I've never read a Kennedy Ryan book before, but after reading this book, I'm immediately adding her to my list of "must-buy" authors! Every single character was written with incredible depth. Of course, Soledad and Judah were interesting, complex characters, but even the side characters (like Soledad's sisters and friends) felt fully-developed. I think that's somewhat rare in romances I've read, as the side characters often feel one dimensional, only existing to move the plot forward in some way. Speaking of the plot, this book had a really interesting one! I was a little unsure when the book opened with Judah and Tremaine's divorce negotiations, because that's not quite what I expected, but I was so interested in the embezzlement plot and then Soledad's self-discovery journey! The discussion of bell hooks was incredibly impactful, and I really loved Soledad's growth throughout the book. And it was SUCH a treat to find some of the recipes mentioned throughout the book at the end; I can't wait to try them!

Overall, this book was 4.5 stars out of 5 for me. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kennedy Ryan's "This Could Be Us" paints a picture of life after it's been turned upside down. Soledad Barnes, a queen of planning and keeping it all together, finds herself picking up the pieces when her life shatters due to betrayal. But there's no time for sulking; she's busy being a superhero mom to her daughters.

What's refreshing about this read is the lack of unnecessary drama. Sol and Judah, the forbidden love interest, are mature characters who make sensible choices. Their slow-burn romance is heartwarming, but readers might wish there were more moments of them just dating and getting to know each other.

"Even dressed down and with a small streak of dirt on her cheek, Soledad is a feast. I’m always starved around this woman. Always want to consume her through every sense."

Speaking of characters, Soledad shines with her unwavering strength, and Judah scores major points for his patience and determination. And let's not forget the kids! They add an extra layer to the story, showing the characters in a whole new light. The side characters—Sol's best friends, sisters and the kids—are amazing, adding depth and bringing an extra layer to the story. It's great to see their roles intertwining with Soledad's journey. Plus, knowing that Hendrix's story is next has me eagerly waiting to dive into it.

While some might crave a deeper dive into the romance, "This Could Be Us" is a mature, feel-good read. It's all about resilience, love, and finding new beginnings after life throws you a curveball. If you're into stories with relatable characters making sensible decisions (with a side of swoon-worthy romance), this one's for you!

4.75 ⭐️ Kennedy Ryan’s characters are taking up permanent residence in my heart and I’m not complaining!

Soledad’s journey of self-love/discovery was so relatable and comforting. It was beautiful to read about a woman finding her way back to herself.

Judah is the ultimate book husband. I loved how he made it undeniably clear how he felt about Soledad but never tried to infringe on her agency. He was so gentle, attentive and compassionate.

This book beautifully touches on self love, parenthood, blended families and autism. Kennedy’s ability to write about these complex topics with tenderness and care never ceases to amaze me.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

This Could Be Us was AMAZING! Beyond it being a story about romantic love, it was story of a journey of self love. Soledad’s resilience in the face of her life shattering in one night was so inspiring. I could not put this book down and have been recommending to all my book friends to preorder for March. The worst part of this is that I’ll never be able to read it for the first time again!

I love this story! I loved the strong female characters. The storyline was great. I could not put this down.
I love the character development. I really felt like I got to know these characters and was rooting for them (just not Edward).
I can’t wait for Hendrix’s story next!

This story was like all of Kennedy Ryan’s books - a rollercoaster of beautiful emotions that shows real people going through real life struggles and achievements along side those they love. One of my favorite parts (besides her amazing writing, beautiful characters and perfectly imperfect love stories) is that she takes the time to learn from others before diving into storytelling from or about a perspective that she might not know or maybe wants to be sure she understands more. She did that here, even with her experience with Autism, she took the time to research and speak to others so her portrayal of characters in this story showed others differing perspectives.

Favorite things about “This Could Be Us”? Soledad - she is fierce and overcomes in a way that instantly makes you want to be her when you grow up. Being courageous isn't about being fearless - it’s about looking your fears in the eye and fighting them despite those fears. She personifies this statement and I love that! Second, Judah is a perfectly gift wrapped combo of all the things women hope for in a man and father, and Ryan took his story and made sure you FELT the love and devotion he had for his family even when it looked different that he expected and shifted to change through the years. Seeing Soledad and Judah together was even better and made for the perfect love story. Highly recommend and look forward to her next book!

I absolutely loved Before We Let Go and I was so excited to see Soledad get her own book! The stories and these characters are relatable and real and I tore through this book. It's more than romance, but not chick lit necessarily.

I would recommend this for anyone that likes romance with more of a storyline, and depth and growth in the characters.

Healthy co-parenting, autism representation, and strong women supporting each other. Soledad's story will have you rooting for her the whole way.

4.5⭐ and I can't wait to read the next book!

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to review.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley.

I didn’t read this book when I first got it because I wanted to take my time and savor it! And Kennedy Ryan did not disappoint! I’ve been anxious to hear Soledad and even Hendrix’s story since Before I Let Go. Kenner has a way of writing “secondary” characters so compelling that you can’t help but be invested in their lives as well.

