IM SO HAPPY I READ THIS. Kennedy Ryan has become one of my autobuy authors. This book was amazing in so many different ways. first of all, the “falling in love with yourself” storyline has never been done so well as in this one. I really appreciated how much attention and plot was given to rebuilding after trauma and appreciating yourself, as well as paying attention to the rhetoric around housewives in our society. The romance between the two MCs was so so sweet and I loved that there was so much discussion between the two about who they were and what they needed from relationships. It made them feel like real people in a way so few books achieve. One of my very very few criticisms was how frustrating for the reading Soledad’s indecision was at times despite it being realistic. I also loved the autism representation. Not only was it done well but knowing the author put her own experiences AND research into the novel made it even more special. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

This book touches up on a few subjects. Marriage, divorce, children with special needs, criminal activity, cheating, independence after marriage…etc.
I can imagine the heartbreak from the way this book is written. Even the struggles of motherhood. It’s full of encouragement despite the setbacks that come up. I’m at 57% and can’t wait to see what happens.

Mrs. Ryan does not disappoint. I could not put this book down. I read it in one day. Soledad’s story took me for a ride I did not want to get off of. The plot was so good from start to finish. I would and probably will read again. It was that good!

what an absolute joy of a read this was.

first and foremost, the autism representation in this book is phenomenal and handled with the utmost care, for every end of the spectrum — ESPECIALLY for black men. for that alone, The Could Be Us is one of the most special reads you will ever come across.

Kennedy is absolutely masterful in her writing of full characters that feel REAL and HONEST — not just two demential tropes without depth. Her characters are flawed, human… and Soledad and Judah are no different.

oftentimes an FMCs “journey of self discovery” is something your TOLD the character is experiencing but never actually witness on page, not fully, but that isn’t the case here. You grow WITH Soledad, you see the work, you see the growth, you see the strength and it is all her own. her growth isn’t used as solely a plot point for romance but as something to stand on its OWN, for her to stand on her OWN. it was truly inspiring — I felt like one of her daughters, watching in awe lol

Judah… oh, sweet and patient Judah. what a beautiful depiction of masculinity in a way that is opposite of everything we’ve been told we should expect from a man. Judah is a FATHER first — he’s a caregiver, he’s gentle, he’s honest, and he’s POWERFUL.

the way Soledad and Judah compliment each other is perfect. this is couple that MAKES SENSE and i’m so happy Kennedy gave us a look into their love.

All in all, as I always say about anything written by Kennedy, THIS is what love looks like and THIS is the kind of romance that reminds you why this genre is the most popular one in literature.

If you’ve never read ANY Kennedy Ryan book…START WITH SKYLAND! Quick heads up…your life will change! I knew from Before I Let Go that Soledad’s story would grip my heart. But, the way I’ve been crying for 2 days since I finished this book is unreal! The heritage, the attention to raising babies with autism, the pure passion? Ugh! Do yourself a favor…run and grab this book. The REAL book! You’re gonna want to hug it when you’re done.

When Kennedy posted that NetGalley had this gem available to download for 24 hours I RANNNNNNNNN. This was my most anticipated release of 2024 and I’m so so so happy I got my hands on an ARC.

I lost track of the amount of emotions I felt reading this book. It’s perfect. I loved Soledad’s self healing journey, I loved Judahs patience and support. The man had me swooning over groceries. The story was perfectly paced.


I am so obsessed with this series and I’m already itching for Hendrix’s story. 2025 wya😩🩷

“I’ve come to realize that a woman who wants more and realizes she deserves it is a dangerous thing.”

Kennedy Ryan is an absolute queen! I love her prose and her characters. She writes these incredibly raw, emotional books with so much heart that I truly can’t put down.

I loved BEFORE I LET GO, but I really adored THIS COULD BE US. TCBU was emotional, but it didn’t feel as gut wrenching to me as BILG and I liked how much the story focused on growth and self-love. I am personally a big fan of the idea that you can stand on your own, trust yourself, be independent AND share your life with someone, and this book totally reinforced that!

This review is a bit tricky because TCBU doesn’t follow the typical romance formula in my opinion (and I really don’t want to give anything away!).

To me, it felt like 40% outside drama, 40% finding yourself/women’s fiction, and 20% romance. It all worked really well for me, but I’ll caution you not to go in expecting a full blown, in your face, love story.

The first half of the book is heavily focused on “outside drama” in the characters’ personal lives, mainly Soledad’s. The second half follows her journey of personal growth and finding herself. There’s some swoony (and spicy!) romance but it’s very much a slow burn. I really loved it, but there were a few times where I felt that the personal development aspects got too repetitive.

