I had a really hard time putting this book down once I started. Although this is technically a romance, it had so much more depth.

This is a story about a couple, a family, finding their way after loss and grief broke them apart. Our two main characters, Yasmin and Josiah, are learning to find joy again after their heartbreaking divorce just 2 years earlier. Through co-parenting, running a business together, friendship, and therapy they begin to heal from the events of the past couple years and even start seeing things from each other’s perspective.

I loved the way mental health and therapy played such a big part and was normalized in this novel. And Kennedy Ryan’s writing made me feel like I was right there with the characters. I also really liked the alternation between the point of view of Yasmen and Josiah, so we got both sides of the story equally.

If you’re looking for a romance with some spice, but more depth than your average read, I would highly recommend this luminous novel.


CW: child death, stillbirth, grief, divorce, death of a parent, suicidal ideation, pregnancy, sexual content

Did not get a chance to read this novel possible in the future. I have read her book holiday swing which was quite comically and sweet.

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

Before I Let Go gets raw, deep and dirty. In every way. While it’s marketed as a second chance romance, which it technically is, I’d give it more than a romance and say its a fiction novel at it’s core - dealing with immense grief, loss, depression, and divorce. In saying that, it is also incredibly steamy, with the characters exploding on the page with passion and chemistry.

This book explores grief and how if affects us all in different ways. How the same traumatic event that happens to two people can handle it and be affected so differently. The dual POV of this one really made the book as we were able to properly experience both sides and characters. It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful and these characters will live with me for a long time.

This book is my favorite Kennedy Ryan book. The vulnerability of grief and mental health was so important and needs to be seen more in fiction. I'm also a sucker for second chances and this book is the manual to how to write them correctly. I'm excited to see how this series continue and thank you Mrs. Ryan for giving us this treasure.

Amazing,beautifully written story of heart break,healing. This book was poetic lyricism at its finest. The writing made me pine to be loved and wanted like these characters wanted each other. A five star read for sure

Kennedy Ryan is amazing and weaving stories of beauty, emotions, and wonder. Her talent is in full force with this gem of a novel.

As usual, Kennedy Ryan does not miss. This was heartbreaking, beautiful, and compulsively readable. I loved the mental health and therapy rep. This second chance romance was perfect in every way.

[Absolutely LOVED it] The writing was phenomenal. The author’s storytelling skills got me completely immersed in these characters lives. And the characters were also fantastic, very well developed. I could 100% see this as a TV series I would be obsessed with. I loved the dual POV and the heavy / emotional topics being highlighted in this book. I cried, I laughed and I blushed (the steam in this book was HOT). The ending was perfect. I loved everything about this book and already planning on re-reading it soon. It was my favourite read of January and it’s sure to make my most loved books of 2023! Highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

A new addition to my favourites ever list - and you will be sure to see this in my top reads of the year.

This has EVERYTHING I love in a book and especially in a romance. My favourite types of characters - flawed, yet realistic. You truly get to know both of these characters, Josiah and Yasmen, SO well with the dual POV. Their family and friends are also fully developed and loveable.

This was such a unique second chance romance - a divorced couple, who went through a truly traumatic time and are slowly realizing they might not be actually done with each other.

Not only is this an extremely emotional book (I sobbed more than once), it is also SO steamy. Spicy in such a passionate way- wow.

I put off reading the last 100 pages of this book because I was not ready to be done with these characters. I already miss them and I will surely be rereading this in the future. Si and Yas will have my heart forever.















⚠️content warnings: stillbirth, miscarriage, grief, depression, divorce, suicidal thoughts, death of a parent/close family member

Gorgeous and heartbreaking story of grief and second chances. Yasmen and Josiah have been divorced now for two years after a time of immense loss. They co-parent and co-own their restaurant successfully, but can they move on from their past together?
I loved this book so much! Kennedy’s storytelling was masterful. I see it’s going to be a series and I’m so excited to see what happens in the Skyland universe next.
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central) Publishing for the advanced reading copy via Netgalley, receipt of which did not impact my review.

Kennedy Ryan is a brilliant author. I was already a huge fan of her work and Before I Let Go is no different. Her writing pulls you in and does not let go. There is an intensity you cannot look away from and takes total hold of your heart. The chemistry is off the charts and I could not help but to feel for Yasmen and Josiah.

Prepare to be torn apart, mended, blush and fall in love with Before I Let Go.

