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balletbookworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Y'all won't let me give more than 5 stars....
Kennedy. Ryan. You know what you did. Ripped my heart out multiple times.
Kennedy. Ryan. You know what you did. Ripped my heart out multiple times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Grief, and Death
I tagged "miscarriage" but that's really not quite correct, since Yasmeen is ~36 weeks pregnant, however there weren't any other options. Aspects of her pregnancy loss/stillbirth are on the page.asialoren's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book… I finished in early February and still find myself thinking about it. First, I admire how Kennedy Ryan wrote our main characters, Yasmen and Josiah. These are two successful, positive black characters. This is the first time I am reading a book with black characters who do not have baby-mama/daddy drama, no drug use or selling of drugs, no hood story, etc. (or maybe I need to work on my selection of black stories) but this was a book featuring a black woman and black man, divorced after suffering some traumatic events, peacefully working together by coparenting their children and leading a successful business. I really admire these characters. I also liked the take on mental health and discussing the stigma of black people seeking therapy and encouraging their children to do the same. I was taking notes from Yasmen’s therapy sessions!
Romance: I was ready for these two to get back together. Like all the supporting characters, I knew they were still in love with each other… just waiting for them to finally see it and act on it! There is spice. (I can't speak to it because I usually just skip through those parts). I felt somewhat bad for Vashti and Mark (who never stood a chance) because even Vashti could tell they are soul mates.
I highly, highly recommend this book! I plan to read it again in the future and am looking forward to receiving This Could Be Us tomorrow! Hope it’s just as good!
Romance: I was ready for these two to get back together. Like all the supporting characters, I knew they were still in love with each other… just waiting for them to finally see it and act on it! There is spice. (I can't speak to it because I usually just skip through those parts). I felt somewhat bad for Vashti and Mark (who never stood a chance) because even Vashti could tell they are soul mates.
I highly, highly recommend this book! I plan to read it again in the future and am looking forward to receiving This Could Be Us tomorrow! Hope it’s just as good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death, and Child death
kenziewol's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Grief, Miscarriage, and Death
laurenkimoto's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I am not okay this book has caused emotional damage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Death, Infertility, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Grief
bookishjae's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
madinotmaddie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, and Death
mamareadsatnaptime's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
Stillbirth, depression,katiejohns's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Car accident, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Dementia
louisekf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Does love conquer all? In this beautiful story, Yasmen and Josiah are divorced, having once promised to love each other “until the wheels fall off.” Two family tragedies affected each of them in a very different way, and they fell apart. With Yasmen in a deep depression, she asked for the divorce, and Josiah had to learn to deal with that. The fact that they run a business together (a restaurant) and have two children keeps them in close contact. A couple of years later, it is clear that they have not gotten over each other. Yasmen is getting back on her feet and wants to see if they can rekindle what they had.
This is not a light read, but a powerful examination of a marriage. While Yasmen has faced her feelings, Josiah has repressed them. I loved how the author focused on psychology/therapy as a positive force. The story is told from both perspectives, with some chapters narrated by Yasmen and others by Josiah. There were some great side characters, including Yasmen’s two friends: Hendrix and Soledad, and young teen Deja.
Warning: graphic depiction of pregnancy and miscarriage/stillbirth; lots of curse words (for those who don’t like that sort of language in books); graphic open door “spice.”
I was surprised to find some recipes at the end of the book, as I’ve usually only seen those in culinary cozy mystery books They sound delicious!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was very late to it. With the next book in the series coming out shortly, I guess I had the incentive to finally read this one! I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem. All opinions are my own.
This is not a light read, but a powerful examination of a marriage. While Yasmen has faced her feelings, Josiah has repressed them. I loved how the author focused on psychology/therapy as a positive force. The story is told from both perspectives, with some chapters narrated by Yasmen and others by Josiah. There were some great side characters, including Yasmen’s two friends: Hendrix and Soledad, and young teen Deja.
Warning: graphic depiction of pregnancy and miscarriage/stillbirth; lots of curse words (for those who don’t like that sort of language in books); graphic open door “spice.”
I was surprised to find some recipes at the end of the book, as I’ve usually only seen those in culinary cozy mystery books They sound delicious!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was very late to it. With the next book in the series coming out shortly, I guess I had the incentive to finally read this one! I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
abidavisf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am stunned and awed by this book. Kennedy Ryan has taken my heart in her hands, broken it, and then healed it.
I can hear Yasmen and Josiah’s voices so clearly in my head, feel everything that they felt. I have been in a somewhat similar situation to Yasmen (though it cannot compare to the enormity of Yasmen’s loss), and to be able to hear both her and Josiah’s sides was completely gut-wrenching while also incredibly healing. I considered possibilities about my former partner/relationship that I never have before. The demise of a relationship, the loss of trust, it has all been captured so realistically and with so much heart. I feel like I should be devastated, but I actually feel a sense of closure.
There are moments of beauty and tragedy within Before I Let Go that are then expertly juxtaposed with humour and hope. 10/10. A must read.
I can hear Yasmen and Josiah’s voices so clearly in my head, feel everything that they felt. I have been in a somewhat similar situation to Yasmen (though it cannot compare to the enormity of Yasmen’s loss), and to be able to hear both her and Josiah’s sides was completely gut-wrenching while also incredibly healing. I considered possibilities about my former partner/relationship that I never have before. The demise of a relationship, the loss of trust, it has all been captured so realistically and with so much heart. I feel like I should be devastated, but I actually feel a sense of closure.
There are moments of beauty and tragedy within Before I Let Go that are then expertly juxtaposed with humour and hope. 10/10. A must read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Mental illness, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Death
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Dementia