This book needed more connection between the characters. The MMC left the FMC and promised to come back but then didn’t?????? That really just tanked it for me. If you truly love someone…. a quick phone call or a message or SOMETHING would work. And yes the drama of the wedding planner and the groom being ex’s is juicy but I believe it could have been done in any other way.

God help me if I have to read one more novel with a disappointing male character named Tom. From the get go, I can't get over the fact that this asshole left Ari with the aftermath of a pregnancy and then I'm supposed to root for him to win her back? Nah.

I did not like this book. Just one big yikes for me. You know when you're expecting this cute second-chance romance (I mean, hello - wedding planner has to plan her ex's wedding? That's like, drama gold!) but instead you get... whatever this was?

So we've got Ari, this wedding planner who's basically like "love is dead" (relatable), and she gets this fancy gig planning this huge society wedding in New York. Plot twist! The groom is Tom, her holiday fling from eight years ago who ghosted her after their steamy Icelandic airport meet-cute. Oh, and surprise! He's also the baby daddy who doesn't know he's a baby daddy.

But here's the thing - they kept dropping Spanish all over the place with zero translation. Like, hello? Not all of us took Spanish in high school (or if we did, we only remember how to ask where the bathroom is 😅). It's giving very "I forgot there was a test today" energy - just all over the place.

The whole story felt like it was written by someone having way too much caffeine - jumping around everywhere, can't focus, total chaos. You know when you're trying to follow someone's story but they keep going off on random tangents? That's this book in a nutshell.

Even with all those juicy tropes (second chances! holiday romance! love at first sight!), it just... didn't work. It's like when you're making a recipe and all the ingredients sound great but somehow it still turns out meh.

If you're into Emily Henry or Tessa Bailey, maybe... keep looking? This isn’t it, guys. 🤷‍♀️ Well, at least not for me.

I really loved this one and was not expecting to based on the premise. It is a second chance romance but its more about the growth and family and support. The story is that Tom and Ari had a whirlwind romance and a child, now they are thrust back together unexpectedly. The real highlights are the family members and friends - particularly Sebastian and his interactions with Toms mother, and Luis the best wedding dress designer/uncle in the world. There is a significant time jump and initially I was annoyed with it but it made perfect sense and then led to the ending not feeling rushed or forced.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I was unable to finish this bok around 20% due to the font sizing/format.
I couldn't change it andbecause of the size specifically it hurt my eyes and I could not concentrate.

From the description of this book I thought this would be an entertaining read. It didn’t go as I had hoped. I didn’t care for any of the characters. The story was told in both past and present and through several people. I found all of them a bit odd. Tom was flighty. Traveling abroad to find himself. Taking on a different last name and giving no background to Ari in their time together . Ari is taking a gap year and doesn’t expect more out off their travels together than what it is. When Tom promises he’ll find her again after leaving her she still believes it seven years later. When he shows up coincidentally engaged she is angry still holding on hope to the promise. I didn’t like the response to him finding out about his daughter “the kid” this was a no for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Joffee books for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

REVIEW: Before You Say I Do by Sharon Ibbotson

Before You Say I Do by Sharon Ibbotson is a charming tale of love, loss, and second chances. The story follows a young woman torn between her fiancé and an old flame who returns to her life.

Ibbotson's writing style is engaging, and the characters are well-developed. The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader interested. However, some pacing felt slow, and the ending felt somewhat rushed.

Overall, Before You Say I Do is an enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of romance novels. While it's not Ibbotson's best work, it's still a solid addition to her catalog.

Thank you, Netgalley and Joffe Books | Choc Lit, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

This was a cute second chance romance. I enjoyed that it was a love at first sight but had more to it than just that. One of my dislikes was making Ari pine after Tom for so long. I personally prefer a stronger female character. Overall I enjoyed reading it and was happy they ended up reconnecting when Tom finally came to his senses lol.
Thank you to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the chance to read this book.

Normally books told in differing POVs, and timelines, drive me nuts but the author handled it very well and it wasn't confusing. Shout out to the author for using the different font for when the timeline jumped, I wish more authors would do this. The story was a bit predictable but it was still enjoyable. The authors were realistic and not annoying and made you want to root for them. A great end of the summer read.

I read this an an ARC on NetGalley. I really enjoyed this read. There was conflict, romance, the secret birth of a child, second chance romance. It had everything every good romance novel needs. Including a happy ending!

I just sped through this book!
Ari and Tom's story was cute, uplifting, and just so captivating. It was a very easy read, and I honestly just couldn't put it down. I read the whole book in one sitting, and I don't regret it.
I enjoyed reading the flashback parts to how Tom and Ari met, but it's the present unravelling story that kept me engrossed and on the edge of my seat. The characters were very likeable, and their quick yet heartwarming romance was incredibly believable, and I spent the whole book rooting for a happy ending.
Overall, an adorable second-chance romance read that I definitely recommend!
This was a first-time read from this author, and I'm certainly going to keep an eye out for her other books!

Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun book. I really enjoyed reading it!

This one fell a bit in the middle for me. I liked it but didn't love it. Overall, its a good second chance romance. However, I was not a general fan of the male protagonist.

Oh my gosh, this was absolutely adorable! I loved the whole idea of her planning his wedding—talk about drama!
The way the story bounced between the past and present was so well done; it really gave us insight into what happened between Ari and Tom. The characters were just fantastic! Ari, Sebastian, and Luis totally stole my heart, but the dynamic between Sebastian and Marnie was hilarious and so much fun.
I was hooked from the very beginning, and I just can’t resist a good second-chance romance!

The only downside? The Spanish dialogue that popped up here and there—it was full-on Spanish with no translations.

But still, if you're into these tropes, I totally recommend it:
* Second Chances
* Holiday Romance
* Love at First Sight

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

was sucked in to this book and couldn’t put it down. I loved all the side characters, especially Stella and Marnie. The plot line reminded me of a more complex The Wedding Planner. I’m not usually a fan of the second chance trope, but I enjoyed this one! I wish the big reveal and the ending had been filled with more tension.

Thank you to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the ARC!

Thank you Joffe Books and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before You Say I Do was such a sweet romantic escape.

Ari and Tom are the couple we meet in this story who meet in an airport and "magically" find love at first sight. They separate for a good portion of the story as Tom is planning on marrying his childhood sweetheart and Ari is a wedding planner who happens to plan his wedding. As things play out, the push and pull of their relationship is a bit dragged out, but the ending seems to blow off the fireworks for me. It could've been a bit shorter, but the characters kept me entertained for the most part.

I will recommend this one to anyone who wants to read a sweet romance with magic and happy ever after vibes!

I adoreddd this book! The characters were so amazing, I couldn't get enough of Marnie, Stella, Sebastion and Luis. I'd love to hear each of their stories if the author made this a series!! I laughed, I cried.. 5 stars!!!

This book was the perfect mix of heartbreak, redemption, and love. Sometimes a relationship won't/can't work without all three and this author did a fantastic job with all three elements.

Ari & Tom had it all for a little while. Until the day they didn't. How they "found" each other again was heartbreakingly funny yet ironic, in the best way. All the supporting characters in the story were just that. Literally supporting, mainly Ari, and I love them all for it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so addictive! I really loved the story and the banter in this book was very entertaining! I really loved how this book ended!