An unbelievably powerful, and raw read. I don’t know if I’ll ever have more words, or even better ones, to explain how much I love this book. It was something that I didn't know I needed. Yasmen & Josiah are so easy to fall in love with. From the first page you're thrown into their whirlwind life and, from beginning to end, no one can deny their unbelievable chemistry. No matter how much they try to ignore it. Kennedy Ryan always does such a fantastic job telling her stories. She has such a unique, powerful voice, and she’s the absolute queen of emotional reads!

I don’t think I could recommend this book enough. Hands down another great read from this author, and another book that I can add onto my list of favorites for 2022!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Grief is a grind. It is the work of breathing and waking and rising and moving through a world that feels emptier. A gaping hole has been torn into your existence, and everyone around you just walks right past it like it’s not even there. But all you can do is stand and stare.”

This was my very first book by this author, and I am blown away. I read this in December and it crashed right into my top 3 of the year. There are no words for the way Kennedy Ryan writes a story. It is an unmatched talent. I feel like I fell right into the middle of every emotion she was detailing through her poetic prose.

This is a second chance romance that touches on extremely raw and heavy topics. Yasmen and Josiah try to navigate a divorce while coparenting and co-owning a restaurant. Their children play a huge role in the events surrounding the plot. They both heal as individuals and a family in this story and it is truly beautiful to see the character development.

As someone who has struggled with depression, I can understand that it comes in all shapes and sizes. Some days are brighter and others are nonexistent (as described through the blackout moments in this story). Ryan tackled these topics with the such care and grace.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Pub for the gifted copy!


Content warnings below:
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Death of loved one (off page), stillbirth, depression, grief, passive suicidal ideation (no attempts)

This novel is a really emotional read, be prepared to cry but expect a satisfying ending. A second chance romance that's all the feels 🥺

We love a second chance romance! I must admit I had a hard time getting into the first 30% but then I flew right through it. The writing style felt a bit clunky IMO until the flashback scene in the nursery which was SO well written. After that, every scene flowed pretty nicely. The characters were raw and real while following their journey through loss and love. It was steamier than I expected but a pretty good book. It's certainly become a bookstagram favorite.

CW: pregnancy loss, still birth, death of a loved one

This was a great story! Seeing a divorced couple coparenting, running a business together, and still in love with each other is something most other books don’t have. This second chance romance was well written by Kennedy. A fun read!

I found parts of this book to be really sweet and fantastic, but overall it wasn’t the home run I thought it would be. I found the characters to be wonderfully lively and the difficult topics to be discussed in a perfectly delicate way. I also thought the growth we saw in each character was really satisfying. My only key complaint was just that the story itself felt a bit flat; I didn’t see much plot development throughout the book. I’m typically a huge fan of a good literary read, but I think that because I was expecting a heavier romance, I was looking for more plot components than character depth. Overall, still a good read that I’d recommend to some!

This is such a beautiful book! My first Kennedy Ryan book and it did not disappoint. I was totally invested in these characters, and I appreciated how the author handled important, complex topics with care.

This was my last read of 2022 and it was definitely a favorite!  This was my first book by Kennedy Ryan and it for sure wont be my last! Before I Let Go is absolutely beautiful, painful and don't forget spicy. I loved Ryan's writing . The characters felt so real even with the snotty teenager. I loved the angst between Yasmin and Josiah. This book gave me so many feelings. This talked about real adult issues, grief, second chances, growth and more. I couldn't put this book down.


I was so happy that I ended 2022 with a 5⭐️ read!


Thank you @NetGalley and @readforeverpub for this ebook copy in exchange for honest review!

Thank you to the publisher and to Kennedy Ryan for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review. I absolutely loved this book. I had previously read Ryan's Kingmaker series and knew that I was a fan of her work but Before I Let Go is truly my favorite romance novel of 2022. Yasmen and Josiah were the perfect couple and parents until multiple tragedies left them emotionally stranded and ultimately divorced. Now as they start to move on, they are realizing that maybe they shouldn't. This is a great second chance romance showing how circumstances outside of your control can make or break you as a couple. The story was a great blend of emotional, reflective, and steamy. I can not wait to see what Ryan writes next.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and Kennedy Ryan absolutely slayed it. From the angst to the swoon, this book is a ride and a half. There are some subjects that are touched on within these pages and Ryan writes them with such grace and poise. The depth and the representation in this story are something that is awe inspiring!

4.5 - This is a heavy, heavy romance novel, bordering fiction rather than romance. Trigger warnings listed below. Yasmen and Josiah are divorced, coparenting, and running a business together. Their marriage fell apart after they lost Josiah's aunt and son (stillbirth after an accident) in short succession. Yasmen fell into a deep depression and Josiah wasn't supportive of her. The story takes place two years later, after Yasmen has healed and they keep being drawn towards each other.

