Soledad who’s life is what feels like to be on the right track when all of a sudden her world falls apart and that track is gone, you see so much of her resiliency watching her come into her own and I admired her immensely. Judah who is an adoring father and a man who loves hard and isn’t afraid to express how he feels and watching him be there for Soledad was nicely presented. There are so many layers to this story, and you could tell Kennedy wrote from a personal place when it came to this story. It was more than just a romance, it was an ode to unconditional love of the familial and romantic nature. The discussions/thoughts about the negative impact to the psyche was presented well as even though it is obvious to so many others the doubt that seeps into your pores is painful. Enjoyed the story as well as the presentation of the materials.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

AMAZING. ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. no unnecessary drama. Such a beautiful and sweet love story. We all need a Judah in our life. I highly recommend this book!

Absolutely adored this book. Kennedy Ryan so far can do no wrong.
In this story we follow Soledad, a woman with three kids in a very unhappy marriage. Catastrophe strikes her family and she ends up divorced and trying to provide for her children on her own after being a stay at home mom for 15 years. Not letting that get her down, she starts a journey of rediscovering herself and is able to not only provide for her girls but finds love in the process.
I loved this so much from the writing to the characters and the romance. Reading Soledad’s story was motivational. Even when life tears you down, so long as you continue to stand tall and keep trying things will go your way. I also really loved the autism representation. It felt like something she truly cared about getting right and you can tell.
If you haven’t read a book by Kennedy Ryan, you definitely need to.

Kennedy Ryan, the woman that you are. Before I Let Go is one of the best books I've read, and I was hoping This Could Be Us would live up to that. I'm so excited that it did live up to it. The emotional depth, intentional writing, and beautiful characterizations made this book come to life. Watching Soledad grow from book to book has been such a pleasure. Now I'm left sadly waiting, hoping that Hendrix will get her story told as soon as Kennedy can write it!

I miss them already :(

JUDAH IS THE MAN!!!! I love how he supported her from the sidelines.

I loved how soldad went on your healing journey. The storyline was amazing!!!

If I ever see Edward in public it's on site when I read the little plot twist I was shocked!!

I never read a book with characters who had autism and it was interesting to learn about

Such a phenomenal read. This book was a beautifully written masterpiece. Soledad finds her self blinded by a husband she thought she knew for half of her life. With three daughters to support and said husband out of the picture, she needs to figure out how to provide for them after giving everything up to be the perfect mom and wife. She dedicated all those years to work at home to be an excellent wife and mother. Now she’s about to lose everything because of her husband’s wrongdoings. She needs to get her life back for her and her daughters. She is attracted to the handsome forbidden husband’s co-worker determine to bring him down. But she needs to work on her self and how to feel worthy again. Judah is a single dad that has devoted his life to his children, and to make sure they are treated how they deserved, because they are uniquely amazing. While they fight their attraction, would they be able to make it work with everything against them? Only time will tell, but what a beautiful journey of finding your self worth and dating yourself. Like everything Kennedy does, this is another extraordinary story!!!

♾️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan (2024/04/28)
Rating 4.5/5 Stars
Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher (Forever) for providing me with an eGalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

☆ Emotional
☆Single Parents
☆ Slow Burn

This is the second book in the Skyland series and can be read as a standalone but read book 1 for maximum enjoyment. Kennedy Ryan's "This Could Be Us" presents a captivating story of resilience, self-discovery, and the complexities of love. Soledad Barnes, a meticulous planner accustomed to orchestrating her life, faces betrayal and upheaval when her marriage crumbles due to her husband's deceit. Left to support her daughters and rebuild her life, Soledad embarks on a journey of reinvention and self-love.

I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing Soledad's transformation as she learned to prioritize herself and navigate the challenges of single motherhood. While I appreciated the chemistry between Soledad and Judah, I felt that the focus on Soledad's personal growth overshadowed the development of their relationship, leaning more towards women's fiction than a balanced romance. I yearned for deeper interactions between the characters to fully explore their connection.

