This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan (2024/04/28)
Rating 4.5/5 Stars
Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher (Forever) for providing me with an eGalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

☆ Emotional
☆Single Parents
☆ Slow Burn

This is the second book in the Skyland series and can be read as a standalone but read book 1 for maximum enjoyment. Kennedy Ryan's "This Could Be Us" presents a captivating story of resilience, self-discovery, and the complexities of love. Soledad Barnes, a meticulous planner accustomed to orchestrating her life, faces betrayal and upheaval when her marriage crumbles due to her husband's deceit. Left to support her daughters and rebuild her life, Soledad embarks on a journey of reinvention and self-love.

I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing Soledad's transformation as she learned to prioritize herself and navigate the challenges of single motherhood. While I appreciated the chemistry between Soledad and Judah, I felt that the focus on Soledad's personal growth overshadowed the development of their relationship, leaning more towards women's fiction than a balanced romance. I yearned for deeper interactions between the characters to fully explore their connection.

Despite this, I found myself drawn to Junah and his unwavering support for Soledad's journey. His patience and understanding were admirable, I loved seeing these characters meet and fall in love over time. I do wish that there was more exploration on Judah’s character growth and the dynamics of his relationship with Soledad. Additional I think scenes depicting Jonah and Soledad's direct interactions, rather than relying solely on social media, would have enriched their relationship development. Moreover, exploring the challenges of blending their families would have added depth to their journey. These aspects could have reinforced the narrative of their shared happily ever after, ensuring it felt like a collective journey rather than solely Soledad's.

In conclusion, "This Could Be Us" is a beautifully written tale of resilience and self-discovery, enriched by Ryan's evocative prose and vivid characterizations. While the romance may not take center stage, the exploration of themes such as betrayal and forgiveness offers a thought-provoking read.

TW: Embezzlement, Financial Debt, Death Of Loved one (past), Infidelity, Seizures, Cancer (mentions).

finally getting around to talking about this beautiful book!! ugh it really was just so heartwarming. i loved Soledad and her journey to self-love and discovering who she is/was without a man!!! I also loved the importance of learning herself, and choosing herself before she gave Jude the greenlight. Soledad really is that girl. this book was so much more than a romance and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did!

thank you to netgalley and the team at discover forever romance for giving me the opportunity to read this book 🩷

4.5**
I absolutely loved this book!! Kennady Ryan has become one of my favorite authors because of the way she writes and how heartbreaking her stories are. I loved solidads and judahs story and the self discovery journey they both went on before they ended up becoming a couple.

Soledad and Judah’s story was the emotional love story of my dreams. It was beautiful and heartwarming. Throughout the complex situation they found themselves in, they had so much understanding and care for each other.

Kennedy Ryan has once again written an incredible love story. She can incorporate heavy topics with such care for the issues and the characters who are dealing with them. When picking up this book, I was immediately immersed in the world that this series had built. I felt like I was actually there sitting in the kitchen with these characters throughout the book. Kennedy Ryan writes such powerful, empowered, thoughtful, and beautifully flawed humans. The female friendships in the Skyland series are so inspiring; I adore these three women. I also think that this series does a great job of showing different types of parent/child relationship growth.

I thought Kennedy Ryan handled the topic of autism so well, and she described what it’s like to care for someone with autism so eloquently.
Loved her authors note. ♥️

Thank you Kennedy Ryan, Forever, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After Soledad and her daughters’ worlds implode behind her husband’s deceit and betrayal, Soledad is left to pick up the pieces of their lives and forge forward. The odds were stacked against her, but she was determined not to let her girls down or herself. And somewhere along the way not only did she find her way, she found new love in herself first and with the forbidden fruit of Judah.

If you’re looking for a frilly or super spicy romance, you won’t find this here. This book is a wholesome life story of learning to fall in love with yourself, loving and appreciating your past to build your future, loving those around in family and friends who support you, and learning to love again with your eyes wide open. Soledad’s journey of self-discovery was as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. But ultimately necessary to get to the wholeness and happiness she deserved. Chapter 41 will forever be one of the most stellar pieces of literature I’ve read.

