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Skyland #2
This Could Be Us
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romance (2024)Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who's never met a party she couldn't host or a charge she couldn't lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion.
But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She's too busy keeping a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise.
But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn't want but can't seem to resist. She's lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself?
After all she's lost . . .and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?
But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She's too busy keeping a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise.
But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn't want but can't seem to resist. She's lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself?
After all she's lost . . .and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?
400 pages, ebook
First published March 5, 2024
4074 people are currently reading
78620 people want to read
About the author
Kennedy Ryan
80 books34k followersNEWSLETTER:
bit.ly/KRList
BOOKBUB: bookbub.com/authors/kennedy-ryan
AMAZON:
http://amzn.to/2EX7pgg
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www.facebook.com/KennedyRyanAuthor/
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KENNEDY RYAN BOOKS - https://www.facebook.com/groups/68160...
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.
bit.ly/KRList
BOOKBUB: bookbub.com/authors/kennedy-ryan
AMAZON:
http://amzn.to/2EX7pgg
FACEBOOK:
www.facebook.com/KennedyRyanAuthor/
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/kennedyryan1/
KENNEDY RYAN BOOKS - https://www.facebook.com/groups/68160...
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 9,038 reviews
February 18, 2025
I loveeee this series! Watching Soledad find herself again & go on a self love journey before finding love anywhere else was so wonderful
I do wish we focused a TAD more on the romance than the journey, but otherwise I had an amazing time reading their story (and I can’t WAIT for the next one!!!!)
(I’m also Edwards #1 enemy)
I do wish we focused a TAD more on the romance than the journey, but otherwise I had an amazing time reading their story (and I can’t WAIT for the next one!!!!)
(I’m also Edwards #1 enemy)
March 28, 2024
more romance like this please!
which sounds weird coming from me, considering this had a women's fic tint to it. but honestly i'm just so over the cramming-every-hole smutty romance that's popular right now. i like sex. i want it in my romances.
but the RELATIONSHIP is what is most important to me. and the relationship between sol & judah was center stage here. it was beautiful, complex, and full of understanding. sol went thru a lot in this book and to see her find a partner that really understood all that she needed and never overstepped her boundaries was so delightful.
this series is fucking incredible and i know kennedy is a popular author but she deserves even more popularity. this should win romance of the year over what i'm sure will be Funny Story lol
which sounds weird coming from me, considering this had a women's fic tint to it. but honestly i'm just so over the cramming-every-hole smutty romance that's popular right now. i like sex. i want it in my romances.
but the RELATIONSHIP is what is most important to me. and the relationship between sol & judah was center stage here. it was beautiful, complex, and full of understanding. sol went thru a lot in this book and to see her find a partner that really understood all that she needed and never overstepped her boundaries was so delightful.
this series is fucking incredible and i know kennedy is a popular author but she deserves even more popularity. this should win romance of the year over what i'm sure will be Funny Story lol
March 5, 2024
♾ (HAPPY RELEASE DAY 🥳)
JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS.
this paragraph accurately reflects how this thought has consumed every parcelle of my brain from the very moment I finished this poignant chef-d'oeuvre. I pondered whether this would adequately describe the book in a review. yes, it does.
———
many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
——-
*breathe in breathe out* here we go..
JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS. JUDAH CROSS.
this paragraph accurately reflects how this thought has consumed every parcelle of my brain from the very moment I finished this poignant chef-d'oeuvre. I pondered whether this would adequately describe the book in a review. yes, it does.
”the sense that after being on your own—sometimes lonely and sometimes contentedly alone—you look down to find a dangling thread in your hands. one end of infinity, and across years and circumstances, he stands there holding the other. the ends of forever reunited and tied together.”
———
many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
——-
*breathe in breathe out* here we go..
September 2, 2025
don't jinx me. i'm chasing the high of finally actually liking a romance.
and it actually worked.
the third book isn't even out yet and i'm already sad this series has to end.
this was such an emotional read. it's supposedly a romance, but that love story was the least of our worries. the relationships between our protagonist, soledad, and her daughters, sisters, and friends were so glorious.
i wasn't sure if i would like this book much at the beginning — i really dislike when romances begin with the main character in a doomed relationship with a piece of sh*t with no redeeming qualities. it felt like soledad's ex husband had a comical number of negative attributes, when this would have been a believable and compelling story with one or two. as it is i'm like...girl! what the hell did you see in him in the first place.
but still. other than that, this very complicated love story didn't cut any corners. it was so sweet and such a rewarding read. if not quite as good (FOR ME) as the first one.
bottom line: let's just add more and more women to this friend group so this series never ends.
and it actually worked.
the third book isn't even out yet and i'm already sad this series has to end.
this was such an emotional read. it's supposedly a romance, but that love story was the least of our worries. the relationships between our protagonist, soledad, and her daughters, sisters, and friends were so glorious.
i wasn't sure if i would like this book much at the beginning — i really dislike when romances begin with the main character in a doomed relationship with a piece of sh*t with no redeeming qualities. it felt like soledad's ex husband had a comical number of negative attributes, when this would have been a believable and compelling story with one or two. as it is i'm like...girl! what the hell did you see in him in the first place.
but still. other than that, this very complicated love story didn't cut any corners. it was so sweet and such a rewarding read. if not quite as good (FOR ME) as the first one.
bottom line: let's just add more and more women to this friend group so this series never ends.
Want to read
May 19, 2024❥05/17/24
kennedy ryan is one of my all time favorite authors so i just know i’m going to love this🥹her writing is immaculate! let’s get rid of this slump🫡 and let’s manifest 5 stars eee🤭
kennedy ryan is one of my all time favorite authors so i just know i’m going to love this🥹her writing is immaculate! let’s get rid of this slump🫡 and let’s manifest 5 stars eee🤭
July 15, 2024
Happy pub day!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Kennedy Ryan.. you did it again. I’m completely blown away by this woman’s powerhouse of words that emit warmth and understanding with such wisdom. Other than creating connections through relatable themes which felt like such a reassuring warm hug. This book highly emphasized why I love connecting to books than just to its characters but the essence of it, the meaningful words fused together that feels thought-provoking, the message it’s sending, the autism rep and culture in this case, the various emotions pouring from it and the love felt from it all.
While part of me definitely would’ve preferred more romance — my rating is more so because this was much more than that. Similarly to Before I let go, this also reads more like women’s fiction with romance acting as a subplot of sorts as it was very present with alot of depth but everything else had its moment. This was a story about rediscovery, redefining your self worth, self love and sisterhood besides a second chance at love intertwined throughout it out all. This wasn’t exactly as angsty as the previous book but for sure still felt so and filled with so many emotions—especially humor.
Kennedys capacity to create resilient and powerful women shines through in her writing and Soledad was no exception. Sol was dealt with her own tribulations as a result of years of belittlement and shame directed towards her. Men like Edward deserve a life sentence and the scum of the earth. But I loved how she always stood her ground and forged ahead even when she didn’t know what awaited her and her girls. The aspect of influencer/content creator in this would’ve been annoying in any other book but i honestly didn’t mind it here. i guess because of how it was subtly interwoven and wasn’t immaturely unbearable given that sol is a mom of 3 and finding a job as a stay at home mom feels almost impossible. So her being able to have this to help rebuild herself feel like a win to all moms that need to make a living to support her kids. Her journey in loving herself and self reflection in the woman she was versus the one she pushed herself to be felt so realistic as so many women will/have found themselves in sol’s position. So while the title is “this could be us” i also thought ”this could be me” as her journey in realizing what she deserved felt utterly commanding and I was here for it. Sol coming to terms in allowing herself to be happy with Judah by not denying her own happiness in doing so while healing was incredible to see—they were so deserving of one another.
Judah is such an incredible father and man that I’ve had the privilege to read about in a book. The way he was with sol was entirely sweet. My man was so down bad for her lol and he never gave up on giving her space to grow and love on herself on her own while reassuring her that he’ll be there all the while. He was extremely perceptive of her and everything about her and we all love a man who pays attention. The subtle chin touches, the glaring heated stares, the patience & understanding, the sizzling tension, his words, the sentiments, the support, the slow burn and this fine ass man—consider me absolutely enamored because where can i find myself a Judah??
And the healthy co parenting in this? Phenomenal. I loved the maturity from him and his ex and in general in this book as they were all such mature adults (except for one). Judah has two twin boys with autism and is such an attentive and present father. My heart melted during those scenes with them. I wholeheartedly loved the autism rep in this as I have a sibling with autism and have never read about it in a book—therefore it was highly validating and resonated profoundly to me. so thank you Kennedy for the accurate portrayal as being on the spectrum looks so differently for everyone and your description of both brothers reminded me of my own. For those unaware, her son is on the spectrum, so again this book highlighted one of her own experiences and it goes to show the care & attention she pours into what she writes.
The found family here was exceptionally beautiful that I loved every interaction between them. The women here were so supportive and showed such immeasurable love to one another that it’s apparent how these are the type of women you want in your life and corner. So I’m glad that Soledad has yasmen and Hendrix—the true embodiment of friends turned family. Also love the inclusion of scenes we got between sol and her sisters as well. All throughout the book you begin to notice how each of them played a role in sol’s journey in self love and rediscovery. Brief mention but the nostalgia she felt with her mother and all the references mentioned truly touched me beyond measure.
Lastly, I couldn’t end this without mentioning how kennedy is one of those authors that properly does her research because Soledad is Afro-Latina and the Puerto Rican representation in this?! I’m impressed and wanted to cry lol I’ve never seen this representation in a book and every reference felt entirely familiar and brought a genuine smile to my face. Idk if this book was perfect but I do know it was beautiful and will forever hold a special place in my heart for different reasons.
Extremely thankful I was able to read soledads book early on and as expected I loved and will forever cherish it 🥹 I can’t wait for Kennedy to bless us with Hendrix’s book as her humor never failed to entertain me lol Kennedy had jokes. **I doubt she’ll see this but as this is going to be a film someday—someone please tell her to think about casting Tasha smith as Hendrix as I just know she’ll kill it**
I highlighted so much on my kindle but these are just a few quotes I loved:
“When conversing with the heart, expect it to talk back, to revisit the pains and disappointments that left the deepest dents and scratches.”
