This is a book I would have finished in a complete sitting given no work and no kids; it’s that compulsive of a read. I always can tell a book is going to be 5 stars when the writing is effortless, the characters are immediately likable and there’s on page chemistry. Add to that there’s not just one but TWO possible love interests, and I was rapt.
It is the eve of Audrey’s wedding to her boyfriend Josh and already by the end of the Prologue, we know something has gone awry leaving the bride sitting outside the church. Audrey can’t help but feel that there are bad omens surrounding her wedding, and when “the one that got away”, Fred, coincidentally shows up at her rehearsal dinner as her soon to be sister-in-law’s date, things become extremely awkward and uncomfortable for the bride.
Playing out in multiple timelines, Audrey’s meeting Fred and Josh (the past), alternates with the day before, day of, and days after her wedding. In her acknowledgments, Sophie Cousens explains how difficult it was to write these multiple timelines, but she executed it with perfection. The way the book unfolds seems extraordinarily natural to understanding Audrey’s relationships with these two men. Throughout the storytelling I found myself rooting for Fred and Josh, as vastly different as they are, and I loved not knowing how the ending would play out (and it does SO well—each hero shows his true colors). I also liked seeing Audrey’s emotional growth in her relationships and with her mother most of all. Audrey’s childhood has been a series of revolving men her mother has affairs with and then marries, and a particular fiancé brings (Content Warning) unwelcomed advances on the verge of sexual assault on the night she is supposed to meet Fred. Audrey’s relationships with the men in her mother’s life are key to helping explain her feelings towards herself and men she dates. I also found that Cousens did a great job of exploring what it means to grow up and choose a career path and how difficult that can feel, especially when life seems to get in the way. I loved all of the photography and astronomy references and Audrey’s connection to her dad through the night sky. This is such a well-rounded story, I can see myself re-reading and enjoying again. With each book I think Cousens’s writing gets better and better and I cannot wait to read what she writes next. Thank you to NetGalley and to G. P. Putnam’s Soms for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

(Rounded up from 3.75 stars)

A book about love, fate, soulmates…is also about the decisions we make, the people we choose (even against our better judgement sometimes), and the stories we construct to make sense of it all.

Multiple timelines made this one a bit difficult to get lost in, to be honest, and I felt my attention waning at times. Some of this has to do with the main character, Audrey, who I found equal parts charming and frustrating. Let me back up….

Audrey and Josh are getting married. But the night before the wedding, Audrey is surprised by Fred, the “one who got away” - a charismatic, impulsive man who Audrey has never forgotten - when he shows up to the rehearsal dinner as the date of Josh’s sister. And just like that, old feelings are re-examined and we move back and forth between how Audrey and Fred met; how Audrey and Josh met; and the pivotal moments in Audrey’s life that have led to her questioning her decision to get married.

I am not sure if it was intentional (or I hate to say it, lazy) to lift plot points from other rom-com storylines - Amelie, The Wedding Singer, even 10 Things I Hate About You - but some scenes felt unoriginal.

I like Sophie Cousens and her writing style. I found myself smiling at certain points in the book or laughing along with an in-joke between characters. I do prefer Cousens’s other book - Just Haven’t Met You Yet, though; the characters felt more real and the plot was more unique. (Plus, it still has me wanting to travel to Jersey and the Channel Islands).

This is still a fast, mostly lighthearted read. I will give Cousens points for keeping me guessing on how everything would play out - this is where the multiple timelines helped the plot in general. And then there’s Audrey, who I wanted to love, but found myself frustrated by. This may be entirely by design, though; no one is perfect, not even the soulmates we think we’ve found.

Audrey has one perfect date with a guy she thinks is her soul mate only to be left disappointed when he stands her up. Years later she was moved on to a kind and dependable guy and they are engaged. At her engagement party who should show up but the guy who she thought was her soul mate all those years ago. Is this a sign from the universe that she’s making a mistake? Or some big coincidence. After having to watch her mom go from marriage to marriage without finding her HEA Audrey can’t help but wonder if she’s about to make a big mistake.

I love when books are told in alternating timelines and slowly reveal the past because I feel like it keeps me invested and this book definitely had a firm hold on my attention. These types of stories always give me anxiety! I’m always so worried I’m going to fall for the wrong guy 😭 And Audrey was so frustrating at times. She seemed so blinded by the choices of others that she was missing what was playing out in her own life.

Overall if you’re a fan of rom coms and you’re not afraid of the age old debate of free choice vs fate then I think you’ll love this one.

I've enjoyed Sophie Cousens previous books and this is another one to add to the list. The big "what if" and "the one that got away" questions hits Audrey as the worst possible moment just when she's about to get married. I'm generally not a fan of love triangles but I like seeing her growth and though process while making her choices. The two timelines were well-written and I liked how the emotions were realistic and relatable.

