This book is for the women who have lost themselves in the roles and responsibilities of life and putting other people’s wants and needs before their own. It’s a story of rediscovering what life looks like when you learn that you deserve the love, the light, and the grace that you give to everyone around you. I think I enjoyed Soledad’s story because I’ve seen real life Soledads. She’s such a beautiful character who embodies real life experiences that every day women go through.

I also really enjoyed the autism representation.
As a Social worker, I spend a lot of my time advocating for kids who have mental health diagnosis and/or developmental conditions and need accommodations in the school setting. I also get to help parents learn and understand disabilities and diagnosis and help them learn how to navigate parenthood with the disabilities and diagnosis. So to see autism represented and what it looks like to make necessary accommodations to ensure the kids feel comfortable and supported was really heartwarming.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for a free arc in exchange for my honest review.

One of my favorite authors, Abby Jimenez, posted about the arc being available and I decided to check it out on a whim. Realizing it was book 2 of a series, I decided to read book 1 first. I can honestly say, that both books have made Kennedy Ryan a must read author for me and I cannot wait to read Hendrix’s story next year!

This book was amazing! I loved being able to experience Soledad’s growth and watching her come into her own power and worth. It was such an empowering journey to read about and really resonated with me.

Judah Cross?! What a treasure of a man!

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

This is book 2 in the Skyland series and it is EVERYTHING! Five friggen fantastic and fabulous stars for this gem of a book with numerous bad ass women and one swoon worthy man.

I knew I was going to love this book before I even started it. And I was not wrong. I just cannot get over Kennedy Ryan’s writing. These characters are so real they’re jumping off of the pages and straight into my soul. The dynamic between Soledad and her sisters is so honest and heartwarming and the dynamic with her girlfriends is straight fire. And Jonah? Please. If ever a perfect man did exist…it would be him.

So here here for finding yourself, ladies! Find your strength and your independence and let it shine. Love yourself first. And then let the RIGHT man be the perfect addition at your side. Brb…going to squeeze my husband for being that man for me.

“I think being whole means acknowledging all your parts. And there are parts of you that want to be held, want to be needed and loved. That is just as emotionally valid as the parts of you that crave independence.” #ThisIsMe

THANK YOU THANK YOU to Netgalley, Forever Publishing, and the author for the ARC.

4 stars ⭐️

First of all, thank you to Forever and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC to be able to read and review early.

I’ve said that K.R will give you a beautiful balance of women’s fiction and romance. This story did lean more on the women’s fiction side so I feel like if you’re going in expecting a full on romance you may be disappointed. I do wish there was a bit more romance because that was it was marketed as but I still loved it so much.

After the ultimate betrayal, Soledad Barnes is left to pick up the pieces of her once comfortable life. Soledad is now facing uncharted waters; she a single mother and now the sole provider of her three girls. We watch Soledad not only figure out how to care for them completely but how to care for herself.

This book is being marketed as a romance so of course there’s a love interested. Mr Judah Cross. Now, I’ve read some reviews saying the romance fell flat and at the service maybe it did but I’m challenging y’all to look deeper. As romance readers, more often that not, we’re reading about grand gestures and this book didn’t have that. Instead, we seeing Judah Cross be consistent and subtle.

My take away was that this is a book about love NOT a romance. A mother’s love. A friend’s love. Loving those in your community. But most of all loving yourself and realizing that you don’t have to have it all together to be deserving.

Kennedy Ryan never fails to amaze me with the incredible stories she writes. I read Before I Let Go in 2022 and absolutely loved it and was SO excited for Sol’s story. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved This Could Be Us.

Above all else, this book was about Sol’s journey of self discovery and self love. She really came into her own after becoming a single mom to her three daughters; she could’ve crumbled and no one would’ve blamed her after what she had to deal with, but instead she just became more resilient and successful in keeping her children safe and provided for while becoming an influencer and entrepreneur in Skyland. I loved seeing her take back her autonomy and do something she loved and found purpose outside of being a wife and a mom.

