I absolutely loved this book. The characters are all believable and just when you think nothing else could possible go wrong it does. I actually was laughing out loud at parts. I enjoyed the way the book was taken you back through the years and learning what young Audrey was like. Vivian was an absolute scream and I have met a few mothers just like her. The book was beautifully written and I felt a bit lost when I had actually finished it. Would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy Lindsey Kelk, Sophie Kinsella etc.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Before I Do' by Sophie Cousens.

'Before I Do' by Sophie Cousens is one of those contemporaries you don't expect to love as much as you do. This book changed times (from Before I do to After) rather frequently but it felt fluid and natural, as if I was watching a movie at the cinema.

Audrey was a conflicting main character for me - I was battling inside my brain whether to fall in love with her and her imperfections or go hate her for managing to hurt herself and others. But she felt real to me and I feel like that sense of humanity is always beautiful in a book.

This is my first Sophie Cousens book but it definitely won't be my last.

Thank you netgalley for inviting me to read the ARC of this book. I definitely enjoyed it and would love to get a physical copy on my shelf ASAP. 4.25⭐️

An alternating time period plot and structure made this a compulsive read. The sections about Audrey’s past helped me understand her, while the sense of impending doom in the present day wedding sections kept me reading. A fun read with some real depth.

First let me tell you that even if the rest of the book would’ve been bad, the last few chapters would’ve worth it. I laughed out loud on multiple occasions at the end. Anyway, the story is so good and also so relateable at points. We all sometimes wonder about the what if’s and doubt our decisions. Sure probably not as much as Audrey on this particular topic but nonetheless we still do. I was frustrated with Audrey a few times during the book but still somehow could relate to her. The story isn’t just about a cute little romance, it’s also about your relationship with yourself, the change of oneself, relationship to you family and the most important thing this book taught me is it is important to communicate with others, otherwise you might live with guilt/regrets that are absolutely wrong and you would’ve spared yourself all of this by just commuoncating with that person. I highly reccomend this book, I couldn’t put it down.

Before I Do opens at Audrey and Josh's wedding, then steps back to the previous day for their wedding rehearsal, the plot gradually progresses hour by chaotic hour until the actual wedding ceremony.

Fred appears at the wedding rehearsal as a wedding guest's plus one, Audrey met Fred six years ago, had one exciting day with him, then no further contact. I couldn't believe the reason given for their lack of contact, in this day and age exchanging phone numbers is usually soon after meeting. Upon seeing Fred, Audrey has second thoughts of marrying Josh.

Chapters shift back and forth with alternate timelines. There were some great characters, fiancé Josh, Audrey's best friends Clara and Jay, and of course Hillary – best of the lot. Audrey, as the heroine, was a such a defeatist, with few redeeming qualities, I found her irritating and annoying. Worst of all was Audrey's dreadful mother Vivien, who's whole life was spent repeatedly marrying and subsequently divorcing, she overshadowed everyone.

A clever plot but I felt the end was uncomfortably far fetched. I didn't hate the book but I didn't love it either, a solid 'ok'.

ARC generously supplied by Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

I enjoyed this book and how it jumped between different timelines. Sophie Cousens did a good job of fleshing out the character of Audrey, making her complicated and relatable. The standout character was definitely Granny Parker.

I finished this book absolutely convinced this is Sophie’s best work by far. We are several weeks on now and I still feel the same. I’ve needed this time to gather my thoughts. Did this book have ending I was expecting? No. Did I enjoy the journey to get there? Absolutely. Was it the right ending? Well I guess you’ll have to read it and decide for yourself!

I loved how Before I Do jumps around to all different times but never once gets confusing. Honestly I loved the past times and memories best of all. The cover makes this book look like a love triangle but it’s not. It is a book full of heart and feels and emotions though. I just loved it.

It was the classic wonderful, headspinning romance, I expect from Sophie. With multiple timelines, and twists that keep on coming, this book had me gripped from the beginning!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this arc

I really enjoyed this, I have read Sophie’s debut novel and loved it but I have yet to read her second. I am so grateful for being approved for this novel!

