You guys, this went up on Netgalley yesterday, and your girl ran to open an account just so I could read it, because I just could not wait! (Yes, I know, crazy I read so much, but didn’t use Netgalley until now! What can I say? I’m intimidated by apps ok 😂). I’ve finally conquered that fear!

Since I participated in the cover reveal back in October, I’ve been waiting to see when the arc would be available, and as soon as it was, I grabbed it and could not put it down! 🎉

This is another emotional masterpiece by @kennedyryan1, and I declare I will read every single book she ever writes, period, because the girl can write! Go read her stuff!!!!!

Soledad’s story was a powerful one that will resonate with so many: single moms, single dads, divorced coparents, people in diverse families, people within bicultural families, step parents, as well as parents navigating all the complexities and challenges of raising kids in the autism spectrum.

The representation and inclusion in this story was superb. So many amazing points were addressed, so many of the struggles handled with such care. The story was raw, real, and rich in so many ways. Soledad’s strength and courage through the worst times of her life were both inspiring, and admirable, and though her HEA wasn’t conventional, I feel it was the perfect one for her.

I am so super excited to read Hendrix’s story next, and can’t wait for my preorder of this physical copy to get in my hands!

Read if you like:
🥹 Emotional stories
👩‍❤️‍👨 Friends to Lovers
🏋️‍♀️ Strong MFC
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Diverse + bicultural families
🧩 Autism representation
👭 Strong female friendships

⚠️CW: Discussion of parent death due to cancer off the page, discussions relating to autism inclusing clinical classifications, divorce, embesselment crime, cheating.

Thank You @netgalley @readforeverpub and @kennedyryan1 for the opportunity to read this ahead of release day 3-5-24

There aren’t enough words to explain how amazing this book was!! I related to Soledad in far too many ways, finding yourself after heartbreak is such a journey, and Soldedad’s was so well written. I felt like I was back where she was, finding myself again. I cried, I laughed, I rooted her on. Not to mention the impecable romance, Judah is the definition of the perfect book boyfriend. To have so much wrapped in one book could have been difficult, but this was incredibly well done.

Finished this yesterday night and read it in one sitting. I am obsessed and captivated by Kennedy Ryan’s talent to keep writing better and better romances full of incredible characters and dreamy love stories. My love for Kennedy’s work just keeps growing with every book.

thanks so much for the ARC!

this book was soooo good. it wasn't as angsty as BILG but still so good. i was apprehensive about reading this bc i feel like the 2nd book of a series always falls short. happy to say this wasn't the case for This Could Be Us. i love the characters kennedy ryan has created in this book. judah is too good to be true.

soledad's growth was organic and i was rooting for her throughout. her career choice was a little cringe lol. i can't wait to see her appearance (along with her girls') in the next book. i just also love how kennedy's growth as a romance writer is evident over the course of her books.

can't wait for hendrix's book!

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan follows the story of Soledad, who is married to Edward, and a mother to three teenaged daughters as her life feels like it is falling apart when her husband is arrested for embezzlement. Soledad goes on a journey of finding herself, and rediscovering who she is as a mother, daughter, sister, and friend… but also discovers Josiah Cross, who is a single father to two autistic teenage twin boys and happens to be the man who uncovered her husband’s crimes.

This was one of the easiest five stars I have ever given, I LOVED this book. Every single character (except u Edward) was so easily to love and three dimensional. The dialogue was incredibly natural, and it made these characters feel so real.

Soledad is one of my favorite book characters of all time. Her resilience and love for her children, family, and friends is unmatched. She’s emotionally intelligent, and just so intelligent in general, and it was so easy to root for her, her success, and happiness from right in the beginning.

And Josiah??? You simply know this man was written by a woman, because he was so perfectly. He was smart, kind, patient, romantic, compassionate. The things this man was syaing had me BLUSHING and kicking my feet you guys.. he is top notch, and perfection.

And this book was special because I feel like it captured so many different kinds of love so well - between parent child relationships, romantic relationships, love between friends, like I felt all that pouring through the pages and it was incredibly well done.

You guys have to pick this one up, I was hooked from page 1 all the way through the end, which wasn’t that long because I loved it so much I read the entire thing very fast. GREAT read I would highly recommended.

