In Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan, Yasmen and Josiah Wade were *the* couple in their 
community for years. Everyone in Skyland knew they were rock solid and that the duo could weather any storm–whether it was at their upscale soul food restaurant Grits, or anything to do with their beloved children, Deja and Kassim. But no one saw the catastrophic losses headed Josiah and Yasmen’s way. Least of all them. Their motto of ‘Till the Wheels Fall Off’ was put to the ultimate test. And unfortunately, the power couple broke in half.
‘This thing between us is a living organism that keeps twisting, evolving, remaking itself. It has since the day we met.’
Learning to feel like herself again has taken Yasmen a couple of years to accomplish. And very few people know just how bleak things were. So of course this is when, after a couple of years successfully co-parenting their children and running their business together, things reignite between Josiah and Yasmen. They barely survived their divorce. And neither is sure if starting over again would even work, given all the heartbreak and bad words from their past. But maybe if this time they open the lines of communication and talk things through like they should have a few years ago, they might just have a shot.
‘Something I thought we’d buried long ago rises, encircles us, breathing new life into a connection I thought was dead.’
A breathtakingly honest look at a relationship that fell apart while a family was mourning two devastating losses, and the long road to healing individually so they could all find their way back together.
‘Before I let go of the past and grab hold of a future without him, I have to be sure. I don’t know when or if I’ll get a second chance, but as long as it’s possible, I’ll hold on to hope.’
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While I already loved Kennedy Ryan’s smart, impassioned writing style, in BEFORE I LET GO she had an emotional richness to her prose that reminded me more of women’s fiction at times than contemporary romance where it digs down deep into the tougher aspects of the characters’ lives. And things did get rather heavy, particularly in the flashback scenes from Yasmen’s POV. She and her family suffered loss after loss in a very short span of time and something so tragic like that can make or break (for anyone) what has always seemed like an unbreakable bond. Which is why I cherished the time jumps in this story. It showed each big step Yasmen and Josiah took as a couple over the years while painting a clear picture of how deeply in love they truly were–making their breakup that much more poignant.
Ryan tackled the ups and downs of co-parenting and co-owning a restaurant together in a realistic way, showing where Josiah and Yasmen struggled and where they excelled. I absolutely adored them both. Even if I questioned a few of their choices–or was shocked by something they said during an argument–it was genuine and understandable. And without giving too much away, how Yasmen and Josiah finally dealt with things, as well as how their children Deja and Kassim did, was so heartwarming and honestly something most of us could use in our lives. It was a bumpy road for the Wade family. But they were all stronger in the end for having gone through those tough times.
Filled with female empowerment, overcoming grief, abundant love, repairing and rebuilding a firm foundation of friends, loved ones, and family, this was a novel to *savor*. And one that will help you believe that second chances truly can happen if you open your eyes to the possibilities–and do the work.
QOTD: Do you think it makes a romance more realistic when the couple has to work hard to earn their second chance together?
Book Info:
Publication: November 15th 2022 | by Forever | Skyland #1
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?
Latesha B.
Yes, because real life isn’t always good times. You have to go through periods of good and bad to make a relationship work.
shygirl19748
Exactly my thought too! So it’s a nice change of pace when an author handles an extremely complicated situation like this couple’s and gives us both the gritty, emotional side along with the hopeful, sweepingly romantic side too. Happy reading, Latesha!!