Despite this, I found myself drawn to Junah and his unwavering support for Soledad's journey. His patience and understanding were admirable, I loved seeing these characters meet and fall in love over time. I do wish that there was more exploration on Judah’s character growth and the dynamics of his relationship with Soledad. Additional I think scenes depicting Jonah and Soledad's direct interactions, rather than relying solely on social media, would have enriched their relationship development. Moreover, exploring the challenges of blending their families would have added depth to their journey. These aspects could have reinforced the narrative of their shared happily ever after, ensuring it felt like a collective journey rather than solely Soledad's.

In conclusion, "This Could Be Us" is a beautifully written tale of resilience and self-discovery, enriched by Ryan's evocative prose and vivid characterizations. While the romance may not take center stage, the exploration of themes such as betrayal and forgiveness offers a thought-provoking read.

TW: Embezzlement, Financial Debt, Death Of Loved one (past), Infidelity, Seizures, Cancer (mentions).

finally getting around to talking about this beautiful book!! ugh it really was just so heartwarming. i loved Soledad and her journey to self-love and discovering who she is/was without a man!!! I also loved the importance of learning herself, and choosing herself before she gave Jude the greenlight. Soledad really is that girl. this book was so much more than a romance and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did!

thank you to netgalley and the team at discover forever romance for giving me the opportunity to read this book 🩷

4.5**
I absolutely loved this book!! Kennady Ryan has become one of my favorite authors because of the way she writes and how heartbreaking her stories are. I loved solidads and judahs story and the self discovery journey they both went on before they ended up becoming a couple.

Soledad and Judah’s story was the emotional love story of my dreams. It was beautiful and heartwarming. Throughout the complex situation they found themselves in, they had so much understanding and care for each other.

Kennedy Ryan has once again written an incredible love story. She can incorporate heavy topics with such care for the issues and the characters who are dealing with them. When picking up this book, I was immediately immersed in the world that this series had built. I felt like I was actually there sitting in the kitchen with these characters throughout the book. Kennedy Ryan writes such powerful, empowered, thoughtful, and beautifully flawed humans. The female friendships in the Skyland series are so inspiring; I adore these three women. I also think that this series does a great job of showing different types of parent/child relationship growth.

I thought Kennedy Ryan handled the topic of autism so well, and she described what it’s like to care for someone with autism so eloquently.
Loved her authors note. ♥️

Thank you Kennedy Ryan, Forever, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After Soledad and her daughters’ worlds implode behind her husband’s deceit and betrayal, Soledad is left to pick up the pieces of their lives and forge forward. The odds were stacked against her, but she was determined not to let her girls down or herself. And somewhere along the way not only did she find her way, she found new love in herself first and with the forbidden fruit of Judah.

If you’re looking for a frilly or super spicy romance, you won’t find this here. This book is a wholesome life story of learning to fall in love with yourself, loving and appreciating your past to build your future, loving those around in family and friends who support you, and learning to love again with your eyes wide open. Soledad’s journey of self-discovery was as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. But ultimately necessary to get to the wholeness and happiness she deserved. Chapter 41 will forever be one of the most stellar pieces of literature I’ve read.

Judah was a dream, and the way he stood in the gap for Soledad had me rooting for them before they even embraced the possibility of being together. Judah was the exact opposite of the ex-husband who shall not be named, and he was born to love Soledad. And the steam between was a Chef’s kiss.

Mostly, the themes of divorce, life after divorce, sisterhood, friendships, love anew, and blended families were delicately and intricately weaved to deliver a powerhouse read and a road map for readers to learn to be happy now.

I had really high hopes for this book since Before I Let Go was a 5 star read for me & I absolutely loved this book. I love the friendship that the trio has and the way they are there for each other through everything.

The love that Soledad expresses for her children is so admirable!

Kennedy Ryan kills it AGAIN!

Of course she follows up my top read from 2023 with this gem. Was there any doubt that she wouldn’t continue to give us life through this series. I love the way she shows all the emotions that moms and wives go through.

FIVE REMARKABLE STARS!!!

