I applaud Kennedy’s dedication to writing an unconventional love story. I thought it was well researched and the Puerto Rican and autism representation was beautiful. The book started off really strong for me , the marital issues and drama in the first few chapters was gripping. After that however, it just fell flat for me and was a little boring. I know it’s supposed to be a slow burn but the plot of a love story isn’t really address until the last couple of chapters. The majority of this was about Soledad’s self love journal, which is fine but ended up leaving the novel feeling more like a self help book than anything else.

“All loves aren’t created equal. Some spring from the earth and wrap around and twine through our souls like vines. Some are plants that start with tiny seeds in your heart and blossom over time, nurtured by years and commitment.”

this book was everything. as soon as I started it, I couldn’t put it down.

Soledad is a character I can relate to as a mom myself. This one specific quote really had me.

“Motherhood truly is a thankless endeavor sometimes. We sacrifice everything for these people who never really understand what we’ve done for them.”

I loved seeing her find herself. She literally went through so much but she’s a QUEEN & such a badass mom.

Judah Cross is the man. He’s such a patient father with his twin boys. Seeing those moments he had with them had me in awe.

The chemistry between Soledad & Judah was everything. It was a slow burn but it was worth it.

As soon as March 5th gets here best believe I’ll be buying myself a physical copy.

What you’ll get:
Single parents
Chef/Influencer x Nerdy/Hot Accountant
Autism Rep
Bisexual Rep
Glorious diversity rep - Puerto Rican, Black, Biracial rep
CW/TW: Cheating, Domestic/Emotional Abuse

Setting: Georgia and South Carolina

Soledad’s husband was acting up in Before I Let Go so I’ve hated him for ages. Turns out he’s terrible and a cheating criminal so I wanted to throw hands almost immediately. He’s a narcissist who likes to make her feel small to the point where she almost believes him. After he’s arrested because of findings from his work arch-nemesis, she’s left alone to fend for herself with no money, no job and a pile of lies.

The thing I love about this series is that these characters are grown. They don’t have time to run around doing stupid things. Her cards are cancelled, she sells her things to feed those kids. She doesn’t have a job, she creates one. Woman is hustling. But the kindest thing in the book is when Judah snags her grocery list and has every single item delivered anonymously because he knows that she won’t accept it. He is so patient and lovely throughout the entire book.

Judah should be everyone’s book husband. Mark my words.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I read Before I Let Go around this time last year and absolutely loved it. I fell in love with the Skyland and this group of friends.
Soledad’s story was so special and seeing her growth was incredible. Although this is a romance it truly does focus on Soledad discovering herself after being in this unhappy marriage. I found myself so excited to open this book and be into this found family and story. I was hooked from the first few chapters and kept thinking about it as I kept reading. I adored Judah and the progression of their relationship with the slow burn was beautiful to watch. I loved getting to see Judah’s sons and how his family was such an important part of his character and the story.
This book was truly amazing and beautiful. I loved this one.

Of course Kennedy Ryan did it again!!! The themes of self love and learning to stand on your own were such a large part of the book which I absolutely loved!! We need more books like this about independent women learning to love life. Such an empowering story that I absolutely devoured. It was nice being back with Yasmen and Hendrix again. They are the best friends you never knew you needed in your life. I loved how they both were there for Sol during one of the hardest times of her life. It was truly beautiful. I can't recommend this book enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

Review posted to StoryGraph and Goodreads on 2/27/24. Review will be posted to amazon on release day.

Soledad Barnes has perfected the art of making her home run like a well oiled machine. She makes the most amazing meals, cart around her three daughters, and keep her husband looking like a rockstar. When the FBI shows up to raid her home, her world comes crashing down. Soledad has to get her life together and stand on her own. It would probably be easier if she wasn’t attracted to the accountant who help land her ex-husband in jail.

Holy smokes. I loved this book sooo much. Judah Cross is that man. He is an amazing father, a supportive friend, and partner. Watching Soledad come into her own in this book was everything I needed. There was a fierce determination to be a whole better version of herself that was so inspiring. I loved Soledad and Judah together so much and would read at least 5 more books about them. Kennedy Ryan knocked it out of the park with this one.

Thank you Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book!

Kennedy Ryan can do no wrong in my book. I'm not a fan of certain references in books but when Kennedy Ryan does it, I don't mind. She has the magic touch that turns everything she says to 100% gold. Can't wait until 2025 for Hendrix story!!!

