3 1/2 Stars- Sandie Jones is back with her latest novel, I Would Die For You. The story is told between two different time lines of 1986 and 2010 of events that happened in Nicole’s past and events that are happening in her current life. Are they connected? If so, how? This was a fast paced, drama filled read. Which was just what I needed to read. Some trigger warnings of death, drugs, and rape. As the pieces fall into place during the last 20% of the story be prepared for some whiplash as just when you think it’s over, it’s not. I believe my words after finishing were “COME ON!” I did kind of want to throw my Kindle at the ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martina’s Press Minotaur Books for the ARC.

This book started out a bit slow for me, I was somewhat confused on how all of the different POVs fit together, but when I did figure out the connections I was hooked! I really enjoyed the past and present timelines and felt that it really helped to progress the story. I felt the overall story was intriguing with the idea of band members stringing along groupies and how their lives were intertwined. All of these positive details fell apart at the end of the story. The ending was just confusing and had a what the f*** feeling to it. I don’t know what made the author and the publishers feel this was a good idea because frankly I felt it took away all of the build up that it could have been. The ending also didn’t tie up a lot of questions about who some of the characters were and how they related to others. From reading other reviewers opinions this author has written other good books but apparently missed the mark with this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of I Would Die For You. This was a real pleasant surprise to me. Nicole is a happily married mother of a young daughter, active in the community of Coronado, California. Until a knock on her door threatens to upend her life with the revelations of what happened 25 years ago in her native England. The book toggles between the present and 1986 and, where some books bog down in that method of storytelling, this does so effectively. That time revolves, in large part, around Nicole’s younger sister, Cassie, a major fan of a British rock band called Secret Oktober.

This examines the lengths fans will go to to be near their idols and what can happen when admiration moves beyond that to fantasy and obsession. This book has many twists and moves at a swift pace. If you are interested in family drama, mystery, and suspense mark your calendar for its release on March 13.

"I Would Die for You" took me a little time to get into, but about halfway through, I found myself really engaged in the story. Some characters felt fleshed out, while others felt a bit one-dimensional—particularly the husband, Brad. I still enjoyed uncovering the layers of family drama and suspense. There were a few moments where the writing felt a bit awkward, but overall, the tension kept me turning the pages. The ending was strong, though I personally prefer more closure rather than an open-ended conclusion. While I saw some twists coming, I still felt it was intriguing read and enjoyed the journey!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Sandie Jones for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This is a twisted tale that the reader thinks will go one way and then it will flip the script so that you never know which way is up. The reveals are done at just the perfect time, and I couldn’t be more excited to get this book into readers hands. Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Sandie Jones takes readers back to the 80's music scene with her new book - I Would Die for You.

"Nicole lives happily in California with her husband (Good Guy Brad) and daughter. 'Til one day a woman knocks on her door, wanting to ask Nicole some questions. about her role in the death of a British pop star. Nicole thought she had left that behind and has no intention of answering anything. But now her daughter is missing and her husband (Good Guy Brad) is furious about her deception."

This is a dual timeline story. It goes back-and-forth between Nicole and the band - Secret October - in the 80's and 2011 when someone is trying to disrupt Nicole's life. There's a lot of Cassie, Nicole's younger sister, and her obsession with Secret October - and the Fantasyland she lives in regarding her relationship with the band.
Lots of internal dialogue with current Nicole trying to figure out what's happening. And lots of tension. My favorite parts are when Nicole is making music.
Pretty wild ending - SJ keeps you guessing. And then leaves part of it vague. I would rather know what happened but you can fill in your own blanks.
And finally - a Brad that's a good guy. He's a Navy Seals instructor.

Fans of Sandie Jones will enjoy this domestic thriller.

Riveting! Intoxicating! This story keeps you on the edge of your seat and your mind whirling! What a roller coaster of events! Brilliant!

I ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴏᴄᴋsᴛᴀʀs, ʙᴏʏ ʙᴀɴᴅs, ʜᴏʟʟʏᴡᴏᴏᴅ ᴇᴛᴄ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀs ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ sɪɴᴄᴇ Jᴏɴᴇs's ʙᴀᴄᴋʟɪsᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ϙᴜɪᴛᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ.

