Book Thoughts: Before I Let You Go by Kennedy Ryan

This was my first book by Kennedy Ryan. I also read another book of hers, titled “Reel,” both of which my friend recommended, but “Before I Let You Go” remains my favourite. This book is a novel-worthy experience; it was that good. I finished it in April, and it took me forever to write this review because I needed time to process it.

Before I Let You Go is a story about second chances—at love, life, happiness, and everything. It’s a book about healing and admitting when you’re not okay. It follows Jasmen and Josiah, who met in college, got married, and had a beautiful marriage filled with love, great sex, and deep friendship. They built a successful business and started a family, seemingly having everything one could wish for.

I threw my little feet in the air as I read this book. It has that love that everyone dreams of, but only the chosen ones get to experience it. But wait, maybe I am one of the chosen ones. A girl can dream.

In many cases, this book made me sad, but it was a healing sadness. The author discusses depression in a validating way, showing how it looks different for everyone. Grief is portrayed with sensitivity, emphasising that we all grieve differently. These aspects made me reflect on my own experiences and understanding of mental health and loss.

When I was younger, I believed love was enough to solve everything. This book reminded me how wrong I was. Relationships, especially marriages, need forgiveness, understanding, and constant effort. Yasmen and Josiah’s love seemed unbreakable, but grief tested their love in ways that scared me, making me question the resilience of even the strongest loves.

I loved how the author highlighted the importance of female friendships. Female friendships are Godsent. They are there at your lowest and highest points of life. They understand you. They cry with you. They have fun with you. They ground you. They validate you. But they also make you accountable.

It felt like Yasmen’s friends saved her. Just like how my friends have saved me time and again. I don’t know how else to emphasise this, but we need female friends regardless of your self-sufficiency.

Favourite Quotes:

I am grateful for friends who feel like sisters. And I think I’m most grateful for time, which doesn’t always heal all wounds, but teaches us how to be happy again even with our scars.

Finding someone you can laugh with when everything hurts—was the stuff happily ever afters were made of.

I heard someone say once that when you try to fix people’s hurt, you’re controlling it instead of sitting with them and connecting.

I know you need to be strong for the people you love. But I want to stand with you when it rains, when the wind comes. When it is hard and when the odds are stacked against us.