Ok I absolutely loved this book for very unexpected reasons. During the beginning of the story I really thought it was going to follow the arc where the girl goes after the long lost love she missed out on- it totally felt like that was the trajectory. Then the story took a turn and had such an amazing ending. I loved the focus on realizing what important foundations for love are, and how we can sometimes romanticize what could have been. I was really proud of Audrey for sort of checking in with herself and what she’s been through to regulate and reset her priorities. The ending was fabulous and I loved seeing how Audrey made up for her mistakes. Another fabulous read from Cousens!

I read and loved all Sophie's books, but I have to say this one is her best to date! She had me engulfed from the start and I did not want it to end. The story was so relatable, I know I have thought about what if I made different choice in my life what would it look like?? and i love a good book that makes you questions those things. I love everyone in the book; however, Granny Parker is my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for gifting me this book for my honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for the advance copy of this book. I loved Sophie Cousen’s previous book Just Haven’t Met You Yet, so I had high hopes for this book. Audrey and Josh are opposites but still have a solid relationship and are about to get married. Multiple things go wrong, including the appearance of Audrey’s possible soulmate, who she had one amazing date with years ago. Audrey initially takes this as a sign that she isn’t meant to marry Josh. However, as the book evolves, Audrey gradually starts reflecting and dealing with past emotional baggage, including her relationship with her mother and her mother’s multiple partners. The author is good at presenting serious issues with a light touch, and was outstanding at showing the importance of growth and evolution in relationships. Overall this was a good story, but I didn’t connect with it like I did with her last book. I had a hard time understanding and relating to Audrey through much of the story, although I did appreciate her growth.

The author does it again with this story. This was such a beautiful story. The characters were so wonderfully written. I was in love with the story. I can’t wait to read more by her.

Thank you to @netgalley @putnambooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of the audiobook.

If you haven’t read a book by @Sophie_Cousens … what are you waiting for?! This is her third book and I loved it just as much as I loved the other ones.

Before I Do is a story of what is versus what could have been. Audrey is about to marry Josh when Fred shows up as Josh’s sisters date. Fred is a man she met 6 years ago and had the most amazing day. In Audrey’s mind, he was the one who got away. When things keep going wrong, are they just coincidence or signs that she’s marrying the wrong guy?

I loved the dual timelines of the story and how Sophie showed the development of each character and relationship. I couldn’t quit turning pages to find out who Audrey ended up with as both men were overall good guys who wanted to be with her. Though I would say Fred’s insistence that they should be together was a tad creepy considering they hadn’t seen each other in six years. Regardless…Loved it!

Thank you to @thechicklitbookclub for arranging the buddy read and call with Sophie! It was a try joy!

4.5 stars rounding to 5 stars for Goodreads.

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #putnambooks #prhaudio #ltbreaderteam #beforeido #sophiecousens

I loved Just Haven’t Met You Yet so I was thrilled to read Before I do, but the story just didn’t resonate with me. I liked the main character, but I couldn’t stand the man she was marrying. I felt like he didn’t appreciate her unique personality and charm and was very critical.

If you are not a fan of weddings, I would recommend skipping this one. The majority of the story is focused on the wedding and the numerous things that go wrong throughout.

I didn’t like or agree with the ending. I won’t spoil the outcome, but it wasn’t for me.

This is the first book that I have read from this author and I will definitely check out her other books. I loved the witty dialogue. The execution between the timelines was done very well, providing the details of how they met, how they evolved, and how their life’s could change based on the different choices they made and fate with this love triangle.

Before I Do is such a fun read and really delves into the pre-wedding jitters and questioning of if you're ready to settle down with one person for the rest of your life. It talks a lot about "fate" and "what ifs" and what those mean in your life.

I think it does a really good job of balancing the romances between the two different guys. There were times I was convinced she was going to end up with one or the other and never felt like I could nail down who the true love was until the end. However, I do think the author did a good job of making one look slightly better than the other.

This book feels like an ode to the people are currently going through a quarter-life crisis and questioning everything in their lives (I speak from experience). I also think it is a love letter to those people to calm down and take inventory of their life and figure out which "what ifs" are worth chasing now and which ones are worth letting go.

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick-paced contemporary with a touch of drama.

This was a "I couldn't put it down" kind of book.
A Sophie Cousen's book is truly a charmer, a book that'll make you laugh, delight you and you'll insist all your friends read it. There are some crazy things that happen in it, crazy but totally not out of the possibility of actually happening.
There are multiple timelines in it so start each chapter looking at the timeline at the top of the page or you're going to be lost.
Our bride to be Audrey is set to marry Josh, but they are such opposites in so many ways.
In the days leading up to the wedding she starts to doubt if marrying is the right thing as she remembers a past relationship, of one day and can't stop thinking of it. It seemed so fun and that what if possibility lingers in her mind. The guy was so incredible and handsome. The possibilities are endless. Going back and forth from past times in this relationship to her time in the church leading up to the possibility of her wedding. There is a strong female friendship and a lot of support from her best friend, Clare at the church. I enjoyed Clare's character, she is there for Audrey every step of the way, Audrey's mother is there as well, she and her daughter are trying to get their adult relationship back on track. A guest from Audrey's past that she hasn't seen in over six years at her wedding has Audrey stressed and exhibiting self-doubt. Is Josh really the one she wants to spend the rest of her life with? I enjoyed Josh's character; he puts up with Audrey when she has panic attacks and self-doubt. He is the most supportive husband to be even at times I think Audrey may not deserve it. Such a peppy and full of surprises book. I recommend this book.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I keep wavering between a 3.5 stars and a 4. I'm not a fan of love triangle or too many flashbacks and this book had both. What I loved is that for the first half of the book I really couldn't have told you which way it would work out (but was really happy with how it did). I loved dependable Josh and his rock solid love. Granny Parker stole her scenes and I loved how the story ultimately revolved around the question we all ask ourselves as one (or more) points in our life...what if I made a different decision?

