Ms. Ryan Kennedy had me in a romance chokehold with this one!

Love NEVER fails. Josiah and Yasmen Wade's love is all the proof necessary. I'm one to always talk about toxic love in books and how captivating it can be to the reader, BUT there's no love like this deep, rich, authentic, and our love that these two share. It's electric! An I want more of their story,

I liked that even though I thought I knew how it would end, I really didn't know. This story kept me on the of my seat and flipping from one page to the next for more.

“I’m apparently not very good at losing things, and I’m really bad at losing you.”

Once again, Kennedy Ryan has completely blown me away with the masterpiece she’s woven. Before I Let Go is a devastatingly beautiful story that left me reeling. It’s a second chance but it’s also so much more. We are taking on a true journey of healing, not just for the Josiah and Yasmen as a couple but individually, as parents and as a family. The mental health representation was so brilliantly done.
Yasmen and Josiah’s story had me in my feelings first page in. We get the good, the bad and the ugly. It gets intense, raw and real. There are times when I question how will they find their way back to each other? The hurt and pain was palpable and I felt it like it was my own. At the same time, the love these two had for each other never relented. They had the kind of love that truly prevailed. Through the trials and tribulations, you never once questioned the love these two had for each other because it too powerful to ignore.
I loved pure genuineness of sisterhood and brotherhood Josiah and Yasmen shared with their friends.
I love how intentional Kennedy Ryan is, her stories are written to make you feel. Challenge. Inspire. Provoke. It’s impossible to get through a book of hers without completely getting in my feelings. During my read, it may have been times I cried but there were moments of laughter and rejoicing as well.
Kennedy is deliberate in writing a story that will absolutely define what romance is, Before I Let Go is no exception. With every book of hers I experience, I’m reminded of her incomparability because the way her stories touch me are always next level.

An emotional gut punch in all the best ways! 20% in and I was already sobbing by the end of the book I was a snotty mess with a headache. I loved it!! Kennedy Ryan has yet to disappoint me.

Well I went into this book blind and I have to say it was the most moving and poignant account of depression I've read. I absolutely adored this book and it unexpectedly took my spot for top read this year. I wish I'd had this book a couple years ago, but even today it felt so good find a second chance love story that felt completely real. I am so glad I had a chance to read this fantastic book! I CANNOT wait to see what happens next.

This is Josiah and Yasmen's story, it was a very emotional ride, it's a second-chance romance post-divorce story. I loved Yasmen and Josiah, both characters are very well-developed and you can't do anything but fall in love with them. Their chemistry and their love is undeniable, but this is not the only thing you will find in this story, you will get hooked from the first chapter, and your emotion will be all mixed up, it's a heartwrenching beautiful story, that deals with mental health and realistic situations that will have your soul. One of my favorite top reads of the year.

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan was freaking amazing. And quite frankly, that might be putting it lightly. This book is so exhilarating, it gripped me from the first page. The wordplay, the imagery, the banter, all mesmerizing. Kennedy’s storytelling abilities are extraordinary. The execution of it all so poetic and poignant, but not overly so, just right. Yasmeen and Josiah’s story is one of low’s, loss and triumph. Their journey to their second chance at love after divorce was emotional and exquisite. I’m trying my best to write a review that’ll do this book justice, but I’m having trouble articulating just how phenomenal it is. Outstanding, comes to mind. Likewise, award worthy. Yes, it’s that good!

My rating: 5 shining stars.

Before I let go by Kennedy Ryan

4 ⭐️

Before I Let go takes you on a journey of hurt and healing. Yasmen and Josiah have divorced after a string of devistating events. In this book you get to see them grow and heal in the most relatable way possible. This is a second chance love story that you do not want to miss. ❣️🥹


Topics within the book

- [ ] Second chance romance
- [ ] Mental Heath Awareness
- [ ] Still Birth
- [ ] Divorce


I would recommend this book for the simple fact that you can feel the realness . The characters have this raw truth to them that you can’t help but fall in love with them.

Emotional and beautiful.
I did oddly find myself wanting to put the blame on someone for the end of their marriage. And finding out that this was all because of grief finally got me out of that mindset. I liked that this couple had history.

Seeing Josiah work through his fears/grief in therapy was good, especially after his initial reluctance.


After a series of tragic losses and the grief that came from those losses, Yasmen asks her husband Josiah for a divorce.

Yasmen's life is now moving at a better pace. She's co-parenting with Josiah and running a business together. These ensure involvement in each other's life. Even though they are divorced they still love each other and always will. But Yasmen is beginning to wonder if things are truly over between them.