“I could tell her everything that interests her interests me because it’s a clue to how I can reach her, how I can love her the way she deserves”
“Do you have to deny yourself happiness with someone else in order to be happy with yourself?”
“When are we ever done working on ourselves? I believe wholeness is not a destination, but a lifetime process. Something that instead of waiting for, you could be living for.”
“Like always, just the touch of our hands sends a thrill through me, as if our hearts meet and beat between our palms.”
—-
Whoever has read Before I let go, NetGalley currently has the arc as *read now until tomorrow* 🙌🙌 can’t wait to start soledad’s book 🥹
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Kennedy Ryan.. you did it again. I’m completely blown away by this woman’s powerhouse of words that emit warmth and understanding with such wisdom. Other than creating connections through relatable themes which felt like such a reassuring warm hug. This book highly emphasized why I love connecting to books than just to its characters but the essence of it, the meaningful words fused together that feels thought-provoking, the message it’s sending, the autism rep and culture in this case, the various emotions pouring from it and the love felt from it all.
”focus on your girls. focus on yourself, but when you do think about this relationship, don't compare it to anything else, to anyone else. Draw a picture in your mind of what a future could look like and really believe this could be us. And whenever you're ready, I'm right here.”
While part of me definitely would’ve preferred more romance — my rating is more so because this was much more than that. Similarly to Before I let go, this also reads more like women’s fiction with romance acting as a subplot of sorts as it was very present with alot of depth but everything else had its moment. This was a story about rediscovery, redefining your self worth, self love and sisterhood besides a second chance at love intertwined throughout it out all. This wasn’t exactly as angsty as the previous book but for sure still felt so and filled with so many emotions—especially humor.
“No one is on the way to rescue you. No one is on the way to save you and your girls. At the end of the day, it's up to you. And so it is.
Kennedys capacity to create resilient and powerful women shines through in her writing and Soledad was no exception. Sol was dealt with her own tribulations as a result of years of belittlement and shame directed towards her. Men like Edward deserve a life sentence and the scum of the earth. But I loved how she always stood her ground and forged ahead even when she didn’t know what awaited her and her girls. The aspect of influencer/content creator in this would’ve been annoying in any other book but i honestly didn’t mind it here. i guess because of how it was subtly interwoven and wasn’t immaturely unbearable given that sol is a mom of 3 and finding a job as a stay at home mom feels almost impossible. So her being able to have this to help rebuild herself feel like a win to all moms that need to make a living to support her kids. Her journey in loving herself and self reflection in the woman she was versus the one she pushed herself to be felt so realistic as so many women will/have found themselves in sol’s position. So while the title is “this could be us” i also thought ”this could be me” as her journey in realizing what she deserved felt utterly commanding and I was here for it. Sol coming to terms in allowing herself to be happy with Judah by not denying her own happiness in doing so while healing was incredible to see—they were so deserving of one another.
”When I first saw her, it felt like someone hit me in the solar plexus. Kicked me in the throat. I didn't even realize I was staring until she turned away.”
Judah is such an incredible father and man that I’ve had the privilege to read about in a book. The way he was with sol was entirely sweet. My man was so down bad for her lol and he never gave up on giving her space to grow and love on herself on her own while reassuring her that he’ll be there all the while. He was extremely perceptive of her and everything about her and we all love a man who pays attention. The subtle chin touches, the glaring heated stares, the patience & understanding, the sizzling tension, his words, the sentiments, the support, the slow burn and this fine ass man—consider me absolutely enamored because where can i find myself a Judah??
“You did not only what was best for them, you did what was good for me. So many moms lose their careers until their kids are almost grown. You didn't let that happen to me."
And the healthy co parenting in this? Phenomenal. I loved the maturity from him and his ex and in general in this book as they were all such mature adults (except for one). Judah has two twin boys with autism and is such an attentive and present father. My heart melted during those scenes with them. I wholeheartedly loved the autism rep in this as I have a sibling with autism and have never read about it in a book—therefore it was highly validating and resonated profoundly to me. so thank you Kennedy for the accurate portrayal as being on the spectrum looks so differently for everyone and your description of both brothers reminded me of my own. For those unaware, her son is on the spectrum, so again this book highlighted one of her own experiences and it goes to show the care & attention she pours into what she writes.
“There aren't enough sonnets for friendship. Not enough songs for the kind of love not born of blood or body but of time and care”
The found family here was exceptionally beautiful that I loved every interaction between them. The women here were so supportive and showed such immeasurable love to one another that it’s apparent how these are the type of women you want in your life and corner. So I’m glad that Soledad has yasmen and Hendrix—the true embodiment of friends turned family. Also love the inclusion of scenes we got between sol and her sisters as well. All throughout the book you begin to notice how each of them played a role in sol’s journey in self love and rediscovery. Brief mention but the nostalgia she felt with her mother and all the references mentioned truly touched me beyond measure.
Lastly, I couldn’t end this without mentioning how kennedy is one of those authors that properly does her research because Soledad is Afro-Latina and the Puerto Rican representation in this?! I’m impressed and wanted to cry lol I’ve never seen this representation in a book and every reference felt entirely familiar and brought a genuine smile to my face. Idk if this book was perfect but I do know it was beautiful and will forever hold a special place in my heart for different reasons.
Extremely thankful I was able to read soledads book early on and as expected I loved and will forever cherish it 🥹 I can’t wait for Kennedy to bless us with Hendrix’s book as her humor never failed to entertain me lol Kennedy had jokes. **I doubt she’ll see this but as this is going to be a film someday—someone please tell her to think about casting Tasha smith as Hendrix as I just know she’ll kill it**
I highlighted so much on my kindle but these are just a few quotes I loved:
“When conversing with the heart, expect it to talk back, to revisit the pains and disappointments that left the deepest dents and scratches.”
“I could tell her everything that interests her interests me because it’s a clue to how I can reach her, how I can love her the way she deserves”
“Do you have to deny yourself happiness with someone else in order to be happy with yourself?”
“When are we ever done working on ourselves? I believe wholeness is not a destination, but a lifetime process. Something that instead of waiting for, you could be living for.”
“Like always, just the touch of our hands sends a thrill through me, as if our hearts meet and beat between our palms.”
—-
Whoever has read Before I let go, NetGalley currently has the arc as *read now until tomorrow* 🙌🙌 can’t wait to start soledad’s book 🥹
March 16, 2024
4.5⭐️ I need to read more books like this!! ❤️
In my head, contemporary romance is a genre that's like the complete opposite of fantasy haha
I don't know if I'm right on that or not, but let's assume I'm right in the context of this review
. There is contemporary romance and contemporary romance written by Kennedy Ryan 💖💖
Because her fmcs are from all walks of life and empowering while being real and experiencing real issues. For the most part, we read to live in worlds that we wish were real because they are pretty amazing but contemporary romance tells me real life is hard but can also be amazing.
It is great to see how personal this story was to Kennedy, a mother and woman taking charge of her own life and firmly at the center of her own story as well as her experience with a child on the autism spectrum. I thought this was a solid plot and beautiful story. I love that her stories always, always, always have emotional depth to them. Probably the only thing I miss was that I wanted to see how Edward would fit into the story after everything happened and that part felt a bit rushed but I'm happy about how everything worked out for Soledad. 💞💞💞
In my head, contemporary romance is a genre that's like the complete opposite of fantasy haha
Because her fmcs are from all walks of life and empowering while being real and experiencing real issues. For the most part, we read to live in worlds that we wish were real because they are pretty amazing but contemporary romance tells me real life is hard but can also be amazing.
It is great to see how personal this story was to Kennedy, a mother and woman taking charge of her own life and firmly at the center of her own story as well as her experience with a child on the autism spectrum. I thought this was a solid plot and beautiful story. I love that her stories always, always, always have emotional depth to them. Probably the only thing I miss was that I wanted to see how Edward would fit into the story after everything happened and that part felt a bit rushed but I'm happy about how everything worked out for Soledad. 💞💞💞
February 11, 2024
2.75/5 stars
Thank you so much for the ARC!!! <3
(I always do long reviews for ARCs, so here we go :))
Aww man i really wanted to like this 😭. So far most of the Kennedy Ryan books I have read I have loved, so I was really shocked when i got to the end of this and kinda sat there like :/. The beginning started off so strong too, and I was really looking forward to reading about an older couple (also the plot twist with Edward had my mouth dropping open because it was so left field and I was EATING it upppp) I also really liked Before I let go, so the hopes with this one were HIGH.
I also lovedddd the autism representation, as that is super rare in books and I feel like Kennedy really showcased how to do research on something and showcased it well in her book!
However.....
For me, Soledad and Judah had zero chemistry. Like completely nonexistent. I'm not sure if its because Soledad was pushing this whole self love journey so hard, (which is perfectly fine, but the romance plot line to me felt secondary and came up short) or there was just too much about her being an influencer and other random plot points, but I just could not dive into the romance like at all. I also really disliked Soledad (I'm sorry 😭) but to me her 'self love' quickly turned...selfish (I know this is a hot take but it was her actions toward Judah for me)– and the way she almost just like...played in Judahs face??? Hello?? Why would you lead him on if you wanna dive into your 'self love' journey only to turn around and be like "You don't want me no more??" THE ICKKKKKKK IMMEDIATELY. The spice also made me cringe im not going to lie.
Like this book very much read like this:
1. We learn who Soledad is and about her marriage
2. We learn what happens with her and her ex-husband + how it affects her daughters
2.5. Random plot points about her mom + Bell Hooks that leads no where
3. Her influencer career for random spurts and how she wants to focus on herself
4. Oh yeah and poor Judah is just existing and trying to love her?? 😭
Also we get like...nothing about Judah imo. Or maybe not enough? I just felt like i had no clue who this man was, and his entire personality was being in an FBI accountant with glasses he only used to read. We get like a few ins to him and Tremaine and that was VERYYYY refreshing to read about and how well they got along which i loved..but that was basically it?