I do think this book was not as focused on the romance between Soledad and Judah, but it didn’t take away from just how much I enjoyed reading it. Even with the romance not being as central to the plot, Soledad and Jonah’s love story was still so beautiful. Judah gave Sol the time and space she needed but always made it clear he only had eyes for her and would wait. They were the slowest of burns, simmering for soooo long, but when they finally gave into their feelings, it was SO worth it.

Divorced himself, Judah was an absolute king with how he approached Soledad’s resistance to them having feelings and an attraction for each other. He was so patient and gentle with her, never growing angry or frustrated with her wanting to date herself and not be with him. He gave her time and space she needed, but still made it crystal clear that he didn’t want anyone else— he only had eyes for her and wasn’t interested in moving on from her.

I loved Judah so much outside of his romance with Soledad. He’s a fantastic father to his sons, and I loved his relationship with his ex wife Tremaine. Despite them being divorced and not in love, they still had so much love and respect for each other, always checking in and being supportive of each other with their kids Adam and Aaron, who are both autistic. I thought their family dynamic and particularly Judah and Tremaine’s relationship was a great juxtaposition to the non existent relationship between Sol and her ex husband Edward after their divorced. It showed just how perfect and complementary Judah and Sol were for each other— he was different and better than her ex in every way.

I truly loved this book and Sol’s journey and her and Judah’s love story, and will be eagerly waiting for what Kennedy Ryan releases next.

💗 You’ll love this if you:
- enjoy books with strong leads with amazing character development.
- love when the MMC is a kind and gentle man who has eyes for only the FMC and doesn’t even consider being with anyone else.
- love reading about strong, healthy family dynamics.

✨𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐖✨

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞 𝐔𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧

My favorite read of February!!! I’m still not over this book & how much I loved it. 🥹💖

👍🏼: Let’s start with what made me tear up within the first 5 minutes of the book - the autism representation & @kennedyryan1’s authors note about her son. Told from someone who understands and loves someone with autism, the characters were so beautiful & relatable as an SLP who teaches kids with autism communication daily. This was definitely one of the highlights for me throughout the book 🫶🏼 My second favorite part was Soledad herself. Her journey throughout this story is a WILD one to say the least 😂 but she handles every situation with strength and caring and I admired her so much! I also loved the continued friendships, humor, love & some action packed drama!! This story truly had it all!

👎🏼: The only con for me in this story was that there was so much action in the beginning & the middle was more of a slow burn for me once the action settled, but I definitely was still hooked from beginning to end!

The second book in the Skyland series definitely did not disappoint 👏🏼 it was so great to be back with these beloved characters & I can’t wait for book #3! Thanks to @readforeverpub @netgalley for the e-ARC! This book will be out Tuesday, 3/5! 🎉📚

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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#thiscouldbeus #kennedyryan #skylandseries #readforeverpub #fivestarromance #fivestarbooks

The world is not ready for Kennedy Ryan. I inhaled This Could Be Us, set in the same world as Before I Let Go (another exceptional book - if you haven't read it, run to the bookstore right now!)
I love how her work centers grown-ass folks in romance. Here, the MC is a mother of three and her LI, the father of two. And talk about a slow-burn ... I'm still fanning myself. Her detail in the sex scenes brings them to life (ahem, open door).
I also really liked how the MC, married to a White man, faced real world pressures as an African-American and Puerto Rican woman. Ms. Ryan did not center the book on racism, but she didn't shy away from it either.
The MC's best friends are essential to the story, as are her sisters. At times, reading this book felt like being surrounded by girlfriends.
The banter was funny (and sad, at times) but always snappy.
The autism rep was informative and not exaggerated. Much the way Ryan handled racism in the novel, the obstacles LI's autistic boys faced felt realistic - and not included for sympathy or sensationalism.
I eagerly await Ms. Ryan's next foray - can't wait to see Hendrix get her HEA.

Honestly I don't know what to say that has probably not already been said about This Could Be Us. I read this book in two days and when I wasn't reading it, I was in fact thinking about it. I loved the story that was told, the dynamic of the relationships, and how both Soledad and Judah came to be. Judah was extremely respectful and Soledad with Judah's sons seriously it just made my heart so extremely happy. The growth and the the way Judah and his ex-wife coparented was so nice to see and then seeing Soledad and how she handled everything showed so much growth in all of the characters.

