Many thanks to Jenny Platt from Hodder for the invite to take part in this blog tour, for which I received a physical proof of the book. This review forms my honest opinion.
Blurb
What would you do if the one that got away turned up the night before your wedding?
Audrey is marrying Josh; steady, dependable Josh, the love of her life. They share a flat and a bank account, and it’s the only relationship that Audrey’s ever had that feels like something she can put her trust in. But romance should be 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 Miranda arrives at their rehearsal dinner with Fred – Audrey’s ‘What If?’ guy, the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with but never saw again – Audrey can’t help but see it as a sign.
Surely Fred’s appearance the night before Audrey 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 wonder: could fate be trying to stop her from making a huge mistake?
Review
Sophie Cousens is an author that I’ve always thought I’d like, but never actually got around to reading. My job as a bookseller means so much of my time is devoted to reading the latest or even upcoming books, that going back to my TBR is a rare treat.
Before I Do was exactly what I needed right now. I spent this weekend at the No Limits Festival in North Lincolnshire, which The Rabbit Hole Independent Bookshop (who I work for) organised. It’s been an all-consuming, chaotic few weeks. Culminating in an adrenaline-fuelled, equally chaotic, exhausting yet fantastic weekend. And Before I Do was the antidote I needed to settle.
Due to be married to Josh, on the eve of her wedding Audrey discovers that ‘the one that got away’ has turned up as her future sister-in-law’s wedding date. Awkward! Already jittery, with Granny Parker’s words about bad omens ringing in her ears, Audrey begins to wonder if fate is trying to intervene.
Told in different timelines, focusing on her meeting with Fred, her relationship with Josh and the immediate lead up to the wedding. It also features flashbacks exploring Audrey’s past, and the influences that make her who she is. And she is a wonderful character. Flawed and relatable, I loved her.
While it did take me a short while to become fully invested (in fairness this could have been more to do with being absolutely shattered!!) – but once I was in, I was all in! It’s a book that has huge heart, moments of lightness and is full of emotion. The perfect book to curl up with and sink into with a cup of tea and a biscuit (mandatory).
Having (finally) read a Sophie Cousens, there is no doubt I’ll be racing to read more!
Emma R. 