Welcome back to DELUX READS a favorite of many DELUX readers that we decided to bring back after being inspired by an old friend. Here we will share recommendations of our favorite books our contributors and staff recommend as well as locations you can visit or order them online. We hope you enjoy our December Book of the Month recommendation Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan.



If you are looking for a great read for this holiday break, look no more. Before I Let Go ‘, is not your basic love story. Beginning with a thoughtful disclaimer to the reader about the contents of its pages, the book follows the main characters Yasmen and Josiah through a multitude of life-altering triumphs and tragedies.

You will find yourself relating to both Josiah and Yasmen at one time or another. Whether it’s parenthood, the ebbs, and flows of a career or much-needed time with friends for some sage advice, You’ll be captured by some familiarity in the references, making this a timely and relevant read for the reader. Ryan draws you into the lives of the Wades in a genuine way that keeps you invested in how it will end.

Reading this book reminds me of a quote I’ve recently heard and will take to heart, “An ideal life is the sum of minute decisions.” Everyone’s path is different, and with so many forks in your own road, we often find ourselves at the crossroads of a choice to make. What I gathered from this story, is anything worth having, is worth fighting for. This book looks to be the first in a series. Looking forward to the next book of the Skyland series.

Happy Reading,

You can pick it up here with our friends at EyeseeMe Bookstore!

About the Author

A RITA® Award Winner and Top 25 Amazon Bestseller, Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish, and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts.

She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Atlanta families living with Autism, she has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for families living with autism.

M Lyons Smith