How much of true love is fate? It’s Audrey and Josh’s wedding day and all of their family and friends are gathered for the big event. But when someone from Audrey’s past shows up, she begins to wonder if fate is intervening.

Like everything Sophie Cousens writes, I really enjoyed this book. Her characters re imperfect people, and she makes them so human and relatable. While I wouldn’t consider this to be a funny book, there were several times that I laughed out loud. I could easily see this book being turned into a movie.

Thank you so much to netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with an advanced copy of Before I Do in exchange for an honest review.

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5)

Release Date: October 11, 2022

Don’t be fooled by the cover of this book - this is far deeper than a typical rom-com or simple romantic book! The book centers around Audrey and Josh on their wedding day but flashes back to Audrey’s childhood and years leading up to the wedding date. This books asks the question: what if? What if we took a different path in life? What if we didn’t get off the train at the right station one day? What if we don’t marry the one? This book is incredibly light-hearted but I found myself getting teary eyed at the end ❤️❤️ This is a very sweet gem of a romance novel.

Thank you Net Galley and G.P Putnam for an eARC of Before I Do in exchange for an honest review.

#netgalley #beforeido #sophiecousens #arc #whatsemilyreading #booknerd

This was the best Sophie Cousens’ book yet! It alternates timelines between past and present as we get introduced to the main character and her love interests. Audrey has to decide on her weeding weekend if she’s going to go through with it and marry Josh or believe in all the bad omens surrounding the event that could possibly be telling her this is a mistake.

This book was a roller coaster, I was back and forth so many times regarding which love interest I wanted Audrey to choose, Josh or Fred. In the beginning, after reading about how Audrey and Fred met and their magical day together, I was sure I wanted her to choose him. But then, I started reading about how Josh and Audrey met and how wonderful he is for her and I changed my mind. I really didn’t know up until 80% of the book who she was going to choose and who I wanted her to choose.

I didn’t connect much with Audrey because she’s just all over the place, not knowing who she is and what to do with her life. I felt for her and how confused she was, all over the place. But that’s just me because I have a very different personality than her. I started liking Audrey more in the last chapters of the book. Despite that though, the story was so good, I love that the author was able to keep me guessing the end of the book and my feelings about the MCs so many times.

This was not your typical romcom, reminded me of One True Lives by JTR, and I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book that I read by Sophie Cousens. I read her book 'This Time Next Year', but I liked 'Before I Do' even more! It's Audrey's wedding day, but as she prepares to marry her fiance, Josh, she begins to wonder if he's the one for her. They have a caring, stable relationship, but she doesn't feel the spark that she is looking for or expecting. Her mother has been married 5 times, and because of this, Audrey begins to question whether marriage is right for her. When her' what if' guy shows up at her wedding, she wonders if it is a sign for her to think twice about her marriage.

I really enjoyed the story because it went back and forth between different years, and it showed different parts of Audrey's relationship with her mother, Josh, and her 'what if' guy, Fred. It was interesting to see how these relationships changed over the years, and I liked learning about these changes through the use of flashbacks.

With some books that I have read lately, I have had a hard time rooting for the main character, but I was definitely rooting for Audrey in this book. It was such a powerful story about figuring out what you want out of life. Audrey was looking for what her thing was going to be. She went to school for different things, and she had many different jobs, but she had to go on a journey of self-discovery to figure out what she really wanted out of life.

This was a great book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun story about finding yourself and never giving up on love. Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam books for the ARC of 'Before I Do'.

I loved everything about this book. The way it was structured going back and forth between different times of the main characters life without being hard to keep straight. This may be considered a rom-com book, but there is a lot of wisdom in the pages. The characters are so fun and likeable. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

I’m squealing. My heart is full and my eyes are crusty with dried tears and I’m SWOONING.

I think Before I Do is the best book I’ve read in 2022.

Bold statement but it’s true. Before I Do is classic, feel good chick lit with depth, fate and the cosmos mixed in. The perfect read that I enjoyed by the pool this past weekend, and I just can’t recommend it enough.

Cousens tells the story through multiple timelines, ranging from days and hours before I do to years before. It was a super successful way to truly get to know each character—not just Audrey but Josh, Frank, her mom and her friends. I loved reading about young, college aged Audrey who threw themed house parties and kissed random boys to present day bride Audrey and how she got to where she is now.

And I honestly had NO clue which guy Audrey would end up with, if any. Who do I want her to pick and who is she supposed to pick? I went back and forth for a long time—Cousens kept me guessing for the majority of the book. But the lines—oh the LINES! The romantic lines from Josh and Fred and they way the spoke their heart to Audrey and how they feel about her. Not once remotely cheesy but an absolute SWOON fest. I was giddy and giggly with each sentence.

Aside from the romance, it was also interesting to read about Audrey and her relationship with her single mother. Her dad passed when she was young, and Audrey’s mom has gotten marrired and divorced many times over, each time thinking this one is it. And each time she’s wrong, leaving herself heartbroken and leaving Audrey to pick up the pieces, which of course makes it hard for Audrey to believe in love and marriage.

