This book was beautiful. Soledad and Judah were literally perfect for each other. I loved how patient they both were with each other and their relationship. I also loved how devoted they both were to their families. The coparenting in this book was phenomenal.

I felt for Soledad through this book. Edward was a piece of work, and Soledad and their girls suffered because of him and what he did to them. But, in a way, it was good for Soledad because she was able to prove to herself that she could survive on her own and provide for her girls. I loved her friend group and sisters just as much as I loved Soledad and her daughters. Everyone was super fleshed out, and I felt super connected to everyone in this end.

Judah was a fabulous father to his boys and friend to his ex-wife. I loved that he didn't take crap from his job, but he was so soft and caring to his family and Soledad and her girls. I definitely had heart eyes the entire time.

I also liked that Soledad and Judah were older and mature. They were able to figure their relationship out in a realistic way and communicated openly with each other about their feelings. Basically, I loved this book so much! I'm so glad that I was given an early copy to read and review. Thank you, NetGalley, Kennedy Ryan, and the publisher for the opportunity.

I have been reading Kennedy Ryan's books since I discovered The Kingmaker.
This new series transcends typical romance tropes, something that Ms. Ryan's excels at.
It has disability representation and unconventional romance roads.
Masterfully written, this book is what happens when you're too busy making plans.

It's no surprise this book is resonating with so many readers!

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 /5
Overall: 5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Kennedy Ryan has perfected the craft of romantic fiction. The first two books in the Skyland series are among my favourites of all time for their delicious blend of romance, struggle, and healing. The series centers around a group of women who love each other fiercely building the lives they deserve. Y’all know I love romance that is basically just pure smut, but this book is not that. Its super spicy, don’t get me wrong, but it will also have you crying into your pillow.

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan is the second book in the Skyland Series. This is Soledad and Judah’s story.
 
Soledad is Yasmen’s friend from the first book, and I really liked that we get her story now. Soledad is very organized, loving and gives everything for her family and three daughters. I admired that, but unfortunately there are two people in a relationship and her marriage is in shambles and ends. This book is her story of living and loving again afterwards and it was very beautiful to follow alongside her.
 
Judah is divorced as well, and he is co-parenting his two sons who are both autistic. I appreciated how this was shown and it gave me a new perspective. He is a well-established man from the start who doesn’t really show any character development, but that was also not necessary as he is the supportive and perfect partner for Soledad as is.
 
Judah is the one who falls first, and I really liked seeing that. At the same time, he gives Soledad enough room to explore herself. The story is not solely focused on the romance, but rather on life and how these two can make it work. I usually don’t read a lot of Women’s Fiction, but this book is a shining example of what that should be.
 
Overall, This Could Be Us is a very empowering and deep romance that I really enjoyed. 4 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

At the end of 2022, I read (and devoured) the first book in this series, Before I Let Go. Hands down, it was my very favorite romance novel of that year. There’s no doubt about that. Kennedy Ryan has a knack for creating the most complex, layered, and well-crafted characters. The plots she develops for them are just as stellar. They feel so raw, realistic, and intense. You can’t help but get swept away in their lives. I was rooting for Soledad and Judah from start to finish. I adored their individual storylines, and felt a burst of excitement each time their paths collided in the novel.

WHAT I LOVED:

- Great character growth and development
- Influencer lifestyle and culture
- Themes of motherhood, marriage, and friendship
- Yummy food references
- Neurodivergent representation
- Hot and steamy bedroom scenes
- Dreamy Judah 😍

Even though I didn’t love the second installment as much as the first, it still impressed the heck out of me. Book one is really hard to beat, trust me! I’m crossing my fingers for a book three in the near future! I’ll read anything the author writes! 4/5 sexy stars for This Could Be Us! It’s out now!

Thank you Forever Publishing for the advance copy.

If you’re looking for a book with an incredibly strong female main character with an awesome friends group, This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan is for you. I only have high praise for Soledad and company.