Shout out to @kennedyryan1 & @netgalley for blessing the people up with this ARC. My first ARC review 🤭. Ya girl is honored.

At this point I mean, what can Kennedy NOT do?

The standards were already high w/ Before I Let Go, and Kennedy clearly understood what needed to be done because this was an amazing follow up. 😘🤌🏽

Soledad’s character development was such a pleasure to watch. Watching all of the different areas & elements of her life contribute to her growth and landing place at the end of this story was relatable, and heart warming.

Now this? THIS, is how you expand the conversation of feminism in a way that empowers every woman. I love how we got to see the corporate woman, the entrepreneurial woman, the homemaker woman, and they’re all powerful & dynamic in their own way. And of course, our favorite trio: Jas, Soledad, and Hendrix. Getting more opportunities to watch the ways in which this friend group show
up for each other is always a treat 🍭.

Now, onto this romance 👀. Swoon 👏🏽 Swoon 👏🏽 SWOON.

I won’t place any spoilers that Kennedy hasn’t posted herself 👀, but do know that Mr. Judah man 🥲, very much gave Aundre 3000 vibes in daddy mode. Mm. Mm. Mm

I loved the depth in the storyline of Judah’s twins with autism. Kennedy did such a great job at giving us the nuances within the spectrum of autism and I’ve learned so much & feel more well versed in the matter which was one of my favorite takeaways.

The romance between Judah & Soledad is a well worth it slow burn. Kennedy is a master at building tension and once the floodgates open, Chile 🫠. The unfolding of it all is beautiful.

5 stars for me ⭐️

https://www.instagram.com/p/C33PtA7P-rY/?igsh=MTQxaTY2ZWo1OThuNg==

This was another absolutely gorgeous book from Kennedy Ryan. This author’s writing speaks to my soul and I am obsessed with her. This book tells a beautiful story of a woman who overcomes a terrible situation, she finds herself and builds a beautiful life for herself and her children. This book also portrays incredible female friendships and a wonderful love story. Soledad and Judah are such amazing characters that I won’t soon forget.

This Could Be Us held me captive from the first page. Soledad, the main character whose life implodes due to her husband’s actions, is a perfect example of a strong woman and mother. Her friendship with Yasmen and Hendrix gives her strength and support. And then there is Judah, who is everything a male character should be! This book brings all the feels and had me in tears. Thank you, NetGalley, for the advance reader copy of this five-star book!

Thank you Netgalleg and Forever for the digital arc!

I loved this story and so happy to be back in this world! Soledad had me rooting for her and i was invested in her story. Soledad and Judah were precious and just heartmelting. I loved all the multilayer themes that Ryan incorporated seamlessly into this story.

I will be posting a full review on my Instagram page this week!

4.5⭐

4.75 stars for This Could Be Us! I really enjoyed this book but not quite as much as Before I Let Go, so can't give it a full five-star rating. Kennedy Ryan has such an amazing gift for understanding and writing true human emotion. I really enjoyed seeing how Soledad evolved over the course of the story and couldn't put the book down. I had to see where her relationship with Judah would go.

Beautiful, beautiful read. Be sure to pick this up when it hits shelves on March 5, 2024. Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out, because planning is how she keeps control of everything. She is a devoted wife and mother, some who can plan any party and can solve any problem. But, nothing prepares her for life when a true calamity strikes! None of her past experiences in planning, talents, or her own emotions can prepare her when the life she expected to live is gone after the worst kind of betrayal leaving her to take care of her daughters.

As the dust is settling on her new life, an unlikely man enters Soledad's life. It is Judah, the one man she wants, but she feels like she shouldn't. Yet, she also can't seem to resist him and therein lies the conflict. Soledad has understandable nerves about starting anything with Judah, because Edward, her ex-husband's betrayal is still fresh and she is terrified to repeat her past mistakes. Can she learn to trust herself and Judah before she loses her chance with him?

What I absolutely adore about Kennedy Ryan is her ability to completely destroy a character and then rebuild them! As a reader, I couldn't help but cheer for Soledad to take the leap even in the moments where she doubted herself.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

I just reviewed This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan. #ThisCouldBeUs #NetGalley

This is now a Soledad Charles stan account - no slander will be accepted here because she is the moment. This is my first Kennedy Ryan book (oops that this is the second in the series but thank god it’s still a stand alone) but I’m now a fan because this book HIT. For me, this was more than your regular romance novel. It’s about loving yourself first, loving the person that you are, and the vulnerability that comes with sharing your love with others. Soledad’s journey of self love feels so real and you can’t help but cheer her on along the way. Judah is a dream of a man and a doting father, but Soledad has my whole heart. The depiction of healthy coparenting and autism representation was also so beautiful to see (the author’s comment at the beginning🥹). While not really a typical slow burn, the romance in it kind of is but plenty happens throughout to keep you hooked.

