I am not vibing with it.
The whole situation makes me veryyy uncomfortable.
And I think I am just not a fan of Ryan's storytelling style? I have read a few of her books, and my experience with them are below average.
I see all the love this series is getting though, and I appreciate that! It's just not for me unfortunately.
Dnf.

After reading the first book i was excited to be able to review this book! I loved Soledad and how the story showed her trying to find her feet again And the difficulties she faced after her marriage breakdown.and eventually finding love with Judah. I felt so many emotions through the book and could not put it down!.


I can't wait to read more Kennedy Ryan.🥰

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'This Could Be Us' by Kennedy Ryan.

'This Could Be Us' follows a lovely woman named Soledad who is just trying to get through life the way she plans, of course life refuses to go said way. It's kind of a "good girl meets forbidden bad boy" book when Soledad meets Judah. Judah is your average loved romantic interest, he's kind to Soledad and her children and he's just a respectful man!!
This book is more than just a romance to the extent I wouldn't even count it as a romance. It has themes of family, strength, friendship, healing, identity.

The more I read romance books by Kennedy Ryan, the more I'm convinced she can't write a bad book because this was so good!

I loved Before I Let Go and so I was over the moon when I received the e-ARC of the "sequel". I really loved Soledad's journey of finding "love" in herself and of course, in Judah. One thing about Kennedy Ryan's books that I always have appreciated is the way that although the romance is a big part of the story, she always manages to write such a strong and well developed main characters and subplots and you can clearly tell from the way she wrote Soledad's and Judah's character. Another thing I loved is how she always has something she wanted to explore in her books other than the romance - in this case, I really appreciated Adam's and Aaron's story and how the topic of their autism was brought up and handled really well. It's always so enjoyable reading her books because you'll definitely swoon for the romance but at the same time, will always learn something from the subplots and the characters.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me of an ARC of This Could Be Us! I'm so excited to read Hendrix's story next year<3

This book really blew me away. I loved Soledad and her resilience throughout this whole read. As a mother of 4 kids I really related to her fierce protection of her daughters and it was so nice to read about an older FMC than the usual college age romances. I related to her a lot and laughed and cried through this book. The story with Josiah brought the ready on such a journey and I was crying tears of happiness by the end. Thank you Kennedy for this beautiful book.

I've been so eager to continue with the Skyland series after really enjoying the first book Before I Let Go and luckily got the chance to read this via NetGalley.
I really wanted to see how Soledad's story would turn out after book 1 and I will admit it took me a while to get into this book at the beginning. I just really disliked Edward so much, as intended, that it was actually difficult to read how he treated Sol. Then in walks Judah. What an incredible man he is. He was such a wonderful love interest. As much as I loved the character development in the previous book, in This Could Be Us it was done to absolute perfection. This is where Kennedy Ryan really shines.
I loved the side characters, everyone was so well developed. The narration and plot were so great and intriguing, full of drama, it just worked so well. There is also some really great representation throughout the book in so many different ways, it is so well written and handled with care by the author.
Now I'm eagerly anticipating Hendrix's story and am counting down the days until 2025. If you enjoyed Before I Let Go, This Could Be Us is definitely not one to miss.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Kennedy Ryan for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Review posted to Goodreads on 25th February 2024. Review to be posted on Amazon, and post to be made on Instagram on publication date.

I love Kennedy Ryan’s writing! I have enjoyed many of her books and this one is no exception. This book focuses on one of Yasmen’s friends, Soledad, who made an appearance in ‘Before I Let Go’. Soledad has gotten used to being in an unfulfilling marriage but disaster strikes and she has to make significant changes to her life for the stake of her children.

This book was mainly about Soledad’s journey to healing and standing on her own two feet, following the disastrous fallout that led to her marriage ending. It was a story about Soledad rediscovering her self-worth, learning to love herself and the healing power of a found family to get you through rough times.

Things I loved about this book:
- Soledad is portrayed as a strong character who lost herself along the way but is fighting hard to be independent and get her self-worth back.
- Kennedy always writes about difficult issues and this book is no different. The portrayal of healthy co-parenting following a divorce and parenting in general was amazing
- The representation of autism and some of the challenges parents of autistic children face.
- The representation of a sisterhood of strong Black women who support Soledad on her journey.
- The portrayal of Judah as a wonderful three-dimensional character; an attentive father, great co-parent and a man who is head over heels for Soledad.

The plot was set up so beautifully in the beginning of this book. The relationships were messy and I could see all the tension that was screaming to be resolved and was excited to read it. The story slowed down about 30% in and focused mainly on Soledad. The relationship between Soledad and Judah did not take up as many pages as I expected, so I would have liked to see more of that. I also would have liked to see more on how Soledad and Inez repaired their relationship in the end.