Another thing I love is how mature Ryan’s characters are, not just in age (early 40s) but also in personality and behavior. Judah’s relationship with his ex-wife was incredible and I loved the moments we got to see him just being a rock star dad.

This was clearly a very personal story for Ryan to write and I can’t tell you how much I admire this woman for pouring her entire soul into this book. I learned so much and have even greater respect for this fabulously talented woman.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own!

Phenomenal follow up to Before I Let Go. I appreciate MCs who are slightly older, with some real lived experiences that shape the entire narrative. Sol (and Yas and Hen) is still doing the damn thing and finding her HEA on her terms. Can't wait for Hendrix's story!

I have squealed, I have groaned, I have cried (I’m not a crier, I can be likened to a rock) and I have swooned,
The whole gamut of emotions was felt throughout this book; but it’s an emotional investment that I am willing to put as I know the payoff will be spectacular and spectacular it was.

Ms Kennedy; here are your flowers and take a bow.

Kennedy Ryan strikes again! Here we get to follow Soledad on her journey of life, love, and essentially finding herself. I appreciated how well written this was. The story kept me captive until the bitter end. I’d definitely read and recommend it again

This follow-up to Before I Let Go is the breath of fresh air that a good woman deserves! Kennedy Ryan never ceases to amaze me in her writing. Soledad’s story is truly about redemption, strength, & healing. The betrayal for being a caregiver for an autistic child really hit home for a mother like myself that makes sacrifices to ensure that my child has proper care and is exposed to the resources that they need.

Extremely beautiful exploration of self-discovery and self-love coupled with the most perfect partner for Soledad’s journey. Judah and Soledad just make sense and Kennedy Ryan did an amazing job and portraying them together. I really enjoyed this book and came at the perfect time whilst I was searching for a good romance book! I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to have read this.

The autism rep in this is very well intentioned and curated. Though I’m not always a big fan of over explaining characters to readers, I think that was definitely necessary here and really added depth to the book and to Judah’s storyline specifically that made you appreciate him just that much more.

The snippets we see of bell hooks and her wisdom sprinkled throughout the book and how closely it resonated with Soledad were so wonderful to read! I will most definitely be picking my copy back up again!

My only (perhaps more of an opinion than an objective observation) wish is that I would have liked to see more of Judah and Soledad actually falling for each other. Kennedy writes about love so beautifully and whilst we were able to see it pertaining to Soledad’s own reignition of self-love, it felt like it lacked a bit of elsewhere. I think, considering their circumstances that it would have made a bit more sense to me - but who knows, maybe that was the point and I was being greedy!

All in all, a fantastic book that I can’t wait to discuss with friends when it releases next Spring!

I loved this book. I went into reading it expecting a certain story line but was happy and shocked with the story of the book. I do wish we had a glimpse into the therapy session the Soledad and daughters had. But over all I loved this book 10/10!

This review contains spoilers and was rated using the CAWPILE method…

Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), NetGalley, and Kennedy Ryan for an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of This Could Be Us.
#ThisCouldBeUs #NetGalley

Synopsis:
Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who's never met a party she couldn't host or a charge she couldn't lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion.

But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She's too busy keeping a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise.

But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn't want but can't seem to resist. She's lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself?

After all she's lost . . .and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?

Characters (10/10):
Judah: He is an amazing father with some autistic traits himself. He works hard to take care of his children, treats the mother of his children with respect despite their divorce, and cares tremendously for Soledad.

Soledad: This character is written as such a strong, kind, resilient woman! She cares so much about everyone around her and often puts herself second. I loved reading about her self-love journey and dating herself, while also being real with her children (you can love your dad AND he may not be a good person).

The supporting characters (e.g., kids, friends, and co-workers) were also beautifully but briefly written into the story without taking away from the main characters. Side note: Hendrix is so funny and I can’t wait to read her book!

Atmosphere/Setting (7/10):
We know Skyland is a fictional place in Atlanta, but the author dose not go in-depth about the setting. I believe a lot of that was set up in the first book. This book focuses much more on the relationships between characters.

Writing Style (9/10):
Kennedy Ryan can do no wrong! There were some typos here and there, but nothing that takes away from the overall story.

Plot (10/10):
While there is a budding romance going on, Kennedy Ryan beautifully writes about the delicate intricacies of relationships and parenting.

Intrigue (10/10):
This book intrigued me mostly because it’s by Kennedy Ryan. I also loved the first book in the Skyland series (Before I Let Go), so this was a much-anticipated book.

