I love a story that explores multiple points in the main character's life, and this one certainly delivered! Before I Do tells the story of Audrey and Josh, opening on their disastrous wedding day that wasn't and going backwards to show us how they met, how their relationship developed, some of Audrey's life experiences that contributed to her wedding day doubts, all the wedding calamities... and what happened afterward.

It's not often that a romance novel surprises me with its twists and turns, or its outcome, but this one really took me for a ride. Before I Do offered real insight into the way our experiences shape our lives, and the way our assumptions about the behavior of others shapes the way we move through our relationships (romantic, platonic and familial). And the ending was SO satisfying. Well done, Sophie Cousens!

Audrey and Josh are about to get married, but bad things keep happening making Audrey doubt it’s meant to be. Told in alternating timelines it kept me wanting to see what was going to happen next. I loved the aspect of self exploration that also made me think about my own past in a similar way and “what if”.

I really enjoyed this romantic story! I love reading books with dual timelines and loved the characters. Another great read by Sophie Cousens! Thank you for my copy!

Read If you like:
⚛︎ Romance with depth
⚛︎ Love triangles
⚛︎ Multiple timelines
⚛︎ Astronomy

Summary: After a “meet cute” to end “meet cutes”, Audrey and Fred spend an incredible day together in what feels like the start of a relationship destined for greatness. Fast forward 6 years, and Audrey is marrying “bad jeans Josh.”

As bad omen after bad omen begin to unfold before the wedding, including the sudden reappearance of Fred, all but professing his love, Audrey must decide who it is she’s meant to be with and deal with the obstacles standing in her way.

Thoughts: From page one, I knew I was going to like this book. Even with third person narration, Sophie Cousens pulls you directly into her books and into her characters lives, and “Before I Do” was no exception.

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.

I am genuinely surprised that up until the midway point, I was completely torn by the love triangle and had no idea who I wanted Audrey to end up with, nor who I thought she would end up with. This is so unusual as I often know who I want to be endgame immediately. Again, I think this is a testament to Cousens’ writing.

This story features multiple moving timelines that rotate back and forth with no consistent order. While it’s fairly easy for the reader to follow, I imagine it must have been incredibly challenging as the writer, to make it all come together in a cohesive way. I am most impressed by her ability to tackle such a difficult style, and I think it is what makes this book so unique.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 ★ rounded up to 5

Before I Do was a lot more thought-provoking than I expected. I thought the book was going to be more of a rom-com with Audrey trying to get out of marriage to the wrong man. Without any spoilers, it goes much deeper than that and actual also delves into emotional trauma and how they affect our relationships. The book was really good, but one character does a 180 and I had mixed feelings about it. Overall, I loved the story and would definitely read more from the author.

*Will post review on Amazon upon publication

thank you NetGalley for the arc!

it took me awhile to actually get into the story and even after i did i was already a little too slumped to actually enjoy it.

synopsis:

Head-in-the-stars Audrey is about to marry down-to-earth Josh. Though they are polar opposites, they have a healthy, stable relationship; Josh is just what Audrey needs. But romance should be unpredictable and full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey’s found herself wondering if Josh really is "The One."

So, when Josh’s sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey’s "What If? guy"—the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with—Audrey finds herself torn. Surely Fred’s appearance the night before she is due to get married can’t be a coincidence. And when everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to ask herself: Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humor?

I loved this sweet story by Sophie Cousens! She has such a lovely way with words and I love her style of writing. Before I Do, much like her past books, played with the ideas of fated mates and how the choices we make determine our future.

In this book, we meet Audrey, who is marrying Josh in mere hours, but then a former flame, Fred, walks in to her rehearsal dinner and she is thrown for a loop. Is this a sign that she is meant to be with Fred? Is she ready to commit to Josh forever?

