Book Review: Before I Let Go

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Publisher: Forever
Publication date:‎ November 15, 2022
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Publisher’s Description:

Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything.

It couldn’t save their marriage.

Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she’s is finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.

Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another…and then more. It’s hot. It’s illicit. It’s all good—until old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?

Before I Let Go is the first book in Kennedy Ryan’s Skyland series. It follows Yasmen and Josiah who got divorced two years ago after their marriage was rocked by tragedy. Their two children Kassim and Deja were both devastated by their divorce, especially their teenage daughter Deja.

After the divorce, Yasmen and Josiah continued to run Grits, the restaurant they own, together. When Josiah starts dating again, it brings up mixed emotions for Yasmen. She’s the one who asked for the divorce but now she’s wondering if she made a mistake.

Even though Before I Let Go is a romance, it deals with some serious issues surrounding grief and how different people deal with it. I enjoyed it. I appreciated the comic relief that Yasmen’s friends, Hendrix and Soledad provided. The next two books in the series are their stories.

I had the opportunity to hear Kennedy Ryan speak at an event hosted by my local romance bookstore. Her talk was inspiring. She puts a lot of thought and deep research into her books. I’m looking forward to reading more of them.