I received the ARC of this book via NetGalley and below is my honest review.

This is the second book in the Skyland series. Each book is headlined by one of the three best friends, Yasmen, Soledad & Henrix. After finally reading the first book in the trilogy, I didn't think that it could get any better, boy was I wrong. This book surpassed the five star mark for me. The amount of obvious care & research the the author did for the autistic community is something that other authors need to take notes on.

The love interest are interested immediately in each other but do not pursue their attraction because one is married and the other is the arch nemesis of their spouse. The spouse is an immediate person that the reader will dislike. The way that they treat their spouse is not acceptable. Things fall apart, realizations via "aha moments" occur that open the eyes of the neglected spouse. The rest of the book shows you what can happen when you start believing in yourself and allow yourself to heal and let real love in.

Do not miss reading this book when it it comes out on March 5, 2024.

This book is fantastic! I loved Soledad’s story and the continuity of characters. Also huge shout out for writing about autism and the joys and challenges it brings to our lives.

Ryan is an absolute masterclass when it comes to exploring the complexities in life — love, loss, and all the second chances. I walked into this novel knowing what to expect and I came out shook. She persevered above and beyond in writing This Could Be Us and continues to be one of my favorite authors who can make me cry with ease.

Soledad and Judah meet under strange circumstances. Soledad, a single mom reeling in the aftermath of a cheating spouse and trying to find a new normal without him in their lives. Even being a stay-at-home-mom before the fidelity was found out by none other than Judah himself, in the workplace even.

Now Judah is divorced and coparenting with his ex as well. I love the messy, deep characters Ryan morphs into words. Raw and brutally honest, like damn girl. These stories you write could very well honestly be a real life story being told.

I fell in love with the autism rep here as Judah’s children are on the spectrum at various degrees. Now, Judah definitely fell first. But with the gravitational pull pushing the main characters together until they get the hint, it doesn’t take long.

Overall, I loved the exploration of two very battered souls seeking refuge. The very real problems being brought to life brought me directly back to planet earth and in some areas it stomped my poor heart like Ryan’s writing tends to do. Loved the novel. I honestly can’t wait for her next releases.

Ginormous thank you to Forever Publishing, Kennedy Ryan and Netgalley for the eARC!

*Review based on ARC*

This Could Be Us is yet another beautifully written novel by Kennedy Ryan that explores the complexities of love, loss, and second chances. The story follows the lives of Soledad and Judah, who meet under unusual circumstances. Soledad is faced with the daunting task of dealing with the aftermath of her husband's misdeeds and finding a way to support her three daughters after being a stay-at-home mom and wife for so long. To make matters more complicated, she finds herself developing feelings for Judah Cross, the same man who uncovered her husband's wrongdoing at their company.

Judah is divorced but co-parents his twin sons with his ex-wife and her husband. He is very involved with his twin sons, who both have different levels of autism. His focus has been his sons and his job until he meets Soledad, who he becomes hooked on from the first sight.

This Could Be Us is the perfect sequel to Before I Let Go. The bond between Soledad and her sisters, as well as her best friends, is enjoyable to read. The story highlights real-world issues such as Soledad's challenges with parenting after her husband leaves, her longing for her mother who passed away from cancer, and Judah's struggles to navigate his sons' autism. Kennedy did an outstanding job of bringing these issues to life and describing the emotional impact of these situations, while also providing insights on how to overcome them. I loved that Soledad was not only able find herself but also love again. My girl bossed all the way up! This book is most definitely a must read. It is set to release March 5, 2024.

I am a Kennedy Ryan fan, but this book fell flat for me. The characters didn't feel real or tangible, which made it hard for me to get into the story, and the entire story felt like it revolved around how hot Soledad was instead of building a life and relationship around her and her experiences. It was hard for me to be drawn into this story because the characters and the story itself felt shallow to me. Additionally, most of the things that Judah did and said to Soledad felt possessive and creepy to me instead of being cute or like he was building a relationship with her. However, I did like how Kennedy Ryan explained her experiences with autism at the beginning and how she wrote characters with autism into the story. I also liked how she included Puerto Rican culture into Soledad's story.

What I love about Kennedy Ryan books is that I will always get a fully fleshed out story of a woman . Not only will a get a great love story, but also her personal journey through her professional life, her family or her history - and sometimes all three. I love how Ryan writes fully fleshed out female protagonist, whose lives don’t revolve around their love of a man, but rather includes him. I cannot wait to read Hendrix’s love story next!

This is easily one of my favorite romance books of the year and potentially favorites of all time. Romance isn’t my preferred genre (I’ve only read 6), but books like this make me want to read more of them. The way Kennedy Ryan handled this book with so much care is shown through the way autism is accurately represented throughout the book. The experience of having an autistic child and learning to navigate it can feel isolating because it’s a niche experience, but so many of my own feelings and experiences were showcased in this book while simultaneously sharing aspects of autism on a spectrum I haven’t dealt with. Kennedy Ryan was able to represent an ethnicity outside of her own with so much respect and care in this book which is a testament to the research she does for her writing. This is not a fluffy, lighthearted romance. It’s real and raw, but you still get your happy ending. I loved this book so much and I’m a Kennedy Ryan stan forever after this.

