This Could Be Us is a wonderfully written story about the redemptive nature of love- love of all kinds, but most importantly love of self.

The reason I initially picked up this book to read is because it’s a Kennedy Ryan book, of course! But when I read the prologue and found out that she has incorporated autism within the pages, it immediately put a smile on my face.

Not only was the story well written, but I loved Soledad’s growth as an independent woman, she didn’t want to immediately jump into a relationship after the biggest betrayal of her life. She worked on herself and her girls. And became an independent woman, making her own way in life. And I can’t leave Judah out of my review, he's everything you could possibly want in a man. An overall wonderful human being, a great dad, a respectful ex-husband, and sexy future boyfriend!

Ryan really outdid herself with this book, she encapsulated so many wonderful things inside these covers. She really is a great storyteller!

***Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for and ARC copy in return for an honest review***

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Soledad is married to a white man named Edward who is acting suspicious and paranoid, blaming Judah Cross for trying to "ruin him." When Edward is arrested for his crimes and Soledad is faced with the truth of what he's done, she needs to rebuild and keep moving forward for the sake of her three girls. Enter Judah Cross, amicably divorced with autistic teenage twin boys. Judah is the last person Sol should be taking an interest in, especially after everything with Edward and her commitment to self-partnering, but this man...

This is the second book in the Skyland series, and I almost forgot how much I love these characters (almost - I couldn't actually forget). I love everything about this book: the friends, the families, the autism rep, the mentions of people actually going to therapy (!!!), the personal growth, the plot, the spice, the banter, and the love. Kennedy Ryan does it again - and I genuinely cannot WAIT for the next one!

CW: mentions of cancer and death, infidelity, theft

What an emotional roller coaster. As an ASD momma I very much felt seen and appreciated the aspect of what Judah and his ex go through. Needless to say loved this book so much.

Sol is just an absolutely incredible woman. The things she goes through and the strength she has? She is just incredible. I love her friendship with Yas and Hen. They are friend goals. But Judah? He is everything goals. He was absolute perfection. I loved him for Sol so damn much. I loved how he was with his kids, his ex and her spouse. He was just wow. I loved him so much. The chemistry and connection between them was palpable. I could not get enough of them.

The build of the story, how it all goes down, the deep and intricacies were amazing. It got a little messy and was raw and real, but that is why I adored this book so much.

Can’t believe this is getting an even lower rating than BEFORE I LET GO (only half a star but still). I think maybe.. I think maybe I might have to uncouple with this author because the love I have for the Grip series and LONG SHOT has just never been found again. No matter how much I tried to manifest it into being.

Having said that, there’s always one thing that Ryan does really well in each of her books. And in this one it’s the autism rep. I can’t speak to it from personal standpoint but everything she touched on, combined with the author’s note and her own experiences, just felt so.. real. Genuine. Beautiful. And, IYKYK, the scene in the game store made me cry.

But everything else? I felt zero chemistry from this romance that was painfully insta and forced from the word go. I was eyerolling over the stupidity of Soledad’s occasionally over the top villain of an ex. And I was bored by all the influencer content which took up way too much space in this story. Which was already crammed full of therapy TED talks, dialogue around grief and loss, finding one’s bliss through self-love, and more; plus, like, you know, the romance. The fact that we also rehash a lot of the same information, in the same ways, over and over also didn’t help matters.

I’ve said it before and I’ll be saying it forever, I guess : contemporary romances are doing too many things these days. It’s overwhelming and distracting and unsatisfying.

So, yes, this might be the end of the line — as much as I wish it weren’t. But as always.. your mileage may vary and if you loved what came before in this series, you might very well feel the same about this one.

GREAT follow up to Before I Let Go. I actually liked this one more. I really felt connected to the characters, particularly Soledad. I appreciated the portrayal of neurodiversity and loved the deep themes and dialogue. This went way beyond another generic romance..

