CW: grief, loss of pregnancy, stillbirth, depression

Yasmen and Josiah are divorced, but their children and trauma tie them together. As each tries to deal with their own grief and move forward, their love for each other continues to come to the surface, even with everything that keeps them apart.

This BOOK. It had me weepy, smiling and grateful. It was filled with so many big and important feelings, and my heart is so full after reading it.

Besides how well emotional aspects of this story were executed, I’m increasingly thankful for its representation of depression, loss and therapy. Seeing characters in session on the page is such an important step in decreasing the stigma of therapy. Lots of beautiful moments came through!

Following a couple with so much history was incredible- in every moment they are on page together, Yas and Josiah’s love for each other is still evident. I also loved that the kids are a significant part of this too - as a child of divorce myself, I found the betrayal that Deja felt towards her mother was so devastatingly relatable.

I was so blown away by this book, and am looking forward to checking out Kennedy Ryan’s backlist now!!

Loved this novel. It put me through the wringer with all the anyway and emotions I cycled through. The two layers of grief, the depression, parenting. Give me more.

I enjoyed that this second chance novel was more than between the two protagonists, but took into account how their children would feel if their parents got back together after being divorced for over a year. How their business night be effected by their relationship. That as much as their reminded romance was brought upon by passion, they did think things through.

Loved how to show their son that it was okay to go seek mental help, Josiah also went to see his own therapist. Finding one that worked for him (because it might be a while before you find a match). How this allowed better communication between him and Yasmen, which eventually led to them repairing their relationship.

Absolutely loved

Holy cow, Kennedy Ryan knows how to write a romance. Before I Let Go is the first book I’ve read of hers but I now have 3 others lined up and ready to go.

Yasmen and Josiah have endured a lot as a couple and now that they are divorced, they are trying to remain friendly and raise their children. But the deep love they had doesn’t just go away.

Their romance is heartbreaking and very real. I spent the book feeling like they were meant for each other but not always sure that was what was best for each of them.

There is a lot of subject matter that might be a trigger for some so please be sure to check out the trigger warnings before diving in. But know if you decide to dive in that Before I Let Go will take you on an emotional rollercoaster that is well worth it.

Review from November'22. Didn't realize that I didn't link my review on NG. :'3
Before I Let Go deserves all the stars in the universe. This book will forever be a part of my favorites shelf. I don't think I'll ever get over the love that Yas and Josiah share among them.

I knew the plot of Before I Let Go would break me after reading the first chapter. Kennedy Ryan's writing style oh my God. She made me feel all sorts of feelings ~ the good kind, the emotional kind and the "crying till I feel better " kind. Honestly though, what did Kennedy Ryan put into this book? She explored the themes of seperation, co-parenting, grief and second-chance romance so perfectly! All of the sub-plots were so perfectly balanced out. But the spotlight shone on Yas and Josiah's journey towards healing and finding their way back to each other, during moments when all hope seemed lost.

Before I Let go is a book of acceptance and never letting go of hope. I cannot recommend this book enough! Cannot wait for the second installment in the series omg 😭

Absolutely beautiful. I loved the author's writing style and was completely taken by this story. I can't wait to visit this world again and get the other stories!!

My one "complaint" - be careful with how school counselors and therapists are described. I'm not up to date on all the states, but in my state school counselors legally cannot provide on going therapy.

I was already expecting to love this book going in, and I was not disappointed! First I have to mention how good Kennedy Ryan’s writing is. She always handles extremely difficult topics with such thought and care, it’s truly amazing to read.

This book should be the blue print for all second chance romances. The tension, the angst, and the chemistry between Yasmen and Josiah was all there from the start, and I couldn’t get enough. I loved getting to see pieces of the past interwoven with the present day story to give you a full picture of how Yasmen and Josiah ended up where they are. This book was an emotional rollercoaster and reading about them dealing with so much heartbreak and tragedy, while navigating their grief was truly painful to read, yet so beautifully written. I loved all the positive therapy talk, and following along with each characters therapy journey. Although it was a rocky road, Yas & Si put in the work to heal not only for themselves, but also their kids, and ultimately found their way back to each other<3

And Yasmen’s besties!! Soledad and Hendrix were a high point in this story for me! Hendrix had me laughing anytime she was in a scene. I loved the how supportive they all were of each other, and I can’t wait until we get their individual books:)

I absolutely loved this book. It was raw, emotional, second chance romance of a divorced couple where love wasn't enough to keep their relationship going initially and they split up. Now they have grown from the past and want to find their way back to each other.
This is not a rom-com. This is real, painful, there are death of loved ones, mental illness, divorce, and so much more. Read the trigger warnings because there are a lot of them so proceed with caution. Highly recommend and cannot wait to read more from this author.

