Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

 

Rating: 5 Stars

This book was just painfully beautiful.

Yasmen and Josiah are a divorced couple navigating through their new normal of co-parenting while raising their family and trying to run a successful restaurant. Although they are separated, their love for each other has never faded. Kennedy Ryan takes us on a whirlwind journey through their reconciliation and illustrates that love does conquer all.

This book was just written so beautifully. Kennedy Ryan’s writing draws you in and allows you to experience every moment with her characters. I felt connected to this book, although I haven’t endured such a traumatic event. I felt all the pain and sadness right alongside Josiah and Yasmen. I wanted, better yet, needed a good cry, and this book understood the assignment. It’s crazy, but this book healed me in many ways. The discussions of mental health and grief resonated with me. I felt seen in so many ways when reading this book. This story was real and raw and left me feeling exposed, but in typical Kennedy Ryan fashion, she pulled me through, and of course, there was a light at the end of that tunnel.

“This moment is so enormous, so overwhelming, but it doesn’t stand alone. It’s not just the strength of our circle, but it’s the times we were weak, and got back up, It’s every hurt, every second we spent apart, only to reunite. Our union wasn’t just made by the good. The pain and the grief and the sorrows forged us together as much as the joys”

The love between Josiah and Yasmen is timeless, and it’s evident they are soulmates. Their love story is full of strength and growth. It is truly inspiring how they work their way to each other. I know these two will live no doubt rent-free in my head.