I was so excited for the opportunity to Read Now This Could Be Us on Net Galley! I was anticipating this book and it did not disappoint. I really loved this book. It was so beautiful. It’s different from Before I Let Go in a lot of ways (as expected) but an equally great read. I went back and forth about if this was a 4 or 5 star review because I wasn’t hooked on this like BILG. I asked myself what could’ve been done better with this story and when I couldn’t answer that I knew it deserved 5 stars. The love in Soledad’s life is so special! Romantic love as well as the love from her friends, sisters, and children. Most importantly though this is really a journey about loving yourself. I’ll be reading again when my paperback copy arrives in March.

I inhaled this book. I started reading it at 6pm and did not stop until I finished it at almost 3am. We’re first introduced to Soledad in the first book in this series “Before I Let Go” and as the reader, you already know something is up with Soledad’s husband. What I didn’t expect was the twist! Not to spoil anything, but I was pleasantly surprised there was more to his sketchy ass than just being basic sketchy. I really felt for Soledad and I very much appreciated how her role was celebrated and that she found intrinsic value in being a mother and ALL of the various hats she wears while in that role 24/7. Just because she stayed at home and did ALL THE THINGS didn’t mean she wasn’t also a feminist. Now, let’s talk about Judah. He’s my favorite hands down. AND WAIT — The realistic autistic representation not only in his twin sons, but also in him! I work within this population and the varied presentations and realistic experiences really shined through. But back to Judah. He didn’t play games. He knew what he wanted and he respected Soledad enough to give her the time she needed to grow. To forgive and love herself. It was so beautiful. This is one of the best book father, ex-husband, and partner I have ever read. The only qualm I had with this book was a personal one. It totally made sense within the book and was realistic, but I don’t like reading about influencers and social media. But like I said, that’s a personal preference.

Kennedy Ryan you have done it once again. She has proven once again that she is not only writing romance but women’s fiction. This book is not solely focused on the romance but Soledad. It’s her rediscovering herself, learning how to trust herself after the betrayal of her husband, and it’s her working on trusting future relationships through trusting herself.

Of course there’s also the romance aspect, but in increments and in my opinion not the forefront of the story, but also a part of Soledad relearning herself in relationships.

Five stars. Kennedy Ryan does it again. I really needed this book. This book has touched my soul, and made me appreciate my journey of self love even more. Aaron and Adam have a very special place in my heart.

You know how with most fiction books, you read the book, but with some books, you inhabit the book? Kennedy Ryan is one of the rare authors who writes in such a way that you inhabit the book.

I actually tend to prefer more escapist romances with less angst, but Kennedy makes diving in to the drama worth it, even when this book grabs the heart in your chest in a vise grip and holds on until the last page.

Most slow burns feel at least a little contrived, with at least one of the MCs being annoying AF to create the slow burn—but in this novel, it felt 100% natural, and I didn’t even really realize it was a slow burn until after I finished the book.

The other thing I love about Kennedy’s writing, as this book exemplifies, is that she writes romance for real adults—there are no fake problems and the connections between her characters are real as it gets.

This novel is as much about self-compassion and the power of female relationships (between mothers and daughters, sisters, and friends) as it is about the romance between Soledad and Judah, without ever being preachy or cloying, and honestly that’s a feat in itself.

Oh, and as a probably-autistic mom of two autistic kids, I really appreciated Kennedy’s portrayal of multiple autistic characters with depth and dimension. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would!

It is safe to say that Kennedy Ryan does not miss! This story was beautifully written! The friendships and relationships in this book was EVERYTHING!! Soledad and Judah’s love story was so real and raw. It shows how truly hard it to open yourself back up to love after you’ve been hurt!

So excited to see what’s in store for Hendrix!

i never write book reviews but for this one right here? i have to.

there is just something about kennedy ryan’s pen that draws you into a world that could very much be someone’s reality. the line between fact and fiction is very thin when it comes to this could be us.

this tale of rediscovery is something i find very rare in romance novels today. soledad’s journey isn’t one size fits all but it’s very real and it shows that even the most “put together” out of the bunch can still be a work in progress.

this could be us is a very different type of love story than the ones i’m used to seeing. and all i’m going to say is the best things come when they are meant to come because judah…oh judah he one of them ones for sure.

