Before I Do

By: Sophie Cousens

Narrated by: Emma Sidi

A heartwarming and playful novel about the ones we love and the ones we lose by the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year

What would you do if 'the one that got away' turned up the night before your wedding?



Head-in-the-stars Audrey is about to marry down-to-earth Josh. Though they are polar opposites, they have a healthy, stable relationship; Josh is just what Audrey needs. But romance should be unpredictable and full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey’s found herself wondering if Josh really is "The One."

So, when Josh’s sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey’s "What If? guy"—the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with—Audrey finds herself torn. Surely Fred’s appearance the night before she is due to get married can’t be a coincidence. And when everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to ask herself: Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humor?

Critic reviews

One of Reader's Digest's 30 Most-Anticipated Books of 2022

"A thoughtful and romantic story about the moments and choices that change our lives in unexpected ways….Cousens has created something special with this lovely tale." —Washington Independent Review of Books

"[R]efreshing…Cousens masterfully switches between past and present to deliver a satisfying love triangle that will pull in even those who don’t normally gravitate towards love stories with this theme. Witty and heartfelt, Before I Do takes a familiar trope and turns it on its head, and readers will find themselves tearing through this book to find out how it ends." —Booklist

"Cousens puts a clever spin on the standard rom-com trope of the love triangle….The true heart of the story is about her struggle with her past and whether she’s willing to create a new, more honest future for herself. A charming and surprising take on a classic love-triangle formula." —Kirkus Reviews

"Cousens…charms with this witty and emotionally rich story… [and] enhances this lighthearted rom-com with some truly touching moments as the authentic characters grapple with tough decisions. Readers will be especially drawn to Audrey, a woman unafraid to chase her own happiness and face challenges head-on. This is sure to charm." —Publishers Weekly

"[R]eaders will cheer Audrey on as she disentangles herself from the what-might-have-been love triangle….Cousens (Just Haven’t Met You Yet) offers up a chaste, heartwarming romance." —Library Journal

"The perfect feel-good book." —Reader's Digest

"I am the biggest fan of Sophie Cousens! She always delivers a true, laugh-out-loud, romcom with a ton of depth, and Audrey may be my favourite heroine. Before I Do could easily be her best book yet!" —Lizzy Dent, author of The Setup

"Utterly charming, clever, and truthfully romantic, Before I Do is a breath of fresh air. Sophie Cousens' books always surprise and delight." —Lauren Ho, author of Lucie Yi Is Not a Romantic and Last Tang Standing

"I adored this novel! Funny, clever, poignant, with characters that just leap off the page. I loved how I was never sure quite how it was going to end, and I kept thinking about it even when I wasn't reading. Thoroughly recommend!" —Emily Stone, author of Always, In December

"A total page-turning—with an endearing protagonist and packed with humor and warmth, Before I Do is a dazzling romance. This book is definitely 'the one'!" —Beth Reekles, author of The Kissing Booth

Way too long

This story had an interesting concept but by the time it ended, I didn’t like the female character very much.

Lead character and her scapes.

Delightful read. Loved the characters and voices, the scapes and adventures. Recommend for nice summer read.

I enjoyed the book but

I enjoyed the book, the characters and the story line. But for the first time ever, I wish I could be a book editor. I think I would have enjoyed this book more without all the back-and-forth back-and-forth in time line. I think there could’ve bigger chunks and less back-and-forth.

Not as I expected

Downloaded on a whim at seeing it on a book end. Different than the normal “boy meets girl” story line. As the main character finds herself tangled between 2 love stories - I hoped she’d choose one but expected her to choose another. I was pleasantly surprised.

*************Possible Spoiler**************

In a day in age where shiny and new wins out over old and reliable, instant zings of lust are sensationalized over a slowly building love - I was so happy to see this book show the value in tried and true.

The nuggets of truth such as you can be loved even if you don’t feel complete, or that in imperfection and in differences you can still love. Forgiveness and taking time to understand verses writing people off was a pleasant surprise.

Very well written

I enjoyed from beginning to end. The narrations were so good, it was as if I were there.

The disjointed timeline was different but it worked!

The characters were human and made mistakes, but everything turned out the way it should have. It was refreshing and unique and quite interesting to hear.

Great story!

This story sounded so much like mine. Looking for something more when I had it all…😢. However the end was excellent! I wish it were my story!

Pretty good

Not her best work but still a good listen. Love the moral of the story (her take on what love is).

Anxiety Inducing

I had a hard time with this because Audrey was so selfish in so many ways, and I felt like she didn’t really deserve Josh. Even when she’s asked what she brings to the relationship, it’s nothing all that revelatory. Thank God for the end and the epilogue or I don’t think I would have liked it at all. She’s certainly not a bad person and she’s been through a lot, but it felt close to Carrie and Aidan’s relationship from SATC more than I liked. Narration was great, and really helped elicit sympathy for Audrey when desperately needed.

Great Listen

Fun story, easy listen. We’ll performed story with many funny parts and some twists and turns.