Scan barcode
theboricuabookworm's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Giving this book 5 stars is as easy as breathing. Kennedy Ryan has a way of giving you the most emotional, gut-wrenching love story in a way that feels absolutely effortless. Such intense feelings and subjects and yet you can’t help but fall over and over. I was on edge and frustrated and yet I felt immense privilege watching these two fall back in love with each other. Before I Let Go is going to stay with me for a long long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Death, and Child death
lindta_14's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
This book was so profound. I loved the deep dive into mental wellness, therapy and how delicately bit meaningfully Kennedy Ryan dealt with it especially in the context of black families and the relationship we have with mental health. This read was so beautiful. Cannot recommend it enough, and I don't even like 2nd chance romance as a trope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Infertility and Panic attacks/disorders
gelslitreviews's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
clara01's review
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
4.75
This book was amazing, the best second chance romance I've read. I highly recommend it!
Kennedy Ryan has written this book so beautifully. There was no toxic behavior, no miscommunication just love in it's different forms.
Kennedy Ryan has written this book so beautifully. There was no toxic behavior, no miscommunication just love in it's different forms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Dementia
Minor: Suicide, Car accident, and Death of parent
authenticakj's review
emotional
funny
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Infertility, Grief, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Death, and Death of parent
najmam's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Miscarriage, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
tyras_bookshelf's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Wasn’t super impressed but it was a good read.
Realistic, distinct characters, with strong arcs for the main characters and thought provoking ideals about grief and depression.
I did have to come back to this book though since the beginning starts so slow and I only got excited because I flipped to the last third to give me some motivation to read it.
*spoilers*
Realistic, distinct characters, with strong arcs for the main characters and thought provoking ideals about grief and depression.
I did have to come back to this book though since the beginning starts so slow and I only got excited because I flipped to the last third to give me some motivation to read it.
*spoilers*
The whole time I was reading Yasmin’s POV I was like “Girl, leave that man alone!” I couldn’t decide if I was rooting for her or for Vashti because clearly Josiah is hot & great so why wouldn’t they be together, especially when Yasmen was slow-playing. I think Josiah needed more flaws though or something. He’s a great dad, husband and businessman. He finally goes to therapy to support his son but even that was too easy a decision.
Most of his struggle was off-page or in memories so I didn’t feel the tension build up. We did see him have to come to terms with trusting Yasmin and opening himself up again so I guess that was enough.
Yasmin’s growth was pretty clear though as she struggled to accept that she wanted her husband back.
Also, keeping their relationship a secret when they finally got back together had no stakes. There was some emotional turmoil and Yasmin and Josiah finally had a full conversation which was nice for their character development. However, we knew they would end up together so there wasn’t much mystery around that.
Most of his struggle was off-page or in memories so I didn’t feel the tension build up. We did see him have to come to terms with trusting Yasmin and opening himself up again so I guess that was enough.
Yasmin’s growth was pretty clear though as she struggled to accept that she wanted her husband back.
Also, keeping their relationship a secret when they finally got back together had no stakes. There was some emotional turmoil and Yasmin and Josiah finally had a full conversation which was nice for their character development. However, we knew they would end up together so there wasn’t much mystery around that.
I wasn’t a fan of the inner monologue reading like the characters were talking to me the whole time. They were explaining things that they already knew like it was narration. Also, the dialogue often felt like it was trying too hard and read unnaturally.
The story is beautiful, and sad, but also redemptive. It was probably one of the most mature romances I’ve ever read not just in subject matter, but with how in-depth Ryan writes about loss. Not my favorite and I love I would it but it’s worth giving it a try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Death
lyssaloo92's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
anna_m16's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death and Death
thejadamonique's review
emotional
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
4.5
Love Kennedy Ryan and loved this book! Don't read many books with a couple who was together have to navigate being without each other but still being in each other's lives. Love the growth from the characters and a love story from a divorced couple. Only reason it's not a 5 is cause some small cliche moments and the focus seemed more on the sex initially rather than the relationship as a whole towards the end but still a great book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage and Death