This is easily a top favorite read for this year an easily a book I will reread.

Kennedy Ryan does not miss. Soledads story was another amazing one in this series. Ryan writes such amazing romances. Her characters are able to have mature dialogue while keeping the book sexy and sweet!

This story was so beautiful, I absolutely loved it! It got me hooked from the start, it had me gasping in public at all the things we discover in the first part. The drama was everything!! I loved all the characters so much except you know who... The friendship and sisterhood shown was amazing. I loved how all the women were supportive of each other.

I absolutely adored Soledad and Judah together and as individuals! Soledad's journey to finding herself again was inspiring and what a man Judah is!!! This book proved again that shy guys hit different. He was so thoughtful and Soledad's biggest fan! Judah and Soledad were such good parents as well, I loved their relationship with their children.

However, I felt like this book was bit too mature for me. Even though I think everyone will love this, I think it's better suited for an older audience.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"A woman who wants more and realizes she deserves it is a dangerous thing."

Kennedy Ryan does not disappoint. The way she captures love whether it be romantic, friends, family, parental is just beautiful. Her books are written with compassion and sensitivity. I was in awe and full of emotion from the first page. I absolutely loved Soledad's journey to rediscover herself and take back her power her life and commitment to take care of her girls! Her husband was a mess. Judah was so generous, loving and patient. The gentleness and care when it came to his autistic sons and their mothers well-being's. The way he studied Sol knew her needs and met them. A man who takes care of you OKAY. Swoon! A slow burn romance that was scorching hot. Mutual pining. Loved the banter and laugh out loud moments. This story was an emotional journey from start to finish. Just a beautiful story to behold. My only gripe is that Edward didn't get punched in the face not one time!

WHEN I SAY KENNEDY RYAN DOESN'T MISS!!!! Oh my goodness, I absolutely loved this book! The storytelling was incredible, and I cannot get over how much emotion was crammed into these pages.

Overall: 4.5/5

Spice level: 2.5/5

Tropes: blended family, single parents (both divorced), slow burn, he falls first


Representation: Autism, Black/Latinx characters


Possible spoilers







Listen, one of my favorite aspects of Ryan's writing is her ability to write characters that feel so real that they could be your friends or family members or even you. Relatable. Down to earth. Well-represented.


That being said, she continues to bring us a couple who are both just trying to make it through life. This becomes a truly blended family, and it takes a village, as the saying goes.


The book contains autism representation, amazing co-parenting, and 2 divorced MCs who otherwise shouldn't be a match but perfectly are.


I really admired the way Judah gave Soledad space to heal and find herself again after a messy divorce from her husband, who we saw bits and pieces of in Before I Let Go.


Just like in the previous book, the kids play major roles, and family is an important theme for both Judah and Soledad, along with the path to self-love amidst immense pain and life obstacles. There was one particular scene between Judah and his sons that had me ugly crying. It was heartbreaking and also heartwarming.


There were a few moments where the plot seemed a little scattered, and the social media influencer angle for Soledad tapped into one of my bookish icks. A little too meta for my liking to see this type of thing in books.


Overall, as usual, this story had me so wrapped up and was beautiful. The slow burn was torture but worth the wait and necessary to Soledad's story arc, but torture nonetheless. And Judah has the patience of a saint.

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

Kennedy 👏 Ryan! ALWAYS. I loved jumping right into Soledad's story after meeting her in Before I Let Go and This Could Be Us did not DISAPPOINT! It gave us drama and intrigue right off the gate. The drama in the beginning kept me up reading at night. From the scandals, secrets, and how she met Judah?! This book is classified as a romance but heavily focused on a self-journey for Soledad, rediscovery, finding herself, and her worth. I loved Soledad and her kids and I loved Judah and his kids and how their two paths crossed each other. Judah's kids and their autism representation were phenomenal. The portrayal of friendship and race throughout was so well done, and loved being in Atlanta as the setting. The story was very for the NOW times with Soledad's virality on social media, making an income for herself and her new career with it!

