Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC of ‘Before I Do’ in exchange for an honest review!

I am giving this book a solid 4 stars! I’m going to be honest, I was expecting a light and easy read, and it was in parts, but it also got a little deeper with a whole lot of self-conflict mixed in.

How many times have you ever thought about all the ‘what ifs’ in your life? What if you had chosen a different career? What if you had lived in a different place? What if you had gone on that second date?

What if who you thought was ‘the one’, might not be? That is the exact conflict that our main character, Audrey faces when on the eve of her wedding, her ‘what if’ shows up at her rehearsal dinner. Is it fate telling her that her and Josh, the down to earth, level fiancé is in fact not, ‘the one’?

This book has a bright and witty cast of characters. It WAS a fun, not so light in places, read!

Beginning with a disrupted wedding, and told over multiple timelines, this is the story of Audrey's struggle to understand both herself and her relationships. Not quite a classic rom com, the author is able to keep the reader guessing how Audrey's story will end, while weaving a hopeful thread throughout. Before I Do is an enjoyable page turning read, while also examining deeper themes.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

3.5 stars!

This was a book where I found myself rooting one way and changing my mind the next.

An interesting concept of what you would do if you are about to get married to a loving man who's seen as a safe choice when "the one" that got away shows up to the rehearsal dinner. I enjoyed the several timelines to discover how the relationships between Audrey and her two men, Josh (the groom to be) and Fred (the man from her past), began and evolved.

Though the book was enjoyable, there was a piece of the plot I felt didn't quite fit, but overall an enjoyable book to discover if serendipity is truly all what it's made out to be.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for the review copy of this book.

So many different emotions with this book. From laughing, to anger, to heartbreak, to anxiety, and so much more.
I loved the multiple timelines with this book and the way that it kind of played out as a "mystery" - what's going to happen, what did happen, etc. I feel like the characters of this book, and the challenges they face, are completely relatable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review this book. Audrey is set to marry Josh and right before the wedding one of Josh's sisters brings "what if Fred" to the rehearsal dinner. This book goes back and for to present and past and is a very well written rom with a great ending.

On the eve of Audrey’s wedding to her long term boyfriend, Josh, a man from her past shows up. Audrey already has her doubt about whether her and Josh are meant to be, so seeing Fred, a man she spent one perfect day with years ago, exasperates her doubts even more.

I liked the format of the book, alternating between Audrey’s past and the hours leading up to her wedding. However, I expected more of Audrey’s past to dive into her whirlwind of a relationship with Fred, the “one that got away”. I felt like the details of her past lacked the significance to cause such doubt on her wedding day, and Audrey was not a particularly likable character. Overall, the book was fine, but I did prefer the author’s earlier novel, This Time Next Year, and I am look forward to reading her previous book, Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for my eARC!

I was such a big fan of This Time Next Year and couldn’t wait to read Sophie Cousens’ next book! This was my favorite novel from her yet!

The plot is simple yet complicated- how do you know if the person you chose is “the one”? How does “the one that got away affect this? Is it a sign or fate if they show up again? I loved the banter and dialogue between characters throughout the entire book. The main character, Audrey, was a bit unlikeable at the beginning, but evolved and showed major progression over time. I was entertained and intrigued to see how Audrey’s story turned out!

Beautifully written, I can’t wait to see what Sophie comes out with next!

This book is so cute! I previously enjoyed “This Time Next Year” by the same author and I liked “Before I Do” even better. On Audrey’s wedding day, nothing seems to go right. When the what-if guy from her past shows up as her sister-in-law’s plus one, Audrey is thrown into a tailspin. Has fate conspired to stop her from marrying Josh or is this chance run-in simply a coincidence? As bad omens and minor mishaps unfold, Audrey reflects on the major turning points that led her to the altar and imagines how her life might’ve turned out if she had made different choices.

I really enjoyed this book. Audrey is a good narrator and I sympathized with her. She is flawed in a realistic way. There were some great side characters — her childhood nanny/stage actor Hillary and bestie Clara. There were poignant observations about love. This is a great read and I recommend it! Humorous, heartfelt, and a happy ending❤️

Audrey is a quirky, creative woman who dreams of galaxies and the stars beyond.

Josh is a straight laced conservationist who loves a clean house and a spread sheet.

