Some books you know without a doubt, within the first half an hour of reading are going to be an easy 5 star read. That was this book, another home run from Ms Ryan. The woman cannot write a bad book if she tried, but this one shot up high on my list of favorite KR books, and one of the best books I’ve read this year, easy. And it made me so hungry with all the food descriptions! Truly a love letter to down home cooking and the vibrant culinary landscape of Atlanta, and to a certain extent, Charlotte. Which makes it all the more ironic that I skipped dinner because I was so engrossed in the book.

It’s not all food and games, however. If you’re a seasoned KR fan, you know she takes on some heavy, sticky topics in her stories, and this book especially deals with some big ones. So check your triggers. No one does this with as much delicacy and sensitivity as her either, her writing both honest and compassionate, her words both soul shattering and healing. The autumn vibes to accompany the gravitas of the story, immaculate.

Josiah and Yasmen go through so much in their journey from being torn apart to finding their way back to each other, but your conviction as a reader never wavers that they will get past it and find their way back to love. That of course does not mean they, and you, aren’t squeezed through the wringer first. Without giving away much, Yas’s story is as hopeful as it is heartbreaking, and Josiah’s devotion to her even at the darkest of times is honestly husband goals. Even when they relentlessly, unwittingly hurt each other and themselves. Even better when he realizes that always being the stoic rock for his loved ones isn’t the answer and sometimes you just have to work through your pain rather than compartmentalize it. Something a lot of us could do to learn. And through it all, these two are electric, a five alarm fire that cannot be doused. A slow burning reconciliation with only one bed and heaps of jealousy vibes done just right? Goodness gracious where’s the fan? Seriously, I was oscillating between crying over their grief and heartache and sweating over their insane chemistry. Someone hydrate my poor, dehydrated body!

The rest of the cast is a charming little family with its own set of issues, some OW/OM action (no cheating or anything), and Yas’s lovely found family of fierce, supportive women who I hope will be getting their own books. And a giant, wise, goofball of a dog 🥹

TW:
Depression with some suicidal ideation, several references to pregnancy and stillbirth in the past, death of parents/parental figure in the past

This is a story of a real family dealing with real emotions and real loss on different levels. It asks the question…”Is love enough?”

This was quite an emotional read that deals with a ton of heavy issues, so be prepared. I very much enjoyed the vulnerability and unguarded thoughts and feelings (right or wrong) that the characters were allowed to have. The prose was beautiful and at times poetic.

This is my first Kennedy Ryan book, but it won’t be my last.

I had seen Before I Let Go floating around #bookstagram with rave reviews so I went into it with high hopes. Friends, this book did not disappoint!

Before I Let Go beautifully tells the story of Yasmen and Josiah, divorced co-parents of Deja and Kassim. Yasmen and Josiah had had the kind of marriage everyone envies - founded in connectedness and passion and true partnership. When the family experiences the passing of a beloved family member and a tragic accident leading to the stillbirth of their third child, Yasmen and Josiah loose themselves and each other in grief.

The book begins two years after Yasmen and Josiah have divorced and it tells the story of their individual and collective healing. It is beautiful in its depiction of grief and the rifts that arise from grief.

Kennedy Ryan’s characters are vibrant and alive. They are full and flawed and so lovable.

If you haven’t picked this one up yet, do yourself the favor.

PAINFUL. That’s one word I’d use to describe this book. Have you ever read a book that you could literally feel the pain seeping through the pages? A book that makes you feel as though you’re the one going through what the characters are going through? A book that makes you want to somehow hug the characters and let them know that it’s going to be alright? A book that hurts so bad? A book that aches? A book that loves so hard? A book that cries? A book that grieves loves lost? A book that tries to move on? A book that falls but gets back up? A book that encourages? A book that forgives themselves? A book that heals & seeks healing? A book of second chances? A book that strengthens? A book of passion & desire? A book that renews & reunites? A book so overwhelming, you can’t help but hold on regardless? A book of hope?


The emotions, the rawness, of this book was A LOT, but I wouldn’t change a thing. This was my first Kennedy Ryan book and I can’t wait to read more.

