Summary
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan is a work of contemporary fiction exploring themes of love, healing, and second chances. The novel focuses on Yasmen and Josiah, a couple navigating the challenges of maintaining a relationship after divorce. They manage their jointly owned restaurant and share responsibility for co-parenting their children while dealing with grief and mental health issues. Gradually, Yasmen and Josiah work through their struggles and experience personal growth.
Plot
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan tells the story of a divorced couple, Yasmen and Josiah Wade. They experience a stillbirth and the death of Josiah’s aunt, events that lead to Yasmen’s depression and the breakup of their marriage. Despite their separation, they co-parent their children, Deja and Kassim, and manage a successful restaurant together.
The story is told mostly from Yasmen's perspective. As she recovers, her relationship with Josiah evolves from purely co-parenting to something deeper. As Yasmen's feelings resurface, Josiah starts a new relationship with Vashti while struggling with grief and his role as a father.
Therapy and self-discovery are central to the narrative. Initially reluctant, Josiah enters therapy to help his son with emotional issues. Through this process, he confronts his personal grief and the problems in his marriage. A trip to Charlotte becomes crucial as Yasmen and Josiah face their emotions and reconnect.
The story develops into a second-chance romance. Josiah chooses vulnerability and admits his enduring love for Yasmen, leading to reconciliation and underscoring the novel’s themes of healing and enduring love.
Characters
Yasmen Wade: Yasmen is the novel’s central figure. She deals with depression after the stillbirth of her child. The story follows her efforts to confront grief, regain her identity, and manage co-parenting with her ex-husband, Josiah.
Josiah Wade: Josiah, Yasmen's former husband and business partner, contends with grief and regret. The plot explores his emotional journey as he tries to cope with the loss of their child and Aunt Byrd. He works to reconnect with Yasmen and their children.
Deja and Kassim Wade: Yasmen and Josiah’s children, who highlight the effects of adult grief on young ones. They also play a role in illustrating the co-parenting challenges Yasmen and Josiah face amid personal struggles.
