Before I let go by Kennedy Ryan
Review by Sheri (@afictionalinterlude)
On today's episode of love, loss and second chances…
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan.
The story follows Yasmen and Josiah Wade, divorced couple, coparents and business partners as they undertake a journey of self-healing and attempt to put together the pieces of their broken marriage.
Y'all, Kennedy Ryan has outdone herself. This was perfection to me and I'm not just saying this because I'm a notorious second chance romance ho. Hear me out: The yearning? The chemistry? The angst? The pain? This book had me swooning and crying in equal measure.
Here are three reasons why I loved this and I think you will too:
❤️ Second chance at love: This book takes you through all the motions of holding on to a love few are privileged enough to experience. A love that has been put through the wringer and come out on the other side stronger. A love that puts in the work. It was absolutely glorious and heart wrenching to behold.
Review by Tionna (@readwithtee)
BEFORE I LET GO is a book that I can only describe as phenomenal. A story about love, growth, healing; it was surrounded by serious discussion of loss, grief and dealing with one's mental health. Kennedy Ryan has a way with her storytelling where she has the ability to capture the reader's attention with the rawness and vulnerability engraved in her stories. She was able to show an incredible perspective of the beauty, the trials, and the challenges of marriage. This read was so captivating, it made me feel so much for Yas and Josiah as they tried to navigate through the hardships in their lives as a divorce couple, co-parents, and co-owners of a restaurant. All while taking a second chance at their love as they can't seem to let each other go
Yas and Josiah are complex and flawed characters, yet they felt so real. After giving up on their marriage; they are both battling through their traumas, resentment, struggles, insufferable grief, regrets and the pain they have within themselves as well as the pain they caused each other. As the story progressed it was beautiful to see them evolve as they learn from their past mistakes and put in the work to change from what they lost; Yas with the loss of their child as well as Josiah losing his aunt who was his everything around the same time
Yas is someone I admire through her healing journey as she battled through her depression. I loved the strength that she found in herself through her grieving. She is a testament to showing that healing isn't linear it's a continuous process. My heart went out to her when it came to her relationship with her daughter. It never easy when children are involved in divorces
Josiah was incredible, honestly this man was everything and more. I can't even tell the amount of love this man had for Yas and the way he never stopped despite the pain that erupted from their relationship. Especially the difficulty he has in trusting others with his heart openly that resulted from the trauma from his childhood. The love he has for Yas is the love I want
Overall, this was a beautiful emotional read. I'm excited to see what's in store for the rest of this series
❤️ The healing power of therapy: This book admirably destigmatizes mental health in black communities. It is a glaring reminder that we cannot dictate how people deal with traumatic situations and obtain their healing. It is a revelation of how our traumas linger, that our minds need care just as much as our bodies do.
❤️ The chosen family of sisterhood: This book flawlessly portrays the beauty of female friendships. Having a group of women who love you, who prop you up at your weakest and help you hold your head up? It is priceless and I revelled in it.
You cannot help but feel this book on such a personal level and it's testament to how emotive the writing is. Kennedy Ryan continues to churn out such deep and heartfelt love stories, ripping out your heart but putting it back together so beautifully. Other than the fact that I thought it could do with a bit more editing to trim the fat, this book was perfection to me.