I have read other works by Kennedy Ryan, but I absolutely loved this one. It tackled such heavy topics in a beautiful story of two people trying to find their way back to each other after suffering loss and tragedy. This did not disappoint.

I did not realize this was a first in a series and I'm here for it. I'm stoked to see what comes next.

An emotional and difficult story that felt so real. I loved that the MCs communicated which is so hard to find in romance. This is the type of second chance romance I love, sometimes it's the wrong time but it doesn't mean there is any less love there. The main thing I love about this story is the representation, there isn't much African American romance in the romance genre. Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the eARC. This in no way impacts my rating.

Where to start with this book! I was completely engrossed in this raw, heartbreaking and beautiful story. I was drawn in by the characters and empathized with their situation and their hard choices. This is a second chance romance between Yasmen and Josiah after their marriage has imploded following two overwhelming tragedies. This book was well researched and encompasses many issues such as grief, a stillbirth, depression, therapy etc. I thought all of issues facing this couple were written with respect and fairness to both characters.
Check this one out if you want to read an amazing family story dealing with real life issues in an authentic manner.

I will preface by saying, Kennedy Ryan is one of my all-time favorite authors, but few authors explore what happens after the “happy ending” as she did.

What happens when the lifetime goals checklist items are ticked off and you have it all? What happens when while building it all, you grow apart? What happens when you have it all and devastation hits?

Devastation.

Yasmen and Josiah had that deep, out-of-this-world, once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. But when devastation hit their family, love couldn’t be enough.

As I read, my heart dropped many times, shattering over and over again as Kennedy Ryan etched their pain onto my soul. I could feel the love and I could feel the loss…so much like life. I felt so appreciative that a story explored divorce, the work it takes past falling in love but also in keeping yourself up when you feel that you are drowning. I know I wasn’t the only reader who reflected on my own marriage and the ups and downs it comes with. 

Kennedy was so thoughtful and considerate, tangoing over eggshells to paint this story and make those going through these hard life experiences feel witnessed.

If you are in a space to feel deeply, to be rung out, or to share your own season of darkness with another…
If you are feeling hopeless and in the dark night of the soul…
This book is for you.

A favorite line: 
*“You don’t love me anymore” “I can’t find it. I can’t find us. It’s buried under all this pain.”

Trigger warnings: Child loss, divorce, depression

I've never been a big romance reader, but I gave this book a shot after reading so many spectacular reviews. This book exceeded all my expectations and has influenced me to dive more into the romance genre.

From the first page, I fell in love with the characters. They were all personable, realistic, and completely relatable. I found myself getting sucked into the story immediately and enjoyed it more and more as it went on.
This book was a fantastic second chance romance story, and I loved every minute of it,

I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author and continuing this incredible series!

If there ever comes along a book that just makes you feel everything you cherish that book. Before I Let Go had me feeling things I didn't think a book could make me feel and I've ugly cried through my fair share of books. This book was nothing short of exceptional.



This book has some heavy themes surrounding loss, grief, and depression (TWs are addressed at the beginning of the book). But it’s also a story of love, growth, joy, healing and recovery with therapy and mental health as major themes of the story.

Yasmen and Josiah were mature and complex characters. There were times in the present when there could have been a lot more drama, but the maturity with which they handled certain situations was a pleasant surprise, and the communication between them was really good, for the most part, which I always appreciate.

What I found really unique was Josiah’s character arc. When we meet Yasmen in the present, she’s already gone through a great deal of healing. So, instead, we get to see Josiah’s journey—and I loved that and him. 🫶

I had purposefully put off reading it until over the holidays as I wanted to take my time with it and I’m so glad I did. Once I picked it up, I really struggled with putting it down and disengaging from it. It follows a recently divorced couple, Yasmen and Josiah, as they work to successfully co-parent their children and continue running a bustling restaurant in the aftermath of their changed relationship and multiple family tragedies. There are a lot of conversations regarding mental health for everyone, but especially Black men, which was so refreshing to see, and it was such a realistic story of growth that I couldn’t help but root for the two of them. There are some trigger warnings associated with this book though, so I would recommend checking those before reading.

I put off reading Before I Let Go for way too long because, quite honestly, I was not ready to be broken. Kennedy Ryan writes the most emotional books and I have to really be in an okay headspace before I can read them and sometimes I struggle to find that space. But I finally did. Or, more honestly, I forced myself to just get over it and listen to Before I Let Go and ultimately, I adored it. It also didn’t shatter me as much as I was expecting, but I would definitely advise caution if you are a person who has ever lost a child to miscarriage or stillbirth or really anything.

