This book had me in my feelings one minute and laughing in another. Kennedy Ryan writing make the characters feel like family. I find myself talking back to the pages.

I got to jump back into the world in Skyland and learn more about Soledad in this one. I remember her character being a prominent mention in Before I Let Go, so naturally I was excited to see where this story would take her.

Soledad Barnes has dedicated her whole adult life to her family. She's the stay-at-home mom that gets things done for her husband and three daughters, until she's blindsided by the supposed love of her life and her life comes trickling down on her. Left to fend for herself and learn to be a different version of herself to survive, Soledad pulls through with the help of her sisters by blood and sisters in the form of girlfriends. She's too busy to focus on anything else, other than the man that helped unravel the chaos that pushed her to evolve and become independent. Judah Cross has his own plate full with his autistic twin boys and work that he brings home on the daily. Since meeting Soledad, he doesn't want to stay away and finds himself doing whatever he can go get closer to her. They're connection is forbidden but they just can't stay away from each other.

Ms Kennedy Ryan has done it again. Learning more about Soledad actually made me feel so reflective as a woman, as a mother and as a wife. The heartache, grief and anger Soledad went through was depicted in such a realistic way. We were taken on a journey with her like I had a front row seat watching the iron strike hot into her bubble wrapped world and then shatter to only see her grow out into the woman she wasn't sure she was capable to become. I loved Soledad's whole journey in this story and Judah was just the big cherry on top. He was THEE most patient, hyperfocus and deserving man ever. Probably one of the best single dad MMC's I've read and fell head over heels for. Judah was just as equally resilient and strong like Soledad, someone that wanted to finally take something for himself and that became Soledad for him. Everything that they avoided and then came back to was just the right journey for these characters and I loved it.

There was a great focus on the power of friendship, liberating womanhood and self-love that felt so important to revisit, especially in our day and age. The endearing friendships Soledad had in this book made me smile, tear up warmly and left in awe. Also, I appreciate the ease in which the author incorporated autism in everyday life for Judah's sons in this book. It helped me understand just how different one diagnosis can be from another with that illness.

Again, I was reminded of how powerful Ms Kennedy really is with pen to paper. This one's going to stay with me and I can't wait for Miss Hendrix to have her own book soon!

Special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Kennedy Ryan for providing access to this ARC!

This book felt like it was a romance and a self help book. Sometimes I forget how important it is to date yourself.
Hendrix also reminds me of a bit of Kelli from Insecure! Also the mention of Christopher Jamal Evans made me cackle.
Can’t wait for Hendrix’s book!!! 5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this book!

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.