Overall, this was a really good read; highly recommend. Kennedy Ryan does not disappoint as usual. I am looking forward to returning to Skyland for Hendrix’s story next year!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

I love love love Kennedy Ryan. I was so shocked when I read we were getting a book for Soledad next and I’m delighted it was her turn.

God this whole book is an emotional journey. After Soledad’s husband puts her in a tricky situation, you see her rise to her full potential. To know that she can survive without her husband and support herself and her children on her own. It was so beautiful to see the journey of self discovery she embarks on by ‘dating herself’. The clawback of independence is inspirational.

AND JUDAH! What a dream of a man! An amazing, thoughtless father who puts his children first. This is a rarity to see and I ate IT UP! Honestly, the patience this man displays was refreshing. He let Soledad do what she needed to do with no pressure. God I wish he was real. I’d take him, for real.

And we get Hendrix’s story next spring SIGN. ME. UP.

A beautiful, emotional story that is a breath of fresh air.

We follow our main character Sol through her story of divorce, finding financial independence, rediscovery, and finally allowing herself to feel love with the beautiful Judah. This book covers the story in such a REAL way showing her healing and learning to trust herself again. Her journey is empowering and I just ate it up!

It was great to see a sequel that you don’t need to have read the first book in order to appreciate the story. An easy read that you can just dive into.

I loved the romance and representation this book provided, on so many levels. Sol is such a likeable character and seeing her relationship with her daughters as she navigates solo-parenting is inspiring. Her modern day ‘girl power’ era and we as readers root for her throughout as she learns she does deserve love again.

and Judah. Judah sets a new bar for a love interest, he is patient, understanding and hot as hell.

4.5 stars for me, it was beautiful story that I will be talking about for a while. But I don't think it will be a book I come back to time and time again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This one's for those who love emotional love stories.
- The women are strong and independent and know how to survive against odds. It was very inspiring to read. And the way they find success seemed plausible. The women are powerful in this story.
- Soledad's husband is arrested on embezzlement charges. Her bank accounts are frozen and she has to care for her three children. The man who found out about her husband's fraud and reported it, Judah Cross, is a handsome, divorced father. He seems to grow a soft corner for Soledad.
- There's healthy co-parenting between Judas Cross and his ex-wife. They newly formed family really know how to make things work. Their twin sons who are autistic on different levels of the spectrum—Rep done well. There are also some passages on why a relationship might not work and how to move away in a healthy manner.
- Soledad is Afro-Latina. Rep done well.
- Judah and Soledad have good chemistry between them.

- The book starts off very intense and then mellows down. It is quite emotional.
- Kennedy Ryan explores so many other HEAVY themes, which kind of takes away from the romance. at the centre of the story. I would've loved to see more of how the relationship between Judah and Soledad developed. And I would've loved to see more of their chemistry.

I loved Soledad from Before I Let Go, but reading This Could Be Us I loved her even more. And, Judah… HOLY 🔥🔥🔥WHAT A MAN. Not only did Sol and Judah have insane chemistry and a beautiful love story that gave me all the feels, but Soledad’s story was a beautiful portrayal of resilience, power and loving yourself. Every child deserves the kind of love that Sol and Judah had for their kids (respectively) and seeing the two families blending at the end was amazing. Plus, the sisterly love between Soledad and her sisters (huge fan of the Boricua High Council!), Judah and his ex-wife Tremaine was just lovely to read. Soledad’s journey of self-love, of coming into herself and her power and learning to love herself and feel empowered was the ultimate feminist masterpiece. I was rooting for her the entire time! This Could Be Us has it all - female friendships, family and an all-consuming, beautiful love story with some utterly delicious spice. It comes out March 5 and is a must-read!

✨4.5 stars✨
- First Kennedy Ryan book and I loved it!
- Fully engrossed in the story from the first page. I felt connected to all of the characters and flew through the book.
- The cover is stunning
- Soledad and Judah were amazing together but also as individual characters.
- The kids: Lupe, Inez, Lottie, Adam and Aaron… I love a good blended family!
- The female friendship was also my favourite.
- Story of how it’s never too late to make the changes in your life and start living for yourself.
- Overall I would 100% recommend this book and I will definitely be going and getting the first book in this connected stand-alone series (didn’t realise in the beginning but cannot wait to read it now!!)😍

I received an ARC for this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kennedy, girl! What are you doing to me?! How do you write such poignant, beautiful, heartfelt romances?

This story hooks you in from the very first page and then you're on this ride right up until the end. I basically finished this in one sitting and could not put this down.

