I requested this because I was asked to consider it for for review for a publication I reviewed for. I took a look but the voice did not appeal to me so DNF.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster UK and Vicki Bradley for giving me the opportunity to read this advance copy of Before I Say I Do.

A clever, well-plotted twisty thriller. A great debut. Not to be missed. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is the first book i have read by Vicki Bradley.

I have to say it was very gripping, I was drawn into the plot and the characters. I couldn't imagine my other half not turning up on my wedding day.


The plot seems to get thicker and thicker as the story goes on.

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

An extremely gripping and suspenseful psychological thriller that had me gripped from the start. I was so surprised that this was the authors debut novel it was so good.

I can’t believe that this is the authors first book, it’s incredible. Really well written, totally engaging and full of twists. I can’t wait to read more of hers.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Before I Say I Do

This is the first book I have read by Vicki Bradley & my first thoughts are that I really struggled to get into it.

I didn't find it a must read page turner until about the last quarter of the book...then it really picked up pace & I really enjoyed it.

Loxton and her relationship with her new partner was interesting & she was definitely a layered character but most of their interaction & investigation felt very much like an American cop show & lacked authenticity. I felt like I was watching a cop show rather than a proper investigation.

I also think the characters were often too extreme..
Its very hard when reading an investigation where you couldn't care less about any of the characters or the resolution of the case. This did affect my enjoyment alot.

It was also very disturbing...what happened to that poor child was stomach churning & the reasons why didn't hold up to me. (Not that there would be any motive good enough...but I just wanted more substance).

However the twists were very good & did genuinely surprise me, even if the motives felt lack lustre. I did very much enjoy the last quarter of the book & therefore my overall impression ending the book was good and I was satisfied by the ending.

Thanks very much to the author, publisher & Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster UK and Vicki Bradley for giving me the opportunity to read this advance copy of Before I Say I Do.

It’s Julia’s wedding day. Her nerves are to be expected – every bride feels the same – but there’s another layer to her fear, one that she cannot explain to her soon-to-be husband, Mark. She’s never told him the details – and she is determined he never finds out.
As she begins down the aisle, spotting Mark in his tailored suit, she knows she is taking her first steps to happiness – her past is behind her, it can’t catch her now. Mark turns to face her . . .
But it isn’t Mark in the beautiful suit – it’s his best man.
Because Mark is missing.
And Julia’s past is closer than she thinks . . .

This was a good book, my first by Vicki Bradley but I intend to read her others now which is always a good endorsement. I read it quickly, eager to find out what happened next. I liked the 2 detectives and the way they worked together to solve Marks disappearance. The writing was great and the characters were well created. I didn't really warm to Julia or Lucy but I think that was the authors intention. Although I had guessed one aspect the rest was surprising, lots of twists.

#beforeisayido #Netgalley #simonandschusteruk #vickibradley #domesticsuspense #greatsummerread #readallnight #finishedinonesitting

A fun and twisty thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat! I enjoyed this book a lot and will read more from this author in the future. Very enjoyable.

As debut novels go this is a great start and I will certainly look out for the author in the future.

The story starts with Julia preparing to walk down the aisle where she is to marry her banker husband to be. The problem is he isn’t at the end of the aisle, he has gone missing. Julia is worried her past may have also caught up with her or rather her fiancé. No one apart from her best friend, Lucy, knows that she isn’t exactly who she says she is.

It is told through two points of view; Julia and the a detective, Alana, who has just been demoted and transferred from MIT. The story is crafted well and gradual reveals along the way keep you intrigued as to how this will turn out. Julia’s character felt a little bare, you get to know about her past, but I felt less connected to her than we did to Alana. Alana was a much easier character to relate to and like. The relationship she had with her new work partner was good and you could possibly see this developing further, if this become a series of books.

Overall I enjoyed this book, it was a good and easy read. The “twist” or main reveal was quite easy to spot, the climax scenes seemed a little rushed and out of kilter with the rest of the story. I received this advance copy via Net Galley, in exchange for this honest review, so thank you to them and the publishers. I give this 4/5.

Yes yes yes! This book was everything I wanted and more In a good thriller. Throughout the book the suspense was really building up and honestly it was killing me. I couldn’t wait to find out what had happened. Just when I kept thinking I had it worked out it turned out I was so far off. This kept me guessing until the end and that is exactly what you want in a good book. I will definitely be reading a lot more from this author.

A really good twisty thriller which kept me guessing the whole way through. Very well written and thought out.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for the advanced copy of this book.
Firstly I'm sorry it took me so long to read and review and I wish I had read it sooner!
A great read which is very well written. A first class page turner with good characters and which kept me guessing. I would definitely read another book by Vicki Bradley and can highly recommend.

😊 This twisty, exhilarating thriller had me guessing the whole time, as it stampeded along. As soon as saw this novel I knew it had to be read, and it certainly did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed Before I Say I Do, a deeply engrossing tale of mystery, duplicity and suspense. The book is narrated mostly from two viewpoints, those of Julia Talbot and Detective Alana Loxton.

