"I Would Die For You" by Sandie Jones begins in 2011, where we meet Nicole, a staunch supporter of protecting seals. She appears to lead a normal life with her husband and daughter, Hannah, until a journalist knocks on her door, asking probing questions about a murder that occurred in the '80s. This unexpected visit shatters her sense of security and brings her past rushing back to the forefront of her life.

The narrative then shifts to the second timeline set in 1986 London, where a younger Nicole works as a bartender and showcases her singing talent during open mic nights, eventually catching the eye of Ben Edwards, the leading singer of the famous band Secret Oktober, leading to a complicated relationship. However, the real turmoil begins when Nicole's younger sister, Cassie, who is obsessed with Ben and the band developing intense delusions about Ben that spiral out of control.

As Nicole is forced to confront her past, she realizes that escaping it is not as simple as she once thought. The repercussions of those events ripple into her present, affecting her relationship with her husband and putting her daughter in jeopardy. The tension builds as Nicole grapples with the haunting memories and the reality that she can never truly escape her past.

I must admit that this wasn't my favorite book by Sandie Jones. I've read every book she's written to date, and while this one was entertaining, it didn't quite reach the heights of her previous works for me. Nonetheless, I was eager to uncover the secrets surrounding Nicole, Ben, and Cassie.

The cover art is very nice, and I appreciate the title of the book, "I Would Die For You," and how it came about from the story within.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 3 1/2 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-arc!!

THE ENDING WHAT?!?!? AHHHHH WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS SANDIE JONES

Okay but seriously, this is my first Sandie Jones novel and I really enjoyed it! This book takes place between two different time periods, 1986 and 2010.

In 2010, Nicole is a wife and mother living in Los Angeles, happy with her passion as an activist for seals. Nicole is pretty content with her life, until one day her past comes back to haunt her in a terrifying way.

In 1986, Nicole is a singer, sister, and daughter living in London. At the time, the biggest boy band in England, Secret Oktober, was a huge sensation. Teenage girls were driving their parents mad by following the band’s every move, skipping school to chase the boys. All of their thoughts revolved around the men of these bands, and every girl loved them- including Nicole’s younger sister, Cassie.

When past combines with present, it’s clear that Nicole was somehow involved with the band, and that something bad happened that maybe caused her to move all the way to LA.. but what would be bad enough to leave your family, your country, and basically your entire identity?

I will say that this is a more slow paced thriller in the sense that the timeline in 1986 isn’t too much of a thriller for most of the book- that timeline reads more like a fiction or historical fiction up until a certain point, but it’s still very interesting!! I actually enjoyed the 1986 chapters more than present day, but both still had me flipping pages.

I recommend this to fans of thrillers, mysteries, fiction.. it definitely kept me guessing, and the end had me searching for another page because that surely couldn’t be the end?!

I would definitely read another book by this author.

I Would Die For You by Sandie Jones has all of the attributes in this book that all of her other books have, signature twists and non-stop suspense that will keep you guessing until the very end. This is a quick and thrilling read and if you have enjoyed her previous works, I believe you will be highly entertained with her newest installment. I am looking forward to what Sandie writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is told in dual timelines of Nicole in California in 2010 and in London in 1986. She follows a popular band along with her sister and her best friend, and there is a love triangle. There is a lot of alluding to a mysterious sordid past and I didn't feel like the twists were surprising or mind blowing.

I'm not sure if I just read it in too many small chunks, but this wasn't my favorite. I didn't connect with any of the characters and didn't find myself wanting to pick it up very often, even on vacation.

Although the premise sounds interesting and suspenseful, this one just didn't do it for me. It's hard to stay interested in a book when 10 chapters and 20% in the setting is still being set and the characters still introduced. The back of forth of the timelines is also a bit confusing at times, as it's unclear the connection between them until much farther into the novel.

I went into this book expecting an intense, emotionally charged ride. Music, obsession, tangled pasts bleeding into the present. Instead, I got a story that kept circling something interesting but never quite landed.

The dual timelines should have been a strength. The 1980s plot had the perfect setup for messy, all-consuming teenage devotion, the kind that makes you do reckless things and rewrite your own reality. But instead of a headrush, it felt like a nostalgia reel that never let me fully step into the moment. The present-day mystery had intrigue, but the tension faded too quickly, and I never really connected to the stakes.

Then there’s the ending. Not bad, exactly. Just underwhelming. Like the book set up a domino trail only to stop halfway through knocking them down. It left me feeling less wow and more wait, so that’s all?

If you’re here for the atmosphere, the fleeting thrill of what it could have been, maybe you’ll get something out of it. But if you need fully realized characters, sharper plotting, and an ending that sticks the landing, this might not be worth the time.

I really enjoyed this! I second guessed everything until about 75% of the way in. The dual timeline/pov was well done. I sped through this and enjoyed everything minute!

I’ll be honest, when I read the synopsis of this one I wasn’t sure I would love it. But it immediately drew me in and ended up being a great little thriller that kept me guessing until the end!

I Would Die For You was a dual timeline thriller, set in 1980 and 2010, and it chronicled a character’s major obsession with a world famous boy band, and the very dark turns resulting from it.

I couldn’t entirely relate to the feeling of obsession with a band, however I was an enormous fan of The Spice Girls in the 90’s and I often fantasized about meeting them…

This book was twisty and addictive and had a great ending. I also loved the author’s note at the end that explained her own personal connection to the story.

