The Kitchen Flashpoint: Why We Can’t Look Away
We have all been there. You are standing in a room with the one person who knows every scar on your soul, yet they feel like a stranger from a different lifetime. In Before I Let Go, Kennedy Ryan doesn't just give us a romance; she gives us a post-mortem of a marriage that died on the operating table of grief. The viral kitchen scene—where Yasmen and Josiah collide in the heat of their soul food restaurant—is more than just physical chemistry. It is a desperate, wordless negotiation between two people who were once a single entity.
Readers flock to this story because it avoids the easy tropes of the 'misunderstanding' or the 'third-party villain.' Instead, the villain here is the crushing weight of clinical depression and the hollowed-out silence that follows the loss of a child. It is messy, it is loud, and it is painfully realistic. This isn't a book you read for a quick dopamine hit. You read it to see if you can survive the emotional wreckage alongside them.
For those looking to understand the gravity of this narrative before diving in, you can check the community consensus over at the Goodreads discussion boards. What makes this story resonate is its refusal to sugarcoat the process of 'letting go.' It asks the terrifying question: Is love enough when you have already buried your future? The answer provided in the final chapters is complex, hard-earned, and deeply transformative.
The Anatomy of a Collapse: Yasmen and Josiah’s First Marriage
To understand the ending of Before I Let Go, we have to perform an autopsy on why Yasmen and Josiah failed the first time. They were the 'Golden Couple' of Skyland, the visionary team behind a thriving restaurant empire and a beautiful family. But the loss of their third child, a son named Elijah, didn't just break their hearts; it shattered their structural integrity. Yasmen didn't just grieve; she fell into a deep, clinical depression that rendered her a ghost in her own home.
Josiah, in his attempt to be the 'rock' for the family, became a monument of silent resentment. He stayed strong while she withdrew, and in that strength, he inadvertently created a vacuum of isolation. By the time Yasmen realized she needed to save herself, the only way out was to leave the marriage entirely. This wasn't a divorce caused by a lack of love. It was a divorce caused by a lack of oxygen.
This nuanced portrayal of depression is why the book has become a cornerstone of modern Black romance. It highlights the unique pressures on Black mothers and the often-ignored emotional labor required of Black fathers. As they navigate the aftermath, the story becomes a masterclass in co-parenting while still carrying the embers of a fire that never truly went out. You can find the physical copy to see these annotations for yourself on Amazon.
The Psychological Burden: Grief vs. Mental Health
Kennedy Ryan does something radical here: she separates grief from clinical depression. While the two are often conflated, the narrative of Before I Let Go treats them as distinct enemies. Yasmen’s journey through therapy isn't a quick fix or a montage. It is a grueling, multi-year process of reclaiming her identity from the void left by Elijah’s death. She had to learn how to be a person before she could ever be a wife again.
Josiah’s arc is equally weighted. He had to unlearn the 'Strong Black Man' archetype that demanded he suppress his own mourning to provide for his living children, Kass and Deja. His resentment toward Yasmen for 'abandoning' him during the darkest year of his life is a jagged pill for the reader to swallow, but it is an honest one. Their conflict isn't based on malice; it is based on the exhaustion of survival.
This is where the middle-of-the-book drag that some readers complain about actually serves a purpose. The pushing and pulling—the moments where they almost reconcile only to retreat—is the rhythm of recovery. It mimics the nonlinear nature of healing. You don't just 'get over' a divorce or the death of a child. You learn to walk with the limp. For more context on the setting and characters, the Wikipedia entry offers a structural overview of the Skyland series.
The Ending Explained: A Marriage of New People
The climax of Before I Let Go isn't a grand romantic gesture or a dramatic airport run. It is a quiet, profound realization in a therapist's office. Yasmen and Josiah finally stop trying to save their old marriage and start building a new one. This distinction is the key to the entire book. The old marriage died with Elijah and the subsequent divorce. Trying to resurrect it would have been a mistake.
Instead, they choose to date as the people they have become. Yasmen is now a woman who prioritizes her mental health and sets boundaries. Josiah is a man who has learned to express his vulnerability and share the emotional load. When they finally decide to remarry, it is a conscious choice made by two adults who have survived the worst life can throw at them and decided that, even with the scars, they are better together.
This Happy Ending (HEA) is one of the most satisfying in the genre because it is so thoroughly earned. It validates the idea that divorce doesn't have to be a failure; sometimes, it is the necessary demolition required to build a stronger foundation. They didn't just go back to the way things were. They evolved into something more resilient. The final scene of them remarrying surrounded by their children and their community in Skyland is a testament to the power of radical honesty and intentional healing.
The Verdict: Is the Emotional Labor Worth It?
If you are looking for a light, fluffy second-chance romance, Before I Let Go will wreck you in all the wrong ways. However, if you want a story that respects the complexity of the human heart, this is a must-read. It is a tear-jerker that offers a profound payoff. The 'emotional heaviness' that some find draining is exactly what gives the ending its gravity. Without the depth of the valley, the view from the mountain wouldn't be nearly as breathtaking.
Kennedy Ryan has cemented her place as a writer who doesn't shy away from the hard stuff. She treats her characters with a level of dignity and psychological realism that is rare in the genre. Yasmen and Josiah's story is a love letter to anyone who has ever felt broken by life and wondered if they were still worthy of a happy ending. It is a resounding 'yes' to the possibility of renewal, even after the greatest of losses.
Ultimately, this is a five-star read for anyone who understands that 'letting go' isn't about forgetting. It is about releasing the pain of the past so your hands are free to hold the beauty of the present. Whether you are reading it for the first time or dissecting the spoilers to see if you can handle the journey, know that the ending of Before I Let Go is a promise kept. It is a story of survival, growth, and the enduring power of a love that was strong enough to survive even its own death.
FAQ
1. Does Before I Let Go have a happy ending?
Yes, Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan concludes with a Happy Ever After (HEA). Yasmen and Josiah eventually remarry after undergoing extensive personal and couple's therapy, realizing they have grown into people who can sustain a healthy, supportive relationship.
2. What happened to Yasmen and Josiah's third child?
Their third child, Elijah, passed away shortly after birth. This tragic loss, combined with Yasmen's subsequent struggle with severe clinical depression, was the primary catalyst for the breakdown of their first marriage and their eventual divorce.
3. Do I need to read the rest of the Skyland series first?
No, Before I Let Go is the first book in the Skyland series. While characters from this book may appear in later installments, Yasmen and Josiah's story is a complete standalone with a definitive conclusion.
4. Is the book heavy on the spice or the angst?
It is heavy on both. While the emotional angst regarding grief and depression is central to the plot, the physical chemistry between the divorced couple is intense and includes several high-heat scenes that reflect their deep, unresolved connection.
References
goodreads.com — Before I Let Go - Goodreads
amazon.com — Before I Let Go - Amazon
en.wikipedia.org — Kennedy Ryan - Wikipedia