When Yasmen and Josiah fell in love, they were a force of nature - passionate, caring, ambitious, and couldn't keep their hands off each other. Now divorced with two pre-teens, they navigate the murky waters of coparenting and co-owning-a-business-together, orbiting around each other's lives and trying not to upset the precarious balance they've struck in the ruins of their once-perfect relationship. How did they get here? Life happened; rather than bringing them together, loss pitted the two against each other and in their grief, they fell apart. But Yasmen has been feeling more like herself lately - she's got her mental health back on track and her emotions under control and it's becoming harder for her to ignore the spark between her and her ex-husband that never died. But has their relationship changed? Can Josiah work through the betrayal he felt when his family fell apart? Can he let himself be vulnerable enough to give Yasmen a second chance?

Eeeeeeeekk!!! Kennedy Ryan wrote the hell out of this book, this is my favorite I've read from her so far. I picked this one up because I've loved what I've read from her in the past, but this was even better. I fell in love with Yasmen and I think other readers will too - she is so relatable and undeniably human - with human mistakes and triumphs. Yasmen has invested time on working through her ish to forgive herself for the mistakes she's made and to look to the future she deserves. And Josiah - DROOL - so self assured and confident, and well and truly in love. Miss Kennedy really likes these prickly men, huh?

This author should give a master class on writing interpersonal relationships and character development because these characters really jump off the page - they just feel so alive and their emotions are so relatable. Besides the main romance, the relationship between Yasmen and her daughter felt so real to me, and I think it reflected honestly what a lot of mothers and daughters go through, especially during the teenage years when everything feels like it's happening to you and nobody is looking out for you. I was frustrated and happy to see their relationship arc.

I also really liked that this was a bit of a love letter to therapy. Not just therapy for ourselves, so we can heal and show up for others, but for relationships, for communication between people (couples, families, whatever) and I loved that one of the characters who began very resistant to the idea that therapy could help, found a lot of release and relief and support in their therapy process.

Before you pick up this book make sure you're comfortable with discussions of pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and depression. One thing I wasn't thrilled about was how much blame was placed on Yasmen's shoulders while she was going through the hardest thing she'd ever experienced. Sometimes bad things happen and we react to them in ways that hurt other people. It's nice that Yasmen wanted to repair the damage that her relationships sustained during her dark times, but is it something we need to blame on someone or label someone's fault? I DIGRESS.

This one isn't as steam-packed (I think?) as I remember her other ones but still, pick this up! It's a romance for the ages. <3

A book that perpetuates compassion, self-love, resilience, and happy endings. Characters that rise like phoenixes, even when the ashes unexpectedly catch fire. Depression at last handled like the debilitating mental AND physiological illness that it is. BEFORE I LET GO is still a Kennedy Ryan book, but with its own unique place in her catalogue. It’s softer, more poignant, more sorrowfully heartbreaking in its premise than some of her others because of how closely it reflects real life, real adulting. I love knowing that this book existing means there is hope for those of us who have suffered grief and loss, a torn heart, a terrible collapse, a season of mistakes and regrets. There is also love, so much love. Before I Let Go is another profoundly beautiful read from truthteller Kennedy Ryan. I can’t wait for the rest of the Skyland books!

How am I going to read another book after this one? Whew, Kennedy Ryan, you wrote the heck out of this book. So many emotions..sad, anger, happy, angsty and most of all love. I loved, loved, loved the story of Josiah and Yasmen. They are a divorced couple with 2 kids and a business together. Through tragedies, their marriage falls apart. What was great was how depression was front and center to this story as well as therapy. And how therapy really helped this family to heal and move forward. I wasn’t ready for this book to end. The couple felt so real and to know they weren’t perfect made the story absolutely beautiful. Excellent 2nd chance story!

Damn it I loved this book so much! A divorced couple, conducting their restaurant business, raising their two kids and still in love with each other after 2 years of separation! Oh boy! I’m an emotional wrecking ball!

My heart truly aches for Yasmen and Josiah! They made mistakes. They are far from perfect. They ruined what they’ve worked for. They break each other’s hearts. They evolved. They suffered. They learned from their mistakes. They changed. They burned. They lost. They just try to move on.

The reason I loved them so much is they’re portrayed so real. Their traumas, their struggles, resentments, regrets, pain are so real! They gave up their marriage and they didn’t fight enough to get back together. Because after they’ve been through insufferable grief, they need time to heal.

Yasmen lost her baby and Josiah’s aunt who was like a second mother to her. She got depressed. She failed herself and marriage. After lots of therapy and learning coping mechanisms, she’s stronger but when she realizes her ex husband Josiah starts dating with their restaurant chief, she feels the deep pain, starting to question herself and the reasons behind why she cannot move on with her life just like he did.

Josiah still loves his wife. Even though he starts dating with another woman, he still trying to heal from their tragic breakup. After being dumbed by Yasmen, he barely learns to trust someone to open his heart. As he sees Yasmen also starts dating with another man, he realizes he still has feelings for her.

Kennedy Ryan created this amazing couple and this genuine, realistic, poignant, angsty story with a great perspective of the anatomy of the marriage, love, second chances, growing up together.

I cried so hard. The pure honesty of dialogues, the unbreakable love between Si and Yas warmed my heart and touched my soul deeply!

Nothing is over exaggerating or far fetched in this book. Emotions are perfectly pouring down the chapters, reaching to your heart, bringing those ugly tears and hiccups back!

This is so intense, heart wrenching, beautiful, deserving more than ten stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/ Forever for sharing this fantastic digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts and special thanks to Kennedy Ryan for writing this amazing book.

Kennedy Ryan has never disappointed. From reading her book Reel last year, I have come to love just about every book of hers since then. This story was no different.

I loved how grief and therapy were shown so authentically. There always seems to be a stigma against talking to someone about what you have gone through especially in the black community and especially with black men. This book showed that being not okay is okay no matter who you are.

This was a second chance romance written so well. Many people are not able to come back together after what both Yasmen and Josiah experienced; I was glad to see them find their way together again.

I also loved the dynamic of Yasmen, Soledad and Hendrix’s friendship. I aspire to have friends that I can confide in the ways they all did with each other throughout this book. Possibly hoping to see what may come for Soledad and Hendrix as well in the future.

I have been a huge Kennedy Ryan fan for a while now and this book is her best til date; admittedly I think this every time I finish a book of hers.

As a woman going through depression and anxiety while dealing with back to back griefs the emotions of the main leads hit the spot.

Despite it not being same circumstances it had me nodding my head when Yasmen was thinking her times of the days when she couldn’t get out of bed and spiraling into a dark hole at times.

The journey of Yasmen’s progress brings hope to this reader.

Thank you Miss Ryan for your words and storytelling.