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC of this bookb opinions are my own.

I was so excited to get a copy of Kennedy Ryan's new book. I love her complicated characters and realistic storylines. I always finish her books within 2 days because her writing is so engaging.

This book is a second chance for a divorced couple. I do love this trope, so I was already sold, but I found the reasons for their divorce (loss, grief, untreated depression) and their conciliation believable.

Alllll the stars.

#BeforeILetGo #NetGalley

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan was a beautiful, and at times heart-wrenching, book that was so much more than just a second chance romance. A story about loss, finding yourself, and reconciliation, I felt so many emotions while reading.

The book and the characters felt so real and relatable. My heart hurt for Yasmen throughout the book, but I found her so strong and inspirational. She was my favourite character and I loved seeing her journey of healing throughout the book. Before I Let Go had such important representation and the author addressed the difficult topics in the book with such care. Although difficult, the topics explored in the book are so important and they represent so many people's experiences.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Kennedy Ryan is a name that I have heard over and over again in the romance community as an author who is not afraid to rip your heart out and then put it back together. Having finished Before I Let Go, I can now also attest to that statement.

Ryan is not afraid to tackle heavy-hitting issues in this romance as Josiah and Yasmen struggle to find their way back to each other after the loss of a pregnancy and a subsequent divorce. It's not always the easiest book to read, but I found it to be an exquisitely written and uncompromising look into an imperfect love between imperfect people. It's an immensely slow burn, which did have me wishing for the pace to pick up throughout the middle third of the novel, but it pays off in spades once the characters start to break down the walls of pain and suffering that they have constructed. If you are looking for an emotional read to just tear you apart, I would highly recommend picking up this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

5/5
A few CWs: stillborn birth, depression, suicidal intentions, grief, and death of loved ones.

As always friends please check TWs for this book because the material discussed can get quite heavy and if that's not for you - you're not answerable to anyone. Stay safe friends!

This book follows Yasmen and Josiah who are divorced, but still managing co-parenting and business together. They truly are the definition of soulmates. But sometimes, life gets in the way and it's difficult to continue working towards something when you can't see where you're going to land the next day. They are completely imperfect characters. They hurt each other. They make each other feel good. You root for them. You cry with them. In this sense, there is no traditional 'villains' there is nobody to blame in this story. This made the characters feel even more real.

I think that this book really gets to the completely naked core of relationships, but also people. As people, we make mistakes - Yasmen and Josiah are no exception to this. But, it's how you work through them as an individual and if you learn from them and actively try to be better, that's what matters at the end of the day. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say this has one of the best examples of character development/growth that I've ever seen. Relationships can hurt so much. Loving someone and putting yourself out there is incredibly terrifying when you aren't sure of what life will throw your way. This book is no exception. Yas and Josiah had a beautiful once in a lifetime kind of love, but when the grief and losses amassed, sometimes it becomes too difficult to manage one relationship when you can barely keep track of yourself.

This book also tackles grief in an incredible way. I really feel like you witness how it can affect someone at all stages. It's not something that can be easily sugar dusted, it's painful. It also never really goes away. I feel like you always carry a part of grief with you, it's not like a jacket you can shed - it's there, always. However, that doesn't mean it always has to weigh you down. There are good moments that can propel you out of that darkness. But what I think this book highlights really well is that you have to reach that conclusion yourself. You have to accept that you need help. What I really liked was that this book positively showcased the importance of therapy - it can really foster a change in your outlook. I enjoyed this positive outlook towards therapy and communication and the way it can really change someone.

This book is about more than just their individual relationships though. It's about friendship, hope, and also a crucial parent-child bond. I loved those moments so much and they cemented the importance of having support networks in your life - even if not to rely on - to just have a get together to enjoy each others company. Above all else, this book gave me a lot of hope. To get from these depictions of complete depression to showing hope towards betterment and love was so refreshing. In many ways it felt like a warm hug.

