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

The meaning of sacrifice, of parenting, of doing the right thing even when it’s hard, and the power in sisterhood - these are the beautiful heartfelt themes that run the thread in this book. It’s a poem of self discovery and strength in learning to love yourself.

Now, Soledad and Judah! Oh my gosh! I absolutely love Soledad. it wasn’t a character I thought I’d relate to, but her pain, her sacrifice and her strength are not only admirable but many of us might be able to relate…. And Judah? If you take Paul Rudd’s good guy hotness, and mix it with Idris Elba’s strong silent hotness you get Judah! Are you excited to read about him yet? These two are amazing. The strength and ability of the characters to show both parental guilt and the journey towards understanding how to put yourself first is humbling and cheering at the same time.

Kennedy Ryan does it again! She is an auto-buy author and a master storyteller so I'm not surprised that I devoured this book in a day. This is a beautiful story that everyone should read!

ABSOLUTE CHILLS. I loved this book. Ryan does such a fantastic job of portraying the full range of human emotion. She writes such beautiful, healing, STRONG characters. This book was good for my soul. I laughed with the characters, I cried with the characters. I’m hoping I’ll grow like these characters.

This was fine but long winded, definitely had intrigue in the beginning but it started dragging shortly after

If you read Before I Let Go or any of Ms. Ryan’s other work you know she has a way of breaking your heart and then putting it back together in the best ways possible. This book is no exception. It is truly a love letter to womanhood and motherhood. We see Soledad have to navigate the worst days of her life while trying to find ways to love herself and her daughters through it all.

Not to mention the positivity given to themes around blended families, mental health, self-care and the care of neurodivergent children. I was rooting for Soledad and Judah right from the beginning. I desperately wanted them to have the love they deserved and worked hard to have. And just like in BILG, sharing food is a central part of the story and I loved that.

This is such a great follow up to BILG. I can’t wait for Hendrix’s story in 2025!

This book is as good, if not better, as the first book in the Skyland series and that is not insult to the latter. This book is not only a journey of finding new love but a journey of rediscovery for both leading characters. So much representation of different communities and family dynamics.
Kennedy Ryan continues to pen the most beautiful and passionate love stories in this recent novel.

“I know you want to be whole, but I think being whole means acknowledging all your parts. And there are parts of you that want to be held, want to be needed and loved. That is just as emotionally valid as the parts of you that crave independence.”

•••
Synoposis
This book follows Soledad Barnes (Charles) on a journey of discovering self and love. I separate the two because that is what Kennedy brilliantly demonstrates. Through the writings and philosophies of bell hooks, Soledad embraces a sudden change in her life with her family, neutral and chosen, and redefines her purpose as a mother and a Black woman. In between her husband, turned ex, lying and raising her three girls as a newly single mom, Soledad walks with her sisters and her best friends and learns about choosing herself. Along the way she connects with forensics accountant, Judah Cross, who comes with his own outlook on life and celebration of self and navigates what love looks like in the midst of learning to know self. The only kicker is...Judah is the person who brought her world as she knew it a-crumbling... In the end who will Soldedad choose? Love or self?
•••
Kennedy. Sis. You did it AGAIN. There were so many things about this book that just brought me life, healing, and sight!! From the sisterly love and bonds that exists in neutral and chosen family. The way that rage and grief are portrayed in this book are novel to some, but as a Black woman, they just felt freeing. How often do we have to choose between raging or holding? The scene when Soledad just lets loose and demolishes things, I felt that scene to my core. She just raged and screamed and as Black women, we have to choose between succumbing to stereotypes or being "above board" and all of that rage builds up and festers and it's just RICH to see a Black woman get her rage correctly. AND THE MENTION OF LEMONADE IS EVERYTHING. I WAS SCREAMING. Yonce really released something for the ladies... and Kennedy did TOO.

