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.
Aunt Byrd: As a significant influence, Aunt Byrd's death occurs before the novel begins but continues to impact the family. She serves as an emotional anchor for Josiah during family difficulties.
Soledad and Hendrix: Friends who provide key emotional support to Yasmen. Their presence emphasizes the role of community and friendship in healing and recovery.
Themes
Healing, grief, and mental health
Before I Let Go explores the themes of healing and grief within the Black community through the characters Yasmen and Josiah Wade. The novel addresses the impact of trauma and the recovery process following significant losses. Yasmen experiences stillbirth, and Josiah faces the death of Aunt Byrd. These events create unresolved grief that threatens their marriage.
Yasmen and Josiah use different coping mechanisms, struggling with depression and emotional detachment. Yasmen undergoes therapy, confronting guilt and the stigma associated with mental health therapy, especially in Black communities. Josiah's decision to attend therapy becomes a crucial point, marking progress in overcoming emotional barriers and accepting vulnerability.
The novel presents grief as a constant element in their lives. It is depicted through Yasmen's reflections and the couple's cautious steps toward reconnection. The narrative conveys the ongoing, hopeful journey of healing.
Second-chance romance
Before I Let Go captures the complexities of romance after divorce. Rather than simply acting on their reignited passion for each other, Yasmen and Josiah must navigate their shared history and ongoing grief. Their honest emotional exchanges form the foundation for rebuilding their relationship. Both characters pursue personal development. Yasmen embarks on a therapeutic journey to regain her identity, which emphasizes the importance of self-discovery before reconciliation with Josiah. Trust plays a crucial role as they attempt to reconnect. Josiah's decision to enter therapy with Yasmen shows his commitment to addressing past mistakes as crucial to their future together. Their intimacy involves emotional healing and humor, extending beyond the physical to enrich their reconnection.
Quick facts
Before I Let Go is the first installment in the Skyland series.
The novel features a divorced couple, Yasmen and Josiah Wade, navigating grief, co-parenting, and rekindling their romance.
Kennedy Ryan conducted interviews with real families experiencing similar losses to authentically depict grief and trauma in the narrative.
The story addresses heavy themes like stillbirth, postpartum depression, therapy, and emotional healing, especially within Black communities.
Characters show significant personal growth, particularly Yasmen’s journey from vulnerability to emotional empowerment and resilience.
The narrative alternates between Yasmen and Josiah's perspectives, enriching character development and emotional depth.
Therapy is positively portrayed, highlighting its necessity and effectiveness in emotional and relational healing.
The story is set in a fictional community in Atlanta, reflecting Kennedy Ryan's personal experiences and connections.
Before I Let Go was recognized as one of Entertainment Weekly’s Best Romances of 2022 and listed by NPR among the Best Books of the same year.
The main characters manage a successful soul fusion restaurant named Grits, adding a culinary dimension to their story.
The novel explores important themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, love, and second chances within complex human relationships.
A television adaptation of Before I Let Go is in development at Peacock.
TV adaptation
A television adaptation of Before I Let Go is in development at Peacock from UCP and Universal Television. Executive producers Malcolm D. Lee, Debra Martin Chase, and the team of John Legend, Mike Jackson, and Ty Stiklorius from Get Lifted Film Co. are leading the project. As of June 2025, cast and screenwriter details have not been released.
About the author
Kennedy Ryan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Focusing on complex relationships and the experiences of Black women, her novels explore themes such as mental health, love, loss, healing, and empowerment. She and her writing have been featured in NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Ebony, and other media outlets. The audiobook version of her novel Reel received the prestigious Audie Award, and her Skyland series, debuting with Before I Let Go, is in development for a television series at Peacock. In addition to her writing, she is devoted to raising autism awareness and co-founded LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable book auction.
