Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review this book. Audrey is set to marry Josh and right before the wedding one of Josh's sisters brings "what if Fred" to the rehearsal dinner. This book goes back and for to present and past and is a very well written rom with a great ending.

On the eve of Audrey’s wedding to her long term boyfriend, Josh, a man from her past shows up. Audrey already has her doubt about whether her and Josh are meant to be, so seeing Fred, a man she spent one perfect day with years ago, exasperates her doubts even more.

I liked the format of the book, alternating between Audrey’s past and the hours leading up to her wedding. However, I expected more of Audrey’s past to dive into her whirlwind of a relationship with Fred, the “one that got away”. I felt like the details of her past lacked the significance to cause such doubt on her wedding day, and Audrey was not a particularly likable character. Overall, the book was fine, but I did prefer the author’s earlier novel, This Time Next Year, and I am look forward to reading her previous book, Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for my eARC!

I was such a big fan of This Time Next Year and couldn’t wait to read Sophie Cousens’ next book! This was my favorite novel from her yet!

The plot is simple yet complicated- how do you know if the person you chose is “the one”? How does “the one that got away affect this? Is it a sign or fate if they show up again? I loved the banter and dialogue between characters throughout the entire book. The main character, Audrey, was a bit unlikeable at the beginning, but evolved and showed major progression over time. I was entertained and intrigued to see how Audrey’s story turned out!

Beautifully written, I can’t wait to see what Sophie comes out with next!

This book is so cute! I previously enjoyed “This Time Next Year” by the same author and I liked “Before I Do” even better. On Audrey’s wedding day, nothing seems to go right. When the what-if guy from her past shows up as her sister-in-law’s plus one, Audrey is thrown into a tailspin. Has fate conspired to stop her from marrying Josh or is this chance run-in simply a coincidence? As bad omens and minor mishaps unfold, Audrey reflects on the major turning points that led her to the altar and imagines how her life might’ve turned out if she had made different choices.

I really enjoyed this book. Audrey is a good narrator and I sympathized with her. She is flawed in a realistic way. There were some great side characters — her childhood nanny/stage actor Hillary and bestie Clara. There were poignant observations about love. This is a great read and I recommend it! Humorous, heartfelt, and a happy ending❤️

Audrey is a quirky, creative woman who dreams of galaxies and the stars beyond.

Josh is a straight laced conservationist who loves a clean house and a spread sheet.

The two are on the verge of getting married when someone from Audrey’s past comes sweeping in. What ensues is an amazing and chaotic journey all about life’s what ifs and what is.

I really enjoyed this book!!! I definitely found myself tearing up at the end. This story is one that explores beyond the typical timeline of a romance. I love the way the use of multiple timelines allows us to fully grasp Audrey’s perspective based on her life experiences. Overall a great read!

Cute, cute story about allll the bad omens happening just before the "I Do"s. This quick read will surely put a smile on your face!

This book was so much fun to read. I loved it. Seeing the one that got away on the day of your wedding, followed by all the things that keep going wrong, keeps you guessing as to who will be the one really walking down the aisle. I fell in love with this book, I loved the way it ended. This a a cute fun read.

🤍👰 Book Review 👰🤍

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens

The synopsis starts with:

What would you do if 'the one that got away' turned up the night before your wedding?

I mean, c'mon that hooked me instantly! In the book you follow the story of Aubrey and Josh who are opposites. The night before their wedding and someone from Aubrey's past shows up unexpectedly.

The plot hooked me from the beginning. By the end I was a little annoyed with Aubrey with how she was behaving. I think Sophie does a great job at providing a romance that has depth to the characters while adding heavier topics as well.

I enjoyed this book overall and enjoyed comparing it to her another book of hers I read right before this one.

This gem is out now and I would love to know your thoughts if you have read it! Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for the opportunity to read this book 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75


#netgalley #booksta #bookreviews #books #beforeido #sophiecousens #igbooks #readinggoals #fictionlover #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks

“If it was purely down to chance, if there were a million forks in the road, then of all the ways her life could have played out, was this the best outcome?”

