BEFORE I DO (PUB Date 10.11) is about love, 2nd chances and those "what if" moments. Six years ago Audrey shared a stomach-flipping, heart-swooning day with Fred, who she hasn't seen since that fateful day. Until he just happens to show up as a guest the night before her wedding to Josh. What if it's a sign?

I found it warm hearted and a perfect pick me up. It's one of those books that blends levity and humor with heft. The characters are endearing & authentic. Equally appealing was the cast of supporting characters, some of which kept me smiling, and others who made me break out the stink eye. The timeline was executed with a propulsive drive. Cousens pieces together the story from different viewpoints: before, during and current, while providing behind-the-scenes details that weaves it all together. Audrey's candid and sometimes intrusive inner dialogue drew me in and kept me invested.

I would categorize this as 'romance adjacent". The door is slightly ajar. Light on the steam. 1

Thanks to @putnambooks and @netgalley for early access.
#BeforeIDo #NetGalley.

I loved This Time Next Year and Just Haven't Met You Yet, so I was excited to read Before I Do by Sophie Cousens. This book did not disappoint! I loved the love triangle that Audrey got herself into, and I wasn't sure who I wanted her to end up with in the end. I can't wait to see what Sophie Cousens writes next!

💕 This novel is a super cute, sweet, and entertaining wedding rom-com. 

The book has a timeline ‘now’ and ‘then’, and usually I’m not a huge fan of it but it worked here so well. The main character, Audrey, begins as a disastrous (but lovable) character (I kept thinking Along Came Molly movie) but over years she blossomed into a perfect woman. There was a moment in her past that I could relate to, and my heart hammered while I read that chapter. 🫣

I loved every page of this book, and without giving away who Audrey picked, I have to say that I’m in love with the man she chose. He made my best fictional boyfriend list. And Hillary is my new best friend! ☺️

I can’t wait to read Sophie’s next book. 

By the way, I love the UK book cover better than the US. How about you? Which one do you like better, pink or blue? 

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and Sophie Cousens for this ARC!

Thank you I the publisher for this ARC.

This beginning of the book started out a little more rom/com and quirky but it evolved into a sweet story. Not my favorite by the author but a good story about what if and dealing with last relationships.

There was a lot to like about this book. The main character was well developed and I appreciated her complexity and realness. I also liked the exploration of relationships as well as one’s sense of self and confidence. And, the book was verbally a lighthearted and enjoyable read despite some of the heavier themes. At the same time, there were a couple things I just couldn’t move past. I had a lot of trouble with suspension of disbelief in certain places as some scenes veered well into the absurd. And, I really had a lot of trouble keeping up with the multiple timelines, which were jarring and distracting. Overall a pleasant read but not my favorite.

This one was okay for me. Nothing too memorable, but a fun and easy read none the less. I’d recommend it still!

I loooooved this story. And I found myself incredibly torn throughout the story as to which man I thought Audrey should end up with - the author does a wonderful job of making you consistently lean back and forth between who should be together. Team Josh, though 💛 Easy five star read, and so cute.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Before I Do is romantic comedy that takes place “now”- before the main character gets married and before. While reading be sure to pay attention to the timeline in the beginning of the chapters- the book does go back and forth in time with each chapter which took some getting used to. The ending was cute and not what I expected while reading.

I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters. I was emotionally invested in their friendships, relationships and future. I honestly had no idea who Audrey would end up with. I felt that she could have ended up with Josh or Fred. I just loved Clara and Miranda and would love more of those characters.

OK I loved this bookkkkkk so much! Cousens is seriously a master at romance and missed-connection/fate twists. Audrey and Fred, after a ridiculously cute 'meet cute', spend a magical day together.... and that is it. Then 6 years later, Audrey is about to marry Josh, only to find herself face to face with Fred the night before her wedding - he is Josh's sister's date for the wedding and derails Audrey completely. Told with an alternating timeline, the reader gets Audrey's backstory and can easily see how both Fred and Josh compliment her..... so what is she to do? It is obvious Fred has feelings for her and remembers their day together. And it is also obvious that Josh absolutely loves her (and she him) and can't wait to say I do. I loved this story and devoured it in two days. The ending was absolutely perfection. Cousens is a must-read for anyone that loves romance, witty dialogue, character's that truly need to grow to learn, and just flat-out charming stories!

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my review! Oh @sophiecousens has done it again! This book was so well done with the sheer amount of timelines! What could’ve been a confusing mess, was done in such a brilliant way. It helped to unfold the story in such a beautiful manner. Another thing I loved is other than one truly awful guy, the characters were all so endearing in their own ways! I love a book where I love the side characters as much or more than the main ones! I will say, and this may be just because my wedding was so recent (6/24 and the book wedding was 6/25!), but some of the disasters the day of the wedding made me very anxious! But it’s all okay now, no longer stressed! I’ve read a few “what-if?” stories, and this was was done in an original way and a realistic, relatable way. This is being released October 11th, so run-don’t walk- down the aisle and grab yourself a copy!