This book in many ways is incredibly mature - the aspects of co-parenting are done really well, they genuinely care about their children without that layer of pettiness that is often added, which was lovely to see. Additionally, there's no intentional "let me do X" to hurt you in this, and in that way it was the perfect second-chance romance for me. I think I will carry Yas and Josiah in my heart for a very long time. I loved this book and I cant recommend it enough.

Instagram Review: https://www.instagram.com/p/ClMWWNXPrLI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Full Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4802748193?book_show_action=false

Special thanks to Netgalley and Forever Grand Publishing for the arc <3

Kennedy has the amazing gift of persuasion she keeps you captivated from the moment you open any of her books until the time you close it and even once you're done you have no choice but to keep the story and the characters on your mind. This time was no different, I laughed, shed tears, and held my breath in suspense, and I would totally recommend this book because it will take you on a journey of love like no other!

Beautiful book. I love how in between the relationship of Yasmine and Josiah and the incredible ability to co-parent their kids with class and respect to the way they can handle their business relationship..... There are so many good lessons in this book. Mental health is a big part of this book. I love how even Josiah, who first scoffs at therapy as an aid, gets so much out of his therapy sessions. Therapy really helps this interesting dynamic of a family grow.

This book made me laugh, cry, swoon and just root for these characters!

Hold on because this one is going to be a doozie lol I have so many thoughts on this and I don’t want to miss anything lol Also, keep in mind that this was my first Kennedy Ryan book, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But once I got into it, I couldn’t stop.

Ok so starting with the things I loved and couldn’t stop thinking about. I LOVED that this book showed a BLACK woman who spoke out about her depression and was proud of her therapy. In our culture a lot of times people say things like “you just need to go to church more.” Or “everybody gets a little sad sometimes.” It’s always trivialized, very much like Josiah treats it in the beginning. And coming from someone who lived through it, it’s not a great thing to experience. So when I read the part where she acknowledged her hurt and took some time to do something about it, I was over-joyed. Mental Health in the Black community is a stigma and it was nice to see someone not treat it like burden. And when the whole family went in, I have to say, I was openly weeping because I was happy for them.

I also liked the romance. Listen, there is nothing more I love than friends to lovers romance. But this was so different, but it still felt like a friends to lovers romance. If that makes any sense lol They were exes yes, and they started out mad at each other all the time, but they never hated each other. They were still just hurt. And hurt is not the same as enemy. But watching their relationship transform and the feelings they had for each other morph and change, was incredible. It was so funny seeing the way they were trying so hard to convince themselves that things were over between the two of them. Going along with this, I also loved the way we had both POVs. It’s one thing to see the romance unfold in front of our eyes, but it’s another thing entirely to experience it with them. I think any book that has romance in it needs a dual POV narrative lol I can’t say enough, seeing the way they fell back in love and the way they healed in real time would not have hit as hard as it did without doing this in dual POV.

Speaking of emotions…. This book will hit you in the feels! I felt some of everything in this book. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I had to fan myself from the spice, (because yes, there is spice), and I got mad too. (Because Josiah, you are lucky Yas didn’t cuss you and her out when she found y’all in her living room. Because chileeeeeeee! You would have gotten some words from me about THAT.) This book will put you through the ringer! So I advise you, be mindful of where you read this at lol Because I have some footage that didn’t make it to my Reading vlog of me sobbing while I was getting a pedicure. (I read the part about the her tripping at the restaurant while I was at the nail shop. I will never forgive you Kennedy Ryan lol) This book WILL break you, but Ryan also gives you the tools to put yourself back together as well. She won’t just leave you out there like that.

The only complaints I had was that it was a little long for my taste? I think some of it could have been shaved off. 400 pages of a contemporary is just a lot for me. But even still, Kennedy Ryan’s writing style was amazing, so I didn’t feel like it was overwhelming at all. It just could have been cut a little shorter in my opinion. That’s nothing major, so I wouldn’t dock anything from it either.

