BEFORE I LET GO

This was such a beautiful book. If you only read one or two romance novels, please do yourself a favor and add this one to your list. The absolute, all consuming love that Yasmin and Josiah have is life altering. Seeing and feeling their ups and downs throughout the novel was heartbreaking and hope inducing. The grief and pain this family goes through is written in a way that you feel — it’s absolutely raw.

The friendships, family members, siblings are one of a kind! I enjoyed getting to know Yas’ girls and how they were there for each other— beautiful! This is a second chance romance with a couple other tropes thrown in. It’s a slow burn, but it’s so worth the wait.

Last thing I’ll say, this book is different because of how Ryan intertwined mental health and therapy throughout the novel. If you’ve ever felt like a weight is on you and you’re struggling— read this book. If you’ve never experienced that, read this book. Just, read it!

I’m always surprised by how underrated Kennedy Ryan is.

Her storytelling and the quality of her writing is stunning and comparable to authors who are more widely known or publicized. Her stories are thoughtful, deep, and diverse, with characters who are smart, complex, ambitious, and successful. And her prose is always beautiful and flows effortlessly without ever being cliché or saccharin.

If you haven’t read any of Kennedy Ryan’s books, BEFORE I LET GO is a perfect place to start.

It’s one of the most heartfelt and unique second chance romances I’ve ever read, and I was continually reminded of how mature it is, too. The descriptions of love, loss, grief, stigma, family, and survival are written with so much care and tact – it demands a mature audience. There is no “insta-love” or miscommunication trope – these characters have been through it and the beauty of this book is in bearing witness to their reconciliation of the past in hopes of a better future.

I sometimes struggle with internal monologues because they can be a bit mundane and repetitive, but they work really well here! It allowed us to see Yasmen and Josiah’s struggles, fears, growth, and perspectives in real time while moving the story along at a realistic pace.

There was so much in this book that made me laugh and smile too! The cultural references, the friends who become family – when the joy, happiness and carefree laughter was almost palpable, transporting me back to times in my life when I experienced moments just like that. And the chemistry between Yasmen and Josiah?! Off the charts. The spice and steam?! KR always gets it right.

I got lost in this story. I never wanted to put it down, but I also wanted to savor every page. I’ve read several of Kennedy Ryan’s books and I’m convinced this is her best one yet.

All the stars for this beautiful book.

Excellent! Before I Let Go is an addictive read. Yasmen and Josiah’s love for each other was tumultuous at times and endearing at other times. I found myself rooting for them even though the obstacles didn’t give much hope. When I wasn’t reading I was thinking about the characters and looking forward to diving back into their story. Kennedy Ryan did an excellent job of shining light on mental illness and the impact it has on an entire family. I highly recommend this book.

This was the first Kennedy Ryan book I had read as I had been wanting to read her work for awhile. I was amazed by this book and how beautiful she writes. I picked it up in the afternoon to start it and did not put it down until I finished it at 1 am. Check trigger warnings before starting this book. Yasmen's story is heartbreaking and so inspirational . The relationships with the different people she had around her and the talk about therapists was amazing. I highly recommend this book to everyone and cannot wait for it to be out.

HELLO?? THIS BOOK??
it was perfectly heartbreaking and beautiful. this story is so real i literally teared up every other page.
yasmen and josiah MY PARENTS I LOVE YOU.

If I could give this masterpiece SIX stars, I would. Before I Let Go is Kennedy Ryan's second chance/love after divorce romance between Josiah and Yasmen. They've been divorced for two-ish years, but have been co-parenting their kids and running their restaurant together successfully. You slowly realize that though they are divorced, there is a love that runs deep between the two of them that is buried beneath trauma, grief, and words said in the past. You learn what pushed them towards divorce, and just how much work it takes both of them to overcome what was some of the darkest days of their lives. We also see what healing looks like, both individually, and as a couple.

Kennedy Ryan absolutely made me feel ALL the emotions that both Josiah and Yasmen felt. Her writing doesn't hide the ball, it is raw, real and relatable. I'd never related to a heroine as much as I did with Yasmen. Her thoughts and her journey with depression were something that a lot of people have experienced. The journey towards recognizing that before you can be healthy in a relationship, you have to be whole for yourself first is pivotal to this story.

