I really enjoyed this story, cute, light and fun. Audrey is about to marry Josh, but she begins to question if this is the right man for her and suddenly her sister shows up at the rehearsal dinner with Fred, a guy she had an amazing day with and stirs up old feelings in her.and she thinks it's not a coincidence and it must be fate wanting to tell her something.
I loved the story, the characters, both heroes are perfect, I loved them both, the flashbacks of the past and how our heroine questions her decisions and how her happiness depends on them. Perfect for fans of love triangle, romcom and cute romances

It took forever to get through, which was not fun at all. Plus all of the stuff that Audrey was thinking about Fred, which was also hurting her relationship with her fiancé, and then what she pulled after the failed wedding to only still end up with Josh just seems a bit much. All in all it was very confusing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam's for the arc.
I really loved Sophie Cousens' previous book, Just Haven't Met You Yet, so I had high hopes for this one. This book fell flat for me. I felt there was no chemistry between Audrey and Josh, and I never understood what he saw in her. She was surprised when he proposed, and they were engaged 6 months before she told him she loved him? I didn't like that. It seemed the book was more about the relationship between Audrey and her mother than it was about her and Josh. I really liked the scenes with Audrey and her best friend, Clara, very funny. I did like the way the chapters alternated between the timelines. The ending was a little too easily wrapped up.

I really enjoyed this book and feel like it was a strong 4 stars. Typically I’m not a love triangle fan and really didn’t know that’s kind of what this book was until I was into it.

The flashbacks to the past and before the wedding were really well done and very relevant to where the story was going.

Josh was such an amazing partner to Audrey from the beginning and I’m glad she had her epiphany and realized that what they have is real whereas what she was fantasizing about was just a fantasy. I loved the flashbacks that showed his growth as a partner as well, like the first time they were out and she had to leave while she had a panic attack and then when she did the same on the night they were engaged.

While I thought Fred was an interesting character I don’t think he would have made Audrey happy in the long run!

Overall the side characters in this were believable and Hillary was my absolute favorite.

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

If you think this is another British romcom where a girl has a perfect guy and perfect for her guy and she has to choose between the two…..you would be right. There is all that..that being two good looking, kind, funny guys vying to her attention, and it has witty banter, female friendships, mother - daughter relationship. This is fun fast read and even when holding true to British romcom formula, it didn’t feel tedious because her concerns and fears felt real. I for one glad she finally found her person and happy that he is worthy.

So if you are looking for spice free fun smart romcom, this is for you.

Thank you netgally, Putnam publishing and Sophie Cousens for letting me read this for a honest review.

Cute romantic comedy about a bride with cold feet that starts second guessing herself the night before the wedding. Numerous disasters leading up to “I do” emphasize the fear that she is making a mistake. A humorous book that did not entertain me as much as the author’s previous books but still a solid three star read. Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me a digital ARC for an honest review!

I love Sophie Cousens books!! I wasn’t sure I was going to like the premise of this book, but I ended up loving the characters, the story, qnd especially the ending. So many cute and funny moments that make this a great read!

Totally enjoyable & fast fun read - Cousens has become a must read for me. Love the characters and the plot. Well done.

Before I Do follows Audrey is about to marry Josh. When her wedding day approaches Audrey begins to question if Josh is really the one she is supposed to marry. Audrey's sister shows up to her rehearsal dinner with Fred. Fred is the guy that got away and brings up old feelings for Audrey. She finds herself torn and then everything that could go wrong on your wedding day, goes wrong. And soon Audrey has to decide who and what she really wants.

I have loved every book that Sophie Cousens has written. This was such a cute book. I love how Audrey wanted to make sure that her life was the way she wanted it to be. Loved the love story that she had with both Josh and Fred. Both of these men were so different from each other. But, they were also so perfect for Audrey. If you are looking for a cute romance book.

Sophie Cousens take a fatalist's approach to the 'soulmate' and 'one that got away' in this novel about and very wonky love triangle between Audrey, Josh, and Fred.
Audrey is always stumbling to find her footing - her mother's own flighty, selfish nature hasn't given her the foundational support she needed to thrive in this life.
Josh is smitten and he is her complete opposite. Steady, grounded, predictable, and unstylish.
He is immediately attracted to Audrey, but she doesn't reciprocate until he's walked away from his pursuit of her and it subsequently off the market.
...And then there is Fred. They random guy she finds from a photobooth incident. He's a total kindred spirit of Audrey's and they spend one lovely afternoon together and then fate intervenes and they never see each other again. Until he's a guest at Josh and Audrey's wedding, serving as one of many 'bad omen' moments for the wedding weekend.
So the question is, what will happen for these three. Will everyone's heart be broken or will Audrey find something out about herself that helps her navigate and put her love into action.
This story is told in alternating timelines with a single POV (Audrey's).
I was quite pleased with the ending and I thought Cousens did a nice job bringing the character arcs together in the end. If you like chaotic characters and plot lines suffused with humor then you'll enjoy this. I am still a Sophie Cousens fan (though I preferred her other two more than this one).
Thank you so much Putnam and Netgalley for the ARC.

⭐️: 4.5/5

Audrey’s wedding day has been full of bad omens, the most significant of which being the arrival of an old flame from her past, Fred, as the date of her husband-to-be’s sister. Told in alternating timelines, Audrey reflects on what brought her to this point in her life, whether she’s made the right choices, and the possibility of each person out there having a singular soulmate.