Every part of this novel was really good and I’m glad everything worked out the way it did. It’s really good because I felt like it portrayed how people really feel on their wedding day!

Wow! What an opening. I was hooked from the first page.

The thing I loved most about this book was the original ideas. The photo booth was a genius idea. There are too many books that are "samey" but this was completely original. I can honestly see this book being a movie.

I really liked the jumping timelines, gathering more and more of the whole story. I found myself itching for more at the end of each one.

All the characters were likeable and individual, this is a skill not all authors can pull off. Their different personalities really come through.

There were definitely ups and downs to the story, and a few laugh out loud moments.. I would definitely recommend this book.

5 stars from me 😃

A great romantic read which I believe would make a fantastic movie!

Before I Do follows Audrey, who is about to marry Josh, the love of her life. That is until her old flame Fred, the one that got away, turns up as her future sister in laws date at her and Josh’s rehearsal dinner. This leaves her wondering if she's actually meant to be with Josh…. Or should she be with Fred?

This book is such an endearing love story which I wholeheartedly recommend it, it’s a perfect summer read 📚

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder, and Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review this romantic ARC.

A really well written romance that shows that sometimes faraway hills are not in fact greener. Thoughtful and engaging, and would provide great material for a book club chat.

You know when you start a book and are convinced you know what the outcome will be? That was me at the beginning of this story.
Audrey is the bride-to-be, and the story's beginning sees her stumble out of the church in a rather unconventional manner.
As we visit different times in her past, fragments of her life join up to create the picture we think we will see at the end.
Six years before, she was a single woman with not a lot to write home about. In fact, she was still living at home, so there was no need to write.
A chance strip of photos left in the rack of an old photo booth triggers something in her that leads to meeting someone who could just be the one.
Fast forward to now, and that didn't materialise how she dreamed, but Audrey has her true Prince Charming, Josh, waiting at the end of the aisle.
But, many signs, bad omens, if you believe that, like old Granny Parker, mean she ends up questioning whether this marriage is the right path for her. Especially when Photo Booth Guy turns up at the wedding as a plus one.
I don't want to go into this anymore for fear of giving the story away, but suffice to say, many deep-rooted issues from Audrey's past need revisiting to reset her life and thoughts for the future.
I enjoyed the story. Another great read by Sophie Cousens.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder, and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book was wonderful. Flipping back and forth through time in Audrey’s life kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what the outcome of the prologue would be. The characters were beautifully written, I loved her relationships with Hillary and Clara. It was lovely to read about a woman in her thirties who doesn’t have her career figured out, who isn’t a high flyer and who is just trying to find her way in life like a lot of people are. Thank you netgalley, I will be seeking out more from this author now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Cousens and Hodder & Stoughton for early access to 'Before I Do' in return for an honest review.

I love Sophie Cousens books and have read all of them to date!! This in my opinion is the best yet!!

I loved the storey of Audrey, the laugh out loud moments whilst also tackling more deep issues. I also love how you always learn more about the background characters in Sophie's books.

A brilliant Rom Com read!!

This was a fun quirky rom
Com read which had some very funny laugh out loud moments but also some deeper heartbreaking ones to as it hot to the heart of love and relationships and what makes people tick and if there is such a thing as fate and if something is meant to be.

It is written across dual timelines of h the then and the now and is a story of falling in love and finding the one and of looking within yourself to what really
Makes you truly happy.

Audrey is getting married to Josh, but a figure from her past turns up at the wedding throwing the bride into turmoil. This witty but emotional story unfolds as the author shifts backwards and forwards in time, as we begin to understand why Audrey is so shocked to see Fred. A really enjoyable story from start to finish. Loved it.

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that I start off each one by saying that each book starts off with the full 5 stars and I'm always hopeful that they will all still be firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.

I was approved to read the eARC of this straight from the publisher and all the reviews I've read of it so far says that this is a 5 start book, so I can't wait to get stuck in!

