I really enjoyed this book. I think it had a great ending, and I loved the dual timeline! It had a great message and I found myself laughing throughout as well. I will definitely be recommending it.

This was just OK.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for my advanced copy of Before I Do!

I am such a huge Sophie Cousens fan but this one was a bit of a let down for me.
I listened to this book on audio and I had to start the audio over numerous times in a attempt to get into it.
I kept thinking is it me? or is it the book ?
I did eventually get into the story well into the second half but I wasn't fully invested.

This wasn't a completely negative experience. I did enjoy how the book jumps back and forth in time. I think it was very useful in developing our main character.
I loved that our main character was flawed.
I also appreciated how the author wrote resolution between Audrey and a few of the key players in this novel.

Overall- Not her best but I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading this book .

Sophie Cousens does not disappoint with her latest novel Before I Do. This was a super fast read for me because I loved the characters (though the protagonist Audrey did annoy me at times, there was a growth/redemption arc). A major theme of the book is that what if every decision we make in this life, there is another world where we made a different decision and are living a possibly complete different life. Focused around the idea of soul mates, destiny, and the cosmos, Sophie Cousens creates a unique and interesting read for a wide audience. If you liked her other books, love the romance genre, or are just in need of a light but meaningful read, I would recommend Before I Do!
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A huge thank you to the author, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. #BeforeIDo #NetGalley

The first thing that I’m going to tell you about Before I Do is that dreamers and romantics are extremely likely to understand Audrey who finds herself in the unique position of being on the eve of her wedding and having the what-if man from her past stumble into her rehearsal dinner. His appearance after several “omens” feeds into Audrey’s doubts as to whether her marriage to Josh is doomed.

The second thing I’m going to tell you is that Audrey fears being like her mother from whom she’s grown apart. Her mother is constantly searching for romance, that sparkle that is there when you initially fall in love. She thinks that is romance, love, when it is just part of the whole scenario.

Has that rubbed off on Audrey?

Who is Fred? Is he really the one? Or just a daydream what-if?

I loved the way that Sophie Cousens told this story, slowly revealing to her readers important details that give us hope that Audrey will make the right decision. As a once-head-in-the-clouds reader, I could empathize with Audrey and I liked that she’s not judged. Audrey is a simply wonderful character, full of life and quirks. Equally, I adored Josh who has always loved Audrey, even when she couldn’t be bothered remembering his name. But he’s not a milquetoast.

Sophie Cousens has written a very effective, multi-layered story that will have you hanging on to every word and loving the outcome. Fun, heart-felt, engrossing, Before I Do works.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Cousens has managed to write one of the sweetest, most sincere, and brilliant romantic comedies of the year. This book follows a young woman who is struggling to find success - she has yet to settle into a stable career and she is questioning her marriage after running into the man that might have been her first love. And the book focuses on how we view relationships and what type of relationships we need - romantic, friendship, or familial - in order to feel love and comfort. I loved this book so much! I laughed out loud and read it in one sitting. I cannot recommend this enough!

4 1/2 stars

I've enjoyed everything I've read by Sophie Cousens and this book was no different.

With the book Before I Do, we meet Audrey. She's suffering from an extreme case of "cold feet" about marrying Josh. It's made even worse when she is reunited with a previous romantic interest. He was the "one who got away" so to speak. She begins to question everything that's happening and wondering if things are a sign indicating she's not supposed to marry Josh.

I don't think it's uncommon for people to have a time in their life where they wonder about the "road not taken" or a long lost love., Ms. Cousens takes this premise and creates a book around it. The timeline alternates between different times in Audrey's past and the present day. The past helps to explain where a great deal of Audrey's insecurities stem from. As is often the case, there is a great deal of miscommunication at play throughout the story. This leads to misunderstandings and misinterpretations of situations. All of which led our character, Audrey to form certain opinions that she carried into the present day.

I believe the author did a lovely job at character development. She took her time and let it play out over the course of the entire book. There is growth and a great deal of evolution in not just Audrey's character but others as well. It was truly a beautiful story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This book was completely unexpected - and I spent most of it wondering who Audrey would end up with! It felt relatively relatable (except for how Audrey and photo booth guy met). We've all wondered at some point in life "what if" and this novel explores what would happen if you're presented with that challenge. Is the grass always greener on the other side and is there always something better than what we have?