Also go read all her books, they are amazing!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ARC. Thoughts, feelings and fangirling are all my own!

listen, i’ll read anything from kennedy ryan & it’s because her story telling is SO SUPERIOR . i also have this love love relationship with marriages in crisis. maybe because i’m married ??? i don’t know. this book was perfect.

I love a good second-chance romance and this definitely falls into that category. It’s also a romance that delves pretty deep into mental health and dealing with grief in a raw and realistic way. I did struggle a bit through the middle, it felt like it dragged and I’m not a huge fan of the main characters being with someone else on page, but overall it was a pretty good read, and one I’d recommend other second chance romance fans pick up.

This book broke my heart and put it back togther again. Kennedy Ryan was already on my list of authors to read from but she's instantly become an insta-buy author of mine.

Trope: Second chance/ marriage in crisis

💔 I must be honest here. There is nothing I can say in this review that will do this book justice. This is hands down one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

💔 This book is an exploration of grief, mental health, marriage, divorce, love, family, friends, and more. So many topics are painful to read about, yet the book is written so incredibly well that you become engrossed in the lives of the Wade family to the point that you start to experience all their emotions right along with them.

💔 The focus on mental health and particularly how everyone grieves a loss differently (and no way is wrong!) was phenomenal. The therapy sessions the characters went to felt so real and informative.

💔 One of the main things I appreciated in this story was that even though Josiah and Yasmen were divorced, they were still communicating with each other, albeit often as bickering and fighting. But they were learning to communicate with each other better as they learned more about themselves through therapy. The introspection was one of the most compelling parts of this story for me.

💔 I really do feel like I am rambling here. I’m just going to stop and say that this book was extraordinary. It is raw, vulnerable, painful… and yet incredibly heartfelt and uplifting. You must read this book.

Thank you @netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This book was so amazing! This overall story exceed my expectations. I loved how this was a second chance romance that really explored the many topics revolving around marriage. The character development was top tier I can't wait to read more books by Kennedy Ryan.

Book: Before I Let Go 
Rating: 5/5
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Genre: Romance
Pages: 376
Tropes: Second Chance Romance, Divorced Couple, Co-Partnering, Forced Proximity, Foodie
Warnings: Depression, Grief, Still Born
Readability: 4/5 italic font is used
First Line: "Do people remember the exact moment they fall in love?"

Things to expect:
Laughing/Crying
Only one Bed
Marriage Reconciliation 
BIPOC Rep
Trauma 

After a devasting blow, Yasemen and Joiash called it quits on a love they thought would last forever. They figured out that love alone can't save everything, including their marriage. Co-parenting their kids and still owning their restaurant together, Yasemen wasn't prepared for how her life would fall apart. Even though it seems like Joiash has moved on, they are still drawn back to each other. One stolen kiss leads to another, and you are thrown into the whirlwind of Kennedy Ryan. Is it too late for them, or will they be even better with a second chance?

The book started out with italics, so I knew it would start with a bang... The emotional rollercoaster this took me on will haunt my dreams for years to come. I knew Kennedy Ryan was one of the best romance writers out there, but I was still unprepared for it. This book has many well-written representations and pulls at your heartstrings. One second, you will be laughing, and the next, you will be in full-on tears, and you won't be able to control it. I do feel like the trigger warning of this one is so important, and it is very heavy-handed but done so beautifully. I will read anything Kennedy Ryan comes up with, and I can't wait to see what she has in store next. 

Thanks to Forever & Kennedy Ryan for the advance reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Exceptional writing, the author captured the essence of what this couple was experiencing so beautifully. The characters were well thought out and I was rooting for them to reconcile the entire book. Such a good read and completely kept my attention.

We all know the safety message of put on your own oxygen mask before helping others and that’s what this book reminds me of. Yazmin is a powerful hero and watching her make decisions to save herself will stay with you long after you finish reading. This should be on every reading list.

Kennedy Ryan has a way of writing main characters and their conflict like no other. From the first chapter I was pulled into the relationship of Yasmen and Josiah, how they currently coexist as parents, co-owners and a divorced couple. Each chapter gets you closer to knowing the turmoil that brought them where they are today and where exactly they go from here. Harsh words are said, actions that can't be reversed. Real talk about mental health and loss of life. Also not giving up on wanting love and how to repair yourself so you can be able to surrender to love.