can do is stand and stare.�
- “till the wheels fall off.�
ps: i cannot wait for soledad’s book!!! i already loathe edward😠AND OMG HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT THE RECIPES AT THE END…y’all the food they were making throughout the book, i will be using those recipes for myself👩â€ðŸ�
old updates:
did i devour this book in a day? yes i did.
will i be giving kennedy ryan all my money? yes i will.
am i crying because of how heartbreakingly beautiful this book was? yes i am
review will be up very soon heheðŸ¤
i want a really emotional book, a good cry (why? idk😂) but i know kennedy ryan will deliverðŸ¤manifesting 5 stars🤞ðŸ¼ðŸ¤žðŸ¼
._. i’m on my period…i may have regrets :D i know nothing about this book either because i loveeeeeee going into a book completely blindðŸ¤ðŸ¤
May 31, 2024
Damn it I loved this book so much! A divorced couple, conducting their restaurant business, raising their two kids and still in love with each other after 2 years of separation! Oh boy! I’m an emotional wrecking ball!
My heart truly aches for Yasmen and Josiah! They made mistakes. They are far from perfect. They ruined what they’ve worked for. They break each other’s hearts. They evolved. They suffered. They learned from their mistakes. They changed. They burned. They lost. They just try to move on.
The reason I loved them so much is they’re portrayed so real. Their traumas, their struggles, resentments, regrets, pain are so real! They gave up their marriage and they didn’t fight enough to get back together. Because after they’ve been through insufferable grief, they need time to heal.
Yasmen lost her baby and Josiah’s aunt who was like a second mother to her. She got depressed. She failed herself and marriage. After lots of therapy and learning coping mechanisms, she’s stronger but when she realizes her ex husband Josiah starts dating with their restaurant chief, she feels the deep pain, starting to question herself and the reasons behind why she cannot move on with her life just like he did.
Josiah still loves his wife. Even though he starts dating with another woman, he still trying to heal from their tragic breakup. After being dumbed by Yasmen, he barely learns to trust someone to open his heart. As he sees Yasmen also starts dating with another man, he realizes he still has feelings for her.
Kennedy Ryan created this amazing couple and this genuine, realistic, poignant, angsty story with a great perspective of the anatomy of the marriage, love, second chances, growing up together.
I cried so hard. The pure honesty of dialogues, the unbreakable love between Si and Yas warmed my heart and touched my soul deeply!
Nothing is over exaggerating or far fetched in this book. Emotions are perfectly pouring down the chapters, reaching to your heart, bringing those ugly tears and hiccups back!
This is so intense, heart wrenching, beautiful, deserving more than ten stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/ Forever for sharing this fantastic digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts and special thanks to Kennedy Ryan for writing this amazing book.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
My heart truly aches for Yasmen and Josiah! They made mistakes. They are far from perfect. They ruined what they’ve worked for. They break each other’s hearts. They evolved. They suffered. They learned from their mistakes. They changed. They burned. They lost. They just try to move on.
The reason I loved them so much is they’re portrayed so real. Their traumas, their struggles, resentments, regrets, pain are so real! They gave up their marriage and they didn’t fight enough to get back together. Because after they’ve been through insufferable grief, they need time to heal.
Yasmen lost her baby and Josiah’s aunt who was like a second mother to her. She got depressed. She failed herself and marriage. After lots of therapy and learning coping mechanisms, she’s stronger but when she realizes her ex husband Josiah starts dating with their restaurant chief, she feels the deep pain, starting to question herself and the reasons behind why she cannot move on with her life just like he did.
Josiah still loves his wife. Even though he starts dating with another woman, he still trying to heal from their tragic breakup. After being dumbed by Yasmen, he barely learns to trust someone to open his heart. As he sees Yasmen also starts dating with another man, he realizes he still has feelings for her.
Kennedy Ryan created this amazing couple and this genuine, realistic, poignant, angsty story with a great perspective of the anatomy of the marriage, love, second chances, growing up together.
I cried so hard. The pure honesty of dialogues, the unbreakable love between Si and Yas warmed my heart and touched my soul deeply!
Nothing is over exaggerating or far fetched in this book. Emotions are perfectly pouring down the chapters, reaching to your heart, bringing those ugly tears and hiccups back!
This is so intense, heart wrenching, beautiful, deserving more than ten stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/ Forever for sharing this fantastic digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts and special thanks to Kennedy Ryan for writing this amazing book.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
Read
November 10, 2022Yasmen and Josiah hoped they had a love that would sustain them through every trial, but they found that love alone wasn’t enough. Now divorced, their lives are starting to get back on track. But as they are drawn back to each other time and again, they start to wonder if it’s too late for a second chance at a life together. This one packs an emotional punch.
March 19, 2025
a girl never forgets her first (kennedy ryan book)
FINALLY, SOME GOOD F*CKING ROMANCE!
this book has everything: yearning.
that's the end of the list. the only requirement for a good romance is yearning, and this has that in spades. between this and you deserve each other (the greatest romance of all time, sorry), i'm starting to think second-chance romance between two soulmates who have started hating each other is the perfect formula.
in addition to all the yearning (how many times can i use one word in this), this has the most delicious food descriptions, great parenting, fun friendships. it's such a blast.Ìý
yes, it had too much smut for me and my 18th-century-lady sensibilities, but that's not enough to make this anything other than a great time.
bottom line: thank god this is just the beginning of a series.
4.5
FINALLY, SOME GOOD F*CKING ROMANCE!
this book has everything: yearning.
that's the end of the list. the only requirement for a good romance is yearning, and this has that in spades. between this and you deserve each other (the greatest romance of all time, sorry), i'm starting to think second-chance romance between two soulmates who have started hating each other is the perfect formula.
in addition to all the yearning (how many times can i use one word in this), this has the most delicious food descriptions, great parenting, fun friendships. it's such a blast.Ìý
yes, it had too much smut for me and my 18th-century-lady sensibilities, but that's not enough to make this anything other than a great time.
bottom line: thank god this is just the beginning of a series.
4.5
May 16, 2023
im not married nor am i a parent, but i feel like this story taught me so much about how to be both.
i really love the depth this narrative shows when it comes to grief, loss, and the journey of handling those emotions. i appreciate how this story really promotes healthy communication and showcases the benefits of therapy. it works well with how yasmen and josiah recovered from the fall out of their marriage and being good examples for their children in the process.
that being said, there is just something that prevented me from really falling head over heels in love with this book. i cant quite put my finger on it, but the best way to explain how i feel is i love the idea of the story more than the story itself. theres no denying this book has heart and great messages about growth, forgiveness, and connection, but i just couldnt quite click with this one as much as i wanted to, unfortunately.
� 3 stars
i really love the depth this narrative shows when it comes to grief, loss, and the journey of handling those emotions. i appreciate how this story really promotes healthy communication and showcases the benefits of therapy. it works well with how yasmen and josiah recovered from the fall out of their marriage and being good examples for their children in the process.
that being said, there is just something that prevented me from really falling head over heels in love with this book. i cant quite put my finger on it, but the best way to explain how i feel is i love the idea of the story more than the story itself. theres no denying this book has heart and great messages about growth, forgiveness, and connection, but i just couldnt quite click with this one as much as i wanted to, unfortunately.
� 3 stars
December 27, 2023
dnf @ 76% because your girl has no patience.
i can’t believe i went into a second chance romance with high expectations. how i feel right now:
why did i think that was a good idea?? the world may never know.
i will say this though (because for some reason, despite being a hater, i am inclined to see the positive in things): kennedy ryan writes about grief beautifully � it’s visceral and haunting and absolutely heartbreaking. i always appreciate it when an author writes about loss, and i love that ryan went even further and wrote about how people don’t always grieve the same way. throughout the story, she emphasizes the importance of communicating openly and often and confronting your feelings instead of running away from them. the night in charlotte when yasmen and josiah let down their walls for a second and talked about what happened in their past? yes yes yes!! but the rest of the book? absolutely not.
there was SO much talk about physical attraction. in every one of yasmen’s chapters, i think she mentioned, at least once, something about josiah’s body. do you know HOW many times this woman fantasized about sleeping with him?? i lost count. this is what she reminded me of:
i love that there’s physical attraction there. it’s important! but it is not what relationships are founded on. the two of them felt like solid business partners and co-parents in my opinion.maybe they should have stayed that way. i wasn’t convinced of their chemistry, and i didn’t care much for them as a couple.
and this sex scene??
"...fiercely possessive, he cups my pussy. 'this is mine tonight, yas.' his voice is half growl, half groan."
my reaction:
first,
and then,
i would have left right then and there. goodbye.
i’d have preferred it if this book focused on yasmen moving on and finding her peace and happiness with someone else (or just by herself). not mark, but not josiah either. sometimes relationships end for a reason. sometimes we outgrow them. there’s nothing wrong with that. maybe this is more telling of myself, who would rather move on to something new than go back and try to rekindle something old. maybe it’s a me problem. and maybe i’m okay with that.
�
wish me luck i am a second chance romance hater ☠ï¸
i can’t believe i went into a second chance romance with high expectations. how i feel right now:
why did i think that was a good idea?? the world may never know.
i will say this though (because for some reason, despite being a hater, i am inclined to see the positive in things): kennedy ryan writes about grief beautifully � it’s visceral and haunting and absolutely heartbreaking. i always appreciate it when an author writes about loss, and i love that ryan went even further and wrote about how people don’t always grieve the same way. throughout the story, she emphasizes the importance of communicating openly and often and confronting your feelings instead of running away from them. the night in charlotte when yasmen and josiah let down their walls for a second and talked about what happened in their past? yes yes yes!! but the rest of the book? absolutely not.
there was SO much talk about physical attraction. in every one of yasmen’s chapters, i think she mentioned, at least once, something about josiah’s body. do you know HOW many times this woman fantasized about sleeping with him?? i lost count. this is what she reminded me of:
i love that there’s physical attraction there. it’s important! but it is not what relationships are founded on. the two of them felt like solid business partners and co-parents in my opinion.
and this sex scene??
"...fiercely possessive, he cups my pussy. 'this is mine tonight, yas.' his voice is half growl, half groan."
my reaction:
first,
and then,
i would have left right then and there. goodbye.
i’d have preferred it if this book focused on yasmen moving on and finding her peace and happiness with someone else (or just by herself). not mark, but not josiah either. sometimes relationships end for a reason. sometimes we outgrow them. there’s nothing wrong with that. maybe this is more telling of myself, who would rather move on to something new than go back and try to rekindle something old. maybe it’s a me problem. and maybe i’m okay with that.
�
wish me luck i am a second chance romance hater ☠ï¸
July 22, 2024
Life is lifing & I wish I could’ve finished this sooner than I did. I loved the layers of this story, it felt so real & relatable. I could picture all aspects of this story playing out in a show or a movie. The complicated feelings that come with love, divorce, death & grief reminded me of my own life experiences. Kennedy did a fantastic job writing this - I loved the character development (frustrating at times but that’s also true to our real lives). I will be adding her other books to my TBR list.
May 10, 2024
4.75 stars
Beautiful. Powerful. Heartbreaking. Incredible.
Before I let go is one of those books for me that I will never forget in my life. I have never read such a well written book which not only is devastating and heartbreaking. The journey of two broken people—Josiah and Yasmen and how they moved on from their grief, depression and the loss of their loved ones. This is my first Kennedy Ryan book and I must say I am a fan of her words and the way she wrecked my heart with those words.
The writing is stellar and Kennedy wrote this masterpiece book � a poignant and compelling story about two heartbroken characters who are struggling with grief, hurt and trauma after losing their loved ones. Once a happily married couple for life are now two heart-broken people still trying to recover from their past. The romance was just so beautiful and precious but it is also super angsty and heartbreaking. The way Kennedy wrote about grief, depression and healing was so raw and realistic. I loved how she equally focused on both character's growth, mental health and healing and how therapy was one of the main topics in this story and how that helped in reforming the characters and their new phase of life after loss. This book taught me a lot and that how people struggles differently with their grief and sadness after loss. The therapy lessons taught me a lot and Kennedy did an exceptional job in including them in the storyline to give more insight to Yasmen and Josiah's healing.
This is not just a romance story it's about Yasmen and how she struggled with depression and the fear of losing herself for forever to grief and agony. It's about friendships and women empowerment, about Yas rising again and trying to find her new self while also forgiving herself. It's about her finding love again with Josiah. It's about Yas taking charge of her own destiny. It's about her trying to restore her family and her tattered relationship with her kids, it's about Josiah finally coming to terms with his own complicated grief and to finally give himself time to feel all the hurt, sadness and pain he never allowed himself to feel. It's about healing after loss.