Audrey and Josh are getting married today - or are they? They are opposites and their wedding day is having all kinds of bad luck - starting with a dead bat. Before I Do is a book about trust, fate, and “what if?”

I will admit that I wasn’t 100% sure where the book was going through the majority of it, and I love when I can’t predict a storyline. Audrey was a tricky narrator to root for at times, but had a difficult past that understandably impacted her decisions.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced reaching copy in exchange for an honest review.

Who will Audrey being saying "I do" to? The story goes back and forth from the preparations from Josh and Audrey's wedding (and the many mishaps) and to Audrey's relationship with Fred. At the rehearsal dinner, Josh's sister's date is Fred! Fred and Audrey had plans to meet years ago ~ he didn't show up ~ now he shows up and resurrects old feelings.
This was a very enjoyable book and I will read more books written by Sophie Cousens,
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was fantastic. At first, I was nervous about the narrative style: the timeline jumped around a lot. It worked so well! I had no trouble keeping track of which timeline was happening when and who did what, etc. I really think this timeline set up did the book justice! Kudos to the author for pulling it off!

I loved Audrey and Josh’s chemistry, but I loved the idea of the “what if” person from the past. I had so much sympathy for Audrey as a character; I could talk about her for hours!

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Really liked the “what if” premise and a number of the characters. Hillary was hilarious (would love to see a book about him), Josh I felt he got the short end of the romance, and Clara was a fantastic friend. At times I got confused in the flashbacks and didn’t enjoy her mother Vivian at all. Audrey and Fred were bland characters to me, I didn’t really get their romance.

Who hasn’t had at least one major “what if” moment? It usually happens at the least opportune moment, exactly when we least need them to. This is that story and it’s a really terrific read. Audrey and Josh are about to get married. They are opposites in so many ways, and yet compliment each other, but is it enough? Shouldn’t there be more than that? As the big day gets closer, Audrey finds her self wondering if he is really the one for her. Is it cold feet or is it her “what if” guy, Fred who has never really left her thoughts no matter how far back in her mind she tried to push him. Then surprisingly Fred shows up with Josh’s sister and let the games begin! It’s witty, irreverent, smart, honest and much more. A really enjoyable book that leads to a wonderful ending.

This book contained the laughter, seriousness, and relatability I crave in romance novels. I reviewed this book on the Feminist Book Club podcast.

This was cute, but I found the flashbacks to be erratic and hard to follow in the beginning. I also had a hard time keeping the characters straight as I was getting into the story—Josh(/James), Paul, Fred, and Brian?? That being said, the overall message of the narrative was nice, and I enjoyed the astronomy details as well as the ending. Certainly not a romance but contemporary fiction instead. I didn't dislike the book, but I wasn't compelled to read it, so it took some time to get through.

I truly adored this book. The question of “What if?” plagues us all. From chapter 1 I was rooting for Josh and Audrey but I do believe and understand the raw emotion of the connection she felt with Fred. So well written. Dual timelines superb. Love love love.

I really enjoyed Before I Do! It did take me a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

I am so thankful for this arc from Net Galley. Really enjoyed this book. This is my first book from Cousins and won’t be the last. Enjoyed the characters thoroughly!

The days leading up to her wedding, impulsive Audrey wonders if stable Josh is truly the one. When things start to fall apart on the wedding day and Josh’s sister shows up with the man Audrey couldn’t stop thinking about after spending one day together years ago, Audrey is convinced the universe is giving her a sign. I had a hard time getting into this one but I think it’s because Audrey’s personality was driving me crazy. The story was cute overall. Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group - Putnam for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

Audrey is getting ready to get married to Josh. Josh is the organization to Audrey's disorder, but on the day before their wedding, Audrey's ex-fling/boyfriend/who knows precisely what he is to her at this point, ends up being Josh's sister's plus one. Audrey, who already has a skewed vision to happily ever after in marriages (her mother has been married 6 times already), starts to wonder if she's making a mistake. In a series of incidents, including the minister keeling over during the ceremony, she starts to believe that the universe is giving her a sign. Eventually, she does realize that Josh is the one for her whether they are perfect for each other or not. The whole story is an emotional rollercoaster and Cousens' wit and humor make it that much more enjoyable.