I'm going to be honest with you all. After reading Before I Let Go, I didn't think Kennedy Ryan was going to be able to top it. The story was emotional, the characters were relatable, the romance was fire, and Josiah was everything!! is But Ryan knew exactly what her readers needed and crafted the perfect follow up with This Could Be Us!! It was so good!!

This Could Be Us is the second book in the Skyland series. This time we hear a story about Yasmen's friend, Soledad. Soledad is working through a rough patch in her marriage and family when suddenly her marriage and life come to a halting crash due to her husband's shadiness. As Soledad works to regain control and structure she must also find a way to provide for her family and also be true to herself and what she loves. As all starts to fall into place she wasn't expecting to fall for Judah, her husband's nemesis. Soledad must learn to balance her own happiness and worth and make room for Judah in her new life.

| absolutely love the message of putting yourself first and truly loving yourself before you can make room to love another. Their eventual relationship was a slow burn from the start. Judah took such care and patience in allowing Soledad the space to heal and move forward. There was such emotional maturity modeled by both and it was truly beautiful to watch unfold.

To top it off, Judah's attentive parenting made me fall for him and hard! Kennedy Ryan knows exactly how to write romance novels for all readers but particularly women in their thirties and forties! Seeing a man care for and make his children his world is just as attractive and a turn on as what he ends up doing to Soledad in the back of his old truck bed!

Kennedy Ryan is top notch romance writing at its finest. She writes for women looking for healthy, mature relationships with sensuality and familiarity that is guaranteed to make you swoon. The Skyland series are my favorite romance novels! Put them on your radar TODAY!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I loved this book, like absolutely loved. Soledad’s story is so beautiful, aching, and empowering. TBH I was actually more invested in the plot than the eventual romance because it was that good. The incorporation of the representation of neurodivergent individuals was so good. Knowing this is close to Kennedy Ryan’s heart, it was written so gracefully and filled with compassion. Also as a mom I appreciated the representation of the complexity of being all things to all people and not letting “mom” be your only identity!

The 🌶️ was 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 😅

It was also a love letter to our friends who don’t get enough credit for also being our soulmates and made me feel grateful to have people like Yasmen & Hendrix in my life 🥹

So damn good!

Yasmen, Hendrix and Soledad are back and still as tight as any group of girlfriends could be as we witness Soledad's journey. There were hints in Before I Let Go that Soledad's life and marriage were not what she portrayed to the world--even her closest friends. This Could Be Us drops you into the turmoil of her home life and the lengths she's gone to for years to hold everything together.

Her husband is a narcissist whose actions upend the entire family, forcing Soledad to examine her life and marriage, all while struggling to hold everything together for herself and her three daughters in the aftermath of his crimes. Cue Judah Cross. From their first encounter, Judah sparks questions in Soledad about who she really is, what she wants for her life, and what she deserves. Their romance is the slowest of burns, but worth the wait as Soledad goes on a journey of self-discovery, carving out a new life and profession in the influencer space on the way to their HEA.

Kennedy Ryan is a masterful storyteller. One of the best in the romance game--and I WILL FIGHT YOU over this declaration. This story is beautiful on so many levels. The rep of the importance of self-care, autism, stellar co-parenting, and familial support are so well done in this book. And let's not forget the importance of readers having the opportunity to delve into the lives of three women who look, sound, and have similar cultural experiences. Cannot wait to read Hendrix's story! I will be in mourning when the Skyland series comes to a conclusion.

I can't adequately put the prowess of Kennedy Ryan's latest masterpiece into words enough!!! What a tribute to self-love, strength, overcoming and LOVE. Each book she writes is a love letter, and this is no different. I can't wait for the next one!

I'm not a romance girlie but my book club (shout out to Literally Black) has put me onto it lately. But I did put them onto Kennedy Ryan lol. This woman writes such a beautiful and mature romance books that, even if you don't like romance, you have to read her books. The writing is next level, the story is interesting with enough detail to help you visualize everything without getting lost in irrelevant detail. The characters are so human and they feel so real that it grips you from the first chapter. Soledad was my favorite from 'Before I let go' and I enjoyed her story so so much: it breaks with stereotypes, it shows the struggle in such a warm way and it is such a positive look on bad circumstances and how resilience and confidence will save us. Truly inspiring!

Kennedy Ryan knows how to write a book that hooks you from the start. The overview promises a story about Soledad, who we met in book one, learning to grow and recover from betrayals in her marriage. The opening of the book was stellar, immediately pulling me in. I was invested in the betrayal, the crime, all of it.

As Soledad faces being the sole provider for her family & working to keep a roof over her kids’ heads, she is determined to learn how to love herself completely before ever thinking about another relationship. Much of this book is focused on that aspect of her own personal growth. At times, I thought there was a little too much push & pull of the personal growth.

