Nicole Forbes lives in California with her husband and daughter. She works hard to help the seals, who are struggling because of humans on the beaches. Not everyone is on board with restricting time on the beaches for the humans, so Nicole has been getting some pushback. But she’s ready to fight for the seals anyway. So when an unknown woman knocks on her door one day, she assumes that it’s a reporter wanting to talk about that. Instead, it’s a woman writing a book about Secret Oktober. Nicole throws her out immediately.

And then Nicole’s daughter goes missing. Hannah is just 8 years old, and she doesn’t make it home on the bus. When Nicole calls the school, they tell her that her aunt had picked her up. Nicole knows this is a lie, as Hannah has no aunt. Nicole calls her husband, and they look for Hannah everywhere they can think of. They finally find her, unharmed, but Nicole can’t figure out what had happened. When they found her, she was alone, but she talked about her aunt. Just, not enough for Nicole to know exactly who it was that Hannah was with. But she can’t fight the nagging feeling it had something to do with the woman who had showed up earlier and asked her about Ben Edwards.

Twenty-five years earlier, in the ‘80s, everyone knew who Ben Edwards was. He was the lead singer in the hottest band in England, maybe the world, Secret Oktober. There were 3 guys in the band, Ben, drummer Michael, and keyboardist Luke. And to 16-year-old Cassie Alderton, Ben is everything. The band puts on a weekday concert in London, jamming up traffic, and it’s in navigating to better spot to see the concert that Cassie meets Amelia. And Amelia knows the guys in the band.

While Cassie spends her time mooning over Ben, her older sister Nicole is working on her music. It’s at a dive bar one night where she plays a song she’s been working on, I Would Die for You, that she meets Ben. Nicole had written the song for her mother, who was dying from cancer, but Ben is captivated by it and wants to help Nicole record it, maybe even as a duet. Nicole refuses at first because of Cassie and her crush, but Ben wears her down with the offer of a private recording session.

As Nicole’s life becomes more complicated—her mother gets sicker, and Cassie stays out to much going to Ben’s concerts and occasionally an after party—she finds herself thinking more about the time she spends with Ben, both the music they make together and the feelings that are developing. But falling for a pop star is never easy, and Nicole is reluctant to hand over her whole heart.

Back in her present-day life, Nicole is trying hard to keep things together, but she is struggling. She is worried about her daughter’s safety. Someone is sabotaging her work with the seals. And she has to face the fact that she has been keeping her life in London a secret from her husband for 25 years. She never told him about her sister. She never told him about the band. She never told him about the song she recorded with Ben Edwards. And she never told him about the murder. And now all that’s coming back around, like a record on a turntable.

I Would Die for You is a twisty thriller about what happens when the past you’ve been running from knocks on your front door. It’s a mix of 2010s domestic thriller with 1980s pop music fangirl thriller, and it’s all fun to read. The puzzle pieces come together slowly, but when the last one falls into place, it’s a powerful moment.

I listened to I Would Die for You on audio, narrated beautifully by Imogen Wilde. As an American listener, I could see some moments where the American accent was off, but they passed. However, listening to her narrate the British characters were beautiful, and I could listen to her read books in her lovely British accent all day. Wilde did a lovely job with the twists in this one, and I look forward to more audio book from her.

I really enjoyed I Would Die for You. My main problem with it was when she talked about those ‘80s music days being 25 years ago, and then realizing that the “present-day” chapters were set in 2011, well, that added up to making me feel old. But the story itself was engrossing and page-turning. I loved remembering the fangirl days of my early teen years, and while I didn’t chase anyone down or end up at any good after parties, I still enjoyed remembering those innocent feelings, letting the music take you away. like a really good story does.

Egalleys for I Would Die for You were provided by Minotaur Books, and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

A little of a slower pace for a thriller, but still enjoyable. The dual timelines were interesting and I mostly enjoyed the past timeline. I like stories with siblings, so definitely a plus for those that also enjoy that.