I really enjoyed Sol’s story.
It was a true letter of strength and reinvention.
Loved the incorporation of Puerto Rican culture through out the whole story.
The parallels between Sol and her mom were quiet but impactful.
My only note, I’d like it for it to be clearly stated that Judah is autistic, it seems to be heavily implied but not explicitly stated.

Oh my goodness. I do not have the proper words for this book! Ahh! Soledad’s story means so much to me of her taking her power back, building a life for her and daughters after being betrayed by her ex husband. Her journey of loving herself fully is so relatable to where I am and I loved being able to read about a woman who takes us along her journey! 10/10 always recommend. Kennedy Ryan can simply do no wrong!

I absolutely adored this book. I love that it could stand alone if needed but how it tied into Yas and Si’s story too.
The way Edward was written as a villain was honestly amazing, couldn’t wait to see him get his even before the FBI showed up.
I also think an absolutely amazing job was done in the portrayal of Adam and Aaron.
Thank you so much for this arc. I can’t wait to read Hens story. This one had me giggling and kicking my feet at points but also felt so raw and real. It was done so well. And my lord the lemonsssss (can you tell I was on FF back in the day) 10/10 Ms Ryan.

4.5 stars!

I’ve been listening to KR talk about her intentions and the message she wanted to “deploy” into the world for the better part of this year and I think she was successful in her mission. The lover girls like me will feel Soledad on this one. I love the multi-dimensional perspective on self love and loving others this book converses with you. In This Could Be Us, all the characters have something profound to say about the subject and it layers into this beautiful, personal understanding for both Soledad and the reader around what it means to be a woman who loves, who mothers, who invests, and what kind of partner that woman not even just deserves but <I>requires.</i> Making the appearance and weaving of Judah all the more satisfying.

Also if you’re Boricua like me, I’ll say one last thing: finally.

* will also add review to Amazon upon release

Kennedy does it again! Really loved this book and Soledad’s story. She was a woman who went through a lot, persevered and found love in the end.

Kennedy Ryan's "This Could Be Us" is everything I knew it would be. This is a story about self-discovery and the transformative power of second chances. Soledad, the protagonist, finds her life shattered by her partner's betrayal and becomes disillusioned. She is a Type A personality who planned her life with intention and when it falls apart we are there to help her sort through the wreckage. As a bibliotherapist who utilizes literature to facilitate healing, I am immensely grateful to Ryan for crafting a narrative that speaks directly to divorcees, stepmoms, single fathers, and families navigating the parenting challenges of raising autistic children.

It was so emotional (in the best ways) for me as a reader and mother of an autistic son to see the fullness of the spectrum reflected in the twin son's stories. I was particularly moved by Ryan's sensitive and trauma-informed portrayal of the impact of high-level needs on relationships and marriages. The author skillfully weaves in the challenges faced by autism families, providing a realistic and heartfelt depiction that resonates deeply while centering on strengths.

One of the most commendable aspects of "This Could Be Us" is its inclusivity and representation. Ryan goes beyond the conventional narrative, delving into the dynamics of diverse families. The story not only acknowledges the struggles but also highlights the beautiful connections between parents, caregivers, and the significant role of bonus parents and friendships in a child's development. It is a testament to Ryan's insight and understanding that she portrays these relationships with nuance and authenticity.

Being of Puerto Rican and African American descent, I appreciate Ryan's adept handling of biculturalism, bilingualism, and colorism. The narrative captures the complexities and nuances of identity, adding layers of authenticity to the characters and their experiences. The author's ability to address these themes enriches the story, making it not only a tale of personal growth but also a reflection of the broader societal challenges that individuals from diverse backgrounds often encounter.

"This Could Be Us" is a beautiful exploration of second chances, attuned parenting, and the strength of community in the journey toward healing. Kennedy Ryan's storytelling is not just compelling; it's a compassionate embrace for those who have faced life-altering challenges. I am grateful for this book that not only mirrors the realities of my own life as a woman and mother but also serves as a testament to the power of literature to bring connection, empathy, understanding, and a sense of community to those in need. Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!

I’m a marketing and publicity associate Forever, so I am reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words