A lovely romance with plenty of twists and turns.

Most of the characters are very nice with the story flowing very easily, considering it does go backwards and forwards in time.

This story certainly makes you think 'if only' when looking back on your own life.

What may have been, could have happened.

This will make a wonderful holiday read.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Not sure really what to say about this book I did not enjoy it at all yet I finished it hoping it would change my mind. I will leave it up to others as to what they think

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the story of Audrey and Josh but I found the parts that kept going back in time not only confusing but it spoilt the pace of the book. Ok so Audrey and Fred played an important part in the story but I wasn’t impressed in the way it was presented. Having said that I thought the photo machine was brilliant, I loved Audrey’s best friend who always tried hard to lift Audrey’s moods and there were some laughs along the way. Audrey’s mum was quite a character as was Granny Parker. I did enjoy the book but it didn’t hold my interest

This was such a fun and brilliant read!!!! I love Sophie’s writing style and I couldn’t put this book down!!

I’m sad to say, since this time next year is one of my all time favourite books, that before I do was a let down!

Set across in several different timelines with various people's stories it all became a bit too confusing for me, as I hate this format of book. Whilst . I loved Audrey and Josh's story as well as that of Audrey and Fred, but I felt by the end neither pairings should be together, everything was too muddled to go on for me. I also felt like Audrey was not the most likeable character, although we learn more about her life as we go on.

The side plots were great additions to the main story however there was a lot, and it just felt like a lot to be crammed in one book.

Sad to say not for me!

A slow burner to begin with but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down.
I couldn’t predict what was going to happen and really enjoyed the past to present way the chapters gave you back story then back to how it relates to present day. The characters were interesting. It’s not like any romcom I’ve read before which was refreshing

I really enjoyed reading this book. It felt a bit like 'Sliding Doors' and I very quickly bought in to the characters and the story being told.

Audrey is getting married to the perfect man. Josh is trustworthy, dependable, stable. They live together peacefully, share everything, and he's a complete gentleman. But at their rehearsal dinner, her future sister-in-law turns up with a man who leaves Audrey floored.

Fred was the guy. The big question mark, the one that might have been, the one that got away. She met him years ago, spent one amazing day with, felt fireworks and sparks like nothing else, but then never saw him again. But those sparks start to fly again and she can't help but wonder why she doesn't feel like this with her future husband. She tries to shake it off, but when the wedding itself starts to hit chaos and roadbumps, Audrey can't help but wonder if this is a sign that before she says I Do, she needs to really think about what or who she wants.

Now, I love a good love triangle, but usually I find myself either knowing or heavily hoping that one couple will make it at the end, but the wonderful thing about this story is that I really wasn't sure what Audrey was going to do or what I wanted for her until I was running out of pages and she told me what she truly wanted. I was left just as disoriented and torn as Audrey and it made this whole journey something undeniably special. As a reader, we get to know Audrey intimately, and very quickly find her familiar and friendly in a way you can't help but relate and connect with her.

Aside from the copious amounts of romance and hilarity, Cousens always manages to bring something multi-faceted and complex to even the most simple or cutest of tales, as we see a woman trying not only to figure out who she wants, but what she wants from her life and exploring all the other relationships in her life that have changed her along the way.

This story jumps around, somewhat erratically, from timeline to timeline, showing different snapshots from their lives and filling in little missing pieces of a bigger complicated picture - but despite the slightly chaotic manner of storytelling, it is very much controlled chaos and very easy to follow.

Full of heart, humour and happiness - this book might break your heart but it will definitely fill it with joy in the way only Sophie Cousens can.

Happy but unsettled, Audrey is about to get married to sensible, dependable Josh. Then on the evening of her rehearsal dinner, she re-encounters The One That Got Away - Fred, who represents not only her dreams of romance and spontaneity, but a more carefree, optimistic time in her life before something traumatic happened that potentially altered Audrey's relationship with her family.

Everything that can go wrong does; a dead bat falls to the floor of the church, the bride gets a rope-burn during a pre-wedding ceremony, one of the ushers gets food poisoning and the vicar has a heart attack. At the climax of this wedding-that's-not-a-wedding, the truth comes out and Audrey has to face reality - is Josh or Fred the man for her? Pure escapism with a straight-talking Yorkshire granny and a glittering cast of secondary characters you'll grow to love, particularly Hilary, Clara and Audrey's diva mum, Vivienne, a woman who loves the taste of wedding cake! Another delightful read from Sophie Cousens that won't disappoint her fans.

This book had me laughing out loud! Sophie Cousens writing always makes me excited as its so easy to get stuck in and enjoy. The story is so good and also so relatable at points. I highly recommend this book, I couldn’t put it down.

This book follows Audrey, as we go on a journey throughout the years before her wedding day. It's time for her to decide if she wants to trust the past or the future.