This book made me sad since I thought the premise sounded so good but it just did not live up to what I thought it would. It actually seemed very different then this authors previous work and just did not work for me. I found the characters to be incredibly unlikable and the twists to be unbelievable. I honestly woulnd' have probably finished this book if it wasn't for Netgalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am late to the Sandie Jones party but so happy to be here! This was an intense and emotional roller coaster ride. Really great characters that were totally relatable. Great interpretation of being a teenage girl. Enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, Sandie Jones and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoy Sandie Jones' books, they usually keep my attention without taxing my brain too much. I enjoyed this one, but not as much as some others I have read by her.

Description:
Now: Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in a small seaside Californian town with her husband and daughter. She is not expecting a writer to knock on her door asking for her personal insight into the downfall of the biggest British band of the 1980s—unveiling the threads of a life she put behind her years ago. The same day, her daughter goes missing and the school claims her aunt picked her up . . . but she doesn’t have an aunt. Convinced of a link between the two, Nicole is forced to revisit long-abandoned memories from her past to protect everything she now holds dear.

1986: Sixteen-year-old Cassie is obsessed with the hottest band in London, Secret Oktober. Harboring an intense crush on the leading man, Ben Edwards, she will do anything she can to capture his attention among the throngs of groupies at the band’s scandalous backstage parties. But when Ben discovers her older sister Nicole singing at a local bar one night, he can’t help but feel drawn to her, setting in motion a collision course that could tear their family apart.

My Thoughts:
The story is told in two timelines, now and 1986. Secrets that have been hidden seem to come back to haunt us, and that is what is happening here. I was fascinated by the story of the band and all that happened with it, but the fangirl stuff with Cassie and her friend got a little tedious. The band's debauchery was over the top. The missing daughter was a mystery and was scary. Any time a child goes missing, terror strikes for the family. This was a good mystery and I think most would enjoy it.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Nicole has a great, quiet life. But when a reporter shows up at her door digging into her past and later that day her daughter is abducted by the "aunt" she does not have, things begin to quickly unravel. In an alternate timeline, Cassie is obsessed with boy band Secret Oktober and will do anything to get the lead singer, Ben. So when her sister betrays her by dating Ben, Cassie begins to spiral into wanting revenge on both of them.

This was such a quick read! A perfect popcorn thriller after a long heavy read for me. For the most part I enjoyed the pacing of the story, but the last 15% felt quite rushed and I did not love the ending. I loved the alternating POV and timeline though!

I will say I thought the way Nicole jumped to Brad being involved in things felt very weird and unnecessary and any part of the story about the seals also felt completely random and was never even wrapped up in any way. The unveiling of what really happened was a bit confusing too.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a slow burn to start and there was even a point when I thought about giving up but, I did NOT. I kept plugging a long and once the setting was established and all the characters were developed it unfolded like a movie. I wanted to LOVE this book but, instead it was just okay.

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.

I've read and enjoyed Sandy Jones' books in the past and was excited to see a new novel coming out written by her. This book moves back forth between 1986 and 2011 as we follow the life of sisters Cassie and Nicole. It fell a little flat for me in the first half even though it was the build up, going back to 1986 Cassie felt a little repetitious. The last half of the book really ramps up and picks up in a whodunnit, who died kind of scenario.

Teenaged girls chasing around their favorite band in 1986 London? Backstage parties and scandal? Secrets from the past threatening to unravel the protagonist's life in sunny California? Yes please!

We bounce between California (Coronado, San Diego, to be exact) in 2010 with Nicole, happily married with a young daughter, and London 1986 where Nicole's sister Cassie is obsessing over her favorite band of all time Secret Oktober and frontman Ben Edwards. With her new bestie Amelia, Cassie crashes the band's backstage parties, figures out what hotels they're staying at, the best spot to watch a mobbed free concert, and even gets her foot run over by the band's limo. Secret Oktober can't go anywhere without hordes of screaming teenagers. I was picking up strong Duran Duran vibes and cracked up that in the world of this novel, Duran Duran is Secret Oktober's arch-rival.