Like I really tried yall, because in a way i understood where Soledad was coming from, and that they are a bit in the older range (40s) so they don't really have time to be take 10 years on a self love journey. Self love isn't always the basic self care things we think it is, and it looks different as more things enter your life like kids, marriages, friendships, etc.– So i can understand and I get that Soledad was really trying to stay a float and find herself, but to me thats not an excuse to play in others feelings 😭 . Tbh it gave very much fake influencer energy, where they preach that they are doing this that and the third (#datingmyself in this book) ...only to be basically lying LMAOOOO (aka shes in Judahs face??). I gotta keep it a stack– I reallllllly disliked the influencer plot line, it just all seemed very random and coincidental. She was a good cook??? But an influencer??? Got 2 million followers? But also liked cleaning??? But also hosted events??? It was all just a jumbled random mess to me.
All in all, I really liked the representation, the plot twist in the beginning, and I LOVE how Kennedy Ryan writes, but this just wasn't the story for me. 💔
Thank you so much for the ARC!!! <3
(I always do long reviews for ARCs, so here we go :))
Aww man i really wanted to like this 😭. So far most of the Kennedy Ryan books I have read I have loved, so I was really shocked when i got to the end of this and kinda sat there like :/. The beginning started off so strong too, and I was really looking forward to reading about an older couple (also the plot twist with Edward had my mouth dropping open because it was so left field and I was EATING it upppp) I also really liked Before I let go, so the hopes with this one were HIGH.
I also lovedddd the autism representation, as that is super rare in books and I feel like Kennedy really showcased how to do research on something and showcased it well in her book!
However.....
For me, Soledad and Judah had zero chemistry. Like completely nonexistent. I'm not sure if its because Soledad was pushing this whole self love journey so hard, (which is perfectly fine, but the romance plot line to me felt secondary and came up short) or there was just too much about her being an influencer and other random plot points, but I just could not dive into the romance like at all. I also really disliked Soledad (I'm sorry 😭) but to me her 'self love' quickly turned...selfish (I know this is a hot take but it was her actions toward Judah for me)– and the way she almost just like...played in Judahs face??? Hello?? Why would you lead him on if you wanna dive into your 'self love' journey only to turn around and be like "You don't want me no more??" THE ICKKKKKKK IMMEDIATELY. The spice also made me cringe im not going to lie.
Like this book very much read like this:
1. We learn who Soledad is and about her marriage
2. We learn what happens with her and her ex-husband + how it affects her daughters
2.5. Random plot points about her mom + Bell Hooks that leads no where
3. Her influencer career for random spurts and how she wants to focus on herself
4. Oh yeah and poor Judah is just existing and trying to love her?? 😭
Also we get like...nothing about Judah imo. Or maybe not enough? I just felt like i had no clue who this man was, and his entire personality was being in an FBI accountant with glasses he only used to read. We get like a few ins to him and Tremaine and that was VERYYYY refreshing to read about and how well they got along which i loved..but that was basically it?
Like I really tried yall, because in a way i understood where Soledad was coming from, and that they are a bit in the older range (40s) so they don't really have time to be take 10 years on a self love journey. Self love isn't always the basic self care things we think it is, and it looks different as more things enter your life like kids, marriages, friendships, etc.– So i can understand and I get that Soledad was really trying to stay a float and find herself, but to me thats not an excuse to play in others feelings 😭 . Tbh it gave very much fake influencer energy, where they preach that they are doing this that and the third (#datingmyself in this book) ...only to be basically lying LMAOOOO (aka shes in Judahs face??). I gotta keep it a stack– I reallllllly disliked the influencer plot line, it just all seemed very random and coincidental. She was a good cook??? But an influencer??? Got 2 million followers? But also liked cleaning??? But also hosted events??? It was all just a jumbled random mess to me.
All in all, I really liked the representation, the plot twist in the beginning, and I LOVE how Kennedy Ryan writes, but this just wasn't the story for me. 💔
February 26, 2024
5/5 ⭐️
- Wow!! This book was everything!! The themes of self love and learning to stand on your own were such a large part of the book which I loved!! We need more books like this about independent women learning to love life on their own terms. Such an empowering story that I absolutely devoured.
- There are so many great quotes in this book and it would be the best pick for a book club!! The plot was so unique and I loved the autism representation that you don’t see often in books. I love that their story spanned over a year and that it was dual pov because the reader really gets to see them build a friendship that turns into something more.
- I love a man that can be soft when he needs to be and take charge when he needs to do that too. Judah was perfect!! The garage scene.. whew!!
- This book felt like the romance was almost more of a subplot which I normally wouldn’t enjoy, but I LOVED the way it was written in this story. You could really see that Soledad was putting herself first! It’s so easy for us to put anything and everything above our own healing journey, but this book really focused so much on solo dating and finding who you are while falling in love. I already can’t wait to read it again!
- Wow!! This book was everything!! The themes of self love and learning to stand on your own were such a large part of the book which I loved!! We need more books like this about independent women learning to love life on their own terms. Such an empowering story that I absolutely devoured.
- There are so many great quotes in this book and it would be the best pick for a book club!! The plot was so unique and I loved the autism representation that you don’t see often in books. I love that their story spanned over a year and that it was dual pov because the reader really gets to see them build a friendship that turns into something more.
- I love a man that can be soft when he needs to be and take charge when he needs to do that too. Judah was perfect!! The garage scene.. whew!!
- This book felt like the romance was almost more of a subplot which I normally wouldn’t enjoy, but I LOVED the way it was written in this story. You could really see that Soledad was putting herself first! It’s so easy for us to put anything and everything above our own healing journey, but this book really focused so much on solo dating and finding who you are while falling in love. I already can’t wait to read it again!
March 7, 2024
4 stars
I love starting the year with a winner. Kennedy Ryan is that author for me. The one who makes me feel too much. I’d read any book by her knowing I’d be fully emotionally invested. This one was no exception.
I love how freakin strong her women are. Soledad strength and how she was learning how to love and put herself first was so inspiring. Judah was just as sweet and caring as all of Kennedy’s heroes. I loved seeing him with Soledad and how he’d always put her priorities first. I loved seeing him with his kids and how he was such an amazing caring father. The book was just so beautiful and informational.
I love that Kennedy always includes important topics in her romances, but I guess in this one it kinda overshadowed the romance? Don’t get me wrong I love when she does that. It always makes me more invested and makes the story feel more emotional. It’s just that with this one it kinda started to feel more like a women fiction? And this is not exactly a bad thing. I still loved the book and was totally invested in the story. I just wanted more romantic moments between them? Also, I wanted to see more of how the thing with her daughter was resolved. Overall, This felt like a great, sensible, teaching me lessons read for the start of the year. I loved before I let go more (even when it left me emotionally drained), but this was still a good read.
Huge Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing this copy.
I love starting the year with a winner. Kennedy Ryan is that author for me. The one who makes me feel too much. I’d read any book by her knowing I’d be fully emotionally invested. This one was no exception.
I love how freakin strong her women are. Soledad strength and how she was learning how to love and put herself first was so inspiring. Judah was just as sweet and caring as all of Kennedy’s heroes. I loved seeing him with Soledad and how he’d always put her priorities first. I loved seeing him with his kids and how he was such an amazing caring father. The book was just so beautiful and informational.
I love that Kennedy always includes important topics in her romances, but I guess in this one it kinda overshadowed the romance? Don’t get me wrong I love when she does that. It always makes me more invested and makes the story feel more emotional. It’s just that with this one it kinda started to feel more like a women fiction? And this is not exactly a bad thing. I still loved the book and was totally invested in the story. I just wanted more romantic moments between them? Also, I wanted to see more of how the thing with her daughter was resolved. Overall, This felt like a great, sensible, teaching me lessons read for the start of the year. I loved before I let go more (even when it left me emotionally drained), but this was still a good read.
Huge Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing this copy.
July 13, 2025
જ⁀➴ 0.5 ✰
This book should have been titled “How to Become an Influencer After Your Divorce” because that’s essentially all it was about.
I genuinely mean it when I say this is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. I hated every second of it and couldn’t find a single redeeming quality. Reading it felt like torture; I honestly would’ve preferred listening to nails on a chalkboard than flipping through another page. It doesn’t even deserve a full star.
And as it often happens with Kennedy’s books, this leaned way more into women’s fiction than romance. Usually, I don’t mind that shift, but in this case, it was unbearable. The romance felt tacked on and lacked any real development or chemistry. Everything about it was cliché and unconvincing. If this hadn’t been a buddy read, I would’ve DNF’ed it instantly. It was just too much—too repetitive, too surface-level, and too disconnected from anything emotional or meaningful. I hated every single character in this book.
If you’re someone who dislikes pop culture references in books, steer far, far away from this one. TikTok and Instagram are mentioned constantly, and even Bad Bunny and Doja Cat make appearances. I know some people don’t mind that kind of thing, but I personally find it cringe when it’s so forced and overused. Some of the dialogue made me want to scream. Lines like “A day in the life of an influencer dating herself,” or “Should I grab footage for CleanTok?” made me physically cringe. And don’t even get me started on, “I always say I have a bachelor’s in hotel admin and a master’s in Pinterest.” That line alone made me want to launch the phone across the room.
On top of everything, the book was weighed down by way too many unnecessary descriptions. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I truly did not care about Soledad’s dead mom, yet the book spent countless pages detailing her past, her struggles, how her family used machetes, and every little anecdote imaginable. It felt like her mother’s memoir was stuffed inside this already bloated story. I just didn’t care, and I dreaded every flashback or digression. Also constantly reminders of how her sister is moving states with her girlfriend. Again. I do not care about any of those characters.
Another thing that really threw me off was the awkward and shallow use of Spanish. As someone whose first language is Spanish, I found it frustrating that Soledad constantly talks about her family being Puerto Rican, yet only uses Spanish to say the names of foods. It felt like an under-researched, performative choice to add “flavor” to the story without committing to authentic bilingual representation. It was just one more thing that made the book feel hollow and superficial.
In one word? Mid. Actually—worse than mid. It was ridiculous, plotless, boring, repetitive, and painfully cringey. If I could rate it lower than half a star, I would. Save yourself the time and skip this one.
. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [characters] ࿐ྂ
Soledad
Take her phone away—please. I can’t bring myself to care about an influencer whose “viral salad dressing” magically gain her two million followers overnight, catapulting her to fame just as her husband is arrested for embezzling six million dollars.😴 Reading Soledad’s chapters was an exercise in patience; every page recycled the same three thoughts: Judah is so hot, I’m suddenly broke, and I’ll never sell the house because this and that. The monotony is mind‑numbing.
╰┈➤ This was Soledad’s thoughts about Josiah after meeting him 3 TIMES in person, like no one can convince me that those are normal thoughts to have when you barely know someone! I don’t know maybe I just haven’t fallen in love with THEE ONE and maybe that’s why this seems ridiculous and over the top for me but I just cant phantom being that obsessed with a man I literally don’t know anything about. It reads more like a teenager’s diary than a grown woman’s inner monologue.
The fairy‑tale glow‑up doesn’t help. Post‑divorce, she pivots effortlessly from disaster to #Blessed: she cooks flawless meals that go viral, stages Instagram‑worthy home makeovers, dispenses cleaning hacks that rack up millions of views, and even moonlights as a skincare expert. One meltdown later and ✨abracadabra✨her life is perfect again. The sheer convenience of her talents makes the whole arc feel like wish‑fulfillment rather than believable character growth. Her story asks for sympathy, but her contradictions and instant success make it impossible to invest in anything beyond an eye‑roll.
Then there’s the whiplash between her mantra of “dating myself” and her nonstop fantasies about Judah. She insists she needs to stand on her own, but her internal narration is ninety percent daydreams about his hands, his body, the fortress of his presence. It’s exhausting—and it torpedoes the book’s supposed message of self‑reliance. her train of thought is always like this “Bad enough I think about him all the time. Dream about him. Fantasize about all the things he could do to me. The things I could do to him. How good we might be together.”
Judah
I genuinely have no idea how anyone could find Judah a good male main character. If you do, I’m respectfully side-eyeing you—because what was that? He gave full-blown stalker vibes the entire time, and the fact that the book tries to play it off as charming or funny is actually disturbing. He obsessively watches Soledad’s every move online, studies everything she posts, and knows intimate details about her life before they’ve even had more than a handful of conversations. I don’t know, maybe I’m being dramatic, but if you have the opportunity to get to know someone in real life, why would your first instinct be to obsessively comb through her social media like you're building a case file? 🫠
There’s a quote where he says, “If this woman comes into my house, I may not let her leave. Is that kidnapping? Abduction? I’d have the best intentions.”
I’m sorry—WHAT!? 😃
That’s not sweet. That’s not flirty. That’s an actual red flag dressed up as a quirky joke. And it doesn’t stop there. He’s constantly making it clear that he’s been watching her for months, learning everything about her through her videos, her posts, her pictures, and then casually dropping that knowledge into conversations like it’s no big deal.
In one scene, Soledad even calls him out for it: “You are such a stalker,” she laughs, shaking her head. And instead of denying it or showing some self-awareness, he literally grins and admits to it: “I think we’ve established this.” As if that’s something endearing.
Then there’s his internal monologue… which somehow manages to be worse. One moment he’s romanticizing the color of her lips by comparing them to crushed plums he bought specifically to test his memory (??)
“And her mouth.
That damn mouth.
Her lips are the color of crushed plums, like the juice that oozes out. I know because I bought plums and squeezed one to see if it matched my memories of those pretty, pouty lips. It absolutely did, and the thought of Soledad’s lips wrapped around my dick. I just want—”
╰┈➤IM TRAUMATIZED
His POV just gets more unhinged with every chapter. He’s sniffing her perfume on his clothes like a lovesick teenager, going on late-night runs to shake the horniness off, watching her videos to feel close to her—all while insisting he respects her decision to stay single.
“That damn scent she wore had somehow made its way onto my clothes. Just a hint of it, but it stole my focus and made me hard. A late-night run through the neighborhood didn’t help. A cold shower didn’t help. Watching videos she’d posted on her socials made it worse. I know she’s self-partnering, not dating. I wasn’t lying when I told her I don’t want to disrupt the process she needs to go through.”
Judah isn’t written like a love interest; he’s written like the hot neighbor from a psychological thriller who turns out to have a secret wall of photos in his basement. Honestly, he made me uncomfortable more than anything. I’m not sure what kind of fantasy this was supposed to fulfill, but for me, it gave the ick.
. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [their relationship] ࿐ྂ
ZERO LOVE, ZERO CHEMISTRY, ZERO YEARNING, ZERO EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
They barely spend any meaningful time together in person, yet by the tenth time they see each other, they’re already throwing around the “I can’t live without you” declarations like it’s been years instead of a handful of surface-level encounters. If that’s not the definition of insta-love, I don’t know what is. And to make it worse, the limited time they do spend together? It's exclusively about sex.
If I had a dollar for every time lust completely ruined a book, I’d be a billionaire by now. This book was so overrun by lust it became almost unbearable. It wasn’t sexy—it was excessive to the point of feeling forced. The characters don't think about each other in terms of emotional connection, shared values, or even basic compatibility. No. All they think about is how much they want to fuck. Constantly. Aggressively. Exhaustingly. SPARE MEEEEEEE.
I’m not exaggerating when I say I don’t even think they know each other’s birthdays, and yet they’re already masturbating to the thought of each other like they’re soulmates. I get that Kennedy’s books always bring the steam, and while I don’t love it, I don’t usually mind it—when there’s actual chemistry, tension, and, you know, a relationship behind it. But here, the lust completely drowned out any attempt at building a believable romance. They never went on a date, never had a real conversation about anything deep or meaningful, and yet their internally monologuing about how hard the other would fuck them. 😭
There was no foundation. No emotional intimacy. Just a lot of heavy breathing, fantasizing, and graphic inner thoughts. It made their so-called love feel hollow, rushed, and disconnected.
ׂׂૢ་༘࿐More quotes that made me want to connect with the nature:
“I don’t voice it, but my needs where Judah Cross are concerned torture me. They keep me up at night. They would run my vibrator into the ground if left unchecked.”
“ He’s big and handsome and warm, and his clean, masculine scent encircles me. His stare stalks me, and every cell of my body is screaming, Catch meeeeeee.”
“Spread your legs for me, sweetheart,” he says, running a palm up and down my calf. “I would hack through a forest to get to this pussy, and I’ve waited long enough.”
“My breath stutters at his nearness, at the smell of him, the look of him, so tall and broad and imposing. Yet safe. Really safe. And after all the shit Edward put me through, safe is the new sexy.”
“My whole life is now DIY… or rather DIM. Do it myself because there’s no one else who will.”
Anyways, there is more things I hated about this book and I could write on my review but I was getting too heated for my liking thinking of this book again so I decide that that is not healthy and stopped.
Thank you anh my love for suffering with me😽
___________________
ᝰ.ᐟ pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.
Kennedy Ryan is a 3 star author for me so far, this is my third book by her and the last 2 have let me down after the second half.Hopefully this one breaks the 3 stars curse🤞🏻 this did broke the curse for a 1 star🤣
Reading this with my bestie anh💘
This book should have been titled “How to Become an Influencer After Your Divorce” because that’s essentially all it was about.
╰┈➤ minor spoilers mentioned
I genuinely mean it when I say this is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. I hated every second of it and couldn’t find a single redeeming quality. Reading it felt like torture; I honestly would’ve preferred listening to nails on a chalkboard than flipping through another page. It doesn’t even deserve a full star.
And as it often happens with Kennedy’s books, this leaned way more into women’s fiction than romance. Usually, I don’t mind that shift, but in this case, it was unbearable. The romance felt tacked on and lacked any real development or chemistry. Everything about it was cliché and unconvincing. If this hadn’t been a buddy read, I would’ve DNF’ed it instantly. It was just too much—too repetitive, too surface-level, and too disconnected from anything emotional or meaningful. I hated every single character in this book.
If you’re someone who dislikes pop culture references in books, steer far, far away from this one. TikTok and Instagram are mentioned constantly, and even Bad Bunny and Doja Cat make appearances. I know some people don’t mind that kind of thing, but I personally find it cringe when it’s so forced and overused. Some of the dialogue made me want to scream. Lines like “A day in the life of an influencer dating herself,” or “Should I grab footage for CleanTok?” made me physically cringe. And don’t even get me started on, “I always say I have a bachelor’s in hotel admin and a master’s in Pinterest.” That line alone made me want to launch the phone across the room.
On top of everything, the book was weighed down by way too many unnecessary descriptions. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I truly did not care about Soledad’s dead mom, yet the book spent countless pages detailing her past, her struggles, how her family used machetes, and every little anecdote imaginable. It felt like her mother’s memoir was stuffed inside this already bloated story. I just didn’t care, and I dreaded every flashback or digression. Also constantly reminders of how her sister is moving states with her girlfriend. Again. I do not care about any of those characters.
Another thing that really threw me off was the awkward and shallow use of Spanish. As someone whose first language is Spanish, I found it frustrating that Soledad constantly talks about her family being Puerto Rican, yet only uses Spanish to say the names of foods. It felt like an under-researched, performative choice to add “flavor” to the story without committing to authentic bilingual representation. It was just one more thing that made the book feel hollow and superficial.
In one word? Mid. Actually—worse than mid. It was ridiculous, plotless, boring, repetitive, and painfully cringey. If I could rate it lower than half a star, I would. Save yourself the time and skip this one.
. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [characters] ࿐ྂ
Soledad
Take her phone away—please. I can’t bring myself to care about an influencer whose “viral salad dressing” magically gain her two million followers overnight, catapulting her to fame just as her husband is arrested for embezzling six million dollars.😴 Reading Soledad’s chapters was an exercise in patience; every page recycled the same three thoughts: Judah is so hot, I’m suddenly broke, and I’ll never sell the house because this and that. The monotony is mind‑numbing.
“It would be so tempting to lean on him when times are hard because a man like him will always be harder. Judah would be a wall, a fortress. A shelter. He’s the kind of man you can count on, but I’m done counting on men. He’s the kind of man who, with just a touch of his hand on yours, sends you into fantasies. I carefully withdraw my hand and give him a smile.”