Another thing this book does is talk about colorism sooooo richly! The difference in tone amongst Lupe, Inez, and Lottie to her sisters, Nayeli and Lola and then her best friends Henz and Yasmen is not only stated but something Kennedy returns to often. Navigating in-laws who are of a different race that may favor a lighter toned grandchild over the other, and the reality of reminding each of the girls that they're beautiful beyond the tone of their skin. All of it is touched on and so beautifully flushed out. The real beauty of this book is how Kennedy shines light on autism and how the lack of conversation around disability awareness in the Black community is prominent. How often Black boys on the spectrum are overlooked or not provided the correct the supports in schools. The intersection of disability and the Black body is something that Kennedy just writes so beautifully about and I found myself crying just sitting in her words. I would literally die for Judah, he's not only a wonderful father, but a great friend and someone who literally embraces who he is in all its beauty. The complexity of his own relationship with his family is so richly portrayed with Tremaine and Kent. Blended family is hard to write well, but Kennedy does such a fantastic job of uplifting and celebrating it, as well as, diminishing stereotypes around Black blended families.

I just loved everything about this story and Soledad and Judah's love story is one for the ages. My heart was racing for them the entire way. This book means everything to me and I can't wait to re-read it in march of 2024 when it's released.

Also Hendrix… FUNNIEST CHARACTER IVE EVER READ IN A BOOK!!

Thank you for the ARC!!

My first Kennedy Ryan book and it did its thing! I loved this book so much. It felt so mature, realistic and layered where other romances I’ve read have not had that same feel.

I’m not sure who I loved more Soledad or lovely Mr Cross <333 both admirable parents first and foremost. I loved the representation of self love, successful coparenting, blended families, autism and neurodivergence, sisterhood/womanhood, self discovery, resilience, unconventional happy endings. The friendship, the food, valuing domestic work, all of it! Soo soo good.

Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley, for my early copy of the Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan. Kennedy did it again, but this time with Soledad's story. I love that she fell in love again and divorced the Jerk of her husband, Edward, and she is learning to love herself again. Judah he was a dope person. Who dedicated father to his twin boys and showed her what love could be again.

I laugh, cry, and laugh again.

Thank You again for the early copy,

Soledad’s comeback story! Beautifully written story of a newly single mother who is trying to move past deceit and lies from her husband. Her comfortable life as she knew it suddenly changed and Soledad navigates this new life with her daughters. And wow, the chemistry of her new boyfriend is simply fire. Kennedy Ryan does it again. Just phenomenal!

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the arc of This Could Be Us book 2 of the Skyland series by Kennedy Ryan. This was my most anticipated 2024 release. And I will recommend anyone to pick up a Kennedy Ryan book.

This Could Be Us is the romance between Soledad and Judah. Both parents (Soledad to three girls and Judah to two boys with neurodivergent disabilities. Judah been separated for 10 years and he and his ex coparent her boys. Soledad is married at the beginning of the book but she discovers not only is her soon to be ex husband a liar and criminal but her marriage was not what she believed it was for so long. To complicate matters Judah is the one leading the charge to her than husband arrest. After all the bombshells and truths come out all Soledad wants to do is make sure she and her girls survive in a home and life they created. While doing that she also finds not only love with a guy she maybe shouldn’t but finding her real soulmate in herself.

I loved Judah and Soledad romance and honestly would loved to seen more of it. Their chemistry was hot and I loved their banter. The best thing was Judah’s patience in waiting for Soledad to work on other things, most importantly herself. Also him caring for her and her girls after Soledad ex Edward was arrested and their life was turned upside down. Judah and his family was also a great part of the story. His and his boys Adam and Aaron, relationship was such a great read. Reading about these two boys with neurodiverse disabilities at times made me cry. And reading Kennedy’s authors note made me feel so connected to this part of the story.

Soledad became one of my favorite heroines with her journey in this book. While the romance with Judah was great the heart of this book was Soledad’s road to finding self love after the hell her ex put her through. The journey of one being their own soulmate was a story that was so well written but the thing I will take with me. Soledad became an influencer mostly focus of food and home care after her ex’s arrest. Her journey of self love soon became a highlight for her followers and most importantly for her self. The self love and the love for her daughters made me love the character. I feel like I’m not describing this well but it’s hard for me to talk about how much that part of the story made such an impact with me. Her story with her girls was great as well. I

The relationship with Soledad and her sisters was great to see. I loved that addition as well as the addition of the Cora storyline with Soledad’s journey. Seeing the friendship of Soledad, Hendrix and Yasmin again was one of the other highlights of this. I just loved their friendship. Three women that will do anything for each other they can. Two of the times I. Reid the most during this book were scenes about this great friendship. I can’t wait for Hendrix book. From what we know of the characters it’s the story that will have the biggest impact on me.

