This just did not connect with me. I DNF this one sadly. I will try more by this author but not sure her writing style is for me

“I Would Die for You” is my first experience with Sandie Jones, and I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. The book follows Nicole, a woman who has settled into a quiet life in California after moving from London. Happily married with one daughter, her world is turned upside down when a mysterious woman named Zoe knocks on her door. Zoe is asking about a “Ben Edwards” and accusing Nicole of having a role in the breakup of a rock band called Secret Oktober. This visit shakes her, but her day gets worse when Hannah (Nicole’s daughter), is taken from school by a stranger claiming to be her aunt. Hannah apparently doesn’t have an aunt. What a mystery.

The story alternates between Nicole’s past and present, slowly unraveling her complicated history. We learn that Nicole left behind her younger sister, Cassie, who lived with their sick mother and overly strict father. Cassie was a major fan of Secret Oktober and would skip school to hang around the groupies chasing after the band. Cassie had an unhealthy obsession with Ben, which made me wonder if Nicole’s secret was stealing her sister’s identity because why would Nicole date a man her sister was in love with? (Spoiler: I was wrong.)

The book is part mystery, part thriller, exploring how Nicole, Cassie, and the band’s pasts intertwine and how their lives were changed forever by their shared secrets. However, the book just didn’t keep me intrigued. While I appreciate the author’s attempt to combine suspense and mystery, this book wasn’t for me. I found myself switching to the audiobook to finish it. The twists didn’t feel as surprising as I had hoped, and the characters didn’t quite resonate with me.
Overall, I’d rate I Would Die for You a 2.5 out of 5. While the premise had potential, I just didn’t connect with the story as I had hoped. That said, I still want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Another Thriller option for fans of unhinged suspense in 𝑰 𝑾𝑶𝑼𝑳𝑫 𝑫𝑰𝑬 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝑱𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 out March 25th from @stmartinspress & @macmillan.audio.

I have come to expect a more popcorn level thrill from Jones and this one met my expectations.

This story involves a boy and a band with 2 sisters, the chaos fanaticism can bring, and how far you are willing to go to protect the ones you love.

I thought this was a fun, lighter suspense. It did tackle some deeper themes of fandom and fame, but overall, it was an entertaining read. It is one where suspension of likelihood must be employed, but I also feel like that can be fun in fiction. This really felt like a great option for a TV movie.

Thank you, publishers for sharing these formats with me via @netgalley though you can get them now wherever you get books!

Another windy twisty tail from Jones. I always love the suspense and the of the characters motivations and pass. I really enjoyed the back and forth from the groupie days to present day. It was such a wonderful contrast each other. The tension ramped up higher and higher throughout the book which made the ending so satisfying.

This author is an automatic read for me. And the street continues! I've already recommended it to some fellow Thriller readers.

This was an interesting sorry but I didn’t feel a lot of suspense and “thrill” along the way. The ending left me a little cold as well. It was well written however.

I WOULD DIE FOR YOU – by Sandie Jones - Rerelease

‘Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in the small seaside town of Coronado 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 left behind 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.’

That was some twisted Sh*t! I am honestly left with a puzzled look on my face and a question or two.

The story is told by way of two alternating timelines—California, 2011, and London,1986, which may be where some of my confusion stems from. There are a LOT of secrets that our main protagonist hints at, which makes keeping up with the drama a little difficult.

If you are expecting likable characters in this book—a strong side to root for, a friendly foe or two, you will be very disappointed.

I will say, I did not see that ending coming!

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press)for providing me with an eBook of I WOULD DIE FOR YOU at the request of an honest review.

What a thriller, what a story, what a page turner, couldn’t put it down!

Dual timelines- 2010, Northern California. Nicole, husband Ben and daughter Hannah. 1986, London, younger Nicole, younger sister. Cassie, and 80’s heartthrob rock band Secret Oktober.

The story begins in California, Nicole and her family are living a ‘perfect’ , peaceful life. One day a stranger knocks on her door with questions for Nicole about the demise of Secret Oktober. Nicole denies knowing anything and shuts the door to the stranger. Later that day, Hannah goes missing for a short time, having been picked up from school by her aunt- but neither Nicole or Ben have any siblings- or do they???

