Love the life lessons we all can relate to in these stories. Soledad journey in finding self love and healing is one we can all take a page from.

I don't ask where we're headed, and I'm not sure he has a specific destination in mind. The ride is the point, and that we are on this road together.

This was a really good book about finding and loving yourself. In true Kennedy Ryan fashion this book wasn’t only a romance book but one about healing after finding out someone’s true nature. Soledad was a great fmc, I loved seeing how much character development she had with her kids and with the romance with Josiah. The romance was beautiful, a slow burn that happened on Soledad’s terms after her healing and growth. I loved Hendrix, Yasmin’s and Sol’s friendship and the found family aspect of the book. I kinda wish there was a little more in the romance aspect though but overall this was a beautiful self love and romance story.

Tropes/themes:
- Healing after an unfaithful spouse
- Self love/resilience
- Parenting
- Character growth
- Autism rep
- Friendship/sisterhood
- Slow burn romance

4.25 stars. My favorite thing about Kennedy Ryan's books is how real and raw they are.... That they talk about real issues, mature issues. It's refreshing to read about adults older than 20 that face real life problems. As always, she writes this story so beautifully. I loved the messages in this book... How the main character learns to grow and does everything she can for herself and for her children, Independent of a man. She learns to truly love herself before she can love anyone new. It's a lovely story full of beautiful friendships and a swoony MMC! So excited hope Hendrix's story next Spring!

Kennedy Ryan's latest release, "This Could Be Us," was one of my most eagerly awaited sequels of 2024, and it certainly lived up to my expectations. Having discovered Ryan's compelling storytelling just last year with "Before I Let Go," I've since been captivated by her work. "This Could Be Us" presents Soledad's inspiring journey of rediscovering her strength, peace, confidence, and love. The narrative beautifully intertwines her personal healing with her romantic endeavors, a theme I found particularly resonant.

Ryan's inclusion of references to bell hooks' "All About Love: New Visions" was such a personal connection for me, echoing the transformation I experienced when I first encountered hooks' work.

I wholeheartedly recommend "This Could Be Us" for its heartfelt exploration of self-love and healing. And, like many fans, I'm eagerly awaiting the third installment in this series!

**Thank you to NetGalley & Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, for an ARC of this book**

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan falls short of its promising premise, earning a two-star rating. While Soledad's escape from a toxic marriage takes center stage, the love story between the main characters is overshadowed by an overwhelming array of competing themes—friendship, autism, parenting, motherhood, co-parenting, and social media influencing. Not to mention all of the drama and tropes that Soledad's ex-husband brings in. There's just too much going on. Unfortunately, the resolution of these complex threads feels rushed and unsatisfying, leaving the reader invested in subplots reduced to mere footnotes.

Contemporary issues like money struggles and an influencer career, though relevant, overshadow the potential depth of the central romance. While interesting, Judah's forensic accounting subplot lacks the exploration it deserves.

On a positive note, the author's attention to details, such as Judah's autistic twin sons and Soledad's heritage, adds depth to the characters. Content notes, including sensitive topics like physical abuse, drinking, cancer, and hospitalization, are appreciated.

This Could Be Us reads more like a domestic, soapy drama, with Soledad's personal journey taking precedence over the romance. For fans expecting a more balanced exploration of love amidst life's challenges, this may not be the author's standout work.

This was my first Kennedy Ryan read and I absolutely loved it! I have always seen such positive reviews on her books and I can now see the hype.

Brilliant!

Fans of Emily Henry will love this story by Kennedy Ryan. Her writing is clever and has so much heart, the pages kept turning themselves. I read this in one sitting.

Soledad is my favorite kind of main character. She may get knocked down but you know she will be triumphant in the end-and you will happily cheer her along.

Soledad’s lying, cheating rotten husband imploded her life not caring about the damage he left in his wake. Then a hero emerges to save the day…a hero named Soledad.

I also like how much the side characters added. Female friendships and sisters and even daughters were written in an authentic and positive way. Girl power!!

Her love interest was also someone who was easy to cheer for. Judah and his son’s storyline was handled with such care. Autism was talked about realistically and compassionately. This was so well done.

I look forward to reading more from this fantastic author.

