Giving this read 3 stars feels wrong only because I enjoyed so much of this book, but after sitting with it for a few days I just cannot rate it any higher. There is quite a lot going on in this book, but I personally found the dual timeline and multiple POVs to be entertaining and once I started reading I didn’t want to put it down even if it was a bit chaotic and farfetched at times (yes i understand it is fiction, but still). My biggest issue was the ending. I like when things are clear cut and this was not that.

TW/CW: Language, drinking, smoking, cancer, drug use, underage drinking, cheating, rape, death of parent, toxic family relationships

*****SPOILERS*****

About the book:
Now: Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in a small seaside Californian town 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 put behind her 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. Convinced of a link between the two, Nicole is forced to revisit long-abandoned memories from her past to protect everything she now holds dear.

1986: Sixteen-year-old Cassie is obsessed with the hottest band in London, Secret Oktober. Harboring an intense crush on the leading man, Ben Edwards, she will do anything she can to capture his attention among the throngs of groupies at the band’s scandalous backstage parties. But when Ben discovers her older sister Nicole singing at a local bar one night, he can’t help but feel drawn to her, setting in motion a collision course that could tear their family apart.
Release Date: March 18th, 2025
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 320
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Writing style was okay

What I Didn't Like:
1. Confusing timelines and characters

Final Thoughts:
This book felt like such a roller-coaster for me. At first I wasn't enjoying it but then I got to the middle of the book and was invested. Toward the end though just too much is thrown at you.

The back and forth with different characters added with the different timelines came off confusing at times and I would have to read back who was talking and when it was.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator made the husband sound more Scottish than North American. I think she did an okay job but I wasn't too impressed with the male characters. They came off too cartoonish at times.

Mike was over the top villain and it was too too much. Yeah, I no there are men out there like that but in this book it just was way way unnecessary. It's like you knew in the beginning who the villains were.

I did not like that in the last like 85% we were introduced to a character who was never even talked about before and suddenly now this woman is everywhere with Cassie. I kept thinking what was the point of introducing her other than being a witness to everything that happened and someone that Nicole could find out information from.

For some reason and Nicole subconscious they paint like every character is dead. Your led to believe that Cassie isn't even alive anymore when Nicole acknowledges that Cassie is alive when she comes back. I don't know maybe I missed something but it felt very confusing. You're also led to believe that Ben was killed. And that's not how your subconscious works. I am just so sick of Thrillers treating your mind of the main character like that you can pretend that people are dead when really they're alive and living somewhere else.

Like I said this book started off with me almost wanting to dnfing it but I kept on going and I ended up liking the middle then I get to the ending and it was a flap for me

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In 2011 California, Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life with her husband and daughter. Just when a writer asks about her views on the breakup of Secret Oktober, her daughter goes missing and the school claims her aunt picked her up. There is no aunt, so Nicole must revisit memories of 1986 London. Nicole's sixteen-year-old sister Cassie was obsessed with the band Secret Okotober and its lead singer Ben Edwards. But Ben is drawn to her older sister Nicole singing at a local bar.

First and foremost, Nicole's daughter Hannah is okay, and going missing was to scare Nicole and get the story started. We have two timelines, 1986 London where Cassie is drawn to Ben and follows the band around, skipping school and work, making friends with another groupie, and avoiding the slow, painful death of her mother. Her older sister Nicole was working and singing in bars and soon got involved with Ben too. The 2010 timeline involves an older Nicole working to save seals while her husband works on a Navy base. The two have underlying tension that comes to the surface when Hannah goes missing, and there are secrets they both have. Nicole's might be bigger, but it doesn't seem like they trust each other after all.

While the band and groupie scene undoubtedly reflects what often went on, I really didn't enjoy seeing the band members like that. Michael especially was obnoxious, with very little positive about him aside from musical talent. Ben looks great next to him, but I didn't find him charming either. I get it, they're teenagers, but I really had a hard time seeing any appeal. Nicole's so anxious in the 2010 timeline, and some of her actions make us doubt her version of events. The final third of the book moves back and forth between timelines and what we think we know about the past. While I don't particularly like any of the characters, their story was compelling and kept me up late to finish the book.

