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.

Live look at me finding out I got an ARC of Kennedy Ryan’s latest book: 🤯😱🫨🥳

Kennedy Ryan is an instant-click author for me, and I have been so excited to read about Soledad, who was introduced in Yasmen’s story: “Before I Let Go”. The cover art is gorgeous and the premise where the corporate frauding and cheating, scheming husband gets kicked to the curb and FMC has to rebuild her life really appealed to me.

My favorite thing about this book was the portrayal of neurodivergent characters in such a thoughtful and harmless manner. I absolutely LOVED the representation in this book—strong women, the afrolatina diaspora, healthy-coparenting, self love, autistic people, and so much more. The author seamlessly handles all of these complex characters with grace and precision.

One of the best things about Kennedy Ryan’s writing is how full her characters are—you feel like you know these people. The other best thing is how grown up her novels are! They show healthy love, heavy on counseling and acknowledging trauma, which leads to the main characters ending as their best selves. “This Could Be Us” is a love story between Soledad and herself foremost, with just the right amount of amazing Judah. I adored his laser focus on Soledad and how he never wavered in who he was and what he wanted. (And you know the steam was 🔥 as always in Kennedy Ryan’s books.)

Big thank you to NetGalley and the author and publishers for this advance copy.

Kennedy Ryan has a way of ripping my heart apart with her stories and characters.

This is Soledad’s story and we get to see how she puts herself and family back together after everything blows up. We meet Judah and his two boys as well.

I loved getting to see Judah interact with his two autisic sons and how he and his ex wife were able to so successfully coparent

I loved seeing all the strong female relationships throughout the story as well as seeing Soledad’s relationship with herself grow and change. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Hendrix

Kennedy Ryan has done it again. This Could Be Us is the second book in the Skyland Series. In this book you get Soledad’s story who you are introduced to in Before I Let Go. Kennedy has a way of writing stories so beautifully that even if you can’t relate directly to the situation the main character is dealing with you can still relate and see yourself in the character. Soledad’s story catches you from page 1 and watching her grow and come into her own is amazing. Even if you haven’t read Before I Let Go, you have to read This Could Be Us.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

From the JUMP this book captivated me. I loved getting to jump into Soledad’s story especially since I felt like the first book of this series teased her POV so much. And it did not disappoint. I was reading this and thinking I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE TOP BLOW OFF. No one scorns a woman like this. And especially after the Golden globes, I think this just hit harder than I ever thought. FUCK EDWARD. Bruh. He got on my damn nerves. I loved that we didn’t dwell on the trial and everything revolving that. I liked the idea of a big time jump. It really expedited the story for me. I loved the thread of exploring your own life and dating yourself. Being alone but not lonely.
Soledad was truly an inspiration and made me want to pursue my booksta even more. The romance was a slow burn into an inferno WOAH. It was a spicy one. I liked how loving Judah was but it did seem a little unrealistic at times. This book just hit. It was so wonderful. Also I’d love to be a hornet, Iykyk.

I loved this book so much and my heart breaks that its over.

Soledad’s story was so inspiring and beautifully written. Kennedy Ryan has a way of handling such complex situations so carefully and beautifully it makes you feel like you are living it through these characters. I loved Judah and the way he loved not only his family, the mother of his kids, Soledad, and her girls! His love was so raw and infectious, it made me so happy for Soledad!

I may fearrrrrr I love this book even more then the first. 🤭🤭🩷

In the second book of the Skyland series, Kennedy Ryan gives us Soledad's love story. After her husband is arrested for fraud at work, Soledad is left alone with her 3 girls and a whole lot of rebuilding to do. Their whole lives and lifestyles needs to be re-examined and there is no time for heart eyes for Judah, the hot investigator that found out the husband's' wrong doings.
Kennedy does not make things easy for Soledad and Judah. These are more than real heartbreaking stuff they're dealing with, some real life stuff that can't just be resolved with one honest conversation.
This book will break your heart, will mend it back up, will give you hope for the darkest moments of your life and will make you swoon, all within the same chapter. This is another masterpiece by Kennedy Ryan.

Kennedy Ryan does it again. How someone can continuously write such powerful and moving stories is honestly beyond me. Another set of characters that I immediately felt connected to. Like I was their friend going on this journey with them (Well, not Edwards friend. He can… you know what. Let me be nice).

*More in-depth review closer to publishing date but this is a must read of 2024

**I was able to access this ARC on NetGalley and of course had to start reading immediately. Barnes and Noble pre-order comes in March!

Kennedy Ryan has quickly become one of my top writers. She does feelings, and mature love so well. She handled the characters with autism masterfully, and I appreciated her experience with the situation. Bring me more Kennedy Ryan, stat!

Just finished reading the book “This Could be us” by Kennedy Ryan.

This is my first book by this author although I have heard great things. I have to say this book didn’t disappoint.

Soledad Barnes is a wife and mother of three daughters. Her life falls apart when her husband is arrested for embezzlement. This book is about her journey of self discovery.