� Yasmen Wade
This woman inspires me a lot and in so many ways. An amazing and affectionate mother, a loving and loyal friend, a compassionate partner but mostly the most extraordinary and exceptional woman. She's strong-willed, protective, defiant but also caring and lovely. It took her a lot of time and efforts to come out of her depression and I am so proud of her for accepting that she needed help and she took therapy and help to overcome her trauma and depression. Her personality is complicated. She is still trying to come terms with her reality and her post-depression self while also trying to save her relationship with her daughter and her ex-husband. Her self-doubts about her parenting and being a good human were so real and raw and heartbreaking at so many times and it took her time to reconcile with her past-self who had lost a part of herself while also discovering her new version of herself and realising that even if she is not capable of completing healing that wound of losing her son, she can take a next step forward in her life and not feel like she does not deserve this life. She can try to heal while also not forget about what and whom she lost in the past. I'm so so so proud of her.
� Josiah Wade
He may be all hard edges and level-minded, sceptical but inside he's just a protective, lovely and loyal husband and a father to his kids. His story made me understand that it's never too late to ask for help. He did infuriated me sometimes but I also understand why he developed trust issues after how Yas left him. He lost everything he ever loved in the blink of an eye. He always acted like his life is not falling apart and his need to isolate himself and drown and his feelings with work was mostly because he was afraid of breaking down like Yasmen did. He never truly knew what it meant to let yourself feel the pain of losing someone. He never let himself fully grieve the loss of his loved ones ever in his life because all his life he's been living in this cocoon he built around himself to keep him safe from all the potential hurt until he was forced to break down all his exterior walls to let himself feel something for real and tangible in his life. He's just amazing and I loved how he overcome his “I don't need a therapist because I am okay� attitude.
╰┈� Yasmen & Josiah
They were perfect until they weren't. Josiah and Yas never dealt with their grief and pain in the same way and definitely not in a healthy way. Yas felt every emotion to her core and couldn't move on while Josiah never let himself felt any and was moving on. It took them therapy sessions, and two years of being alone together to finally come to terms with each other's grief, to finally talk about how, why and what they felt during their hard times. Their relationship was painful but also so beautiful at times and I don't remember how many times I cried because there were so many heartbreaking and angsty moments. The way they relearned each other again for the second time, the way they communicated about their pain and depression. That scene where Josiah retraced every hidden and visible scar on Yas's body to tell why he loves her 🥺â¤ï¸â€ðŸ©� It was everything. It took them some jealousy and angsty moments to finally realise again they can never not be together and that they still love each other. It was amazing to see them both healing and moving on together to their new beautiful chapter of life.
Josiah and Yas are the most amazing parents I have ever read about in a book. Even after being divorced for almost two years, they had a healthy co-parenting relationship. How they treated their kids with so much care and protectiveness and also set up an example for their kids to ask for help whenever they needed it. It was great to see how they focused on both mental and physical health of their kids. They both are just perfect partners and perfect parents.
Ending? The was a small third-act breakup? conflict? in the end with how Josiah didn't fully trusted Yas with his heart and his feelings and I didn't liked how he behaved with her but that was also kinda understandable. Yas took away everything from Josiah in their most miserable part of lives and I liked how Josiah trusts his therapy sessions and talked about his trust issues with his therapist so he could give Yas a second chance at their love and life after loss. Josiah and Yasmen deserves all the love and happiness in this world. The epilogue was the sweetest and wholesome chapter and everything I needed!
—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä�
Pre-review: Finished this book at 3 in the morning with tears streaming down my face ðŸ˜â¤ï¸â€ðŸ©� Rtc!!
—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä�
Pre-read review: I know this book will break my heart but who cares? Definitely not me 😃
“I laughed. Then she laughed and I wondered if this—finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.�
Beautiful. Powerful. Heartbreaking. Incredible.
Before I let go is one of those books for me that I will never forget in my life. I have never read such a well written book which not only is devastating and heartbreaking. The journey of two broken people—Josiah and Yasmen and how they moved on from their grief, depression and the loss of their loved ones. This is my first Kennedy Ryan book and I must say I am a fan of her words and the way she wrecked my heart with those words.
The writing is stellar and Kennedy wrote this masterpiece book � a poignant and compelling story about two heartbroken characters who are struggling with grief, hurt and trauma after losing their loved ones. Once a happily married couple for life are now two heart-broken people still trying to recover from their past. The romance was just so beautiful and precious but it is also super angsty and heartbreaking. The way Kennedy wrote about grief, depression and healing was so raw and realistic. I loved how she equally focused on both character's growth, mental health and healing and how therapy was one of the main topics in this story and how that helped in reforming the characters and their new phase of life after loss. This book taught me a lot and that how people struggles differently with their grief and sadness after loss. The therapy lessons taught me a lot and Kennedy did an exceptional job in including them in the storyline to give more insight to Yasmen and Josiah's healing.
“Love happens in the fragile context of our mortality. That love and life occur just beyond the reach of our control. There is only one letter of difference between love and lose, and somewhere along the way, for me they became synonymous.�
This is not just a romance story it's about Yasmen and how she struggled with depression and the fear of losing herself for forever to grief and agony. It's about friendships and women empowerment, about Yas rising again and trying to find her new self while also forgiving herself. It's about her finding love again with Josiah. It's about Yas taking charge of her own destiny. It's about her trying to restore her family and her tattered relationship with her kids, it's about Josiah finally coming to terms with his own complicated grief and to finally give himself time to feel all the hurt, sadness and pain he never allowed himself to feel. It's about healing after loss.
“If any of you are in that place tonight, I encourage you not to give up. To give yourself time to heal, to grow, to find joy again. What a difference a year can make, and in just a few minutes, we get a brand-new one. As long as you have a new year, you have another chance.�
� Yasmen Wade
This woman inspires me a lot and in so many ways. An amazing and affectionate mother, a loving and loyal friend, a compassionate partner but mostly the most extraordinary and exceptional woman. She's strong-willed, protective, defiant but also caring and lovely. It took her a lot of time and efforts to come out of her depression and I am so proud of her for accepting that she needed help and she took therapy and help to overcome her trauma and depression. Her personality is complicated. She is still trying to come terms with her reality and her post-depression self while also trying to save her relationship with her daughter and her ex-husband. Her self-doubts about her parenting and being a good human were so real and raw and heartbreaking at so many times and it took her time to reconcile with her past-self who had lost a part of herself while also discovering her new version of herself and realising that even if she is not capable of completing healing that wound of losing her son, she can take a next step forward in her life and not feel like she does not deserve this life. She can try to heal while also not forget about what and whom she lost in the past. I'm so so so proud of her.
“Even in that new loneliness, there was a kind of relief to have only one thing to save. Not my marriage, but just myself.�
� Josiah Wade
He may be all hard edges and level-minded, sceptical but inside he's just a protective, lovely and loyal husband and a father to his kids. His story made me understand that it's never too late to ask for help. He did infuriated me sometimes but I also understand why he developed trust issues after how Yas left him. He lost everything he ever loved in the blink of an eye. He always acted like his life is not falling apart and his need to isolate himself and drown and his feelings with work was mostly because he was afraid of breaking down like Yasmen did. He never truly knew what it meant to let yourself feel the pain of losing someone. He never let himself fully grieve the loss of his loved ones ever in his life because all his life he's been living in this cocoon he built around himself to keep him safe from all the potential hurt until he was forced to break down all his exterior walls to let himself feel something for real and tangible in his life. He's just amazing and I loved how he overcome his “I don't need a therapist because I am okay� attitude.
“I was no walk in the park, Merry.�
“Who wants to walk in the park? I think that man would run wild with you.�
╰┈� Yasmen & Josiah
They were perfect until they weren't. Josiah and Yas never dealt with their grief and pain in the same way and definitely not in a healthy way. Yas felt every emotion to her core and couldn't move on while Josiah never let himself felt any and was moving on. It took them therapy sessions, and two years of being alone together to finally come to terms with each other's grief, to finally talk about how, why and what they felt during their hard times. Their relationship was painful but also so beautiful at times and I don't remember how many times I cried because there were so many heartbreaking and angsty moments. The way they relearned each other again for the second time, the way they communicated about their pain and depression. That scene where Josiah retraced every hidden and visible scar on Yas's body to tell why he loves her 🥺â¤ï¸â€ðŸ©� It was everything. It took them some jealousy and angsty moments to finally realise again they can never not be together and that they still love each other. It was amazing to see them both healing and moving on together to their new beautiful chapter of life.
“He has always loved kissing for the sake of kissing. My heart constricts. This is how he won me all those years ago, and this is what still holds me.�
Josiah and Yas are the most amazing parents I have ever read about in a book. Even after being divorced for almost two years, they had a healthy co-parenting relationship. How they treated their kids with so much care and protectiveness and also set up an example for their kids to ask for help whenever they needed it. It was great to see how they focused on both mental and physical health of their kids. They both are just perfect partners and perfect parents.
“I know you need to be strong for the people you love.� I angle my head so I can catch and hold his eyes with mine. “But I want to stand with you when it rains, when the wind comes. When it’s hard and the odds are stacked against us. We didn’t always do that before, but I believe if and when trials come, we will stand together.�
Ending? The was a small third-act breakup? conflict? in the end with how Josiah didn't fully trusted Yas with his heart and his feelings and I didn't liked how he behaved with her but that was also kinda understandable. Yas took away everything from Josiah in their most miserable part of lives and I liked how Josiah trusts his therapy sessions and talked about his trust issues with his therapist so he could give Yas a second chance at their love and life after loss. Josiah and Yasmen deserves all the love and happiness in this world. The epilogue was the sweetest and wholesome chapter and everything I needed!
I trace the letters before flipping it to read the one word.
“W³ó±ð±ð±ô.â€�
“There’s no beginning and no end.� He takes the ring and holds it up between us. “It’s our own eternity.�
—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä�
Pre-review: Finished this book at 3 in the morning with tears streaming down my face ðŸ˜â¤ï¸â€ðŸ©� Rtc!!
—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä�
Pre-read review: I know this book will break my heart but who cares? Definitely not me 😃
December 6, 2022
‘Before I Let Go� is a contemporary romance following a divorced couple in Atlanta, who own a restaurant and are raising two kids together. The story unpacks the reasons for their divorce and if they can overcome their trauma and come back to each other.
2.5âï¸
I had to SEARCH the corners of the internet (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ) for a single review that was not five stars. It appears I am one of the few on earth who was not moved by this story.
I did not hate it. There are comparisons to Seven Days in June which early on I did see but SDIJ is a better book. However, if you are a Colleen Hoover fan, you will probably love this book. Unfortunately, I am not.
I did appreciate the inclusion of depression, the value of therapy, and grief � especially in connection to motherhood.
I could not connect to either character or really care for their marriage. Chapter 1 they get engaged and in Chapter 2 they are divorced. We saw nothing of them actually in a healthy marriage but we are supposed to root for them but I could never get there.
This book was also 100 pages too long. I found myself skipping sections because it had a lot of filler scenes that weren’t pivotal to the plot. If anything, we could’ve used that time to learn more about why they were such a great couple. We have to take their word for it bc WE NEVER SAW IT!
The son was probably the best character. The daughter was a BRAT. Yasmen was annoying and Josiah didn’t do much for me either. We were supposed to be obsessed with him but there were no actions to back it up. I knew their short-term relationships wouldn’t last so it was honestly a waste of time even including them. Mark and the chef didn’t stand a chance.
Now, I would be remised if I didn’t talk about how this is supposed to be a Black love story. To keep it short, it honestly didn’t feel like it. If you changed the names and the setting to a different city, it could be for any random couple which I think is my real problem.
I really wanted a romance story I could feel invested in and connected to, but this was not it for me. Sorry to everyone who loved it ðŸ˜
2.5âï¸
I had to SEARCH the corners of the internet (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ) for a single review that was not five stars. It appears I am one of the few on earth who was not moved by this story.
I did not hate it. There are comparisons to Seven Days in June which early on I did see but SDIJ is a better book. However, if you are a Colleen Hoover fan, you will probably love this book. Unfortunately, I am not.
I did appreciate the inclusion of depression, the value of therapy, and grief � especially in connection to motherhood.
I could not connect to either character or really care for their marriage. Chapter 1 they get engaged and in Chapter 2 they are divorced. We saw nothing of them actually in a healthy marriage but we are supposed to root for them but I could never get there.