This book was told in two timelines, the present day counting down to her wedding and a variety of past timelines that gave the reader a picture of how Audrey could be in this predicament. I don't want to say too much because it will easily venture into spoiler territory, but I loved the way this story played out. I loved how Audrey grew as a person and as a partner. Most of all, I loved the beautiful theme of choosing someone and growing that love. This is the type of love story that feels real and solid.

Thank you to Sophie Cousens for continuing to write such lovely books, and thank you Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book was actually a masterpiece. I can’t complain about a single thing and enjoyed it thoroughly. Audrey is interested a lot in astronomy, like I am, so her nerdy knowledge was really nice to read. And I also like the characters a lot and got attached to them easily. The book also tells a lot about Audrey's family and especially her difficult mother and I literally liked all of them. Sophie Cousens' stories are always so unique and especially funny! The book tells parts before her ‘I Do’ and after it which made the book varied and kept me hooked! You also can’t guess what’s happening in the end, but the ending shows true love. Audrey’s wedding weekend was also deluged with bad luck and it was so fun to read! And which I liked, there happened a lot in the book, lots of memories, thoughts, inside jokes and trips. There maybe could have been even more about her wedding but it was still a balanced and great book! You should definitely read it because Sophie Cousens writes the best books!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮‘𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫:
☼ hard decisions
☼ lots of memories
☼ triangle relationship
☼ wedding vibes
☼ bad luck

Thanks to @netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was very interesting. The book takes place during the span of just two days for the most part but with lots of flashbacks. I found this very intriguing. I have loved Sophie's books so I was really excited about this one. It was not my favorite mainly because some of the middle felt so slow. However, once I read the last page I was pleasantly surprised by how I felt. I ended up really liking the story. Vivien drove me crazy, and I really don't agree with who she is, but she was the only character that I really didn't like. This book also touched on some very tough topics which were hard to read but very empowering.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. This was an interesting story about "what if's" and the one that potentially got away. On the eve of her wedding, Audrey is reunited with the person she once thought was her soul mate. This along with baggage from her past, makes her question her upcoming nuptials.

The book is well written and despite bouncing around multiple time frames, it is an easy read and hard to put down. What kept it from being 4 stars is that the main character wasn't very likable and I didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters. I think a little more development in those areas would have made this book really great.

Regardless, I enjoyed the unique concept. This is not a fluffy rom-com and really explores family dynamics and the notion of who you are meant to be with.

Audrey is about to get married to Josh, the dependable, reasonable Josh. However, a man from her past shows up to her rehearsal dinner and she wonders what could have been.

I think I hate this trope. If the character is uncertain about getting married, fine, but not sure how believable it is for someone to want to consider ending their pending wedding on the one she had a great day with?

Just okay.

As soon the prologue began, I was invested. I loved this book! I’ve read Cousen’s previous 2 books, and this one is my favorite so far. Audrey reminded me of myself in so many ways — her anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and past experiences. Being able to relate to a character truly makes reading a book even more enjoyable. As I continued to read, I struggled with the fact that I loved both Josh AND Fred at the beginning. I hoped that I would hate Josh, but that just didn’t happen, so I felt Audrey’s struggle. However, that does not mean that she did the right thing throughout the story. She picked the right person in the end. I don’t want to spoil anything, so that’s all I will say about that. Overall, it’s a great book and a must read!

Think your wedding day was stressful? It's got nothing on Audrey's, who's struggling to get to her "I do." She sees everything as a bad omen--from falling bats, to torrential rains, to a reverend's heart attack. Is she really meant to marry Josh? They're so dissimilar, after all. Perhaps the biggest sign of all is when the biggest "what if?" in her life reappears: Fred, the one who disappeared from her life six years ago after the most magical first date in history.

Now, at the altar, Audrey has to make a decision--does her heart truly belong to Josh, with whom she's promised to build a life? Or should she see if Fate has a different plan for her, in which Fred is really her soul mate.

I just love Sophie Cousens's books. They're full of goofy, loveable heroines and the stoic men who love them and tackle heavy topics while keeping everything light and fun. And while Just Haven't Met You Yet remains my favorite of her books, I couldn't put this one down either. The cast of supporting characters is fabulous and the story flows smoothly, even with the multiple timeline format.