Logic/Relationships (10/10):
I adored the tension build-up between the two main characters and the spicy scenes between them were enough to get the picture (we didn’t need a smut-filled book to understand that things were going on). Often, the third-act breakup in other stories is infuriatingly filled with miscommunication. In this story, the third-act breakup included a good conversation of why the couple could not be together (right now).

Enjoyment (10/10):
I thoroughly enjoyed the drama and the romance in this story. There were themes of grief/loss, healing, love, and family throughout.

This book was so carefully written. I love that Kennedy Ryan always goes above and beyond in her research. It's such a lovely crafted story that delicately handles complex issues such as autism and self-love/worth. I'm still processing. When the final copy of This Could Be Us is released in March, I'm sure I will have more insight. I'm sure the digital ARC is still holding out on us. It's beautiful and, as many of her other books, it will stick with me for years to come.

Kennedy Ryan has such a gift for storytelling. I love how she takes time to build the background of her characters, their families & friends and it is seamless to the story itself and makes it complete. Not only does Kennedy Ryan write about romantic love but the love of friendship and family to hold you up in the good and bad times. That is also a love story in itself that many overlook. I admired how Sol was able to rebuild her life on her terms and can show there is life after divorce when many think it’s the last chapter. My only complaint is that I wish we got a few more chapters of the “happy ending”.

After reading the Author’s Note about her family’s journey with autism I appreciated the way she depicted the Cross twins. It felt careful, considerate and intentional to not only share their struggles but their strength as individuals and the loving parents that support them.

Last bit not least, did i mentioned I finished this book in one sit? #bookworm #pageturner

Cant wait to read Hen’s story yet! Now let me go try out these recipes.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so fortunate to grab this on NetGalley when it was offered as ‘read now’ for a limited time.

I loved this book, I love Soledad and her determination and that she gets a second chance.
Kennedy’s writing is so moving, she treats all the characters with such care. These are true love stories that happen in a full life which means the side character are also developed.

Kennedy Ryan’s Before I Let Go gripped my heart and the second book in the Skyline series This Could Be Us was an auto preorder for me. When I got the opportunity to read an early ARC, I jumped. From the first book, we knew Soledad’s story would be heartbreaking, thanks to the small snippets we saw of her life. The journey she takes to fall in love with herself and re-earn her own trust in herself is wonderful. And the MMC is the perfect compliment to her new life. Steamy in all the right ways, silly with Soledad’s besties and sisters, and serious when portraying heavy topics, this book is a must read! I couldn’t put it down! Bravo!

Arc from NetGalley

Expected Publication March 5, 2024


Having discovered Kennedy Ryan this year has been one of the most
rewarding experiences of my life. When I read a book by her, I wonder
how she can connect with her readers like she does. You can tell by
her writing how thorough she is and that each of her books carries a
deeper meaning, never failing to make me fall in love with them.


There is so much that I want to say about this book so bear with me I
might run off topic but I’m not exaggerating when I say this book is
the most beautiful book I've read the representation and the
self-discovery were done so well that I felt like I was part of
Soledad story.


Although I can't relate to everything Soledad experiences throughout
this book I can relate to her finding love for herself. This year for
me has been all about loving myself and putting myself first and not
always doing things that please others. "What would happen if I turned
all that love on myself? Not in a narcissistic way, but in terms of
unconditional acceptance? Of truly attending to my hurts instead of
expecting someone else to heal them?" This quote by far was my
favorite because, for a long time, I thought I needed someone to heal
the broken parts of me and fill up that hole inside of me, but instead
all I needed to do was shift that love to myself not giving it to
people that do not deserve it. I realize that loving yourself isn't
always easy some days are harder than others, but every day I try to
do even the smallest thing that will make me happy. I thrive on going
on solo dates because I realize that if you wait on others to be happy
you might never get to experience what that means, and it may seem
Scary. Doing things on your own but I promise you it's not as bad as
you think so seeing Soledad going through that journey was the most
refreshing experience.

I promise this is the last of it “There aren't enough sonnets for

friendship. Not enough songs for the kind of love not born of blood or
body but of time and care. They are the ones we choose to laugh and
cry and live with. When lovers come and go, they are the ones who
remain. We are each other's constants”. I couldn't leave without
adding this part because reading this made me think about my two
besties, I don't think I need to explain what they mean to me because
the quote is already doing that. But I definitely agree we need more songs for this type of love.


Okay I swear now Im done

Don't forget to preorder guys I promise you won't regret it.

As usual, the book did not disappoint! Kennedy Ryan is a household name and I am so glad to have been able to read the ARC for this book! I am truly amazed by how the story ties together, the characters, etc. I cannot wait for more! Truly remarkable and masterfully written!!!