This book was also 100 pages too long. I found myself skipping sections because it had a lot of filler scenes that weren’t pivotal to the plot. If anything, we could’ve used that time to learn more about why they were such a great couple. We have to take their word for it bc WE NEVER SAW IT!
The son was probably the best character. The daughter was a BRAT. Yasmen was annoying and Josiah didn’t do much for me either. We were supposed to be obsessed with him but there were no actions to back it up. I knew their short-term relationships wouldn’t last so it was honestly a waste of time even including them. Mark and the chef didn’t stand a chance.
Now, I would be remised if I didn’t talk about how this is supposed to be a Black love story. To keep it short, it honestly didn’t feel like it. If you changed the names and the setting to a different city, it could be for any random couple which I think is my real problem.
I really wanted a romance story I could feel invested in and connected to, but this was not it for me. Sorry to everyone who loved it ðŸ˜
March 7, 2025
4.5 stars
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan� How do you even begin to encapsulate a story that completely unravels you? This book didn’t just shake me, it shattered me in the most exquisite, devastating way. Long after I turned the final page, my heart was still in pieces. And I can’t help but think that no matter how many words I try to string together, nothing will ever truly express the depth of the impact this story has had on me. Kennedy Ryan doesn’t just write stories; she crafts experiences, ones that embed themselves so deeply into your soul, you’re never the same afterward. This isn’t a book you read—it’s a book that lives with you.
Before I Let Go tells the story of Yasmen and Josiah Wade, a couple whose love was once unshakable but is tested by life’s hardships. After their marriage falls apart, Yasmen is starting to find joy again, co-parenting their two children and running a thriving business with Josiah. Despite their separation, the undeniable chemistry between them pulls them back toward each other. As they explore whether they can rebuild what they once had, they are forced to confront old wounds and navigate the delicate balance between love, loss, and the possibility of second chances. This deeply emotional novel asks whether it’s too late for Yasmen and Josiah to rediscover their forever—or if their love is even better the second time around.
Yasmen broke me, time and time again. I ached for her in ways I didn’t think I could. If I could somehow reach into this book and give her the biggest hug, I would. I would tell her that it would all be okay, but deep down, I knew her journey was never going to be that simple. This book is her story of survival, of rebuilding her shattered life after dealing with a devastating loss. It’s a story of motherhood in its rawest form—of loving when it feels impossible, of fighting when you’re broken beyond recognition. Yasmen’s pain was so vivid, so suffocating at times, it was so unfair that she had to carry the unbearable weight of her grief alone. Watching her fight to reclaim even the smallest piece of herself, day after excruciating day, made me realise just how much strength it takes to not only survive in the face of tragedy—but to live again, even when every instinct tells you to give up.
Her journey wasn’t linear. It was messy, complicated, and often cruel. There were times when I could feel her self-doubt consume her, moments when I feared her pain would swallow her whole. But even in those darkest moments, there was an ember of resilience in Yasmen, flickering softly, refusing to be extinguished. And when she finally found the strength to love herself again, when she began to accept that her healing wouldn’t erase the loss but would instead help her learn to live alongside it, I was gutted. Yasmen’s courage wasn’t loud or brash. It was quiet, but so profoundly powerful. Her character taught me that healing is not about erasing the past—it’s about learning to walk forward with it. It was painful, and it broke me, but it also helped me understand the kind of bravery it takes to be whole again after being shattered.
Josiah � at the start, I wanted to shake him. I wanted to scream at him for being so closed off, for building walls so high that he couldn’t see the agony his ex-wife was in. His emotional distance, his silence—it enraged me. But as the story unfolded, as we peeled back the layers of his grief, I began to understand him. Josiah, like Yasmen, was broken in his own way. But instead of reaching out, instead of leaning on her, he locked everything inside. Watching him finally unravel the lies he’d told himself, watching him slowly reach out, was nothing short of redemptive. He learned to show up for Yasmen, to support her in the ways she’d always needed but never received. And that love, patient, tender was everything. Watching their love story rebuild itself piece by piece was nothing short of beautiful.
The therapy sessions were so eye-opening. Kennedy Ryan doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable, and watching Yasmen and Josiah confront their deepest wounds was an incredibly cathartic experience. They weren’t just plot devices; those moments were the raw heart of the story. In the space of their therapy, I found myself learning just as much about emotional vulnerability, the healing power of communication, and how love isn’t just about you—it’s about the person you love, too.
Nothing in this book was smooth-sailing. Deja, Yasmen and Josiah’s kid. The anger I felt toward her was overwhelming at times. I know she was just a 13-year-old girl struggling in her own right, but the way she treated Yasmen, the way she threw her mother’s pain back at her� it gutted me. Yasmen was at her breaking point, and Deja just piled on. Every word felt like a dagger to Yasmen’s heart. I wanted so desperately for Deja to see her mother, the woman who loved her more than life itself, and understand the weight of what Yasmen was carrying. Watching their strained relationship was agonising, and I’ll be honest—I hated Deja. I know she found redemption, but that hurt still lingered.
Kassim, though, was a beautiful, pure light. His love, his innocence—he was everything pure and good, the balm my heart needed to heal in the middle of all this chaos. Every time he was on the page, I felt the warmth of hope that was desperately needed in this story.
This book is everything. It’s painful. It’s gut-wrenching. It’s the kind of book that leaves you feeling like you’ve lived through something alongside the characters, like you’ve felt every inch of their grief, their love, their redemption. It’s messy and it’s beautiful. This is one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read, and I’m still sobbing from this book as I write this review. And it is worth every tear. If you are willing to dive deep into the darkest, rawest corners of the human experience and embrace the long, winding road to healing, then this book is a book you absolutely must read. Please check the trigger warnings before you dive in. While it may have broken me in ways I wasn’t expecting, it’s a story I wouldn’t trade for anything.
“And I think I’m most grateful for time, which doesn’t always heal all wounds, but teaches us how to be happy again even with our scars.�
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan� How do you even begin to encapsulate a story that completely unravels you? This book didn’t just shake me, it shattered me in the most exquisite, devastating way. Long after I turned the final page, my heart was still in pieces. And I can’t help but think that no matter how many words I try to string together, nothing will ever truly express the depth of the impact this story has had on me. Kennedy Ryan doesn’t just write stories; she crafts experiences, ones that embed themselves so deeply into your soul, you’re never the same afterward. This isn’t a book you read—it’s a book that lives with you.
Before I Let Go tells the story of Yasmen and Josiah Wade, a couple whose love was once unshakable but is tested by life’s hardships. After their marriage falls apart, Yasmen is starting to find joy again, co-parenting their two children and running a thriving business with Josiah. Despite their separation, the undeniable chemistry between them pulls them back toward each other. As they explore whether they can rebuild what they once had, they are forced to confront old wounds and navigate the delicate balance between love, loss, and the possibility of second chances. This deeply emotional novel asks whether it’s too late for Yasmen and Josiah to rediscover their forever—or if their love is even better the second time around.
"Grief is a grind. It is the work of breathing and waking and rising and moving through a world that feels emptier. A gaping hole has been torn into your existence, and everyone around you just walks right past it like it’s not even there. But all you can do is stand and stare.�
Yasmen broke me, time and time again. I ached for her in ways I didn’t think I could. If I could somehow reach into this book and give her the biggest hug, I would. I would tell her that it would all be okay, but deep down, I knew her journey was never going to be that simple. This book is her story of survival, of rebuilding her shattered life after dealing with a devastating loss. It’s a story of motherhood in its rawest form—of loving when it feels impossible, of fighting when you’re broken beyond recognition. Yasmen’s pain was so vivid, so suffocating at times, it was so unfair that she had to carry the unbearable weight of her grief alone. Watching her fight to reclaim even the smallest piece of herself, day after excruciating day, made me realise just how much strength it takes to not only survive in the face of tragedy—but to live again, even when every instinct tells you to give up.
Her journey wasn’t linear. It was messy, complicated, and often cruel. There were times when I could feel her self-doubt consume her, moments when I feared her pain would swallow her whole. But even in those darkest moments, there was an ember of resilience in Yasmen, flickering softly, refusing to be extinguished. And when she finally found the strength to love herself again, when she began to accept that her healing wouldn’t erase the loss but would instead help her learn to live alongside it, I was gutted. Yasmen’s courage wasn’t loud or brash. It was quiet, but so profoundly powerful. Her character taught me that healing is not about erasing the past—it’s about learning to walk forward with it. It was painful, and it broke me, but it also helped me understand the kind of bravery it takes to be whole again after being shattered.
“Our traumas, the things that injure us in this life, even over time, are not always behind us. Sometimes they linger in the smell of a newborn baby. They surprise us in the taste of a home-cooked meal. They wait in the room at the end of the hall. They are with us. They are present. And there are some days when memories feel more real than those who remain, than the joys of this world.�
Josiah � at the start, I wanted to shake him. I wanted to scream at him for being so closed off, for building walls so high that he couldn’t see the agony his ex-wife was in. His emotional distance, his silence—it enraged me. But as the story unfolded, as we peeled back the layers of his grief, I began to understand him. Josiah, like Yasmen, was broken in his own way. But instead of reaching out, instead of leaning on her, he locked everything inside. Watching him finally unravel the lies he’d told himself, watching him slowly reach out, was nothing short of redemptive. He learned to show up for Yasmen, to support her in the ways she’d always needed but never received. And that love, patient, tender was everything. Watching their love story rebuild itself piece by piece was nothing short of beautiful.
“You can’t change what has already happened. What you did or decided. So you have two choices. Wallow in it, stay in the chokehold of guilt and shame that holds you back from the next phase of your lifeâ€â€”she taps the pad with the pen—“or decide you’ve punished yourself long enough for things you can never change and set a date when you’ll forgive yourself and move forward.â€�
The therapy sessions were so eye-opening. Kennedy Ryan doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable, and watching Yasmen and Josiah confront their deepest wounds was an incredibly cathartic experience. They weren’t just plot devices; those moments were the raw heart of the story. In the space of their therapy, I found myself learning just as much about emotional vulnerability, the healing power of communication, and how love isn’t just about you—it’s about the person you love, too.
Nothing in this book was smooth-sailing. Deja, Yasmen and Josiah’s kid. The anger I felt toward her was overwhelming at times. I know she was just a 13-year-old girl struggling in her own right, but the way she treated Yasmen, the way she threw her mother’s pain back at her� it gutted me. Yasmen was at her breaking point, and Deja just piled on. Every word felt like a dagger to Yasmen’s heart. I wanted so desperately for Deja to see her mother, the woman who loved her more than life itself, and understand the weight of what Yasmen was carrying. Watching their strained relationship was agonising, and I’ll be honest—I hated Deja. I know she found redemption, but that hurt still lingered.
Kassim, though, was a beautiful, pure light. His love, his innocence—he was everything pure and good, the balm my heart needed to heal in the middle of all this chaos. Every time he was on the page, I felt the warmth of hope that was desperately needed in this story.
This book is everything. It’s painful. It’s gut-wrenching. It’s the kind of book that leaves you feeling like you’ve lived through something alongside the characters, like you’ve felt every inch of their grief, their love, their redemption. It’s messy and it’s beautiful. This is one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read, and I’m still sobbing from this book as I write this review. And it is worth every tear. If you are willing to dive deep into the darkest, rawest corners of the human experience and embrace the long, winding road to healing, then this book is a book you absolutely must read. Please check the trigger warnings before you dive in. While it may have broken me in ways I wasn’t expecting, it’s a story I wouldn’t trade for anything.
March 25, 2025
5 stars
Before I Let Go is a stunning second chance romance about a previously married couple finding love again. It’s an epic love story that shows how grief and loss can change a person, but also how time, patience, and love can heal them.
Josiah and Yasmen were in love and then something happened. It’s not that they fell out of love, it’s that life wrecks their relationship. They have two children and a business together, so they’re always going to be in each others lives but they have been divorced for a few years and they’re trying to find their new normals now that some healing has happened. What they find is that just maybe they’re not as over one another as they thought.
I loved both of these characters so much. They went through something that rocked them and they crumbled. I think we would all like to assume that if we went through that we would be strong and stay with our partners but I think until you’ve been through something like that you just don’t know.
Finding each other and finding their way back to happy was such a beautiful thing. At times I was frustrated with both Yasmen and Josiah but I loved how much they truly cared about one another and respected each other. I rooted so hard for them to find a way back together. I loved the part therapy played into their story and of course I loved their children and seeing them both as parents. They always tried to stay on the same team even when they weren't together.