Judah is the guy who put Soledad’s husband in prison & is the last person she should fall for. For much of the book, she resists the pull between the two. I wanted her to figure out so much quicker that having a man does not mean you aren’t/can’t be independent. That said, I also thought it was written very realistically given the context/plot. I can understand her hesitation. But Judah…what a strong, incredible male lead to have in this story. I think that’s part of what made me want Soledad to figure 👏🏻 it 👏🏻 out, because he was a CATCH. I love seeing a strong male lead who’s a good dad, is a great coparent, knows what he wants, etc. He was perfectly written.

I loved the dual POVs here. That’s always a favorite of mine in a story.

Kennedy did a great job writing about autism here. Judah has two boys on the spectrum & the way she wrote both boys was perfection.

The main reason this one gets 4 stars over 5 stars is because it lacked a little of that emotional depth that Before I Let Go carried. Everything was incredibly well-written, but I found the story to be more about Soledad feeling empowered and love for herself over the love story. I wanted a bit more balance between the two. That said…Ryan knows how to write powerhouses & pull you in, and she more than accomplished that here. I’ll definitely be back for Hendrix’s story in 2025.

I so enjoyed this read. Kennedy Ryan has done it again with her writing skills. Having a son that has autism I see Ms Ryan did her research and dived deeply into it to create awareness and also as a parent, finally my voice is heard and she went deep way beyond the surface. I was so there with Tremaine and Judah with dealing with their autistic sons. I truly felt acknowledged.
I enjoyed hearing Soledad story. My heart broke for her. I hated that she had to go through so much devastation with her husband. Just when she thought he would be her forever the rug is pulled from underneath her feet.. He definitely was a piece of work breaking Soledad down while he was a cheating, lying, thief who was not worthy of her love. My biggest issue with him was his disregard for not only his wife Soledad but his daughters as well.
I love how Soledad went through what she did and found her true self. When you don't have time to sulk and grieve what you lost, you do what you have to do to take care of yourself and your family.
I also love the love story in this book. A beautiful love story that wasn't forced it just flowed. Although it was a forbidden love, I enjoyed the build up of the relationship, the friendship, the patience of love, it wasn't overly romanticized, it was just a pure love story. So much you can take away from this story, self-empowerment ranks #1.

This Could Be Us has to be one of the most anticipated new releases of 2024, with good reason. Kennedy Ryan is a force, as evidenced by everything she's ever written; her novels immediately suck you in and hold you in their thrall until the very last word, and even at that last word, you find yourself hoping for more words, more pages, more chapters, more everything because you aren't quite ready to leave the world she's created.

In the case of This Could Be Us, we get the story of Soledad and Judah--two people who would seem to never work, if for no other reason than how they find themselves entangled, but work so very well. But before we even get to know that, we get to know them...and that's one of the many reasons why I love Kennedy Ryan's novels. We get to really know Soledad and Judah; we get to see them develop, to see what they like and don't, to see how they work as themselves, by themselves, before we ever see them working together. By the time we see them together together, we love them and are dying for them to be together. DYING.

So what's so special about these two? Judah is the most amazing father, ex-husband/co-parent you can imagine. He's very involved in the care and loving of his children, considerate of the needs of others, and gives zero effs when it comes to things like the opinions of people who don't mean anything to him. He's strong and compassionate and just a completely evolved human being. I can't think of one thing I don't love about him. Likewise, Soledad is also an amazing mother; she's willing to do what it takes to secure normalcy and continuity for her daughters (after her scum of the earth husband/ex-husband does them dirty), while also treating them like humans--not shielding them from all the hard things, but not tainting them with ugliness either. She knows when to give and when to take. She listens and explores and ponders and takes the time to really know who she is and what she wants. She's strong and loving and empathetic and wonderful. She and Judah are really the perfect counterparts and I have no idea how Kennedy Ryan does this--she keeps creating the most perfectly imperfect, and therefore believable and loveable, characters.

In addition to all of the wonderfulness that is Soledad and Judah, we get to check in on the characters we met in Before I Let Go, which is always a treat. We get to imagine the awesomeness that will be Hendrix's story while also reveling in the updates of the characters we got to know in the first book of the Skyland Series.

And of course, Kennedy Ryan is always so well researched and knowledgeable about the representation in her novels. While I have only tangential experiences in real life with some of the backgrounds and experiences of that of her fictional characters, I appreciate how she continues to give us characters from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences and strives to write them realistically; Ryan's novels are truly the epitome of literature being a mirror or window and I love having the reading journey I do when I pick up her novels. She's also masterful at leaving us wanting more and I can tell you right now, you're going to want her next novel in you hands as soon as you finish The Could Be Us.
Before I Let Go is a five start read and I cannot wait for everyone to read it.