Judah was a dream, and the way he stood in the gap for Soledad had me rooting for them before they even embraced the possibility of being together. Judah was the exact opposite of the ex-husband who shall not be named, and he was born to love Soledad. And the steam between was a Chef’s kiss.

Mostly, the themes of divorce, life after divorce, sisterhood, friendships, love anew, and blended families were delicately and intricately weaved to deliver a powerhouse read and a road map for readers to learn to be happy now.

I had really high hopes for this book since Before I Let Go was a 5 star read for me & I absolutely loved this book. I love the friendship that the trio has and the way they are there for each other through everything.

The love that Soledad expresses for her children is so admirable!

Kennedy Ryan kills it AGAIN!

Of course she follows up my top read from 2023 with this gem. Was there any doubt that she wouldn’t continue to give us life through this series. I love the way she shows all the emotions that moms and wives go through.

FIVE REMARKABLE STARS!!!

So happy to have received an advanced readers copy of this new release for March 2024! This book was SO raw + gritty. I adore KR’s writing and this book didn’t fall short of my expectations. I saw so much of myself in Soledad and loved watching her journey + we have a total cinnamon roll of an MC. Add the fact that they are both parents with children… cherry on top. HIGHLY SUGGEST picking this one up. 💕

I loved this book so much. Kennedy Ryan creates such beautiful stories with so much complexity. Soledad was so strong and fun to learn about. I loved reading her story and how she became more herself. Jonah was also such a good character and I loved his voice. Their families were so complex and real. I loved everything. Such a good book and everyone should read it.

Kennedy Ryan is an amazing writer and I can’t wait to read more.

*thank you forever and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

kennedy ryan had done it again. i was so excited when i learned soledad’s story was next and man she didn’t disappoint!! i really enjoyed the emphasis on strong friendships and it was nice to have neurodivergent representation in a main character as well. this isn’t your typical silly little romance, it feels more like romance in the real world.

This Could Be Us is a book that I think a lot of people are going to find tilts too far into the literary fiction side of things and they're going to argue about whether it's a romance. So in light of that, I want to be pretty clear about the plot of this book and why I think this book IS a romance so you can hopefully be equipped to pick up this book when you're not only ready for the content, but also, when you're in a place to appreciate what this book is doing.

Essentially This Could Be Us is about Soledad and her journey after making the realization that her husband is an asshole and, also, he maybe committed a pretty for real white collar crime leaving Soledad and her girls in the lurch. And Julian has his own storyline, though his life is much more stable when he and Soledad meet. So he's sort of waiting for her to be in a better place for much of this novel. But like when KR wrote Long Shot, it's clear from the get go who the love interest in this book is and getting Soledad to the point that she's ready for something new with someone manages to keep the romance central to the story, in my opinion. HOWEVER, if you are not interested in reading a book wherein the love interests are not on page together for a good portion of the book, don't pick it up. If you're not interested in a deep personal journey for a heroine, this is not the book for you. (This is not a judgment!! I support you finding the right book for you!!)

If, however, those things I just mentioned are actually things that bring you joy or at least intrigue you, let's talk about why This Could Be Us is a master class at what it does. Soledad has three children and Judah has two. Soledad has two really good friends and two sisters. Judah has an ex-wife that he still co-parents really well with. The side characters in this book (and there are more than just those key characters) are so well developed and Kennedy Ryan creates such a real world cast of characters that it truly feels like you should be able to walk the streets of Atlanta and meet them. Her characters are, and always have been, one of my absolute favorite parts of reading her books and this was certainly not an exception.

Also, when Ryan is writing the specific romance scenes and the sexy times section of this book, the romance just... I can't even explain how well I feel like it comes alive. This book really takes an attraction at first sight and builds up the intrigue, the conflict, and the appeal throughout so well that when everything explodes into sexual tension and romantic tension, you're hooked. I could have spent way more time with Soledad and Judah in this book, honestly. I'm already so excited for the final book in this trilogy!