╰┈➤ This was Soledad’s thoughts about Josiah after meeting him 3 TIMES in person, like no one can convince me that those are normal thoughts to have when you barely know someone! I don’t know maybe I just haven’t fallen in love with THEE ONE and maybe that’s why this seems ridiculous and over the top for me but I just cant phantom being that obsessed with a man I literally don’t know anything about. It reads more like a teenager’s diary than a grown woman’s inner monologue.
The fairy‑tale glow‑up doesn’t help. Post‑divorce, she pivots effortlessly from disaster to #Blessed: she cooks flawless meals that go viral, stages Instagram‑worthy home makeovers, dispenses cleaning hacks that rack up millions of views, and even moonlights as a skincare expert. One meltdown later and ✨abracadabra✨her life is perfect again. The sheer convenience of her talents makes the whole arc feel like wish‑fulfillment rather than believable character growth. Her story asks for sympathy, but her contradictions and instant success make it impossible to invest in anything beyond an eye‑roll.
Then there’s the whiplash between her mantra of “dating myself” and her nonstop fantasies about Judah. She insists she needs to stand on her own, but her internal narration is ninety percent daydreams about his hands, his body, the fortress of his presence. It’s exhausting—and it torpedoes the book’s supposed message of self‑reliance. her train of thought is always like this “Bad enough I think about him all the time. Dream about him. Fantasize about all the things he could do to me. The things I could do to him. How good we might be together.”
Judah
I genuinely have no idea how anyone could find Judah a good male main character. If you do, I’m respectfully side-eyeing you—because what was that? He gave full-blown stalker vibes the entire time, and the fact that the book tries to play it off as charming or funny is actually disturbing. He obsessively watches Soledad’s every move online, studies everything she posts, and knows intimate details about her life before they’ve even had more than a handful of conversations. I don’t know, maybe I’m being dramatic, but if you have the opportunity to get to know someone in real life, why would your first instinct be to obsessively comb through her social media like you're building a case file? 🫠
There’s a quote where he says, “If this woman comes into my house, I may not let her leave. Is that kidnapping? Abduction? I’d have the best intentions.”
I’m sorry—WHAT!? 😃
That’s not sweet. That’s not flirty. That’s an actual red flag dressed up as a quirky joke. And it doesn’t stop there. He’s constantly making it clear that he’s been watching her for months, learning everything about her through her videos, her posts, her pictures, and then casually dropping that knowledge into conversations like it’s no big deal.
In one scene, Soledad even calls him out for it: “You are such a stalker,” she laughs, shaking her head. And instead of denying it or showing some self-awareness, he literally grins and admits to it: “I think we’ve established this.” As if that’s something endearing.
Then there’s his internal monologue… which somehow manages to be worse. One moment he’s romanticizing the color of her lips by comparing them to crushed plums he bought specifically to test his memory (??)
“And her mouth.
That damn mouth.
Her lips are the color of crushed plums, like the juice that oozes out. I know because I bought plums and squeezed one to see if it matched my memories of those pretty, pouty lips. It absolutely did, and the thought of Soledad’s lips wrapped around my dick. I just want—”
╰┈➤IM TRAUMATIZED
His POV just gets more unhinged with every chapter. He’s sniffing her perfume on his clothes like a lovesick teenager, going on late-night runs to shake the horniness off, watching her videos to feel close to her—all while insisting he respects her decision to stay single.
“That damn scent she wore had somehow made its way onto my clothes. Just a hint of it, but it stole my focus and made me hard. A late-night run through the neighborhood didn’t help. A cold shower didn’t help. Watching videos she’d posted on her socials made it worse. I know she’s self-partnering, not dating. I wasn’t lying when I told her I don’t want to disrupt the process she needs to go through.”
Judah isn’t written like a love interest; he’s written like the hot neighbor from a psychological thriller who turns out to have a secret wall of photos in his basement. Honestly, he made me uncomfortable more than anything. I’m not sure what kind of fantasy this was supposed to fulfill, but for me, it gave the ick.
. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [their relationship] ࿐ྂ
ZERO LOVE, ZERO CHEMISTRY, ZERO YEARNING, ZERO EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
They barely spend any meaningful time together in person, yet by the tenth time they see each other, they’re already throwing around the “I can’t live without you” declarations like it’s been years instead of a handful of surface-level encounters. If that’s not the definition of insta-love, I don’t know what is. And to make it worse, the limited time they do spend together? It's exclusively about sex.
If I had a dollar for every time lust completely ruined a book, I’d be a billionaire by now. This book was so overrun by lust it became almost unbearable. It wasn’t sexy—it was excessive to the point of feeling forced. The characters don't think about each other in terms of emotional connection, shared values, or even basic compatibility. No. All they think about is how much they want to fuck. Constantly. Aggressively. Exhaustingly. SPARE MEEEEEEE.
I’m not exaggerating when I say I don’t even think they know each other’s birthdays, and yet they’re already masturbating to the thought of each other like they’re soulmates. I get that Kennedy’s books always bring the steam, and while I don’t love it, I don’t usually mind it—when there’s actual chemistry, tension, and, you know, a relationship behind it. But here, the lust completely drowned out any attempt at building a believable romance. They never went on a date, never had a real conversation about anything deep or meaningful, and yet their internally monologuing about how hard the other would fuck them. 😭
There was no foundation. No emotional intimacy. Just a lot of heavy breathing, fantasizing, and graphic inner thoughts. It made their so-called love feel hollow, rushed, and disconnected.
ׂׂૢ་༘࿐More quotes that made me want to connect with the nature:
“I don’t voice it, but my needs where Judah Cross are concerned torture me. They keep me up at night. They would run my vibrator into the ground if left unchecked.”
“ He’s big and handsome and warm, and his clean, masculine scent encircles me. His stare stalks me, and every cell of my body is screaming, Catch meeeeeee.”
“Spread your legs for me, sweetheart,” he says, running a palm up and down my calf. “I would hack through a forest to get to this pussy, and I’ve waited long enough.”
“My breath stutters at his nearness, at the smell of him, the look of him, so tall and broad and imposing. Yet safe. Really safe. And after all the shit Edward put me through, safe is the new sexy.”
“My whole life is now DIY… or rather DIM. Do it myself because there’s no one else who will.”
Anyways, there is more things I hated about this book and I could write on my review but I was getting too heated for my liking thinking of this book again so I decide that that is not healthy and stopped.
Thank you anh my love for suffering with me😽
___________________
ᝰ.ᐟ pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.
Kennedy Ryan is a 3 star author for me so far, this is my third book by her and the last 2 have let me down after the second half.
Reading this with my bestie anh💘
April 22, 2025
5 stars
Emotional, poignant, and beautifully written... Kennedy Ryan never misses. This Could Be Us is such a special read and Soledad and Judah are such an amazing couple.
Soledad's life isn't going the way she imagined. She's picking up the pieces of her life and she's doing it on her own, with her daughters. She never thought her marriage would end the way it did and she would be the sole provider for her family, but she's doing it.
Judah has two sons and is a great dad. He's been through an amicable divorce and has been single for some time. He and Soledad seem perfect for one another. There's only one problem... Judah is the reason Soledad is in the situation she's in. Actually, it's her scumbag ex, but Judah's work and revelations got them to this point.
This one had so many feels. The family dynamics, the friendship and sisterhood, the parenteral moments. All of it was so wonderful. I was so proud of Soledad and all she had been through and honestly I couldn't have loved Judah Cross more. This will be a top read for me and I highly recommend picking it up!
Emotional, poignant, and beautifully written... Kennedy Ryan never misses. This Could Be Us is such a special read and Soledad and Judah are such an amazing couple.
Soledad's life isn't going the way she imagined. She's picking up the pieces of her life and she's doing it on her own, with her daughters. She never thought her marriage would end the way it did and she would be the sole provider for her family, but she's doing it.
Judah has two sons and is a great dad. He's been through an amicable divorce and has been single for some time. He and Soledad seem perfect for one another. There's only one problem... Judah is the reason Soledad is in the situation she's in. Actually, it's her scumbag ex, but Judah's work and revelations got them to this point.
This one had so many feels. The family dynamics, the friendship and sisterhood, the parenteral moments. All of it was so wonderful. I was so proud of Soledad and all she had been through and honestly I couldn't have loved Judah Cross more. This will be a top read for me and I highly recommend picking it up!
July 6, 2025
This book made me so irritated I don’t even have the energy to write a full review right now. But for now, I’ll say this: I really need to stop thinking that just because I loved the first book in a series, the second one will deliver anything even remotely close. Because what the hell was this.
Before I Let Go broke me — I felt everything the characters went through, especially the FMC. Everything I said in my review of that book? I felt the exact opposite here. That one was layered, emotional, and honest. This? Nothing. No feeling, no growth, no emotional weight just 400 pages of surface-level mess.
Also, the smut. I usually find KR’s smut cringey, but this one? My final straw. If I suffered through it, so do you! Consider yourself warned.
FMC says she hasn’t waxed. MMC says: “I would hack through a forest to get to this pussy.” 😃
Thank you Maria for suffering with me.
_______
I loved the first book in this series so much, so I know I’ll love this one too 🤭 Me: 🤡🤡🤡
Before I Let Go broke me — I felt everything the characters went through, especially the FMC. Everything I said in my review of that book? I felt the exact opposite here. That one was layered, emotional, and honest. This? Nothing. No feeling, no growth, no emotional weight just 400 pages of surface-level mess.
Also, the smut. I usually find KR’s smut cringey, but this one? My final straw. If I suffered through it, so do you! Consider yourself warned.
FMC says she hasn’t waxed. MMC says: “I would hack through a forest to get to this pussy.” 😃
Thank you Maria for suffering with me.
_______
April 28, 2025
⭐️ 4.5 STARS ⭐
OKAY LISTEN UP.
I know I say I love a lot of books (bc hello, book addict problems lol) BUT sometimes... SOMETIMES... a book just wraps your whole soul in a hug and punches you in the feels at the same time!!! THIS WAS THAT BOOK.
Kennedy Ryan??? My QUEEN.
Like, ma’am, how did you hijack my heart twice in a row??? Before I Let Go was already a masterpiece and now THIS???