I really enjoyed all the side characters as well as that the whole story wasn't predictable from the beginning; it kept me guessing for a good while. The story had humour, warmth and charm, and just what I needed to read right now,

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful read! The story of Audrey and Josh’s wedding is one not easily forgotten. A unique story that was not predictable in any way- I didn’t picture it ending like it did but I loved it! Sophie Cousens does it again!

From page one, I knew I was going to like this book. These characters were fun to get to know, and Cousens did an amazing job flushing out each and every one of them. While this book is a romance, the added mother/daughter relationship and how it impacted Audrey so significantly is what takes this book from an average rom-com to a romance with more depth.

Thanks to NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for an eARC of this book. The following review are my honest and unbiased thoughts.

Before I Do is Sophie Cousens' latest, a romance of "what ifs." For those with chronic anxiety and have "what if" living rent free in our heads, it was nice to read a romance where "what if" played out into a happy and satisfying ever after. I don't want to spoil then ending, as the journey this book takes you through is essential to the impact it has, but I DO want to share what I loved about this book.

TW: childhood trauma and molestation

Audrey is all set to marry Josh, the steady and kind love of her life, when the great "what if" man of her life shows up at her wedding as the unexpected date of a guest. Over the next 24 hours, Audrey is thrown into a chaotic spiral of anxiety and minor wedding catastrophes as she looks back on the last six years of life, and questions it all.

What I loved: Audrey is either an avoidant or disorganized attachment (for all my therapy friends who know and love attachment theory). Josh is one of the most secure attachments I've ever read in fiction. Which means, naturally, that Audrey struggled throughout their entire relationship. Her childhood was fraught with instability, trauma, and molestation, all of which she never fully addressed as an adult and never sought therapy for. Sophie Cousens did a masterful job writing a very accurate portrayal of how avoidant/disorganized attachments often behave in relationships, and my heart hurt for Audrey. She was terrified of love, but wanted to be loved so badly. She was flighty and all over the place, and felt like a failure. She would be an easy character for some to dislike if they held no empathy for her childhood -- which is why it's so important and appreciated that Cousens spent a great amount of detail exploring that.

What I love most is that, in the end, Audrey gets a happy ending. She finds peace. We see family relationships healed, we see romantic relationships bring healing, and all in all, I couldn't have asked for a better read exploring what love after childhood trauma looks like. Cheers, Sophie, and thank you for this gift!

I love Sophie Cousens and all of her books. Before I Do was no different. This book is more than a romance and will leave you questioning the big What Ifs in your life! The main character, Audrey, spends most of this book recounting her life and what it was like before and after she met her Fiancé. The crazy thing is that this is all taking place the day before and the day of her wedding when an old crush shows up. This book will have you laughing and crying and frantically turning the pages to find out what is happening next. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Before I Do is another excellent novel from Sophie Cousens. Audrey is about to marry Josh when the man she had one great date with shows up as a plus one at her rehearsal dinner. True, Audrey had one date with this man six years ago, but she has always wondered "what if?". Cousens takes her reader back through the slow build of Audrey's relationship with Josh and recounts the exciting day Audrey and Fred spent together. Cousen's characters are relatable and interesting. Before I Do is the perfect combination as its entertaining and thought provoking.

Not your typical romance! This one is sweet, and I loved the ending. But getting there was rough at times. This one kept me interested, but didn’t really suck me in. There were just a lot of timelines happening in this book and I found it hard to follow at first.

Audrey and Josh’s wedding day is full of bad omens and wild mishaps. It seems their whole relationship started with some misunderstandings and has been a little off balance. They don’t really communicate well. Audrey’s mother has also barged in and taken over all the wedding plans, even though she’s had four or five weddings of her own. Can Josh and Audrey tune out the noise, forgive each other their peculiarities, and find a way to say I Do??

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Ahhh. Swoony and cute.

What would you do if you’re all set to be married to a great guy who adores you, and maybe he doesn’t set your heart on fire, but he’s kind and you do love him. But then the day before the wedding, the one that got away shows up-the one that not only sets your heart on fire but your other body parts too! What do you do?
The story goes back and forth in time between the day before the wedding when Audrey is on the verge of marrying Josh and then Fred turns up as a plus one at the rehearsal dinner and all those feels come crashing back. The chapters go back and forth with different times with the two men in her life. He rehearsal dinner gives Audrey bad omens about marrying Josh even before Fred turns up
I loved how astronomy tied into the story. It was educational but not stiff. And the supporting characters were well developed and added a lot to the story, they weren’t just fillers as they sometimes can be.
Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

This is the third book I’ve read by this author and I’ve enjoyed them all. I like that her books have a sense of humor, some romance and the characters seem real and relatable. But they are not all fluff and romance, there are always some serious notes and in this one it’s a what if about the one that got away.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam/Penguin for this advanced copy.