Then to the 80’s, where Cassie is infatuated with Ben from the band and will do anything to party with him. But who really has a thing for Ben- Cassie or Nicole? Add to their story their dying mom and a father who is left to raise two daughters and the events of the 80’s just keep coming!
I definitely enjoyed the 80’s timeline more. The characters and events were more developed, and I felt invested in what happened.

This is my first novel by Sandie Jones, but I will be checking out her others for sure!

Thanks to NetGalley and St, Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this advanced copy. This review is my own opinion.

Wow,
2 sisters told in a dual time line.
Nicole present day hiding who she really is and starts her life over in America, when she gets a knock on the door from a girl who is asking questions about the murder if the the famous singer in secret October, Nicole freaks out and then her daughter goes missing.

Cassandra a 16 year old girl in 1986, obsessed with the lead singer of Secret October, with an imagination and a ver bad grasp on reality will change both girls forever.

Love it! Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy

This was just ok. I wasn't a huge fan of the 80's flashbacks. The way the groupies were was annoying but I'm sure that was true for that time period. I liked the present day with Nicole and wanted more chapters with her. Also, Cassie is mental and a pyscho.

I just finished I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones, and here's my take on it:

Set against the backdrop of California in 2011, the story follows Nicole Forbes, who lives a quiet life in the seaside town of Coronado with her husband and daughter. Her world is upended when a writer arrives at her door, seeking her insights into the demise of one of the biggest British bands of the 1980s—bringing back memories of a life she thought she’d left behind. The same day, her daughter goes missing, and the school reports that her "aunt" picked her up, but Nicole has no aunt. Believing the two events are connected, Nicole must confront her past to protect her family.

In London, 1986, the story shifts to 16-year-old Cassie, who is obsessed with the hottest band of the time, Secret Oktober. She’s determined to get the attention of Ben Edwards, the band’s charismatic lead singer. But when Ben notices Cassie’s older sister, Nicole, singing at a local bar, an unexpected connection forms, setting off a chain of events that threatens to tear their family apart.

Infused with the energy and music of the 80s, I Would Die for You explores the chaos of fandom, obsession, and the tangled connections that can follow.

While the book started strong, drawing me in right away, I found myself struggling with the pacing as the story progressed. The dual timeline concept worked well, and I enjoyed the nostalgic 80s music and band dynamics, but the present-day timeline felt somewhat underwhelming.

The narrative became bogged down with too many unnecessary twists that, rather than adding intrigue, only served to drag the story out. It felt more like a family drama than the gripping mystery or thriller I was expecting. It took quite a while for me to feel the connection between the two timelines, and while the characters were well-developed, I found it hard to connect with any of them on a deeper level. None of them were particularly likable, which made it harder to become fully invested in their journeys.

Overall, I Would Die for You had potential but ultimately fell short of its promise. The nostalgic 80s elements and the intriguing premise couldn't quite compensate for the lackluster execution in the present-day plot.

This book started out strong, getting me intrigued right away. I liked the dual timeline. It made a lot of sense for this story and it's been a while since I've read one of those. However, I quickly began to have some issues with this.

While I really enjoyed where the story was going for the most part, all of the characters were stupid and I found myself rolling my eyes a lot at their thoughts. They made so many emotional leaps that just don't make sense.

Early on, future Nicole called Ben the love of her life, but I literally never saw any evidence to show it. We saw the beginning of their relationship and the end, but never saw the middle and therefore had no proof of them being in love.

Most of the reveals at the end ended up being predictable and not exciting while others were too outrageous.

I actually got this one both as an ebook and audiobook on NetGalley, so thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs!

The audiobook narrator did a great job with this book and was believable as the MC.

This is so good and weird I can hardly stand it. I loved the weird twists. I love our protagonist and her pathetic sister. That is how teens are sometimes. It was all so much fun.

Sandie Jones’ latest thriller, I Would Die For You, is a blend of mystery, suspense, and 80s nostalgia. The novel’s dual-timeline structure invites readers into two distinct worlds: present-day California and 1986 London, each echoing with the pulse of an iconic era. The vivid details of the 80s music scene create a rich, nostalgic backdrop that enhances the mystery. The alternating narratives keep the suspense alive, as clues from the past gradually illuminate the mysteries of the present.