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this advanced copy!

Read if you love:
💍love triangles
💍soulmates
💍weddings
💍flashbacks
💍crazy grandmothers
💍overcoming trauma
💍supportive friendships

“I just wanted to say, I won’t love you any less for getting crumbs on my sheets, or for anything you might say or do . . .”

Everyone knows that love triangle stories can be tricky, but this one was so well done! I truly did not know who Audrey was going to choose for most of the book. I did feel though that once she chose, it was pretty obvious in hindsight.

My favorite part of the book were the flashbacks and Audrey’s character growth. Through the flashbacks, we come to understand Audrey’s trauma and why she made some of the decisions she did. It certainly made her indecision understandable and forgivable. Fred and Josh were both super sweet and romantic in their own ways. It’s so hard not to root for them both!

I loved Audrey’s support system in her best friend, Clara and her nactor, (😂) Hillary. I enjoyed how they talked things through with Audrey and let her figure things out on her own instead of telling her what to do. Granny Parker was a hoot with her “bad omens” and knowing ways. And Vivian…she’s just wow. You definitely need to experience her for yourself to really appreciate her. I highly recommend this angsty, hilarious and heartwarming book!

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy. My thoughts are my own.

I love a British rom-com, especially one that is wedding centric, so I came into this book with really high expectations. Despite it sounding like a perfect match for me on paper, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The story is told in dual/multiple timelines, and follows Audrey and Josh in the hours leading up to their wedding, as well as anywhere from 6 years ago to their recent past. The day of their wedding, every disaster and bad omen you can think of occurs, culminating when Josh's sister brings a last minute mystery date - Fred, who on one day 6 years ago, Audrey had a chance meeting and perfect day with, and then disappeared the next day. This sends Audrey into a tailspin, questioning if it was fate that brought them back together, and if she was really meant to marry Josh.

For a rom-com, I actually found myself getting angry at many points in the story. Audrey isn't a particularly likeable character, with a privileged background of a famous stage actress mother and deceased playwright father, who dropped out of college, flits from one low level job to the next, drinks a little too much, and hooks up with bad boy artsy types to pass the time. Josh is her polar opposite, with a stable insurance job in the City, neat and orderly apartment, and volunteers his time planting trees. It wasn't love at first sight for them, in fact Audrey didn't even like him much, but soon came to fall for him. Fred, on the other hand, was a manic pixie dream boy, reckless and whimsical, and brought out all of Audrey's worst qualities in the one day they were together. I was definitely Team Josh and frustrated at Audrey for potentially ruining a good thing because of her immaturity. Maybe the relationship dynamics of Audrey and Josh felt a little too similar to me and my own husband for me to feel comfortable. It definitely hit a little close to home and made me reflect, which is a great quality in a book and bumped my rating up the extra quarter star. There were also some clichés used that aren't my favorite, like the harried new mom best friend and the multiple times divorced in love with being in love mother who passes on her generational trauma.

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens

Audrey and Josh are about to be married. They didn't connect at their first meeting. Audrey didn't go for guys like "Bad Jeans Josh". Josh keeps showing up and they end up falling in love. On the day before their wedding, a man from Audrey's past shows up. He was her "one that got away" and all of a sudden, she's not sure if she should marry Josh or not. It also doesn't help that her mother wasn't a model for successful relationships. The book flashes back and forth from the past to the present and we are better able to understand why Audrey is the way that she is and, at least for me, I became even a bigger fan of Josh.

I am becoming more and more of a fan of Sophie Cousens. She has a way of writing that draws you in and makes you want to truly understand the characters. In this one more than her previous books, I had a little more trouble getting into it, but once I became invested, I was hooked. I was so annoyed with Audrey for the longest time, but Sophie made me sympathetic by the conclusion.

My sincere thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion of it. I look forward to reading more Sophie Cousens in the future.

Imagine you're getting married tomorrow. You're nervous. you're wondering if you made the right decision. And things start going wrong. And then your one 'what if' guy randomly shows up as your fiancé's date. You haven't seen him in 6 years, but the day you spent together is etched in your memories. Would you think it was fate? What would you do?