It is Julia Talbot's wedding day, however, there is a slight problem... her fiancé Mark Rowthorn is missing. DC Alana Laxton is new to the team at Southwark CID after being transferred out of her MIT position and she wants to make the best impression she can. But things are not ringing true for Alana with Julia and Mark.

Vicki Bradley has a very appealing style of writing and the characters she created were very credible. For me, Julia was ambivalent, weak-minded and appeared very dependent on her best friend Lucy. Alana came across as someone with tenacity and passion for her job, as well as possessing a strong sense of justice and I liked her rapport with team member DC Dominik Kowalski.

The story zips back and forth between the present and the past, building a complex, layered story full of twists and turns, giving a heavy tone of apprehensiveness and foreboding. I was immediately questioning the characters' motives as some were so secretive and unreliable, making for some exceptionally nerve-racking reading. I found Before I Say I Do totally riveting, the various unfolding of events and revelations making this book even more absorbing. The story-line was absolutely fantastic and the suspense was kept at a maximum level throughout. This tense début is a mesmerising story of betrayal, lies and harboured secrets, with other undesirable themes thrown into the mix, such as money laundering, drug abuse and gambling, all of which keep the reader guessing and completely attached to their e-reader. The author eventually wraps everything up very neatly in a thrilling, fulfilling and satisfying ending.

I loved this brilliant thriller and would have given it far more than five stars if I could. Would I read more from Vicki Bradley? Yes... the author is obviously a very good writer. My thanks must go to Vicki Bradley for writing such an awesome book! 😊

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request, from Simon and Schuster via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Before I Say I Do is a fast-paced thriller told from the perspectives of a police officer and the bride. It's Julia's wedding day and her nerves are haywire. She has a secret she is determined to never have to share with her soon-to-be husband. When she walks down the aisle, it isn't Mark waiting for her. He's missing. Has Julia's past caught up with her? What ensues is a twisty thriller with well-developed characters. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy thrillers.

It is hard to believe this is Bradley's first novel!! It is so well written and the story is completely captivating with great characterisation.

On his wedding day, Mark goes missing, leaving his fiancee, Julia, heart broken and confused. DC Loxton and Kowalski are tasked with looking into Mark's disappearance. As the investigation gets underway a whole host of secrets and lies, from Mark's present and Julia's past, begin to emerge! The story flits back and forth between the present and the past, building a complex, layered story full of twists and turns before coming to an explosive climax.

I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of the novel and found my self holding my head in my hands or with my mouth hanging open several times! In addition to is being a great story, what I loved most was the characterisation. From reading the blurb you would be forgiven in thinking Julie was the main character, and perhaps that was the intention, however for me it was all about Loxton. I found myself drawn to her character, wanting to know more and because of this I sincerely hope that this won't be a stand alone novel. I would love to see more of Loxton and Kowalski; I really hope this is the beginning of an excellent crime thriller series. I'm very much looking forward to reading Bradley's future work, with or without Loxton and Kowalski.

Before I Say I Do was easily one of my favourite books of 2020 so far.

It begins on Julia Talbot's wedding day, with the bride feeling a mixture of nerves: yes, wedding nerves are normal, but there's a side of it all that she can't quite share with her soon-to-be husband Mark.

A story that she's determined to make sure he never finds out.

But her happily-ever-after is thrown into chaos when, after beginning her walk down the aisle, she sees that it isn't Mark waiting for her - it's his best man. Mark is missing, and it isn't long until Julia's past starts to catch up with her.

The book is told from the perspective of Julia and Alana Loxton, the detective who is investigating Mark's disappearance - and who wants to make a good impression on her new team.

The fast-paced thriller is more than just the classic whodunnit.

As the characters' lies and secrets are exposed, and the twists and turns start to unravel, readers will be kept guessing until the very last page - it's that addictive.

It’s Julia’s wedding day. Her nerves are to be expected – every bride feels the same – but there’s another layer to her fear, one that she cannot explain to her soon-to-be husband, Mark. She’s never told him the details – and she is determined he never finds out.

It was a book full of twists and I really enjoyed reading it, it was a good way to be entertained, I recommend it if you are looking for a book that keeps you guessing.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Exciting, gripping, strong and well thought out plot with a diverse range of credible characters.
I enjoyed the way the story unraveled and the manner in which the author carefully released pieces of the puzzle, but still left an element of suspense. Whenever I thought I knew what was about to happen, something else completely different happened, keeping me guessing.
An excellent debut novel and I will now eagerly anticipate the next book by this author.
5 stars

Before I Say I Do starts with Mark and Julia’s wedding day. We have a bride with pre-wedding nerves as expected, but she has another reason to be nervous. One that her husband to be has no idea about. This book is part psychological thriller and part crime novel, two of my favourite genres and it didn’t disappoint. I was hooked from the first chapter and found this book to be most enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and the author for the chance to review.