Sophie Cousens is becoming a must read author for me. I read one of her books last year and decided to request this one because I liked it so much. She did it again! I really enjoyed this one so let’s take a look at what did and didn’t work for me:

+ I usually hate jumping timelines, but I was hooked from the prologue! There are a few timelines: the present timeline – where Audrey is about to get married. We also follow her childhood to get an idea of her home life and what made her feel underserving of happiness plus how she came to view love and marriage as an adult. Lastly, there is another timeline involving the guy who “got away” – was he the one? I think the way the timelines are written is done so well.

+ Audrey questions if her fiancé, Josh, is really her soul mate or is it that guy, Fred, from the past who she can’t stop thinking about? Is she supposed to follow the signs and fate? Or is she supposed to stick to what’s solid and there for her, like Josh? At some moments the book reminded me of the movies Serendipity and The Wedding Singer…haha – in good ways! I found Audrey so relatable in the ways she questioned soul mates or how she felt about Fred in the past and Josh in the present.

+ I honestly loved Audrey’s meet cute with Fred – I can see why she never forgot about him. But I also fell in love with how she met Josh and how their relationship grew over time. I was Team Josh but because the way the timelines are written, I really wasn’t sure what Audrey was going to do! I was worried for her and it kept me engaged in the story.

+ I love the side characters like her best-friend Clara, who give us a tiny glimpse into her life and dealing with having twins. And Josh’s sister Miranda represented the bridesmaid who is never the bride and feeling bad about it. Honestly weddings bring out the worst emotions in people sometimes. It’s stressful for everyone but I found everyone gathered for the wedding so much fun because of the chaos.

+ This book was full of emotions when it came to the story of Audrey, her dad, and their shared love of astronomy. Then there is her relationship with Josh which in essence is sweet because they are opposites but that’s why they work even though sometimes it got challenging.

~ Oh Audrey was about to throw it all away because she was stressed out about Fred! It was stressing me out because Fred was barely in her life except for as a memory about a day!

~ Audrey’s mother is her own person but she really broke up their family and let Audrey see her go in and out of relationships not even thinking of the consequences. I thought she was lucky Audrey loved her so much and was so forgiving of her constant infidelity. I don’t think i could have been that forgiving! But I think it shows how Audrey was mature enough to let her mother be who she was and not make it her problem – except for Benedict, who is a despicable man.

Tropes: opposites attract, what ifs

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:
*it’s a heart felt story filled with humor, emotion, chaos, bad omens, and love
*great writing – the timelines really drew me into the story, making me want to find out what happened at the wedding!
*Audrey’s story: her past with her mom and dad, her mom’s infidelity, her own dating choices before meeting Josh, and her what if guy-Fred…I was sucked into the story

Why you might not want to read it:
*Some people might not be a fan of Audrey having cold feet about Josh before the wedding, but marriage is a big step and weddings are super stressful.

My Thoughts:

This story is entertaining, engaging, funny, sweet and heart warming. I was invested in Audrey and her photo booth meet cute with Fred and then boring Josh comes along and what do you know…he’s not that boring after all. I love this story and it just makes me want to read more books from this author!

4.5 star review! I enjoyed this book. I knew within the first few pages that it was going to be great. The multiple timeline style was done so well. It was pieced together perfectly that let you understand how Audrey came to be her present-day self. Even at the 50% mark, I was unsure who was the true match for Audrey. Somewhere between 60-75% I did think things were dragging a bit, but I enjoyed the characters and story line so much I didn’t mind. I would recommend this book to every woman who has been through a wedding experience or plans to wed! A true masterpiece with great insight!

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Summary: It’s the day before her wedding to Josh and Audrey is taken aback by the arrival of one of her biggest “what if’s”, Fred, at her rehearsal dinner. Audrey knows that her fiancé Josh is dependable and loving, but she just can’t shake wondering if love should be more. As a series of events make Audrey second guess everything, she must self-reflect with the help of her mom and closest friends to decide if fate is interfering with her wedding or if she’s been in the right place all along.

𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘋𝘰 traverses the life of Audrey Lavery from a day, six years in the past till the day of her wedding and bit beyond. Ranging from the exhilarating, top of my life to wishing-the-world-could-end, the time jumps cover all her memories which results in a well defined plot.

- ~ -

Audrey begins as a very flawed character but ended up undergoing a phenomenal growth arc.
Her journey only made me takeaway how every person effects our lives in some major or minor ways, how a million different factors have to come together to shape a life... basically the butterfly effect magnified.

Now an aspect, I'd say, the author portrayed quite accurately was the "incident" Audrey faced with Ben. In the said incident, Audrey was doubting whether anything really happened or not and as a woman, I've also often wondered if I exaggerated a certain instance? Could it have been possible it was just an accident, a misunderstanding?

I don't know how others may interpret this or what really went on that night with Audrey and Ben but I do know that no man or rather no-one should have the power to make one feel small. There shouldn't have been a reason to feel anything less than in the first place for the hesitancy to have arisen.

