"But there's nothing for him to save me from, because I've saved myself. He doesn't have to awaken me with a kiss. I'm wide awake, reborn, rebirthed through my own fire and pain and work and wisdom.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Book: This Could Be Us
Author: Kennedy Ryan

This was a STUNNING story. A beautiful love story, but also a love letter to women everywhere. I felt so many emotions while reading; pain, heartache, warmth, giddiness, the urge to sucker punch a certain character (iykyk).

Soledad is now one of my all time favourite FMCs, I connected to her so deeply through her struggles and I feel that everyone knows a women just like her she is the epitome of a strong woman. I will think about her often. 🥹

This will definitely get a reread in the future.

Read if you enjoy:
🩵 Friends to lovers
🩵 Dual POV
🩵 Strong women
🩵 Emotional love stories
🩵 Single mum
🩵 Autism rep
🩵 Pining

(Thank you so much to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻)

🩵

She's an icon, she's a legend, she's Kennedy Ryan.
Absolutely love this book.
As with book one in this series, this book really showed the power of female friendships beautifully.
Soledad finding herself after her useless husband was was amazing, a really great FMC. Judah (the man who reported her husband to the police lol) was a great mmc too.
Really obsessed with this series and can't wait to read book three, love reading about mature characters too.

I absolutely loved this book! I heard some negative reviews about it and was so glad I ignored them. I think if you are expecting the same as Before I Let Go, then this will be disappointing for you, however if you come into it understanding this is a separate book for a separate character that follows her journey after a huge betrayal then you will love it as much as I did. I adored Judah and his chapter's and thought the autism representation was well done, especially for someone who knows the every day experience of having loved ones with autism. It was very well written. I can't recommend enough and look forward to the next in the series. Thank you for the opportunity to read.

*3.5 stars*

This Could Be Us had me gripped from page 1 and then it all slowed down... I wanted to love this book as much as Before I let go which really hit me in the feels. And this one did... at first, but then it really slowed down in the middle, but then I loved the ending again.

I thought the conflict would focus around how Soledad's kids came to terms with her relationship with Judah and then also the whole situation with Edward, but both seemed a bit rushed and it felt that the main focus was Soledad's journey with herself which in itself is a good thing, but it could have been a bit more balanced.

I think there was good autism representation in this book and I could really feel like I could relate to how Judah was feeling as a parent, even though I have never experienced this myself. Also, never though I would think of a forensic accountant as hot, but then there is Judah Cross so....

Read this book if you are looking for:
* Second chance romance
* Slow burn
* Good Autism representation
* Single dad
* He falls first

Overall I enjoyed this book, but did not love it as much as Before I let go. This book, like everything by Kennedy Ryan, was beautifully written. Great representation. I look forward to see how Kennedy further expands on the Skyland series.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This romance novel was equal parts love story and self-love story. It followed Soledad as she tries to salvage her life after her husband Edward completely imploded it. The mystery as to what Edward did was compelling. His crimes seemed to get worse with each turn of the page.

I was cheering Soledad on on her journey to self-sufficiency. Luckily, she had the unwavering support of her amazing friends and sisters. She was finally independent, yet never alone. Soledad was able to build up her own personal brand on social media and establish herself as an influencer. I wasn’t the biggest fan of this career decision as it felt like an unrealistically easy answer to her problems (and in truth, a bit cringey). Still, I was happy that she found a way to provide for her family that suited her.

While Soledad was setting herself up, romance rightfully took a back seat. She had enough on her plate to deal with. However, Judah was always there, just waiting for her to give him the all clear. Judah was such an idealistic love interest – he was almost too perfect. He was kind, thoughtful, patient and utterly obsessed with Soledad. Judah was even a wonderful dad to his two autistic sons. I appreciated the glimpse into what it’s like to care for loved ones with autism. It was handled with empathy and provided insight in a natural way. Judah looked after his sons with his surprisingly easy-going ex-wife. Their co-parenting setup was truly aspirational. Judah’s compassionate parenting style emphasised how good of a man he was, so I was rooting for the chemistry between him and Soledad to manifest into an official relationship. Soledad’s persistence to ‘self-date’ did start to get annoying. There were definitely some passages on self-love that felt too preachy, but I didn’t mind it too much because it helped Soledad on her path to healing. The ending was a tad sappy, but still very satisfying.

