Thank you NetGalley for providing an electronic ARC of this book.
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date: October 11, 2022

Sophie Cousens has done it again. Before I Do tells the story of Audrey and her journey to find love. Her wedding day is filled with ‘bad omens’, and she is debating on what to do.

I went into this nervous there would be a love triangle, but thankfully, I was mistaken. This is a closed door romance and explores the relationships of the main character throughout many years.

If you loved Cousen’s Just Haven’t Met You Yet, you’ll for sure love Before I Do!

I remember randomly picking up This Time Next Year at a Target before I started my Bookstagram account and fell in love with the book and will forever be a Sophie Cousens fan.

Her newest book is another delight. Audrey is flighty. She doesn’t plan anything. She lives in the moment. Her fiancé is the exact opposite. Josh is very organized, stable and rooted. As their wedding weekend commences, everything starts to go wrong. Including Fred, a man Audrey thought might be her soulmate, showing up to her wedding. Is Josh really the one? Or is fate intervening?

There were plenty of laugh out loud moments, as well as swoony moments. I kept going back and forth on which guy I thought should be with Audrey. I couldn’t decide - just like Audrey.

If you need a sweet bingeable romance that is also thought-provoking about fate and love, then pick up this one

I just love a good story about the “what-ifs” and this story is just that. The story focuses on multiple time lines all focuses on Audrey and Josh’s wedding and everything that leads up to that day. Audrey is a wonderfully complex character who is set to marry Josh, the opposite of what she would have ever imagined for herself and she can’t help thinking what about the guy who got away? When that guy randomly shows up at her wedding she questions everything.

This book was so well done with the complexity of the characters and the relationships they all have. I loved Vivian, Audrey’s mom who was perfectly imperfect.

Thank you to the publishers and to Netgalley for allowing to read this advanced copy of this book. #netgalley

I love a good timeline jump and Sophie Cousens is brilliant at them. Most timeline jump books I’ve read have one starting point, usually the end of the relationship, and jump back and forth between the good times and the current timeline. In showing how Audrey got to this point in her life, not only leading up to the wedding and after she’s supposed to be married, provides a fuller picture to how Audrey became who she is in the present.
The struggle Audrey faces of who she was versus who she’s become, in the face multiple bad omens exacerbating her already cold feet and the realization that being a work in progress is not a bad thing, is a timeless issue multiple people can relate to no matter their age.
I was so excited to read this book, having already preordered it and anxiously waiting for her next book, and I thank Netgalley, Sophie Cousens and Penguin Group for providing me an ARC!

I was already a fan of Sophie Cousens before reading this book, but BEFORE I DO has solidified me as a "super fan." I absolutely loved it. If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be CHARMING. But I can't stop at just one, so I will continue with DELIGHTFUL, WITTY, ROMANTIC, HEARTWARMING. I could go on. At the beginning of the book, I wasn't sure if the wedding would happen or who the reader was supposed to root for as the love interest, but I made my choice quickly thereafter and would have been heartbroken if it turned out differently. Have no fear: the happy ever after was PERFECTION. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella who want the charm but perhaps slightly less silly, I highly recommend this book!!

This was everything I love in a rom-com. Adorable characters, the best of circumstances, and the rollercoaster of life. I have been a fan of Cousens work in the past and this one is definitely one of their best!

Before I Do was not a typical romance story, but I absolutely loved it. The story opens up with a wedding disaster, and then takes us back to the hours and years before the wedding. Audrey is marrying Josh, but as the wedding creeps up her doubts start to rise. And then enter Fred, Audrey's "what if?" This was not a love triangle, but more of a deeper look into the things that hold us back and make us wonder. I loved the characters in this one, even the secondary characters were well-written and added a level of depth to the story that I enjoyed. This book took the reader on a journey with Audrey, and sometimes she was frustrating and you wanted to be like "get it together!" But, that's real life and made me love the novel even more. This is definitely my favorite Sophie Cousens novel so far!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced copy of Before I Do. This is the story of Audrey who is about to get married, only for her sister-n-law to bring her “what if” guy from her past as her reception date. This stirs up a lots emotions and what ifs. The story gets a bit jumbled because then it segues in to many different storylines: Audrey’s relationship backstory with her fiancé, another storyline with her mother, and another with the what if guy. To be honest, it almost lost me in the middle because it was all over the place. And while I enjoyed how it ended, Audrey was a selfish character who was difficult to root for.

