I Would Die For You promises a thrilling mix of 80s nostalgia, family drama, and suspense, but while it kept me turning the pages, it didn’t deliver the gripping anxiety I expected. The stakes—especially in the present-day timeline where Nicole’s daughter goes missing—were high, yet I found myself oddly detached from the tension.

The dual timelines were a fun touch. I enjoyed the 1980s scenes with the vibrant music scene and the obsessive fandom around Secret Oktober. That part felt alive, pulling me into the chaotic energy of a teenager desperate for attention from her idols. Cassie’s fixation on the band, especially on frontman Ben Edwards, drives much of the drama, but it’s her actions that made me grit my teeth.

Honestly, I couldn’t stand either sister. Nicole came across as self-destructive and frustratingly secretive, which felt more like a plot convenience than a believable trait. Meanwhile, Cassie was insufferable—reckless, selfish, and a nightmare to deal with. I understand that her teenage immaturity was key to the plot, but she was almost unbearable from a few chapters in.

That said, the book has its merits. The exploration of how obsession, betrayal, and ambition can fracture relationships was interesting, and the past-present connection was well done. The mystery kept me curious enough to finish.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
I have loved every single one of this author's other books but she has outdone herself on this one. At first I wasn't sure if I would get into it considering the story line with this boy band but I quickly found out that this is an amazing book and I could not put it down. The story alternates between past and present which makes it even so much more captivating. The characters are likeable even though you sometimes want to shake your head, but thinking about how people, especially teens, can go all crazy about their favorite band or singer, it is totally relatable! What a great read that will keep you glued to the book! 5 🌟 for sure!!!

This was unfortunately a DNF for me after 20% - I could get a sense of where it was going and would have appreciated a bit more in the current timeline by this point.

Thank you, NetGalley. St Martin's Press and Sandie Jones for this ARC.

I have mixed feelings about this book. There were moments I couldn't stop reading but then there were times that I felt this book was dragging. Nicole is the older sister and Cassie is the youngest one. Cassie is obsessed with a band and seems to take her crush to another level. It doesn't help that she meets another fan with the same mind frame. I understand that both girls were teenagers and teenage girls are a handful, but these two were toxic. Their actions end up messing so many lives. I'm also not sure how I feel about the ending. I feel like this book had so much potential, but it felt it fell a tad short of being a wow book for me.

I was expecting more from this story. I enjoy reading books by Sandie Jones….not so much this one. It was a ok read for me.
With that said, there are plenty of twists and turns in the story. And….so many secrets!!!
The story is a duel timeline read.
I will reread this book at a later date and see how it goes. I encourage you to read it and see what you think.

Sandie Jones' books are just underwhelming for me. I liked the idea of this one - two sisters both fall for a boy band star, and things go wrong. But Cassie, the younger sister, is an obsessive, delusional psychopath, and not in an interesting way. Nicole, the older sister, is more interesting in the earlier timeline, as an older sister trying to deal with her mother dying of cancer, a younger sister whose whole world revolves around a boy band singer, and pursuing her own love of music. That love of music leads her to cross paths with Ben Edwards, the singer Cassie is obsessed with, and the two end up falling for each other. Something that will not end well when Cassie finds out. Things do not end up well, but following what actually happened and who was responsible for what was incredibly confusing. The more recent timeline is a muddled mess from the very beginning, with Nicole now living on Coronado, hiding her past with Ben and her time growing up in England from her husband Brad. It starts with a woman picking her daughter Hannah up from school and then spends the rest of the book with Nicole in constant meltdown mode - about Hannah, about a woman showing up that knows about her past, about people being unhappy with the work she's doing, that her husband is cheating on her, etc. The "climax" of the book is pretty underwhelming too, ending in a whimper that does no justice to the paranoia and plotting that goes on throughout the rest of the book. A complimentary copy of the book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love books that cover this information, long, lost bands, fans, secrets
The dual timeline told the story as it needed to

However, this was my first book by this author. It will definitely not be my last.

I’m a big fan of Sandie Jones. This was not my favorite of her works, but I did enjoy it! It read YA, understandable in the 1986 timeline, but it didn’t resonate as well in the 2010 timeline. Great plot and great twists! Perfect for fans of Megan Miranda.

I really enjoyed “I Would Die for You” far more than I thought I would! I loved the character development and it was a nice change of pace from the current thrillers on the market with its 80s vibes.

This book was just a big shoulder shrug for me. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it and I feel like I will forget about it in about 2 days. That being said, there were plenty of twists and turns and I finished it quite quickly. I appreciate the dual timelines but I preferred the 1986 timeline as I felt it was more flushed out. I didn't really like Cassie or Nicole and that may have had something to do with the fact that I gave this one 3 stars. I also hated the fact that Nicole and her husband turned on each other instantly. Like...where is your loyalty to one another? Aren't you married? Anyway, this one was just ok for me.