I'm eagerly awaiting this author's next book--special thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons for letting me read this one through NetGalley.

Before I do
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/11/22
Author: Sophie Cousens
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Pages: 384
Goodreads Rating: 3.93

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Audrey is about to marry Josh. Romance should be unpredictable and fireworks. So, when Josh's sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey's What If? guy--the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with--Audrey finds herself torn. Surely Fred's appearance the night before she is due to get married can't be a coincidence. And when everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to ask herself: Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humour?

My Thoughts: The story was narrated in third person with alternating timelines, which provided little clues on how they got here. The characters are well developed, have depth, are multifaceted, and are emotional. Josh was extremely likable. Audrey could be likable depending on the chapter and then on the flip side, you wanted to question her decisions, this was likely to her personal baggage, but still, it just felt like she was so confused and insecure and this transposed onto everything she did. The author’s writing was a delight, it was complex, well rounded, witty, creative, flowed so well for this book, and made you feel like you was on this emotional rollercoaster in a good way. I did enjoy how the book ultimately ending, it was a feel good ending. This was a very good read and the first book in awhile that played on my emotions, so much so, I felt the “book hangover.” I would highly recommend this book coming out later this year in October.

I've enjoyed Sophie Cousens last two books immensely. If you are a fan, this one feels more like This Time Next Year. Also, it feels like a Mhairi McFarlane novel, so fans of her will be happy. It goes back and forth, and it's written wonderfully because you can see the character growth/ changes between both. It hooks you from the prologue, and leaves you guessing what will happen. With a great variety of side characters, and a brilliant way of description, I recommend this one for anyone who loves romantic fiction!.

Its Audrey Lavery's wedding weekend and she's freaking out. Just a little. Ok. A LOT. You see, things aren't going quite like she had planned. From cake jumping plastic mini brides to a not so well reverend, she's starting to question everything about her life and her relationship with her fiancee Josh. Just when she's finally calmed down and started to enjoy her day, her future sister in law shows up with a date thats a true blast from her past. Fred. The man she spent one perfect day with six years ago and never heard from again. Suddenly every mishap becomes a possible sign from the universe. Should she be marrying Josh? Or is Fred showing up out of the blue a clear sign that her heart isn't entirely his?

This book is literary PERFECTION! From the descriptions of just how Audrey felt to chapters showing important moments through her life with Josh, you get a complete picture of not only how Audrey could ever feel this way but also the things that happened throughout her life that brought her to her to this exact moment in time. Not only was Audrey and Josh so very well written and fleshed out, secondary characters also had such strong and realistic stories of their own. This is hands down my absolute favorite read of the year so far, and my new favorite Sophie Cousens novel. Five BIG huge glowing shiny stars!!

❤❤❤❤❤/5

Thank you to Sophie Cousens. NetGalley, and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Audrey and Josh are polar opposites who are about to get married. Josh is stable and reliable while Audrey is unpredictable. Audrey starts to wonder if she should really marry Josh but when Josh's sister brings a guy from Audrey's past from to the rehearsal dinner she starts spinning even more. Audrey is a big believer in fate and feels that Fred showing up could be fate pushing them together. I thought it was cute, but it did not grab my attention like previous books by Cousens.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin-Putnam for the ARC of Before I Do.

I Ev’s at School so intrigued by the synopsis of this and sadly I just couldn’t stay interested in the story or the characters. The two lovers that MC was torn between were cliché and I didn’t enjoy how the finance was portrayed as a wet blanket.. it all felt very predictable.

I did like how the story flipped back and forth almost as memories. The writing was strong but the details didn’t catch for me.

A sweet, romantic book. Enjoyed the lovely story and the characters. Thank you for letting me review this lovely book.

I loved this second-chances novel. It's not often we get to explore the "what ifs" and I enjoyed every step of this adventure. A great read for any ocassion!