This is a story that hit me all up in my feels. Kennedy Ryan has the sort of writing that really speaks to you. It’s beautiful and brilliant and I was moved by this story. It was extremely emotional at times, but it also had some light hearted moments and times that made me laugh. Yasmen and Josiah’s story will break your heart, but by the end it will be mended. This book was excellent and I highly recommend it!
Before I Let Go is a stunning second chance romance about a previously married couple finding love again. It’s an epic love story that shows how grief and loss can change a person, but also how time, patience, and love can heal them.
Josiah and Yasmen were in love and then something happened. It’s not that they fell out of love, it’s that life wrecks their relationship. They have two children and a business together, so they’re always going to be in each others lives but they have been divorced for a few years and they’re trying to find their new normals now that some healing has happened. What they find is that just maybe they’re not as over one another as they thought.
“You have to decide if being afraid of losing Yasmen again is worth never having her again.�
I loved both of these characters so much. They went through something that rocked them and they crumbled. I think we would all like to assume that if we went through that we would be strong and stay with our partners but I think until you’ve been through something like that you just don’t know.
Finding each other and finding their way back to happy was such a beautiful thing. At times I was frustrated with both Yasmen and Josiah but I loved how much they truly cared about one another and respected each other. I rooted so hard for them to find a way back together. I loved the part therapy played into their story and of course I loved their children and seeing them both as parents. They always tried to stay on the same team even when they weren't together.
This is a story that hit me all up in my feels. Kennedy Ryan has the sort of writing that really speaks to you. It’s beautiful and brilliant and I was moved by this story. It was extremely emotional at times, but it also had some light hearted moments and times that made me laugh. Yasmen and Josiah’s story will break your heart, but by the end it will be mended. This book was excellent and I highly recommend it!
November 26, 2022
I'm still thinking about this book. So, so good! Josiah is somehow an alpha-cinnamon roll hero. I don't know how Kennedy pulls this off, but she does. He's strong and sexy but also emotionally intelligent and totally devoted to his family. The conflict was perfect, excellent mental health rep, exquisite angst. This was my introduction to Kennedy and I'm totally hooked!
December 6, 2022
Wow!! I love a second chance romance but this one is my first one where the characters are divorced with kids. I loved this one very much as most of my expectations were exceeded.
The main thing I was looking for is chemistry and growth. This was done extremely well because I saw a lot of growth from Josiah, Yasmen, and their kids. They took active steps to find out where the problems stemmed from and work more on their communication. Regarding chemistry, my goodness! You know a story is about to be good when the tension between two people who are obviously still in love can be felt at high levels. I like that this didn’t feel rushed at all, as it gave me slow-burn vibes. I also like that I wasn't necessarily on anyone’s side since they both messed up.
Their relationship with their kids was also quite substantial and the Ryan does a great job of showing how important it was in the mending of Josiah and Yasmen's relationship. Their daughter caught my anger way too many times, but her character did illustrate what is probably common to see in kids when their parents divorce. Still, she did almost catch these hands.
Mental health was also huge in this one. We don’t often talk about how hard it can be to take steps to open up such as going to therapy. I was so proud of the characters who took this step and thankful to Ryan for bringing awareness to this.
Highly recommend it!
The main thing I was looking for is chemistry and growth. This was done extremely well because I saw a lot of growth from Josiah, Yasmen, and their kids. They took active steps to find out where the problems stemmed from and work more on their communication. Regarding chemistry, my goodness! You know a story is about to be good when the tension between two people who are obviously still in love can be felt at high levels. I like that this didn’t feel rushed at all, as it gave me slow-burn vibes. I also like that I wasn't necessarily on anyone’s side since they both messed up.
Their relationship with their kids was also quite substantial and the Ryan does a great job of showing how important it was in the mending of Josiah and Yasmen's relationship. Their daughter caught my anger way too many times, but her character did illustrate what is probably common to see in kids when their parents divorce. Still, she did almost catch these hands.
Mental health was also huge in this one. We don’t often talk about how hard it can be to take steps to open up such as going to therapy. I was so proud of the characters who took this step and thankful to Ryan for bringing awareness to this.
Highly recommend it!
November 29, 2023
"There is only one letter of difference between love and lose, and somewhere along the way, for me they became synonymous."
🔸Before I Let Go is a beautiful story of second chances and rediscovering love that never truly fades away. It's wonderful that the book also addresses important topics like anxiety and depression, which affect so many people daily. The way Kennedy explores the impact of divorce on children, especially older ones, is so insightful.
🔸This book is beyond amazing. It's filled with so much sadness, beauty, love, and more. It's truly indescribable. really refreshing when a book starts with a character who is already happy with themselves and embraces who they are. Yasmen's journey and the inclusion of therapy in the story added an interesting dynamic. It’s amazing to see how therapy can positively impact a character's growth and development. It was a powerful and meaningful aspect of the book that I enjoyed.
🔸It’s tough when a relationship reaches a point where separation or divorce becomes necessary. It's understandable that you may have wished Yasmen and Josiah could have found a way to work through their challenges without having to go through a divorce. Communication is so important in any relationship, and it's unfortunate when it breaks down to the point where separation feels like the only option. It's a complex situation, and everyone's journey is different.
🔸Yasmen went through an incredibly tough time. Sometimes, letting go of someone we love can be incredibly challenging, but in some cases, it's necessary for our own well being. It's heartbreaking to hear that Yasmen felt so overwhelmed by grief and depression, but it's truly inspiring that she was able to overcome it. Overcoming such deep darkness takes immense strength and resilience. It's a testament to the human spirit and the power of healing. Yasmen's journey is a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is hope for brighter days ahead.
🔸It's awesome that Yasmen told Josiah she never stopped loving If I'm being real, I know for sure I wouldn't have the guts to do that, but she needed to learn to love herself too. I've heard so many people say that, and I didn't quite understand it until recently. It's all about realizing your own worth and taking care of yourself before fully giving your love to someone else. It's like building a strong foundation within yourself. I'm glad Yasmen's journey in the book helped me understand the meaning behind those words.
🔸Josiah has completely won me over. He was such a great father and showed love, sweetness, and support. Taking accountability is such an important quality in a partner. It's tough when one person in a relationship is emotionally resistant and doesn't fully express their emotions. That can leave the other person feeling unsupported and alone, just like Yasmen experienced. It's great that he eventually realized the value of therapy and how it could help him and his family. The scene where he finally let his tears go with his therapist was powerful and beautiful to witness. It's moments like those that show growth and vulnerability. And Josiah, being a provider, felt the need to compartmentalize his own pain and losses for the sake of his family. It's complicated, isn't it? It's interesting to think about whether things could have been different if he had addressed his own struggles earlier.
🔸Society has indeed ingrained this idea that men must be strong and suppress their emotions. But this expectation can be harmful. It creates a situation where men suffer silently, which can have serious consequences for their mental well-being. It's important for everyone, regardless of gender, to feel comfortable expressing their emotions and seeking support when needed.
🔸It's heartwarming to see Deja and her mother reconcile in the end, and Yasmen taking accountability and having an open conversation with her daughter is truly admirable. And let's not forget about Seem, the son who seems like an absolute dream!
🔸The friend group in the book was awesome, and I loved getting glimpses into their lives. I can't wait for the next book in the series to dive deeper into Soledad and Hendrix's story and witness their journey towards finding their own happily ever after!
Having Sabrina🧡 to talk about this with was the absolute best! We went from getting angry at certain scenes to feeling sad, and then ultimately ending up happy.
please do check the tw on the book before reading if you have any.
🪶Fav quotes:
“My therapist says sometimes the people who are always keeping things together are the least prepared when they actually fall apart.�
“And I think I’m most grateful for time, which doesn’t always heal all wounds, but teaches us how to be happy again even with our scars.�
“People don’t become perfect when they become parents,� I tell her. “If anything, parenthood gives us more chances to screw things up, just with higher stakes.�
“Finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.�
“Grief is a grind. It is the work of breathing and waking and rising and moving through a world that feels emptier. A gaping hole has been torn into your existence, and everyone around you just walks right past it like it’s not even there.�
“They lie when they say it gets better. I think maybe I’m just getting stronger, so I feel it a little less.�
┶Ä┶Ä┶Ä┶Ä┶Ä┶Ä┶Ä┶Ä
To the strong girls,
To the hustlers,
To the superwomen,
Tend your hearts with ruthless care�
and rest.
I love this dedication.
July 19, 2023
Kennedy Ryan is the one person I trust to write a story that will run over my heart with a Mack truck, only to piece it back together by the end in a more cohesive manner than it was to begin with. *quiet sob* Yas and Jo’s second chance was angsty and compulsive, but please note that this book reads more like contemporary fiction with graphic sexual content than a traditional romance. I’m a big fan of the recipe’s being added at the end of the book, and look forward to trying my hand at making at least one. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a book that will have you rooting for the couple and investing yourself in every page to ensure they get their happy ending.
TW: trauma, loss of a child/still birth, divorce, depression, grief, mental health, therapy, and suicidal ideation are all discussed.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
TW: trauma, loss of a child/still birth, divorce, depression, grief, mental health, therapy, and suicidal ideation are all discussed.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
November 27, 2023
I just knew this is going to be perfect â¤ï¸â€ðŸ©¹â¤ï¸â€ðŸ©�
Kennedy Ryan's writing gives me the same feeling as snapping a rubber band on my wrist, it hurts so good ðŸ˜
Kennedy Ryan's writing gives me the same feeling as snapping a rubber band on my wrist, it hurts so good ðŸ˜
April 28, 2025
I LOVED THIS BOOK! My first Kennedy Ryan, and I just loved her style. The audiobook made this one 10x better imo, but overall, LOVED IT ðŸ’
February 25, 2025
**SOME SPOILERS**
I was afraid of this. Before I Let Go has gotten nothing but glowing reviews so, I’m a little bummed that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as everyone else did. But, this doesn’t surprise me. If I’m keepin� it a buck, I didn’t think I’d like it. I’m not a fan of black authors who write interracial romance. I just don’t think they can give us the black experience black readers expect and I definitely did NOT get that with this book. But, I can appreciate the heartbreak Yasmen and Josiah went through. To lose a parental figure and your baby back to back then, to turn around and lose the love of your life is beyond devastating. But, the love is still there and these two manage to find their way back to one another. The author’s exploration of mental health was done very well. I thought she did a phenomenal job of showing us all sides of divorce, grief, depression, and trauma. However, if I’m being honest, I didn’t like these characters. I thought Yasmen was selfish as hell. She acted like she was the only one who lost Aunt Byrd and Henry, and she was the only one who was allowed to grieve. Josiah was soft and had absolutely no BDE. This is foreign to me. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the black male lead didn’t exude BDE. Ladies, y’all know how we are about these male characters. They show up, snatch our souls, and we’re ready to pull up and fight each other if somebody claims our man. Yeeeeeeah, I didn’t get that from Josiah. There was no confidence, charisma, or swagger about him. There was nothing forceful about his character so, needless to say, I’m not pullin� up on nobody behind Josiah. Y’all can have him. I thought there would be way more drama with Vashti and Mark. I just knew they were going to start all kinds of shyt to keep Yasmen and Josiah apart but, their characters were kind of lackluster. Honestly, she could’ve omitted them from the storyline all together. Hell, if you blinked, you missed Mark. And, we won’t even discuss the lack of character description for Yasmen, Josiah, and Deja but, how detailed the descriptions were for Soledad, Lupe, and Mark. That’s a discussion for another day. To say I was disappointed in this book would be an understatement. I had so many issues with it. First and foremost, it’s NOT a black romance. They slapped a black woman on the cover, gave the characters “urban� like names, and horribly disguised it as black romance. The lack of blackness was problematic as well. Kennedy Ryan had the perfect opportunity to write a book strictly for us and she failed epically. You have a couple that lives in Georgia. One of the blackest states in the US. Yasmen and Josiah live in a city that’s Atlanta-ish so, why is it they couldn’t have a black gay couple as their neighbors?!!! Why couldn’t the restaurant they bought be black owned?!!! Why couldn’t both of Yasmen’s best friends be black?!!! Why was her love interest a blonde haired blue eyed man named Mark instead of a black man with dreads named Malik?!!! I’ll tell you why. Kennedy Ryan’s target readers are white women so, she made this book just black enough to satisfy black readers and make her white readers comfortable. Too much blackness may have started an uprising and, well, she and her publisher can't have that. Don't wanna upset the masses. Listen, if you’re not willing to give black readers the black romance we deserve without worrying about how your core white readers will feel then, stay on the interracial romance side of the fence. We’re good over here. Before I Let Go did not give what y’all said it gave. With all the hype surrounding this book, it wasn't the reading experience I was expecting. Thank God for Wesleigh and Jakobi because, had I not listened to the audiobook, I probably would’ve DNFd it. With all that being said, I think it’s safe to say I won't be reading the other books in this series.
