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.

3 rounded up from 2.5

This one just missed the mark for me. I was super intrigued in the beginning, and while I kept reading to see what would happen next, I was almost irritated by the book. I hate saying that. There was something about the characters that were simply not likelable and the plot seemed so far fetched, yet easily attainable to the characters within...I don't know. It just didn't pull me in and entertain me like I hoped it would.

I received an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

I ended the month with my first Sandie Jones book, and I must say I was disappointed. At least, from reading some fellow readers' comments, this is not her best work, so I'm not going to set her aside yet. But, to be honest, if I didn't read those comments about the author’s books, I would probably not be interested in giving her another chance. I literally finished reading this book yesterday, and I already forgot what it's about. If I didn't read the synopsis again, I would literally have no idea. That should pretty much say it all.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for my review copy.

I just turned the last page of this book and I'm trying to collect my thoughts to share in my review. The biggest thing is that I had to re-read the last couple pages because I don't know if I understood the final twist. I think I do but I wish I had someone to discuss with and confirm. This would not have been the only time that I felt confused, it actually happened a handful of times.

Other things I didn't love:
-The ending would not have been the only time that I felt confused, it actually happened a handful of times.
-I didn't really like any of the characters, like at all.
-So many things in the 1986 timeline were truly unbelievable. How would these teen fangirls have had such access to band members that just sold out Wembley Stadium. Too many things that happened were like a major stretch. Why would they have been hanging out with 16 year olds??
-The frequent switching back and forth of the timelines in addition to the switching of the 1st to 3rd person viewpoint.

Things I liked:
-There were some decent twists
-I was invested enough to keep reading as I needed to find out what happened even if it was a tad bit underwhelming when it all came to light
-I ended up listening to the second half of the book and the narrator was excellent (and I typically don't do well with British accents).

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a story full of twists and turns, though there was some predictability. It was a web of lies and hidden truths. The story was told in the past and present, putting all the puzzle pieces together. Towards the end, the story became very fast paced and I found myself unable to put the book down. I do feel it could have been fleshed out a bit more, and the ending felt abrupt.

This book reflects back to the 1980’s, 2 teenagers and their obsession with the current hot group in London. I was drawn to this book because Sandie Jones is a must read author for me. I enjoyed her dual timelines she used while telling the story. There were some unbelievable and crazy chaotic moments but they kept me entertained. While I couldn’t relate to any of the characters they did propel the story along and held my attention throughout while learning a little more about the recording industry. All opinions expressed are my own.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced eGalley of the book. #IWouldDieForYou #SandieJones #NetGalley

Sandie Jones’ I Would Die for You is a thrilling blend of nostalgia, suspense, and the complex dynamics of fame, family, and obsession. The novel weaves two timelines together, one set in 2011 and the other in 1986, creating a captivating narrative that hooks readers from the first page.

In 2011, Nicole Forbes is living a quiet life in California with her husband and daughter, far removed from her tumultuous past as a rising star. But when a writer knocks on her door asking about the downfall of the iconic British band, Secret Oktober, Nicole’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel. The same day, her daughter goes missing, and Nicole is forced to confront the secrets she’s buried deep. The sense of danger escalates as Nicole realizes her past might be more connected to the disappearance than she ever imagined.

The 1986 timeline takes us back to Nicole's teenage years when she was caught in the allure of rockstar fame. Her younger sister, Cassie, is obsessed with Secret Oktober, and their lives take a dramatic turn when the band’s frontman, Ben Edwards, becomes interested in Nicole instead. Jones skillfully explores the emotional turbulence of youth, the price of fame, and the darker undercurrents of familial relationships, making Nicole's eventual escape from that world all the more poignant.

Jones blends music, mystery, and an immersive 80s backdrop to create a tense and compelling psychological thriller. The novel delves into the dangerous obsession of celebrity culture, the secrets that linger in the shadows, and the sacrifices made to protect loved ones. Nicole’s journey is one of survival and self-discovery, and Jones builds a gripping narrative that keeps the reader questioning what is real and who can be trusted.

I Would Die for You is a page-turner filled with suspense, twists, and a touch of rock ‘n’ roll glamour. Fans of psychological thrillers and music-inspired stories will find this novel both thrilling and emotionally resonant. It’s a captivating read that reveals how far someone will go to protect the ones they love—and the haunting power of a past that refuses to stay buried.