The other complaint I had was that it was marketed as a romance. This is definitely women’s fiction that has a strong romantic element to it. It says on the back that it’s women’s fiction. I just wish we would stop doing this. I don’t like saying it’s something it’s not. What if someone else would end up disappointed by that? It didn’t make me any difference because I like both genres, but not everyone is me. And I would hate for them to give her a terrible rating because it wasn’t what they were expecting. (Because let’s face it, they would because Kennedy Ryan is a Black woman.)

I have never loved a book so much that I kept my pre-order after the publisher gifted me a copy. I wanted to make sure that Kennedy still gets her coins from me for her pre-order sales. And I thought, what better way than to give back to my followers than to make sure someone who couldn’t get or couldn’t afford, a copy right away gets one?! Be on the lookout, I’ll be doing a giveaway soon! This book wrecked me, and now I want to see it wreck someone else lol

A great example of how after the HEA, there is still experiences and life and pain to deal with. And life isn't all sunshine and rainbows, but a continuous learning curve that you have to navigate through. I love the realistic portrayal of loss and grief that the characters go through, and the theme of how your life will change and how you need to pivot and find coping skills to get through life each day. I especially love the two main characters and how they had to work to communicate and find their way back to each other. Such a heartbreaking but lovely story of acceptance and love.

When I saw the cover for Kennedy Ryan’s newest novel Before I Let Go (Forever), I thought two things: first, I wondered if she was expanding into women’s fiction, and second, that it had been a long time since I’d been to a party (more on that later).

But above all, knowing Kennedy Ryan’s track record for making you cry with her books, I had a box of tissues at the ready, just in case reading this caught me on a rare emotionally hormonal day. And while she’s still writing romance, Before I Let Go is as much of an emotional journey as any women’s fiction novel.

Ms. Ryan’s novel introduces us to Yasmen and Josiah Wade, a couple that has been divorced for two years, but each is still very much in the other’s lives. Josiah lives two only two streets over from their dream home where Yasmen resides with their two kids: thirteen-year-old Deja and 10-year-old Kassim.

Josiah and Yasmen are both still active partners in the business they co-founded. But they separately deal with the grief and loss that tore them apart.

Yasmen is dealing with it by going to therapy, getting new friends she met at yoga, and now that some time has passed, getting back to the community activities she used to do. Josiah has compartmentalized his grief and is working to move on and away from Yasmen. But something just won’t let him.

DON’T READ THIS BOOK WHILE HUNGRY

The Wades’ business is a restaurant called Grits, and when they opened it, Josiah’s Aunt Byrd wore the chef’s hat. The descriptions of food and the recipes she left behind will make your mouth water when you read them. Not to mention, Yasmen’s mother Carole’s cooking, Grits’ new chef Vashti’s ribs and oven-fried chicken, or even the Blaxican food truck’s collard green quesadillas — which cause Yasmen’s friend Hendrix to threaten bodily harm if anyone makes her miss them.

All the various dishes described in the novel make you want to pull up a chair to whatever table they’re at and fill your plate. Ms. Ryan even includes some recipes for the most notable ones. I’m going to try my hand at the limoncello pound cake (which is really my excuse to drink some limoncello).

DISCUSSES GRIEF AND NORMALIZES THERAPY

Ryan’s portrayal of how this Black family deals with grief is one that should be acknowledged and applauded for normalizing therapy. While American society as a whole has various conflicting opinions about mental health and the treatment of mental health conditions, the Black community especially struggles with sitting down in the therapist’s chair.

After all, Black people have had a history of medical exploitation, manipulation, and mistrust to deal with. Therapy is not something we readily accept as healing.

The Wade family obviously needs therapy, but each member is on their own journey to accept psychological help. Showing those journeys from dealing with grief and loss, to seeking help, to accepting it, is not only quintessential women’s fiction — it’s what we need to see.

CELEBRATION OF SOUTHERN BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE

Though there are some cultural and societal struggles, there are also some good times, too. If you’re of a certain age, and you had as much fun in undergrad as I did, chances are you’ve been to a party where they were playing Frankie Beverly and Maze’s hit “Before I Let Go.” It’s one of those songs where everyone gets out on the dance floor, regardless of dancing ability or whether they have a partner, and just has fun.