I enjoyed this, it was a lovely easy read!
I think it's a great book for those who are very much reliant on what if's and how will i ever knows, I am definitely that type of person and this book has shown me that everything happens for a reason.

I rated it 3 stars!

I loved this book - so many ifs and buts. The outcome was never in doubt but how would it be achieved?
A pleasure to read on a sunny afternoon

Before I Do was a weird one for me. I've read Sophie Cousens before having liked Just Haven't Met You Yet but I couldn't finish this.

I dnf'd which I normally don't do, at around the 82 mark (chapter 12). I'm not a fan of cheating, whether that be borderline or emotional - whatever it's a hard no for me, and it's where I felt the book was going. So this isn't really an accurate reflection of the book as I didn't finish it but a review of the first 80 or so pages.

I love the time jumps, giving you a full picture of everything that happened. Cousens is great at making you really feel for the character whether that is good emotions for Josh or the need to tell Audrey's mum to shut up. Cousens creates characters that feel real and bring out real emotions in you.

Alongside the cheating vibes, I disliked the main character. Audrey is rude and to me self-obsessed and cruel. I can understand questioning your judgement on your wedding day, but the way she criticises her fiance is uncomfortable to me. To her, he wasn't memorable which is alright when brought up once, but Audrey brought it up a few in one chapter, which makes it seem like she 'settled' and never really liked Josh in the first place. She's defensive and rude when there isn't a reason to be - I refer to the Josh/James scene - which annoyed me and only increased my dislike of the character. Audrey's mother was also very annoying.

I do recommend Before I Do for people who like romcom books and don't mind cheating vibes.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton, as I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book #179 of 2022

NB: To post on GoodReads via NetGalley I will need to rate it. I'll give it 3* then remove the rating so as not to adversely affect the book.

Another quick read Sophie Cousen book, she writes stories that you don't want to put down!

Before I do is about Audrey, she's about to marry Josh when Fred, the one that got away, turns up at the wedding rehearsal as Josh's sisters plus one.

The story is set in present time with the wedding, the day before and the aftermath interspersed with memorable points in Audrey's life including her family, friends, Josh and Fred.

The characters are written well, it's a heart warming read with some sad moments and genuine laugh out loud moments as the wedding turns into a bit of a farce. I also really liked the astronomy references.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC

What a delight this book is. Loved how the story is told by jumping backwards in time and then back to present day. Occasionally I felt sorry for Audrey, cross with her and even laughed at her naivety in places.
There really are some great characters in this book, all so different and yet they come together to make a really good mix. I think, one of my favourites has to be Hillary. What a case.
Totally enjoyable. Do read it. You’ll love it.

Audrey and Josh are getting married. Josh is steady and dependable. They share a flat and a bank account and Audrey feels like it’s the only relationship that she has had that she can put her trust in 100%. But Audrey's recently found herself wondering if Josh really is 'the one'.



At the wedding rehearsal dinner Josh's sister Miranda arrives with Audrey's 'What If?' guy, the man she met six years ago, had one amazing day with but never saw him again. Is this fate and when everything that could go wrong with the wedding does go wrong Audrey wonders if she should go ahead with the wedding after all. 


I have read 2 previous books by this author and both have been 5 star reads for me. This book is no exception and had me hooked from the first few pages. I loved the characters especially Hillary and Granny Parker. I enjoyed the story and the way it flipped between modern day and the past telling the full story not only of Audrey and Josh but also the day spent with the ‘what if guy’. I think the ending was perfect as well.

Once again a brilliant book by Sophie Cousens. Can’t wait for the next one!

I enjoyed this romantic tale by Sophie Cousens, I like a duel timeline plot and this didn’t disappoint. It was nice getting to know the characters and I loved Hillary, Vivien not so much. The will they, wont they was kept going but I did find it got a bit dragged out towards the end and maybe a bit too far fetched for me but all in all I did enjoy it. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this early copy.

Love a story that has a wedding in it! It’s always will they, won’t they. Lovely summer read and entertaining!

The author has produced a very readable novel with multiple timelines, expertly crafted. It maps a passage in the lives of various characters and the course of love. Isolated incidents can make or destroy, but pulled together with skill it becomes one lighthearted and enjoyable story. Full of wit and humour with the antics of Audrey the major protagonist and the two loves of her life. A love story with a difference. Great fun.

My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton the publishers for this advance copy.

"Before I Do" is a romcom with a difference, especially as the novel opens on a wedding day and the majority of the story is told as flashbacks. Audrey is set to marry Josh in an idyllic venue somewhere in Somerset. Audrey is a bit of a butterfly who is still to decide on a career in her late twenties. Josh is a bit of a high flying city type with a well-paid job and a supportive family.

As a number of problems hit the wedding and a man from Audrey's past turns as someone's guest, she starts to wonder if she is doing the right thing. This is an amusing tale of opposites attracting.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.