HELLO NEW FAVE AUTHOR ALERT.
(And yes, even tho I only read 2 of her books — don’t judge lol, quality > quantity okay!!)
This book??? Was not just a romance.
It was a self-love anthem 💖, a friendship ballad 🫶, a healing story ✨, a hug in book form 🤗, and a swoony romance all rolled into one burrito of emotions. 🌯
Soledad, my queen, my sun, my everything!!!
Watching her pick up the broken pieces of her life, raise her beautiful girls, find herself again, and THEN allow love back in??? I WAS SOBBING. Screaming. Crying. Throwing up. Loving her.
Also can we TALK about her friendships???
The girls YASMEN & HENDRIX??? SO PURE.
Like, I was ready to be the 4th bestie in that squad no questions asked.
The romance???
JUDAH YOU BEAUTIFUL MAN YOU.
He was so patient ✨, so gentle 🥺, so RESPECTFUL, and so ready to build a life with Soledad.
THAT MAN WAS PUTTING IN THE WORK.
Book boyfriends? Judah is at the TOP.
➤ BUT (yeah there’s a but lol)
I did want just a tad more romance-focused moments, yk??? Like, give me a little more "kiss in the rain" moments lol.
It leaned more into women’s fiction at times (which usually I’m like meh about), BUT THIS WAS DONE SO WELL I didn’t even mind??? Power of Kennedy’s pen.
Also Edward??
THE EX FROM HELL.
Legit every time he was on page: BOOO tomato tomato throwing tomatoes!!!
Girl, what did you even see in him once upon a delulu time???
➤ TROPES I ATE UP:
✧ Single mom finding herself again ✨
✧ Friends to lovers 🫶
✧ Second chance at life (and love) 💖
✧ Slow burn romance that sizzles 🔥
✧ Found family vibes that healed me 🥰
➤ CONTENT WARNINGS:
- Betrayal
- Divorce
- Past emotional manipulation
- Parenting struggles
- Therapy topics
FINAL VERDICT:
If you love slow burns that heal your soul, emotional journeys that make you wanna hug everyone, and men who actually know how to communicate, YOU NEED THIS BOOK.
(Also prepare tissues lol.)
CANNOT WAIT FOR HENDRIX’S BOOK.
I’m already vibrating like a chihuahua from excitement!!!!
OKAY LISTEN UP.
I know I say I love a lot of books (bc hello, book addict problems lol) BUT sometimes... SOMETIMES... a book just wraps your whole soul in a hug and punches you in the feels at the same time!!! THIS WAS THAT BOOK.
Kennedy Ryan??? My QUEEN.
Like, ma’am, how did you hijack my heart twice in a row??? Before I Let Go was already a masterpiece and now THIS???
HELLO NEW FAVE AUTHOR ALERT.
(And yes, even tho I only read 2 of her books — don’t judge lol, quality > quantity okay!!)
This book??? Was not just a romance.
It was a self-love anthem 💖, a friendship ballad 🫶, a healing story ✨, a hug in book form 🤗, and a swoony romance all rolled into one burrito of emotions. 🌯
Soledad, my queen, my sun, my everything!!!
Watching her pick up the broken pieces of her life, raise her beautiful girls, find herself again, and THEN allow love back in??? I WAS SOBBING. Screaming. Crying. Throwing up. Loving her.
Also can we TALK about her friendships???
The girls YASMEN & HENDRIX??? SO PURE.
Like, I was ready to be the 4th bestie in that squad no questions asked.
“There aren’t enough sonnets for friendship. Not enough songs for the kind of love not born of blood or body but of time and care. They are the ones we choose to laugh and cry and live with. When lovers come and go, friends are the ones who remain. We are each other’s constants.”—BAWLINGGGG OMG.
The romance???
JUDAH YOU BEAUTIFUL MAN YOU.
He was so patient ✨, so gentle 🥺, so RESPECTFUL, and so ready to build a life with Soledad.
THAT MAN WAS PUTTING IN THE WORK.
“Focus on your girls. Focus on yourself, but when you do think about this relationship, don’t compare it to anything else, to anyone else. Draw a picture in your mind of what a future could look like and really believe this could be us. And whenever you’re ready, I’m right here.”(CRYING. SOBBING. DROWNING.)
Book boyfriends? Judah is at the TOP.
➤ BUT (yeah there’s a but lol)
I did want just a tad more romance-focused moments, yk??? Like, give me a little more "kiss in the rain" moments lol.
It leaned more into women’s fiction at times (which usually I’m like meh about), BUT THIS WAS DONE SO WELL I didn’t even mind??? Power of Kennedy’s pen.
Also Edward??
THE EX FROM HELL.
Legit every time he was on page: BOOO tomato tomato throwing tomatoes!!!
Girl, what did you even see in him once upon a delulu time???
➤ TROPES I ATE UP:
✧ Single mom finding herself again ✨
✧ Friends to lovers 🫶
✧ Second chance at life (and love) 💖
✧ Slow burn romance that sizzles 🔥
✧ Found family vibes that healed me 🥰
➤ CONTENT WARNINGS:
- Betrayal
- Divorce
- Past emotional manipulation
- Parenting struggles
- Therapy topics
FINAL VERDICT:
If you love slow burns that heal your soul, emotional journeys that make you wanna hug everyone, and men who actually know how to communicate, YOU NEED THIS BOOK.
(Also prepare tissues lol.)
CANNOT WAIT FOR HENDRIX’S BOOK.
I’m already vibrating like a chihuahua from excitement!!!!
March 15, 2024
4.5 stars★
“When are we ever done working on ourselves? I believe wholeness is not a destination, but a lifetime process. Something that instead of waiting for, you could be living for.”
So, in "This Could Be Us," we meet Soledad, a mother of three daughters. Her life takes a wild turn when her husband Edward gets caught up in some serious trouble. But no worries, I won't spoil the details for you! Let's just say it's a crazy ride of emotions for Soledad as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Soledad's journey in the book was truly awe-inspiring! It's absolutely incredible how she managed to piece her life back together and take care of her children after her family fell apart. I really look up to her for her strength and determination in finding self-love, navigating motherhood, and eventually finding love once again. It's so heartwarming to see how she always put her children first while rebuilding her own life.
Kennedy Ryan's talent for capturing the authenticity of life. It's truly impressive how she explores topics like therapy, blended families, parenting struggles, and loss in her book. She doesn't shy away from the complexities of real-life experiences. And the way she weaves romance into the story, with all its drama, heartbreak, and healing, is absolutely fantastic.
Oh, let's dive into Judah, shall we? 😮💨😮💨 It's absolutely wonderful how he's such an incredible father to his teenage twin sons with autism. Witnessing how he and his ex-wife navigate co-parenting children with disabilities was incredibly touching. I really admire the author's sensitive approach to such a complex topic. And props to Judah for knowing what he wants and not being afraid to express it
While the romance in this was indeed beautiful, there were moments where it felt like it took a backseat to the other aspects of the story. It leaned more towards Women's Fiction, which is totally cool, but I was hoping for a stronger romantic focus.
But seriously, this book was absolutely amazing ! The writing was on point, and the characters were so beautifully crafted. I legit feel like I'm besties with all of them in this series!
I'm already itching with anticipation for Hendrix’s book! It's going to be absolutely amazing! 🙌
────────
pre-review:
the dedication 🥺
“When are we ever done working on ourselves? I believe wholeness is not a destination, but a lifetime process. Something that instead of waiting for, you could be living for.”
So, in "This Could Be Us," we meet Soledad, a mother of three daughters. Her life takes a wild turn when her husband Edward gets caught up in some serious trouble. But no worries, I won't spoil the details for you! Let's just say it's a crazy ride of emotions for Soledad as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Soledad's journey in the book was truly awe-inspiring! It's absolutely incredible how she managed to piece her life back together and take care of her children after her family fell apart. I really look up to her for her strength and determination in finding self-love, navigating motherhood, and eventually finding love once again. It's so heartwarming to see how she always put her children first while rebuilding her own life.
Kennedy Ryan's talent for capturing the authenticity of life. It's truly impressive how she explores topics like therapy, blended families, parenting struggles, and loss in her book. She doesn't shy away from the complexities of real-life experiences. And the way she weaves romance into the story, with all its drama, heartbreak, and healing, is absolutely fantastic.
Oh, let's dive into Judah, shall we? 😮💨😮💨 It's absolutely wonderful how he's such an incredible father to his teenage twin sons with autism. Witnessing how he and his ex-wife navigate co-parenting children with disabilities was incredibly touching. I really admire the author's sensitive approach to such a complex topic. And props to Judah for knowing what he wants and not being afraid to express it
While the romance in this was indeed beautiful, there were moments where it felt like it took a backseat to the other aspects of the story. It leaned more towards Women's Fiction, which is totally cool, but I was hoping for a stronger romantic focus.
But seriously, this book was absolutely amazing ! The writing was on point, and the characters were so beautifully crafted. I legit feel like I'm besties with all of them in this series!
I'm already itching with anticipation for Hendrix’s book! It's going to be absolutely amazing! 🙌
────────
pre-review:
To those of us who never quite fit into the spaces they made for us. May we find our people. May we make our way. May we find our home.
the dedication 🥺
May 1, 2025
4.5 🌟 loved it!!!!!
November 27, 2023
I love me some Kennedy Ryan but this scraped a 3⭐️ from me. It paled in comparison to its predecessor.
Thank-you so much to Netgalley for the ARC. I have a lot to say about this.
The start was so promising, the first 30% gripping, the drama was popping OFF, I couldn’t put my kindle down, you had to pry the god damn thing out of my hands.
I applaud Kennedy Ryan on her ability and dedication to write about the non-conventional, this book is well researched and I loved that about it.