I LOVED everything about this book! The characters were very well written. Soledad story’s is empowering and inspiring. Jude’s story is beautiful! After reading this book I bought 2 more copies of All about love. 1 for my future Jude and one just to always have on deck. I read bell hooks every February because it is a NECESSARY read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25, 🌶️🌶️

Soledad & Judah’s story was beautiful!

I loved Soledad in Yas’s story and wow did this book really just make me love her even more!

Soledad faced battle after battle and only continued to be stronger. I love the way that she leaned into herself, learned to love who she was & learned to be at peace with her own company. Her growth & confidence was amazing to read & I loved all the support she had along the way!

Judah 💗💗💗 just wow! He went above and beyond for Soledad. I loved all the little & silent gestures he did. An incredible father, friend to his ex wife & supporter of Soledad. I loved reading about his relationship with his kids and ex wife, their co parenting dynamic & how they navigated their life with boys with autism. I loved that it really focused in on not comparing them to their peers but also to one another as they were different.

I overall really enjoyed the storyline and the little twists thrown in there that caught me off guard.

I do wish we got more of Soledad & Judahs relationship… but honestly would I ever get enough of them? Probably not! I adored their relationship.

as always I love all the details, diversities & inclusions Kennedy adds into her characters + stories. You can tell so much work gets put into these characters, their backgrounds & the overall story!

I am SO excited for Hendrix’s story !!

Thank you so much NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

I was so excited to read this arc! Before I let go was one of my top reads of 2023 and while I liked This could be us, I didn’t like it as much. Self-love is a big focus and I loved that. Soledad and Judah are both incredible characters. Some parts dragged and could get a little repetitive.

Kennedy Ryan will forever be that girl! I expected nothing but greatness from this book and got just that. Soledad deserved so much better than that raggedy husband of hers. This was such a great and realistic love story.

i’ve been on a kennedy ryan binge in the last month so seeing how much her writing continues to grow is mind blowing! the representation, as always, was amazing and i really enjoyed the plot like my jaw was constantly on the floor!! when i see edward it’s on sight!!!

i REALLY related to sol whenever she felt ashamed or like a burden when asking for help, like my God, kennedy literally dug through my brain and exposed all my fears!! 😭 friendship and self love was depicted beautifully, and this book confirmed how much i love hendrix! she had me cackling!!

i was way more invested in the beginning than the middle and end. it kinda slowed down for me, and i was a wee bit frustrated with the back and forth between judah and sol. but overall, a very solid book and my favorite in the series so far!

KENNEDY RYAN NEVER MISSES! If you thought Before I Let Go was fantastic, just wait until you read This Could Be Us! I loved following Soledad's journey so much in this novel. Watching not only her beautiful romance with Judah develop, but her own personal journey and growth as a working single mom develop, was incredible! It was so easy to root for Soledad, even when she makes mistakes. Of course, Judah is one of the most perfect men written by Kennedy Ryan to exist. I love how patient and gentle he was with moving forward in his relationship with Soledad while trying to protect both of their children and families.

The friendship Soledad has with Yaz and Hendrix is also so so special and definitely my favorite part of this story. There is a beautiful passage in the book that describes how no man or romantic relationship will ever hold a candle to the friendship you have with the women in your life and I just about started bawling reading that sentence.

I'm so excited for the final installment in this series. If you have ever loved Kennedy Ryan's work, or even if you've never read them, you must pick up This Could Be Us! I would rate this book 4.5 stars rounded up.

This book destroyed me in the best way possible. WHEW! I thought the first book in this series couldn't be topped, but Kennedy Ryan has proven me wrong. A very realistic story, This Could Be Us tells a story about personal growth, vulnerability, resilience, and self-exploration. This book was extremely BEAUTIFUL. Not only beautiful, but it was relatable, raw, inspiring, emotional, and sooo grown & sexy. This book helped me tremendously as I walk through this healing journey that I'm currently exploring. I cried healing tears at so many parts of this beautiful story. It was a very inspiring read. Taking this journey with Soledad while she was destroyed, healed, then whole once again was truly heartwarming. Soledad finding herself was the joy of this book for me.

