What book did you read or purchase this month?

🧾February Purchase:

📍Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

📍Children Of Blood And Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

📚February Read:

📍Before I Let Go By Kennedy Ryan

👇🏽

My In Depth Analysis

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan is a second chance romance book that is the first book of a trilogy series. In this book, we have two main characters : Yasmen and Josiah. The story is told from a two part point of view by our main characters. Allowing us as the readers to dive into two different perspectives of the same love story.

When reading this book, I found my self rooting for Yasmen while becoming frustrated with Josiah. We as the readers get an in-depth look into Yasmen’s personal development but for Josiah… personal development seem to be lacking. I did enjoy seeing the growth of a black men being reluctant to go to therapy to therapy becoming a vital part of his life. However, I felt like Josiah lacked accountability from himself and the author. To me, Josiah was way too reckless with his words towards Yasmen. He often weaponized them against her in conversation by belittling her quite often. He also never really took accountability for the role his actions played in leading to their divorce. He told his grieving wife and mother to his stillborn son that he didn’t need her. Then he acted surprised and hurt when she asked for a divorce. He also destroyed the one place in their home that brought her any solace during one of the most darkest times for both of them.

Josiah throughout the book constantly placed the burden of blame for their divorce upon the shoulders of Yasmen. Which in my opinion, isn’t fair. Yasmen was grieving. But it wasn’t just any grief she was dealing with. Her womb held memories of their son’s life but also memories of his death. And a moment where she was meant to be a deliver of life, she instead had to become a deliver of death. There is no way Josiah could have ever grasp the depths of that. His lack of compassion towards Yasmen (a woman he claimed to love), was heartbreaking to read.

Furthermore, when Yasmen tried to give them one last fighting chance with a suggestion of going to therapy, he refused. His emotional unavailability prevented him from saving his marriage. Not Yasmen’s depression, nor her grief, or inability to stow away her emotions like him. I hated that Yasmen always was just so accepting of the burden of blame when it was never her’s to carry. I hate that she never really “talked her stuff” and called him out. He was always let off the hook.

I also didn’t like the fact that he said he couldn’t trust her again as if she cheated on him. The only person Yasmen cheated on him with is herself. Death had robbed her womb. Depression and grief came in like thieves and took whatever was left. She had to save herself by any means. Even if that meant without him.

Despite my frustration with Josiah, the book is very well written. Any book that provoke raw emotions from their readers, in my opinion, is a well written book. Even if that emotion is frustration with one of the main characters. Not to mention, I cried a lot with Yasmen during this book. When she wept, I wept, we wept together. Definitely, recommend.

✍🏽Sidenotes and questions :

🖊️If sex couldn’t save their marriage when it was falling apart, then how could it have been the spark to reignite the flame?

🖊️Josiah was wrong for having Vashiti in Yasmen’s house playing happy little family, especially without her consent. It wasn’t his home anymore and he should have respected that. He was also wrong for having Vashiti around the kids outside of work, without talking with Yasmen like they agreed upon.

🖊️Vashiti was wrong for smiling in Yasmen’s face every time she came to drop the kids off, knowing she had something going on with Josiah.

🖊️Also, the relationship between Josiah and Vashiti was very inappropriate giving the fact that He was and is her boss. Not to mention the time of when they started getting “close” seemed very suspicious. He said they got close spending a lot of time together alone at the restaurant. But if they hired her when him and Yasmen were still married… during that period where Yasmen took time off to grieve…yeah, side eye. 😒 You telling me, he was getting close to Vashiti but couldn’t open up to his wife?!? I need to see a timeline, right now. 😭💔

🖊️That slick comment Josiah made about the politician only being interested in Yasmen for black votes and her body, irked my soul. Why did he reduce Yasmen down to that? Is it because that’s all Josiah saw her being worthy of to a man like that? Or to himself? Is business and sex?

🖊️Yasmen was ALWAYS deserving of happiness and love. Her depression nor grief should have never negated that fact.

🖊️I definitely want to try to recipes in the back of the book. If anyone has tried them, let me know.

Overall Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Would I read it again?

Probably not, I’m all cried out. No tears left to cry. 🤧

Thank you for reading my lemon8 talk, until next time… read a good book. Maybe even read, Before I Let Go but grab your tissues first. 🩷

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