That's the premise if this story. The chapters hop between days over the last 6 years and we slowly build a picture of Audrey and her past and how she came to be right where she is. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. Honestly, the book kept getting better and better for me as I learned more and more of Audrey's backstory. I really enjoyed it.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I loved the characters in this book. Audrey (who is about to marry Josh) is a bit flighty. Josh is more down to earth. As most people, Audrey is taking stock of her life before the big day. She weighs the practicality of her coming marriage and her “what if” moment years before with “phone booth guy”. Her brief time with Fred was romantic and swept her off her feet. When her future sister-in-law arrives at the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey is thrown for a loop. Not to mention all the things that are starting to go wrong with the wedding. Fred is still enamored with Audrey which makes her situation even more difficult. With all this going on, the author still is able to capture depth with the minor characters as well. With each character contemplating their future, the development of the characters is amazing. I highly recommend this book!

Also reviewed on B&N under 1IrishEyes430 and Kobo under IrishEyes430

The book wasn't bad but because I wanted to know who and what happened from the beginning I didn't like that it took many chapters to get to it. Overall a good read.

I loved the writing, but I kept reading hoping the story would catch my interest. Unfortunately it never did.

I'm a huge Sophie Cousens fan but I just could not get into this book. It's not bad by any means - the writing is engaging, the bad omens that happen at the wedding are funny, and I think a lot of people can relate to having a "what if?" person - but I found the main character, Audrey, really unlikable and didn't understand why she made the choices she did. I spent most of the time thinking her fiancé, Josh, deserved better instead of rooting.

Thanks to Putnam's for the copy to review.

After three 5-star reads, Sophie Cousens is officially one of my favorite authors. I love the way she writes. In Before I Do, Audrey is about to marry Josh, when Fred, a guy she had a magical day with and then lost contact with, shows up. The book jumps back and forth between the current timeline, her early days with Josh, the amazing day she had with Fred, and even back to her childhood. I loved the time jumps. It kept me wanting more and more. I wanted to know what happened in the past and what decisions Audrey was going to make in the present and where this would all take her in the future. This is somewhat a love triangle and I honestly couldn’t decide who was the best guy for Audrey. Before I Do is beautifully written. The story is full of romance, heartache, friendship, and lots and lots of humor. I loved this book so much. I think it has one of the best endings ever. Go get this book now!

While I enjoyed this “what-if” story about a woman who reconnects with an old crush on the day of her wedding, I had a hard time connecting with the main character, Audrey.

While I appreciated the overall message and ended up being happy with the way things wrapped up the whole concept baffled me a bit - like you are getting MARRIED and if an old crush shows up and derails you that much are you sure you’re marrying the right person?! I also didn’t love the idea that you weren’t really ‘committed’ until you actually got married. If you are in a committed relationship, you are in a committed relationship, period. Before and after your wedding shouldn’t change that.

This book gave me a lot to think about and was overall a quick, fun read.

Wasn’t totally sold on the premise, but this ended up being a cute, quick read. Not in my top books of all time, but I enjoyed it!

Thank you so much PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book! At first I was curious like how could you still think of someone who you haven’t talked to in years and who it didn’t work out with when you are about to get married to someone else but when you feel the heart ache and yearning through the pages I totally understood. There was a miscommunication that led to them not getting together. I wondered if it was a sign just like how she kept running into Josh could be one also just considering this book seems to be all about signs from the universe. I definitely feel like Audrey loves Josh and they compliment each other well and I really think Fred is more of a lust/spontaneous situation. This book was great! I love how they show the past and present so that you get more invested in the characters. This book made my heart ache in a good way. As someone that believes everything happens for a reason this book really makes me feel like I am in charge of my own destiny and it’s all about how you take the bad and make it good. I loved the characters and the message and how it felt like I was on the edge of my seat not knowing what was going to happen next!

Absolutely adored this one!! Sophie Cousens is now a favorite of mine. I read two others of her books in the last couple months and this one is probably my favorite. I loved the multiple periods of time, learning about the characters both in the present leading up to the wedding and how they met, adventures they had, how pathed crossed, and how their decisions, experiences, and backgrounds lead them to where they were today. Absolutely would recommend for folks who enjoy romance, non-linear timelines, and messy characters.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review in exchange for this ARC!