“𝐈 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐚.”

Kennedy Ryan’s This Could Be Us is a friends to lovers romance that centers on Judah Cross, a forensic accountant, and content creator Soledad Barnes.

I knew this book would be about so much more than romance after reading Skyland's first book, Before I Let Go. Don't get me wrong, there was romance, but it was more about healing on from a divorce, overcoming obstacles as a single mother, and managing the time and care needed to raise autistic children.

This book had no right making me sob. My heart just kept on breaking for Soledad and all that her husband had made her and her girls endure. I really also enjoyed seeing Judah and his ex-wife work so hard to raise their two wonderful children.

Though I did get irritated by Soledad's middle daughter Inez, but I came to see that we had a lot in common.

I went into this expecting my heart to break but what I really wasn't expecting was to find that I could relate to the novel on many levels. And I adore Kennedy for bringing in diverse cultures and backgrounds and discussing subjects that real people deal with.

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

I really enjoyed this one. I loved Soledad and the way that she explained her dream of stay-at-home motherhood through the lens of doing something that her ancestors had been denied. While I didn't understand all of her choices (I know it's your children's home, but could you not consider downsizing just a bit to get on your feet?)I, had a lot of respect for her. There was an instant connection between her and Judah but still a pretty slow burn to them actually being together. Kennedy Ryan knows how to write a slow burn so beautifully, and even though this relationship dynamic was incredibly complicated, she made me believe that it would work out.

And Judah was wonderful. His relationship with his sons and his ex were lovely, and I appreciated that the prologue gave a little backstory there.

I know this is book two in the series, but I do think it functions really well as a standalone, too.

Kennedy Ryan's books can be a little heavy sometimes so I do need to be in the right headspace to pick them up, but they're always beautifully done and I definitely recommend this series.

I absolutely loved this book. I was worried initially would I enjoy Soledad’s story based on the interactions in ‘This could be us’ but I really was surprised. She was an amazing mother who would do anything for her family. I am a content creator so I just loved the aspects of her being one too and that being one of the ways she provided for her family. It gave the story a real recent feel and will provide a lot of familiarity for a lot of people. Judah was an amazing father and just overall a great partner to her. I really think that so many people are going to love this book and I can’t wait to get my physical copy.

5 Soledad Hermosa stars!

& the saga of strong women in Skyland continues! I loved this book very much, and highly recommend as your future read! It's such a beautiful story, truly Kennedy Ryan Style, that would leave your with a very happy smile.

I was very excited for this book, because last year Before I let go became my favorite book of the year. I was looking forward to Soledad's story and reading this was so rewarding! We got a glimpse at Soledad and a little preview about her in the previous book, but this book really ties everything together. I would recommend reading Before I let go before reading this book, but it's not necessary.

Soledad is a mom of three who has been married for many years to her college sweetheart. As we see in this book, things are not always what they seemed or what you think. Soledad's world comes crashing down by unexpected events that change her life forever. We are able to walk through her journey and I think it's very inspiring. The male main cast in book is everything, I don't want to give too many details but he is simply everything. Soledad and the MMC have a relationship that is so explosive in the best possible way.

I love this series, and how Kennedy is writing books of women in their late 30s/40s. It's never too late to reinvent yourself, find yourself, find love or find happiness.

Wow, wow, wow. What another hit from Kennedy Ryan. I cried like a baby so many times throughout this book and I genuinely could not stop thinking about it from the moment that I picked it up to long after I finished this. Kennedy writes such strong relationships - both romantic and platonic, and I loved this so much. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️: 5/5
🌶️: 3/5
☕️: 5/5

Damn…this book was a freaking rollercoaster! From the prologue introducing Judah and his family, highlighting the pure goodness that man is, to being irrationally irritated with teenagers (yes yes, I know, have some patience, they’re just children, yadda yadda 🙄)

Soledad Barnes is a talented woman, a mother, a wife, and complete badass. Her world is turned upside down when tragedy strikes and she’s forced to readjust her home life to support her children.

This was a book that was a little more real, show casing a woman whose world was turned upside down as she learns to love herself without feeling guilty. It had disability awareness and representation that just made me sad to think that the issues Judah and his family faced are not uncommon.

With Judah’s POV, you get an insight to his family style. The healthy connection he has with the healthy communication was just *chefs kiss* 😍 then his communication with Soledad was also just so perfect and exactly what she needed.