I was prepared to strongly dislike this book. I don’t usually like the trope of finding love right before getting married to someone else. That being said, I found this book so touching and realistic. I loved the flipping between current day and the older relationship. Characters felt dynamic, and I loved seeing them learn and fully understand their feelings. Love don’t come easy!

I really enjoyed Sophie's last book, Just Haven't Met You Yet, but I was a little disappointed in this one. I thought this book was just okay until the ending, which I enjoyed. I got tired pretty easily of the broken story telling and also really annoyed at Audrey. I also feel like the author did a lot for the sake of the drama. I wish it was a more balanced story where the reader made up their own mind about the love interests. Instead, it felt like the author was really pushing the reader toward photo booth guy in the beginning and Josh in the end instead of presenting more well-developed characters. It was a really easy read, and I read it in a few days.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Before I Do, the latest contemporary fiction novel by Sophie Cousens (Just Haven't Met You Yet), balances lighthearted hijinks with a reflective look at the concept of fate versus free will as it follows 28-year-old Audrey Lavery, who's right about to get married to her beloved fiancée Josh. However, things don't kick off all that smoothly when bats drop out from the church ceiling on the day before their wedding, leaving Audrey to wonder if this is a bad omen. Her anxiety only rises as more and more apparent signals emerge the next day, one of which is Josh's sister bringing along a plus-one named Fred—the same Fred with whom Audrey had a meet-cute at a photo booth six years ago before he disappeared on her. Now she's taking this time to ponder over the brief time she spent with him, consider if there's still potential between them, and whether it's worth breaking up with Josh in order to pursue it.

While reading Before I Do, I kept thinking of Sleepless in Seattle, the rom-com in which Meg Ryan's Annie is planning to get married to Bill Pullman's Walter, but ends up second-guessing their relationship because she suddenly falls in love with the voice of Tom Hanks's Sam over the radio. Look, I know it's Tom Hanks, but does Annie know that? No, she only knows him via his dulcet tones. But somehow she's willing to sacrifice all the love and devotion that Walter has showered her with so she can take a flight across the whole damn country and find out if there's a smidgen of a possibility that things could work out between her and Sam.

It's such a foolish and impulsive decision, one that mirrors the crossroads at which Audrey finds herself in Before I Do. Thankfully, I'm much more satisfied with the outcome of Audrey's tale, which becomes a critique of the destiny trope and being so beholden to the idea of soulmates that you use it as an excuse for your actions. Cousens has written out this whole story in a touching fashion that helps me connect with Audrey and her struggles, even when her penchant for spontaneity drives me mad (just to clarify, it's not bad for the book to make me feel that way, since it's just part of her personality and it's suitable for the story that Cousens is telling, but that won't stop Audrey from vexing the part of me that craves planning and stability). I especially appreciate how the non-chronological plotting cuts back and forth between the present, which revolves around Audrey and Josh's wedding day, and the past, which hops back to several crucial periods she'd faced. It's laid out thoughtfully enough that it doesn't leave me puzzled as to the timeline of her life.

The only aspect of the book that I have a gripe with is the subplot revolving around the Rocky relationship between Audrey and her mom Vivien, who, like her daughter, is bursting with ample amounts of her own devil-may-care energy. She also has a habit of viewing love and marriage through a rose-colored lens that leads her into quickly tying the knot with one suitor, falling for somebody else with whom she eventually has an affair, and jumping into another marriage with them after breaking up with her current husband. This has no small impact on Audrey, and I do think there are some interesting layers within this dysfunctional mother-daughter dynamic. But it doesn't feel as fleshed-out as I'd expected it to be, especially since the conclusion that the arc of their relationship reaches isn't all that satisfying. I understand that perhaps it's not meant to be tidy and it's intending to imitate the messiness of life, but it leaves me wanting nonetheless.

Overall, I got swept up by the journey that Audrey goes on to examine how major of a role fate is truly playing in her life. If all this sounds like it's your cup of tea, then you should pick up Before I Do by Sophie Cousens. I'm personally excited for more of her work, since I also loved her previous novel Just Haven't Met You Yet.

💍Review - ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5💍

Audrey and Fred meet by chance, thanks to a random photo booth. After spending an amazing day together, Audrey is convinced she may have found the one..