Both Josiah and Yasmen had work to do, but the one thing that never changed is their love for each other. I was rooting for them from the very beginning, and watching them relearn each other was a beautiful journey that left me in tears when I reached the end. This story was beautiful not only because of how strong Yasmen and Josiah's bond was, but because Kennedy lifted the veil of the stigma that can surround mental health, and seeking help when you need it. To date, Before I Let Go had the best mental health representation I've read in a romance book.

Don't think there wasn't any smexy spice, cause Kennedy absolutely delivered on that front!! Divorce did not stop the fiery chemistry that pulsed between Josiah and Yasmen. I ate up every touch, kiss and more between the two of them. Kennedy has a way of transforming an intimate scene into something that goes beyond just two people having smex. She turns it into a transformative experience between two souls who know each other inside and out. You feel the love in each physical exchange. Good Lord, it was hot to read, and I loved it.

Definitely recommend! Before I Let Go reminded me why Kennedy Ryan is, and will always be, one of my favorite authors.

Where do I even begin. This book was full of emotions and had me in tears part of the time. I felt the pain that Yas went through which only made me connect with her even more as a character. You see her grow and fight through her emotions.
At first the relationship between Yas and Deja (her daughter) was so hard for me to read because I felt the harsh words Deja spoke to her mother which made my heart broke so much for Yas. I wanted her to have a win so much because i felt like she was going through it emotionally. I haven't connected with a character this much in a while making this book such a good read.
The tension between Josiah and Yas was oozing off the pages. I loved seeing the growth of each character and how not only did the Yas and Josiah get a second chance but their family did as well.
In addition, the topic of grief, loss and rising from the ashes to rebuild what was lost was written so well by Kennedy Ryan.

This book broke me and put me back together all at once.

"I’ve fallen in love with the warrior woman who walked through fire, the one who came through stronger, reshaped by sorrow, reformed by grief, reborn in joy."

The beautiful cover and the fact that I love Kennedy Ryan drew me in, and then this book completely exceeded my expectations. I could absolutely feel the love between Josiah and Yasmen from the start of the book, even with all the challenges they'd dealt with. This book can feel very intense at times, and definitely needs trigger warnings for depression and pregnancy loss in particular, but also is just so full of love and joy.

Yasmen and Josiah's second chance at love is a depiction of how when life takes you to your lowest point, when you thought that what you had was broken beyond repair. It is possible to get through the storm with perseverance and a willingness to change and open your heart again.
After getting a divorce, Yasmen and Josiah find themselves navigating new waters as co-parents and business partners. It is not a smooth road without any bumps, including a teenage daughter resentful of her mother and a young son who needs some outside help processing his anxiety around loss.
I appreciated the depiction of mental health after suffering loss, and how families process their grief differently.
This story was also chokful of moments of joy, especially surrounding female friendships, and black excellence.
This story put the reader through a gamut of emotions; joy, sadness, excitement, frustration, empathy.
It was a good time.

Whenever I get a new Kennedy Ryan book, I save it until I have a whole day to read it so I only have to be emotionally destroyed for one day. This isn't as angsty as some of her other books (which is great for me as an angst weenie!), but still a lot of emotional turmoil for these characters. A second-chance romance for a divorced couple, Before I Let Go is unflinching in its portrayal of grief and mental health and the ties that bind. It was a little slow for me in the beginning and a touch predictable at the end (I'm used to KR dropping a bombshell in the last quarter), but KR is operating on a whole different level than most authors in terms of her language and the emotional depth to her characters.

I read this book a few weeks ago and needed some time to recover and gather my thoughts.


Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan is a phenomenal book about a second chance divorced couple who co-parent and co-own a restaurant while dealing with life after loss and their journey to healing from the mental health issues loss brought upon them.


The story, the characters, the friendships and hardships all felt so real. So relatable. Kennedy Ryan is notorious for bringing all the tears and emotions out of me. She is notorious for making me feel all the feels and putting my heart through the ringer. Before I Let Go is so raw. So pure and honest that I was left dumbfounded. I was speechless! I literally had no words! This phenomenal book made me feel seen and heard. I related to this book so, so much! Thank you, Kennedy, for writing such a beautifully touching and raw book. Thank you for always writing the stories I didn't know I needed.