Nicole is living the peaceful life she has carefully curated. What could go wrong when she has buried her past so carefully? Everything. When a stranger shows up on her doorstep asking answers to questions she has no desire in answering she starts to panic. Then her daughter goes missing and things go from and to worse. And by worse I mean bizarre, twisted, whackadoodle crazy. Obsession, years of planning, kidnapping, attempted murder, lies upon lies and more. Told in dual timelines and from multiple perspectives. I found it a bit disjointed and a bit hard to follow at times, but overall a good read. Not my favorite by this wonderful author, but still looking forward to whatever comes next.

Wow! Just WOW! I thought this was such a good book. A thriller that kept me guessing and turning the pages. It had everything I love about a good thriller.

Nicole has had secrets she kept from her husband. Big secrets but ones that I didn't think were all that bad. Yes she should have told him. But what could he have done about it? If she had told what would have changed? Maybe she would have felt better. Maybe she would have been more relaxed. But still.. Why open that can of worms now?

When Nicole and Brad's daughter Hannah goes missing they are in a panic. Of course they are. She's an eight year old child. Who would do this and why? When Hannah is found safe and sound she tells them that it was her aunt that had taken her. Supposedly Nicole had given permission but she knows that she didn't. She knows that there is no way she would have done this. Brad has no sister and, well, Nicole's sister died twenty-five years ago. Right?

This story goes back and forth between two timelines. Back in 1986 when you get to know Nicole and her younger sister Cassie. How close they were. How they would do almost anything for each other. Until Cassie falls for a singer in one of the biggest bands in England. She is convinced that they have something special. That he, Ben, loves her. But Nicole is not so sure. She knows Ben and she herself is in love with him. What could possibly go wrong with this situation?

Then you jump ahead to 2010 and get to know Nicole after the fact. She doesn't want to lose the life she has. She's living in the US now and has put so much distance between her and her past. Just wanting to move on with her life. But someone has different ideas. A stranger comes to see her and asks questions about what happened back then. In 1986. Who was to blame for it? Nicole has a lot of explaining to do. Hoping that Brad will understand why she never told him about her life before.

I throughly enjoyed this book. It kept me wanting to read to find out who the killer was and why. Though I did expect it to be another character who actually died. The way the author wrote it was perfect and that ending. WOW... I didn't see that coming. I felt so sorry for Nicole and wanted her to come out on top. For her family to stay intact. For her life to go on as usual. Sometimes we don't get what we want. Sometimes we do.

Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, @MacMillanAudio, for this ARC.

Excellent story. Strong audio. The narrator did such a good job. Made the characters come to life. I loved both the book and the audio.

A love triangle between two sisters gone totally wrong. This would have been a good mystery if it hadn't been so long and drawn out. This story is told in dual timelines, which I do enjoy, but the book overall is one that I wouldn't recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a digital ARC of this book.

From the very beginning, I was captivated by the story. I appreciated the plot, the characters, the gradual buildup, and how each secret unfolds.

The writing flowed well; however, I found the abrupt ending to be somewhat unsatisfying. It felt a bit ambiguous and left a small cliffhanger. Overall, it was a pleasant, quick reading experience that I truly enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"I Would Die for You" by Sandie Jones promised a thrilling psychological suspense, but sadly, it fell completely flat for me. Two stars feels generous.
The characters were, to put it mildly, deeply unlikable. I found myself actively disengaged from their motivations and struggles, which made it difficult to care about what happened to them. Their actions felt contrived, and their personalities were one-dimensional.
Beyond the unpalatable characters, the plot itself was incredibly boring. The pacing was sluggish, and the so-called twists were predictable and lacked any real impact. I spent most of the book waiting for something exciting to happen, but it never quite delivered. Ultimately, "I Would Die for You" felt like a tedious slog, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a gripping read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Sandie Jones, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. This was an immersive and captivating read—I truly felt like part of the fan girls, with the music practically leaping off the pages. A haunting and emotional story that tugged at my heartstrings.

I Would Die for You by Sadie Jones had a great premise…it grabbed me right away and I wanted to keep reading. Unfortunately, the story became very disjointed and far-fetched as I kept reading. I honestly didn’t like any of the characters and by the end, I was very confused as to what was going on. The end was very abrupt and left me angry.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read I would die for you by Sandie Jones. This was a two timeline mystery/thriller about a mother whose daughter disappears at the same time as a journalist shows up asking her about her thoughts on the downfall of the biggest British band of the 1980s. The story flips back to 1986 when Nicole's sister is dying to meet the lead singer Ben Edwards in the hottest band in London, Secret Oktober. When Ben winds up at a bar where Nicole is working and singer, it sets up a tragic and mysterious end to the band.
At the beginning I was hooked on the story, but I couldn't get into the characters, and I really didn't like the abrupt ending. If you are a fan of writers Shari Lapena and B.A. Paris, you may enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This book follows Nicole, a wife and mother, through the ages of the present and her teenage years. It also centers around her sister, Cassie, who is obsessed with a British rock band.

