Chapter summaries This Could Be Us Kennedy Ryan

Chapter Twenty-Six: Soledad – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

During a FaceTime call with her sisters, Lola reveals she is leaving her teaching job to move to Austin and open a bookstore with her best friend Olive, whom she recently realized she loves. Nayeli, overwhelmed with six sick children, struggles to keep up. Soledad supports Lola’s dream but is secretly preoccupied with thoughts of Judah. The sisters agree to convert their mother’s house into an Airbnb to generate extra income, especially for Soledad, who is building her career as a food influencer. After the call, Soledad starts her delayed “Cook with Me Live” session, greeting her audience with characteristic warmth.

Key Events

  • Lola announces her move to Austin and the bookstore plan with Olive.
  • Nayeli describes the chaos of caring for six sick kids and regrets she cannot travel for Christmas.
  • Soledad checks in on her sister’s children and recommends bone broth and elderberry.
  • The sisters discuss turning the family home into an Airbnb, with Soledad agreeing to help update it.
  • Soledad’s attention drifts to Judah; she admits she dreams and fantasizes about him.
  • Lola plans to visit Soledad the week before Christmas.
  • Soledad starts her live cooking broadcast, already late.

Character Development

Soledad shows her growing proficiency as an influencer, yet her internal distraction with Judah reveals unresolved romantic tension. She balances sisterly support with personal financial anxiety and a desire for emotional connection.

Lola demonstrates clarity and courage, choosing to follow her passion for books and her love for Olive, even at the cost of leaving her teaching career.

Nayeli embodies maternal exhaustion, practical and blunt, but she ultimately supports her sisters’ dreams despite her own challenges.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Sisterhood: The call reinforces the bond among the three sisters, as they share personal news, offer help, and laugh together despite physical distance.
  • Pursuing Dreams vs. Stability: Lola’s leap into book-selling represents risking security for fulfillment, while Soledad’s influencer work highlights the uncertain gig economy.
  • Romantic Longing: Soledad’s wandering thoughts about Judah contrast with her focused public persona, underscoring her private vulnerability.
  • Home and Legacy: The family house stands as a symbol of their mother’s memory; converting it to an Airbnb preserves it while generating needed income.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter builds Soledad’s emotional arc by juxtaposing her professional growth with her internal ache for Judah. It also advances the sisters’ subplot, setting Lola’s move in motion and establishing the Airbnb as a future setting for possible reunions. Soledad’s distraction foreshadows the tension that will arise when she and Judah cross paths at the upcoming CalPot Christmas party.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Soledad agree to convert the family home into an Airbnb?
    She needs the extra income as she builds her influencer career, and she wants to preserve the house rather than sell it. The Airbnb offers a practical way to honor their mother’s legacy while supporting Lola’s transition.

  2. How does the chapter reveal Soledad’s feelings for Judah?
    Her mind repeatedly drifts to him during the phone call; she admits she dreams and fantasizes about him. The contrast between her professional composure on the live stream and her private longing emphasizes the emotional conflict she is hiding.

  3. What does Lola’s decision to move to Austin suggest about her character?
    Lola is willing to take a professional and romantic risk. She leaves a secure teaching job to open a bookstore with Olive, showing she values passion and love over safety. This echoes the novel’s broader theme of choosing authenticity.

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