On the night before Audrey and Josh’s wedding day an unexpected guest arrives, Fred the one who Audrey things got away. So begins Before I Do by Sophie Cousens. Audrey begins to look at her relationship with Josh and other members of her family and starts to question if she is making the right decision. I loved this book couldn’t put it down! I really enjoyed all the characters in the book especially Audrey and could really relate to all the doubts and what-ifs she was facing. All in all I will definitely recommend this book when it is released! I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a digital arc of Before I Do in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. The main character Audrey is set to marry Josh until an old fling, Fred, shows up at her wedding, causing her to question fate. The book is set up to read in a sequence of chapters that rotate between “present moment” and “past event”. This made the book even more enticing bc the author did a good job hooking you into what was happening presently only to throw you back before the wedding to give you insight. I sought this book out only bc I was sure it would address some of the questions that come with making a decision that could / should last the rest of your life. The author did a nice job tying in astronomy and the theory of other universes into the story line without it going beyond a comprehensible point for someone who has no background in this. Overall, I really enjoyed the story, I found myself sneaking away little moments in my life just to get another chapter in.

For someone who does not read a lot of romance novels, I adored this book because of its relatability. I would venture to guess most people have had the two relationships Audrey has in the book; a committed relationship with the reliable guy and the quick, fleeting romance with the mystery guy who leaves you wondering if they are the one who got away. I loved reading the back and forth in Audrey’s mind and Cousens had me so conflicted throughout that couldn’t decide through the book who I wanted her to end up with. An excellent ending and lots of great quotes for life and love that I so wish I could quote in this review. I’ll have to come back and update this review after it’s release to share my favorites.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 4.5 stars! ⭐️

Another excellent romance from Sophie Cousens that explores the concept of fate and the one that got away. Audrey is about to get married only to find her 'what if' man, Fred, turning up at her wedding. Told in a series of flashbacks, this story delves into the question of who we're meant to be with and the one that got away.

I love how Sophie Cousens writes compelling stories about fated romances. This love triangle had me guessing and on edge the whole way through wondering who Audrey would ultimately decide was the man for her. Great on audio narrated by Emma Sidi and recommended for fans of Lia Louis. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @PRHAudio for a complimentary audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Quirky, quick read. Audrey and Josh are getting married. Follow them through the adventure from before they say I do to the big moment. Full of laughs and crazy wedding chaos. Fun read, love the characters!


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Cousens and G.P Putnam’s Sons (an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC) for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Holy multiple timelines, Batman! This book was so much fun. I enjoyed the supporting and main characters quite a bit. However, the time shifting due to the multiple timelines made the book a bit difficult to read. If I put it down for a bit, when I picked it back up I had to go back a couple pages to see where we were in time. That complexity took some of the enjoyment out of the book for me. In the author's comments, she said she had post-it notes to help her keep track of each timeline, and frankly, I think that would have helped me too! That being said, I liked the story quite a bit, but wish the structure would have been simpler.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. I appreciate it !!

First off, you gotta read Before I Do by Sophie Cousens, immediately. It truly had me on a rollercoaster of emotions, and the relatability of the characters and how things that happen to us or the decisions we make ultimately shape us into the people we are, for good or bad. Who hasn’t asked themselves “What if?” and thought about how different their life could possibly be based on one decision? Sophie Cousens does an excellent job of portraying the dual timelines and allowing us as the reader to get a better sense of the characters backstories and the decisions that have led Audrey to start questioning everything on the day of her wedding. An unexpected guest turns up who Audrey spent a wonderful day with years before she met Josh (her fiance) and starts a spiral of if she’s making the right choice by marrying Josh and what if? The supporting cast of characters (Hillary, Clara and even Granny Parker) were all very delightful and helped to foster Audrey's growth throughout the book.

Sophie Cousens is definitely an instant buy for me and I can’t wait to read what she writes next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Sophie Cousens and Penguin Group Putnam for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Before I do. This was quite the clever book. I really enjoyed reading it and all the amazing characters. Saying something like I do is such a defining moment in your life. There are so many what if’s and what could be or will be and just overall decisions to be made. It’s not unusual to have cold feet but when so many things are thrown at you all at once you can’t help but wonder.