I'm a soppy romantic at heart, so a heart-warming romance is right up my street, but I'm a tough nut to crack with humour, so if the author manages to raise a smile from me then she's an incredible author IME.

A few pages in and the humour has already started - obvious but not groan-worthy yet... if it carries on like this, it'll be 5 stars, but the star is already kinda wobbly after the author used one word of a dancing TV programme that everyone seems to know it by... the full name hasn't been used so the star is still staying there, but any more and off it comes.

Oooh! I'm enjoying the word invention... obvious and easy to remember! I'm enjoying everything I've read so far and I'm hoping I'll have been able to crack a smile by the time I head to bed at the end of this chapter.

Just finished the first chapter and thankfully it's got my humour down to a tee, so I'll hopefully crack a smile before the end of the book tomorrow which is a very rare occurrance. End of the first day's reading opinion? So far so great... a must-read that I can't wait to get stuck back into tomorrow.

Mornin' all... back for another day of reading and I'm hoping that I'll still keep enjoying the book.

Oh dear, the speech marks and inverted comma's are being used in the wrong places which should have been picked up during the editing stage... not to worry though, it's an easy mistake to make and I'm not gonna drop a star for such a small mistake!

Another brand name (deliberately?) shortened like last night again. The star is even more wobbly now but it's hanging in there by the skin of its teeth because the author has cleverly not used the full name again.

Another great chapter and read considerably quicker than last night lol I can already feel my mood lifting and my shoulders relaxing!

Another fantastic and short chapter... maybe the first chapter was so long 'cos it was introducing everything and I'll be able to get through a couple of chapters an hour today?

Ooooh! That's two potential ways to stop the wedding... which one will Audrey choose, if either of them?

Ooh, another unexpected twist already!

I'm seriously loving this book already and absolutely deserving of each of those 5 stars so far.

Nooo! Not again! The author has just used a couple of well-known places in full, so like with each of the other 5 star books I've read, it's becoming a heart-breaking 4 star book after 11%.

I'm gonna stop commenting on every chapter now 'cos this review is already getting too long lol

All this swapping and changing around of times in each chapter is refreshing and well-handled, but also, at times, confusing. It's good, but the author is asking her reader to jump backwards and forwards in time with each chapter which is frustrating me to no end unfortunately.

OMGosh! The poor reverend!

Let's see if I can get through my third hot drink of the day without it going stone cold shall we? I love it when a book is so good that it stops me from drinking hot drinks - a sign of an incredible book in my eyes!

Just finished it and it was a perfect end to an almost-perfect book. Had it not been for the use of those brand names, this would, could and should have been a very solid 5 stars.

Buy this book and set aside an entire day to devour it in... just don't expect hot drinks to stay hot as you go through it! lol

What a bloody brilliant book, I’ve literally just read it in two sittings and I adored it.

Audrey is a wonderful character, she is as lovable as she is flawed and the supporting cast were so much fun.

With feelings for two hunky men how on earth is Audrey supposed to choose? Is it dependable Josh whom she has been going out with for years and is about to marry or flirty Fred the exciting adventurer who appears back in her life the day before the wedding. I know that my choice for her changed as the book went on and the story delved into the past of both relationships. The guy I wanted for her at the beginning was not the one I eventually wanted her to be with.

I can see this story as a film with Audrey being played by Emilia Clark. There are so many ups and downs but everything is handled with sensitivity and awareness of what I and many women have been subjected to in our lives. That need to be kind and not want to offend really hit home for me as did the thought of horrible stepdads and the close relationship between mother and daughter being affected by selfish men.

Alongside the family trauma there are lots of laughs too and many laugh out loud moments. Granny Parker with her prophesy of doom was hilarious. I really liked how the dynamics of the relationships changed as Audrey pretty much grows up during the story.

Beautifully written, funny, emotive and bursting with love. I simply adored every minute of this book and will be buying the author’s previous books too