But from 40% onwards boredom slowly trickles in, and I skim read the last 30% 🙃
The drama well and truly backdoor shuffled 💀 along with the climax because there wasn’t one. if you’d have told me this at the start I’d have laughed at you. I hate to say it but Part 1 and part 2 feel like completely different books 😩
The conflict between 40% and 60%, the main thing keeping Soledad and Judah apart is her decision to ‘self-partner’. She doesn’t want to date following her divorce, it’s too soon, she wants to stand on her own two feet, readjust to this new life she’s building for herself. Firstly, her divorce was 9 MONTHS AGO at the beginning of part 2 🙃 so therefore secondly, it’s not a good enough reason for them to not be together. Especially given by her own admittance, Soledad had clocked out of her marriage a long time ago but stayed for her daughters and fear of change.
The situation with Edward was RIGHT THERE, her daughters feelings about Judah was RIGHT THERE, that should have been the main source of conflict but it wasn’t, it was cast aside to make way for the theme around loving yourself as a woman, standing on your own two feet, finding your passion and ambition without a man at your side. But it made for a boring read 🫤
Soledad should have been fighting her feelings toward Judah because of what happened with her husband, Judahs involvement with it and what it could do to her family, not because she’s listening to Pussycat Dolls, I Don’t Need a Man all day long.
There were so many redundant scenes that contributed little to the plot. If Soledad wasn’t FaceTiming her sisters, she was FaceTiming her friends. Or Judah was FaceTiming his mum 😴
I also felt like there was zero development to their relationship. They meet once, 9 months on they meet again. They don’t date, just have two fleeting encounters, have sex twice and then exchange I love you’s 🙃🙃🙃 they’d known each other for a while but they don’t KNOW each other. How’s he saying he loves her 😂😂😂 behave.
And Judah was beige for me. Apart from being physically attracted to him, I don’t get it 🙃 he wasn’t brimming with personality, in fact his personality was as apparent as the climax. Because where was that? There wasn’t one!!
The most interesting character was Edward, gotta say it 🤣🤣🤣 and Inez!!!
Thank-you so much to Netgalley for the ARC. I have a lot to say about this.
The start was so promising, the first 30% gripping, the drama was popping OFF, I couldn’t put my kindle down, you had to pry the god damn thing out of my hands.
I applaud Kennedy Ryan on her ability and dedication to write about the non-conventional, this book is well researched and I loved that about it.
But from 40% onwards boredom slowly trickles in, and I skim read the last 30% 🙃
The drama well and truly backdoor shuffled 💀 along with the climax because there wasn’t one. if you’d have told me this at the start I’d have laughed at you. I hate to say it but Part 1 and part 2 feel like completely different books 😩
The conflict between 40% and 60%, the main thing keeping Soledad and Judah apart is her decision to ‘self-partner’. She doesn’t want to date following her divorce, it’s too soon, she wants to stand on her own two feet, readjust to this new life she’s building for herself. Firstly, her divorce was 9 MONTHS AGO at the beginning of part 2 🙃 so therefore secondly, it’s not a good enough reason for them to not be together. Especially given by her own admittance, Soledad had clocked out of her marriage a long time ago but stayed for her daughters and fear of change.
The situation with Edward was RIGHT THERE, her daughters feelings about Judah was RIGHT THERE, that should have been the main source of conflict but it wasn’t, it was cast aside to make way for the theme around loving yourself as a woman, standing on your own two feet, finding your passion and ambition without a man at your side. But it made for a boring read 🫤
Soledad should have been fighting her feelings toward Judah because of what happened with her husband, Judahs involvement with it and what it could do to her family, not because she’s listening to Pussycat Dolls, I Don’t Need a Man all day long.
There were so many redundant scenes that contributed little to the plot. If Soledad wasn’t FaceTiming her sisters, she was FaceTiming her friends. Or Judah was FaceTiming his mum 😴
I also felt like there was zero development to their relationship. They meet once, 9 months on they meet again. They don’t date, just have two fleeting encounters, have sex twice and then exchange I love you’s 🙃🙃🙃 they’d known each other for a while but they don’t KNOW each other. How’s he saying he loves her 😂😂😂 behave.
And Judah was beige for me. Apart from being physically attracted to him, I don’t get it 🙃 he wasn’t brimming with personality, in fact his personality was as apparent as the climax. Because where was that? There wasn’t one!!
The most interesting character was Edward, gotta say it 🤣🤣🤣 and Inez!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2025
Love love LOVE
January 20, 2024
4.5/5 stars
this book was better than the first book in my opinion. first of all the book started off messy as hell which i loved, i had so much fun in the beginning. i just really enjoyed the plot. these books read more like women fiction but once i realized that i was able to really enjoy the book. i also thought the chemistry in this book was a bit better, it was a lot less sexual and more focused on soledad finding herself which i really appreciated.
this book was better than the first book in my opinion. first of all the book started off messy as hell which i loved, i had so much fun in the beginning. i just really enjoyed the plot. these books read more like women fiction but once i realized that i was able to really enjoy the book. i also thought the chemistry in this book was a bit better, it was a lot less sexual and more focused on soledad finding herself which i really appreciated.
November 21, 2023
4.5/5 ⭐️ I was so happy when I found out that this ARC was available on NetGalley. I started reading it right away!! Lol (Thank you Sabrina for letting me know ☺️❤️)
I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint! Soledad has had my heart since I first met her in Before I Let Go. She is hardworking, strong, caring, and such an amazing mother.
I also fell in love with the hero, Judah. His relationship with his kids was everything to me. Some of the moments with him and his sons had me with tears in my eyes 🥺. His sons both have autism and I just love how amazing he was with them.
I also really love how mature everyone in this book was. Even Judah’s ex was likable lol. She wasn’t the cliche bitter ex wife. She was actually rooting for Judah and Sol ❤️
One of my favorite scenes in this book is when Judah sees Soledad for the first time. He did a double take and wouldn’t stop staring at her 🥹. Ever since that moment, he wasn’t with anyone else. He only wanted her and I LOVE that. A man who knows what he wants and doesn’t settle for a replacement of the woman he craves 🙌🏻❤️. He was lowkey obsessed with her 🤭. He was hot, sweet, caring, and swoony!
I also adore the friend group!!!! It was nice being back with Yasmen and Hendrix again. They are the best friends that anyone could ever ask for. I loved how they both were there for Sol during one of the hardest times of her life. It was truly beautiful.
The romance in this book was really beautiful and I loved it but I feel like it wasn’t the main focus at times. This read more like Women’s Fiction which is fine but I think I was just expecting something more romantic.
It mainly focused on Soledad’s journey to healing and finding herself after her divorce.
I will say that for me personally, this book was not as emotional as Before I Let Go. I cried more reading that one than I did with this one. BILG was definitely more angsty and the romance in that one appealed to me more.
Nonetheless, this book was still amazing!!!! Great writing and beautiful characters. I feel so connected to all of the characters in this series!!
I already can’t wait for Hendrix to get her own book!! 😭❤️
I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint! Soledad has had my heart since I first met her in Before I Let Go. She is hardworking, strong, caring, and such an amazing mother.
I also fell in love with the hero, Judah. His relationship with his kids was everything to me. Some of the moments with him and his sons had me with tears in my eyes 🥺. His sons both have autism and I just love how amazing he was with them.
I also really love how mature everyone in this book was. Even Judah’s ex was likable lol. She wasn’t the cliche bitter ex wife. She was actually rooting for Judah and Sol ❤️
One of my favorite scenes in this book is when Judah sees Soledad for the first time. He did a double take and wouldn’t stop staring at her 🥹. Ever since that moment, he wasn’t with anyone else. He only wanted her and I LOVE that. A man who knows what he wants and doesn’t settle for a replacement of the woman he craves 🙌🏻❤️. He was lowkey obsessed with her 🤭. He was hot, sweet, caring, and swoony!
I also adore the friend group!!!! It was nice being back with Yasmen and Hendrix again. They are the best friends that anyone could ever ask for. I loved how they both were there for Sol during one of the hardest times of her life. It was truly beautiful.
The romance in this book was really beautiful and I loved it but I feel like it wasn’t the main focus at times. This read more like Women’s Fiction which is fine but I think I was just expecting something more romantic.
It mainly focused on Soledad’s journey to healing and finding herself after her divorce.
I will say that for me personally, this book was not as emotional as Before I Let Go. I cried more reading that one than I did with this one. BILG was definitely more angsty and the romance in that one appealed to me more.
Nonetheless, this book was still amazing!!!! Great writing and beautiful characters. I feel so connected to all of the characters in this series!!
I already can’t wait for Hendrix to get her own book!! 😭❤️
April 25, 2024
4 stars :,) it was beautiful and just *chefs kiss*
June 3, 2025
One of my favorite things to read in romance is exes who are on excellent terms with each other and the other is (apparently) a male lead who’s a forensic accountant. I also enjoy food descriptions, single mothers killing it, and oral scenes that happen in sheds so this really ticked pretty much every box for me 10/10 not a single note give me fourteen more.
September 17, 2024
Kennedy Ryan is my favorite author. Her ability to get you so deeply invested in her characters so quickly is beyond compare. Her writing is so skilled and deft that every emotion the characters are going through you also experience as the reader.
From the first page to the last, this book had me hooked. I was so compelled to finish it to find out what was happening to Soledad that I never wanted to put it down.
But... I do feel the romance in here is weak when I compare it to past Kennedy books. This feels like women's fiction, and I don't mean that in a negative way, as I do enjoy women's fiction. But I was expecting a romance. Which kind of breaks my heart because no one on the planet, past or present, can write romance like this woman.
This book is overwhelmingly about Soledad's journey, and it is a beautiful and compelling story, no doubt about it. But if you are expecting epic romance, adjust your expectations for this one.
From the first page to the last, this book had me hooked. I was so compelled to finish it to find out what was happening to Soledad that I never wanted to put it down.
But... I do feel the romance in here is weak when I compare it to past Kennedy books. This feels like women's fiction, and I don't mean that in a negative way, as I do enjoy women's fiction. But I was expecting a romance. Which kind of breaks my heart because no one on the planet, past or present, can write romance like this woman.
This book is overwhelmingly about Soledad's journey, and it is a beautiful and compelling story, no doubt about it. But if you are expecting epic romance, adjust your expectations for this one.
February 12, 2025
"Can I be the love of my own life?" It is currently 3:04AM and I am crying over fictional characters and their fictional heartbreaks. What a story!!! Kennedy Ryan is a genius. A new all time favourite book for sure.
