I wanted to love this book, even though the way it left me “hanging” was typical of this author, which is one of the qualities I love best, including the build-up to what’s going on. Nicole has been living her simple life in Cali until someone knocks on her door, wanting to know what happened more than 20 years ago. We get some back-and-forth action between 1986 and 2010, featuring a band that was about to be a success, Nicole’s wild younger sister Cassie, and if you read this book, you will totally get it. But the book DRAGGED! All for the ending to come crashing down and leave me with more questions. Definitely not my favorite from this author.

My feelings were all over the place for this book

It's a story about teenage obsession with a strong sense of 80's music nostalgia with short chapters and dual timelines. Sounds great, right? And it was ... until it wasn't.

Despite keeping me intrigued about the identity of one character that returns in Nicole's life and Cassie's unpredictable behaviour that creates some interesting /chaotic situations, I struggled to connect with this book.

It's more of a mystery than suspense and the modern-day storyline was easily overshadowed by the older timeline. The story soon becomes too far-fetched with deeply flawed, one-dimensional characters whose connections to each other were never explained well for the reader.

Overall, I liked the premise, the Daisy Jones kind of music vibe and how the author gradually reveals secrets to the reader which kept me turning the pages. But the disjointed storytelling and undeveloped characters who I struggled to connect with left me wanting a lot more from this suspense read.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Minotaur Books for the complimentary advanced digital copy of this book, given in exchange for my honest review.

** This review was posted on my blog, GR and socials on March 18, 2025.

This book is intriguing and holds your attention throughout. The plot is exciting and contains some interesting twists. However, although Nicole is a fairly likable main character, many other characters in the book are not likable. Rather than warm family and friendship vibes, the book is filled with families treating each other poorly and several toxic friendships. Nicole's sister, Cassie's behavior is particularly egregious putting a fantasy relationship over her relationship with her own sister because of jealousy. Even her husband doesn't completely have Nicole's back getting angry and accusatory when he finds out she lied about her past before giving her a chance to explain herself.

The book's ending is only limitedly satisfactory eluding to off-the-page happenings. Even though these events may have been hinted at in the text, it would have been nice to have more clarification rather than leaving readers wondering and unsure what exactly did occur.

I'm almost mad at myself for finishing this one -- I kept waiting for it to turn and pick up but it just didn't. I didn't like any of the characters and the story was weird and convoluted. It also wasn't thrilling, at all. Hope you have better luck!

I Would Die For You comes out next week on March 25, 2025 and you can purchase HERE.

2.5 stars - The way I just threw my earbud in rage across the room. No. That is not the ending we get after going through all the twists and time jumps. I'm so livid right now! The story was well written and the dual timeline drew you in to find out what happens, but I need answers and closure in order to sleep at night.

This is the story of Nicole. a marine biologist living in California in 2011. She is confronted by a journalist who starts asking questions regarding Nicole's past in 1986 London. Mainly, the murder that took place surrounding the band Secret Oktober. Nicole has kept her secrets close and will do anything not to revisit the past. But her daughter ends up disappearing from school, picked up by her "auntie" and Nicole realizes that her past has come for her.
The ending was WAY too abrupt for my investment into the story. I needed more closure. But it does work well with the dual timelines.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this digital e-arc.*

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In California 2011, Nicole is married with a young daughter who goes missing the same day as when a writer visits her at home, asking her about a British band from the 1980s. An aunt picked up her daughter but there is no Aunt. Things of the past are opening up, and Nicole will have to face them.

In 1986, Nicole’s 16-year-old sister, Cassie, is obsessed with the lead singer of a British band and takes some drastic steps to catch his attention. However, when the lead singer gets drawn to Nicole, things get complicated between the sisters.

I struggled with this one a bit as the 2011 storyline did not come together for me. The 1986 timeline was much better for me. Overall, the story and characters were a bit flat and I found I was forcing myself to finish this one. Just an OK read.

Well that was a trip down memory lane to the 1980's and revisiting how painful and awkward it can be to be a teenager trying to become an adult. It explores the phenomenon of teenage angst that I think most girls can identify with. How you were certain that you were in love and everyone but you can see the huge mistakes you are making. You're convinced that no one can possibly understand and that your situation is different. In this case, it causes a giant riff between two sisters whose mother is dying and whose father is just trying to do best by his children. There is a bit of a thriller aspect in the sense that Nicole, who is the older of the sisters, is currently living a life many years removed from her young adult life that is filled with secrets she has been hiding and those secrets come crashing down around her in quite a spectacular fashion. I probably would have rated this a bit higher, but I really didn't like how it all wrapped up. All in all, it's a pretty good read!!

Dual timeline thriller/mystery around two sisters and one of the biggest pop group of the 80's. I liked this story and was invested in how the story would turn out. I really enjoy Sandie Jones and her writing style and have been a fan of her books for a while, I didn't completely love how this story wrapped up but it definitely kept me guessing, 3.5/4 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sorry, this one wasn't for me. I found the story, told over two timelines, full of convoluted subplots and a storyline that didn't really go anywhere. The one dimensional characters were never really engaging and I wound up not really caring what happened to them. Not recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy.