But the way that this book talks about depression? It was incredible. The way this book explores mental health and healing and how who you are when you’re suffering from depression is you, but it’s a you listening to all the worst lies about yourself. The way this book talks about self-compassion in a way that seems completely sensible and like, “Of course we should forgive ourselves!” I just… Magical. Kennedy Ryan is so good at writing about some of the most sensitive subjects with deftness and intense relatability even when you haven’t experienced the exact same things she’s writing about.

And the romance? Y’all. These two people BELONG together, okay? And the way she writes that!!!! There’s honestly not a single Kennedy Ryan book I’ve read where I haven’t gone, “Yep, soulmates.” Which, let’s talk about the fact that I don’t even believe in soulmates really, but KR has me convinced of the fatedness every single time in her CONTEMPORARY romances.

And the friendships?? Magical. I cannot wait for the next two books in this series. I’m so thrilled to have more Kennedy Ryan in my life and I hope she continues writing forever.

Divorced couple…Co-parenting…Restaurant…Trip…Only 1 Bed…Garage. Trust me, it all adds up to an unforgettable, book-hangover-worthy read.

Before I Let Go is a slow-burn but savory love story with lots of wow factor moments filled with emotional greatness. It is a book with all the feels and quotable lines worthy of writing down or just re-reading for the experience and pure enjoyment.

What do you do when a love that is supposed to last forever is filled with unforgettable pain and heartache from devastating life happen moments? Two people dealing with the same heartache and loss deal with them differently, suddenly finding themselves in survival for their individual selves and their family. The journey of this family is far from easy, but the realness and rawness of their feelings and emotional well-being add a bonus to your reading pleasure that keeps you on edge and turning the pages for more.

If an author ever left it all on the pages of a book, this is that book. Before I Let Go is worth every bit of the hype. Five stars are not enough for this book; I give it ten.

3.5/5 Star; 2/5 Spice

So I might get flack for this, but I think I just really don't like a broken marriage/ reconciliation trope. I was so frustrated with Josiah's anti-therapy focus, and Yasmen's struggles with her trauma and depression just broke my heart. I think this book really challenges you to look at mental health, and how often Yasmen is blamed for everything got on my nerve, especially with her daughter. Overall, I see why others enjoyed tis, its very on-par for Kennedy Ryan books, but just the plot got on my nerves more than I enjoyed following it. I WILL however be reading the next book in the series, I hope were getting on of Yasmen's best friends!

Brief Plot: Yasmen and Josiah should have been end game. But after two traumatic back to back losses, mental health played a part of their divorce. 2 years later Josiah is getting back into the dating game, and the impact it has on Yasmen shakes everything up. With two children, the co-parenting partnership, as well as their business partnership, keeps them involved in each others lives. Will all this bring them back together? Or will the problems of the past come back to be problems of the present?

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC copy of Before I Let Go, written by Kennedy Ryan. This is my honest review!

Going in it I thought it would be more of a romance. I finished it but I think both of the characters needed to learn a little more from the situation.
Where the female character was self blaming, I feel like her ex never really understood what he did was wrong.

Kennedy Ryan continues to crush it when it comes to writing. This book was compelling and heart wrenching. I spent majority of the first few chapters with tears in my eyes. It was absolutely heart breaking seeing what this family experienced and seeing how everything fell apart. I was rooting for the couple to get back together because it was obvious that these two people loved each other, but more importantly I wanted this entire family to heal. And Kennedy Ryan did that for us. I think I'm always used to rooting for heroine in a M/F relationship because you're used to the hero messing up. Seeing Yasmen come to terms with what grief and depression did to her brain, how it lied to her and made her think that she had to face this alone. Seeing Josiah and Kassim go to therapy was so encouraging. There truly aren't enough words to explain how excellent this book is.

This book deserves all the stars! I highlighted so much in this book because I could relate to Yasmen on so many levels. Kennedy Ryan blew the door open on so many stigmas in the black community and I'm here for it! She writes in a way that you feel every emotion bleed from the pages. I laughed, cried and cheered on these characters with all of my heart and didn't want their story to end. I especially enjoyed the children in the book they added an extra layer to the story. I loved everything about Yasmen and Josiah's story.

"At the church where I grew up,,,they always said you ain't got a problem God can't fix. What can a therapist do that God can't? That mindset kept a lot of folks from getting help "

"Life is not about always being okay. It's about getting help when we aren't. About letting our family and friends help us."

"And I think I'm most grateful for time, which doesn't heal all wounds, but teaches us how to be happy again even with our scars."

"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."