Also, there are recipes in the back of this book and I absolutely LOVE that detail. I’ll definitely be giving a few of them a try.

I recently discovered Kennedy Ryan at the end of 2023 from her hoops series (thanks to audible) and I have not been disappointed yet. She is such a powerful and brilliant writer, she always has me in my feels and leave and in shambles. Let me just start by shouting JUDAH CROSS 😭🖤😭🖤my god I love that man so much. Judah and Soledads story just stole my heart. If you love single dad/parents, autism rep, secret pining, hope after heartache, strong female friendships, dual pov… you will eat this up. Thank you KR and NG for this eARc!!!

Kennedy Ryan can do no wrong! absolutely loved every single moment of this book. beyond grateful I got a chance to read this book

Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. By all means I don't think it's a bad book. I just had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. I loved both characters individually but together they just didn't quite make sense in my head. It falls on the insta love trope and it's one I am just not a fan of cause it's hard to believe most times unless really well done. Overall, the book was fine, but just not one I am shouting from the rooftops over. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't have a lot of regrets in life, but waiting to read anything by Kennedy Ryan until this year is one of them. The Skyland series books are about so much more than romance. They're about matriarchal love and power. They're about grief and strength and finding family in our friends.
Watching Soledad grow from this person who shrunk herself without even realizing it to this woman that rebuilt her life from the ground up through pouring the love she has for the people in her life into herself as well. Leaning into the people you love during difficult times is truly one of the most vulnerable things humans can do and experience and Soledad did just that. The friendship between her, Yas, and Hen is honestly my favorite part of the book. The way Yas and Hen show up for Soleded and her family amazes me. The way Soledad's grace and strength has been passed down into her three girls is a testament of how incredible of a mother she is.

You can tell throughout the whole book that the book is well researched when it comes to the autism, cultural, and mental health representation. The depths she dives into when exploring these topics is unmatched. Judah may be the most gentle man I have ever read about her. He's so gentle and patient and loving and kind, especially with the people he loves most.

I felt anger, empathy, hope, and everything in between when I was reading this book. Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and Kennedy Ryan for the ARC <3

I was so excited to read This Could Be Us. Soledad's story was set up so well in Before I Let Go. I wanted to LOVE This Could Be Us but I didn't. Soledad went on this journey of personal rediscovery after her douchey husband Edward betrays her in the worst way. Soledad was blissfully unaware and ignorant of what was happening around her. I wanted to slap her. Stevie Wonder could see Edward wasn't ish!

The book was so long and drawn out. The slow burn of the Judah Cross relationship was agonizing. Judah could definitely enter book-boyfriend territory. I feel like we learned so much about Soledad and I appreciated the journey but the journey didn't have to be sooooo lengthy. The story took way too long to unfold. There was so much backstory information but yet not enough at the same time.

I appreciated the insight into Autism and how it presents itself. Judah and his ex-wife Tremaine, had the best fictional co-parenting relationship I have ever encountered. Of course the recipes created by Soledad were a hit and I'm excited Kennedy Ryan included them at the end of the book. This Could Be Us was a good read but not as great as I had hoped.

After the ultimate betrayal, Soledad has to re-plan her entire life. Her girls are relying on her. She is a domestic star, making the best food, hosting and running her daughters’ lives, but needs to find a way to keep food on the table. Then a forbidden man comes along and they might be perfect together, if she can trust again.

The characters absolutely make this series. I adored Soledad and her girls and seeing them overcome a twist I was not expecting. It was also great seeing Hendrix and Yasmen again - the most supportive friendships.

This book has beautifully written representation of autism, overcoming, finding and loving yourself.

For me, the only improvement would be to slow down and give more insight into the romance building in this one. I loved both characters individually but didn’t get enough development in that area. But that’s okay, because the important and emotional topics were covered so well.

I think if you go into this one as an emotional fiction story with a bit of romance, you’ll be very impressed.

Thank you so much to Forever for the ARC. I can’t wait for Hendrix’s book next!