This was my first read by Kennedy Ryan and I can see why she is a favorite! More than a romance, this was the story of a woman coming into her own, finding herself again after giving all she had to everyone else. Soledad’s life is turned upside down by the husband she has supported and loved, and without realizing it, lost her identity to. Judah is a swoon-worthy divorced hands-on dad of twin autistic boys, co-parenting with his ex-wife but often the parent in charge. He’s also the one who helps explode Soledad’s life.
The story is almost a coming-of-age story for Soledad, as she has to pick herself up, find herself, set boundaries and discover what makes her happy. She also needs to find the balance of prioritizing herself and allowing others into her life.
As the mother of an autistic son, the author authentically presents life as a parent of an autistic child and the struggles, the fears and the immense pride. As someone who loves someone who struggles with some of the same issues, I can attest how genuine this felt.
Unbeknownst to be me when, this is technically the second book in a series. But that in no way has any impact on reading this book.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This could be us is a story of self love, recovery and identity. I saw so much of myself in these pages but I also found much more than that! This story was entertaining and empowering. There was heart ache and drama and an abundance love that took many different forms.

Soledad is a character who I could absolutely root for! She deserved everything. I’m happy for her wins and I cried for her losses. Her big heart and resilience was inspiring and I wished for her to find that joy that I knew Kennedy had coming. Her ex husband was absolutely Delulu! That man needed a kick to the head. May he rot in the fire pits of you know where! The audacity! I can’t even with him. But Soledad’s diligence in rebuilding what he broke was INCREDIBLE! In love with Soledad! She was an amazing mom, manager and business woman! Gotta love a woman with a sense of hustle 🥰

Judah! Oh, I will fight any and everyone about this man! He was scrumptious OMG! I loved his patience and his honesty. The love he had for his sons was abundant and pure and just everything! He is the standard! **You better come over here and get you one of these.** But this man loved on Soledad in anyway that he could while Soledad was on her journey. I swear it can’t only be me who loved his pining! Y’all know I’m a sucker for some good pining! 🙌🏽 He had me weak in the knees. You could tell that he truly cared for Soledad for more than just her looks. He did the work hunny!

When I spoke with Kennedy Ryan last year about this book, I was already in tears just hearing the description. It’s no secret that KR is one of my favorite authors and I have yet to be disappointed by something that she written. When it comes to The Could Be Us, it’s no different! She handled the heavy topics in the story with care and compassion and for that I have to thank her so much for the advanced copy for review!

I HIGHLY recommend this book to EVERYONE, but especially my single ladies, my single mothers and anyone who has ever been made to feel small. This romance is for you if love a man obsessed and self-love. This is book 2 of the Skyland series but it can be read as a complete standalone. I recommend Before I Let Go as well though (book 1)!

This was one of my most anticipated releases this year and I’m so sad to report that it just missed the mark for me. It felt much more like a lit fic/womens fic (hate that term) than it did as a romance. The story was great, Sol was an absolute warrior, but the romance threw me off.

Fans who read “Before I Let Go” already knows Soledad’s husband doesn’t deserve her. She meets Judah Cross at her husbands company holiday party, and the first thing she notices is his warm smile. They hit it off right away but he is definitely off limits.

Judah is divorced and successfully co-parents his twin autistic boys. Ms. Kennedy masterfully writes about Aaron and Adam and their separate journeys on the autism spectrum. I love how Ms. Kennedy writes about Judah and his ex-wife. They are friends and want the best for the boys and each other. Soledad makes a connection with Judah’s son Aaron very early on and that says alot for him. Soledad’s world literally blows up and the story goes from there.

Soledad picked up the pieces to provide for her family and embarks on a journey of self discovery and self love. Judah is obsessed with Soledad, but in the cutest way. He is a dream as a hero. Ms. Ryan writes that every touch with Judah feels like an intimate kiss. Judah is patient and gives Soledad room to get back in touch with herself. This book is also about supportive friends and I can’t wait to see how Ms. Ryan does Hendrix story. She is a mess! Finally, there is a connection to Bell Hooks that has led me to read one of her books this year. Kennedy Ryan is an excellent writer and I highly recommend this book.

