Reviews with content warning for Medical content - Before I Let Go

This felt really long to me (It maybe could have even been two books?) - more of telling instead of showing. Like it takes me out of the character's head when the author is telling me every bit of what they're thinking and doesn't let me think for myself "wow, this must be really rewarding/tough/interesting/jarring for them." Some solid sexy scenes though, if you're in the mood.

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lovelymisanthrope's review

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have heard nothing but amazing things about this book, so I had to pick it up and see what all of the hype is about.
"Before I Let Go" follows Yasmen and Josiah. They used to be the couple that everyone envied, and everyone believed that they were the ones who were going to last through anything life could throw at them. Yasmen and Josiah believed that too, until they were faced with the biggest challenge their marriage has ever faced and they could not make it work. Now a couple years later, Yasmen and Josiah amicably co-parent and run a very successful business together, but they both still have lingering feelings for the other. Can they finally tackle their grief and work together to repair their marriage, or are they just too incompatible?
This book is not a mere romance novel, and I think marketing it as such does it a disservice. This is a story about love, grief, mental illness, and finally having the tools to understand yourself. This story is raw, real, and absolutely devastating.
(Slight spoiler warning) Yasmen and Josiah lose their third baby when Yasmen is 36 weeks along, and it absolutely devastates both of them. Yasmen is so lost in her grief, that she does not feel strong enough to save herself AND her marriage, so when she does not think Josiah is on her team, she walks away. She could let this destroy her, but she does not, she learns to fight in her own time. She continuously shares how she gets out of bed every day because of her children, and that is what keeps her going, but through medication and therapy, she learns to live for herself, and I think this is so endlessly important to see depicted. She learns to articulate her grief and she gains the tools she needs to get herself out of her dark place. Yes, it would have been better if Yasmen and Josiah could have worked together, but they both grew so much being apart, and they are both so much better as individuals now, which makes their relationships all the stronger.
Josiah is also an amazing example of taking care of yourself. Though devastated by the divorce that he did not initiate, he never once bad mouths Yasmen, and he always has nothing but good things to say about her. He did not let the divorce break him, and when he sees that his son may need therapy, he puts his own opinions about it aside and starts to talk to someone himself, so his son sees therapy is a good thing. Josiah is far from perfect, and he is facing his own demons, but he always has so much respect for everyone in his life, and that is beautiful to see.
From the first page, I could see and feel Yasmen's and Josiah's chemistry. I knew their love story was real and I was always rooting for them. Additionally, their spicy scenes were superbly done.
I have long said that my favorite romance book is "All Your Perfects" by Collen Hoover, because of how it depicts a real relationship that is facing the most challenging adversity. I now hold "Before I Let Go" in a similar place as an all-time favorite. I 1000% will be reading from Kennedy Ryan again.

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lindsayerin's review

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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

4.5

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michelle_my_belle's review

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

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emmreadsbooks's review against another edition

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emotional sad 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? No

5.0

Sheer and utter devastation. That's how I feel right now after finishing this book, and somehow I'm wishing that I'd read it sooner? This story heavily features death, divorce, and depression yet is able to also focus on hope and honesty. Yasmen and Josiah's love story is hard to read at times, but they show such growth as characters throughout. Kennedy Ryan focuses on the stigma around therapy for Black men, the tragic grief that comes with losing a child, and the feeling of fighting for yourself against waves of depression. It's painful and tender, and I need the next story in the Skyland Series 10 minutes ago, thank you.

*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

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