Audrey also has a strong relationship with her friends—her best friend, roommates and her babysitter turned confidant all added to the cheeky, playfulness of Before I Do.

Strong 5-star read and the best book I’ve ready all year. If Hollywood doesn’t pick this story up for a movie, I would be so disappointed. That’s how much I loved Before I Do.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5. This was a cute romance that alternates chapters between “before her wedding day” and “after her wedding day.” The main character, Audrey questions her decision to get married and pretty much everything in her life. Audrey is an impulsive, young, adventurous woman - I found her character at times irritating, but overall I enjoyed how she figured it out in the end. I loved the rest of the characters, especially the witty banter between them. I found the novel light, funny and one of the best endings for a romance that I have read in a long time.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Cousens always writes such lovable characters, and this book is no exception. While traditional "romance" novels always end with a happily ever after, this book was interesting because it wasn't immediately obvious what that HEA would entail. The timeline was woven masterfully, bringing in past elements at just the right moments. Sweet and funny, this is a great feel-good book.

Spoilers Ahead!

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Audrey is about to get married. Then her "what if" guy walks through the door of her rehearsal dinner on the arm of her future sister in law. From there, she is sent into a spiral that makes her question everything leading up to the point. Does marrying Josh even make sense? Was she fated to meet Fred (her what if guy) again? She starts to wonder if a decision she made would have made her life completely different. It all has to mean something, right?

The reader is taken back and forth between the current events of the wedding day and then back in Audrey's past through events in her life that led her to her wedding day. She puts a ton of emphasis on Fred and all of how they seemed so perfect for one another and how if not for one event, they would've had this fantastical life together. It was hard for me to personally connect to Audrey, though given she went through some hard times with her family, her indecisiveness and games really made her unlikeable for me at times. I really felt for her fiance, Josh, and his whole resilience in the story, weathering all of her up and downs and lack of focus. It shouldn't take losing someone/a relationship to know how great it is. I honestly don't know if I really think Audrey deserved the HEA she got. She really had a lot of growing up to do and while she FINALLY got there....the story just kept emphasizing that point. Team Josh all the way.

2 stars ⭐️ ⭐️

Not my cup of tea. To me, this book was just one big soap opera/anticlimactic mess. Now, that’s not to say there weren’t some positive aspects to be found….. but in general I didn’t care for it.

Audrey is engaged! But is she happy about it? That remains to be seen. See, she met Fred years ago and they had a wonderful afternoon together! Talking, jumping off Ferris Wheels 🤔, dancing in the park etc. But then, Fred disappears from her life and she meets and starts dating Josh. Josh is a pretty decent guy, but I must say… I didn’t like how their relationship was established, or that Audrey decided she was interested once he had a girlfriend and was so jealous right off the bat. I mean, she could barely remember his name at first. Anyways, fast forward in their relationship to their rehearsal the night before their wedding when Fred shows back up, bats fall from the ceiling, wedding dresses rip, and every other character seems to be having a personal breakdown. Are these all bad omens pointing Audrey to rethink her wedding?

I honestly didn’t like Audrey. She spend the whole book on the fence. Dreaming about ‘what ifs with Fred,’ questioning whether she and Josh were too different, not knowing her own mind and heart. All in the span of 24 hrs. I get it….. wedding jitters and all. But she really annoyed me. Josh was a great character. He was kind, sensitive and sweet. Fred was just…… strange. Throw is a mommy best friend, lots of step fathers and one crazy, promiscuous mother and you have an ensemble of craziness and chaos.

This book was anticlimactic to me. Why throw in such a big emotional stepping stone for Audrey (in the form of Fred) and have her stew over it for so many years just to have it figured out I. A page or two. I feel like my emotions were wasted.

On the plus side…… Audrey had some growth. She figured out what she wanted and needed and went for it. But to me, that’s the only redeeming quality of this story.

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

Spontaneous Audrey is about to marry Bad Jeans Josh. Josh is kind, stable and safe, but as the wedding approaches and everything seems to go wrong, Audrey wonders if she’s making the right decision. The night before the wedding, her “what if” guy shows up, and Audrey starts to question everything.

This is such a fun, lighthearted book! Audrey drove me a little crazy at times, but both guys were so well written that I was cheering for each of them at different times throughout the story. The side characters were also likable; I especially enjoyed Clara and Hillary, Aubrey’s best friend and former nanny. Although I’m not usually a fan of third person narratives, the multiple timelines counting down to the wedding, as well as filling in the sweet background story of how she met both Fred and Josh, really kept things interesting. The mother/daughter relationship and its impact on Audrey’s decisions also added depth to the story. Plus there was the extra bonus of being set in England!

Do opposites attract and balance each other out? Or would two completely spontaneous people be a better match?

