The MC in this book, Audrey is flighty and a bit self centered. This made it difficult for me to care for her throughout the story. The storyline jumps back and forth in time dragging it out longer than needed. As the story progresses we see how Audrey became who she was. The story wasn’t bad. I just had a difficult time investing in it.

Audrey is about to marry Josh when the hours leading up to her wedding start dissolving in to chaos. Who should turn up, but Fred, the man she spent one wonderful day with and never saw again. Audrey starts looking back at her life and wondering if she’s made the right choices.

This book was such an interesting take on realistic couples. It was so nice to see the flaw in each of Audrey’s relationships and in Audrey herself. I found myself wondering how it would all resolve in a way that felt complete and I really feel like it did in the end.

4.5 stars

After reading the synopsis, I was initially hesitant to try this novel because I was afraid there would be a love triangle. I'm so glad I trusted the magic of Sophie Cousens writing and gave Before I Do a chance. Audrey does have decisions to make in the novel, but there isn't a "triangle" like you might be imagining and the heart of the story is about her personal growth and journey.

I loved the discussions about destiny/fate versus choice. Haven't we all wondered at one time or another what the path not taken would have looked like? I know Audrey will be a very polarizing character for some readers, but I really sympathized with her struggle to find her way. Do I agree with all of her decisions and actions? No. Can I understand her confusion? Yes. The questions and realities that Sophie Cousens brilliantly addresses, like the ups and downs of marriage and having kids, the day to day monotony of "life's admin", whether two very different people in a relationship can make it work, felt so honest and relatable.

Some of the situations in the novel are definitely over the top (the airplane LOL), but I laughed so hard and loved the different pop culture references (Gone with the Wind for the win!). It was a great balance between those moments and the more serious topics in the book (please see CW's). The secondary characters were an absolute delight and ride or die Clara and Hillary were a highlight of the book. Granny Parker was also such a hoot! The multiple timelines were a lot to keep track of and juggle, but I thought it worked really well to reveal what happened between all of the characters. I especially loved the evolution of Josh and Audrey's relationship and how much they both grew and changed, but also stayed the same. Josh was such a steadfast adorkable cinnamon roll, that it's no surprise that I fell madly in love with him.

I do wish that Audrey's trauma would have been more properly addressed in the book. There was a lot to unpack from her past and her relationship with her mother. It was such a huge part of her development and I felt that it "resolved" very quickly. Audrey's character arc was ultimately very satisfying though and the ending and epilogue brought tears to my eyes. Before I Do is a story about all types of love - romantic love, the love of friendship, of family, for yourself, and the love it takes for forgiveness.

CW: parental infidelity, divorce, death of parent (past), grief, FMC is assaulted and is subjected to inappropriate/threatening behavior by a secondary character (past), emotional trauma, heart attack (secondary character, on page)

Note: closed door/fade to black, there are mentions of MC's dating/kissing OW and OM before they start dating, FMC is kissed by OM (not reciprocated, but she doesn't pull away immediately)

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This is one of my favorite authors and once again she does not disappoint. I loved the going back before I DO to tell the story! A great quick read!

Stopped reading this book halfway through. Sophie Cousens is a great writer and I really liked This Time Next Year. I just couldn't enjoy the plot in this book which is my own fault - the description clearly states that this is about second guessing things before a wedding. I just can't get past the main character lying and holding back truths, especially since she has experienced what an unfaithful marriage can do to mental health.

That being said, the book definitely draws you in and I think it's a great read for anyone who likes romances and doesn't mind a love triangle.

4.5 ⭐ Sophie is the QUEEN of cute, funny, and easy to read rom coms! Will definitely be one of my go to comfort reads!

I really enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing who Audrey would pick until the very end. There was a lot of depth to Audrey's life and the events that impacted her. I recommend this book to anyone enjoying a good fate/rom com book.

I don't typically like books written with a ton of flashbacks, but I absolutely adored Before I do! This book was such a roller coaster of emotions, Audrey was in quite the pickle with all her second guessing and "what if" questions, and I could not put it down until I knew how her story ended.

An introspective story that asks what it means to be in love and where you fit as half of a whole. Emotionally engaging with side characters that make you smile.

This was a really cute one that I found myself in a pickle with what to do if I was in Audrey’s shoes. I don’t usually believe in signs from the universe but if I were Audrey, with all the mishaps, I may have. A total roller coaster of emotions, this one really left you on your toes until the end. I won’t give away any spoilers but I was happy with the end!

I loved everything about this book. The cover, the characters, the way the author writes. It was incredible.

Ever wonder if someone from your past should have been 'the one'? Ever think about this on your wedding day?

Sophie Cousens explores this idea in her new Rom-Com, Before I Do. This book centers around the day of Audrey's wedding to Josh, but it's told through a series of flashbacks. The flashbacks were done in such a successful way that I bounced between who I thought Audrey should end up with!

The characters were so endearing and humorous and the banter between characters felt real. There were some heavier moments to the book, which I felt could have gone a little deeper, but overall added more depth to the story.

If you like weddings and second chance loves, this is definitely a book you will want to check out!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This review is wholly my own.

I literally fell in love with Just Haven't Met You Yet last year by Sophie Cousens. It is still one of my favorite recent rom-coms, so I was DYING to get my hands (eyes) on Before I Do.

This story inspects the "What if" questions that every single one of us has asked at one point in our life, if not multiple times. Audrey is about to marry Josh, but then wonders if he is really the one when "the one who got away" Fred shows up the day before her wedding. Cue the "What Ifs."

Cousens writes so well. She keeps a good pace and amazing dialogue that oozes with wit & charm.

You can't help but love the characters and be invested in them.