Judah?! Good golly, book boyfriend of the year! The scene with Judah and Aaron in the gaming store brought me to instant tears. I could feel his unconditional love for his boys and it was so beautiful to read. I loved seeing Soledad's journey and how Kennedy took the role of housewife (a role, a job that has been ignored for decades due to society's views) and turned it into a vocation of love and pride.

I'll just be here, slow clapping away.

‘This Could Be Us’ by Kennedy Ryan is the sequel to ‘Before I Let Go’, in which we return to Skyland, Atlanta. This novel focuses on Soledad, one of Yasemen’s two best friends who has gotten used to being in an unfulfilling marriage with an ungrateful and arrogant man for the sake of her three daughters. The other narrator in this duel POV book is Judah, an accountant navigating co-parenting his two autistic sons with his ex-wife.

When Soledad’s husband Edward is accused of financial crime, the home and life she worked so hard to create for her family is at risk of coming crashing down. When she finds out he was also cheating on her she is determined to prove to herself and the world that she can be happily single and support her family alone. Meanwhile, Judah is captivated by Soledad, full of lust and admiration, but is also conflicted since his forensic accountancy uncovered Edward’s crimes in the first place… Will their forbidden friendship turn into something more?

I loved:
- Soledad’s friendship with Yasemen and Hendrix, as well as her relationship with her sisters, was so important - I adored her support network of strong Black women
- The contrast between Judah’s amicable relationship with his ex-wife (to the extent she and her new husband were pushing him to go after his desires) and Soledad’s awful situation with Edward showed how every marriage and separation is different and that breaking up doesn’t always mean there has to be a bad guy
- Lupe, Inez and Lottie - Soledad’s daughters - were well-developed characters and incredible young women going through very difficult circumstances
- The way Judah worshipped Soledad’s beauty (external and internal) was gorgeous to read, and the love scenes were super steamy
- Soledad’s determination was admirable and I loved how she was able to turn her work inside the home into an income

Overall, this gets 4.5 stars from me. I am very excited to return to Skyland and read Hendrix’s story next year.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK via NetGalley.

If I could give this 10 stars I would!
Kennedy Ryan does it again - such a heartfelt and beautiful novel.
Kennedy is just one of the QUEENS of modern romance - in fact she could write a menu and it would so fantastic it buy it!!!
Soledad and Juddah’s journey from acquaintances to lovers is swoon worthy, but not without its challenges.
And Juddah might be the best book boyfriend Kennedy has created since Grip (but Grip is still number one forever!!)

Such a great sequel, even better than the first if I dare say so. The romance was maybe a little inst-lovey but their chemistry was just so palpable, I giggled like the teenage girl I am. 5 stars, absolutely adored it.

This is a heartwarming and empowering novel that takes readers on a journey of resilience, self-discovery, and the possibility of finding love after loss. Soledad Barnes, a woman who meticulously plans and designs every aspect of her life, finds herself facing a devastating betrayal that shatters her perfect world. Forced to rebuild her life for the sake of her daughters, Soledad discovers inner strength and begins to embrace a new path.

The author skillfully portrays Soledad's journey of healing and growth, capturing the range of emotions she experiences as she navigates the challenges of single motherhood and the complexities of trusting again. Soledad's determination to provide for her family despite her own heartbreak is truly admirable and inspiring.

I adored Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan, so I was so excited to read this next instalment in the Skyland series. But, unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as its predecessor.

The first 30% had me absolutely hooked. I won’t go into it too much as I don’t want to spoil anything, but the drama and betrayal had me unable to put my Kindle down. However, after this point, the plot just stalled. There was lots of redundant filler, and I lost interest very quickly.

What happened in the first 30% of the book was the perfect conflict for the main characters - Soledad and Judah’s - relationship. The author chose another source of conflict as to why they couldn’t be together. I don’t think it worked well, and seemed quite contradictory.

I didn’t feel much chemistry between the main characters, and their relationship felt very insta-lovey. They spent barely any time together, so their feelings felt unrealistic to me. I would have loved more scenes of them together, to allow their relationship to develop realistically.

Judah didn’t seem to have much of a personality, but I did enjoy Soledad’s character. I loved how resilient she was, and her determination to build a good life for her and her daughters. I also enjoyed her friendships with Hendrix and Yasmen, and the bond she had with her sisters.

Kennedy Ryan did a fantastic job of exploring autism in this book, and thoughtfully showed how varied it can be. There were also other realistic issues explored such as blended families, divorce and parenting. I also really enjoyed the emphasis on self-love, but this did start to feel a bit repetitive after a while.

This book didn’t really seem to have a climax and just sort of ended, leaving me feeling a bit deflated. Although this wasn’t my favourite book of Kennedy Ryan’s, I’m looking forward to the next book in the Skyland series, which I will definitely be picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.