Full of expected and unexpected twists, this is the story of a woman who has kept her past a secret from her husband, to her detriment. For some reason, the plot and pacing on this one felt a bit pat or dialed in. Told in two timelines, this book also feel prey to my most recurring problem: enjoying one timeline so much more than the other. I really did not like the older timeline dealing with the younger Nicole and Cassie. I think that is the part that reduced my enjoyment of the overall story. But, as a regular fan of Ms. Jones' work, I hope this is the exception and I will be back loving her future books!

This book had an interesting premise, but in the end was a little too outlandish and a bit of a hot mess.

The two different time frames worked OK-ish, but I much preferred the 1986 one. Full disclosure, I'm a teen of the 80s and I have a hard time believing that any of the story could happen, which is where the outlandish part came in (I did read the author's note at the end, so I guess it's just not something that would happen to ME). I had a hard time connecting with the 2010 time frame, which is where the hot mess came in.

The coincidence of a big boy band pop star coming across (and having some kind of relationship, real or imagined) with two sisters seemed a little much. Most of the characters were unlikeable; made questionable choices (bordering on unhinged); and the husbands / fathers just seemed incredibly unobservant / disinterested / over the top.

I'm a fan of an ambiguous ending, but this one was just . . . abrupt. I actually thought I had put an audiobook on my timer and had to double check that it was, indeed, the ending. I didn't hate it as much as some other readers did, but it was very rushed and left a little too much unresolved.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me this ARC.

I tried getting through this book multiple times but unfortunately was unable to make it to the end. Not a single character was enjoyable throughout. The plot was not something I normally read but have heard great things about Sandie Jones. I think I will give one of her other books a try!

This is the first book I've read by this author and I was not a fan. The story seemed disjointed and I didn't enjoy the tricks with POV and switching narrators. The ending did not work for me either. I appreciate the opportunity to read the ARC and thank NetGalley and the publisher.

I will admit this book had me hooked from the beginning. There are dual timelines, 2010 where the main character Nicole’s daughter goes missing and 1986 where Nicole’s sister is obsessed with the biggest pop group of that time. The author did a great job keeping me wondering how everything was going to fit together, but I did feel the ending was a little rushed. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC. The time jumps were a little confusing and I felt like the plot of the story didn’t even begin until about 35%. It was hard to keep up at times and it just had too many twists and red herrings. I also felt like I kept missing parts of the story because it would have a chapter with a cliffhanger then jump into a day in the past and then back again and I’d have forgotten what was going on in each timeline. I just wish there were a few less characters to keep remembering. Overall though, I liked how the story built suspense throughout and how you were left really guessing at who did it. It was an extremely fast paced book so easily read in one day.

This book started out good, but I feel like the miscommunication and lying sent it off the rails. It was a miss for me.

3 out of 5 stars! Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC of I would Die for you by Sandie Jones.

I've read several books by Sandie Jones and have been a fan of some of her work. However, the start of this book was really interesting and the thriller was there...but I can't help but get turned off by all the miscommunication/lying that was going on in the story. There were times that I felt like it was dragging but I did finished it! The ending was not a major shocker but it was just okay for me.

I Would Die For You is a thriller about obsession and secret in a dual timeline that shifts between the present day and the vibrant world of the 1980s music scene. Nicole Forbes is just an ordinary woman living a quiet life in a small California town with her husband and daughter, who is trying to save the seals. However, her life takes a dramatic turn when a writer arrives at her doorstep, seeking insights into the downfall of the iconic British band Secret Oktober. The encounter forces Nicole to confront a past she thought she had left behind. The mystery continues to build when her daughter goes missing, and the school claims she was picked up by her aunt - even though Nicole knows she doesn't exist. When her daughter is found and continues to talk about her aunt, Nicole is determined to uncover the truth, as her youth comes back to haunt her. The 1980s timeline is where we meet a 16 year old Cassie, Nicole's younger sister, who is in love with the lead singer, Ben Edwards, of the boy band Secret Oktober. Cassie's obsession with the band and her desire to be noticed by Ben set off a chain of events that will have devastating consequences for their family. As you continue to read about the past and Cassie's obsession, you begin to see the crucial pieces of the puzzle that connect Nicole's current crisis to the tumultuous events of her youth. As the story unfolds, you will be surprised by the hurt and pain that Nicole went through and the reason she wanted to leave it all behind. Although you learn so much about the past, the ending will still shock you. I recommend I Would DIe For You to anyone looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat while also tugging at your heartstrings.

When a woman’s daughter goes missing, picked up by an aunt that doesn’t exist, she will be forced to face her past to find her daughter.
This novel transitions between 2011 California and 1986 London as a young woman,Nicole, is forced to face a past she left behind. I’ve read a few books by this author and unfortunately this wasn’t a good fit for me. It follows two sisters in London, Sixteen-year-old Cassie is obsessed with the lead singer of the hottest band of that time “Secret Oktober” and her older sister Nicole is a struggling artist. A tragic event is the center of past and present events. Over twenty years later Nicole has created a new life with her husband and daughter but someone isn’t willing to let her secrets go…and then her daughter goes missing. I guess I just couldn’t relate to the characters in this one and I am not a huge fan of books about groupies/fan obsession. That being said the novel is still well written and suspenseful which might be a good fit for other readers.