While that was not a scene here, that thread of fun and lightheartedness is woven throughout the novel — from the jokes about Carole’s cleaning and cooking chitterlings to Hendrix’s … well, to Hendrix being Hendrix.

The thread is universal throughout all cultures — a familiar celebration, an exciting appreciation of how you grew up and the values imbued in you — and is represented here in Southern Black American culture. For me, it was like being wrapped in a warm blanket you’ve had since childhood — it coats you with nostalgia and hugs you with laughter.

These feelings are welcome respites that get you through the heart-wrenching moments as these characters relive their losses in order to move past them, and what buoy you as Josiah and Yasmen struggle with their post-divorce-but-very-much-in-love angst.

TROPE-Y GOODNESS WRITTEN IN EMOTIVE, POETIC DESCRIPTION

Ms. Ryan also brings out all the fun romance tropes (well, not all of them) when telling Josiah and Yasmen’s story. Romance readers who crave the forced proximity, love triangle (or is it a square? You’ve got to read to find out), and second chance tropes will have an abundance of scenes to indulge in them.

But if you’ve ever read a Kennedy Ryan novel, expect prose that almost reads like poetry, as her main characters fall in love, out of love, and reminisce about love. This combination of fun tropes and emotive prose is what keeps readers immersed in the protagonists’ love story and rooting for their happily ever after.

Before I Let Go is heart wrenching before it becomes heart warming and both were gripping. The characters are wonderful and likable, no make that lovable. Yasmen and Josiah are so wounded. They've been through some seriously depressing events. They've dealt with them different ways, incompatible ways. They have a thriving business and two great kids. Their lives are still woven together. Of course, there are hurt feelings especially over their divorce. But are there still good feelings too? Can they overcome? Do they want to?

I just loved the characters, the story, the conclusion. This book was one of my favorites this year.

Thanks to NetGalley, Forever Publishing and the author for the ARC.

They said they’d love each other till the wheels fell off…

This was one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given to a book, and here’s why. It’s been several days since I finished reading this book, and these characters are still actively in my brain. Before I Let Go is just a beautiful story of love and loss and grief and finding yourself again. I don’t have a lot more to say about this second-chance romance because the intricately detailed characters and the heart-rending plot speak for themselves. I was so emotionally invested in the pain that Yasmen and Josiah have been through,and I loved that Ryan gives them to us so real and so flawed and so raw. Watching them make their way back to each other was exactly what my heart needed right now. I also really appreciated the normalization of therapy that was displayed throughout the book. When someone asks me if they might cry while reading some book or other, I usually say that it will depend on their connection to the characters. With this book though, if your cheeks are still dry at the end, you may want to check your pulse because you must be dead. I cried through the entire last quarter of this story. Like, not the little welling up of the eyes, but the big honkin’ blubbery tears streaming down my face.

I will mention that there are some pretty significant content warnings that go with this book, so please check those out before you dive into this devastatingly beautiful story of hope and second chances.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Forever Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Divorced Couple
Co-Parenting
Business Owners
Soulmates finding their way.
This book was amazing and beautifully written. This book put me a choke hold and I full on cried reading it, so make sure you have tissues ready too. When a book starts out with a dedication like this “To the strong girls, To the hustlers, To the superwomen, Tend to your hearts with ruthless care and rest.” It is a must read. Kennedy Ryan wrote a book that will save people/couples dealing with grief and depression. Chef’s kiss Ms. Ryan thank you for this amazing and beautifully written book, I have read this book twice already and will more than likely read it again.
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.

Kennedy Ryan knows how to take the reader on a rich emotional journey that has the weight of reality. Ryan's writing is elegant, emotional and tangible. Her characters are complex and dimensional. Her novels feel like a glimpse into real live, and I always feel like I learn something new and interesting about humanity and the world around me. Before I Let Go is a stunningly deep emotional journey of a mother, an ex-wife, a person dealing with depression but working to better understand herself, care for herself and her children and understand her relationship with her ex-husband, who is the love of her life. This journey is full of ups and downs, romantic and sensual, heart warming and aching. Kennedy Ryan tells this story with care, openness and understanding. Ryan explores real emotions and situations that the reader can sympathize with and learn from. I will always love and recommend Kennedy Ryan if you are open to a story that will make you laugh, make you cry, weigh heavy on your mind but always leave you hopeful.