I loved Judah and Soledad's relationship and by no means did I think it was lacking, but I do feel like I was in their heads thinking about each other and their want for each other rather than on page with them. But no doubt in my miiiiiiind that they're meant for each other. I loved them and I imagined Judah as Idris Elba 😂 I loved Soledad's Puerto Rican roots!!! I swear whatever Kennedy writes I love, you're really so involved in the story and the characters, and just can't help falling in love with them and their love.

"If anything, I think you'd love too much, too hard if you ever find the person who makes you feel that."

I don't know if I have words to describe how I felt about this book. Kennedy Ryan masterfully crafted this tale about grief and self discovery. The strength Soledad had to hit rock bottom and pull herself out of it was admirable. This book will stay with me forever.

I feel that this book is a very important book to have in the romance space, because while it was a romance and there was a romantic storyline, it really focused on Sol's journey to love herself and not let anyone diminish her self worth again like Edward tried to. It's such a beautiful journey that she doesn't take alone. It's a testament to friends and community being there when everything comes crumbling down. And I will be recommending this to everyone I can because of how important I feel the story is.

On top of the importance I feel this story holds, it is beautifully written. It was dual POV, there was autism rep, a large focus on community. The successful co-parenting and healthy relationship Judah has with his ex for their boys is amazing.

Overall, I just loved this book and I appreciate the opportunity to read it early! Now that it is out, I am going to reread it with the audiobook!

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I absolutely loved it from beginning to end. The subject matter struck me personally and I enjoyed the way in which the author was able to illustrate such a delicate topic. Each character was written with immaculate attention to detail and I lost myself within the story as I traveled along Soledad's healing journey. I was deeply moved by Judah's patience, both with his loved ones and with Soledad. I loved their story so much I am eager to read it all over again immediately following a deep dive into the bell hooks title referenced throughout. Solid 5 stars!!

oh wow! I loved this book. It's such a beautiful story about heartbreak and self exploration and self love. judah was such a dream man. their romance was so strong and true. it's such a dream. the relationships in this book made me laugh, it was truly such a gem. i had so much fun and i loved soledad's story so much.

I adored this book. Kennedy Ryan has such a beautiful way of writing that had me sucked into Soledad's story from the beginning. She writes such strong female characters and friendships and I love seeing their journeys and their love and support for one another.

Soledad is the sweetest soul, and I loved her journey of self-love and growth. I really admired her resilience and determination to rediscover herself.

And Judah. He's a fantastic dad and I loved how gentle and patient he was with Sol. And I loved how healthy his co-parenting relationship was with Tremaine!!

I already can't wait for the next one and to re-visit Skyland!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! And shockingly enough, I preferred this sequel and Soledad's story over the first book in this series. I am not exactly sure why, but I will break down what I enjoyed about this one.

We are first introduced to Soledad in Yasmen's book and their along with Hendrix's friendship is one of my favorite parts of these stories. I like how Kennedy's books are older women. I can't always get into YA books as I see them at times unrelatable or immature, so it is nice to have a switch up where the women are closer to my age. In book one, we know Soledad has a less than ideal husband, but this book allows us to delve deeper into just what is going on with him and their life together. I liked the drama this storyline provided. We see how Soledad handles her world imploding and it was really refreshing watching her pick herself up by her bootstraps and persevere.

I also was a huge fan of Judah. I like how the angsty part of the romance felt like real life issues and not just some weak miscommunication trope to string along the readers.

I thought the autism rep was handled well and enjoyed this added detail to this book. Knowing Kennedy has a child on the spectrum and the care and thought she put into making sure she represented it well was appreciated and I feel she succeeded.

I'm excited to get Hendrix's story next as she may be my favorite of the three women. I mean she represents some of the Housewives of The Real Housewives of Atlanta!! Umm..hello?! You know I want more of that!

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

Kennedy Ryan nails it again! Reading her writing brings me so much comfort. I love the way she tangles difficult topics. I could tell from page one this would be a 5 star read for me. Soledad’s journey was difficult but beautiful to read. Love how she came into her own.