March 5, 2024
Kennedy’s writing is like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold, snowy day. This Could Be Us was moving, romantic, and hilarious. I swooned over the love story between Judah and Sol, but what I loved even more was the love story of SOL — on her own. I loved the motherhood experience, the friends who were more like family, the self-discovery after divorce… it was such an incredible ride. An easy five stars and a book that will stay with me long after the last page.
March 10, 2024
2.5 stars. Before I Let Go was perfect and I had high expectations for This Could Be Us. This started off so well and just… lost all momentum at part 2. Soledad’s inner monologues were repetitive and boring; literally a continuous loop of ‘Edward never appreciated me so I need to focus on myself and take care of my girls.’ We get it already. 😭 Honestly, it was unbearable towards the end. Soledad could’ve easily worked on herself while dating Judah… it didn’t have to be one or the other. Plus, right after Soledad would emphasize how she was on a self-partnering journey and didn’t want to date anyone, she would be all over Judah.
It would’ve been amazing if this romance book actually had some romance. And the 29,000 times Bell Hooks’s book was mentioned? Please, enough. Soledad was irritating. Judah not having a personality was irritating. I’m sorry, but Soledad’s sisters were irritating too. However, I loved the inclusion of autism in the story with Aaron and Adam. I also loved the cover art. I’ll always be excited for a new Kennedy Ryan book release, but this was not my favorite.
It would’ve been amazing if this romance book actually had some romance. And the 29,000 times Bell Hooks’s book was mentioned? Please, enough. Soledad was irritating. Judah not having a personality was irritating. I’m sorry, but Soledad’s sisters were irritating too. However, I loved the inclusion of autism in the story with Aaron and Adam. I also loved the cover art. I’ll always be excited for a new Kennedy Ryan book release, but this was not my favorite.
August 31, 2025
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ I want to go read Before I Let Go again ✋😩
2.75!! I really liked the first part of this, but the second half was a little too slow and it felt like we were going in circles. I wanted the plot to wrap up a little earlier than it did, but overall, I'm not going to complain because girl boss stole the day!!
SoledadBarnesCharles. The females in this series are such girl-bosses. I love how she didn't give excuses for her husband, well ex-husband, after she found out exactly what he did. NOT. A. SINGLE. EXCUSE. Let that sink in!! I love when women aren't afraid to call out men that do stuff like that instead of simply calling them mistakes and pushing them under a rug. This woman did not even hesitate and I loved that about her. Definition of a strong woman and I was here for it all!!
Judah Cross. Ok, I'm conflicted about this man. I liked him overall, but there was something missing. His character arc was literally so good, but I just wanted a little bit more from him. I really liked his personality, but the way he kind of lusted over Soledad at the start wasn't my favorite.
The Romance. I wish we saw more character development of them individually before we saw any kind of feelings develop between the two of them, especially since Soledad was still supposed to be "in love" with Edward, being married to him and all.
Edward Barnes. This man pissed me off. Glad Soledad got rid of the trash in her life and upgraded. Imagine spending your entire adult life with a man, just for him to call your vagina loose and this is after you gave birth to 3 children that are also his. She literally dedicated her life to him, their children, and their home and this is how he treats her by cheating on her and giving her chlamydia and that's just part of it. Soledad was such a queen to deal with this piece of shit for so long, but I'm glad she didn't have to spend the rest of forever with him.
Yasmeen and Josiah Wade. Oh, my babies. I loved seeing them all happy, especially after everything they went through in their book. They deserve every bit of that happiness and every single moment with them was *chef's kiss*!!
Hendrix. Man, I'm so excited for her and hopefully her book is just as interesting as she is. They have the best trio ever and I'm so dang excited!!
--------
pre-read: I still think about the first book in this series from time to time even though it's been 2 months since I've read it, so I hope this one is just as good!! 🥺
2.75!! I really liked the first part of this, but the second half was a little too slow and it felt like we were going in circles. I wanted the plot to wrap up a little earlier than it did, but overall, I'm not going to complain because girl boss stole the day!!
“When you hurt the way we women sometimes have to, when you lose so much, when the world ends over and over and over again, we are no longer butterflies. Those wings are much too fragile to carry us on and through. I’m a hornet. I can love. And I can sting.”
Soledad
Judah Cross. Ok, I'm conflicted about this man. I liked him overall, but there was something missing. His character arc was literally so good, but I just wanted a little bit more from him. I really liked his personality, but the way he kind of lusted over Soledad at the start wasn't my favorite.
The Romance. I wish we saw more character development of them individually before we saw any kind of feelings develop between the two of them, especially since Soledad was still supposed to be "in love" with Edward, being married to him and all.
Edward Barnes. This man pissed me off. Glad Soledad got rid of the trash in her life and upgraded. Imagine spending your entire adult life with a man, just for him to call your vagina loose and this is after you gave birth to 3 children that are also his. She literally dedicated her life to him, their children, and their home and this is how he treats her by cheating on her and giving her chlamydia and that's just part of it. Soledad was such a queen to deal with this piece of shit for so long, but I'm glad she didn't have to spend the rest of forever with him.
Yasmeen and Josiah Wade. Oh, my babies. I loved seeing them all happy, especially after everything they went through in their book. They deserve every bit of that happiness and every single moment with them was *chef's kiss*!!
Hendrix. Man, I'm so excited for her and hopefully her book is just as interesting as she is. They have the best trio ever and I'm so dang excited!!
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pre-read: I still think about the first book in this series from time to time even though it's been 2 months since I've read it, so I hope this one is just as good!! 🥺
March 31, 2025
4.5 stars
i already know i am gonna loveeeee this 😙
i already know i am gonna loveeeee this 😙
July 14, 2025
⌗┆3 stars 🪿₊ ˚!
⊹”the longer I live, the more deeply I
learn that love-whether we call it friendship or family or romance-is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other's light.”
⌗┆overall thoughts ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 one thing about kennedy ryan: her ability to capturing the simplicity and authenticity of life is astonishing. her ability to explore topics like divorce, therapy, loss, and parental struggles, while also intertwining romance is so so so impressive. however, i felt the romance took a backseat to the other aspects in this book. it was leaning more towards women’s fiction, which is totally fine, but not what i was in the mood for. i absolutely loved the austim representation, however, i wish we saw more of how judah dealt with it personally! weather that was within himself, or how he navigated it as a father.
the first half of this book was so interesting, between edward and soledads journey to self-love, i was hooked! then the second half got sooo boring and a little messy. there was an issue between soledad and her daughter that was suddenly resolved without explanation. soledad goes on a journey of self-love after finding out her husband is a liar and a cheat, but those values disappear when it came to judah. insanely cringy smut…like i VISIBLY cringed. main love interests didnt have a tonnn of chemistry. PLUS an epilogue that opened with smut 😐 one thing i can appreciate was the friendshipppp, it was soo heartwarming!!
overall, its a cute book with such an important message, but it just fell flat :(
⌗┆characters ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 soledad is such a strong woman! the way she picked her life back up, paid for the house, gymnastic lessons, and private school tuition without ever asking for help or just giving up was soo awe-inspiring cause girl…lowkey id just start sobbing. i respect her determination to navigate her new life as a single mother, while taking care of herself and her needs! complete side note but her yelling at edward healed apart of me i didn’t know needed healing!
⊹”i’m the girl who has always loved too hard and offered too much, sometimes to those who didn't deserve it.”
ᢉ𐭩 judah was such a respectable character! he was a wonderful father to his sons! however, i felt like we didn’t really KNOW judah outside of being a father or liking soledad. and maybe that was intentional, so im not gonna talk about too much! it was very very admirable to see him and his ex-wife co-parent so effectively and perfectly!
⊹”this yearning. this burning hunger. this all-consuming feeling that you could eat every bit of someone and never be satisfied. that you would lick their crumbs. that’s how I feel around Soledad, and it is out of control. I hate being out of control, but I keep finding ways to be around her so I can feel this way.”
⊹”the longer I live, the more deeply I
learn that love-whether we call it friendship or family or romance-is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other's light.”
⌗┆overall thoughts ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 one thing about kennedy ryan: her ability to capturing the simplicity and authenticity of life is astonishing. her ability to explore topics like divorce, therapy, loss, and parental struggles, while also intertwining romance is so so so impressive. however, i felt the romance took a backseat to the other aspects in this book. it was leaning more towards women’s fiction, which is totally fine, but not what i was in the mood for. i absolutely loved the austim representation, however, i wish we saw more of how judah dealt with it personally! weather that was within himself, or how he navigated it as a father.
the first half of this book was so interesting, between edward and soledads journey to self-love, i was hooked! then the second half got sooo boring and a little messy. there was an issue between soledad and her daughter that was suddenly resolved without explanation. soledad goes on a journey of self-love after finding out her husband is a liar and a cheat, but those values disappear when it came to judah. insanely cringy smut…like i VISIBLY cringed. main love interests didnt have a tonnn of chemistry. PLUS an epilogue that opened with smut 😐 one thing i can appreciate was the friendshipppp, it was soo heartwarming!!
overall, its a cute book with such an important message, but it just fell flat :(
⌗┆characters ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 soledad is such a strong woman! the way she picked her life back up, paid for the house, gymnastic lessons, and private school tuition without ever asking for help or just giving up was soo awe-inspiring cause girl…lowkey id just start sobbing. i respect her determination to navigate her new life as a single mother, while taking care of herself and her needs! complete side note but her yelling at edward healed apart of me i didn’t know needed healing!
⊹”i’m the girl who has always loved too hard and offered too much, sometimes to those who didn't deserve it.”
ᢉ𐭩 judah was such a respectable character! he was a wonderful father to his sons! however, i felt like we didn’t really KNOW judah outside of being a father or liking soledad. and maybe that was intentional, so im not gonna talk about too much! it was very very admirable to see him and his ex-wife co-parent so effectively and perfectly!
⊹”this yearning. this burning hunger. this all-consuming feeling that you could eat every bit of someone and never be satisfied. that you would lick their crumbs. that’s how I feel around Soledad, and it is out of control. I hate being out of control, but I keep finding ways to be around her so I can feel this way.”
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