*Thank you to Putnam Books via NetGalley for the ARC*

Ok, this was really cute. 🥰 I had a couple of back to back heavy books I had just read so this one dropped into my lap at the exact right moment. Not to say it didn’t touch on painful topics either (cw: sexual assault) but it gave off so many feel good vibes it’s hard not to be charmed. So let’s just say, the timing was impeccable.

Very much like the premise of this book, actually! 😉 Before I Do centers on Audrey on her wedding day and the events leading right up to it, dating several years back…back before she met her groom, Josh, and even further back, when she fell in love with a complete stranger, Fred, and lost him until he shows up at her wedding 6 years later. Audrey can’t shake the feeling that Fred came back into her life for a purpose. Her faith in the stars aligning with her belief that this was fate intervening. A story unfolds told in multiple timelines where we get not one but two love stories (maybe even more if you count the lovable side characters) but there can only be one happy ending that’s inevitable for Audrey.

For those who are fans of second chance romances, lost love, light groveling, and a penchant for the youthful exuberances of 20-somethings, Before I Do is a lovely read. It deals with the classic “what ifs” that might plague someone who hasn’t quite figured out what they’re meant to be doing or who they’re meant to be with. (Side note: too bad “Meant to Be” was already a taken title because it’s soooo fitting here, but alas that’s another book I just finished and loved).

4.5/5 stars because there were some parts that were bogged down and others that were almost too silly, even for me, but still a charming book nonetheless! Publishes in Oct. ‘22!

I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this book. I read another of Sophie Cousens' books last Christmas and while I liked it well enough, it didn't blow my mind. It didn't stay with me. But I enjoy wedding books and I'm still in a little slump, so I thought something light and airy would snap me out of it.

This book reminds me a lot of <i>the Rehearsals</i> by Annette Christie, wherein a bride and groom who don't have the best communication skills are hit by cosmic misfortune on the eve of the wedding, both in the form of everything going wrong at once and a lover from the bride's past making a sudden reappearance. I do feel like <i>the Rehearsals</i> did this prompt better, but I like what <i>Before I Do</i> says more. I like the realization that you don't have to have your life in order to be worthy of love, that being your best version actually comes with being loved because of the confidence you gain.

Josh is kind of a bore of a love interest, but he's also a bit like a golden retriever. For me the side characters made this book, specifically Clara and Hillary. The alternating timelines wasn't as distracting as I thought it'd be -- actually, while it felt a little disjointed in a couple spots, those past scenes did a good job of highlighting the current day ones.

In the end, this book is good, but it's not one I'm going to keep coming back to.

Took about 45% before I really cared about Audrey
First love triangle book i've read in ages so I wasn’t that invested and i'm not sure its a romance trope I like!
I was so stressed out about it taking place at a wedding. I think its just a trope I can’t handle. It's so expensive and someone will get hurt!!!!
Once it gets more into who Audrey is, I was much more invested and she ends up being interesting and so relatable to me- I also feel like I have no clue what I'm doing and dropped out of college twice…
I did really like Audrey's character development and she does end up being more likable but it took so long to explain anything about her.
After finishing, I enjoyed this book overall and loved the ending. It was a little bit slow and boring at times. The romance almost felt like the sub-plot; there was more focus on Audrey’s relationship with her mother and Audrey’s character growth.

Just Haven't Met,was one of my favorite reads of 2021! So getting the chance to read a new Cousens book was beyond exciting for me.

This was such a fun, enjoyable, light, sweet, novel!
I devoured it one day! That's how wonderfully written and fantastic this book was!

It is heartwarming, funny and original. I love how Cousens incorporates strong friendships in her stories. I also love that she adds a lot of depth and texture. It's not just a fly away contemporary romance, it's a solid read with a lot of heart and full bodied characters.
Audrey was such a relatable character for me and I loved the relationships Sophie builds between her characters
The characters are brilliant and bring to life real emotions and situations. I felt each sentiment and pain as if it were my own. 
The setting is absolutely stunning.
And the writing once again blew me away!
The dialogue, descriptions, and humor settled right into my heart and soul and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect story.
I can say so much about this beautiful book! Highly recommend!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

G.P. Putnam's Sons,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

This was a great book with characters I became totally invested in. I read through this one in the 2 days because it was so good. I loved Audrey’s point of view and getting to know her story. This book was was extremely well written, the pacing was perfect, and the characters were relatable. I hadn’t read a book by Sophie Cousens before, so finding a new author is always a plus. This book was a total delight-I highly recommended. 💗

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin|Putman for the ARC.

