This book pulls you in almost immediately as Audrey (Amy) navigates her wedding day, or not wedding day. Untangling her relationships with herself, her mother, previous stepfathers and almost stepfathers and her what if soul mate Fred she goes on a journey in only hours to truly choose if she’ll say I do. Josh her fiancé better known as James or bad jeans Josh has loved Audrey through so many things taking their life together slowly and calculated. However come wedding day he’s ready to say I do to the woman who came in and made his life better, until Fred arrives at their wedding and things get off plan. A beautiful love story truly capturing how in the end you choose your own destiny and then get to nourish it. A must read again by Sophie Cousens.

BEFORE I DO tells the story of Audrey, a twenty-something astronomy-lover, who starts to question whether she should marry her fiancé on the eve of her wedding after a man from her past shows up unexpectedly at her rehearsal dinner. The story of this mystery man unfolds through flashbacks of 6 years ago. There are also flashbacks to when Audrey met and fell in love with Josh, for fiancé, creating three timelines to follow.

BEFORE I DO was an all right read for me but I found it hard to connect to the characters and found Audrey in particular very immature. I see this as more of a coming of age story and less of a rom-com; maybe that’s where some of my disappointment comes in because it wasn’t what I was expecting. After reading a few books by Sophie Cousens, I’ve decided that her books aren’t for me. That being said, I know a lot of others enjoyed this and think it has an audience with fans of British romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this book. I was rooting Audrey on throughout the “bad omens” on her wedding day to her ultimate decision of who she should spend the rest of her life with. I enjoyed the back and forth timeline between the present on and around her wedding day and the past stories of how she met her fiancé and how she met her first romance. I may have cried at the end - I just got so into the love story and of course, I love my happily ever afters. Another great book by Sophie Cousens!

DNF at 38 percent. I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't. The main character drove me crazy. I can't stand characters who lie to their partners/fiancés. Just not my cup of tea. Sophie Cousens is a fantastic writer, so this book still gets 2.5 stars.

Enjoyable wedding rom com. The pace of three different time periods, especially the two in the past being so close together, felt slightly confusing at times but it’s fairly easy to catch back onto each story line as it unfolds to show a piece of the main character. Th main character is lovely and like-able, her realistic relationships with family and friends is great and you’re rooting for her throughout. I think the ending would have been perfect with the last line of the last chapter. The epilogue was not necessary and moved this book from a 4 to a 3.

This book was cute. It took me a couple chapters to really start to get invested, but once I was it was a really enjoyable read!

I am a massive fan of Sophie Cousens and this book did not disappoint! Her books tell the kinds of stories that stick with you and make you think about choices you've made in your own life. Before I Do tells the story of Audrey and what happens in her life in various timelines all leading up to her wedding and after. It explores her complex relationship with her mother (and her mother's relationship with men), as well as a chance encounter with 'Photo Booth Guy' that leads her to question her decision of who she should be with. I loved the storytelling in multiple timelines and how each decision we make in life can affect the path we take. This is a very easy read that will hook you from the start - be prepared to read this in one sitting. Highly recommend!

It took me awhile to get into this one but it ended up being better than I had expected. This was very cute and light hearted. I would recommend this to anyone who's looking for a light, quick, fun read

Thank you netgalley for the ARC In exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Audrey before and after her should be wedding. When someone shows up unexpectedly before her wedding, it has her questioning if she is marrying the right guy. I love a back and forth timeline and this one had me hooked since the beginning! This is my second Sophie cousens book, and I really enjoyed it!

I was a big fan of “This Time Next Year” by Cousens so I was really excited to read an ARC of her new book… and it didn’t disappoint. This book jumps between timelines allowing you to get a full picture of the main character’s relationships. Everyone has what ifs in their life, but what if your what if person came back into your life right before your wedding to someone else? I found this book to be a very realistic romance, showing how we grow and change as people. It also raises the question of do we have just one soulmate? And what is the love required to sustain a strong relationship? This book definitely made me think about what love truly is and how it can change throughout our lives.

Audrey is about to marry Josh, but when a face from the past appears, she starts to question whether or not he is the one for her. The book is written using multiple timelines that will not only explain the importance of the person from the past, but also why Audrey is beginning to question whether marriage and forever are for her.

I don't usually like books that have multiple timelines. I prefer events to be told in chronological order. However, Sophie Cousens uses these timelines to slowly reveal details of the story that allow it to keep moving along but still keep you guessing. It is not a mystery novel, but there were still details that I didn't know until they were revealed and then all of a sudden something that was happening in the present made sense.

The characters in this book were so colorful! Audrey's friends were so awesome. Her mother was searching for love but never finding it with the one she was with. I always liked Josh's character. I would have grabbed him right away, baggy jeans and all. I know that Sophie wasn't there yet and I loved how Cousens wrote the development of their relationship, but darn it, he was a keeper from the start.

That wedding was a hot mess from the beginning! Kudos to Cousens for making it entertaining yet anxiety-inducing as well to those of us who always look for things to go wrong. I would have shut the whole thing down at the bats!

Put this book on your list to read! You will be glad you did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've enjoyed Sophie Cousens in the past, so I was excited to read this one. Similar to Just Haven't Met You Yet, I liked the writing and the side characters.

The story focuses on Audrey who is marrying Josh as the story starts. The story jumps back to when Audrey met Fred, a guy she was immediately drawn to, then doesn't see for years. Audrey and Josh's wedding is going very wrong and Fred shows up as Josh's sister's date, leaving Audrey to wonder if marrying Josh is the right more.