I was afraid of this. Before I Let Go has gotten nothing but glowing reviews so, I’m a little bummed that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as everyone else did. But, this doesn’t surprise me. If I’m keepin� it a buck, I didn’t think I’d like it. I’m not a fan of black authors who write interracial romance. I just don’t think they can give us the black experience black readers expect and I definitely did NOT get that with this book. But, I can appreciate the heartbreak Yasmen and Josiah went through. To lose a parental figure and your baby back to back then, to turn around and lose the love of your life is beyond devastating. But, the love is still there and these two manage to find their way back to one another. The author’s exploration of mental health was done very well. I thought she did a phenomenal job of showing us all sides of divorce, grief, depression, and trauma. However, if I’m being honest, I didn’t like these characters. I thought Yasmen was selfish as hell. She acted like she was the only one who lost Aunt Byrd and Henry, and she was the only one who was allowed to grieve. Josiah was soft and had absolutely no BDE. This is foreign to me. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the black male lead didn’t exude BDE. Ladies, y’all know how we are about these male characters. They show up, snatch our souls, and we’re ready to pull up and fight each other if somebody claims our man. Yeeeeeeah, I didn’t get that from Josiah. There was no confidence, charisma, or swagger about him. There was nothing forceful about his character so, needless to say, I’m not pullin� up on nobody behind Josiah. Y’all can have him. I thought there would be way more drama with Vashti and Mark. I just knew they were going to start all kinds of shyt to keep Yasmen and Josiah apart but, their characters were kind of lackluster. Honestly, she could’ve omitted them from the storyline all together. Hell, if you blinked, you missed Mark. And, we won’t even discuss the lack of character description for Yasmen, Josiah, and Deja but, how detailed the descriptions were for Soledad, Lupe, and Mark. That’s a discussion for another day. To say I was disappointed in this book would be an understatement. I had so many issues with it. First and foremost, it’s NOT a black romance. They slapped a black woman on the cover, gave the characters “urban� like names, and horribly disguised it as black romance. The lack of blackness was problematic as well. Kennedy Ryan had the perfect opportunity to write a book strictly for us and she failed epically. You have a couple that lives in Georgia. One of the blackest states in the US. Yasmen and Josiah live in a city that’s Atlanta-ish so, why is it they couldn’t have a black gay couple as their neighbors?!!! Why couldn’t the restaurant they bought be black owned?!!! Why couldn’t both of Yasmen’s best friends be black?!!! Why was her love interest a blonde haired blue eyed man named Mark instead of a black man with dreads named Malik?!!! I’ll tell you why. Kennedy Ryan’s target readers are white women so, she made this book just black enough to satisfy black readers and make her white readers comfortable. Too much blackness may have started an uprising and, well, she and her publisher can't have that. Don't wanna upset the masses. Listen, if you’re not willing to give black readers the black romance we deserve without worrying about how your core white readers will feel then, stay on the interracial romance side of the fence. We’re good over here. Before I Let Go did not give what y’all said it gave. With all the hype surrounding this book, it wasn't the reading experience I was expecting. Thank God for Wesleigh and Jakobi because, had I not listened to the audiobook, I probably would’ve DNFd it. With all that being said, I think it’s safe to say I won't be reading the other books in this series.
February 8, 2024
“Why did you marry her?�
Because she was the best thing that ever happened to me.
Adding ‘Let’s Stay Together� by Al Green to my Spotify playlist since that song is the anthem of our couple. Courtesy of Kennedy Ryan.
I can’t tell you how full my heart feels and how scattered my brain is. There’s so much I want to say, so many thoughts that I have, conversations that I want to have with myself about some of the themes it covers because of the value they have to me.
Kennedy Ryan is just one of those writers. There’s no doubt in your mind that she can deliver a damn good story. They leave you somewhat scarred. In the best way. They scar you in the sense that the characters and their lives become embedded in you.
She’s a god when it comes to her writing and very much has carved a lane of her own.
It’s careful and precise and it hits the mark of what good storytelling is supposed to do.
I love second chance romances for the sole reason that I love seeing people finding love again with that one person they could never let go off. That whatever circumstances tore them apart in the first place was never strong enough to truly separate them for good. It’s that soulmate shit, you know? 🥰
“Not just my body, but my soul clicks with his again.�
And what tore this particular couple apart is the passing away of a child. And throughout this book, not only are they still grieving that loss, but also the loss of their marriage. And it’s felt viscerally, let me tell you.
We’re exposed to both viewpoints. We’re on this journey with them of figuring out life after it’s truly handed it to them. We’re navigating through grief and depression and uncertainty.
I love how both of their POV’s felt distinct, yet it blended their voices together beautifully. There was a sense of cohesion to it all. Belonging. Meant to be.
And as much as the romance is the centre and the focal point of the story, so is everything else about their lives.
“That’s the part of depression people don’t consider, that at times it physically hurts.�
I can write an essay on Yasmen’s depression alone. The relatability was disturbing. It spoke my language.
I’m so glad Kennedy Ryan decided to incorporate that into story alongside therapy and the major benefits it can have. The emphasis on trauma and how it shapes your life and warps your perceptions was massively appreciated.
This was just beautiful in every sense of the word. It cut deep in the way that life can cut you deep but by the end, you’re better for it.
I can’t wait to revisit this story again at some point. I adored this! Soledad’s story is next and I hope Hendrix’s story is in the works too.
CW: loss of a child through stillbirth, grief, loss of parents and loved ones, depression, suicidal ideation, panic attacks.
Because she was the best thing that ever happened to me.
Adding ‘Let’s Stay Together� by Al Green to my Spotify playlist since that song is the anthem of our couple. Courtesy of Kennedy Ryan.
I can’t tell you how full my heart feels and how scattered my brain is. There’s so much I want to say, so many thoughts that I have, conversations that I want to have with myself about some of the themes it covers because of the value they have to me.
Kennedy Ryan is just one of those writers. There’s no doubt in your mind that she can deliver a damn good story. They leave you somewhat scarred. In the best way. They scar you in the sense that the characters and their lives become embedded in you.
She’s a god when it comes to her writing and very much has carved a lane of her own.
It’s careful and precise and it hits the mark of what good storytelling is supposed to do.
I love second chance romances for the sole reason that I love seeing people finding love again with that one person they could never let go off. That whatever circumstances tore them apart in the first place was never strong enough to truly separate them for good. It’s that soulmate shit, you know? 🥰
“Not just my body, but my soul clicks with his again.�
And what tore this particular couple apart is the passing away of a child. And throughout this book, not only are they still grieving that loss, but also the loss of their marriage. And it’s felt viscerally, let me tell you.
We’re exposed to both viewpoints. We’re on this journey with them of figuring out life after it’s truly handed it to them. We’re navigating through grief and depression and uncertainty.
I love how both of their POV’s felt distinct, yet it blended their voices together beautifully. There was a sense of cohesion to it all. Belonging. Meant to be.
And as much as the romance is the centre and the focal point of the story, so is everything else about their lives.
“That’s the part of depression people don’t consider, that at times it physically hurts.�
I can write an essay on Yasmen’s depression alone. The relatability was disturbing. It spoke my language.
I’m so glad Kennedy Ryan decided to incorporate that into story alongside therapy and the major benefits it can have. The emphasis on trauma and how it shapes your life and warps your perceptions was massively appreciated.
This was just beautiful in every sense of the word. It cut deep in the way that life can cut you deep but by the end, you’re better for it.
I can’t wait to revisit this story again at some point. I adored this! Soledad’s story is next and I hope Hendrix’s story is in the works too.
CW: loss of a child through stillbirth, grief, loss of parents and loved ones, depression, suicidal ideation, panic attacks.
November 16, 2022
5 ‘Till the wheels fall off� stars
Kennedy Ryan’s books always do it for me. I’ve been so looking forward to reading this book. I mean, Kennedy is writing a book about “grown folks� who get a second chance romance after having “marriage in trouble� trope? Yes please!
Si and Yas are goals. Their love is so big you can’t describe it with words. They’re freakin soulmates. They had everything, the perfect family, the business they built, and the love they share. But then tragedy hits hard and they weren’t strong enough to fight for what they had and they decided to get a divorce that shattered their life.
First of all, that divorce scene killed me!!!! It was so freakin emotional it brought tears to my eyes and it was just so freakin realistic and devastating that I found myself screaming at them to please stop you guys are making a wrong decision.
But I can understand where each one of them was coming from. Kennedy showed their pain and their struggles and the way each of them dealt with grief in the most perfect realistic way and I loved her more for that. Their fights, their love, their feelings, it was all so real and true. The whole thing was just killing me.
Huge Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing this copy.
Kennedy Ryan’s books always do it for me. I’ve been so looking forward to reading this book. I mean, Kennedy is writing a book about “grown folks� who get a second chance romance after having “marriage in trouble� trope? Yes please!
Si and Yas are goals. Their love is so big you can’t describe it with words. They’re freakin soulmates. They had everything, the perfect family, the business they built, and the love they share. But then tragedy hits hard and they weren’t strong enough to fight for what they had and they decided to get a divorce that shattered their life.
“I will love you until I die. We said till death do us apart.�
“Death is tearing us apart.� Her laugh is bitter and short. “We assumed it would have to be our deaths that ended this. Turns out it was theirs.�
“We said vows.�
“Those are words, not walls. They don’t defend. They don’t enforce. They don’t protect us from life. From pain. From how things change. And I don’t want to stay in this just because we said we would. I need to stop hurting, and being with you? It hurts now.�
First of all, that divorce scene killed me!!!! It was so freakin emotional it brought tears to my eyes and it was just so freakin realistic and devastating that I found myself screaming at them to please stop you guys are making a wrong decision.
But I can understand where each one of them was coming from. Kennedy showed their pain and their struggles and the way each of them dealt with grief in the most perfect realistic way and I loved her more for that. Their fights, their love, their feelings, it was all so real and true. The whole thing was just killing me.
Huge Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing this copy.
November 22, 2023
4.75 stars
ps: it’s been a hot minute since i wrote a full review so i don’t think i did this book justice but alt i tried
i was once again bewitched by Kennedy Ryan's spell in this heart shattering, life altering, nonpareil story that is yet so realistically crude in its rhythmic reflection of the typhoon of hurt, grief, and struggles that real-life married or divorced couples may be englufed in.
if reviewers can be interpreted as love letters, this is my love letter to Yasmen.
Yasmen, an exceptional mother and a extraordinary woman. her character and personality were a contradictory tangled web of strength and self-doubt, compassion and resentment, feelings of mourning and gratitude. all these juxtaposed traits emphasized so vividly her struggles between finding a synchronous equilibrium with her pre-self and post-self depression. realizing that she has lost a part of herself that cannot be recovered, realizing that she is incapable of healing that wound or bridging that void. the realization led to the first concrete and substantial step towards embracing the new version of herself, the new chapter of her life. the first step towards healing.
although the book is wrapped with a pretty cover, the content is heavily influenced by grief and mental health representation. the book taught me a lot. it gave me valuable insights into how certain individuals tend to tame their life, struggling to go through every day until they reach a point of rupture after finally welcoming their mourning feelings. and how others prefer to sink and drown in their life rather than ever face the overwhelming emotions sewed to their loose.
Josiah’s personage taught me a lot. that for once, it’s never too late to reach for help. but compared to Yasmen, I felt a stronger emotional and spiritual connection when it came to dealing with grief with his character. he was acting as though everything was fine and his life wasn't falling apart for a good portion of the book and i grow on feeling attached to his character the more he struggled to destroy the cocon he built around his grief. (even though I didn't like him at all at first.) Josiah and Yasmen’s therapists taught me a lot too. their sessions were great additions to the storyline because their conversations were always pertinent and on point, shedding light on some shadowed aspects of their personalities and relationship.
the book shouldn't be categorized as contemporary romance, as it is more of a women's fiction work, in my opinion. simply because there was no substantive romance in it. the romance was more abstract than anything, particularly with the past chapters and the uncanny attraction between the protagonists. or how every secondary character depicted their relationship as once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. however, It didn't bother me while I was reading, and I didn't encounter any difficulty in picturing them as soulmates. on the contrary, the author's plume filled with raw emotions and elegiac connotations ensured that every word's meaning was quadrupled and every scene brilliantly portrayed.
i can’t wait to dive into Soledad story next. because yay i was lucky enough to grab the arc from NetGalley!!🤗
—â¶Ä”â¶Ä�
i’m not ready for another heart-wrenching book by KR but i need to woman up.. so, here we go
ps: it’s been a hot minute since i wrote a full review so i don’t think i did this book justice but alt i tried
“I laughed. then she laughed and I wondered if this—finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.�
i was once again bewitched by Kennedy Ryan's spell in this heart shattering, life altering, nonpareil story that is yet so realistically crude in its rhythmic reflection of the typhoon of hurt, grief, and struggles that real-life married or divorced couples may be englufed in.