Kennedy Ryan's mind is genius when it comes to slow burn romance. Mix in amazing character development, and it's *chef's kiss* perfection.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this impactful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Kennedy Ryan is an incredibly talented writer whose words evoke powerful emotions and leave a lasting impact on readers. She fearlessly delves into complex themes like social justice and the human experience, infusing her narratives with depth and authenticity that elevate her stories to a realm of literary brilliance. Her storytelling spans across diverse genres, showcasing remarkable versatility and skill in character development. From love and passion to resilience, Ryan's writing captures the essence of the human spirit, creating compelling narratives that resonate deeply with her audience.

As a fan of Kennedy Ryan and her previous work I was still taken aback by the beauty in “This Could Be Us.” Soledad is a powerful female main character that is refreshing to see in a romance novel. What I enjoyed the most about this story is seeing the relationship between Soledad and herself improve. Witnessing Soledad’s journey from not trusting herself and not being sure of herself to seeing her self love bloom and blossom after hard times was just so beautiful and so poetic. Soledad is a stay at home mom who works tirelessly to provide a good life for her three daughters and herself after her husband and the father of her kids betrays her and leaves her to take care of financial matters in the family.

Judah is everything you want to see in a male main character. One of his most admirable traits for me was his patience. Judah is a father to twin sons who are on the spectrum of autism. He is a deeply involved parent along with his ex wife and seeing a male main character being a good father to his children, children who need a bit more attention than other neurotypical children, it is a beautiful thing to witness. When Judah is not focused on his sons or his work his sole attention is on Soledad and his dedication to giving her the space and time she needs after her divorce is just one of the many green flags he exhibits. There is nothing toxic about this man. He is trusting, smart, funny, kind, handsome, and everything Soledad deserves !

There were so many beautiful quotes one could take from this story but one of my absolute favorites is, “I’ve come to realize that a woman who wants more and realizes she deserves it is a dangerous thing.”

Soledad and Judah’s story was like my favorite comfort meal. Despite all of the possible complications that could come to their relationship due to factors such as their children and Judah’s connection to Soledad’s ex husband their story was so beautiful and so calming. Their love was so raw and authentic it brought tears to my eyes at some points (mostly happy tears) I absolutely adore this story and cannot wait for everyone to get to enjoy “This Could Be Us” as much as I have

on its face this book is about a woman who leaves an awful, loveless marriage and tries to find herself in the aftermath of her divorce through a journey of self love. and that probably would have been a great read except that’s not what happens. instead, Soledad leaves a twenty year marriage just to end up in another relationship a year later.

most of the time she’s supposedly “finding herself” Sol is sneaking around or hooking up with Judah. taking every opportunity to see him defeats the purpose of the slow burn + understanding who she is without a man by her side. it got so bad even the male love interest had to remind Sol that she said she wanted to be alone but wasn’t actually doing that. because of this dynamic i don’t think the book accomplished what it set out to do.

once they get together at around 60% of the book, there’s no conflict for the remaining 40% to keep you interested. “will they/won’t they” only works if you’re actually not sure.

it’d have been much more impactful/ rewarding for the reader if Sol actually spent a portion of the book alone. how can you write about self love without actually exploring the work it takes to get there? I would have loved to see Sol work through the loneliness, frustration, anxiety, and heartbreak of being left alone to care for three kids rather than immediately moving on to the (literal) first man she set her eyes on. realistically I think it’d take someone who’s neglected herself/her needs for 20 years more than the occasional solo meal and one book to heal those wounds.

and that’s only one of several missed opportunities for adding some depth to these characters. I can’t for the life of me understand why Inez hating Judah was brushed over when that could have led to conversations about seeing her mom as an individual person with feelings, addressing how children raised by a SAHM still devalue their contribution to the home, Judah trying to win the girls over, etc. there was so much potential here, but the real story was overshadowed by plot lines that didn’t add much (her sisters, moms journal, ed running away to start a new family).

surprisingly, the influencer plot wasn’t even my biggest gripe (it’s unrealistic but im putting that aside). I realized by the end I wasn’t convinced she *loved* Judah. they had a physical connection sure but I wouldn’t say they fell in love. and Judah ugh. he was ALMOST perfect…until the internet stalking. it wasn’t cute it was creepy and invasive. maybe I could have ignored it if it wasn’t mentioned over and over again.

ultimately it’s more like 2.5 ⭐️. the beginning was juicy and I was hooked, but by the end I felt irritated/disappointed she couldn’t actually choose herself after making the self love journey her whole identity.

