Before I Let Go (Skyland #1) by Kennedy Ryan -- Starting July 10th 2025

[Jenn]

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 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?

Award-winning and bestselling "powerhouse" author Kennedy Ryan is at her absolute best in this compelling, scorching novel about hope and healing, and what it truly means to love for a lifetime (USA Today).

[Gohnar23]

Starting now ish

[Lara]

Same, I'm hoping to start reading tomorrow!

[Gohnar23]

5%

(view spoiler)[I'm already loving Yasmen and her interactions with her friends 🫶, but that beggining tho ????????!?!?? (very shocking indeed) (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

10%

(view spoiler)[the way the two of them co-parent their kids are so cuteeeee, Kassim & Dejaaa (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

26%

(view spoiler)[an actual good romance alert!!!!:


This is what i would say is a better written romance book because it actually deals with many things such as grief and second chances and new relationships, the fact that Kassim is moving to seventh the grade instead of the sixth ant Josiah planning to go to a therapist because his son is also going to a therapist are such meaningful scenes that contribute to the character arcs of these people. Even mark and his confession to Yasmen makes her second i guess on what relationship she actually wants with her life. So those things add up together to be an actual deep wellness that deal with real life issues. (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

55%

(view spoiler)[At this point the two of them are now getting back together slowly but surely. The environment and the atmosphere between the two of them are now light in comparison to their past which is rough and is a bumpy ride. I think this is when the 'second chance' in second chance romance starts because the really...Yasmen and Josiah's chemistry are now being brought up back together again more firm than ever since they divorced. Its also intriguing that Kassim has now finished his therapy sessions 🥰🥰🥰. (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

69%

(view spoiler)[the only n word drop at 69%, is dis a coincidence? (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

75%

(view spoiler)[i'm glad Yasmen finally gets to be in terms with her feelings, now she has realized that she actually still his feelings for Josiah (and maybe vice versa?) (hide spoiler)]

[Lara]

Chapter 10: (view spoiler)[ I am LOVING this one! Such a good romance, I’m so invested in the characters and rooting so hard for their romance, absolutely love a second chance! The whiplash I got from the proposal to the divorce right after the first chapter really hit! I’m really hoping for a good solid heart to heart between Yasmen and Deja, it’s painful to see how angsty Deja is being towards her! (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

I KNOW RIGHT?????? ITS ONE OF THE MOST WELL WRITTEN ROMANCES IVE EVER READ! ITS NOT INSTA LOVE, ITS SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY REALISTIC AND SOLID. And yeah, Deja & Yasmen's relationship is really good too

[Gohnar23]

83%

(view spoiler)[This is the only acceptable time that sex scenes actually happens. It treats the subjects deeply and for intimacy purposes. Not unlike any of those books where there's just sex scenes for the sake of sex scenes. I can say that these scenes here are really beautiful ❤️. (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

(view spoiler)[“Security camera. Kitchen feed.”

🫥🫥🫥 (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Chapter 42:

(view spoiler)[I am cryingggggg 😭😭😭😭😭 what is thatttt, that was so emotionalll, SO HEARTBREAKING, SO DEEPLY BEAUTIFUL AND SO HARD TO SWALLOW (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

Finished:

(view spoiler)[everyone shut up this is one of the best books i've ever read (hide spoiler)]

[Lara]

Chapter 20: (view spoiler)[ Oh my gosh I’m so impatient I just want them to get together so badly!! Seeing them both with other people is actually painful, I’m rooting so hard for Josiah and Yasmen! (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

(view spoiler)[RIGHTTTTTT????? This miscommunication and the interference of other people are such great reflections of their past experiences with each other and how there rough interactions led them to their divorce and trying to find both of their 'replacement', but will soon realize that both of them are irreplaceable (hide spoiler)]

[Lara]

Chapter 33: (view spoiler)[ OH MY GOSHHHHH they're making progress! So so excited!! They're so cute together ahhhhh! (hide spoiler)]

[Lara]

Gohnar23 wrote: "Finished:

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ That is so real!! This was SUCH a good read! I do feel like the first half was my favourite, the tension was absolutely elite! And I feel like I wished there was more consistent communication throughout the resolution instead of just a big dump of feelings at the end... But OH MY GOSH! This book made me so happy! So wholesome, so beautiful, love love love! (hide spoiler)]

[Gohnar23]

(view spoiler)[true true! the final second half is such a payoff from all the drama intention that we got from part 1, the pacing of everything was exquisite and doesn't feel like there's just one climax where everything and every bomb the kept up from the bottom of the heart of both characters explode into oblivion. And u know damn well this is REALISTIC, like sometimes i forgot that this is even a fictional novel and instead i feel like i'm reading the story of my neighbor that is married (hide spoiler)]

[Lara]

(view spoiler)[ YES! Like it did not shy away from the struggles of grief and mental health and all the other heaviness of life in their story! It felt so tangible and I absolutely LOVED the writing! Even from the opening chapter I could feel myself falling in love with this book, and that gut feeling was not wrong! (hide spoiler)]