Y'all, do yourselves a favor a pre-order this beautiful and phenomenal book. You will not regret it! Releases November 15th!

I'm so emotional! I didn't know anything about this book before starting it, and honestly wouldn't have picked it up had I seen content warnings beforehand, but this was such a beautiful, cathartic read!

Yasmen and Josiah are both strong characters, likeable from the start, and I found myself rooting for them in so many different ways!

The topics are heavy (divorce, death, depression +) but the writing and the story itself didn't weigh me down. The portrayl of grief and depression, the normalizing of therapy, the ups and down of parenting - It all felt real, honest and raw, while still being a hopeful and enjoyable read!

LOVE LOVE LOVE. I didn’t really know much about the book other than it being a second chance (which I love) and this story ended up hurting me more than I expected :,)

The story does a great job of telling yas and si’s romance while also exploring grief, loss, mental health, and complex familial relationships. The storytelling felt so intimate and personal you can’t help but feel for the characters.

I’ve never read anything by Kennedy Ryan but I definitely will soon because I love the way she tells her stories. I also just wanted to mention how much I love the cover because it’s honestly so gorgeous

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central publishing) for the arc :))

Kennedy Ryan weaves a love story like no other. Her stories draw you in and have you invested in the emotional journeys of every couple she puts on the page. Yasmen and Josiah’s relationship is tested in ways that few experience. As they work their way back to one another, it’s clear that the light of their love flickered but never truly dimmed. It was beautiful to see two people working their way through self-destructive habits and personal pain that stood in the way of their happiness to find their truth. Their devotion to co-parenting was refreshing and the friendship between Yasmen and her besties was *chef’s kiss*. We should all be so lucky to have close friends who know when to press us to face our truths, when to give us space, and when we need someone to simply listen. Kennedy never fails to deliver with her stories. Poignant, gorgeously written, hopeful!

TW: infant death, divorce, I think this story holds strong appeal for readers beyond the romance genre given the issues the couple face and address on their way to reconciliation. (Note: I am not currently at an indie that stocks romance (we have a social justice focus), but if we did this would absolutely be on our shelves.)

Is there one Kennedy Ryan book I haven’t cried to? That I haven’t loved and slowed down to take time and read. The answer is no. When starting Before I Let Go I wasn’t expecting to relate so much to the characters and their situations involving mental health and therapy. Mainly Deja and Yasmen’s relationship. I think this book did such an amazing job at capturing the entire span of emotions before, during, and after depression, heartbreak, and grief. It gave multiple perspectives and allowed us, the readers, to actually read through the characters growth. Especially, the perspectives about therapy and watching everyone’s individual growth from beginning to end. Overall, this book brought out so many emotions in me from start to finish. I could draw comparisons from the characters and their feelings to my life and cannot wait for everyone else to get to read this masterpiece.

I don’t know how Kennedy does it again and again. But her books take you to new heights and place you on new paths. Thought provoking and lined with heat and the type of love you ache for, we will never let go of this one!

And certainly never let go of Ms. Ryan as a top storyteller of voices that are far too often silenced.

If you know me, you know I love romance that has grit and realism rather than pure bubble gum flirtation or gratuitous steam; you may also know I like romance that straddles the line with women's fiction. "Before I Let Go" is a hard-earned second-chance romance in which (heroine) Yasmen and (hero) Josiah fully come to terms with the good, the bad, and the ugly of what led to their divorce. Folks, this is next-level romance.

It's dual POV, but Yasmen's story is more prominent. She and Josiah have been divorced for two years. They've finally figured out the co-parenting thing, and have hit a groove jointly running Grits, the restaurant they opened together years before. Then, the inevitable: both take their first tentative toe-dips into the dating pool, forcing each of them to confront whether they've really moved on.