Soledad Barnes is a woman with a seemingly perfect life. A wonderful husband who provides for her and their three beautiful children, loving friends, and family—yeah, Soledad definitely has it all together—until one day her perfect life comes crashing down when her husband's skeletons start tumbling out of the closet. Devastated and distraught, Soledad decides right then and there to pick herself up and do whatever it takes to ensure she and her children are okay. But what happens when her self-discovery journey leads her to catch feelings for the one man she shouldn't? The man who put her husband in prison.

This love story blew me away. Most of the book is about Soledad trying to rediscover herself while providing for her daughters after her husband's betrayal, and along the way, she encounters Judah Cross and Judah! My goodness, he was so sweet and thoughtful. The care he put into not only Sol but his boys as well was so admirable. I just love him. This is a real slow burn, like the slowest of burns, because, as I said, the book's primary focus is Sol learning herself again, but in the moments we do see the romance peek through, it is very sweet. Kennedy Ryan has once again created a story that centers around a strong, resilient woman finding her way out of heartache, and I loved it.

Thank you to Kennedy Ryan and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautiful story. Kennedy Ryan writes such genuine realistic stories. Soledad was so strong and brave. What she went through was intense.
Judah is so patient and sweet. A man quietly obsessed.

Both main characters had great relationships with their kids and I loved seeing those parts.

Loved the friend banter between Soledad, Hendrix and Yasmen. They are so fun and such supportive friends.

I wanted more interactions between Soledad and Judah. The tension was THICK between them. The truck scene 🥵
It felt more like women’s fiction with a side of romance.

I loved that Judah brought her a bookmark 🫠 because he saw on her social media she wanted to start a book club. He was so sweet.

Can’t wait to read Hendrix’s story!

This is my first read by Kennedy Ryan, and I loved it!

Love in so many forms was the theme throughout this book, especially the focus of self love. Soledad was such a strong main character. I enjoyed her journey as she navigated this new chapter in her life.

Her relationships all around were so strong & fun, and I could easily imagine their interactions unfolding. My only regret is that this is the second book in the series, and I haven't read the first yet. Her friend group is great, so I plan to fix that soon!

[Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.]

Thank you for letting me read this arc!!!


What can I say MRS. KENNEDY RYAN does it again. Anything she writes is absolutely stunning and written with so much care, grace.

This book is my new favorite. I sobbed and I laughed. I was SHOOK and felt the real urge to fight someone (if you know you know). I cherish so much when books have strong female friendships as you never see that but this group of friends feels so loved and wholesome.

What more to than I will recommend this endlessly.
Judah has my heart.

A story about when the life you have planned is flipped upside down. Experience the navigation through the downs & reevaluation of life's priorities to find what truly matters. Sometimes the worst needs to happen to discover the best, A powerfully written fantastic read that will take you on the roller coaster of life.

What powerfully evocative storytelling. Wow. Emotional, poignant, and empowering.

Soledad was living a Pinterest Perfect life until her husband decided to turn their family upside down. Watching her navigate the hurt, betrayal, and their family’s new reality was a lesson in strong women. The way she had to balance taking care of her children and also herself was nothing short of inspiring. The unlearning, and then relearning. Rediscovering. So beautiful and powerful.

And Judah, her unlikely shoulder and helping hand. I absolutely loved his character. Judah doesn't just clear the bar, easily I might add, but he is the bar. This man. This father. Partner.

Self love, strong friendships, parenthood, partnership, all masterfully done. The love and care that surely went into writing this can be felt through the pages. This is one that will definitely stick with me for a very long time.

Thank you so much for the ARC, Forever.

CW: Infidelity, emotional abuse + gaslighting, body shaming, Cancer, death of a parent (past)

I finished this book about a month ago and knew I needed to sit on all my feelings and everything this story was before writing my thoughts. But now it's a month later and there are still no words that can encompass the journey this story took me on.

This Could Be Us is the second book in the Skyland series which are all interconnected standalones. This world focuses on 3 women and their journeys to find not only love, but find themselves while being hit with everything life throws their way. This Could Be Us is Soledad's story and it felt like it was written for me.