Sᴇᴛ ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʀɪʟʏ ɪɴ Eɴɢʟᴀɴᴅ , ᴡᴇ ɢᴇᴛ ᴀ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴏʙsᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴡᴏ sɪsᴛᴇʀs ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴇɴᴛᴀɴɢʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴ 80s ʙᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇɴᴅs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅᴇᴠᴀsᴛᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴏɴsᴇϙᴜᴇɴᴄᴇs.

Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴅɪᴅ ᴀ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsᴛɪᴄ ᴊᴏʙ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟᴀsʜʙᴀᴄᴋs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇssᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ 80s ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ᴍᴜsɪᴄ sᴄᴇɴᴇ.

Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴜᴇʟ ɴᴀʀʀɪᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴏʀᴋs ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ's ғᴀsᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ. I ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ, ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ I ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴅɪғғɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴀs ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴜɴʟɪᴋᴇᴀʙʟᴇ.
ᴀʟsᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀʙʀᴜᴘᴛ.

Oᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ Sᴀɴᴅɪᴇ Jᴏɴᴇs ᴅᴇsᴘɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴜʀɢᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀʏ ɪᴛ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ.

♥︎ᴍɪssɪɴɢ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ
♥︎80s ᴍᴜsɪᴄ sᴄᴇɴᴇ
♥︎sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs
♥︎ᴏʙsᴇssɪᴏɴ
♥︎ɢʀᴏᴜᴘɪᴇs
♥︎ᴜɴʀᴇϙᴜɪᴛᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ

Tʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ, sᴛ ᴍᴀʀᴛɪɴ's ᴘʀᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ɢɪғᴛᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴘʏ. Mʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴏʟᴜɴᴛᴀʀʏ

I hate to admit this, but after finishing this novel, I'm left feeling SO underwhelmed. I think it might be time for to evaluate my "relationship" with Sandie Jones's books. Honestly, this is probably more of a me problem. My favorite thing about this book was Imogen Wilde's narration. She did an excellent job bringing these characters to life, as usual. Other than that, the story felt very disjointed, the character development wasn't my favorite and I rolled my eyes more times than I could count. A huge thank you to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

U fortunately, this book was just no for me. Between a very slow pace and issues that at first seemed to have been easily solved with some communication….it suddenly switched into the most, bonkers and bizarre soap opera one could have expected with a psychotic character, no development and twists that just didn’t compute.

I appreciate receiving a copy and I might give this author another chance as other reviews seem to indicate that this was out of their norm.

I’m really torn on my feelings for this book. The beginning took me a really long time to get into, I feel like it just throws you into random perspectives and times and I had barely any idea what the book was even about. Then it got super interesting around 40% and I was addicted to it!!! The story really picked up and everything was starting to click and I literally could not put it down. Unfortunately the ending was soooo rushed I could barely keep track of what was happening. The last couple chapters didn’t really explain anything and the last page just made me kind of mad lol. I think if most (or even all) of the story was set in the past timeline this would have worked better for me but all the different things going on made it hard to follow. Still an interesting concept and a fun read though! Thank you netgalley for the early copy:)

Apparently boy band crazy girls was not where my lore started. Sure as a 90s baby I had my fair share of boy bands (thank you very much Gen Z, I have been there done that), but I don’t think my interest in them wasn’t more than my interest in their music. I will still pull that invisible mic to sing along Bye Bye Bye or I Want it That Way (yeah I did not discriminate), but I won’t scream my lungs out just seeing their image

Nicole’s sister was polar opposite of me. She did not only fall into platonic love with a lead singer of a boy band, she took it a step further and started stalking. Back in the 80s it might have been way to go, but now they put you under restraining order for that. Things would have been fine if this was only in her mind. When she managed to get involved with this star and Nicole somehow got tangled in this mess too, things went south.

If you like boy bands and murder mysteries with same level of passion, maybe this is the book you are looking for. It was little too predictable and rushed for me.

I’ve read all of the authors books and this was by far my least favorite. I should’ve DNF it but I kept thinking it would get better and if anything it got worse. It actually seemed like a completely different author, even the style was a huge departure and the lack of character development as well as the lack of tension and excitement left me beyond underwhelmed. ​There was nothing thrilling or surprising here and the ending was a letdown too so overall a huge miss for me.

Boy bands, delulu young teens - and a death. Does it all lead to murder?