“even in that new loneliness, there was a kind of relief to have only one thing to save. not my marriage, but just myself.�
if reviewers can be interpreted as love letters, this is my love letter to Yasmen.
Yasmen, an exceptional mother and a extraordinary woman. her character and personality were a contradictory tangled web of strength and self-doubt, compassion and resentment, feelings of mourning and gratitude. all these juxtaposed traits emphasized so vividly her struggles between finding a synchronous equilibrium with her pre-self and post-self depression. realizing that she has lost a part of herself that cannot be recovered, realizing that she is incapable of healing that wound or bridging that void. the realization led to the first concrete and substantial step towards embracing the new version of herself, the new chapter of her life. the first step towards healing.
“I will love you until I die. we said till death do us part.�
“death is tearing us apart.� her laugh is bitter and short. “we assumed it would have to be our deaths that ended this. turns out it was theirs.�
although the book is wrapped with a pretty cover, the content is heavily influenced by grief and mental health representation. the book taught me a lot. it gave me valuable insights into how certain individuals tend to tame their life, struggling to go through every day until they reach a point of rupture after finally welcoming their mourning feelings. and how others prefer to sink and drown in their life rather than ever face the overwhelming emotions sewed to their loose.
“when you lose someone that close, the enormity, the finality of it, sometimes hits you full force when you least expect it. when you are least prepared. and your heartbeat stutters and your knees nearly buckle, just like when you first heard they were gone.�
Josiah’s personage taught me a lot. that for once, it’s never too late to reach for help. but compared to Yasmen, I felt a stronger emotional and spiritual connection when it came to dealing with grief with his character. he was acting as though everything was fine and his life wasn't falling apart for a good portion of the book and i grow on feeling attached to his character the more he struggled to destroy the cocon he built around his grief. (even though I didn't like him at all at first.) Josiah and Yasmen’s therapists taught me a lot too. their sessions were great additions to the storyline because their conversations were always pertinent and on point, shedding light on some shadowed aspects of their personalities and relationship.
“we said vows.�
“those are words, not walls. they don’t defend. they don’t enforce. they don’t protect us from life. from pain. from how things change. and I don’t want to stay in this just because we said we would.�
the book shouldn't be categorized as contemporary romance, as it is more of a women's fiction work, in my opinion. simply because there was no substantive romance in it. the romance was more abstract than anything, particularly with the past chapters and the uncanny attraction between the protagonists. or how every secondary character depicted their relationship as once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. however, It didn't bother me while I was reading, and I didn't encounter any difficulty in picturing them as soulmates. on the contrary, the author's plume filled with raw emotions and elegiac connotations ensured that every word's meaning was quadrupled and every scene brilliantly portrayed.
i can’t wait to dive into Soledad story next. because yay i was lucky enough to grab the arc from NetGalley!!🤗
—â¶Ä”â¶Ä�
i’m not ready for another heart-wrenching book by KR but i need to woman up.. so, here we go
August 26, 2023
â€Maybe a second chance?â€�
“I was no walk in the park.�
“Who wants to walk in the park? I think that man would run wild with you.�
what a refreshing and breathtaking story. the writing was so captivating from the very first chapter. i was immediately sucked into the story and kept wanting to learn more.
i didn’t know this story was going to rip my heart out of my chest, stomp on it, spit on it, then somehow sew it back together and reattach it to my body. but it really did.
i felt all the emotions with yasmine, josiah and their children. their story felt very honest, realistic, and was absolutely devastating.
each character brought something different to the story. the family went through so much grief and loss together, and each dealt with it differently. this ultimately drove them apart. but watching them piece themselves back together was so beautiful.
i loved the emphasis and importance placed on therapy. there is so much stigma surrounding mental health within the community, and the book approached the topic in such a delicate manner.
this book has so much heart in it. it shows the good, the bad and the ugly. but it teaches you to accept it all and learn to understand it.
please do check the trigger warnings on the book before reading if you have any.
quotes:
â€Finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.â€�
“They lie when they say it gets better. I think maybe I’m just getting stronger, so I feel it a little less.�
“Grief is a grind. It is the work of breathing and waking and rising and moving through a world that feels emptier. A gaping hole has been torn into your existence, and everyone around you just walks right past it like it’s not even there.�
“I love kissing her. Always have. Not as a prelude to sex. Not with her. Just the act of tasting, touching her lips, loving her one stroke and one breath at a time.�
“He’s an enigma who makes perfect sense to me.�
“I think I’m most grateful for time, which doesn’t always heal all wounds, but teaches us how to be happy again even with our scars.�
“Live long enough, and you’ll lose people, things. We just need to learn how to deal with it in ways that aren’t isolating or destructive.�
â€Till the wheels fall off.â€�
November 10, 2022
6/5 âï¸This has been my most anticipated read since Kennedy announced she was doing a second chance romance with "grown folks" as she said. As someone who has spoken up about the lack of this very thing in romance I was beyond excited, and the fact that it was from my favorite author?! GIDDY UP!
Si and Yas are literal soulmates. They have the once in a life time love that you dream about. And from page one until the very end their connection and chemistry is palpable and vibrant. But tragedy hit their beautiful family and the life they dreamed of having together is shattered, seemingly beyond repair. They divorce and try to move on with their life but it's clear that their love never died, that their spark can never be snuffed out, that they will always feel pulled and drawn together.
Before I Let Go is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Full of lush, poetic prose, side by side with some excellent humor (Hendrix I'm looking at you) and sewn throughout the whole book is the ever present thread that love can always overcome.
I loved this book so much. It's one of those I would love to be able to read again for the first time. It does dealer with some heavy themes, grief and depression are strong in this book, but it is handled with the utmost care and grace.
As someone who has struggled with the blackest moments of deep depression I saw a bit of myself in Yas and couldn't help but feel comforted and inspired as I read her journey.
The characters were beautifully developed and so easy to relate to. The story flowed so effortlessly that I found myself losing track of time as I read. And even though I have never lived this exact experience I found myself able to visualize it and relate perfectly.
My favorite book of 2022. Kennedy Ryan is a gift to the writing world.
*I read an ARC for review*
CW below
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CW: loss of a child, grief, depression, divorce, suicidal thoughts
Si and Yas are literal soulmates. They have the once in a life time love that you dream about. And from page one until the very end their connection and chemistry is palpable and vibrant. But tragedy hit their beautiful family and the life they dreamed of having together is shattered, seemingly beyond repair. They divorce and try to move on with their life but it's clear that their love never died, that their spark can never be snuffed out, that they will always feel pulled and drawn together.
Before I Let Go is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Full of lush, poetic prose, side by side with some excellent humor (Hendrix I'm looking at you) and sewn throughout the whole book is the ever present thread that love can always overcome.
I loved this book so much. It's one of those I would love to be able to read again for the first time. It does dealer with some heavy themes, grief and depression are strong in this book, but it is handled with the utmost care and grace.
As someone who has struggled with the blackest moments of deep depression I saw a bit of myself in Yas and couldn't help but feel comforted and inspired as I read her journey.
The characters were beautifully developed and so easy to relate to. The story flowed so effortlessly that I found myself losing track of time as I read. And even though I have never lived this exact experience I found myself able to visualize it and relate perfectly.
My favorite book of 2022. Kennedy Ryan is a gift to the writing world.
*I read an ARC for review*
CW below
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CW: loss of a child, grief, depression, divorce, suicidal thoughts
November 24, 2022
Eh, an okay read.
First of all, let's start by saying this is NOT a romance. It is womens fiction OR literal fiction (being that is is being told from dual POVs) with romance elements but lets be clear the romance is not heavy on page.
We spend 99% of the time in both Yasmens and Josiahs head that was annoying to the tenth power. There was no movement of the story until the end? which was rushed and unfullfilling...useless. Like it was pretty much predictable that these two were going to end up back together.
Yasmen was IMO an unlikable character. Her whoa is me ways throughout this read was another annoying factor FOR ME. Yes, she lost a child but she wasn't the only one in the relationship that experienced lost. AND yes, I understand that she carried the child and had to go through a still birth delivery so yes I understand her process of loss would be different than Josiah's BUT he lost a child too AND his aunt in close proximity. So why Yasmen walked around this book the way she did irritated my soul. Her accusing the man of not being there for her fully WHEN she would not allow him to be was...something.
Josiah was pretty much a backdrop to Yasmen's grief. He was just "there". I truly did not get his purpose on page. Yes we got his POV but the man was if Im being frank, useless especially when it came to Deja "too grown" self which I will speak on later. Glad the man decided to get therapy and talk some things out but this doesn't help his character growth throughout the read.
The kids:
Deja: This grownifcation of little Black girls in books/tv/etc need to stop. Yes Deja was acting out because of the divorce but she was written like a 16/17 year old when she was 13 going on 14, a child. Cussing? yeah, I wish my kid would. The disrepect towards Yasmen to the point of just being rude. NO. This all ties into the her being written as a child NOT her age. Just did not care for it.
The little boy (I can't remember his name right now, sorry lols): Much like his father, he served no purpose but glad we got a little genius Black boy on page....I guess.
I don't have much to said about the side characters because many of them only served the purpose of being diversions to Yasmen's and Josiah's situation.
Mainly, these characters were written with so much ambiguity. People are going around touting this as some great Black romance and I ask where? Because we never got any kind of description of Yasmen or Josiah on page. Shoot even their kids weren't given character descriptions. BUT we sure got the white and POC character descriptions. She did a better job of telling us what Yamen's friends daughter looked like right down the red in her hair inherited from her white father. Outside of body/hair descriptions and "Kelly Rowland brown skin"....like really? Bye Kennedy. And again, what romance did we see? Until the end? Which again still wasn't much.
We can give some credit to the book for dealing with a post divorce couple trying to recoup after such devastating lost and I feel like maybe if BILG was being marketed as fiction from the start, I would have had different expectations AND no it would not have changed my thoughts about the book in general but yeah, my expectations would have been different. We can give the author credit for inserting therapy in the story for the characters but thats all the credit I'm going to give her.
Finally, this story was boring. Lack luster. I started off rating this a 3 but the more I sat on my review? yeah, this rightfully deserves 2.5, maybe a 2. Like I said, we can give her credit for her conversations on mental health, loss, grief and she did add cw/tw. But at the end of it all, this book is not giving what I think ya'll saying its giving. This is another mainstream book hitting all the diversity lists check offs.
**Thank you to the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read/review.
First of all, let's start by saying this is NOT a romance. It is womens fiction OR literal fiction (being that is is being told from dual POVs) with romance elements but lets be clear the romance is not heavy on page.
We spend 99% of the time in both Yasmens and Josiahs head that was annoying to the tenth power. There was no movement of the story until the end? which was rushed and unfullfilling...useless. Like it was pretty much predictable that these two were going to end up back together.
Yasmen was IMO an unlikable character. Her whoa is me ways throughout this read was another annoying factor FOR ME. Yes, she lost a child but she wasn't the only one in the relationship that experienced lost. AND yes, I understand that she carried the child and had to go through a still birth delivery so yes I understand her process of loss would be different than Josiah's BUT he lost a child too AND his aunt in close proximity. So why Yasmen walked around this book the way she did irritated my soul. Her accusing the man of not being there for her fully WHEN she would not allow him to be was...something.
Josiah was pretty much a backdrop to Yasmen's grief. He was just "there". I truly did not get his purpose on page. Yes we got his POV but the man was if Im being frank, useless especially when it came to Deja "too grown" self which I will speak on later. Glad the man decided to get therapy and talk some things out but this doesn't help his character growth throughout the read.