🗣💬: “When are we ever done working on ourselves? I believe wholeness is not a destination but a lifetime process. Some thing that instead of waiting for, you could be living for ”

👩🏾‍🏫 𝔾𝔼ℕℝ𝔼:
Romance

📄 ℙ𝔸𝔾𝔼 ℂ𝕆𝕌ℕ𝕋: 416

🎡 𝕋ℍ𝔼𝕄𝔼𝕊:
Betrayal / Family / Autism / Financial Fraud

✍️ ℙ𝕃𝕆𝕋:
Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion

💭 𝕍𝕀𝔹𝔼𝕊:
SEXY - INSPIRING - INFORMATIVE - SENSUAL - REFLECTIVE - LOVELY - EXCITING

💟 𝔽𝔼𝔼𝕃𝕊:
Talk about not beating around the bush (pun intended ...)
I LOVE how Ryan can fill 400 pages without waffling or putting in random filler chapters that aren't necessary.
Instead, every word of this book was focused, had purpose and drove the story in a fast paced, satisfying way.
The story is heartfelt and warming and talks so openly about the many different facets of just being an adult that we all struggle with.
It is a great reminder to go for the life you want rather than sitting back and letting life happen to you like you're on the dock of the bay.
There was such an earnestness to both narrative voices and once again I am struck by how wonderfully she writes the male POV.
This book was the reminder I needed that it is never too late to start over or to explore a new dream because life isn't just one thing, it starts over every single day and we are in it for a long bloody time, so we had better make it count!

What an inspiring read.

Beautiful book. I loved the first book in the series and I just knew this one would also be great. Amazing read. Kennedy Ryan you have done it again

Kennedy does it again. Beautiful written, a story with telling and it is told so well.

My only niggle is this did feel more like contemporary fiction that contains romance rather than being a romance as I’m normally used to.

Before I Let go was one of my favourite romances and I’m pleased to say This Could Be Us was just as enjoyable.
I loved being back with these characters and felt the development of both Soledad and Judah individually and as a couple was well done given their complex story. I loved the slow burn romance but also the importance of Soledad’s individual journey to independence and the importance of both characters family dynamics.
I really love Kennedy Ryan’s writing and am really looking forward to reading whatever she publishes next. Will definitely be checking out more of her backlist as well.

The tension between Judah and Soledad was electric but my favourite thing was Soledad’s solo journey, her falling in love with herself and realising her own strength and resilience. So many gorgeous moments that I know will resonate with a lot of people about finding the people who bring support and love and finding the things that spark happiness. I loved seeing them both realise that they didn’t have to put their children’s needs before their own to show their love. A truly gorgeous book about so many different types of love; self, platonic, familial and romantic.

Before I let Go Was my favorite romance published in 2022, it was also the first book I read by Kennedy Ryan. To say I was impressed with her it would be an understatement, she wrote everything I was missing in the genre: a story about about real life, family, healing, forgiveness and second chances. A story of adults that think about their life, the decisions they make, and the consequences that those decisions have for them and others.

In summary, I became a fan of Kennedy Ryan, and when I saw This Could be Us was being published, I couldn't pass on the opportunity to read it. Particularly, being Soledad's story, a character that I already admired from the first book.

What a wonderful story this was! It's again very raw, feels very real, and it's filled with important messages we tend to forget: how we can always start again, how we should value ourselves and be confident, and most importantly, how we need to learn and be comfortable alone, finding our own balance, prior to sharing a life with others.

I loved both characters, admire their strength and how they valued and prioritized their families. I'm also more than half in love with Judah!

<i>I would like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK, Piatkus and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review</i>

"Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving." —bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions

"This Could Be Us" book review

Soledad has arrived at a crossroads in her life, especially in respect of her marriage. She desires to feel like a woman, to feel alive in her marriage, but with her husband calling the name of his assistant in his sleep, Soledad's security within their marriage is hanging by a thread. When devastation hits Soledads family, she has no choice but to rebuild their life from the ground up.

⚠️: This is not a romance novel. Please do not allow this to skewer your enjoyment of 'This Could Be Us'. Nor should you judge this book off of the merits of its predecessor. Soledad's story is a far cry from Yasmen's in BILG, but it is a story that is just as important.

As a champion of #MeMoments & #solodates, the inclusion of Soledad's self-love journey really struck a chord with me.  The joy that I have found in these solitary moments are nothing short of beautiful & Kennedy captured this journey so wonderfully.

After reading books such as The List; The Hive; Influential etc. It was refreshing to read a positive exploration of the use of Social media in this novel.

Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed reading was Kennedy's approach to Autism. Whilst this is not a main feature of the story, you can feel the personal experiences of Kennedy seeping into the pages of Judah's story. I will say that I do wish that Judah's experience of fatherhood felt a bit light in contrast to Soledad's but I did appreciate him all the same.

I enjoyed This Could Be Us, it was a novel that made me feel seen as a woman & a mother. There will be many differing opinions on this book, but make your own mind up 💖

This is a novel for; those who have lost themselves along the way; those who bruised their hearts whilst masssging the hearts & ego's of others; the mother's whose love knows no bounds; the women who are rebuilding the pieces of their life one step at a time.

"Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking sacrificing everything is the greatest measure of our love."

Oh and Edward, it's onsite 🥊

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Is This Could Be Us on your TBR? 💖

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the advance reader copy.