The star of this book is the depth of its portrayal of the main character, Yasmen's depression and grief. This is probably the most realistic depiction of therapy that I have ever read in a novel. As someone who has been in therapy for almost 7 years and has had a number of therapists, I think that the main character's struggles with depression are so accurate in that it is hard for her to find a therapist who is a good fit, and it takes a combination of medication and long-term therapy with the right therapist to heal. So many books I've read have a magical therapist where the character goes to therapy twice and everything is resolved, and that is not the case here. It's also so realistic that unfortunately her family (husband and daughter) do not understand her depression and blame her for their family falling apart, and it takes themselves going to therapy to understand. I also like that we see the husband, Josiah, perspective on therapy and depression evolve (shoutout to the feelings wheel!!).

I do feel like the romance takes a back seat in this story, for better or for worse. After reading other reviews it does make me realize that we don't actually see much of the couple's love and growth together besides their sexual attraction. There is some minor drama with other characters Yasmen and Josiah date but they were set aside really easily.

Trigger warnings: Depression/mental health, suicidal ideation, death (of parents, parental figures), stillbirth, explicit sexual content.

Kennedy Ryan can do no wrong. This book will take you on a journey, it will hurt but it will heal. I love that this is a second-chance romance between a divorced couple who own a restaurant together and are co-parenting so they're constantly seeing each other. They've been through a lot, especially the heroine. You know they still love each other and you're rooting for them the whole way through. And when they finally come back together it's so worth it. This book is beautiful.

I had been hearing so much about this book online that I knew I just had to read it. I was drawn in from the very beginning! Yas and Josiah were young lovers that had a dream to get married and own a soul food restaurant. The story takes us through one of the lowest points of their lives when they lose the family matriarch 'Byrd' as well as suffer a stillborn birth all a few months apart.
I was rooting for their love half way through the book and got so invested that I hated seeing them date other characters! It was nice to see a book with African American characters deal with therapy in a healthy way that isn't considered taboo. I'm looking forward to other books in this series. Five stars!

Love love love! The writing style is so well done in this book. I loved every character and the whole story. Yas and Josiah are just amazing!!

“To the strong girls, To the hustlers, To the superwomen, Tend your hearts with ruthless care….and rest.”

I just closed the book and I don’t know if anything I will say will do this book the justice it deserves. Kennedy Ryan did a phenomenal job of painting us a raw and vivid story of loss, love, and the affects those play in our m ental health. The topics of depression, therapy, and grief were beautifully covered.

As the reader, I found myself being gentle with my thoughts when it came to Yas, and even Josiah as they navigated their relationship. This is definitely one of those books where words will never be enough. The love, the joy, the sadness, the hope…were all palpable. The beauty of sisterhood, the tough journey back to self, the emotional/mental breakthroughs were so relatable.

To see Black love portrayed in such a profound way, and to see a Black man written in the light of vulnerability was just….FREAKING AMAZING!

I have nothing more to contribute to this as I will begin to babble. If you haven’t read it….GO READ IT!

“And may all of your pain be champagne.”

Second chance romance: The book starts off with the couple divorced. Their lives are intertwined because of their kids as well as the fact that they share a business. The way both MCs were able to put the needs of their kids first was so refreshing. These were mature folks who always prioritized their children above their own conflict with each other.

Undeniable love and sexual tension: Si and Yasmen are clearly soul mates but life and tragedy and depression played a role in their separation. There are some OW/OM scenarios creating some jealousy but no cheating is involved. The chemistry between these two are unparalleled! When they finally get intimate post divorce, it was epic!

Depression/ Grief/ Therapy: This was handled so well! Normalizing antidepressant meds and going to therapy was highlighted. Si's growth especially in this area was phenomenal as he started out as a typical man who didn't believe in therapists.

The female friendships: Yasmen's yoga girl crew was amazing! Love supportive characters like these. They brought the humor and heartfelt moments and I can't wait for them to get their own books.

The food: This couple own a soul food restaurant and this book is rich in decadent meals with recipes posted at the end of the book. I love a good foodie romance and this one delivered!

This was emotional, sexy, heartfelt with difficult moments that might bring you to tears but the HEA is absolutely worth it! I highly recommend!

I was really excited to read this one after hearing all the amazing things about it and I'm so glad that I got the chance! It was a fun read and I did enjoy it overall. I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next!

Before I let go is absolutely spectacular! The creativity and the soul is woven through these books from ms Ryan every single time. Before I let go received a 6 stars from me without hesitation. This is my favorite book of 2022. Kennedy Ryan never disappoints!

Before I Let Go was the perfect 2nd chance love story. Kennedy Ryan is no stranger to creating well-rounded characters that create a sense of familiarity and as a result, the impact of their story hits that much deeper. Yasmeen and Josiah’s story is a love that transcends time and grief, aspects Kennedy excelled touching upon. As always, thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

One of my top books of 2022! I could feel the their pain so acutely. The entire story felt so real, from the family dynamics to Yasmen's friend group (I NEED more of these ladies!), I loved the dialogue, relationships, how everyone worked through (or didn't....) their own personal challenges. It was just terrifically written. 5+ stars!! Just get it, you'll have no regrets.