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

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.