I Would Die For You is a page-turner that will especially appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and those who appreciate a good dose of rock ’n’ roll nostalgia. The ending feels more like an invitation to a sequel than a complete conclusion, Sandie Jones proves once again that she has a knack for crafting twisty, emotionally charged narratives. I would recommend reading I Would Die For You.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of I Would Die For You. #NetGalley #SadieJones #IWouldDieForYou

Nicole and her husband live a quiet life in California with their young daughter, Hannah. They have a busy but uncomplicated life. One day a woman appears at the door looking for Nicole, seemingly knowing her name and some of her background. Nicole sends her away but seems very disturbed with someone possibly knowing her past. The same day, Hannah fails to come home from school. As Nicole looks for her, she is told by the school that Hannah was picked up by her aunt and Nicole has given her permission to do so. The only issue is that Hannah doesn’t have an aunt. Nicole is worried that her past has finally come back to haunt her. The story is told switching between the past and present in a very captivating manner. I enjoyed this book very much.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

It pains me to do this because I love Sandie Jones. But, this was such a terrible book for me! There were a lot of unnecessary twists and it just made the story drag and be boring. I found myself skimming towards the end just because I wanted this book to end.

I should’ve DNF’d this, but I was holding on to the hope that this story was going to redeem itself somehow. I also held on because the premise of the story was what initially drew me to it.

Will read her again, but this one just didn’t work for me.

This may be a novel for those who liked the music of the 1980s and the groupies of that time. It was not a book I felt was a compelling read. It felt more like a family drama than an engaging mystery or thriller. It took a long time for me to connect the dual time periods. The characters were done rather well but I did not feel any were really likable. I was never captivated by music as a teen so had a hard time understanding the earlier actions. The mystery aspect is good, keeping me wondering until the very end. But the end left things hanging.

This is the first novel I have read by this author. Her writing style is good but this topic just did not work for me.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I have never read any books by Sandie Jones before but the description and cover had me intrigued. I really enjoyed this dual timeline thriller. I LOVED the flashbacks to the 1980s and the music scene. The twists that kept coming had me on the edge of my seat. I could not put this book down. I did enjoy the flashback chapters more than I enjoyed the present day storyline. But overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to friends. I will be checking out some of Sandie's backlist books.

I have enjoyed her books in the past but this one didn’t make a ton of sense. I loved the whole 80s superfan and rock band angle but the present day stuff was not compelling. I wish it had just taken place in the eighties and was linear, that was the strongest part of the book and the rest felt like filler.

I loved the afterward about the authors love of Duran Duran and what she got up to’! There is a memoir in that.

Growing up, most of us had crushes on celebrities and I may or may not have stocked a few in my younger days. However, this book portrays extreme obsession with a lead singer of a band and shows how these obsessions can create a whole new reality for you that is not grounded. The story is told in a dual timeline – 1986 where Cassie, a sixteen-year-old is obsessed with Ben Edwards, who is the lead singer of Secret Oktober and 2011, when Nicole, Cassie’s sister is experiencing some strange events after a writer shows up at her door to talk about Secret Oktober and their downfall.

This was a quick read for me because I wanted to know what happened in the end. The story made me nostalgic for how I felt about my childhood celebrities in a time when social media was not available. However, Cassie very quickly became a character I did not like. In her mind, her obsession was real, but it was so extreme that I thought she may have had an underlying psychological challenge. Her level of fandom went well beyond any typical fandom. This obsession also led her to act and make some drastic decisions that negatively impacted her family

If you are into psychological thrillers and the lengths individuals will go to get what they want, I would check out this book. If you grew up in the 80’s and can appreciate those nostalgic references to a world before social media, this would also be an interesting read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#IWouldDieForYou, #SandieJones, #NetGalley

This one fell flat for me. I had a really hard time getting into it as it was a very slow burn. Because I couldn't get into it quickly, I ended up reading it in many sittings and I couldn't just pick up where I left off, but rather had to remind myself what it was about. I also wish the secondary characters had a little more development.

Thankfully the latter part of the book did pick up, albeit predictable. While this book wasn't for me, I'm sure it will have its following and I do want to read others by Sandie Jones.

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