I thought I loved Before I Let Go and other books I've read by Kennedy Ryan, but I loved This Could Be Us.

I enjoy books where the main theme is a woman finding herself and falling in love with herself, and the romance is more of a subplot. That's exactly what we got with This Could Be Us. Soledad had to pick up the pieces after her husband betrayed her and turned her and her daughter's lives upside down. The way she takes a bad situation and spins it to bring in income and keep their lives as close to normal as possible, all while trying to find and forgive herself, is amazing. And even though Soledad was "self-partnering," Kennedy Ryan made sure to let us know that just because you're self-partnering doesn't mean you can't want to be with someone or that it is a replacement for romantic love (I think we forget that sometimes). The book's display of sisterhood, community, and culture was done well.

On to Judah, I LOVED everything about Judah. His relationship with his ex-wife, her husband, and his sons made me smile every time they interacted in the book, Getting an insight into their journey on navigating their son's autism and making him realize that he too is on the spectrum was my favorite part of his story. I think Kennedy Ryan did a fantastic job showing the autism spectrum. Now, his relationship with Soledad made my heart smile. He was so kind and patient with her from the beginning. The way he looked out for her while he was actively investigating her good-for-nothing husband, showed how great of a man he was. Their chemistry was off the charts, and I'm glad Soledad was able to learn to trust herself and him, to get the love she deserves.

The QUEEN has done it again!!! I wanted more of Soledad’s story after reading Before I Let Go, and boy did Miss Ryan SERVE us just that! One of the best and most powerful writers of our time! With strong themes of healing, self-love, and sisterhood, this book was an emotional rollercoaster for me and now I must patiently await Skyland book 3.

Soledad is a strong and amazing woman. I loved reading about her in the first book of this series and I knew I hated Edward but I didn't know how much until I got into this one. I love how we get see her low point and when Edward gets caught and then we get to see her pull herself up, make a name for herself doing something she loves, make a life for herself and her children. I love her relationship with her friends and sisters. Reading her story feels being a part of her world. I always love the day in the life books. You just get to fall in love with the characters.
I loved how Judah would allow her space and find peace with herself while still loving her. He was such a wonderful father figure. The representation of Autism was done so well. As I watch my nephew grow up with Autism I loved seeing him in characters. Judah and Tremaine's struggle with child care, with schooling, with fidgets and special interests and having to make fiscal decision for their kids future are all things that I have witness in real life. Their storyline really resonant with me.
I love Kennedy Ryan's writing. She portrays characters with such depth. The stories are so real. I think the only thing I was missing in this was a rubbing of her happiness in Edwards face. He just got away. I wanted him to suffer. (i know petty but he was despicable).
of the friend group I love Henderik. I can't wait to see how her story goes. Spring 2025 can't come soon enough.
Highly recommend for lover of emotional love stories, with family drama, fantastic sisterhood and friendships and real in-depth characters.

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

Incredible! I absolutely loved this one. Such a great book to curl up with. It was hard to pull myself away to do things, but I always looked forward to diving back in. Highly recommend!

Kennedy Ryan, a truly beautiful storyteller, has once again released an incredible romance.

This Could Be Us is a complex and emotional journey of self-discovery, parenting, friendship, and love. With flawed and resilient characters, the story of Jonah and Sol was something to marvel.

The sincerity, growth, and empowerment within Sol as she rediscovered how to love herself again was precious, refreshing, and impactful. I have yet to become a mother myself, but this felt like a realistic insight into the beauty yet challenges of motherhood. I also adored the female friendships within this romance – adding a textured layer of hilarity and strength.