In California, Nicole opens the door to a visitor that wants to dredge up the past that she's been hiding for the past 25 years. A past that involves Secret Oktober...what exactly happened in 1986?

I like the idea of this book more than the execution. The back and forth in perspective isn't consistent, we spend long multiple chapters in one timeframe while the other dangles. The character swings are hot and cold (Nicole's husband is walking out one day and back in her corner the next, Nicole jumps to some pretty silly conclusions, Cassie is delusional...). The band stuff is fun until it gets pretty dark. A mixed bag read for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the Advance Reader Copy. (pub date 3/25/2025)

While I would not classify this book as a typical thriller, this book was a fast-paced and easy read. Cassie has the delusional thoughts of some teenagers who dream of winning the affections of the man of their dreams. Her obsession is what takes it to the next level and makes it so the story remains a mystery until the end.

I have had the pleasure of reading several of Sandie Jones previous books in the past. I was so excited to read her latest book I would Die For You. This was a twisty, gripping book from the very beginning all the way through until the end. It definitely did not disappoint. I was quickly flipping pages to find out what happened next in this fast-paced, captivating psychology thriller. A huge thank to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advanced digital copy of the book.

The exciting premise of this suspenseful story is one of love, obsession, jealousy, rivalry, revenge and ultimately consequences. Told from dual timelines and perspectives (Cassie in London, 1986 and Nicole in California, 2011).

When a writer comes knocking at Nicole’s door asking questions and looking for her insight into a band that broke up in the 80’s, it’s honestly the last thing she is expecting. Then her daughter goes is missing from her school. Nicole is informed that her daughter has been picked up by her aunt. But holdup what aunt? Her daughter doesn’t have an aunt. Nicole suspects these two occurrences are linked. She will have to return to the past if she wants to figure it out, protect her family and the life she so treasures.

The nostalgic flashbacks to the 80’s with the music and lifestyle was such a great time. I Would Die For You is a completely addictive, intense page-turner that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

This was so fast-paced with plenty of twists and turns along the way. I was immediately invested in this story from the start.

I really liked the author’s writing style as a whole though - the switch between timelines felt very smooth and never felt like there was an abrupt switch.

My only complaint is that as everything started to come together at the end it felt rushed. It did quite feel finished / open ended so I was left unsatisfied.

Overall, I had a fun time with this book and plan on checking out the author’s backlist as this was the first book of hers I’ve read.

The synopsis drew me in, and I thought I'd love this book with its missing child, secrets, obsession, and sisters. While enjoyable, it didn’t fully wow me. I appreciated the exploration of groupies, obsession, and the two timelines, along with the theme of lasting consequences. The drama, twists, and tension were great, but my main issue was the lack of connection with the characters.

I would have rated this book four stars if the ending had been stronger. Unfortunately, it felt underwhelming and didn’t live up to the excitement of the buildup.