We meet Audrey who is on the precipice of saying I do to Josh; someone she didn’t expect would grow on her. She still has thoughts about someone she spent an amazing day with just also happens to show up at the wedding. We go through the events from her past while also going through evens before and after the wedding. It’s all really entertaining to watch all these things happening to Audrey.

You never realize exactly how many different defining moments you may have in your life but it’s the choices you make that bring you to the present and your future. I don’t want to delve too much into it because then I’ll just be giving the book away, but it was perfect. Things really worked out the way they were supposed to, maybe there really is something in the stars.

I can undeniably say that I would absolutely read another book by Sophie Cousens. The story flowed gracefully and kept your attention throughout. You can’t always have a happy ending but sometimes things seem to work out the way they are supposed to. Not everything needs to be grand, sometimes simpler is better. I truly liked the book.

I loved this book! I've thoroughly enjoyed the other books Sophie Cousens has written, so I wasn't at all surprised by this, but seriously... I LOVED THIS BOOK. It had so much going for it: a solid plot told in alternating timelines, a main character I liked and wanted to succeed, and a love triangle without an obvious choice.

4.5 stars. What a surprising read! I loved it.

The story is a single POV, but multiple timelines. The way the story jumped around in time actually worked really well. It kept me in suspense for most of the book in a great way. It kept me locked in and invested emotionally.

The main and supporting characters were all unique and very well developed.

When finally all was revealed and resolved, it was a lovely and satisfying ending.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance copy.

Do we base love on fate or choice? This is the question Audrey will ponder before she marries Josh. Is she having a case of cold feet…or is the reemergence of someone from her past making her question everything.

I enjoyed the dual time lines in this story. It was the perfect way to showcase all the events that lead to Audrey’s wedding day and the many “what ifs”. This story is full of chance meetings, fate and serendipity. I thought it was all cleverly pulled together and had a great cast of secondary characters. I also love that Audrey is into astronomy (which she gets from her late father) and finds peace from the stars.

Audrey and Josh are opposites in every way. Audrey is a free spirit who doesn’t have a set job or a plan for her life. Josh has a very orderly life with to-do lists, a good job, and a plan for the future. They meet on many different occasions over the years but never date until they both wind up at the same table at a mutual friends wedding.

There are many back stories that contribute to the person Audrey is and after finding out all she has been through, I came to understand and empathize with her. I absolutely love Josh, he is a genuinely kind person and so in love with Audrey. This book has lots of emotion, humor, and a poignant look at how the choices we make in life determine our future.

“If you’re going to commit to anything in this life, shouldn’t it be love?”

Many thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Audrey is engaged to marry Josh, but at her rehearsal and dinner afterwards, a few things make her question if she should go through with it. Could the falling dead bat in the old church be a bad omen? What about the ‘el lazo’ ritual that Audrey’s latest stepfather did that resulted in a bad case of rope burn on Audrey’s neck at the dinner? Is it possible that her “what if” guy is her true destiny? Might the possibility of her mother’s multiple marriages and divorces making her question commitment? Or quite possibly is it her “what if” guy showing up at her rehearsal dinner as her fiancé’s sister’s date? Written in the present and past to fill in answers to storyline questions, Before I Do keeps you reading to find out if Audrey marries Josh or becomes a runaway bride

Let’s talk characters. Vivien, Audrey’s mother, loves the spotlight so much that her reality doesn’t tell her that this is her daughter’s special day. She doesn’t even realize the current stepfather, Lawrence, is someone Audrey doesn’t care for yet he is sharing the task of walking Audrey down the aisle at Vivien’s insistence. We all know a Vivien in our lives and she’s annoying as hell and anything you try to say to help her understand that she isn’t the star at a certain point in time falls on deaf ears. Then, there is Clara, Audrey’s best friend and voice of reason. You could say she know Audrey better than the person who gave birth to her. Talking her off a ledge, helping her sort out the dilemma in her mind, creating diversions when needed, and more than likely willing to help you burying a dead body if needed, Clara is the type of friend we all need.

While I enjoyed watching the development of her relationship with Josh, I hit a point about 2/3 of the way through where I felt my eyes glazing over. I was ready for all the “problems” that kept happening prior to the wedding to deter the ceremony from happening/finishing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own.

#netgalley #arc #beforeido #sophiecousens #putnambooks