Sophie Cousens’ previous books were already on my TBR, and I’m definitely going to have to bump them up on the list!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Before I Do releases soon on October 11th! Special thanks to Netgalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing an ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

Love this author so was excited to see where this one went (even though I hate love triangles with a passion). It was an interesting read with plenty of interesting characters which left you guessing as to which path Audrey would go down (3.5 stars)

Opening with what is quite possibly my favorite meet cute of all time, <i>Before I Do</i> starts out really strong, though it did feel like the set up for a rom com, rather than a romance that delves into the internal struggles of a woman. I really liked that Audrey is sort of a 'difficult woman' in that, while she's somewhat quirky with her "head in the sky", she's not a manic pixie dream girl by any means. She's relatable and flawed rather than an idealized trope of a character. Cousens does a great job honestly portraying what it is to be conflicted, caught between the 'what if' fantasy and the imperfect, sometimes boring reality of a 'good guy'. I also really liked that I had a completely different expectation for where the story was going as <spoiler> it definitely would've followed a different romantic trajectory had this been the rom com it seemed to be setting up from the beginning</spoiler>.
While I think the concept was stronger than the execution-- following a character across several strands of time is certainly ambitious-- it's an enjoyable and thought provoking read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

“I don’t know if anything is ‘meant to be,’ certainly when it comes to love. There could be a million versions of us out there in the multiverse, where none of this worked out. Aren’t we lucky that we get to live in the world where it did?”

After spending one adventurous day with Fred, the “photo booth guy,” Audrey never sees him again… until 6 years later on the eve of her wedding. Photo Booth guy, the one that got away, shows up as a guest of the sister of the groom. Everything that could go wrong with the wedding does go wrong leaving the bride to wonder is this a case of cold feet or are these signs that it wasn’t meant to be? What if he would have shown up for their date 6 years earlier would she be marrying down-to-earth “Bad Jeans” Josh or was Photo Booth guy the one she was truly meant to be with?

I enjoyed this book, it was a quick, light read but it did take me a bit to get into the style as the timelines jumped from past to present to future. The last quarter of the book which mainly took place in the present kept me turning the pages to find out who Audrey would end up with. This was my favorite of the 3 books I’ve read by Sophie Cousens.

4.5/5⭐️

Audrey is marrying Josh in 3 days. They are total opposites as he is grounded and stable and she has her head in the stars (literally, she loves astronomy). But she begins to have cold feet when his sister shows up to the wedding festivities with Fred (Audrey’s “what if?” guy), who she had one amazing day with 6 years ago. Is Fate trying to tell her something or is it just nerves?

This was fun but also a good treatise on how we sometimes put things from our past on a pedestal rather than taking off the rose-colored glasses. And sometimes those past over-the-top memories can sabotage our future hopes. Enjoyable story.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing the free early arc of Before I Do for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Well, that’s uncomfortable!

What would you do if, at your engagement party, your fiance’s sister brings your first love (and the one that got away) as her date?

At twenty-two, Audrey met Fred after finding his photo at a photo booth. The instant she finds his photo she’s intrigued, and then, she leaves photos of her own in the same photo booth, hoping he’ll find them and somehow, he does. When they meet, they have one perfect day together.

Then Audrey meets Josh, “Bad Jeans Josh” as she refers to him and though she has absolutely no interest in him, they keep being thrown together, and then all of a sudden it happens. Sparks Fly.

As Audrey is about to marry Josh, she starts having doubts. Is it Fred or Josh she wants to be with? Cue the drama!

Before I Do was a smart, witty, and interesting read. While the character of Audrey frustrated me at times, I enjoyed this novel by Sophie Cousens and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam - G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the arc via NetGalley.

I can honestly say I didn’t know how this book would end! A sweet story, with multiple timelines to keep you guessing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I had an idea about where this story was going. I was wrong. What I really loved about this book was the character development. I didn’t like Audrey much at the start— or rather, I found her difficult to relate to. Once her back story unfolds, it makes so much sense. I love that this wasn’t predictable. It was such a heartwarming read.

I feel like Sophie Cousens wrote a book that I had been thinking about for a while. Not the same exact book, but a similar one. Of course, she wrote a book much better than I could. I enjoyed it because it was a subject that I enjoyed. Audrey was a character that I found endearing yet, frustrating at times.

The whole concept of what if on your wedding day. I loved how she formulated the story, weaved in past and present, different story lines, and kept the reader engaged at the same time. The humor made me chuckle at a couple spots in the book. Audrey’s inner dialogue kept the reader smiling.

It did take me a tad to get into the book since it is written in third person. I am a fan of first-person point of view personally, but it won’t make me drop a book if it is written in third person.

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I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of Before I do from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, thanks again!

I LOVE Sophie Cousens writing. She can honestly do no wrong. I was truly intrigued by the synopsis and was curious on how everything would play out. I was pleasantly surprised. I can appreciate how intricate the storyline was because it was all over the place but in a very organized way.

Love triangles are hard for me to grasp on because they give me second hand anxiety. Besides that, this was a fantastic book and I can’t wait to hear everyone else’s thoughts when it is released!