Mystery/Thriller

Who hasn't kept a secret from a loved one? The past is the past, right? Well, until it catches up with you and wreaks havoc on your life.

Nicole and her husband are happily married with a lovely little girl. Her daughter goes missing and they are frantic. When they find her, she says she was with her aunt. How is that possible - Nicole's sister is dead.

In an alternate timeline, Cassie is struggling. Her mother has a terminal illness, and the rest of her family are engrossed in their own issues. She makes a new friend who shares her obsession with a band. Thankfully, they each like different band members. Cassie's sister Nicole inadvertently begins a relationship with Cassie's crush - Ben. Warning - tragedy will ensue.

I liked the story, but I didn't like the characters. I also felt the alternate timelines and POV's didn't flow well. Overall, it just felt clunky without the usual Jones' flair.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.

Hmm, where to begin with this one? I will start by saying that I enjoyed the premise of this one and the dual timelines. But I do think that the flashbacks got a little messy and hard to keep straight. This is my second book by Jones, and it was also a middle of the road book for me, I will continue to try other books by Jones.

The positives: the author did a marvelous job of portraying the eighties rock band era. The teenage angst, groupies and fandom was spot on. I’m a die-hard fan (no groupie experience) of rock, guitar, drums, all music period. So that portion of the book brought back happy memories of concerts, screaming women, backstage passes and mosh pits. The plot also covers the darker side of band mates infighting and their revelry.
The plot has alternating timeliness taking place in CA and London featuring sisters Nicole and Cassie. A life constructed from lies, there’s revenge, guilt, family drama, illicit drugs, murder and family drama.
The first portion of the book really crept along for me. Nicole did too much blathering in her head. I found myself skimming with boredom. Further into the story the action picked up and moved at good pace. The characters weren’t likeable, but were mostly believable. I couldn’t find much sympathy for them. The author did a superb job of selling the lies, I had no idea what the truth was. In the end I didn’t believe any of them. I became totally confused and am still not sure who did what.
Thanks to Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Publishing (via NetGalley) for providing me an Advance Reader Copy of “I Would Die for You” by Sandie Jones. These thoughts and opinions are always my own personal honest feelings given voluntarily without compensation.

This book follows the life of Nicole who moved to the US but her past is now haunting her. I read this book and the beginning was good until it started to get confusing. The MC is considered morally grey with her vagueness leading you to be confused with what’s even happening. This story involved Nicole’s family being involved with the rising band in London. The pacing is fast, which made it easier to read but the story was just so confusing in general. Most of the time, I didn’t know what was happening. Also there was a lot of miscommunication of Nicole’s part where I’m sure if she revealed her past, her daughter could have been protected. This book is told from the present and past of Nicole.

Nicole is the FMC of the story, and she has secrets from her past. I couldn’t connect with her or understand what in the world she was doing. She was just confused in general, and I think if she had told her husband about the past, at least he could have helped. There are many side characters, but the main character is Cassie. Cassie is Nicole’s sister, who was in love with the London band.

The ending was like a cliffhanger making it confusing whether there will be a book 2. Also, we never truly got a clear picture of what happened in the past and truly whose fault was it. So much of the story was unclear. I wouldn’t say that this book is filled with plot twists because with the past pov, you can get an idea who is involved. This book is not the best thriller out there but I did hear this author has written some good thrillers before.

*huge thanks to the publisher for providing the book free of charge*

Unfortunately this book was a huge disappointment. I found the story to be messy and not well thought out and the characters were insufferable. But, my largest issue with this book was the handling of SA and violence towards women. It felt like it sensationalized this and I will never appreciate using trauma in this way.

I am rounding up to a 3* for this one. This is my first read by this author.

The story is written in dual timeline, beginning in 1986 in London and switching to 2010 in California. We follow the lives of Nicole and Cassie who are sisters in their teens. Cassie is head over heels in love with the Ben, a band member of Secret Oktober, the very popular boy band. Casse's infatuation grows into an extremely unhealthy infatuation for Ben. In Nicoles trying to help Cassie, she meets Ben. Things don't go as smoothly as they could've in many ways.

Let's fast forward to 2010.....Nicole opens the door to find a woman from her past, a past that she's tried very hard (and successfully) up to this point, to avoid. The next part in the book was a bit confusing for me but kept me entertained.

Triggers=drugs, sexual assault

Thank you to Sandie Jones, NetGalley and Minotaur Books publications for allowing me this e-arc version.

Man...what on Earth. I genuinely hate to cut out early from a NetGalley read but the writing style of this book drove me *bonkers*. I have never been shown less and told more about a bunch of characters so one-note that I can't even say their characterization was unsuccessful. I hated the pathetic judgmental jerk father. I hated the brainless deluded teenager. I hated the self-pitying sad sack older sister. A great example of how present tense for novels sometimes just ain't it, it combined some of the worst dialogue tagging I've ever tripped through reading with the adjective abuse of JK Rowling back when she actually had a job leading to sentences like this one:

"He met Mum, didn't he?" muses Cassie petulantly.

