You can always tell what type of mood I’m in by what I’m reading and Before I Let Go is the perfect accompaniment to my slow jamz playlist and a welcome from the abundance of self development and business books that accumulate on my iPad. It also posed as a reminder of what creative writing should be like as I write my first fiction piece in decades.
Kennedy Ryan introduces us to Yasmen and Josiah, a formerly married couple who have children and run a successful business together. Tragic circumstances have led them to divorce, and we meet them in the aftermath. Kennedy takes us on a journey through what led to this moment in their lives and how they navigate their dynamics, other relationships, friendships, parenting, and loss.
This was a romance novel first for me where the protagonists have already hit the crisis in their relationship. I was highly invested in Yasmen and Josiah as each went on a journey trying to understand themselves, each other, and mourn the loss of a love they thought was unbreakable.
The book was gripping and felt like you were talking a bird’s eye view into the lives of this deeply hurt couple in an almost uncomfortably voyeuristic way. You become the fourth girl in the group as Yasmen wrestles with her feelings for her ex-husband with her two best friends. You become the third parent as they deal with the way their life choices impact their children. You become another family member, hoping that they’ll reconcile and find their way back to each other.
I’m not going to lie. I gave my family the silent treatment simply because I was engrossed and invested. And this book spoke to the romantic in me as I waited to see how these very human characters navigated their feelings for each other and an incredibly indelible hurt they inflicted on each other. It was hard not to cringe as each entered new relationships, and seeing how those play out was quite difficult and shows how tumultuous loving someone can be.
Kennedy also counterbalances the emotional treadmill you go on with some high octane interactions between our two protagonists, which were breathtaking without being totally salacious.
Before I Let Go really deals with the vulnerability of giving yourself to someone and some of the mental gymnastics you go through but also how those experiences help you to evolve as a person. By taking the unusual step of starting with the divorced couple, Kennedy also gives a massive dose of the age-old romanticism that love conquers all.
It was well written and considerate – the author prefaces the book by letting readers know that she took advice on how to tackle some of the issues within the story, which includes bereavement. This is not a story where everyone lives the perfect life, quite the opposite, actually. This is what also makes this an engaging read because these are real, everyday scenarios that could happen to anyone or everyone.
It’s definitely worth a read.
WHAT JUAN READS: BEFORE I LET GO BY KENNEDY RYAN