This book presents a twisted mystery along with some very compelling and relatable characters. The story is centered around a rock band and its groupies, one of whom is part of the mystery of what happened to the band and what happened to a young girl named Cassie. Nicole is a talented musician in her own right but has fled from that part of her life, leaving England far behind as she moves to the U.S., gets married and starts a family. She is an active environmentalist, a fact that seems to muddy the waters when she and her family start being threatened. The pace was moderate, just right for the story that needed to be unraveled methodically. There were plenty of clues and foreshadowing about what was really happening and what was coming, and I enjoyed guessing what would happen next. I liked the characters and how they were believable and original. With the challenge of overcoming her past, Nicole was the most relatable and presented a fascinating character study. The timeline was a dual one, the past and the present, all converging neatly as the story progressed. The story itself was brilliantly written with clever tension and well-crafted misdirection built in. This is a tale that is multi-layered, with the layers slowly being peeled back as more revelations about the past are made. I enjoyed the believable drama and the tight plot and I was totally engrossed in the story because I really wanted to know what secrets Nicole was keeping and what those secrets would do to her present circumstances.
Disclaimer
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a slow burn thriller in which a woman’s past comes roaring back. Is she prepared to fight back? Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in southern California with her husband and daughter. It is shattered when a journalist comes to her door and asks her for information about the downfall of Secret Oktober, the biggest British band of the 1980s. The same day, her daughter is picked up from school by her aunt. The only thing is her daughter doesn’t have an aunt! Nicole is faced with the threads of her life and hidden past that is quickly becoming unveiling. In 1986, sixteen year old Cassie is obsessed with Secret Oktober with an intense crush on Ben Edwards. She is determined to do anything she can to capture his attention among the cheering fans and groupies. What she doesn’t count on is Ben meeting her older sister, Nicole. What happened to Secret Oktober? What does Nicole know?
Sandie Jones is a new author to me and I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book. A dual timeline story with multiple POVs as Nicole searches for the person behind the events of today and Cassie as her obsession with Secret Oktober and Ben grows taking her down a dangerous past. As events of today and yesteryear begin to shine light on the truth, the twists and turns were interesting and kept me hooked. However, as the mystery was revealed, the ending was confusing and a bit abrupt. My first thought when I closed the book was “what?!?” Throughout the story, I liked the character of Nicole and the mystery about who was bringing up the past and why was engaging and kept me guessing. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The mystery was engaging, the ending was just abrupt. If you like dual timeline, multiple POVs stories with a bit of suspense and mystery, I recommend I Would Die for You.

I Would Die for You is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

I've really enjoyed Sandy Jones's writing in the past, so I was excited to read this one as well.
I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is an absolutely gripping and addictive psychological thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Jones’ masterful storytelling and chilling premise drew me in from the very first page, and I was completely enthralled by the twists and turns of this suspenseful tale.

Although I have enjoyed other novels by Sandie Jones, this one missed the mark for me. Told in dual timelines and POVs (one of Cassie in London in 1986, and the other of Nicole 25 years later), the novel’s main theme seems to be fame and the obsession that often comes with fame, an obsession that can sometimes be dangerous. Although this novel has a good share of twists and turns, the plotting seemed a bit off, and the ending was confusing — it seemed to just happen. I also was not all that enamored with any of the characters, so this was a decent but definitely not a great read for me.

Every book that Sandie Jones writes is my new favorite, and I Would Die for You is no exception. I loved everything about it, from the dual-timelines to the sister love/rivalry between Nicole and Cassie. It's thoroughly entertaining from the first sentence to the last, and this is one that I will be recommending to all my thriller-loving friends.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I typically enjoy Sandie Jones,but this one was a bit off for me. It was a quick read with some nostalgia involved, but kinda missed the mark.

Review of I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐

Sandie Jones' I Would Die for You is a fast-paced thriller that weaves together obsession, secrets, and the darker side of fame. The story jumps between two timelines: London in 1986, where teenager Cassie is caught up in the rockstar frenzy surrounding the band Secret Oktober, and 25 years later, when Nicole—now living a quiet life in California—finds her past catching up with her in terrifying ways.

The novel hooks you early with its exploration of 80s music culture, teenage naivety, and the manipulations of the entertainment industry. Nicole's past and present collide when a journalist comes knocking, determined to uncover the truth about the band's downfall. The tension escalates when Nicole’s daughter goes missing, raising the stakes in an already suspenseful narrative.

The book does an excellent job of capturing the nostalgia of the 80s, and the depiction of obsessive fandom feels authentic. However, some characters felt underdeveloped, and the ending left me wanting more closure. While the dual timelines are engaging, I found myself more drawn to the present-day mystery rather than the past storyline, which at times felt predictable.

Overall, this is an entertaining read with solid twists, though it doesn’t quite pack the punch of Jones’ best thrillers. Fans of Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware will likely enjoy it, especially if they love a mix of psychological suspense and rock ‘n’ roll drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.