Ohhhhh my god. I gave it a few more chapters after that but the writing just got worse. Mused petulantly to myself about how life's too short and DNFed this MF at 15%.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Nicole lives in California with her husband a daughter and keeps her past such a secret that even her husband knows nothing--except that she's originally from England.

In 1986 London, Cassie is obsessed with a popular band and imagines her few encounters with the popular Ben constitute a relationship. What she doesn't know is that Ben and her older sister, Nicole, actually do have a relationship. The unfolding realization endangers the sisters' relationship along with the very lives of some of the band members.

I loved Sandie Jones's earlier novel, but this one just didn't work. The characters were too flat and one dimensional. And I didn't get the ending. It did give me an earworm I can't get rid of, though. #IWouldDieforYou #NetGalley

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I had hoped. I liked the dual timelines, but Cassie was so unlikable, and there were times when I felt confused with the storyline. Also, as someone who attended a good number of rock concerts in the 80s, I had a hard time believing that Cassie and her friend were constantly able to hook up with these band members. And also that Ben just happened to meet Cassie's sister in a random bar.

I did like the nostalgia of the 80s timeline and the mystery of the missing daughter, but the rest missed the mark for me.

Thank you, @netgalley and @stmartinspress, for the #gifted e-arc!

This story definitely takes you on a wild ride from start to finish, and I think fans of the ‘80s music scene will definitely be entertained with this read.

While I personally love dual timeline mysteries (or really any genre), there were parts of this story that felt a little abrupt or I would’ve loved to see more fledged out (especially the ending!)

Overall, this is a fast-paced, easy read that I can see appealing to a lot of readers.

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the complimentary copy of the book!

I was drawn to the premise of this book because hello I love me a band and I am self proclaimed fangirl. So I knew that this book would be for me.

This book is told from two timelines - the past (1986) and the present (2011). It took me a bit to get used to the timelines. Mostly because the timelines are told from two different perspectives. In the past we are in the perspective of a young Cassie and in the present timeline we are in the perspective of her older sister Nicole.

The premise doesn't really say this but I would say that when we are in the past timeline, I would say a theme of that is obsession. Cassie is only 16 years old and has this admiration for Secret Oktober specifically for the lead singer Ben Edwards. And it only progressed as she got a taste of what it was like to be near him. And a cycle of events that occurred changed the course of everyone involved lives.

In the current timeline, Nicole lives a simple life with her husband and daughter in California and all is normal until her daughter does not get off the bus. The school claims she had been picked up by her aunt in which Nicole had previously authorized. But we learn that there couldn't be an aunt that picked her daughter up. Between the disappearance of her daughter and being visited by a journalist, Nicole starts to spiral thinking back to the incidents that occured years ago.

I was pretty invested in the storyline. Because the perspectives were every other chapter or so, I would be left wanting more which kept me going with the story. I wouldn't say that there was anything jaw dropping when some of the reveals were brought to light. I'm trying to be vague without spoiling but the way Sandie wrote left things up for interpretation until you got the answer. I think for me with the last quarter of the book, things were moving so fast that I was trying to piece together everything that was happening (total me thing and no fault of the author).

This is my first Sandie book and I am looking forward to reading more from her!

3.5

I WOULD DIE FOR YOU
Sandie Jones

Nicole now lives in California with her family. She used to live in London. She used to be involved with one of the biggest bands in British history. And the writer at her door wants to know all about the days that Nicole has worked so hard to forget.

Exposed and vulnerable, hoping to keep this secret from her husband, Nicole goes back in her mind to revisit those days. And try her hardest to keep that life from infiltrating her current.

I did not like this one by Jones. The storyline is garbled and the dual timeline does not help.

The characters are flat and wispy. I had no emotional attachment to any of them and I found it hard to root for Nicole.

I'm sorry this one didn't work for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the advanced copies!

I WOULD DIE FOR YOU…⭐⭐

A bit silly, to be honest, and somewhat trope-y and overdone. Just not much beyond a passing entertainment.

I did not expect this book to be....what it was. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I was left feeling let down. I have enjoyed previous Sandie Jones releases, but this didn't have the same flair the previous ones have had that kept me engaged and needing more.

I have read almost all of Sandie’s books, however, this one was my least favorite. The story involved kidnapping, lies, obsession, and unlikable characters. The story seemed to end abruptly, and I wanted more closure. I did enjoy the dual timelines and think that others will enjoy this book. Overall, I did enjoy it, just not as much as some of her others.

This was a four star read until the end. I thought I’d Die For You would revisit something big from the past and set it right. While that did happen there’s also a massive revenge plot that ruined the story for me. This does remind me a little of No One Will Miss Her.

I've read a few Sandie Jones books so I was excited when I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. The story was compelling right from the beginning, and it kept me engaged the whole time. The characters sometimes fell a little flat, especially the husband, but ultimately it was an enjoyable book.

