Book Review: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

Rating: 4 Stars

Published: November 15, 2022, by Forever

Pages: 391

Genre: Romance

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Kennedy Ryan has been on my radar for quite a while now but because I can be suspicious of books that are hyped (I mean this book in particular), it has taken me a while to get here. I went into this book blind (I didn’t read the blurb or read reviews) but with moderate to high expectations.

The story follows Josiah and Yasmine who are recently divorced but co-parent two children and are still partners of their business. While they try their best to move on with their personal lives, the fact that they both still have feelings for each other keep showing up in their daily interactions. However, a lot has been said and done before, during, and after their break-up that can’t be taken back and makes it seem impossible that they can ever be together again but when Josiah tries to start a new relationship with another woman, it becomes more evident that he and Yasmine have unfinished business and they will both have to work through their feelings to really know if they still have a chance. Some of the themes featured in this book include, second chances, love, loss, grief, depression, therapy, parenting, friendship, etc.

Based on the title, I guessed the story was a second chance romance possibly due to infidelity but what I discovered was way above my expectations. It was a slow-burn for me which to be honest almost tired me out but when the story began to take shape, I knew I was sold out. It didn’t also help that it was very relatable to me because of my personal experience around losing a child almost exactly the way Yasmine did (Yes, I finally had to say this) with a difference of a few weeks of pregnancy so I can say that Kennedy Ryan captured the emotions, thoughts, and experience so well that I began to wonder if she witnessed my experience. Although, this did not affect my marriage as it did in Josiah and Yasmine’s case, but I totally understand how this could have gone in that direction if not for the God factor in our lives.

I loved Josiah’s character because it is always nice to read stories where the male protagonist is unapologetically in love with his wife or partner and is ready to fight for the relationship. In this case, Josiah was masculine in every way, but we could see his emotional side as well which was sweet. I also love to read stories about a married couple or divorced couple getting back together so it was a double treat. Both the story telling and character development were done well; the pace could have been better. Also, in my opinion I felt there seemed to be a glorification of therapy as with several contemporary stories (I am not saying I disapprove of therapy), and the dominant expression of love through physical attraction which I think have their place but could have been written in a better way. Despite all of this, I still really enjoyed reading this book and was touched by the story so I will definitely be reading the next two books in the series which follow Yasmine’s two best friends.

I would highly recommend this book to romance lovers; however, it is not your typical romance story so I advise you go into reading it with caution as it may have some triggers. See you in my next review.

“Depression,” she goes on, “is a liar. If it will tell you no one loves you, that you’re not good enough, that you’re a burden or, in the most extreme cases, better off dead, then it can certainly convince you that you’re better off without the man you love, and that, ultimately, he’s better off without you.” – Kennedy Ryan

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The Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Kennedy and her writings have been featured in NPR, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Glamour, Cosmo, Ebony, TIME, and many others. The audio edition of her novel Reel received the prestigious Audie® Award, and her Skyland series is currently in development for television at Peacock. The co-founder of LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable book auction, Kennedy has a passion for raising Autism awareness. Dubbed “Queen of Hugs” by her readers, she is a wife to her “lifetime lover,” and mother to an extraordinary son.

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