Soledad is married, has 3 beautiful daughters and is the woman that takes care of her family by being the CEO of her home. I could see so much of myself in her. A woman that was smart, went to college and was successful, but ultimately wanted to take care of her family by being at home for them. She never once thought that her worth was being diminished until the reality of what her husband, Edward has done comes crashing down, setting her life in a tailspin of survival, self worth and discovery while being confronted with the lies her husband brought into their home.

Judah is a man of few words, but his actions speak so much louder. He is blamed for what has happened to Edward, but everything he does and shows proves otherwise. He is straightforward, caring, a good dad, friend and lover. His strength and desires never waiver from one page to the next. He was just so real and the supporting person that anyone and everyone could count on. And I can't mention Judah without mentioning his 2 sons. They are on the autistic spectrum and Ryan does such a good job at showing her readers how different autism can look from one person to the next. He and his ex-wife do an amazing job of coparenting and you can see what a healthy relationship with an ex can look like.

One of my very favorite things in Kennedy Ryan's writing is her ability to not only pull you in with the promise of an exciting and beautiful love story, but the fact that she does her research into all the little tidbits that make each individual character in her story real and relatable. AND you learn from them! From the different levels of autism, to different cultures, to interracial marriages, to divorce, to a woman finding herself in a whole new world, this story captivated me and made me feel stronger as a woman. I loved the connection all the women in Soledad's life had and the way they supported one another in any way they could. They truly gave a strength to Soledad when she needed it most. And that is where Judah came in as well. Yes, he was attracted to her, but he also knew she needed a friend, some support and for her to see what a healthy relationship could look like.

I am in love with this book and the way Ms Ryan took us from an explosion of epic proportions to building a woman of strength right back up in the rubble of her life. She may have felt weak at times, but Soledad was so darn strong and a true survivor. I loved seeing her find herself and giving her daughters what they needed most. AN example of a warrior through thick and thin. And to have Judah be the man that supported her by not trying to take everything over and make it better, but to stand beside her and watch her grow and support her as a partner that wanted to see her flourish.

This Could Be Us is masterfully told and each and every character was important in Soledad and Judah's journey to get them to their Happy For Now. A story of strength, self worth, resilience, passion, love and so much self discovery. I cannot wait to listen to the audio when it comes out. I already feel a reread coming on and feel like this is a story that I will want to revisit on a regular basis. Highly recommend you put this on your TBR!

This story is about love and it's many forms. Be it familial, romantic, and self it is in here in spades. Ryan just has a way of making you connect with all of the characters she writes, main or not. Reading Sol's journey throughout this was a experience. The first quarter was a little slow with the buildup but how the plot and her character arc was played out was amazing. I loved all the character interactions that took place, they didn't seem forced or out place with where the story was going.
The book does have a romance but it doesn't take the forefront of it (which I can see that might bother some people) but y'all, Judah Cross is one of my favorite male protagonist that I've ever read. We stan a neurodivergent demisexual king. It's not written on page in technical terms but with how he describes himself and how his relationship is with Sol can definitely get those vibes from him.
One last thing. I really respect how Ryan handled the autistic rep in this. She does have her own experience with it (her son has autism) but she also took other input from parents, caregivers, and other people who have it.

This series is EVERYTHING!! (Can be read as stand alones) Before I Let Go was one of my top reads of 2023 so it was no surprise to me that This Could Be Us was just as good!

Soledad Barnes is that mom. She’s that wife. She’s that friend. She’s THAT woman. She’s got a plan, she’s holding down her man, she’s active in her kids schools and she’s always there for her girlfriends.

Then the husband she held down for years betrays her and she has to figure out how to continue to live the life her and her daughters have grown accustomed.

So when Soledad meets Judah, although his handsome looks are impossible to ignore, she feels like she’s not ready for a new relationship and is focused on dating herself.

Yaallllllll this book is so, soo good!!