Soledad’s life is turned upside down, seemingly overnight and all the things she thought she knew about herself, her husband, and their marriage, proved to be a lie. We got on a journey of self or rediscovery with Soledad and it’s well worth. Through in a new love interest and we have the makings of a beautiful slow burn romance that seems to be Kennedy’s trademark.

This is a five star read to me and I can’t wait to hear Hendrix’s story!

This book was EVERYTHING. I thought it couldn't get better after book 1, "Before I Let Go" but...it did! Amazing read. Incredible. So heartfelt. So much compassion for raising children with autism. So much tenderness all around. Beautiful representation. So much good conversation about loving yourself. Auch strong characther leads from noth the hero and the heroine. I adored this book. truly.

I thought the book was written well. The different messages in the book flowed well. I appreciate the fact that Ms. Ryan storyline is relatable. Dealing with husband infidelity and embezzlement while still making sure the household didn’t fall apart. I appreciate Soledad’s character. She had some hard decisions to make. She was honest. She ended up being the real hero. She had to pull herself together to take care of her girls. She found love in the midst. Even though she was going through she still took the time to help her neighbor that was going through a crisis with her health. I appreciate the book and author. This is a must read!

Oooh I love you Judah Cross!! Whew this book is a masterpiece. Kennedy Ryan did not disappoint. Soledad’s story of growth,love, healing, resilience is so beautifully written. So many moments while reading inspire reflection. This is going to be THE book of 2024!!! Do yourself a favorite and read Yasmin’s story while you wait for this release!

This book was very well written. The characters were relatable and interesting. The plot line was also interesting and modern making it enjoyable to follow along.

Wow!! I didn’t think I could love Kennedy Ryan more than I did when I read Before I Let Go! This book is beautiful. I can’t wait to reread when I get my physical copy. I loved the relationships and the friendships in this book. 5 star read!

Kennedy Ryan’s done it again. This Could Be Us unfolds into a beautiful story. Soledad’s story is relatable in so many ways. The way Kennedy takes us through the heartbreak, post-heartbreak self discovery and self love, and the rebuilding of self trust is so true of many women who’ve gone through the challenge of losing “everything”. This is a must read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I will read ANYTHING this author writes. Before I Let Go was phenomenal, and this is the second book in the series. I’m not sure you HAVE to read them in order but I highly recommend it!

This could be us had similar themes that were heavy, traumatic, and heartbreaking. There are character cameos from book 1 which I enjoyed. The story didn’t follow the exact formula of book 1 either which I appreciated. I don’t want to spoil it any further but I highly recommend picking up this one if you love the authors writing and ability to bring tough topics to life.

Highly relatable for women, mothers, or wives enduring and confronting generational trauma and relationships.

I had read Before I Let Go for a work book club and enjoyed the Skyward friend group. I actually enjoyed Soledad story and the emotions that were tied to it. The storyline felt very smooth and had some good character development. Overall i enjoyed the book but did feel that Sol also fell into the typical “don’t follow your heart” trap that probably would have made the book shorter. Overall I enjoyed it and can’t wait for the one on Hendrix!

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have been so hyped for this book after reading Before I Let Go and it did not disappoint! Thanks to Kennedy Ryan for making the arc available on Netgalley!

Seeing Soledad through this journey of self-love was inspiring. The way she healed herself and had bad ass women to lean on, you can't help but root for her.

I also liked that the romance wasn't immediate. There was attraction early on, but the focus really was on Soledad healing journey. Judah was just the icing on top!

Kennedy Ryan does it again. Soledad has her life completely under control, until she absolutely doesn’t. In the wake of betrayal and disaster she learns to love herself and starts falling for the last man she should even consider.

I am consistently impressed by the high stakes, real challenges, and deep emotion Ryan infuses into her romances. These characters have so much heart, it’s impossible not to root for them. Judah is THE man written by a woman. So good!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

This is my second Kennedy Ryan book and I now have to go through her entire backlist. She is so talented in capturing raw emotions in a beautiful way that is so relatable to the reader.

This story follows Soledad, a stay at home mother of three girls in a prominent and well to do part of Atlanta. While she is struggling in her marriage she is content with everything and knows there are ups and downs in every marriage. Suddenly her world is turned upside down and the only thing she can control is the way she chooses to react as her life implodes. What follows is a beautiful story of self love, discovering yourself again, and finding your own way of life.

As a stay at home mom, this story resonated with me. Being a SAHM is not seen as widely anymore and I felt seen and validated with most of Soledad's story. This is an easy five star book for me and I will be singing its praises all year long!

Soledad Barnes's story is one of resilience and strength in the face of adversity. Or at least that's what I gathered from the very beginning!

Overall, this was an engaging and emotionally charged story. Kennedy Ryan is a new author to me, but definitely a welcomed one. I was drawn to Soledad's journey as she rebuilt her life. In 'Before I Let Go' I hated, HATED her 4th child or "husband" and I'm proud my literary cousin found the bravery to invite something new into her heart.

Between y'all and me I loved it more thank Skyland #1