So happy to have received an advanced readers copy of this new release for March 2024! This book was SO raw + gritty. I adore KR’s writing and this book didn’t fall short of my expectations. I saw so much of myself in Soledad and loved watching her journey + we have a total cinnamon roll of an MC. Add the fact that they are both parents with children… cherry on top. HIGHLY SUGGEST picking this one up. 💕

I loved this book so much. Kennedy Ryan creates such beautiful stories with so much complexity. Soledad was so strong and fun to learn about. I loved reading her story and how she became more herself. Jonah was also such a good character and I loved his voice. Their families were so complex and real. I loved everything. Such a good book and everyone should read it.

Kennedy Ryan is an amazing writer and I can’t wait to read more.

*thank you forever and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

kennedy ryan had done it again. i was so excited when i learned soledad’s story was next and man she didn’t disappoint!! i really enjoyed the emphasis on strong friendships and it was nice to have neurodivergent representation in a main character as well. this isn’t your typical silly little romance, it feels more like romance in the real world.

This Could Be Us is a book that I think a lot of people are going to find tilts too far into the literary fiction side of things and they're going to argue about whether it's a romance. So in light of that, I want to be pretty clear about the plot of this book and why I think this book IS a romance so you can hopefully be equipped to pick up this book when you're not only ready for the content, but also, when you're in a place to appreciate what this book is doing.

Essentially This Could Be Us is about Soledad and her journey after making the realization that her husband is an asshole and, also, he maybe committed a pretty for real white collar crime leaving Soledad and her girls in the lurch. And Julian has his own storyline, though his life is much more stable when he and Soledad meet. So he's sort of waiting for her to be in a better place for much of this novel. But like when KR wrote Long Shot, it's clear from the get go who the love interest in this book is and getting Soledad to the point that she's ready for something new with someone manages to keep the romance central to the story, in my opinion. HOWEVER, if you are not interested in reading a book wherein the love interests are not on page together for a good portion of the book, don't pick it up. If you're not interested in a deep personal journey for a heroine, this is not the book for you. (This is not a judgment!! I support you finding the right book for you!!)

If, however, those things I just mentioned are actually things that bring you joy or at least intrigue you, let's talk about why This Could Be Us is a master class at what it does. Soledad has three children and Judah has two. Soledad has two really good friends and two sisters. Judah has an ex-wife that he still co-parents really well with. The side characters in this book (and there are more than just those key characters) are so well developed and Kennedy Ryan creates such a real world cast of characters that it truly feels like you should be able to walk the streets of Atlanta and meet them. Her characters are, and always have been, one of my absolute favorite parts of reading her books and this was certainly not an exception.

Also, when Ryan is writing the specific romance scenes and the sexy times section of this book, the romance just... I can't even explain how well I feel like it comes alive. This book really takes an attraction at first sight and builds up the intrigue, the conflict, and the appeal throughout so well that when everything explodes into sexual tension and romantic tension, you're hooked. I could have spent way more time with Soledad and Judah in this book, honestly. I'm already so excited for the final book in this trilogy!

I’m so happy we got Soledad’s story as a follow up to Yasmin’s! I loved the writing and story line of this book. Also loved how a big theme of this story was self love—from both Soledad and Judah. Autism rep, found family, and strong female friendships are all represented! Highly recommend reading this book.

I loved this book, and Kennedy Ryan did not disappoint! I am looking for all her books! This one I loved the characters and the story line! Must put this on your TBR. I would definitely recommend this book to my family and friends.

The family dynamics and the healthy glimpses into what co-parenting looks like is a common thread in the Skyland Series.
We saw it in Before I Let Go but it was elevated in This Could be Us by Judah and his ex-wife's dynamic. Their devotion to maintaining a healthy and stable lifestyle for their twins was beautiful to see. I am so grateful to learn from and uplift this story that showcases what life with a child/children with autism can be like. (the experience is not a monolith). Seeing the varying levels between the twins and the way their needs differ was so eye opening. Kennedy really poured her heart and quite possibly her experience into this. I also appreciated her fleshing out the varying impacts having an incarcerated parent impacts Soledad's children and how age and awareness plays a factor.