Two storylines in this one - One is in 2010 and of a mother looking for her 8 year old daughter who didn't get off the bus. The other, 1986, a 16 year old girl chases after a boy band that, she is just sure, her current boyfriend Ben is in - he just doesn't know they'd be perfect together. . .yet.

This story sounds just as delusional as it is. I found the POV confusing as they jumped around - because perspective accounts didn't match up. I found the leaps required to believe some of the coincidences just a little too much. Of all the women, he found 2 sisters, in all of London?

I wish I'd loved this one but I just never felt pulled into the story, never believed the sisters or Ben, but I've never been a boyband chaser so maybe I just didn't understand the delusion. And, in the end, I don't feel like we got all the answers to the questions and twists. I love the cover but don't think it has much to do with the story.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This gave a lot of 80s pop music nostalgic vibes. Although it took me some time to get into the story, the middle and end of the book was very interesting with many twists and turns. It was however, a little unbelievable. The ending felt very rushed and since this is a standalone novel, I was unhappy without a sense of finality.

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that intertwines past and present in a gripping narrative. The story follows Nicole Forbes, who lives a quiet life in California until a writer’s inquiry about a famous 1980s British band and her daughter’s sudden disappearance force her to confront her past.

The novel alternates between Nicole’s present-day life and the 1980s, where her sister Cassie is obsessed with the band’s lead singer, Ben Edwards. As secrets unravel, Nicole must navigate old memories and new dangers to protect her family.

Jones masterfully builds tension and suspense, keeping readers hooked with unexpected twists and turns. The dual timelines add depth to the characters and the story, making it a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers and mysteries.

Overall, I Would Die for You is a captivating novel that explores the impact of past traumas on the present and the lengths one will go to protect loved ones.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

I DNF’d this book. I really didn’t like the direction this book was taking, and it was not holding my attention. I will let other reviewers who enjoy this book promote it. I will not be posting on social media or reviewing on retail sites. That way, this book gets much deserved attention from those reviewers who loved it!

2.5 stars
In this dual timeline story, Nicole Forbes is living a quiet life on Coronado Island in San Diego, California with her husband and young daughter while campaigning tirelessly to protect the seals who make their home on a local beach. That is until a reporter shows up out of the blue one day asking her to provide insight on the downfall of the biggest British rock band of the 1980s and Nicole is terrified that her secrets from the past are coming back to turn her world upside down. Later the same day in what may be a connected event, Nicole's young daughter goes missing after being picked up from school by a woman claiming to be her aunt - the problem being that she doesn't have an aunt. The second timeline takes place twenty-five years earlier in 1986 in London when Nicole's 16 year-old sister, Cassie, is obsessed with the band Secret Oktober and the band's frontman Ben Edwards. When Nicole, also an aspiring musician, meets Ben while singing at a bar one night, their developing relationship threatens to tear her family apart.

This book had a good premise with potential in exploring obession and the damage it can cause to relationships with its plot focused on young groupies and rock bands. The 80's timeline was the more interesting of the two for this reason but, unfortunately, it just didn't hold my interest. The story is dark with a lot of drama and several twists but it didn't really feel like a thriller to me and I didn't care for the ambiguous ending. I Would Die for You is a quick read and, although I found it a bit underwhelming, I'm sure other readers might enjoy more than I did.

Content Warning: Rape

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Books set in the late 80s are always a fun setting as those were days of my youth. The current time being in quaint city of Coronado added extra intrigued for me. The story is told in current day with Nichole whose daughter goes missing when was picked up by an aunt. The past is told in England about Nichole and Cassie's encounter with the upcoming boy band.

The story was pretty entertaining and the mystery of the aunt kept me vested. This didn't feel like a thriller but more a mystery of what happened to the boy band and what happened between Cassie and Nichole.

The ending was a bit of a let down for me.

Imogen Wilde did a good job on the narration and I felt the tension for Nichole with her missing daughter.

Thank you @macmillan.audio @minotaur_books for a copy of this.

Hum...I'm a little uncertain what to rate this one. I thought the writing was okay and the story was just okay. I was a little irritated though at another book that depicts a terrible family, a wife who has kept a big secret from her husband for 25 years, and a little unrealistic in some of the things that it depicts.