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

Thank you to NetGalley, Sandie Jones and St Martin’s Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was quite a twisted tale and you think you know exactly where it is going for the author to throw a wrench into the mix every single time. I loved that I never knew what was going to happened next. Definitely a fun read for 2025!

3.5 stars rounded up. I liked that the story had two timelines that converged into one story. The 1986 timeline was really fun to read, I liked the story. But the 2010 timeline was lacking. Too many things didn't make sense, and the twists were predictable.

Oh man, I really hated this. And I'm bummed because I was so excited for the chance to get my hands on an early copy of Sandie Jones' latest book.

25 years ago, British band "Secret Oktober" was the country's hottest ticket in town: everywhere they went, hoards of teenage girls would follow. One of them was sixteen year old Cassie, who used her obsession with the band's lead man, Ben Edwards, to escape her home where her beloved mother was dying from cancer. What she never anticipated is that her older sister, Nicole, would be in a secret relationship with Ben after the two had a chance meeting at a dive bar. And when she finds out, she sets a deadly chain of events in motion.

Years later, Nicole is trying to live a peaceful and quiet life in California away from the intense drama of her past. But it might just finally have caught up to her -- and it is far too late to walk back the lies she told her husband about who she was on the night they first met. Her precious present is being directly threatened by the scandalous events of her past.

This did not feel like a lot of her previous works -- the plot felt wicked choppy and chaotic and I could not connect to any of the characters as a result. The pacing of the "twists" also felt strange to me, which also made it hard to get into. Honestly, couldn't wait for it to be over despite a promising premise. It's a miss for me!

Sandie Jones has truly established herself as a master of domestic thrillers! Her latest novel, “I Would Die for You,” is a remarkably original tale that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The narrative skillfully alternates between 1986 and 2011, weaving an intricate storyline that is both compelling and immersive.

As someone who grew up in the '80s and harbored a deep affection for boy bands, I found myself connecting with the book's nostalgic elements. The initial familiarity drew me in, but once the layers of mystery began to unfold, the relatability took a backseat, and the real nail-biting suspense kicked in! The tension mounted with each turn of the page, culminating in revelations that left me breathless.

Sandie Jones has undoubtedly hit a five-star home run with “I Would Die for You.” I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and thrilling read. As always, I’m already buzzing with excitement for whatever Sandie Jones comes out with next next!

Ahhh this book was so much fun I loved the changing timelines and how we got to experience what was happening with everyone involved. I felt for Nicole at the beginning but when everything started unraveling.. well i wont spoil it but yeah crazy things happen for that family.

This book was so good and yet a little disappointing at the same time. This book was very suspenseful , so much so that sometimes I found it hard to put down. However, other times it felt like some of the twist were just for twist sake. Also, I truly feel like the ending was rushed and I really did not like the cliff hanger. Maybe Sandie should have written the cliff hanger and then a nice little epilog.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. #Netgalley #Iwoulddieforyou
Pub date: 3-25-25

Sandie Jone's books are always a hit with me. I was so excited to read her latest thriller. The ending was super fast paced and had twists around every corner. I felt like parts of the middle of the book were a little slower than I would have preferred. I liked the storyline of the regular girl and the famous popstar. I would recommend this if you enjoy thrillers/suspense with a crazy twisty ending.


Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was an entertaining and very quick read. It was dark and strange and (melo)dramatic, but interesting to watch unfold - in the way of train wrecks everywhere... Jones does a great job capturing a sense of time and place. While I wasn't in England in this time frame I was a teenager in America, and a lot of her atmospherics were completely relatable. There were some twists I didn't see coming but even when I figured out the next big surprise, I was still engaged in seeing how it all played out.

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is an intense, edge-of-your-seat thriller that had me hooked from the first page. The tension between the characters was palpable, and I couldn't stop turning pages, trying to figure out who could be trusted. The twists and turns kept me on my toes, and just when I thought I had it figured out, Jones threw in a curveball that made me gasp.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves suspense with a dash of dark psychological drama. The pacing is spot on, and the characters are complex and unpredictable. If you enjoy a good, twisty mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end, I Would Die for You is a must-read. It had me hooked and completely satisfied by the final reveal. ★★★★☆

My Thoughts

As a first- time reader of this author I was not sure of exactly how this dual POV and dual Timeline story would work for me, in some ways it did and in others it didn’t quite click.

That being said when I choose a book to read, I look for items in the description of the story that hook my need-to-know curiosity.

Generally, this means I may or may not really like any of the characters who drive a plot twist but enjoy the twists themselves.

In a rare case like this story where neither happens to be 100% true I had to choose the lesser of two evils and I chose Nicole to root for.

By the time everything was all wrapped up and the plot lines/timelines converged I was right back on the fence of not knowing what to think about how things actually were not totally resolved to my complete satisfaction.

[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.