A business opportunity offers them the chance to expand their business and travel out of town together. What they don't expect is having to share the hotel suite. Before they return home things take a hot turn.

But their old wounds are still there and they'll have to figure out whether can give this love a second chance.

Thank you so much to the author, Forever and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

Wow. This book was incredibly moving and covered hard topics of grief and depression. This follows Yasmine and Josiah who were married but had loss in their lives which drove them to be divorced. This was the best book of a second chance at love and found family. Top 5 favorite reads this year! 5⭐️

This was good! I found this book to be quite the emotional journey and I really liked the fact that this second chance romance featured a couple a little bit older that has lived and been through some things. It was obvious how much Yasmen and Josiah still cared for each other despite their divorce. I am so glad that I decided to pick up this book!

Yasmen and Josiah were one of those couples that were just meant to be together. That is until their world fell apart and they didn’t know how to help each other cope. They are now focused on being good parents to their two children and running the restaurant they worked so hard to build. They are trying to move on with their lives but they seem to still be drawn to each other.

I really liked Yasmen and Josiah. I thought that they both grew a lot over the course of the story and loved how they always supported one another. They both want to put their kids first and are concerned about what reconciliation might do to them if things don’t work out. They had fantastic chemistry together and there were a few times that the things they said to each other made my heart skip a beat.

I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. I am a little amazed by how many important issues were incorporated into the story and thought that the way mental health was handled was especially well-done. I definitely would like to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Forever (Grand Central Publishing).

This story was absolutely beautiful! A real and emotional telling of what happens after that happily ever after we crave in these books. Kennedy surprises me every time I open up one of her masterpieces. They just get better and better and I have no idea how she does it. Gripping, intense, wonderful second chance romance. You won’t want to put this down.

Kennedy Ryan is an exceptionally gifted writer and storyteller, and Before I Let Go is a perfect example of her amazing talent. The Wards are an average American family living a middle class life in an average American neighborhood. They fell in love young and broke, built a life together, had two kids and a business and when life got hard, as it always does, they got a divorce. He’s not a billionaire. She’s not running away from a secret life. These are regular ass people doing regular ass things; and yet their story is so beautifully told that it makes you laugh and cry and root for them as you fall so head over heels in love with both of them that your heart aches when they can’t seem to put the pieces of their life and love back together.

The character development is fantastic. The pace and arc of the story is very well done. I listened to the audiobook and the voice acting by Jakobi Diem and Wesleigh Siobhan is excellent. Still, the star of the show here… is the writing. This book is for anyone who enjoys a well written novel because Kennedy Ryan has produced a beautifully crafted story that pulls you in from the beginning and keeps you enthralled until the very last word.

I received an arc of this book from NetGalley, but once I found out the audiobook was being performed by Wesleigh and Jakobi I opted to hold off on reading it until release day and spent my own money to get the audiobook. It was so worth it!

“Do people remember the exact moment they fall in love?”

“Before I Let Go” by Kennedy Ryan introduces us to Josiah and Yasmen Wade. The two have been divorced for two years but are still trying to navigate co-parenting as well as being business partners. But is it truly over for them or is love still in the cards?

I knew from the first page that this book was going to take me on an emotional rollercoaster and that it did. What happens after the happily ever after? What happens when things don’t go as planned and the life you planned changes in the blink of an eye? Josiah and Yasmen are at a crossroad. I really enjoyed how the chapters alternated and gave us insight into both of their perspectives. The development of these two characters was top tier. They were real. They displayed real emotions. There was no right or wrong person between them, just gray. They’re both trying to navigate so many different things. The portrayal of everything they went through was exhausting, beautiful, poignant, and realistic. Through all of this, I never questioned the love they had for one another.

"Before I Let Go” centers around grief, love, and second chances. This wasn’t an easy read. Death and mental health are some topics that are at the forefront. I cried (which isn’t unlike me but still) throughout the book. I feel like I’m rambling because I can’t even tell you how much I enjoyed it. All you need to know is that I cannot wait to delve into more of Kennedy Ryan’s work. Five well-earned stars.

I am not a huge second-chance romance trope person, and for it to be super engaging there needs to be more time spent apart for the love interests. For me, the two main characters being fairly recently divorced and still so involved in each other's lives made me miss that 'rediscovering' each other thing that often happens with second-chance romance. It also made the first half-ish of the book drag a bit, as the reasoning for their separation is teased out to us. That being said, in the end of course you're rooting for them because obviously these people belong together. The romance is a bit slow burn until the end, but the ending - woooo it goes there!