I was SO EXCITED to get this book as an eARC, because I thought This Time Next Year was so cute and laugh out loud funny. I was so excited to read Sophie Cousens’ newest book early. However, I was not drawn into Audrey’s story for the first 50% or so of the book. It didn’t help that the past timeline jumps around a lot in time, and before you learn all the characters and their names, it’s a little confusing where in the past you are and what has and hasn’t happened yet. I was concerned for a while that I wouldn’t connect with this book as much as I wanted to, but the second half really saved it for me. I related to Audrey a lot in how in her head she was about whether small changes in the past could have created a different and potentially better life for her in the future. I was worried through the first half that the ending wouldn’t be satisfying, because it seemed like Cousens was leading us in a certain direction and toward a certain conclusion, and I was unsure if I’d be ok with it, but the ending was actually pretty perfect. I loved the overarching theme of nostalgia about the past, and how sometimes it’s hard to let go of previous impactful moments, both positive and negative, and let yourself move on, and that the perspective with which you remember things matters greatly. I can’t wait for this book to be released so everyone else can read it!!

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for this eARC for review!!

This was a fantastic book!

Sophie Cousens wrote this book in multiple timelines and I LOVED uncovering more pieces of Audrey’s past bit by bit. It added to the drama and my anticipation of what came next. This book was truly a page turner and I was entertained from the start.

Before I do has quite a few of the traditional elements I look for in this genre like a meet cute and an entertaining cast of supporting characters who add to the story. This book also poked a bit of fun at romcoms which I found very amusing.

But what I loved the most about this book is the morally gray moments throughout. I was unsettled at parts (this is a compliment!!) and left questioning what was right and what was wrong. I really enjoy when authors are able to write such relatable characters with true challenges…. AND give us a happy ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for the opportunity to read an e-book ARC!

This is the third book by Sophie Cousens and the third that I've read. I think it's her best, so far. I really enjoyed the two timelines playing out, and it kept me guessing until the end.

I couldn’t put this book down! It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I enjoyed the alternating timelines from Audrey, our MC, and the unknown of who she would end up with. I often find that many rom-com types can be a bit predictable but I found myself unsure of who’d she would pick before the end!

This was absolutely adorable. I had never read a Sophie Cousens book before and it was so fun!

In Before I Do the author examines the theme of if falling in love with someone is a choice or if a certain person is your destiny. The story was very real/believable to me and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I felt very invested in Audrey’s decision and thoughts leading up to her wedding ceremony.
I definitely think many romance readers will enjoy this.


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

This book was intriguing to start and then seemed to become increasingly scattered. The idea of Audrey meeting Fred at a photo booth and then never seeing him again is one of my favorite tropes, the same with left at the alter stories. Unfortunately, the time jumps to Audrey's day with Fred don't really make you care about him one way or the other. It's certainly the kind of thing that, in real life, would be a fun story to tell your friends and then stalk him on Instagram when you think of him months and years later. Even the one friend that Audrey is given doesn't seem to really care or understand why Audrey is remotely intrigued by him.

Despite Cousen's best efforts to make Josh seem like a perfect fit for Audrey by the end, he still comes off as being someone she's settling for. In an attempt to fill out the storyline, the author drags out the will-they-won't-they storyline for too long before speeding up the entire timeline of their relationship. There's not nearly enough detail to make you think Audrey should have chosen anyone besides herself at the end of this.

The storyline involving Audrey's mother's string of boyfriends also seems to be used to add some filler to the story. Again, because we don't get much detail on her existence outside of her relationships with Fred/Josh/Clara/her mother, there are many more ways that the trauma could have been used.

This is a 3 star book for me. It's easy to read, there are interesting pieces, and Sophie Cousens writes well. It just missed the mark for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm always torn on the one that got away trope. It can be hit or miss but I think this one ended up alright!

⭐️ rating: 4
📖 genre: Romance
🖨 publisher: Putnam & Penguin Random House
📍setting: London

🔲 REVIEW:

The story was told over alternating timelines between Audrey’s wedding day and her past. I particularly enjoyed the development of her relationships with her mom, Vivian; her nanny, Hillary; and her best friend, Clara. The depth of these relationships was a nice counterpoint to the chaos of the “bad omens.”

Over the course of the wedding day, a series of mishaps derail the wedding plans. These events started out light and cute, but got a bit unbelievable towards the end.

Were you Team Fred or Team Josh? I had a hard time deciding until the second half!

I enjoyed:
-the relationships between Audrey’s family and friends
-the astronomy and fate theme woven throughout the book
-the levity provided by Granny Parker.

If you liked this book, go check out Sophie’s last book: Just Haven’t Met You Yet!

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

🔎 SUMMARY:
“A heartwarming and playful novel about the ones we love and the ones we lose by the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year.
 
What would you do if ‘the one that got away’ turned up the night before your wedding?

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 really enjoyed this book from start to finish. I loved not knowing who I wanted her to be with or who was the predictable “one” for her. It kept me intrigued to the very end and I loved it

This was a delightful book to read. It had the back and forth timeline that is very characteristic of Sophie Cousens that is really interesting but also helps build up the tension in a very cool way. I love how this was not predictable at all and its a beautiful exploration of both characters and relationships. If you love her past books: This time Next Year and I haven't Met you Yet which I did, do not miss this! It's not as good as the first two but it is very close up there