This book was a great twist on the "what if?" trope of a woman getting to her wedding day only to think back on her choices and try and figure out if the right person will be waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Should Aubrey marry Josh or Fred? The boy she ignored forever only to fall for or the one who she felt fated to be with after one incredible day seven years ago? I have to say that I didn't completely see the end coming for this one, and I certainly didn't see how Cousens got us there.

I love the way the book was structured, with flashbacks detailing important moments in Aubrey's life, and current glimpses into the wedding day and Aubrey's state of mind as she sees Fred and begins to question who she is fated to be with. I appreciated that Aubrey isn't painted as just a flightly girl who can't figure it out. Cousens draws on Aubrey's complicated history with love and relationships, including how her mother goes from one marriage to another; each chapter added to the complexity of Aubrey and felt purposeful.

In the end, Aubrey is both frustrating and great (I mean, aren't we all) and I loved how the author brought this story home. The end felt "right" and nothing was out of character while still being interesting and not completely foreseen. I can't wait to read more of Cousens book.

Overall I really really enjoyed this book. I found the shifting time line to be delightful in how it was inconsistent and I wasn't sure if we would be stepping backwards or continuing the present moment chapter by chapter. I also loved the way that I was not sure which was I wanted this love triangle to go through most of the book, which was wild for me. Overall I think that it is a well written romance, with a lot of care put into the details of the book, would solidly recommend.

4.5⭐️

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick, 1 sit read - and worked as a cute palette cleanser for me! I loved the way the boom was written as the chapters were “before i do” by years and hours and then “after i didn’t.”

There was so many instances i wanted to just scream at our MC Audrey. She was definitely acting very selfish and tunnel visioned throughout the entire wedding. & when the kids with Fred did occur i was like GIRL NO. BUT the author does a wonderful job at explaining WHY Audrey is.. well so frustrating later in the book.

I can see this novel being a bit frustrating and slow at the beginning, but it’s def worth it in the end!

It’s definitely a cute, romcom type read!

Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for supplying the eARC for an honest review.

Audrey is about to get married to Josh, but when Josh's sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, from Audrey's past, she starts doubting her and Josh's relationship. Not to mention things are going wrong left and right. Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humor?

This book was so fun! I loved the dual timeline, and the way the story pieced together like a puzzle. At any moment I was switching between Team Fred and Team Josh. The characters were so relatable and realistic. I loved that there was a strong dysfunctional family subplot and the discussion of fate's role in life. Sophie Cousens is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 10/11!

A quote that seems fitting for this book is "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

In all honesty I did cry when I finished this book. What can I say, I loved it. It was so well written that I honestly did not know who Audrey was going to end up with. I really liked the time jumps between the chapters, I think it created a nice flow to the story, giving the reader just what they needed at the right time. Also, Audrey's friends and family were everything in this book. Clara, Hillary and even Vivien.

Sidebar: I am in love with Josh. Plain and simple.

What I wouldn't give to read this book for the first time again.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4 stars! soohie cousens does it again for me!

based on other books written by cousens, i was expecting to like it but this one just became my favorite cousens book! i love an alternating timeline and this one delivered!

i was torn between both guys, both seeming so sweet and dreamy and kind. following audrey’s life was also relatable (to me) and i loved finding out all the reasons how she became who she was and why she was in the predicament she was in. i too am so interested in the “what ifs” of everything and the alternate lives we could be living.

jumping back and forth between different points in audrey’s lives had me feeling a little bit like jumping into different timelines because you got to see so many different versions of audrey in her life. it made the book interesting. the turns this book took, my heart ached! at one point, i didn’t know who i was rooting for. i was being pulled in too different directions.

also i must say that sometimes when i read books based in england, i get bored and check out a little bit but cousens always writes in ways that interest me. her heroines always seem to be going through it a little and i, as a bit of a person who is always going through it, feels for them. i just really enjoy reading her work.

this book was such a lovely tale of forgiveness and remembering your past but allowing it to help you move forward. and also, not letting too much of the “what ifs” to take over what you’ve got. i adored this one and cannot wait to purchase it myself!

thank you netgalley and the publisher for sending this one to me in return for an honest review!

Final Score - 4.5 Hilarious High Jinx Stars!

This book had me laughing, crying, a bit frustrated but in the end - I am filled with warmth. There's just something about a book that has 2nd chance at love and those never ending "what if" moments.

Audrey is my hero. Of course, she's a bit neurotic (like me) and constantly pondering Granny Parker's bad omens (Latin's and their superstitions, anyone?). Not everything is black and white. There's tons of grey in life. And you should never judge another person's relationship with yours. Everyone is deserving of love and to be loved. I just wanted to hug the hell out of her much like a good friend would, and just tell her it would all work out. How it was supposed to be.

I have to say this one is my first book by the author and it had me engaged from the start. I didn't want it end! The story was so relatable, I mean, who doesn't question every decision they've ever made or have some sort of regret after it's outcome? I know I do.

This book is a definite must read! All the emotions, having you on edge of your seat, tears of laughter? I want to do a re-read immediately!