nscharn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Before I Let Go is a story about love and loss. Yasmen & Josiah are a few years post divorce. Both trying to navigate how to co-parent and run their restaurant together. This book heavily discusses grief and depression and how their lives have changed after multiple losses. This is Yas & Si's story of healing - but will they have a second chance at love?
I will preface that second chance romances and miscommunication are usually not my favorite trope. However, I didn't mind this one - I think because I enjoyed Ryan's writing style. Although I did feel it was repetitive at times.
The plot was lacking for me - I just needed a little something more. I also did not feel very connected to the couple. I felt like we were told that they had a great love story but weren't shown this throughout the book?
I appreciate that Ryan wrote about some very hard, but important topics. She shined a positive light on therapy and taking care of mental health.
Overall, 3 stars from me. I won't be re reading this one, but would read more from Kennedy Ryan in the future! I think my lack of enjoyment for these tropes probably contributed to this rating.
Please look up trigger warnings for this one if you decide to read!!
I will preface that second chance romances and miscommunication are usually not my favorite trope. However, I didn't mind this one - I think because I enjoyed Ryan's writing style. Although I did feel it was repetitive at times.
The plot was lacking for me - I just needed a little something more. I also did not feel very connected to the couple. I felt like we were told that they had a great love story but weren't shown this throughout the book?
I appreciate that Ryan wrote about some very hard, but important topics. She shined a positive light on therapy and taking care of mental health.
Overall, 3 stars from me. I won't be re reading this one, but would read more from Kennedy Ryan in the future! I think my lack of enjoyment for these tropes probably contributed to this rating.
Please look up trigger warnings for this one if you decide to read!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
ambersbooks's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Pregnancy
mimie_dk's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Death
kaitbailer's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
OUCH. This book is so beautiful, sometimes hard to read but I found it worth it. This book is full of so much yearning, passion, sadness and hope. Definitely give this one a chance but check for all TWs first!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
theshoparoundthecorner's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Child death
marthabethanreads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Grief, Miscarriage, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
ginelmilareads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Dementia, Grief, and Death
thatfabchick's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
No, I can’t understand the term escapism and why people who love to read books use that term. In a real life is hard enough and so when you read a book you want to escape from the world that you’re currently living in and go to some fantasy realm or live the life of this fictional character.
I realize I do the same thing with the book selections that I tend to choose. I often don’t choose melodramatic books, because I felt like it’s often a bit too sad and it takes too long for me to feel the gratification of how beautiful the story is. But I’m trying to read different books.
So hence forth with this recommendation, and a lot of people who have set home wonderful this book was, I decided to read it. It is a wonderfully well written book and I have to tell you this Kennedy Ryan is so good at her craft. I found myself really invested in the two main characters. I wanted them to be happy, and I wanted them to communicate, and they wanted them to be with each other, and I wanted them to not be with each other. I loved the children and at the same time found the children annoying. I was fully invested into this book
I would recommend this book to anyone who’s ready to take the plunge into a Kennedy Ryan series, this is a nice book to start with. I would check your trigger warnings before reading this book .
I’m glad I took a chance to read this book and I look forward to reading my books by Ms.Ryan
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Injury/injury detail and Infertility
emmreadsbooks's review against another edition
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*
*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Child death, Medical content, Grief, Injury/injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
bookedwithalexis's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Grief