This was my first of Kennedy's books, and I really liked her writing style. The story was engrossing and Soledad had some really solid character development throughout the story. It's nice, as a mom, to read about motherhood and juggling everything that comes along with it. I think that her character was written very well in terms of strength and perseverance with what life threw her way. I enjoyed watching the relationship between Soledad and Judah bloom. Overall this was a very enjoyable, cozy romance read.

I loved Soledad’s story!! I met her in Yasmin’s book and knew she would be great to carry a story, and she delivered! The first third of this book FLEW, I was riveted and couldn’t put it down. Then the second third was a bit of a slog for me… I’m not sure what it was but ultimately I think Judah’s POV was unnecessary, more maybe there were too many chapters from his POV? I loved him and his story, but we got a lot of his backstory from his internal dialogue or conversations in his chapters, then he told the same things to Soledad, making it a little repetitive for me. And the #dateyourselfchallenge was CUTE but I also felt like it was the same conversation over and over. Ultimately this had all the makings of a 5 star read for me, but ended up being maybe too long? I think it it cut out maybe 75 pages and some of the same conversations it would be perfect. But I did really like it!!

I absolutely loved this one. I went into this one only knowing that Soledad was a stay at home mom (I am too!) but I had no idea the journey she was going to go through. She was so strong and I loved that she was finding herself. I also loved Judah and their relationship. Wonderful book.

Kennedy Ryan made This Could Be Us endlessly re-readable by loading it with details. It’d be impossible to catch all the adorable and stunning through lines on the first read. Kennedy Ryan is a master at planting tiny seeds—especially in dialogue—then quietly nurturing the idea or the image for the whole book until, at last, the seed sprouts and the moment comes full circle. Chef’s kiss every time! When I re-read it and then re-read it again, I’m confident I’ll see something new each time..

Eagle-eyed readers will enjoy spotting Before I Let Go easter eggs. There’s plenty, and they’re such treats. Some are obvious, and some are hard to spot!

I’m a huge fan of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. I reread that novel every year, and I loved seeing a quote from the book as an epigraph for This Could Be Us. It was an early clue that Janie and Soledad are tied together. They both have similar journeys, physically and spiritually in love. The parallels are absolutely beautiful.

This book is also an annotater’s dream. I annotated a number of clever motifs. One of my favorites is what I call the “Waiting to Exhale Motif.” Real elements of the movie and book emerge in the plot, plus direct references to both works. There’s also lots of attention to breathing and releasing tension through deep exhales.

This Could Be Us is a bibliophile's book. Soledad's parents are librarians. Soledad starts a book club. Books are on the periphery of the plot in a fun, comforting way. Kennedy Ryan uses quotes from books as epigraphs to introduce imagery and themes for her characters. It's just a wonderful, bookish book.

Color is also a fun characterization detail to annotate. Soledad’s relationship to color - the ones she chooses for her clothes, her home, and her safe spaces — change as she changes. The colorful Rubik’s Cube, a treasured possession of Judah’s son Aaron, also becomes a symbol in the book in a lovely way.

This is a dual POV story. We get Judah and Soledad’s POV from the first person perspective. As with all of the Kennedy Ryan books I’ve read, she chooses little details to interweave between the POVs, braiding them together visually and emotionally. For example, there’s word and thematic play with the idea of catering, whether that’s catering food or catering to needs of people.

Oh my, I can't even begin to express how much this book took me by surprise. It turned out to be exactly what I needed and more. The way it portrayed a woman reconnecting with her true self was simply awe-inspiring. Kennedy Ryan truly outdid herself with this absolute gem of a novel. I can confidently say it has become one of my personal favorites.

Soledad, our fmc, was an incredibly relatable figure. She embodied the strength and resilience that all mothers possess. Her journey was an authentic portrayal of raw emotions and daring courage, showcasing her as the true heroine of her own story.

And let's not forget about Judah, the mmc, who seemed to have stepped out of the dreams of any woman. He was an extraordinary individual who faced life's challenges head-on and maintained an unbreakable bond with his boys.

