Chapter summaries This Could Be Us Kennedy Ryan

Chapter Thirty-Seven (40) Summary: Soledad

⚠️ 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

Late at night after a live-stream, Soledad is unable to sleep. Judah texts, having seen her stream, and offers to bring something to help. He arrives at her she shed with a weighted blanket and tea—techniques he uses for his son Aaron. Their conversation quickly turns to physical and emotional intimacy. They make love again, this time with more eye contact and vulnerability. Afterward, Judah admits he wants this all the time, and Soledad confesses she is learning to trust herself—and perhaps trust him, too.

Key Events

  1. Soledad goes live late at night, joking about insomnia and reading a comment that suggests sex as a cure.
  2. Judah texts her, saying he heard she couldn’t sleep; he is already on his way over.
  3. He arrives at the she shed carrying a Harrington tote, wearing a hoodie and sweatpants.
  4. Judah gives Soledad a fifteen-pound weighted blanket and tea to help her sleep.
  5. Their flirtation escalates; they kiss and undress.
  6. Soledad performs oral sex, then Judah puts on a condom and they have intercourse on the chaise longue.
  7. After sex, Judah rests under the weighted blanket with Soledad and says he wants this all the time.
  8. Soledad replies that she is learning to trust herself—and maybe to trust both of them.

Character Development

Soledad

Soledad continues her journey toward self-discovery after her divorce. She openly shares her struggles with sleep and loneliness on her platform, showing vulnerability. Her choice to invite Judah in—even as she hesitates—marks a step toward trusting her own desires. She no longer sees sex as merely physical; it now involves emotional risk. Her line about learning to trust “us both” signals that she is beginning to merge her self-trust with trust in a partner.

Judah

Judah emerges as a tender, patient partner. He remembers Soledad’s live-stream and responds immediately, bringing practical sleep aids that work for his own child. His admission—that he wants her “all the time”—is both a confession of need and a risk, given that he knows Soledad is still healing. He does not pressure her for an answer, respecting her process.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Self-Partnering vs. Connection

Soledad’s “dating myself” challenge frames her life as intentionally solo, yet she repeatedly seeks connection with Judah. The chapter questions whether self-partnership must exclude romantic intimacy. Soledad is learning that self-focus and mutual trust can coexist.

Trust as a Gradual Process

Neither character declares full trust. Judah asks if she trusts him; Soledad deflects by saying she trusts herself. The chapter suggests that trust is built incrementally, through acts of care (the blanket, the tea) and honest conversations.

The Weighted Blanket

The blanket Judah brings is both practical and symbolic. It represents grounding and comfort—something to hold Soledad when she cannot sleep. It also mirrors the emotional weight of their developing relationship: heavy but not crushing, designed to settle rather than smother.

The She Shed

Soledad’s private space becomes the setting for their most intimate moments. The shed, which she is still decorating, represents her independence and creativity. Inviting Judah inside is a deliberate act of opening her guarded world to another person.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter Thirty-Seven marks a turning point in Soledad and Judah’s relationship. Their first encounter on New Year’s Day was spontaneous and largely physical. Here, the intimacy is more deliberate and emotional. Judah’s confession that he wants this “all the time” raises the stakes, and Soledad’s tentative answer shows she is no longer running from the possibility of love. The chapter also deepens the book’s exploration of nontraditional timelines: two people healing from past wounds, meeting in a liminal space, and choosing to move forward together despite uncertainty.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Soledad avoid directly answering Judah’s question about trust?
Soledad says she is “learning to trust myself again” and then adds “maybe I’m learning to trust us both.” She avoids a simple yes because trust in another person still feels risky after her marriage fell apart; she needs to rebuild self-trust first.

2. What function does the weighted blanket serve in the chapter, beyond helping Soledad sleep?
The blanket physically grounds Soledad while also symbolizing Judah’s attentive care. It foreshadows the emotional weight of their connection—something that will hold her if she lets it, rather than crush her.

3. How does this chapter challenge the idea of “self-partnering” that Soledad has been promoting?
Soledad’s “dating myself” challenge encourages independence and self-sufficiency, but her longing for Judah shows that self-care and romantic partnership are not mutually exclusive. The chapter argues that true self-partnering includes the freedom to invite someone else into your life without losing yourself.

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