Fast forward six years and Audrey is marrying Josh, not Fred. While Josh and Audrey are complete opposites, they seem like the perfect fit. That is, until their wedding day approaches and Audrey begins to wonder if Josh really is “the one.” To make matters worse, everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong and Josh’s sister shows up with a surprising date to the wedding…Fred.

Now, Audrey for sure finds herself torn and begins to wonder if all of this is happening by chance or if it is fate? Is Fred truly the one she’s supposed to end up with or is Josh her perfect match?

I had really high hopes for this book, but the miscommunication trope kills me almost every time. I’m not going to give away any spoilers, but a lot could’ve been avoided if Audrey would’ve just communicated her feelings and past.

I also did not feel I could relate to any of the characters. I honestly found most of them quite unlikable. The only one I liked was Josh and I think that’s because I felt bad for him.

Overall, this story really dragged for me. I thought the idea was really intriguing, but wasn’t a huge fan of how the story panned out. I wanted to love this one so much, but it just wasn’t a favorite for me.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Just Haven't Met You Yet, but the premise behind this one just didn't hold my interest. Cousens' writing is an interesting mix of romance and women's fiction, but this particular story veered too far into the women's fiction realm for me. After struggling to become emotionally invested on multiple occasions, I ended up setting this aside without finishing.

I’m a huge Sophie Cousens fan and Before I Do was no exception. I loved that the ending wasn’t exactly what I expected. Cousens also changed my mind along the way in who I wanted Audrey to to end up with, which is pretty unusual for me. At times, Audrey could be unlikable but I think she came out as a better person. I will definitely be reading more of Cousens in the future. She always makes some pretty unique situations and I never am bored with her writing!

This was a cute book. I love the way it went back and forth between the present and the past. The characters were likeable and although the plot wouldn't likely happen in real life it wasn't that far-fetched.

I have learned through my many years as a bookworm that the “what if” plot device is used a lot and not always successfully. I usually avoid this plot device because it just seems pointless to live in the past wondering “what if” instead of embracing the present and living life to the fullest. In Before I Do, engaged to be married Audrey is faced with a major “what if” on the night before her wedding when her future sister-in-law shows up with the man Audrey spent a wonderful day together six years ago and never saw again…until now.

I was drawn to this story because, unlike other “what if” plots, this one really intrigued me. Audrey and Fred had only one day. Just one. They made plans to meet up the next day and he never shows up. Audrey never receives a call from him and she is unable to call him because the numbers are smudged and she can’t make them out. I’m not sure she even knew his last name, come to think of it. What happened to Fred?!

Over the next six years, Audrey moves on; sort of. She meets Josh whose name she can never remember and keeps calling him James. They eventually get together and everything seems perfect and right on track for a happily ever after…until Fred shows up. Now, Audrey is filled with doubt about herself, her relationship, her future. Instead of talking to Josh about her fears, she bottles it all up until she is walking on glass. It doesn’t help when bats fall from the belfry onto Josh’s grandmother, the wedding dress tears, the bride figurine decides to take a suicidal leap from the top of the cake and the vicar has a heart attack during the wedding ceremony. It certainly seems like the universe is trying to tell her something, doesn’t it?

I liked Audrey and thought she was intelligent and certainly mature enough to manage this mess like an adult. Other than to entertain me, what other reason could there possibly be for her to allow this chaos to take over what should have been the happiest day of her life? This story is told in flashbacks to the past allowing the reader to see what Audrey experienced and how she met Fred, meeting Josh as well as giving the reader insight into the relationship she has with her mother, who turned out to be quite a surprising character for me.

I personally never warmed up to Fred and couldn’t understand how Audrey could be rethinking all of her life’s choices based on one day with one man instead of the several years she has built with Josh. Even with all of Audrey’s insecurities and indecisiveness, I found this story to be heartwarming and I was eager to see how it all would play out.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I haven’t read anything by this author before and am wondering why. I really enjoyed her voice and writing style. She creates characters that I found easy to relate to and could easily see myself being friends or family with. I wanted to help Audrey through this mess, but we all know this is the kind of situation one must face on their own.

I highly recommend this story to fans of the chick-lit and women’s fiction genres, as well as readers who enjoy stories with characters with real-world problems and lives. I look forward to reading more by this talented author.

In depth look , past and present day of a couple who should be celebrating thier beautiful wedding day , gets interrupted by the past. What to do when fate roars in on the day you think your marrying the love of your life and then the one person whom you havent stopped thiking of for years happens to show up.i liked that the story parrelled from early days to present day then to after the wedding day , it was a good story .

6 years before I do Audrey met Fred.
3 years ago before I do she met Josh.
20 minutes before I do the world is ending.

Or at least that’s what it feels like to Audrey in Before I Do by Sophie Cousens. Now, Audrey must decide if she is making a big mistake or if there is more to love than fate.

What I liked: I thought the way this book was written was so clever. This book is written with three very clear timelines. The way it’s written makes you feel like Audrey and how you can’t decide high suitor to root for, it by the end it is very obvious who our main character should pick. I thought this book was so well written. It was witty, it was serious, and just a joy to read.

To keep in mind: There is a slight plot of a love triangle, but it was not your traditional YA triangle so it didn’t bother me so much.