A review by takarakei
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

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? It's complicated

4.25

Going into this knowing nothing, but having read the first book in the series, I was quite surprised by the first part of the book being our MC Soledad dealing with a very dramatic ending to her marriage. The author makes you immediately dislike her husband and you're not at all sad with what happens to him. This is a big deal because it's a life-altering event for Soledad and their 3 kids, and she is left to pick up the pieces of their life. There is great emphasis on Soledad's relationships with both her best friends (cameo of Yasmen from book 1!) and her sisters who really hold her down. This was super relatable to read about the close bonds of women. 

There aren’t enough sonnets for friendship. Not enough songs for the kind of love not born of blood or body but of time and care. They are the ones we choose to laugh and cry and live with. When lovers come and go, they are the ones who remain. We are each other’s constants.

Soledad spends most of the book then reforming her new life and working on deprogramming the BS her ex said to her. There were some beautiful quotes and I really enjoyed reading about the self-discovery journey Soledad goes on to find her true self. I already had 'all about love' by bell hooks on my TBR for this month and this book made me even more excited to read it! It's definitely Soledad's book, she has most of the pov chapters, but we do get some from the perspective of Judah...

& Judah is a dream of a partner, really the epitome of a supportive man who has no ego, and just wants the best for Soledad. This is a fairly slow burn (not the slowest I've ever read, but def slower than most romances I read) which I honestly appreciate! He's a divorced dad with two autistic sons (he is friends with his ex and they have split custody). The author notes that she has an autistic child and did lots of research on the many varied experience of people with autism, and their families. I think there's a lot of care given to this subject. 

I think my only qualm with this book is while I understand why there's so much focus at the beginning on Soledad's ex - I wish there was slightly less, and that might have allowed for a bit snappier pace.

Thank you to netgalley and Forever books for this ARC!
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