Whewwwwww
Before The Streetlights Come On did something to me.
This wasn’t just a story about friendship. It was about the fragility of friendship. The quiet threads that hold people together… and what happens when those threads start to fray.
I saw pieces of myself in all of these women, but Sloan? Sloan hit different.
Being the strong one.
The one everyone calls.
The one everyone leans on.
The one who shows up for everybody else… while quietly abandoning herself.
And when that person breaks, they don’t crack.
They shatter.
This book also made me realize how deeply I long for a friendship circle like that. The kind rooted in love, accountability, faith, and real sisterhood.
In some ways, I have that… but my people are scattered. Separate friendships. Separate spaces. The ones I thought would truly be that circle for me? We don’t even talk anymore.
We let the streetlights catch us.
No one held each other accountable. And truthfully… I can’t carry that weight alone anymore.
There were moments in this book that also reminded me of how much I long for certain family moments… but I’ll leave that part right there.
What I will say is this: this book held me.
It held my laughter.
It held my tears.
It held my longing for community, for connection, for the kind of friendship that doesn’t disappear when life gets hard.
Friendship built on love.
Trust.
Accountability.
Faith.
Who wouldn’t want that?
Ash definitely did her thing with this one.
Reading "Before The Streetlights Come On" truly opened my eyes to the nuanced layers of friendship that often go unnoticed until tested by adversity. The character Sloan resonated deeply with me because she embodies the role many play in real life — the strong anchor for everyone else’s storms but silently navigating her own struggles alone. This duality is something I saw in my own friendships, where being the dependable one sometimes means neglecting your own needs and emotional health. What Ashley Antoinette brilliantly illustrates is that such resilience isn't endless; when the so-called "strong one" finally breaks, it’s not a mere crack but a profound shattering, a moment that calls for nurture and understanding from those around them. This reflection urged me to reconsider how I hold space not only for my friends but also for myself. The book profoundly echoes the universal desire for a friendship circle grounded in love, accountability, faith, and genuine sisterhood — a community where you can be authentically seen and supported without fear of judgment or isolation. Like the author, I’ve experienced the scattering of meaningful connections and the painful drift that occurs without intentional care and commitment. What moved me most was how the story invites readers to confront those silent moments of abandonment and the consequences of letting "the streetlights catch us" — times when the light fades on our togetherness because no one dared to hold up the other. It’s a call to action for anyone feeling alone in their roles to seek balance and to cultivate friendships that sustain through highs and lows alike. This book also made me reflect on family dynamics and the ways unresolved past hurts shape how we engage in present relationships, adding another layer of emotional depth to the narrative. For anyone who longs for community, connection, and a friendship that withstands life's complexities, "Before The Streetlights Come On" is more than a story – it's an embrace that validates those feelings and inspires hope.