The two are on the verge of getting married when someone from Audrey’s past comes sweeping in. What ensues is an amazing and chaotic journey all about life’s what ifs and what is.

I really enjoyed this book!!! I definitely found myself tearing up at the end. This story is one that explores beyond the typical timeline of a romance. I love the way the use of multiple timelines allows us to fully grasp Audrey’s perspective based on her life experiences. Overall a great read!

Cute, cute story about allll the bad omens happening just before the "I Do"s. This quick read will surely put a smile on your face!

This book was so much fun to read. I loved it. Seeing the one that got away on the day of your wedding, followed by all the things that keep going wrong, keeps you guessing as to who will be the one really walking down the aisle. I fell in love with this book, I loved the way it ended. This a a cute fun read.

🤍👰 Book Review 👰🤍

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens

The synopsis starts with:

What would you do if 'the one that got away' turned up the night before your wedding?

I mean, c'mon that hooked me instantly! In the book you follow the story of Aubrey and Josh who are opposites. The night before their wedding and someone from Aubrey's past shows up unexpectedly.

The plot hooked me from the beginning. By the end I was a little annoyed with Aubrey with how she was behaving. I think Sophie does a great job at providing a romance that has depth to the characters while adding heavier topics as well.

I enjoyed this book overall and enjoyed comparing it to her another book of hers I read right before this one.

This gem is out now and I would love to know your thoughts if you have read it! Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for the opportunity to read this book 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75


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“If it was purely down to chance, if there were a million forks in the road, then of all the ways her life could have played out, was this the best outcome?”

Audrey and Josh are getting married today - or are they? They are opposites and their wedding day is having all kinds of bad luck - starting with a dead bat. Before I Do is a book about trust, fate, and “what if?”

I will admit that I wasn’t 100% sure where the book was going through the majority of it, and I love when I can’t predict a storyline. Audrey was a tricky narrator to root for at times, but had a difficult past that understandably impacted her decisions.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced reaching copy in exchange for an honest review.

Who will Audrey being saying "I do" to? The story goes back and forth from the preparations from Josh and Audrey's wedding (and the many mishaps) and to Audrey's relationship with Fred. At the rehearsal dinner, Josh's sister's date is Fred! Fred and Audrey had plans to meet years ago ~ he didn't show up ~ now he shows up and resurrects old feelings.
This was a very enjoyable book and I will read more books written by Sophie Cousens,
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was fantastic. At first, I was nervous about the narrative style: the timeline jumped around a lot. It worked so well! I had no trouble keeping track of which timeline was happening when and who did what, etc. I really think this timeline set up did the book justice! Kudos to the author for pulling it off!

I loved Audrey and Josh’s chemistry, but I loved the idea of the “what if” person from the past. I had so much sympathy for Audrey as a character; I could talk about her for hours!

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Really liked the “what if” premise and a number of the characters. Hillary was hilarious (would love to see a book about him), Josh I felt he got the short end of the romance, and Clara was a fantastic friend. At times I got confused in the flashbacks and didn’t enjoy her mother Vivian at all. Audrey and Fred were bland characters to me, I didn’t really get their romance.

Who hasn’t had at least one major “what if” moment? It usually happens at the least opportune moment, exactly when we least need them to. This is that story and it’s a really terrific read. Audrey and Josh are about to get married. They are opposites in so many ways, and yet compliment each other, but is it enough? Shouldn’t there be more than that? As the big day gets closer, Audrey finds her self wondering if he is really the one for her. Is it cold feet or is it her “what if” guy, Fred who has never really left her thoughts no matter how far back in her mind she tried to push him. Then surprisingly Fred shows up with Josh’s sister and let the games begin! It’s witty, irreverent, smart, honest and much more. A really enjoyable book that leads to a wonderful ending.

This book contained the laughter, seriousness, and relatability I crave in romance novels. I reviewed this book on the Feminist Book Club podcast.

This was cute, but I found the flashbacks to be erratic and hard to follow in the beginning. I also had a hard time keeping the characters straight as I was getting into the story—Josh(/James), Paul, Fred, and Brian?? That being said, the overall message of the narrative was nice, and I enjoyed the astronomy details as well as the ending. Certainly not a romance but contemporary fiction instead. I didn't dislike the book, but I wasn't compelled to read it, so it took some time to get through.