I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan Series: Skyland #2
Published by Grand Central Publishing on March 5, 2024
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, Digital
Goodreads
“Heart-searing, sensual, and life affirming.” ―EMILY HENRY, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who's never met a party she couldn't host or a charge she couldn't lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. 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.
But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She's too busy keeping a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise.
But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn't want but can't seem to resist. She's lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself?
After all she's lost . . .and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?For fans of Tia Williams and Colleen Hoover comes a deeply moving and personal novel about sacrifice, self-reliance, and finding true happiness from “one of the finest romance writers of our age.” ―Entertainment Weekly
This Could Be Us is a stunning romance that highlights the power of self-love and the newest release by Kennedy Ryan. Soledad (who we met in Before I Let Go) has been married for 20ish years to Edward. If you’ve read Before I Let Go, you’ll know we get glimpses into the life of Soledad and the direction her marriage has gone. At the onset, Soledad is dealt one blow after another, shattering the delusion of her life.
Soledad is determined to make life better for her and her girls. If nothing else, to prove to herself that she can do it. While yes there is a romance (and we’ll get to Judah in a moment), my favorite aspect of this book was that Soledad recognized that she needed to learn to trust herself again and set out on a journey to do so.
Focusing on the romance with another human component, this is a slow burn. Judah is respectful of Soledad’s solo journey and doesn’t want to overshadow or interrupt that. He is patience and waited for her to be ready. Judah is one of my new favorite Kennedy Ryan heroes because of how he interacts and wants to take care of Soledad, while giving her the space that she feels she needs. Judah is also co-parenting with his ex-wife for their twin boys.
This book has beautiful family dynamics, doesn’t shy away from the challenging and difficult topics and has found family with Yasmine and Hendrix. There are subplots in this novel that speak to the value of community and what it means to show up for other people.
Kennedy Ryan is an author that I don’t think I’ll ever stop reading and loving. Her writing is beautiful and you can feel the care she takes with the difficult (but important) topics she weaves into the story. Her characters go through a journey but I trust she’ll take care of them by the end of the story. I will read anything she publishes and cannot wait to continue reading her backlist.
I cannot recommend this book enough! You do not have to read Before I Let Go before this one. They are interconnected standalone novels, but I do think you’ll get more out of Soledad’s story if you do.
Content Warnings: infidelity, sexual content, emotional abuse, racism, cancer, body shaming, toxic relationship, death of a parent (historical; discussed), physical abuse, ableism.