Thank you St. Martin's Press & Minotaur Books for an ARC of Sandie Jones' newest novel.
I'll start off with what I enjoyed about "I Would Die for You":
-Sister dynamics (and dysfunction) between Nicole & Cassie
-Cassie's unconventional relationship with a stranger was intriguing to see what kind of mischief they'd get into together by following Secret Oktober
-Cassie's obsession with the band. (who didn't have a band member they loved?!)
-The mystery aspect (especially with her daughter..)
-Behind the scenes of Secret Oktober
-Although sometimes confusing, I did enjoy the dual timelines

What I didn't like:
-The sisters mother's storyline
-Things got a little repetitive
-Ending felt rushed

Overall, I really enjoyed the story! I kept wanting to come back for more to see what would unfold.

The dark side of fandom rears its ugly head in I Would Die For You, the latest from Sandie Jones, author of The Guilt Trip, The Other Woman, and more fast-paced thrillers. It’s entertaining as hell and moves at a rapid clip, unraveling a broken relationship marred by unforgivable betrayal between two sisters over the course of nearly three decades. We’ve got a two-timeline set-up, with one in and around 1980s London, filled with the sights and sounds of the era — men in heeled boots, Duran Duran blasting from cassette tapes, a thick fog of hairspray clouding every conversation — and the other flashing forward across the pond to San Diego, California circa 2011.

The more contemporary timeline revolves around Nicole Forbes, who has made a quiet, fulfilling life for herself as a marine biologist on the west coast, getting married and building a family in Coronado. When a strange woman knocks on her door one day asking for her personal opinion on the downfall of Secret Oktober, the biggest British band of the 1980s, for a book she’s writing, Nicole is mentally dragged back to a past she’s tried so hard to forget. Her young daughter, Hannah, goes missing later the same day, and the school claims that her “aunt” picked her up. The only problem? Nicole’s husband doesn’t have a sister, and neither does she — well, one she acknowledges, at least — and she just knows the two events must be connected.

Back in 1986, the story largely centers on Cassie, Nicole’s 16-year-old little sister and Secret Oktober superfan, who has convinced herself that lead singer Ben Edwards is her one true love. Her increasingly reckless attempts to capture his attention drive Cassie deeper and deeper into delusion, especially once she discovers her older sister, an aspiring singer, has a genuine connection to Ben that she can’t possibly measure up to. Jealousy, grief, and obsession set in motion a collision course that threatens to destroy everything Nicole, Cassie, and Ben hold dear.

What I loved about ‘I Would Die For You’:

Jones pulled inspiration for this novel from her own life as a Duran Duran groupie in the 80s, when she’d travel all over the UK to see them perform. That experience clearly adds authenticity to Cassie’s experience following Secret Oktober, from being front-row at concerts to sneaking over fences at BBC headquarters to get a glimpse of her idols up close. Cassie is clearly off her fucking rocker, but Jones grounds her scenes in details that make it feel like you’re by her side in matching acid wash denim.

Speaking of Cassie’s particular brand of crazy — the feeling that something is off about her simmers just beneath the surface of her teeny bopper exterior, as if she’s one cross word away from snapping like a twig. Jones makes sure she doesn’t start off as a full-blown bunny boiler, but slowly works her way up to it with each perceived transgression against her involving both her sister and the band. That evolution is fun (in a messed up kind of way) to watch play out .

Who is responsible for the Secret Oktober tragedy that derails everyone’s life? I’m not going to spoil it here (duh), but I love how the story sets up so many possibilities — Nicole’s vindictive ex? Cassie’s unhinged new bestie? Or maybe one of the volatile members of Secret Oktober themselves? Although I don’t love how it all wraps up, the journey to get there is an exciting ride.

Nicole’s chapters in the late 80s are my favorite part of the book (I can so see this as a miniseries.) My only complaint is I wish there were more of them.

What I wasn’t crazy about in ‘I Would Die For You’:

Speaking of Nicole’s POV chapters — why are her present-day ones such a drag?!

Actually, scratch that, I know why: her husband. In short, her husband suuuuuucks. Their relationship seems . . . sweet-ish, initially, including a meet-cute at a San Diego bar. We don’t see all that much of him, to be fair, but what we do see only confirms that this man immediately thinks the worst of his so-called beloved wife in any and all situations. Her life is falling apart in front of him, and his first reaction is to throw her under the bus? And scream at her?! And threaten to take away their child?! Nicole, girl, stand up.

The Husband Issue™️ is further exacerbated by a potential affair plotline, which is annoying as hell since it seems pretty clear from the get-go that it’s a case of miscommunication. (One of my least favorite tropes.)

The ending. Given how twisty this book is, I don’t want to say more and risk spoiling all the fun for you. Let’s just say my eyes rolled all the way back into my skull after finishing the final few pages. Sigh.

TL;DR — As I said earlier, this is solid! Despite some inconsistencies here and there, Sandie Jones keeps you engrossed in Nicole and Cassie’s tragic cycle of destruction from the very first sentence. Ultimately I wasn’t a fan of where things ended up — I could’ve done with an additional chapter or two about what a certain character has been doing all these years — but it’s the kind of thriller you can devour in one sitting. (Ideally while wearing as much neon, hair gel, and spandex as possible.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars. Not bad, not great. It was decent. Not super twisty or exciting but wrapped up well in the end.