I have loved the Sophie Cousens books I have read in the past. I wasn't as crazy about this new release but still enjoyed it! I was a little frustrated constantly jumping between different time zones, characters, and plot lines. But I really liked the premise of all that can happen leading up to your wedding day, a complicated relationship between a mother and daughter, and was rooting for Audrey!

This book touched my heart with its wit, relatable characters, hopeful story and innovative writing. I devoured this novel for the story but because I was emotionally invested in audrey’s story and quest for love. It was a delightful read and I didn’t want it to end. You will laugh, smile, and cry while reading.

I’ve loved everything Sophie Cousens has written and this is my favorite.

This book was such a different experience than the cover led me to believe, but that doesn’t detract from how much I ADORED it. Obviously, any book starting with a Pride & Prejudice quote, and then peppering references to the genre’s classics throughout, is already 1 full star ahead of a book that doesn’t include those. Plus, I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t know how it would end—at times, I didn’t even know what I wanted in the finale! And I loved the cast of characters and how real they made this absolutely ridiculous plot feel. Perhaps most importantly, Sophie Cousens brilliantly took us through Audrey’s confusion and gave us an incredible arc of her growth.

FYI This is coming from someone who didn’t love Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

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

I liked this book. I love alternating timelines and I loved the build up in the story. I think Audrey's character was very emotionally compelling and I felt for her. I was quite invested in her decision and who she would choose. It was a sweet story. Though I do have to say I expected a completely different outcome!

If you loved Taylor Jenkins Reid's "The Love of My Life" you have to read "Before I Do". Cousens delivers again with this romantic novel with plenty of depth.

"Love changes us, there's a metamorphosis. Everyone I've loved has changed the shape of my heart."

Before I Do is written in the first-person narrative from the perspective of Audrey. It's Audrey's wedding date and she's about to say "I Do" to her fiancé, Josh. Except everything that could go wrong does and the icing on the cake? The man Audrey believes to be her soulmate and "the one that got away" walks in as a guest's plus-one. And he remembers her just as well as she remembers him.

Thoughts: BRB while I tell everyone I know to add this to their TBR. This was so much better than This Time Next Year and Just Haven't Met You Yet! Like, no contest. And I really enjoyed both of those books. My hopes for this one was that it was more romance and less comedy and mission accomplished. It was just so relatable and certainly had me reflecting on my past love decisions. I love how the chapters jumped around between past and present, I feel Cousens delivered the right amount of information at exactly the right time. The side characters were all hilarious and added great insight and commentary on Audrey's dilemma. There were some heavy themes, and they were all well handles. So what's great about this? Not only do you get to see one love story, you get two: The One that Got Away (immediate connection, memorable meet-cute, similar interests) and The One (slow burn, opposites attract). I'm so happy the direction the book took because I had some strong thoughts about who I thought the right love interest was. And that epilogue was EVERYTHING. Seriously amazing. I love when authors conclude a book that way. Well done, Cousens! Highly recommend if your a fan of alternating timelines, family drama, and wedding plots.

My only gripe would be Cousen's decision to write 'Me-hi-co" instead of Mexico during what I can only describe as an attempt at humor. She could've just described that the character pronounced it funny instead of explicitly writing it that way, I really didn't find it humorous at all. As a Mexican, I actually found it quite insulting to my culture. Not sure if I'm being overdramatic about this but it didn't sit well will me. Glad I pushed through since overall I loved the book, but during that particular scene I was tempted to DNF. Just something to think about if there are any further edits to the book.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite Sophie Cousens book yet! It was an interesting plot...what if the one you thought might be your soulmate suddenly reappeared the night before your wedding? I went into this book assuming there would be a clear "winner" for Audrey's heart, but it was not so simple. I was impressed that Sophie was able to make the reader sympathetic to all the characters. The ending was perfect!

I was impressed at how emotionally-packed this novel was. Audrey's challenges stemmed from trauma in her past and it was lovely reading her growth throughout the novel. Her relationship with her mom was so sweet. I was not much of a Vivian fan at first, but I definitely warmed up to her. To balance out the emotions was a whole love of humor! I laughed out loud multiple times. It was a well balanced novel that brought me a lot of joy and made me appreciate love in a whole new way.

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

The night before her wedding Audrey is caught off-guard when her “what if” walks in with her future sister-in-law. Audrey’s already cold feet quickly turn to ice as she wonders if Fred’s arrival is a sign that she shouldn’t marry Josh. Mishaps abound on the day of the wedding causing Audrey to doubt herself even more. In the end, Audrey realizes who she is meant to be with and they get their happy ending.

I wasn’t sure whether I was going to like Audrey or not based on the premise of the book, but Sophie Cousens did a fantastic job with her. Glimpsing into the past gave great insight as to the decisions present-day Audrey made and helped to create a character who felt like a real human being.