All in all, this story will send you on an intense roller coaster of emotions. It will make you laugh, cry, and leave you overwhelmed with a beautiful sense of joy. Truth be told, it stands as one of the best books I have ever laid eyes on. If you're a fan of women's fiction, with a slow-burning romance and unforgettable characters, then trust me, this is an absolute must-read for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with the ARC of “This Could Be Us” in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

What can someone do when their entire life is flipped upside down?
“No one is on the way to rescue you. No one is on the way to save you and your girls. At the end of the day, it's up to you. And so it is.”
Soledad Barnes is met with this question unexpectedly and must figure out how to provide for her three girls on very short notice. With school tuition, mortgage, and grocery bills looming over her Soledad uses the tools she gained being a stay-at-home to create a life for herself and her girls.
This was my first ever Kennedy Ryan book and I am HOOKED! Her writing style kept me interested and invested in Soledad and Judah’s stories. I’d seen the cover of Before I Let You Go and when I saw this book on NetGalley I thought I would go ahead and get both books and read them back-to-back. Unfortunately, my copy of Before I Let You Go never arrived, but I started This Could Be Us anyway. This book is part of a larger series, but it can be read as a standalone. Within the first 20% of the book, I found myself dying to read the next page. This continued throughout my reading leading to many late-night and tiring mornings. Soledad is such a strong, inspirational woman. I absolutely adored her from start to finish and loved her self-love journey. So many women would crumble in the situation she was in and she bossed up. Jonah was so kind, patient, and sweet, and just made me want him to end up with Soledad more and more after every interaction they had. Overall, this book was everything I hoped it would be and more. I can’t wait until Hendrix’s story comes out!
“Focus on yourself, but when you do think about this relationship, don't compare it to anything else, to anyone else. Draw a picture in your mind of what a future could look like and really believe this could be us. And whenever you're ready, I'm right here.”

4 stars - don’t go into this hoping for a romance between Soledad & Judah. While you do get that, you get more of a love story of Soledad’s journey to trust and love herself again. I loved it. My only thing I wanted more of was Judah’s POV and his life with his boys. I could’ve read 200 more pages of their story!

5 freaking stars!! ⭐️

“I’ve come to realize that a woman who wants more and realizes she deserves it is a dangerous thing.”

Kennedy Ryan consistently reminds me why I love reading. Her ability to write such rich characters and storylines is a credit to her talent but should also inspire others in the genre. You don’t have to sacrifice drama for logic, diversity for relatability or development for romance. As a 29 year old newlywed, this story shouldn’t have resonated with me as much as it did. Instead Ryan finds a way to make each novel a source of introspection on how we approach our own personal relationships and growth. I was GAGGED in the best way in the first 30% of the book (had me ready to fight this man myself!!) but still thoroughly entertained as it leveled out towards the middle. Perhaps my only complaint was that Judah (MMC) was a bit *too* perfect? Even his ex-wife loved him (though platonically) with much enthusiasm. Which in a book that shares flaws as well as triumphs is just a bit disappointing. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book- couldn’t put it down! I feel like it will be a major book club discussion in 2024 for those discovering life after divorce, confidence, and boundaries in relationships. I think this is one of her best yet!

Plot summary: This Could Be Us follows Soledad Edwards, a woman in her 40s fresh from a scandalous divorce as she attempts to rebuild her career and financial stability for the sake of her family. In the midst of it all she meets Judah (SWOON) forensic accountant and divorced father of teenage twin boys with autism. Set in Atlanta, Georgia.

I can’t wait to read Hendricks book!! Give us the child-free, DINK representation we deserve!!

This Could Be Us is out March 2024.

Thank you to Hatchette Book Group, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the Skyland Series. It follows Soledad who’s trying to rebuild her life after it is torn apart by her ex-husband. This felt more like a woman's fiction than a romance, which I didn't mind. The communication between Judah and Tremaine, his ex-wife, was amazing and matured and I really like that. When they Soledad and Judah were together, the chemistry was off the chart, and their conversations felt natural. I kind of was hoping it was explored more because it felt kind of rushed. Overall, I really like the book, and I love the different relationships shown throughout.
Thank You Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Words are never enough. Kennedy Ryan is a master of her craft. The self love journey Soledad goes on is both relatable and awe inspiring. A woman coming into her own and embracing her power.

Judah is an absolute dream. Patient, respectful, passionate, and a stand up father.

This was top tier storytelling. Kennedy’s care and respect for the topic and content was incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed her author’s note - a personal view into her own life.

I can’t for can’t wait for Hendrix’s story!

Special thanks to Kennedy Ryan and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Hot take: Felt a little too long, but love the characters and the story telling.
I devoured Before I Let Go, and was ravenous for the second book in the Skyland series. I loved Sol in the first book, and couldn't wait for her story. This book did not disappoint, but it does feel longer than necessary. You'll definitely want to check those CW because it's messy and complicated and has a lot going on. I love Sol's journey to self love and self discovery, and Judah is just such a wonderful caring man. Absolutely check this one out! This author can do no wrong in my book!

This sequel is just as good as the first! I could not put this title down and read it in a day! I enjoy Kennedy Ryan’s character development as she does a wonderful job that I feel like I know them personally. Once again, Ms. Ryan has another hit on her hands!