This Could Be Us

Ryan returns with a raw and moving second installment of the Skyland series (after Before I Let Go). Stay-at-home mom Soledad Barnes prides herself on caring for her husband, Edward, and their three daughters—but her well-ordered world turns upside down when Edward is arrested for embezzlement and, while he’s in jail, Soledad learns of his infidelity. With her children depending on her, Soledad is determined not to fall apart. Instead, she must find a way to turn her life around with the help of supportive female friends and bell hooks’s All About Love. Forensic accountant Judah Cross is the man who uncovered Edward’s crimes, putting him and Soledad at odds. Nevertheless, the pair cannot deny the powerful attraction simmering between them. Kennedy makes the chemistry palpable and showcases the unexpected similarities between her worthy protagonists by emphasizing their mutual devotion to their families; Judah is a single father to autistic twin sons. Soledad and Judah’s ensuing forbidden romance doubles as a journey of self-discovery for them both. Readers will be most gratified to see Soledad figure out how to turn her long-unpaid domestic labor into a lucrative business by selling her baked goods and starting a farm-to-table pop-up experience. This sexy and mature romance is another hit for Ryan. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds. (Mar.)