HUGE TW for grief especially - this book covers some heavy topics (miscarriage, death of family members) but does so in beautiful and meaningful ways. If you have experienced grief you will likely get teary-eyed. I love to see an entire family in therapy by the end of a book!

3.75/5 ⭐️
4/5 🌶️
(IG review saved in my stories)

✨🧡Before I Let Go🧡✨

The 5 star reviews are always the hardest to write. That’s because the best books make you confront some real sh*t. The very best books can do that plus make you laugh, cry, and swoon. Not to be dramatic but my friends have been trying to convince me to go to therapy for years. Kennedy Ryan did it in three days.

This book took me through the motions. I loved everything about it. I found it relatable because I tend to have the same feelings about therapy as Josiah. 🥴. And though I couldn’t relate to the specific circumstances, it was amazing to see this family put in the work at all levels. The mental health representation is refreshing. I am truly inspired. Highly recommend!

To top it all off, last night I was able to meet the wonderful @kennedyryan1 (again) and she’s amazing in person. I love authors who are intentional about the words they put to paper. Kennedy does that and it shows.

Also, I met @angieoverbooked and she gifted me a copy of BILG 🥹 it’s so great to meet booksta friends in person 🧡

A few more musings:

🫶🏾The black love 🥹❤️
🫶🏾Kassim deserves everything great in the world 🥹
🫶🏾Deja was so realistic. I have 6 nieces and the depiction of a teenaged girl is on point.
🫶🏾The story felt true to Atlanta
🫶🏾The Southern culture was on full display and I loved it! You have to really understand chitterlings to write about them accurately 😂
🫶🏾I love the community the characters found in their friends/family ❤️
🫶🏾 The angst and spice were perfect! 💛
🫶🏾The garage scene 🥵
🫶🏾 Si and Yas 4L ❤️

I can’t wait for the next installment.

Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the ARC.

Photo edit by @happyharvee 🤎

#bookstagram #blackbookstagram #secondchanceromance #kennedyryan #beforeiletgo #romancebooks #onlyonebed #diversifybookstagram #blacklove #diversebookstagram #blackromance #womensfiction

I know when I pick up a Kennedy Ryan book, I will be in for a whole emotional experience. Even though I read the synopsis and some of the CWs, I don’t think there was any way I could have prepared for the ways Kennedy’s writing would get me in touch with my own emotions. Watching Yasmen and Josiah both work through their issues as grown adults, communicating their needs and boundaries, and approaching their feelings with love was so refreshing. This book found me when I needed it, especially the mental health representation that includes therapy and medication to deal with depression, grief and trauma. With that said, please take care of yourself when you read this book and check out the CWs.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central) and NetGalley for the advanced copy

This is one of my favorite reads of 2022! What a beautiful story of mental health, forgiveness, and true love! The relationship between Josiah and Yasmen was felt from page 1. I love books that mix sexual chemistry with real feelings of love. I highly recommend everyone read this!

What a beautiful, emotional, second chance romance! This book is very heavy, and not a page turner in the typical way. However, I was so invested in these characters and their love story. I was rooting so hard for them to address the problems that they had in the past instead of continuing to sweep them under the rug. I couldn't wait to see them work things out!

I don't know if I can put into words how amazing and touching this book is. It tore me apart and then put me back together again.

I am utterly obsessed with Yasmen and Josiah's story from beginning to end. There are moments in this story that just touched my heart so much that I found myself ugly crying. LOL! The story felt so real and honest that it felt like I was watching a movie. Whether you agree about the choices between Yasmen and Josiah, I really admire how they co-parent Kassim and Deja. There are several moments where Deja isn't giving her mother any "air" to be human and make mistakes and I just loved how Josiah would stick up for Yasmen as a mother. It's so nice to see positive co-parenting.

This story was nothing short of excellent. Kennedy Ryan is the GOAT in my opinion and one of the greatest contemporary romance writers of our generation.

All the stars!

I have no words to describe how much I loved Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan. Books like this is why I read. Books that captivate. That make me feel. That break my heart. And then puts it back together and will live in my brain forever. This is that type of book and more. Josiah and Yasmen are soulmates. They are meant to be together. But love is not always enough. Sometimes life is just too hard. Now they are working hard to find their new normal after divorce. But somehow they always find their way back to each other.

Their journey was raw, real, and heartbreaking. We see their struggles and grief. It was a second chance romance that was epic, gripping, and emotional. Josiah and Yasmen were not perfect and found themselves sometimes hurting the other, but also raising each other up. I found myself cheering for them. I loved the characters, their story and how impactful it was. Easily one of the best books I have read this year.

Happy reading!