I’m so happy we got Soledad’s story as a follow up to Yasmin’s! I loved the writing and story line of this book. Also loved how a big theme of this story was self love—from both Soledad and Judah. Autism rep, found family, and strong female friendships are all represented! Highly recommend reading this book.

I loved this book, and Kennedy Ryan did not disappoint! I am looking for all her books! This one I loved the characters and the story line! Must put this on your TBR. I would definitely recommend this book to my family and friends.

The family dynamics and the healthy glimpses into what co-parenting looks like is a common thread in the Skyland Series.
We saw it in Before I Let Go but it was elevated in This Could be Us by Judah and his ex-wife's dynamic. Their devotion to maintaining a healthy and stable lifestyle for their twins was beautiful to see. I am so grateful to learn from and uplift this story that showcases what life with a child/children with autism can be like. (the experience is not a monolith). Seeing the varying levels between the twins and the way their needs differ was so eye opening. Kennedy really poured her heart and quite possibly her experience into this. I also appreciated her fleshing out the varying impacts having an incarcerated parent impacts Soledad's children and how age and awareness plays a factor.

Soledad experienced heart ache and pain BUT with the love and support of her sisters and friends she's able to come out on the other side even better. Soledad took time to do the self-work and in doing so found her strengths. It's true that in order to have a testimony you must be tested and boyyy did Edward test my patience... (rolls eyes)
The famous scripture says love is patient, love is kind and that perfectly describes Judah Cross ( my man, my man, my man). Judah was the epitome of love, he was patient, understanding, and showed consistent concern for Soledad and her wellbeing. Seriously, Judah was not only intelligent and handsome, he was amazingly tentative father to his two autistic sons and made sure to always consider their needs before his own.
This book had so many memorable quotes and take-always. The older I get I really understand and value self love! If you're not happy with your self how can you make someone else happy.I could seriously go on and on about how this story resonates on so many levels but I'm just going to let this all sink in... I definitely recommend this book!

Kennedy Ryan is well on her way to becoming one of the greatest romance writers to ever do it. This Could Be Us is truly her best work yet.

I didn’t think I could love this more than Before I let Go, but I’m so happy to be wrong. This could be us was definitely a love story but not between two people. This is a love story for those who are learning to love themselves where they are and where they want to go. Soledad doesn’t let heartbreak end her, instead she grows and on her growth journey finds so much more.

4.5 stars. Kennedy Ryan is incredible at writing tension and wringing every bit of emotion out of her characters and making her readers feel it. This book was immersive and addicting - I couldn't wait to get to the end to see how the different threads tied together. I also appreciated the connections with this book and Before I Let Go - the cameos from the MCs of the first book were recognizable and made a good contribution to the flow and development of this storyline.

Read this book if you enjoy:
> MCs in their 40s
> Strong FMC on a journey of self discovery
> Forbidden romance
> MMC who knows what he wants and goes after it
> Disability rep in side characters (MMCs children)

There was a lot going on in this book and I ultimately was hooked on the story that developed between Judah and Soledad. Every now and then, it did feel like the romance between them took a back seat to other plot points, but we always came back around to them. There are a lot of characters to keep track of with two adults who have families of their own who are then building a relationship between the two of them. I appreciated the dual POV - hearing from both Soledad and Judah was so important for this story and helped to tie all of the side characters into one cohesive narrative.

This book is an emotional roller coaster - I was cheering for Soledad on her journey of self discovery and independence, I fell in love with Judah's consistency and care of the people who were most important to him, I wanted to wring Soledad's ex's neck. There was a lot to process as the story developed. It was really powerfully written and evoked deep emotions as I was reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This was another amazing book by Kennedy Ryan! The underlying message of loving yourself and building resistance during difficult times was beautifully communicated. Ant wait for Hendrix story! 🤗

I have been waiting for this moment. This is my first Kennedy Ryan book and I'm already obsessed. First of all, very easily hate Soledad's husband. But This Could Be Us is clearly about Soledad's character evolution. Having to get back in touch with who she is, what she deserves, and who she loves. About the politics of domestic work, about the secrets that lie under sheets, and the importance of knowing our worth.