This book did not disappoint and I do believe that Sophie Cousens is an auto-buy/auto-read for me now!

Definitely grab this one!

After this third book of hers, I can now very confidently classify myself as a Sophie Cousens fan—I will happily and eagerly read everything she writes. This newest book of hers shines in how it portrays the complex emotions that are involved in getting married, resolving past traumas, and making peace with yourself. I didn’t expect those themes going in, but was pleasantly surprised to encounter them along the way. This is a multi-layered story of self-discovery, forgiveness, and true love—one that I can’t recommend more

Before I Do it’s the third book by Sophie Cousens that I read. It gave me some Serendipity vibes (and it happens to be one of my favorite movies), but of course with a unique touch.
Sophie’s stories always manage to leave me with a warm feeling and this was not the exception. She has a gift for creating stories that feel light but and the same time deal with bigger issues.
I especially enjoyed reading about love in the way that you build the relationship you want to have. It gave me something to think about. I also liked Audrey very much, I felt connected to her in many ways and I liked how she evolved along the story. Josh was dreamy (where can I find a Josh for me?) and the secondary characters such as Clara, Hillary or Miranda added a lot to the story.
I liked the part of the starts too. Even though I knew barely a thing about space, it is a topic that I find quite interesting and I liked how it connected to the story.
Overall, I deeply enjoyed reading it, it is the perfect weekend read and I will be more than happy to continue reading the author’s work.

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens is an adorable novel about Audrey, who we find in the initial pages has run out on her wedding to her wonderful fiance Josh. We assume she has done it for one reason, but it has happened for a very different one.

On the day of the wedding, Josh's sister shows up with a date, Fred, who is a man that Audrey spent a day with years before. It was the best day of her life and standard by which she judged all other dates going forward, in spite of the fact he ghosted her and she never heard from him again. She now is faced with a choice...should she go back to the man she has elevated on a pedestal for years, or should she be happy with the man who loves her now? This novel is an emotional wild ride that doesn't disappoint!

Thanks to the author, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Audrey is one day away from marrying Josh. Even though they are complete opposites they have been in an amazing relationship for three years. But as the wedding is getting closer Audrey is beginning to second guess if Josh is truly her soul mate.

At the rehearsal dinner Josh's sister shows up with Fred. Audrey met Fred six years ago and they spent the most amazing, perfect, unforgettable day together. Seeing Fred again now has Audrey second guessing if Josh is really "The One" for her. Then a series of events just start going wrong with the wedding. It's this the universe telling Audrey that she's making a huge mistake?

Before I Do is a love story of "what is" and a love story of "what if." It follows Audrey the day before and the day of her wedding as a series of bad omens makes her rethink if getting married is a good idea. The story is told in multiple timelines of present and past. We are taken back into the past to learn how Audrey met Josh, her fiancée, and how their relationship grew and blossomed. We are also swept 6 years back into the past when Audrey spends a perfect day with Fred and she wonders "what if" they had more than just that one day. You may find yourself going back and forth between Team Josh and Team Fred for a majority of the book, but by the end you realize that you just want Audrey to be happy and to have her HEA. By the end the perfect guy is by her side. This was another incredible book by Sophie Cousens. After reading and loving all three of Sophie Cousens novels, she is now an author on my list of my must read authors.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sophie Cousens is a favorite romance writer, and her new novel, Before I Do, is a sweet, sweet story. If you previously read This Time Next Year, you will know when I say that Sophie writes terrific lead characters. In this new book, we meet Audrey and Josh, and it does not appear to be a love match for either. Josh is a reinsurance accountant, which is a hoot since my husband is a forensic reinsurance accountant. Audrey could not figure out what it all meant, but again, she was rootless and looking for her perfect career. Nothing Audrey has tried has been successful, so she ambles without purpose, which is odd since she is a lover of all things astronomy and a believer in the power of the stars. Audrey dates different men, Josh has another girlfriend, but finally, they date. Nothing is easy for them, but the story is so entertaining, romantic, sentimental, and charming that you will love turning each page. It takes a lot of work to find your “North Star” in life, and it doesn’t happen by accident. This is a sweet, sweet story and a gentle romance novel. I LOVED it. I think you will too. #mistakes #love #future #compromise #weddings #oppositesattract? #formersoulmates #astronomy #romcom #commitment #PG #BeforeIDo @sophie_cousens #gpputnamsons @netgalley @putnambooks
❤️
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2022.

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To be honest, I am completely surprised at how much I liked this book. Audrey was a flawed character, and it made her so much more relatable. The story opens with her running out of her wedding to (bad jeans) Josh, and it is told in flash backs and flash forwards.

When Audrey is a young woman, she meets a man from a photobooth (Fred) and has a day with him that is magical. This man shows up the night before her wedding as the date of her fiancés sister. It causes her to have doubts, and the story of how we get to the beginning of the book goes from there.

When Josh walks in and sees Fred kissing Audrey, my heart sank for him! I will say I laughed so hard toward the end of the book when they were on the plane, and when Audrey sings with her back up dancers. I was crying from laughter just picturing the scene.

Happily ever after is achieved after some groveling. I truly enjoyed this one! I couldn’t put it down. Happy reading!

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

This is the second Sophie Cousens book I've read and the thing I've enjoyed most about both books is the unpredictability. Unlike other trope-ridden, formulaic rom-coms where a HEA is inevitable, Before I Do really left me wondering who Audrey, the main character, would end up with. Written in multiple timelines, it's a story of Audrey who is marrying dependable Josh, when her What-If from many years ago, Fred, shows up to the wedding.

At times funny and light, and other times serious and thought-provoking, this was a refreshing alternative to the typical rom-com.