Judah Cross is a divorced dad of twin boys. His sons have autism and are his whole world. He is the man who accused Soledad’s husband.

This book is told from a dual perspective. It is a romance book but so much more. It’s a journey of self discovery.

I highly recommend this book.

When I say this book touched my soul, I absolutely mean it! A book that can teach you things about self love even during times of crisis is unmatched. I love Sol’s dedication to those she loved and her resilience. There are so many gems placed throughout this book that I found myself highlighting quotes that I’m sure I’ll come back to read over and over again! I’m impatiently waiting for Hendrix’s story.

This book was beautiful. It made you feel a little bit of everything and I love that. When I read a book and it lets me feel all the emotions then I don't feel like I missed anything. I love that the author introduced a lot of characters but didn't leave us hanging and gave them all some sort of resolution. Not a lot of spice which Im okay with because just reading the book you could feel the tension between Judah and Soledad seeping through the pages and when the spice you were looking for finally happens lets just say each time IT WAS GOOD!! The author did a wonderful job and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Kennedy Ryan and her amazing books.

After loving BEFORE I LET GO in 2022, i was SO excited to dive into THIS COULD BE US. while i didn’t love it as much as BEFORE I LET GO, there is still a really special story here.

what i LOVE about kennedy ryan’s work is the way she writes her FMCs - Soledad was a character i was excited to get to know and i loved her growth throughout the story. her chemistry with Judah was CHEF’S KISS - kennedy ryan knows how to write a steamy scene!!! 🔥🔥

while this wasn’t a huge issue for me, i think readers are going to go into this expecting a romance book - i think this book is contemporary fiction with romance elements. the story is very much centered around Soledad and her family and how they move on from an impossible situation. what prevented this from being a four star was simply just wanting more from Soledad and Judah’s relationship.

i am SO excited that the next book will be centered around Hendrix - she is WILD and i can’t wait to see more from her.

Wow. This world. These characters. I absolutely inhaled the first in the Skyland series (Before I Let Go) and I was so so excited to get Soledad's story. Kennedy Ryan is such a master at writing raw emotion and romance that makes me feel like I'm right there. I held back tears at one point while reading during a specific scene. Sizzling, lovely, raw and gorgeously human.

Kennedy Ryan is a master of longing. Need I say more? This was messy and funny at times, tender at others. I do think we skirt over the whole ex-husband-gets-out-of-prison-and-flees-with-his-mistress thing, but I understand the book isn't about the kids, it's about Soledad. I've also read "Before I Let Go," and I think this manages to be a solid sequel to that masterpiece.

I loved this book, starting with the rough beginnings, the small amount of mystery, and the lovely ending. I am excited to see the previous couple from her last release. I look forward to Hendrix getting her happily ever after.

𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 • 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 ⁣
𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘮 • 𝘙𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 • 𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘖𝘝
𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: 5 March 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️(4.5)
🌶️🌶️🌶️ Open door spicy scenes

"𝑀𝓎 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈, 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝓂𝓎 𝒹𝒶𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈. 𝑀𝓎 𝑔𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓈."

Kennedy Ryan's books are so much more than "just a romance". In fact, this novel spends so much time on other topics that I think it might lose romance reader traditionalists. I, however, loved it and I'm here for all the other themes 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙨 the sizzling romance.

Judah is a nerdy, autistic, MIT-trained accountant and a data geek. Dad to twin boys on the spectrum who he co-parents. Soledad is a black-Puerto-Rican American homemaker and girl mom whose life is about to be upended when she finds out her husband is living a double life and not the man she believed him to be. Both leads are in their early 40s and you'll want to be friends with them by the end.

As Sol goes on a journey of reinventing herself, finding a way to stand on her own and provide for her daughters (dusting off that Cornell degree!), she is not alone. She is buoyed by her girlfriends and family, who are always there for her. I cried me some alligator tears. Relationships with kids are also developed, like the difficulty navigating a divorce and mom dating again. Race topics are woven in subtly into the narrative.

This book feels different that the first in the series & avoids feeling formulaic. Part 1 was gripping and although the pacing slows considerably in act 2, this was still top shelf romance. Highly recommended.

Thank you to @netgalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read and review this ARC.
Releases March 5th!

TW: Infidelity, Emotional Abuse, Toxic Relationships

Wow. Just wow.
An author I love recommended this book and I was in need of a new read. Much like the main character, I wasn’t prepared for the amazing gift that was dropped into my lap. This book is so beautiful in so many ways. As a child of parents who separated, the parenting depicted in this book is beautiful. I also liked reading main characters who are mature and not making the same mistakes of non-communication and pride seen in so many romance novels. This was so much deeper and I basked in it.

I shouldn’t say I didn’t expect to enjoy this book. I did expect it. But so often I read books that are just a pleasant way to pass time. Rarely though, I read a book that I can’t stop thinking about, want to read again, want to be real. This was one of those books. This was one of those books that I recommend without hesitation or worry that the person won’t enjoy it. If you read this book you will most definitely enjoy it. And think a little deeper about love and it’s many forms.