This story of a woman at a point in her life who is learning to deal with past decisions are move forward with grace is told with care and insight in a way that only Kennedy Ryan can. This is truly the journey of the heroine with heavy romantic elements, but if you go into this novel knowing it is mainly about her growth, then you will be able to focus and see the beauty of her growth. I adore the way Ryan is able to build Yasmen's story. The novel opens up with a beautiful understanding of Yasmen and Josiah and their early love, and then the reader has to work through understanding where they are now in their story. It is one full of heart break and misunderstanding and grief (content notes for lose of loved ones, and still birth). This is a story of how grief is dealt with different between Yasmen and Josiah, and how this tears them apart. This is a story of learning to fight for your own mental health first before you can fight for others. This is a story about learning to work together is moments of separation. This is a story of learning to understand the ways that therapy is a healthy way to explore your inner worries and thoughts. This is a story of learning to first forgive yourself before you can forgive others. This is a story of hope, family and love.

Kennedy Ryan will take you on this journey and hold your hand through it, the emotional ups and downs are worth the understanding that is gained and they are rewarding in the end. Ryan will show you the highs and lows of romance. She will enrich your life with the beauty of true love, the decision to love and trust, and the bittersweetness of being a parent. This novel also has the beautiful layer of sensuality and the exploration of physical love which Yasmen and Josiah feel fully gratified in with each other. Through their physical relationship layers of misunderstandings can be peeled away and they both can be raw and fully naked with each other.

I so very highly recommend this novel to those who are ready to go on this emotional journey. With an open mind and heart there is so much stunning beauty and growth that can be learned within these pages, just make sure to take care of yourself as you broach this venture.

Ugh this book! I am OBSESSED with literally everything about it. I love my romances angsty, with a really hard-earned HEA, and this one hurt so good, it was just perfection. By chapter three my heart was already aching.

Kennedy Ryan's writing is absolutely beautiful, her characters are real and relatable, and this cover is just stunning! This book is such a beautifully raw portrayal of grief and healing and love and second chances and I am so so happy that I now have Kennedy's entire backlist to work through because I'm just in love with her right now.

This is 1000% one of my favorite books of 2022 and nothing I can say will truly do it justice. If you love emotional, spicy romances please please do not miss this work of art!

Before I Let Go is out now! Run, don't walk!
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Thank you SO much to Forever and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Unbelievable love story. I applaud the author.

This is a story of loss, finding yourself, love, and reconciliation. I loved this book so much. I was captivated from beginning to end. I loved the representation of the black community in Skyland. The friendships were perfect. And the situations were real! I enjoyed that it was a work in progress development between Yasmen and Josiah. Being so in love with each other and then suffering devastating loss after devastating loss, broke what they believed they were strong enough to handle. The rebuilding of their foundation was so beautifully done. It was messy and heartbreaking and the ending was just perfect!

I would for sure recommend this book to any and everyone who will listen.

I loved this book. It was such an emotional journey that pulled on your heartstrings at every turn. It follows the Wade family, recently divorced Yasmen and Josiah, and their two children. The story is told from both Yasmen and Josiah's perspective's and bounces back in time a bit. We see their love when it's new and unstoppable and again when it's been all but destroyed by loss and trauma (major TW for death, still birth, and pregnancy loss). They coparent and own a restaurant in Atlanta together and are navigating the trauma of their divorce, the loss of Josiah's beloved aunt and surrogate mother, and their third child who was still born. The representation of mental health struggles, specifically major depression in this book is incredible. Yasmen's journey through depression, and her retrospective regrets about how she handled it; how she could have been better if she'd had the tools and resources she now does, were so painfully relatable. And ON TOP OF ALL THAT, there is a steamy second chance romance. I am so mad at myself for not having read Kennedy Ryan before and so excited that I now get to go and read through the backlog.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.