The kids:
Deja: This grownifcation of little Black girls in books/tv/etc need to stop. Yes Deja was acting out because of the divorce but she was written like a 16/17 year old when she was 13 going on 14, a child. Cussing? yeah, I wish my kid would. The disrepect towards Yasmen to the point of just being rude. NO. This all ties into the her being written as a child NOT her age. Just did not care for it.
The little boy (I can't remember his name right now, sorry lols): Much like his father, he served no purpose but glad we got a little genius Black boy on page....I guess.
I don't have much to said about the side characters because many of them only served the purpose of being diversions to Yasmen's and Josiah's situation.
Mainly, these characters were written with so much ambiguity. People are going around touting this as some great Black romance and I ask where? Because we never got any kind of description of Yasmen or Josiah on page. Shoot even their kids weren't given character descriptions. BUT we sure got the white and POC character descriptions. She did a better job of telling us what Yamen's friends daughter looked like right down the red in her hair inherited from her white father. Outside of body/hair descriptions and "Kelly Rowland brown skin"....like really? Bye Kennedy. And again, what romance did we see? Until the end? Which again still wasn't much.
We can give some credit to the book for dealing with a post divorce couple trying to recoup after such devastating lost and I feel like maybe if BILG was being marketed as fiction from the start, I would have had different expectations AND no it would not have changed my thoughts about the book in general but yeah, my expectations would have been different. We can give the author credit for inserting therapy in the story for the characters but thats all the credit I'm going to give her.
Finally, this story was boring. Lack luster. I started off rating this a 3 but the more I sat on my review? yeah, this rightfully deserves 2.5, maybe a 2. Like I said, we can give her credit for her conversations on mental health, loss, grief and she did add cw/tw. But at the end of it all, this book is not giving what I think ya'll saying its giving. This is another mainstream book hitting all the diversity lists check offs.
**Thank you to the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read/review.
November 25, 2023
**update 11/20: I read this back in February but Dani made me reflect on my rating as I was so conflicted between 4 or 5 but feel like it deserves 5**
Raw and so beautifully written
This book was completely different to the majority of books I’ve read. it genuinely had such a real life aspect to it that I couldn’t put it down! For most, it will feel like a book many women could connect to as is but also as a mother or a woman of color etc. The characters and their stories all pull you in and deliver an emotional yet lighthearted humorous feel. It was pure agony, happiness, tears, annoyance, anger and laughs that you’ll get here.
I was deeply invested in this and enjoyed reading Josiah’s journey with therapy given his resistance to it initially (especially because of the stigma associated with black men and the norm in society when it comes to their masculinity) it was definitely needed to work through the trauma him and Yasmen endured.
Yasmens character was one I admired immensely given the mental health rep/plus size rep, her strength and what she and Josiah have lived through together and being the mother she was to her kids. I sympathized with her even though I can reason with Josiah that it wasn’t just her who went through that loss—they both did. Her journey with depression was portrayed in a raw and real manner and Kennedy knew how to delve deep into that.
Nothing was perfect between them at all as I equally was rooting for their second chance yet at some point not lmao which is what happens when there’s so many complex issues not addressed to work on. But I do have to praise how the author exemplified that through their POVs to understand where their heads were at with everything that happened on both ends. Seeing them persevere after everything was amazing. Their children were their driving force and they did the best they could to navigate the challenges that came their way and address the deep rooted issues that needed to be worked through. It was definitely a process
I never know how to feel about kids in books as few have been the exception and while I was annoyed with deja because of how disrespectful she was—I understood her as having to process everything that happened is not easy for a child to comprehend. Really adored Kassim though
As for Yasmens friends? Loved them and can see the potential for more in their friend group. Hendrix really felt like the voice of reason lol can’t wait for both their books as I know Soledad is getting her own book!
Check TW before reading
While reading I couldn’t help but envision it as if it were already adapted into a film
*** update it is being adapted into a movie! I just hope the right characters are chosen for this.
“I heard someone say once that when you try to fix people’s hurt, you’re controlling it instead of sitting with them and connecting.�
“Then she laughed and I wondered if this—finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.�
“I love kissing her. Always have. Not as a prelude to sex.
Not with her. Just the act of tasting, touching her lips, loving her one stroke and one breath at a time."
“It means seeing myself clearly—good, bad, beautiful, ugly, faults, mistakes—acknowledging what I really think and feel, and not judging those emotions. Understanding myself. Not censoring it. Having compassion for myself.�
Raw and so beautifully written
This book was completely different to the majority of books I’ve read. it genuinely had such a real life aspect to it that I couldn’t put it down! For most, it will feel like a book many women could connect to as is but also as a mother or a woman of color etc. The characters and their stories all pull you in and deliver an emotional yet lighthearted humorous feel. It was pure agony, happiness, tears, annoyance, anger and laughs that you’ll get here.
I was deeply invested in this and enjoyed reading Josiah’s journey with therapy given his resistance to it initially (especially because of the stigma associated with black men and the norm in society when it comes to their masculinity) it was definitely needed to work through the trauma him and Yasmen endured.
Yasmens character was one I admired immensely given the mental health rep/plus size rep, her strength and what she and Josiah have lived through together and being the mother she was to her kids. I sympathized with her even though I can reason with Josiah that it wasn’t just her who went through that loss—they both did. Her journey with depression was portrayed in a raw and real manner and Kennedy knew how to delve deep into that.
Nothing was perfect between them at all as I equally was rooting for their second chance yet at some point not lmao which is what happens when there’s so many complex issues not addressed to work on. But I do have to praise how the author exemplified that through their POVs to understand where their heads were at with everything that happened on both ends. Seeing them persevere after everything was amazing. Their children were their driving force and they did the best they could to navigate the challenges that came their way and address the deep rooted issues that needed to be worked through. It was definitely a process
I never know how to feel about kids in books as few have been the exception and while I was annoyed with deja because of how disrespectful she was—I understood her as having to process everything that happened is not easy for a child to comprehend. Really adored Kassim though
As for Yasmens friends? Loved them and can see the potential for more in their friend group. Hendrix really felt like the voice of reason lol can’t wait for both their books as I know Soledad is getting her own book!
Check TW before reading
While reading I couldn’t help but envision it as if it were already adapted into a film
*** update it is being adapted into a movie! I just hope the right characters are chosen for this.
“I heard someone say once that when you try to fix people’s hurt, you’re controlling it instead of sitting with them and connecting.�
“Then she laughed and I wondered if this—finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.�
“I love kissing her. Always have. Not as a prelude to sex.
Not with her. Just the act of tasting, touching her lips, loving her one stroke and one breath at a time."
“It means seeing myself clearly—good, bad, beautiful, ugly, faults, mistakes—acknowledging what I really think and feel, and not judging those emotions. Understanding myself. Not censoring it. Having compassion for myself.�
December 7, 2022
� 3.75 stars
Kennedy Ryan never fails to amaze me with her beautiful, reel and poignant story.
☆○´Çã€� WHAT I LOVED: 。o○☆
� this book feels refreshing and original. at its core it is so much more than just a second chance romance. it’s about dealing with the loss of a child (stillborn), depression, a broken marriage, stigma surrounding therapy and so much more. Before I Let Go doesn’t have to rely onetropes, because the characters feel so real and not like cartoon characters. you could feel that Kennedy Ryan actually crafted the story and characters first, before throwing tropes like the one-bed trope in. there are marriage-in-crisis books out in the romance world, but i’ve actually never read about a divorced couple finding their way back to each other again. in that sense it was a unique experience for me.
� Yasmen (h) and Josiah (H) felt so real to me. they feel like people i see every day that could walk across from me. i could feel the depth of pain Yas was in when she lost the baby and when her marriage was going downhill. i could feel Josiah’s sting of rejection when Yas asked for a divorce and his fear of losing loved ones. at some points it didn’t feel like i was reading a fictional story, but a memoir of a couple.
� the angst between Yas and Josiah was immaculate. fair warning for those who haven’t read this book yet: there is a bit of OW/OM drama involved, since both Yas and Josiah are seeing other people for almost half of the book. it’s been almost 2 years since Yas and Si have been divorced, so i understand that they tried to move on.
did i hate that Josiah slept with Vashti (OW)? yes. (all off screen, thank god)
did i also eat up all the hurt and jealousy? also yes.
� Kassim is my precious little angel and i love Yas and Josiah’s youngest kid. he was so adorable and such a smart kid. Kassim was so concious of the feelings of the people around him and he deserves the best.
� it’s such a tiny detail, but i absolutely loved that my girl Lotus Ross (Hock Shot) got a shoutout. loved that for her.
☆○´Çã€� WHAT I HATED: 。o○☆
� Deja was such a little ungrateful bitch. god i hated her with my whole soul. i really can’t remember the last time i ever hated a kid in a book as much as I hated Deja. this kid got on my last nerves and no i don’t give a fuck that she was a hormonal 13 yr old and probably doesn’t know better. it’s okay that she was such a daddy’s girl, that is cute and all, but the way she behaved around Yas was unacceptable. Deja kept blaming her mother for the divorce and how she constantly talked down to her. fuck no, Deja deserves to be slapped. i’m sorry but i HATE this kid so much you don’t understand. call me a hypocrite bc i just said that i love about this book how real the characters are, but when it gets too real like this little angsty teenager turd i’m outta here. kids in books are usually a win, except you Deja Wade, you suck.
i’m glad for Yasmen’s sake that their relationship was slowly healing by the end of it, but that doesn’t mean i have forgiven that petulant child.
☆○´Çã€� WHAT I WANTED MORE OF: 。o○☆
� this book was told 99% in the present. the prologue showed Si and Yas� past, but then from there one it was mainly 2 years after their divorce forward. and i wanted to see more of their relationship when it was not tainted by all the tragedy. even tho i’m not the biggest fan of flashback scenes, i feel like this would have been beneficial in this case. there was so much talk about how great their relationship was before they lost Henry (the stillborn baby), but it was never shown.
☆○´Çã€� CONCLUSION 。o○☆
Before I Let Go was definitely not a romcom and I would recommend this book if you want to read something a bit more real and painful, but something that is still hopeful and beautiful.
Kennedy Ryan never fails to amaze me with her beautiful, reel and poignant story.
There is only one letter of difference between love and lose, and somewhere along the way, for me they became synonymous. I understand now that something broke in me after my parents died that somehow healed wrong, and I started measuring how much I loved people in terms of how much it would hurt to lose them.
☆○´Çã€� WHAT I LOVED: 。o○☆
� this book feels refreshing and original. at its core it is so much more than just a second chance romance. it’s about dealing with the loss of a child (stillborn), depression, a broken marriage, stigma surrounding therapy and so much more. Before I Let Go doesn’t have to rely onetropes, because the characters feel so real and not like cartoon characters. you could feel that Kennedy Ryan actually crafted the story and characters first, before throwing tropes like the one-bed trope in. there are marriage-in-crisis books out in the romance world, but i’ve actually never read about a divorced couple finding their way back to each other again. in that sense it was a unique experience for me.
� Yasmen (h) and Josiah (H) felt so real to me. they feel like people i see every day that could walk across from me. i could feel the depth of pain Yas was in when she lost the baby and when her marriage was going downhill. i could feel Josiah’s sting of rejection when Yas asked for a divorce and his fear of losing loved ones. at some points it didn’t feel like i was reading a fictional story, but a memoir of a couple.
Our life, our love, didn’t follow the path we thought it would, but that makes it no less true.
� the angst between Yas and Josiah was immaculate. fair warning for those who haven’t read this book yet: there is a bit of OW/OM drama involved, since both Yas and Josiah are seeing other people for almost half of the book. it’s been almost 2 years since Yas and Si have been divorced, so i understand that they tried to move on.
did i hate that Josiah slept with Vashti (OW)? yes. (all off screen, thank god)
did i also eat up all the hurt and jealousy? also yes.
“What’s so funny?� I venture after a few seconds of him laughing and shaking his head in seeming disbelief. The humor in his eyes, if it was ever genuine, dissipates, leaving his gaze cool, flat. “The irony of you saying you don’t want to see someone hurt me.� “I-I don’t.� “No one in my whole life has ever hurt me like you did.�
� Kassim is my precious little angel and i love Yas and Josiah’s youngest kid. he was so adorable and such a smart kid. Kassim was so concious of the feelings of the people around him and he deserves the best.
� it’s such a tiny detail, but i absolutely loved that my girl Lotus Ross (Hock Shot) got a shoutout. loved that for her.