Aside from that, each character added a shine to the overall plot and definitely a bit of that classic British humor.
Granny Parker and Hilary, say what you will, are absolute icons. I feel like they're both cut from the same cloth just generations apart.
And Clara is the best friend of one's dreams.

Well as for the romance, I'll not ruin who it is: the photobooth guy or James but I will say, Audrey sure found her Polaris.

- ~ - 

3.84 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘶𝘵𝘯𝘢𝘮 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I wasn’t a huge fan of her first book but I wanted to give her another chance. While I do like this one more I don’t think I will be picking up anything else by her anytime soon :/

I love Sophie Cousens! Her first book, This Time Next Year, is one of my favorites and I was so excited when I saw her newest on NetGalley and was then given the chance to read it. It's an adorable, crazy, 'bad omen' filled journey from realizing that the people we end up loving aren't always thrown at us by the universe but are sometimes hidden the least likely person. Audrey's wedding day jitters gave me jitters as we twisted and turned through the last six years of her life. It will definitely be a book a recommend to friends and anyone who needs a good read to make them laugh and think about what it means to actually be on the "right track."

Audrey is at her wedding rehearsal when the grooms sister walks in with her date, Fred who was Audrey’s “the one who got away”. The book jumps from the past to the present telling us the past story of Fred and Audrey and the present struggle in Audrey’s mind of whether or not she is marrying the right guy tomorrow now that Fred has reappeared. More troubling is that all of these bad omens keep occurring which just add to Audrey’s doubts. This is the second book I’ve read and enjoyed by this author. The idea of the book was cute and unique, I really enjoyed all of the characters. I was right there with Audrey rooting for her to go one way and then suddenly my mind changed and I was begging her to do the opposite. This was a super cute and funny start of wedding season rom-com.

Thanks NetGalley for the free ARC of this book.

The premise was exciting, but I struggled getting through this book.
Audrey is a difficult character to read. She has no real goals, and just seems to float along being pushed by everyone.

Clara and Hillary were infinitely more interesting.

And the time shifts are mind boggling. It doesn’t just go back to one time, it goes back to a different one every time and each one gets to the point so slowly.

It was a rough read, but if you like the “mystery man stops wedding” trope maybe this will be for you!

This could end up being my favorite book this year and it is definitely my favorite Sophie Cousens book. I want to be delicate in this review because I don’t want to spoil anything at all. I went in without knowing any details, and I really think that added to my enjoyment of the story.

I usually don’t like books where the timeline jumps around, but this one absolutely worked for me. I can always tell that the writing is masterful when the author takes a trope I typically hate and then makes me love it. This book kept me guessing in the first half and kept me hoping through the second half. I loved every second.

Like every Sophie Cousens book, the secondary characters are top notch. Standouts for me were Hillary (Audrey’s childhood “nactor” nanny+actor, “I’ve done my time as Marius, I’m ready to be Jean Valjean”), Clara the best friend, & Brian the always loyal ex-stepdad.

It’s the story of Audrey and her wedding day, but it’s so much more than that. This book maybe comes the closest to what it means to be in love in real life. I adored Before I Do. I am so grateful to Putnam for providing me with an advance copy of this book. It was a truly awesome reading experience in every way.

My favorite quote:
“I think love is a seed. We choose to plant it, nurture it, and at the end of our lives, if we end up with a glorious old oak tree, with huge branches and plenty of shade, then that’s on us, not the cosmos.”

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨⬜

Title: Before I Do

Author: Sophie Cousens

Genre: Romance

Setting: England

Month Read: August 2022

Book Type: E-Arc

Publication: October 2022

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Pages: 384

*Thank you to NetGalley for the E-Arc of this book. My review is purely my own.




TRIGGER WARNING-
Groping / Anxiety / Infidelity / Family Drama


"We have always looked to the stars for answers, used stores and mythology to help make sense of what is beyond our reach"



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No Spoiler Summary (Goodreads):
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 humour?



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Review:
I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK. The What-If? plot felt fresh to me, and this definitely isn't your typical romance novel, which i also appreciated. I didn't love the book as much as her last (Just Haven't Met You Yet), but I really appreciate what Sophie Cousens brings to the rom-com genre.


I loved a lot of the side characters, and loved getting to know their personalities throughout the novel (and ultimately how each deals with everything that goes on in this book.) If 1 of these 'bad omens' happened when i was getting married I would have lost my shit, so watching Audrey sort of deal with it all was wild to me, and I appreciated her.


The dual timeline was FUUUUUUUN. I loved getting to see everybody throughout the time change from a few years back, up to after the wedding day. Seeing Audrey and Josh's relationship start, and grow, was really heartwarming, and the chapters with Fred were also just a lot of fun. I thought all of this was fresh, and adorable, and I love how Sophie goes through her arc. I highly recommend anyone getting this when it comes out in October 2022.



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Recommendation:
Just Haven't Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens

Float Plan by Trish Doller

Book Lovers by Emily Henry



"If only I could rearrange them in a more orderly way, in a shape that made sense to me, then I would understand the story better. Yet logic tells me those stars are millions of light years apart, they care not a jot that they share space in our sky. Are we fools to look for meaning?"



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