Jonah. You could feel his desire for Sol with each page. He was loving and patient. Family was a strong element of this novel, and I loved reading each genuine moment Jonah had with his ex-wife and two children. This book is a strong reminder of why Kennedy Ryan is an all-time favorite author of mine.

Highly recommend reading this gem. 🫶

Thank you NetGalley for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the Skyland series, we get the story of Soledad, who we saw in Before I Let Go, her marriage was rocky, but oh boy do we get into it. Edward is not a good guy and his actions throws Soledad and her girls into a tailspin and Soledad has to pull up her bootstraps and learn to pivot in order to survive.

Soledad goes through all the stages of grief and takes the reader on a journey of self love and discovery of strength amid devastating news. We also meet Judah Cross, an accountant who is co-parenting two autistic teenage boys, and I love the contrast we get in seeing what healthy parenting and relationships look like compared to what Edward gives Soledad and the girls. The relationship that develops between Soledad and Judah is one of wonder and belief that good things can come.

Highly recommend, this is an emotionally charged book, so please check the triggers. And once again there are recipes at the end of the book, and I will be making those brownies.

On my first trip to the Skyland neighborhood in Before I Let Go, I cried. A lot. On my return trip in This Could Be Us (​​Forever) by Kennedy Ryan, I’m more shocked by the scandal and intrigued by slow-burn, forbidden romance between Judah and Soledad, but I still thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

We briefly met Soledad in Before I Let Go, Book One of the Skyland series, and like her friend Hendrix in that book, I rolled my eyes. I thought this naïve housewife is going to get duped. And even though Soledad does indeed get duped, I no longer roll my eyes at her (maybe some side eye, but doesn’t everyone have their side-eye moments?). Instead, I respect her for her comeback and her strong survival mode.

Complicated History and a Conflict of Interest
Soledad Barnes has been dealt a humiliating blow: her once prominent husband Edward has been carted off to jail on suspicion of embezzlement, leaving her to fend for herself and her three daughters. With their assets frozen, and no job herself, Soledad has to hustle to keep the family not only together but in their Skyland home and the kids in their private school. Her pension for being a stellar homemaker and cook works to her advantage, as she makes a living as a social media influencer to keep the bills paid.

So how did Soledad get here? Seems Edward’s archnemesis at work, Judah Cross is to blame for their predicament (at least in Edward’s eyes), since he’s the one who reported the embezzlement to the company’s CEO. Forensic accountant Judah Cross is singular in his focus, dedicated to his family, and honest to a fault. He’s ended a lackluster marriage with his wife Tremaine and cares for his twin boys who are on the spectrum.

When he spots Soledad at a company Christmas party, he’s immediately struck by how his nonverbal son connects with her, and then there’s the fact that he’s unable to take his eyes off her. Unfortunately, when he learns she’s the wife of the co-worker he’s been investigating, she becomes off-limits to him.

These two may burn slowly, but are hot when ignited. Kennedy Ryan’s steamy love scenes are always full of emotion and here is no different. These two may have a forbidden romance, but it’s one that they can’t turn away from. Their bodies and their souls were meant to be together.

Functional Families Who Live with Dysfunction
In the prologue, Judah mentions that his twin boys Aaron and Adam have some of the same mannerisms he does, and later, he notes that he sees a lot of himself in the way his boys interact with the world around them. These all lead the reader to conclude that Judah is also on the spectrum. Because all three of these characters have some form of autism, Ms. Ryan gives readers varied and authentic portrayals of individuals who live with autism, essentially mapping out how wide the spectrum can be and how much care, sympathy and support those who don’t have autism should show. Just because someone may be socially functional does not mean their lives are free from complications of the condition.

It amazes me how naturally the scenes in This Could Be Us play out between estranged spouses and parents and children. Soledad and her children dealing with something that most of us will never have to face (a patriarch being hauled off to jail for white-collar high crimes) could have come across as unrealistic and phony, but Soledad’s outrage and sorrow, the children’s confusion and blunt questions, and how each daughter processes their father’s transgressions in their own way shows the depth that Ms. Ryan has given to not only the main characters but to many of the secondary characters as well.