It was mildly frustrating going through the back and forth with Soledad on wanting to be an independent woman while simultaneously wanting to be happy with a man. I think it was only frustrating bc SAME. I’m a strong independent woman…but sometimes I just want a permanent cuddle buddy that doesn’t slobber on my face or pee on the carpet 🤦🏻‍♀️ like I mentioned before, it is REAL. Real situations with real solutions. But also, F Edward 😤 and that’s all I’ll say 😘

I’m a sucker for this cover. So gorgeous!! 😍

Short Synopsis:
I liked going blind into this one, so you don’t get a synopsis. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

My Thoughts:
I loved the beginning of this book. It starts off so strong, and so eventful and I was dying to read more. There was a point where it was dragging and I struggled with the couples connection. (Lots of telling and not showing.) I did love all the different representation though - autistic, blended families, Puerto Rican. And it did feel like a fresh story, which few romances do these days.

Definitely not a fluffy romcom. “This Could Be Us” is brimming with heart and emotion, from the first page to the last. The relationship between Judah and Tremaine is #goals for raising kids, regardless of their own marriage status. I appreciated Sol’s strength and how she learned more of herself throughout the book. If you are looking for a book to make you feel empowered and want to hug your people, your tribe, your village; this is the book for you!

Kennedy Ryan has done it again! The myriad of emotions that she takes you through in this book are unmatched! Writing a sequel can be difficult but she made this one just as riveting and exciting as the first book. I LOVE Soledad Charles! She is me and I am she! Soledad is the inspiration women need to see! She taught us that you can come back from anything! Support from your village and the will to be better for your family can literally propel you into a life you never dreamed of. Kennedy Ryan showed us exactly how this can happen. Get your tissue ready and make sure your pearl strings are tight because this book is just that good.

This is a long review because I could talk about this book forever lol so please bare with me 😂

First, thank you so much NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this eARC in exchange for my honest review ♥️. And if you haven’t read anything by this author, I advise you to change that and start reading this Skyland series asap! Just like book one, I absolutely loved this book and didn’t want it to end. Kennedy Ryan can freaking write! You can tell she writes from her heart, and with this one, she incorporated parts of her life into the characters. She lets you in on a life where individuals are on the spectrum, helping you understand them a little more and I loved it. She really sucks you into the story and makes you invest in each character and their growth.

Speaking of growth…. THE 👏🏼 GROWTH 👏🏼 This story follows another characters life from the previous book and I just need to say that Soledad CHARLES (IYKYK) is my woman lol this book reminds us that it is okay to love yourself. It is okay to love yourself EVEN with children. It is okay to love yourself EVEN if you are in a relationship with someone else. In order to be better for yourself, your kids, and your partner, you have to find what makes YOU happy. That aspect of the book really grasped my attention because I have lost myself in my SAH mom life. I have been a mom for 12 years and I just recently, like a year and a half ago, incorporated my passions into my every day life because I fucking deserve it. Being a mom or even not having kids, it is so easy to lose yourself in life. This book is here to tell you that YOU fucking deserve it. It’s also here to tell you that it’s okay to be alone. Being alone is not the same as being lonely. Remember that!

We need more books like this! Books where the main characters are predominantly black. Where the men are fine as hell (Kennedy, these characters IRL better be some mouth watering chocolate kind of men when I see them on tv 😂) the sexual tension eats you alive, and your heart is full when the story ends. 💖

I absolutely devoured this book! Soledad's character, introduced in the first book of the series, "Before I Let Go," immediately intrigued me with hints about her husband's questionable behavior. The unexpected twist in his character pleasantly surprised me, adding depth to the narrative.

I resonated deeply with Soledad's journey, celebrating her multifaceted role as a mother and appreciating the intrinsic value she found in wearing various hats 24/7. The portrayal of her as a stay-at-home mom who embraces feminism was a commendable aspect of the story.

Now, let's talk about Judah—my absolute favorite. The realistic representation of autism, evident in both his twin sons and himself, stood out to me. As someone working within this population, the varied presentations and authentic experiences depicted in the story truly shone. Judah's character, characterized by his straightforwardness and respect for Soledad's growth, forgiveness, and self-love, added a beautiful layer to the narrative. He stands out as one of the best book fathers, ex-husbands, and partners I've ever encountered.

Soledad and Judah! The boys, the blended family. Friendship and community. I really enjoyed reading Sol’s journey and was so happy for her rebirth after the hell her husband put her and her family in. Really enjoyed the inside look into parenting. Sol’s solo self partnering journey. I left wanting more Soledad and Judah in bliss. So glad to receive an ARC and I look forward to Hendrix’s story!

As always this has Kennedy Ryan’s beautiful prose and emotionally evoking story-telling. I think going in I was expecting it to be an amazing romance book, but it read a lot more like Women’s Fiction; which is completely fine if you are prepared for that when picking it up. And the social media aspect included in this is an element I don’t particularly enjoy reading about; it’s something that is hard to portray realistically, in my opinion, and can often come off “cringey”. But, I can definitely still see fans of Kennedy Ryan loving this!