☆○´Çã€� WHAT I HATED: 。o○☆
� Deja was such a little ungrateful bitch. god i hated her with my whole soul. i really can’t remember the last time i ever hated a kid in a book as much as I hated Deja. this kid got on my last nerves and no i don’t give a fuck that she was a hormonal 13 yr old and probably doesn’t know better. it’s okay that she was such a daddy’s girl, that is cute and all, but the way she behaved around Yas was unacceptable. Deja kept blaming her mother for the divorce and how she constantly talked down to her. fuck no, Deja deserves to be slapped. i’m sorry but i HATE this kid so much you don’t understand. call me a hypocrite bc i just said that i love about this book how real the characters are, but when it gets too real like this little angsty teenager turd i’m outta here. kids in books are usually a win, except you Deja Wade, you suck.
“Why wouldn’t we be?� She sucks her teeth. “You deserve some happiness after what she put you through.�
She? “Um � Do you mean your mother?�
“Of course. Who could blame you for moving on? Mom went crazy and ruined your life and—�
“You were so strong when they died. You held everything together,� she says, her young features, so like her mother’s, hardening. “And Mom just fell apart. Blew everything up.�
“She doesn’t deserve you! It’s all her fault! Everything is her fault.�
i’m glad for Yasmen’s sake that their relationship was slowly healing by the end of it, but that doesn’t mean i have forgiven that petulant child.
☆○´Çã€� WHAT I WANTED MORE OF: 。o○☆
� this book was told 99% in the present. the prologue showed Si and Yas� past, but then from there one it was mainly 2 years after their divorce forward. and i wanted to see more of their relationship when it was not tainted by all the tragedy. even tho i’m not the biggest fan of flashback scenes, i feel like this would have been beneficial in this case. there was so much talk about how great their relationship was before they lost Henry (the stillborn baby), but it was never shown.
☆○´Çã€� CONCLUSION 。o○☆
Before I Let Go was definitely not a romcom and I would recommend this book if you want to read something a bit more real and painful, but something that is still hopeful and beautiful.
April 22, 2024
"ð˜‹ð˜° ð˜±ð˜¦ð˜°ð˜±ð˜ð˜¦ ð˜³ð˜¦ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜®ð˜£ð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜¦ð˜¹ð˜¢ð˜¤ð˜µ ð˜®ð˜°ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜¯ð˜µ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ð˜º ð˜§ð˜¢ð˜ð˜ ð˜ªð˜¯ ð˜ð˜°ð˜·ð˜¦?
ð˜ ð˜¥ð˜°. ð˜ ð˜¢ð˜´ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜£ð˜³ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜¨ð˜©ð˜µ ð˜®ð˜¦ ð˜©ð˜°ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜®ð˜¢ð˜¥ð˜¦ ð˜¤ð˜©ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¬ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜¯ð˜°ð˜°ð˜¥ð˜ð˜¦ ð˜´ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜± ð˜¸ð˜©ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜ ð˜¸ð˜¢ð˜´ ð˜´ð˜° ð˜´ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¬ ð˜ªð˜µ ð˜©ð˜¶ð˜³ð˜µ ð˜µð˜° ð˜£ð˜ð˜ªð˜¯ð˜¬. ð˜›ð˜¢ð˜´ð˜µð˜¦ð˜¥ ð˜ð˜ªð˜¬ð˜¦ ð˜¥ð˜¢ð˜º-ð˜°ð˜ð˜¥ ð˜¥ð˜ªð˜´ð˜©ð˜¸ð˜¢ð˜µð˜¦ð˜³. ð˜•ð˜°ð˜µ ð˜´ð˜¶ð˜³ð˜¦ ð˜©ð˜°ð˜¸ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶ ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜´ð˜´ ð˜¶ð˜± ð˜¤ð˜©ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¬ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜¯ð˜°ð˜°ð˜¥ð˜ð˜¦ ð˜´ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜±, ð˜£ð˜¶ð˜µ ð˜®ð˜º ð˜¨ð˜ªð˜³ð˜ ð˜®ð˜¢ð˜¯ð˜¢ð˜¨ð˜¦ð˜¥ ð˜ªð˜µ."
I'm not sure how I feel about this book, I have so many feelings... 🤔
This was such a heartbreaking second chance romance story😩
The book started off strong and I really liked where it was heading but after like 60% there was too many sex scenes for my liking.
I love every single character in this book.
ð—¬ð—®ð˜€ð—ºð—²ð—» oh my God I love her so much and I adore how strong she is. She went through hell but still managed it I just want to give her a hug.
Her relationship with her two friends was so cute I loved their banter and meetings.
I completely understand her reason for wanting divorce and I support it.
ð—ð—¼ð˜€ð—¶ð—®ð—µ I love you but you should have been more supportive like what's wrong if he went to therapy with her 😠I know he was grieving too and I totally understand that everyone has their own way of grieving but still.
Speaking of ð—ð—¼ð˜€ð—¶ð—®ð—µ, he is the most husband material guy, whom got unhusbanded (that's not even a word but who cares) 🫣
I love the way he talks about ð—¬ð—®ð˜€ð—ºð—²ð—» 😠I was so close to crying everytime he says something, it's obvious how the divorce affected him but not his love for her, this guy had to put his hands in his pocket to stop himself from grabbing her every time he sees her.
Although they are divorced they had the chemistry, the attraction, the pull, the magnet whatever.. 😩ðŸ˜
You will get butterflies everytime you read a scene when they are only looking at each other.
I love their two kids too.
ð——ð—²ð—·ð—® I completely understand her behaviour when she was acting out like she is just a 13 and had to go throw death of loved ones and parent divorce and she couldn't have handled them better. I don't know if I'm supposed to not like her at first but honestly I completely understand her.
ð—žð—®ð˜€ð˜€ð—¶ð—º nah I have nothing to say about this baby boy, he is so cute and I want to give him the world he is to be protected at all cost 🥹.
I love all the side characters as well they were all amazing even ð˜ƒð—®ð˜€ð—µð˜ð—¶ I don't know if I get here name right but she wasn't annoying or anything for an ex husband girlfriend 🙊
The thing that made me give this book 3 stars is the way the book felt for me in the last 40% I wish they talked more and reconnected in other ways than having sex every second. I mean the smut was OK but some of it were unnecessary.
Also why the hell they made it like it was ð—¬ð—®ð˜€ð—ºð—²ð—»'𘀠fault because it is not. The girl was having suicidal thoughts and a heavy depression she shouldn't be the only one apologising ðŸ˜. I hated that. But ok.
Overall I really did enjoy the book it made me feel things and I would definitely recommend it. The issues may be just for me so yeah it's a good second romance if you are looking for one.
ð—£ð—¿ð—²-ð—¿ð—²ð—®ð—±:Having high expectations for this one 🤞
ð˜ ð˜¥ð˜°. ð˜ ð˜¢ð˜´ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜£ð˜³ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜¨ð˜©ð˜µ ð˜®ð˜¦ ð˜©ð˜°ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜®ð˜¢ð˜¥ð˜¦ ð˜¤ð˜©ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¬ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜¯ð˜°ð˜°ð˜¥ð˜ð˜¦ ð˜´ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜± ð˜¸ð˜©ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜ ð˜¸ð˜¢ð˜´ ð˜´ð˜° ð˜´ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¬ ð˜ªð˜µ ð˜©ð˜¶ð˜³ð˜µ ð˜µð˜° ð˜£ð˜ð˜ªð˜¯ð˜¬. ð˜›ð˜¢ð˜´ð˜µð˜¦ð˜¥ ð˜ð˜ªð˜¬ð˜¦ ð˜¥ð˜¢ð˜º-ð˜°ð˜ð˜¥ ð˜¥ð˜ªð˜´ð˜©ð˜¸ð˜¢ð˜µð˜¦ð˜³. ð˜•ð˜°ð˜µ ð˜´ð˜¶ð˜³ð˜¦ ð˜©ð˜°ð˜¸ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶ ð˜®ð˜¦ð˜´ð˜´ ð˜¶ð˜± ð˜¤ð˜©ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¬ð˜¦ð˜¯ ð˜¯ð˜°ð˜°ð˜¥ð˜ð˜¦ ð˜´ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜±, ð˜£ð˜¶ð˜µ ð˜®ð˜º ð˜¨ð˜ªð˜³ð˜ ð˜®ð˜¢ð˜¯ð˜¢ð˜¨ð˜¦ð˜¥ ð˜ªð˜µ."
I'm not sure how I feel about this book, I have so many feelings... 🤔
This was such a heartbreaking second chance romance story😩
The book started off strong and I really liked where it was heading but after like 60% there was too many sex scenes for my liking.
I love every single character in this book.
ð—¬ð—®ð˜€ð—ºð—²ð—» oh my God I love her so much and I adore how strong she is. She went through hell but still managed it I just want to give her a hug.
Her relationship with her two friends was so cute I loved their banter and meetings.
I completely understand her reason for wanting divorce and I support it.
ð—ð—¼ð˜€ð—¶ð—®ð—µ I love you but you should have been more supportive like what's wrong if he went to therapy with her 😠I know he was grieving too and I totally understand that everyone has their own way of grieving but still.
Speaking of ð—ð—¼ð˜€ð—¶ð—®ð—µ, he is the most husband material guy, whom got unhusbanded (that's not even a word but who cares) 🫣
I love the way he talks about ð—¬ð—®ð˜€ð—ºð—²ð—» 😠I was so close to crying everytime he says something, it's obvious how the divorce affected him but not his love for her, this guy had to put his hands in his pocket to stop himself from grabbing her every time he sees her.
Although they are divorced they had the chemistry, the attraction, the pull, the magnet whatever.. 😩ðŸ˜
You will get butterflies everytime you read a scene when they are only looking at each other.
I love their two kids too.
ð——ð—²ð—·ð—® I completely understand her behaviour when she was acting out like she is just a 13 and had to go throw death of loved ones and parent divorce and she couldn't have handled them better. I don't know if I'm supposed to not like her at first but honestly I completely understand her.
ð—žð—®ð˜€ð˜€ð—¶ð—º nah I have nothing to say about this baby boy, he is so cute and I want to give him the world he is to be protected at all cost 🥹.
I love all the side characters as well they were all amazing even ð˜ƒð—®ð˜€ð—µð˜ð—¶ I don't know if I get here name right but she wasn't annoying or anything for an ex husband girlfriend 🙊
The thing that made me give this book 3 stars is the way the book felt for me in the last 40% I wish they talked more and reconnected in other ways than having sex every second. I mean the smut was OK but some of it were unnecessary.
Also why the hell they made it like it was ð—¬ð—®ð˜€ð—ºð—²ð—»'𘀠fault because it is not. The girl was having suicidal thoughts and a heavy depression she shouldn't be the only one apologising ðŸ˜. I hated that. But ok.
Overall I really did enjoy the book it made me feel things and I would definitely recommend it. The issues may be just for me so yeah it's a good second romance if you are looking for one.
ð—£ð—¿ð—²-ð—¿ð—²ð—®ð—±:Having high expectations for this one 🤞
October 28, 2022
Knew from the beginning of the book it was gonna be 5 stars 💕 Second chance romance is one of my top tropes and I love a good marriage reconciliation!! From the prologue to the epilogue, I was invested and in love with the characters and the writing and the progression.
Before I let go is filled with love but also so much growth and healing and ache and forgiveness all melting together. i felt so many emotions while reading and not once did rating waver so that’s a very strong point for the book. I’m in love with yasmen just as much as I’m in love with Josiah. She’s strong and inspiring and the the chemistry and love between the two was undeniable!!
This book is about a divorced couple who’ve managed to co-parent and run their business together but the love between them has never really gone away and so they find their way back to each otherâ€� second chance really is my mf fave ðŸ˜ðŸ”¥
Can’t stop thinking about them and it’s certainly one of my new favorites <33 wish I could put into better words how much love I have for this book!!
--content warnings will be available at the beginning of the book when it releases on nov15--
*thank you so much Kennedy and LEO PR for the arc!!*
Before I let go is filled with love but also so much growth and healing and ache and forgiveness all melting together. i felt so many emotions while reading and not once did rating waver so that’s a very strong point for the book. I’m in love with yasmen just as much as I’m in love with Josiah. She’s strong and inspiring and the the chemistry and love between the two was undeniable!!
This book is about a divorced couple who’ve managed to co-parent and run their business together but the love between them has never really gone away and so they find their way back to each otherâ€� second chance really is my mf fave ðŸ˜ðŸ”¥
Can’t stop thinking about them and it’s certainly one of my new favorites <33 wish I could put into better words how much love I have for this book!!
--content warnings will be available at the beginning of the book when it releases on nov15--
*thank you so much Kennedy and LEO PR for the arc!!*
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