Thank you so much St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read an early copy of this book. It comes out really soon; March 25!

I have read several books by this author but I enjoyed this one the least. The story delved into fan obsession . There is a kidnapping, deeply flawed and unlikeable characters and plenty of secrets. But I do agree with what others have said, that the ending was too abrupt.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This thriller was slow to start and I wasn't sure I would get into it. But once some of the layers were revealed it was enthralling. The writing was just okay, the story was pretty good. Overall I felt very middle of the road about it

Thank you St. Martins Press and Netgalley for this ARC! If family disfunction is your bag, you’re gonna enjoy this book. Nicole is living an upstanding life, great husband and perfect daughter, but history has a strange way in finding you. Why has she worked so had to erase her past? When a woman comes knocking asking about the band Secret Oktober, we see the story unfold between 1986 and 2010 in many POV’s. This story leads you in many directions with many twists. 3.5 ⭐️’s

This was bad. So bad I can't believe it is the same author. It had dual timelines between the 80's and now which was the only good thing. The characters were ridiculous and some seemed like cardboard. The story just didn't make sense. The ending was even worse than bad. It is getting 2 stars because I did actually make it to the end.

Read this if you like:
•domestic thrillers
•boy bands
•secrets

I went into this blind and this book was not what I expected but it did keep me engaged. I guessed some of the twists and felt like the ending was rushed. The audio was great though. Thank you Minotaur for eARC

This was an interesting one. I liked the alternating perspectives, especially that of the boy obsessed teenage girl. Made me recall of my youth when I was obsessed with boy bands like The Jonas Brothers and One Direction, always hoping in my bedroom that I’d be that normal nobody that they’d notice. Oh boy, to be so clouded as a hormone crazed teenage girl, I simply could never again 😂.

Overall this was decently paced but I felt like the ending started to slip apart. Something about it all felt kinda “huh?” by the end of it. But not in the exciting way. Just kind of scratching my head.

I really enjoyed parts of this book. I loved the idea of boy bands and the fans of boy bands. I loved playing around with that idea in a thriller. It was different than other thrillers I've read. I like the overlapping pieces of Nicole and Cassie's lives.

I didn't really like the ending. I felt some parts were very unrealistic. I felt other parts were random. I'm not sure why the seals really had to ever be involved. Does Nicole ever save the seals? How is her marriage? Does Zoe have a personality?

I would recommend to someone who wants an easy to read and enjoyable thriller. It would not be my first recommendation though.

I appreciate the ARC! Thanks again!

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This one was very twisty and I liked it. I basically read it in one sitting, so I was definitely entertained. Dual timelines and unreliable narrators are always a positive for me. I was rolling my eyes are some of the scenes (some characters were so naive!!) and was shocked by the severity of others (heavy content in this one), so it was a little all over the place. If you're looking for something quick and entertaining, this would be a great option.

My thanks to Net Galley and St Martin's Minotaur for this arc .

I was not feeling this book. It wasn't what I expected. I felt it a bit disjointed. This was the story of 2 sisters in 2 different timelines with a missing child of one of the characters in present time. We have 1 sister happily married with a husband and daughter where the daughter is picked up from school by someone claiming to be her aunt when there's no aunt. The other sister is an obsessed groupie of a rock band, then a rape and a murder. This was all over the place. I really can't recommend.

I think this is my favorite of Sandie's books. 80s rock n roll, groupies, dual timelines; it has it all. This was great for me, because I grew up in the 80s and it took me back. When her daughter goes missing, Nicole will have to relive a past she has long buried, even from her husband. Why did she leave the UK and why has a writer come to her door asking questions? This kept me glued to the story and I didn't want to let go.

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a riveting and intricate tale filled with unexpected twists. This gripping story delves into the dangerous repercussions of jealousy, misplaced passion, revenge, obsession, and even love. Jones masterfully weaves these elements together to create a haunting narrative that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Prepare to be captivated by this compelling exploration of the dark side of human emotions.

NetGalley ARC

I am honestly struggling to find a single nice thing to say about this one. Every single person in this story was absurd.

This book was a recipe for nonsense:
- 2 Delulu teens who think their rockstar idols are in love with them, and seem to think that matters more than family or ethics
- 1 Teenager with zero faith in her boyfriend
- 1 Husband who never noticed that his wife has been dying her hair for years (!) - does his wife not have roots she has to dye? c'mon.
- 1 Overbearing father
- 1 Enabling mother
- 1 Poor child who through no fault of her own was apparently never taught not to talk to strangers for her entire 8 or so years
- 1 Police force who bought a poorly staged crime scene
- An entire cast of characters who may well be compulsive liars
- Random occurrences of things being in American measurements instead of British, which, I'll admit, is mostly just a pet peeve of mine

I was bored out of my mind. Nothing in this story made sense, the POV transitions were confusing because everyone sounds the same, and every single twist beggard belief to the point that I was starting to worry I'd sprain my eyeballs with all the rolling they were doing. This is my third Sandie Jones book. I didn't like the other 2 that I read any more than this one, and I think it's time I admit that Sandie Jones' books are simply not for me.

Often times the audiobook narration helps lift a book like this for me, but it wasn't enough here and the accent switching just didn't work for me.

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