Scan barcode
A review by conpierre
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
Thank you Kennedy Ryan for taking me on this wonderful journey. I devoured the entire story in just one day. I don’t think I’ve loved a couple more than I loved Yasmen and Josiah. Throughout the book, I went through a rollercoaster of emotions – I cried, laughed, swooned, yearned, and cheered for them. Josiah and Yasmen were deeply in love and then a tragic accident happened that tore their family apart. Despite getting divorced, they still run a restaurant together two years later. It’s obvious that they both still love each other but grief and resentment play a huge part in keeping them apart.
What I loved: Ryan’s ability to create such authentic and relatable characters. The book beautifully portrays the challenges of marriage, second chances, forgiveness, and healing. It goes beyond a simple love story and delves into the complexities of dealing with loss, mental health, the stigma of therapy in the black community, and the impact of tragedy on an entire family. Ryan did such an amazing job with the characters that I loved both Yasmen and Josiah and understood both their perspectives. The angst between them felt so real and it stopped feeling like a fictional couple after a bit and felt like we were reading personal diaries of the couple. The inclusion of therapy as a crucial aspect of the story was particularly well-executed. I also appreciated how the book addressed the effects of the tragedy and divorce on the couple’s children. Yasmen’s friends added humor and depth to the narrative, and I’m looking forward to reading their stories in the future.
“Before I Let Go” is the perfect book if you are seeking an emotional, hopeful, and healing story about Black love, as well as a raw and honest portrayal of life after divorce and tragedy. This is a book I would a million percent recommend to readers consider it one of my favorites of 2024.
What I loved: Ryan’s ability to create such authentic and relatable characters. The book beautifully portrays the challenges of marriage, second chances, forgiveness, and healing. It goes beyond a simple love story and delves into the complexities of dealing with loss, mental health, the stigma of therapy in the black community, and the impact of tragedy on an entire family. Ryan did such an amazing job with the characters that I loved both Yasmen and Josiah and understood both their perspectives. The angst between them felt so real and it stopped feeling like a fictional couple after a bit and felt like we were reading personal diaries of the couple. The inclusion of therapy as a crucial aspect of the story was particularly well-executed. I also appreciated how the book addressed the effects of the tragedy and divorce on the couple’s children. Yasmen’s friends added humor and depth to the narrative, and I’m looking forward to reading their stories in the future.
“Before I Let Go” is the perfect book if you are seeking an emotional, hopeful, and healing story about Black love, as well as a raw and honest portrayal of life after divorce and tragedy. This is a book I would a million percent recommend to readers consider it one of my favorites of 2024.