This is my first time reading one of Ryan’s books and I can say I’ll be reading a lot more.

This was a beautifully written romance that wasn’t rushed or just about sex.

The main characters Sol and Judah are complex characters with an amazing selection of side characters who add a lot to the story.

I’m excited to read the first in the series and also for what’s to come.

And Kennedy Ryan did it again. Before I let go was one of my favourite reads of last year and I couldn’t wait to read this when I found out. I enjoyed this even more than the first. The autistic rep, the female friendships and I especially loved how this book focused on Soledad finding herself.

I absolutely loved this book! I literally couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until 2:30 am just so that I could finish this book. I read it in one sitting and do not regret anything. This book had me hooked from the beginning - I literally gasped at the end of chapter 2 because I didn’t think that’s how it would go down. I loved the dynamic between Judah and his sons as well as Soledad and her daughters and when they all came together at the end, it was simply beautiful. There is gorgeously done autism rep which I know is something dear to Ryan personally. It was a beautiful emotional story that kept you hooked throughout. I highly highly recommend this.

now THIS is a romance novel, it’s adult and complex and the characters don’t just revolve around insta love and sex. I am a straight woman and wanted Soledad so I *got* it. I’ll be reading so much more Kennedy Ryan after this

I loved this just as much as the first in the series! Soledad is an amazing character and as I followed her journey the emotional up and downs were everything. The amount of research that went into this book was obvious, the boy’s characters were really well written. Kennedy Ryan is fast becoming a favourite author and I’m so excited for Hendrix’s instalment!


Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What a poignant story.
Kennedy Ryan always tackles themes in her novels that I don't see anywhere else. She has unique plots and a brilliant way of portraying reality.

I really like the fact that she writes about very mature characters, the fact that they are 40 years old, gives a real depth to the story and a real coherence to the narrative.

I was deeply touched by Soledad's story. Watching this courageous woman witness the collapse of her life, only to rise again stronger, more serene and more “herself”. This story is as much a struggle to get back on our feet when we've been made to hit rock bottom, as it is a struggle to love ourselves, to find ourselves and to choose ourselves.

The messages implied in this book, as in all the author's others, are so topical. Loving yourself before loving others, putting yourself first. Being able to stand alone before sharing your equilibrium with someone. It's full of hope and honesty. It's the kind of story that does your heart good. From which you can draw advice for your real life.

And Judah. What a man you are. The way you co-parent with Tremaine for your two sons. The way you never pressed Soledad for anything because you knew. You knew that she needed herself more than she needed you. That she needed to choose herself in order to choose you.

I LOVED this first book in this searies so I’ve been eagerly awaiting this one and it didn’t disappoint.

Once again, Kennedy Ryan has written a beautiful story of resilience, a story about starting over, getting your confidence back and finding love along the way. This is a book that will inevitably pull you in from the very first chapters and take you on a rollercoaster of feelings. I loved it and can’t recommend it enough!

Sol was such a badass! I’m obsessed with her😍 After being betrayed by her husband and seeing her life be turned upside down, she didn’t hesitate and immediately started working on building it back up and, perhaps more importantly, build herself and her confidence back up and made them better than ever. Her love for her daughters and her relationship with them was beautiful and same goes for her friends. I love how honest and genuinely good she was, always helping those who needed and being there for them, even when her situation was far from ideal.

And Judah, oh my god what an amazing man! From his relationship with his kids and ex wife to the way he cared for and loved Sol, always giving her space and trying his best not to pressure her into doing anything she wasn’t ready for - he was just a walking green flag, honestly. I’m in love🥺

I absolutely loved this book. Having said that, I will add that I wouldn’t say this is a romance. While that doesn’t make it any worse and I had the best time reading it, though romance is definitely a part of it and it is amazing, it seems this book would fit more into the women’s fiction section.

A big thank you to Piatkus and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first 30% of this it was drama filled and kept me interested. Then we move forward in time and everything gets boring.

There was an issue with her daughter that was all of a sudden resolved without explanation or a journey as to how it was resolved.

Autism was overly used and mentioned. Great representation but the particulars of the kids I don’t think needed to be mentioned, it felt cringy. I would have liked more of a focus as to how Judah dealt with it and felt about it, as a parent.

I liked the parts with Edward it was good and drama filled. The rest felt flat and boring.

I liked Soledad wanting to be on her own and independent after a shitty marriage and finding out her husband was a criminal and a cheat. I could relate to that but didn’t make sense then that she doesn’t uphold those standards and gets with Judah. Made no sense to her character that we’ve been led to believe.

I think this book would definitely appeal to people but I just think they’re a little too boring for me. I need drama and high stakes and strong characters and this just felt very generic and cliche.

There was one beautiful quote in this that I loved. “I’ve come to realize that a woman who wants more and realizes she deserves it is a dangerous thing.”

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.