I appreciated how the story unfolded, but I felt really anxious reading this because of the love triangle. Ultimately, I was pleased with the outcome. I didn't fall in love with any of the main characters, but I still enjoyed this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for an ARC of Before I Do in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Meet Audrey. An indecisive, messy, go with the flow, and constantly switching careers kinda girl. She loves the stars and falls for musicians.

Meet Josh. Organized, handsome, smart, and has his life together. He’s falling for Audrey, but she doesn’t remember his name.

Meet Fred. The full-of-life, spontaneous guy she fell for years ago. She still
keeps his picture in her wallet.

Fast-forward years later, Josh and Audrey are tying the knot, when suddenly Fred shows back up! And a series of other mishaps happen. Is it fate telling her it’s not meant to be? Or to be with Fred?

This book was cute! I wish that it didn’t go so heavy on the miscommunication or really, lack thereof communication. But I really thought it was sweet and lighthearted. With a fun group of side characters.

3.75 ⭐️‘s (rounded to 4)

Thank you @netgalley for the #arc! I really enjoyed "Before I Do" 💍

Audrey gets cold feet before her wedding when someone from her past - her "what if" - shows up at the wedding as a plus one. This book takes you on all the emotional ups and downs with Audrey & Josh. I really liked it & the ending made me so happy! 💖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

#beforeido#arc#netgalley #kindle#romcom#bookstagram#bookstagrammer #readersofinstagram #honestreview #booklover #romanticbooks #sophiecousens #ashfordcastle #ashfordcastleireland #ireland#europe#castle#goodreads #goodreadswithaview #bookblog #bookphotography #bookrecommendations #bookreview

Sophie Cousens has absolutely become an auto buy author for me. This is the story of Audrey and Josh's wedding. We know something has gone very wrong but we don't know what. Through chapters alternating between the past and the present, the picture fills in.

Overall I really liked this book. Both the main characters and the supporting cast were people I enjoyed and were rooting for. I liked how the book. was structured, and how we learned more about each characters as the story progressed. I kept going back and forth on how I wanted this story to end, and overall was very satisfied with how it turned out. I can't wait for more books from Cousens!

This book has lots of heart, hope, and humor, making it a book I simply couldn’t put down.

This book follows Audrey through a tumultuous wedding. Starting on the night before her wedding, she receives a series of “bad omens”. Coinciding with these omens is her “what if” guy, Fred, making a surprise appearance at her rehearsal dinner. Audrey must decide which pathway to take and what goes into love and marriage. Through a series of flashbacks, you get glimpses of how Audrey’s past experiences and relationships shape her present and future.

Sophie Cousens does a spectacular job pulling you into Audrey’s world and gives depth to her journey. I loved how Cousens seamlessly wrote each of the timelines and believe that they add a nice richness to Audrey’s development. I also appreciated the storyline that drew on her relationship with her mom, which felt real and complex.

This book will have you at the edge of your seat; you won’t want to stop. You’ll feel all the highs and lows, but it was a wonderful ride. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Randomhouse for the advanced e-book copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my review.

Cousens' books are a go to comfort read for me. They just give off the warmest feelings inside and I saw stars when I got approved for Before I Do.

𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨?

Audrey is marrying Josh. He's the calm to her choas, the organization to her clutter and he's just a downright nice solid perfect guy who treats her right. Josh wasn't the type of guy Audrey normally dated. She went for the misfits, the poets, musicians, the ones who she knew were never looking for more beyond a few good times.

The book is laid out in multiple timeline fashion. You go back and forth between the present and different scenes from the past when one day 6 years ago she randomly meets Photo Booth Guy and they spend one free spirited, care free day together but when it came time to meet again the next day he doesn't show.

Audrey has thought she's moved on and realized that Josh is her soul mate until she sees HIM again the day before her wedding and all the doubts she's kept to herself come bubbling back up.

Will she marry Josh? Or does she feel the universe is attempting karma on her?

This book is a beautiful take on how while we assume every true love story ends in a HEA thats not where the story ends. There's going to be hard times and sad times and struggles. It's how you work as a team to navigate through them

I loved this one! It kept me on my toes and most of the time I didn't even know which outcome to hope for. All I now is that I wanted to reach into the book and give Audrey the biggest hug the whole time. The ending felt very satisfying.

Just like her other novels, the latest from Sophie Cousens layers multiple timelines, flawed characters, emotional upheavals, sweet moments, and a hint of melancholy.

Audrey is marrying Josh… or is she? The titular “I Do” becomes a flight risk when men from her past are on her mind and even on the arm of her soon-to-be sister-in-law. What ensues is an exploration of the role of soul mates, the choices we make, and what it really takes for love and a marriage to endure.

This would make a perfectly cozy fall read, and I considered it redemption after Just Haven’t Met You Yet fell short for me. Definitely pick this up if you’re a fan of This Time Next Year or Beth O’Leary.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

💍 Before I Do 💍

Some thoughts-

I love Josh and Audrey and was frustrated with her second guessing things because of bad omens and what Benedict said. I think if his quote was I introduced sooner in the story, her obsessions with signs and omens would have made more sense and been less frustrating.

I loved Clara so much and her perfect description of motherhood- ‘When I’m with them, they need me constantly, it makes me feel like I’ve lost who I am. Then, when I’m without them, it’s like a part of me is missing.’

Vivien’s unhealthy obsession with finding ‘the one’ person / soulmate, and her unhealthy relationships gave Audrey unrealistic expectations about love.

Clara talking about marriage with young kids is SPOT ON. I feel like she’s married to my husband 😆

Overall, I enjoyed this story but the book seemed to drag on a little too long.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you @sophie_cousens and @penguinbooks for this ARC!