As soon as I found out I was approved for Before I Do, I dropped everything I was doing in order to start it. I loved Sophie Cousens previous novels, especially This Time Next Year. Unfortunately, this book missed the same mark for me.

I think the hardest thing for me to wrap my head around was how Audrey could be so unsure about such a phenomenal guy like Josh. Bad Jeans Josh was literally my dream man. I would have given anything to switch places with Audrey.

Another thing that was pretty far fetched was the fact that a guy she had only known for one day could derail things. I get that she spent one great day with him almost a decade ago, but it's time for her to move on from that.

I think Audrey herself was difficult for me to connect with because she had her head in the stars. I'm much more of a down to earth person so I definitely saw things better from the perspective of Josh.

I did like the alternating timelines. I'm glad we got to hear about past and present as well as learn the backstory of both Josh and Fred. It helped me grow to love Josh even more.

I think this book had a lot of potential to be great but unfortunately was just okay for me.

Before I share my review, I do need to discuss the book's innovative timeline. Sophie Cousens pieces together the story from before Audrey met Josh. While reliving the couple's lives leading up to their wedding, readers have the behind-the-scenes background regarding her past relationships.

Through flashbacks, it's revealed that Audrey drifts from job to job as she doesn't trust herself. When things seem too good to be true or problems emerge, Audrey runs away before she can get hurt. Reexamining her youthful memories, Audrey begins to question the one-that-got-away. When a surprise encounter makes her revisit the past in the present.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #BeforeIDo in exchange for an honest review. I've been a fan of Sophie Cousens since reading 'This Time Next Year.' Cousens' playful prose and colorful characters leaves readers intrigued to peel away the layers to discover the truth.

Before I Do is a sweet, exciting, and joyful read!

Audrey is about to get married to Josh but is feeling a bit frazzled. Her mother has been married five times and
has taken over wedding planning. Years ago, a horrible man wished Audrey bad luck and hoped she would never be able to fall in love and live happily every after. As things go awry on the wedding day (cue a dead bat falling from the sky), Audrey wonders if they are bad omens. Will she be able to say “I do”?

The chapters go back and forth from the present to as far back as 17 years prior to the wedding day. There is an air of mystery throughout much of the story, as set up by the prologue. I was truly not sure what would happen and was pleased by the conclusion. I found Audrey to be lovable and relatable regarding her generally terrible taste in men and self-doubt. The cast of supporting characters, especially Audrey’s friends Clara and Hillary (who also provides great comic relief), help add to the cozy atmosphere of the novel.

I adored Sophie Cousens’s Just Haven’t Met You Yet and think Before I Do is even better. Recommended to fans of charming British rom-coms and readers who enjoy Mhairi McFarlane’s and Beth O’Leary’s writing and Sophie Cousen’s other works.

Thank you very much to Putnam Books for the opportunity to read this ARC via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

I'm so thankful for the ARC of Before I Do coming out Oct. 11, 2022. I really enjoyed her last book, Just Haven't Met You Yet, especially the humor.

Before I Do is about Audrey and Josh preparing for their big wedding with the help of families and friends and their stories of love and loss. The story mainly follows Audrey's journey leading up to her wedding. I found humor in all of the disasters surrounding the wedding and couldn't wait to see how it would all turn out.

Audrey loved astronomy and I especially liked when she shared about her passion for stars. Josh's work planting trees and for clean energy was very sweet. I also liked Fred's idea of The Insomniac's Almanac, full of things to do alone after dark.

I really enjoyed this book and once hooked in, couldn't put it down. There was a lot of depth to the story and I really loved the ending.

Thank you Sophie Cousens, NetGalley, and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.

I really really enjoyed this book! It was super cute! The characters and storyline were pretty brilliant!

On the eve of Audrey's wedding to Josh, a strange man appears on the arm of her future sister-in-law: the man that Audrey met for a date that seemed earth-shattering. Already unsure as to whether she should marry Josh, Audrey rehashes her romantic history, all the while braving bad omen after bad omen. Will she finally say "I do"? And if she does, will she be saying it to the right man?

I wasn't sure what to expect from Before I Do, because I didn't know how the premise would avoid making all of the characters unsympathetic. But Sophie Cousens more than exceeded my expectations, taking Audrey on a journey of reflection and self-discovery that was alternately romantic, profound, hilarious, and heartbreaking. For quite a while, I wasn't sure who Audrey would or should pick -- and once it became obvious, I was deeply committed in that pair finding their happy ending.

This is a great bittersweet contemporary romance that explores longterm love in all its forms. I definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

If Sophie Cousens wants to release a book each year, I’m here for it! I enjoyed this one just like I enjoyed the past two. I particularly liked the growth of the main character and the ending.