There's so much I loved about this book, from the portrayals of their two children and how complicated family dynamics came after the divorce; to the joy and necessity of friendships; to a high-maintenance Great Dane with a lot of personality who TOTALLY knows what's going on; to the utter relatability of adults who are still learning about themselves, fighting for themselves, and figuring things out. Finally, you know I love books with a culinary element and scenes involving the restaurant made me wish I lived in the south. Lucky for all of us, Ryan shares recipes at the end of the book. I highly recommend!

Possible triggers: this book contains grief themes, including the loss of a parental figure and loss of a pregnancy.

CW: miscarriage

If you read one romance this year, it should be Before I Left Go by the incredible @kennedyryan1 .

The way Kennedy Ryan gripped my soul from start to finish in this book is crazy. There is something about the way Ryan pulls you into a character's psyche, through every up and down of the emotional rollercoaster that makes you empathize on a level only achieved in the best of writing. My heart physically hurt and I could not for the life of me stop crying every few chapters (a lot of it was joy). I felt like I was by our MCs side for every moment.

Yasmen and Josiah's love for one another is an unstoppable force. Through grief, trauma, jealousy, and confusion, these two never let go of the bond between them. Ryan's descriptions of each through the other's eyes shows the respect and admiration each had for the other. Two exes that still champion one another so thoroughly, even through frustration and something as devastating as losing a child, is something I have rarely seen well done in a romance. Until now, second chance romance has not been my jam. Kennedy Ryan, you have won me over completely! Also, let's be real, when these two get together the world is absolutely set on fire. Trust me y'all, the steam is real!

Something I also adored was Yasmen's group of friends, along with the ever championed use of therapy as a tool for healing. It is nearly impossible to pull oneself out of clinical depression alone. You need a network of friends, family, professional therapists, medicine, or some combination of a few of these. Yasmen's friend group is the healthiest I have seen and I really would love to read their own romances! Meanwhile, Josiah choosing to overcome his perception of therapy in order to help his son was everything you want to see in a father figure. His kindness and love for his children helped to steer him in a direction that led to his own healing. Therapy is stigmatized everywhere, and from my understanding often more so for Black men, so to see Josiah be so emotionally strong by admitting he needed help, was so incredibly powerful.

Yasmen and Josiah are absolute couple goals. Go get your hands on this book out 11/15/22!!

This is my first Kennedy Ryan book and I don't think it will be my last. This book had me feeling every emotion possible. I laughed out loud and had tears pouring out of my eyes.

I have been looking for more romances like this. Romances that involve people who aren't in their 20s and have been through some stuff.

The mental health rep is this book was amazing. Just seeing the support and acknowledgment of needing therapy and normalizing it was refreshing. But also the struggle of realizing you need therapy, because not everyone recognizes that they do.

The book deals with a ton of issues that could be triggering like depression, suicidal thoughts, stillbirth, divorce, death, and parental death. So please go into this expecting all of those things. But also, know that it isn't a book that you'll cry the entire time because it is also hopeful.

I think if you liked books like Colleen Hoover or Katerine Center then you would LOVE this book and you should definitely check it out.

I don't think I did this book justice with my review. I wish I would share some parts with you that really touched me. But I'll wait until it comes out .

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

There is something so special about a book that envelops you so completely, touches you so deeply, that you find yourself within its pages.

Kennedy authentically and accurately describes life, love, loss and marriage and a love so beautiful it just wouldn’t die.

Some days and seasons of life and marriage are so hard and Kennedy leads us through a family in one of their hardest seasons and how it can affect two individuals trying to grieve.

This book touched me really deeply. I could feel the characters’ grief and their pain. I cried with them, and rooted for them. Within their struggles, I found me. I bet MANY will.

This story is so beautiful, and so real.

This is what life, marriage and having kids is like.

This is what unexpected life changes bring.

There are so many struggles in real life and we so often see the ecstatically happy newlywed stage and we don’t always see these stages of hardship in romance.

The characters are both flawed, both struggling and needing to grow as individuals. They are both developed beautifully, and you can see how their lives shaped them.

Lastly, the value of making your mental health a priority is so well articulated.

Thank you Kennedy. I closed this book praying more of us humans would put our mental health first.

I also went to sleep counting the ways I am grateful for my husband. 🥹💜

Five stars is not nearly enough!

CW: divorce, pregnancy loss, depression, thoughts of suicide.