This is a beautiful book. Kennedy Ryan has mastered the craft of writing and it shows, setting her apart from the newer authors I've discovered. They tell good stories, but she tells a great story and does it so well.

There is a lot to like about this book. Soledad sees the life she thought she knew crumble and she is left to hold herself and her daughters together. It's not easy. She has excellent help through true friends and supportive family, but it is a hard journey nonetheless. And that's before you add in the complication of attraction to the man who was the catalyst for her life exploding. I love how many strong, interesting women are in this. Soledad's sisters, best friends, and daughters all show different aspects of being a girl/woman in different stages of life. But they are smart, strong, and each have their own distinct personalities. I also loved the respect for stay-at-home moms, and highlighting the value of their unpaid labor. When she needs to find ways to make money, her friend suggests social media content creation because of the trove of skills she's developed over the years- meal planning, cleaning, organization, etc. It was really cool to see that lens of "This stuff is often unseen but no less valuable to others."

I also LOVED the communication between Soledad and Jonah. It is so freaking refreshing to read about characters who are in their late 30s/ early 40s that communicate like adults. They had conversations. They spoke up when they felt things that were uncomfortable or confusing. I need to see more of this. Not a miscommunication to be seen and it was glorious. I also really appreciated all the competent parenting in this book. Soledad is in such a hard position and her girls aren't all dealing with it the same. I appreciated seeing how Soledad and her daughters navigated the hard parts and supported each other. I felt the genuine love Soledad has for her daughters and how that is a core element of who she is and how she operates. And seeing Jonah be an engaged parent with a health co-parenting relationship with his ex was just lovely. Too often, the single dad is a bumbling idiot and the female lead has to rescue him. None of that here, thank god.

My only note is that this didn't really read like a romance. It's more literary fiction, or least women's fiction. This Soledad's story and while there is a romance in it, Jonah does not experience his own growth or individual story. Yes, we see a lot of his journey as parent of twin autistic boys with different strengths and challenges, but that felt more informational that critical to the plot. But even the romance itself didn't feel full developed. It's based on instalust and it takes a backseat to Soledad's development. They don't even kiss until 59% in, and then it's like a relationship is warp speed.

Overall, this is a great book for anyone who enjoys reading about strong women creating the life they deserve, that also includes a meaningful, collaborative relationship.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kennedy Ryan is one of my go to authors. Especially when I am wanting to feel all the feels. I was so excited to get an arc of This Could Be Us, book 2 in the Skyland series (out March 5). While you could absolutely read this as a stand alone, there is some friendship backstory in book one that I think makes this one a richer experience.

Kennedy Ryan handles tough, emotional topics with finesse, grace and a lot of research. Whether the topic is friendships, relationships, parenting, family, loss or love, I trust her to take me along in a journey with the characters and find hope and healing at the end.

In this one, Soledad meets Judah just before her marriage and life completely falls apart. While there is an instant connection, she is married, and that is honored. We see Sol piece her life and her family back together after her husband’s betrayal. A big part of the book is her recognizing her strength and building a life for herself and her girls.

Judah is a divorced parent to twin teenage boys on the Autism spectrum. Being a mom to a child with Autism, Judah’s experiences and story felt so authentic. There were scenes that I have lived and felt exactly what he was feeling. I have been there. I know this story was written out of Kennedy’s own experiences and I feel she did an amazing job sharing this on the page. Thank you for the representation of Autism, and parenting a child with Autism.

I loved the strong families and friendships portrayed in this story. I loved how you got to see Soledad evolve and how a relationship with Judah developed over time and built on a solid foundation of trust and communication.

I am so grateful that I got to read an ARC of this. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever for the chance!

Once again Kennedy has a way of showing you rediscovery, rebirth , worth, all while almost breaking you.
Destruction is the best way to put a marriage and how to survive. This is really what I find this to be. Everyone I feel will see something go themselves here. Oh Judah this man. This is one book you read and you feel , you feel deep and you will be take things with you when you're finished. Just read it I can't say more without giving more away.