The way Kennedy Ryan writes grown people romance feels so real and makes the tension even better. She doesn’t shy away from real life stuff and that makes her characters more relatable and more lovable.

It’s spicy but there’s a lot of content in between the spice that makes it hit for me🤌🏻

This Could Be Us is out March 5th, I already preordered and I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy.

Read. This. Book.!!

Thanks to #netgalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc!

Enjoyed this book. The beginning got my attention and sucked me in right away, but once the initial drama with Soledad's relationship ended, the book slowed down a bit for me as Soledad went on her character journey. I love both main characters and were excited to know they would eventually get an HEA. Enjoyed the whole book, but the 5 star beginning was down to 4 stars by the end. Still recommend!

Phenomenal. Leave it to Kennedy Ryan to write a gut wrenching, heartbreaking, but beautiful story. A story about finding yourself, self love and self care, sisterhood and friendship, and romance. I think I actually loved this one more than I loved Before I Let Go. I really loved the representation of autism along with the cultures/ethnicities that Kennedy gave us.

Soledad is such a strong woman and I aspire to be like her. The way she found herself and learned to love herself after every thing she was put through was beautiful to read. Her daughters, her sisters, her friends…her great loves. The relationships she has with all of them is portrayed in such a phenomenal way that you want her as your best friend, your sister, or your mom. She was just beautiful written, and I love her so much.

Judah, I don’t know how to describe him as anything else but perfect. He’s the North Star you’ll follow home because you know he is always there for you. He is loving, and caring, and shows the hell up. The way he shows up for Soledad in the way she needs, not the way that he needs, had my heart melting. Then watching him take care of his sons, also in the way that they needed was beautiful. He is who all days should aspire to be.

these two find something in each other that they both have been missing and to see them come together made my heart happy.

Thank you to forever for giving me access to an arc but I’ve struggled to get into this book and at 20% I’m tapping out. I am not meshing well with the storytelling nor the writing.

3.75 🌟

If you are a fan of Kennedy Ryan, you'll love this book.

Anyone who has read Ryan before knows her romances are heavy and full of drama, and this book is similar. I love Soledad's message of self love and finding yourself in this book. The thing keeping the love interests apart did get to be a little much for me but overall a good book!

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

overall i really enjoyed this - i thought i would love it though because of how Soledad is portrayed in the first book I was ready for her to find herself. The book definitely delivered on that part. bell hooks’ writing serves as a thesis statement of sorts for the novel and it guides our main characters to each other in healing and challenging ways.

Initially, I wasn’t a fan of the prologue. Even though I recently read Before I Let Go, I thought I had messed up and got the wrong book because the new characters are introduced. Do we need the information and the set up from that section? Absolutely. Did it catch me off guard and frustrate me for a couple chapters until those characters were introduced to Soledad? Also, yes.

Just as present in her previous works, Ryan does a great job creating an ecosystem of characters that offer different challenges and blessings to the main characters. You’re firmly set in the respective POVs of the main characters and their journey feels like your journey.

That being said, between the 44% mark and the 65% the pacing of the story slows down considerably and at times the scenes felt repetitive. My interest for certain moments waned and my engagement lessened because of it. I believe those are moments necessary for these characters development but the writing at a craft level failed at this section. One other gripe I had was that at times the male main character came off…”red flag-ey.” There were times within that section I believe that his observance or adoration of Soledad felt suffocating and a little concerning. You would think his POV would help give context or lessen how uncomfortable it may appear but it actually exacerbated it at times. As I’m wrestling with those feelings, I feel like a part of me felt like his love (or obsession) was for the presented virtual image of her and not her in the flesh. So, when they interact in real life those concerns of mine went to the wayside and the third act ended up succeeding.

As someone who doesn’t see themselves as the intended reader age group for this story, I’m still glad to say it’s a mostly entertaining story that benefits from a strong focal point and north star with hooks’ writing. I admire how Ryan is able to showcase different types of love and how it could operate in our landscape. Strong follow up though uneven at times.