The same is true for divorced parents Judah and Tremaine and their boys. They relate to each other with familiarity and cordiality but without intimacy. They put their children first and competently handle their sons’ complications, but not without showing the fragility and helplessness that I’m sure most parents in their situation would feel.

And there are still school career days, bake sales, and community festivals to be had, which give readers ample reason to smile while being immersed in the scene. The author makes us feel as if we are indeed in the fictional Skyland neighborhood.

If you’re a Kennedy Ryan fan, you’re used to one of her books figuratively tearing out your heart. This one will tug at your emotions in a different way but still give you that satisfying HEA at the end and keep you rooting for Soledad and Judah page after page, despite all the odds against them.

Kennedy is an author who writes incredibly real characters and the journeys they go through to find love and healing in their lives. She creates a world of powerful women who find themselves again through resilience and self love, and as a twenty something out here discovering the world for myself, these are the types of stories I love to see. It shows that there’s beauty in learning, and grace in the process.

This was a story that focused tremendously on Soledad’s personal journey of growth and I really loved that. The diverse representation, from the inclusion of autism rep, to the cultural representation of Judah and Soledad’s backgrounds as people of color, was beautiful to me as well. Stories like theirs matters because it shows that love will find you again in life, in hard times and good times, when you least expect it.

4.5 ⭐️
i was immediately intrigued, roped in and gripped by this story! right from the start i knew this story would be monumental and emotional. these are my favorite characters to read— people who are so real and raw they resonate with the deepest parts of you.
soledad is the ultimate girl boss and judah is the blueprint for what men should be! they’re both complex characters with so much depth! i love that soledad is a mother of 3 daughters and judah is a father of 2 boys. this is the first time i read two single parents and it was so beautiful because they just get each other on another level! their attraction to each other is immediate and the chemistry between them is so effortless right off the bat! i loved every bit of their romance because it felt so natural and meant to be!
some of my favorite parts were seeing sol and judah with their kids! their interactions were so beautiful and wholesome but also honest and unembellished. the representation in this book was expertly done- you can tell the heavier themes in this book were handled with the utmost care and written from experience.
i loved this story so much! the plot was equally as enveloping as the romance and i can’t wait to read what comes next in this series.

Thank Forever for providing an ARC of this book, this is the second book in the Skyland series, which can be read as a standalone as there really isn’t much cross over between the two books.

As the story opens, we find Soledad navigating a tumultuous period in her life. She and her husband Edward are preparing to attend a holiday party hosted by their office. Edward expresses his discontent with the dress Soledad has chosen, urging her to wear something else. This incident is symptomatic of a deeper rift between them, marked by a growing emotional distance. Soledad feels increasingly alienated from Edward, perceiving his rejection and obsessive focus on work as barriers to their intimacy. Her suspicions about Edward's fidelity and integrity are soon confirmed, revealing his betrayal of their family on multiple fronts.
In a parallel narrative, we meet Judah, who is navigating the aftermath of his separation from his wife. Despite the challenges, they establish a new dynamic to co-parent their sons, Aaron and Adam.

The novel unfolds from both Soledad's and Judah's perspectives, highlighting their interconnected struggles. Judah, a colleague of Edward's, uncovers Edward's embezzlement of a significant sum from their company, adding another layer of complexity to the narrative.
Soledad is confronted with the devastating impact of Edward's deceit, as she and her daughters bear the consequences of his actions. Her journey towards self-discovery and empowerment is a compelling aspect of the story. While I found Soledad's evolution and her venture into a career as an influencer engaging, I believe the latter's portrayal as a lucrative pursuit may not fully capture the challenges of monetizing such a career, which stood out to me as a critique.

Overall, the book offers a gripping exploration of personal growth, resilience, and the quest for authenticity. Soledad's story, in particular, resonates with themes of self-love and renewal amidst adversity. I am eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.