There was so much I loved about this book. It’s so well written but the impact of it matters more to me. The story of making yourself your own soulmate was the thing I will remember the book and any book for a long time.

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan is a five star read for me. This book comes out March 5, 2024.

Content warnings for this book cheating (off page), neurodivergent disorders, cancer patient, thief,

When I first saw that there was a second book coming in the Skyland series I was excited as I thought it was a part two to Before I Let Go, the first book in the series but when I saw it wasn't I was a little disappointed. However, this book did not disappoint me. Kennedy Ryan did it again and it was as good as or even better than the Before I Let Go.

This book is about Soledad's character who we met in the first book and her journey to "find herself" if you will after going through it with her husband Edward. I loved how it showed women empowerment and made reference to how people are currently utilizing content creation and social media as a way of making an income. I also liked how it showed her family dynamics and her learning from the past to deal with her current and future. It wasn't your typical love story, but I appreciated the character development as I did with the first book and how everything came together. Lastly, I liked how we still got glimpses of Yasmin and Josiah's relationship from the first book so you could see where they stand now.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next one in this series. I would recommend this book to read as a stand-alone or as part of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolutely amazing! It is Kennedy Ryan so that is always expected and happens. This story with Soledad's growth with overcoming the betrayal and hurt of someone she thought was her forever at one point, was just amazing. Soledad's husband is one of the worst kind of awful and selfish men, and had me punching the air at every interaction he was in. Edward is trash. Now back to the positivity. The display of sisterhood, self love, self care, individualism, supreme motherhood, representation, culture and so many other great words blew me out the water. I loved how Soledad's friends supported and loved on her so much even when she didn't ask for it, but because they loved her and knew she needed it. Loved the little snippets we got with Yasmen and Josiah and seeing they are doing well. Judah is may favorite favorite favorite book boyfriend! He was so sweet and kind to Soledad, and very direct to the point about his feelings and what he wanted with her. Judah and his ex-wife Tremaine had the most understanding and pleasant coparenting relationship, and very supportive of one another as well as being a great team for their boys. I was so happy to learn about Judah's twin boys Adam and Aaron, as well as their journey on the autism spectrum. Not many know the scale of the autism spectrum, and Kennedy did a wonderful job displaying that with these characters. The conversation, chemistry, and spice between Judah and Soledad was just so juicy!!! It was nice to see Soledad overcome all the hurt she had experienced from her marriage and learn to trust Judah and be with him. Just an all around beautiful story! Cannot wait for the actually release so I can go and talk about every part of this story for an in-depth review. Thank you again Kennedy Ryan for your wonderful work! If I could give this 100 stars I would!

Thank you to NetGalley for making this ARC available to download for 24 hours after reading Before I Let Go, I jumped at the opportunity. I will absolutely be purchasing this book when it comes out and sharing it with anyone I can. As a parent of an autistic child, I have never seen such a beautiful, realistic depiction of autistic kids and what it's like to be a parent to them. Ryan also touched on something that a lot of these parents deal with too -noticing how much of ourselves we see in our kids and questioning where we too fall on that spectrum.
I enjoyed returning to this world, the rich and vibrant lives of her characters, and the realistic and mature romance. I loved how Ryan explored the dynamics of mother-daughter relationships, grief, betrayal, complicated relationships with spouses, friends, sisters and kids, and the highlighting and of the often invisible work of homemakers. This was a story about friends supporting each other, heritage, black joy, personal growth, navigating some of the really difficult things in life and still finding a way to thrive. The romance was perfect too.

Kennedy Ryan does it again! Her storytelling has a way of getting you so emotionally involved in the story. I loved this deep dive into Soledad's life and the strong women around her. Highly recommend!

I enjoyed this story. It talks about the journey of starting over and going to therapy. Encourages self-care and prioritizing yourself.

I am honestly blown away by this book, I only wish that we saw a bit more Edward. Screw him, but also I would’ve loved a scene between him and Judah. Regardless this book has moved to my top ten for sure and I truly applaud Kennedy Ryan for such an amazing story