Nicole's daughter goes missing for a short time, claiming her "aunt" picked her up. Nicole fears she may have to face her past and the tragic situation that happened so long ago.

Set between the present and the mid 80's, this is an enjoyable thriller that kept me on my toes. I have enjoyed this author's works time and again.

I have tried to read this and even tried listedning on audio but it is not my cup of tea. Thank you for the opportunity to review but I will not be moving forward with this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read!! This historical fiction based thriller was extremely well written. Sandie Jones did an excellent job making this read realistic enough to leave you begging for more. Sometimes when I read books that jump time periods I feel either lost, confused, or overwhelmed trying to keep up. However, with this book, I appreciatively found that details were unveiled at an easy to digest, steady pace.

I Would Die For You is a web of mystery with threads of romance, deceit, and darkness. Nicole and Cassie are two sisters that happen to fall for the same man, Ben, a member of a boy band that is skyrocketing to fame across the globe. When one sister goes missing and Ben is to blame MANY lives are changed forever.

Sandie Jones' newest novel has a lot of potential but, in the end, it was too tangled up in the threads of its subplots.

The first half of "I Would Die for You" was compelling and fast paced. I pictured Ben as Harry Styles and understood the teenage obsession Jones describes since I saw it growing up in the 1D era. However, there are two main things I would change in how the plot develops in the second and third acts.

1. I would have wanted Cassie to be more of an unreliable narrator. It was too obvious too early on that it was all in her head. It would have been more effective if the reader saw Cassie have a few sweet moments with Ben behind stage after the concert, maybe a party before the one that was raided, and then genuinely believed that Cassie and Nicole were both being strung along and Ben was the bad guy. Then we would be shocked when we see Cassie's involvement in destroying Ben's reputation.

2. I would have wanted Cassie's obsession and "snap" to be more motivated by her mother's death. I felt the depth of emotion in the first few Cassie chapters but somewhere along the way it got lost. Including a few scenes where she tells her mother about being backstage at the concert and then meeting Ben, her mother's excitement for her, followed by her mother's decline and perhaps her death happening on the same day she finds out about Ben and Nicole would have been a more believable motivation for Cassie going crazy. Ben was her tie to her mother and perhaps she even would have thought she had her mother's blessing in her delusion. Instead, I found it hard to believe that she was so obsessed and willing to take such drastic steps without much explanation beyond "I love his music and stare at his poster".

All in all 3 stars for good writing quality, good ideas, but unfulfilled potential.

Things I liked about this book
-Mystery/crime investigation
-Music industry/ boy band craze
-Two time lines (present day and the 1980s)
-Looks into the parasocial relationship between fans and musicians and the unhealthy obsession some people have
Triggers include
-R@pe
-Assault
-Drug Use
-Alcohol
-obsession/stalking

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur and the author for the arc!

I could not, would not, did not put this one down! Geez Louise I was hooked from the very start! A crazy thriller about teenage fangirl obsessions and the lengths one will go to meet, greet & and uhhh way more! It’s toxic, it’s a hot mess and I couldn’t stop flippin’ pages to find out what happened all those years ago and how those events came back to haunt our MC’s!

The dual timelines bounced back & forth with just the right pacing that each one was like a little mini cliffhanger. I’m usually pretty good at guessing at least a little bit of what is going on … but this story kept me completely in the dark until the very end! And that ending? Not entirely sure how I feel about it yet … it’s a doozie!

The set up for I Would Die for You was brilliant in the way it grabbed me by the hair and demanded my attention. Nicole's daughter is picked up early from school by her aunt. But she doesn't have an aunt! A reporter appears at Nicole's house wanting clarification of her role in the death of an 80's pop star. Who is she and are these events connected?

The dual timelines of past and present were a great way to tell the family history of sisters Cassie and Nicole. The 1980's groupie scene with teenage obsession, sex, drugs, and rock n roll. The carefree choices made as teenagers can have repercussions as adults. Switch to present and the painful way the past can creep back to slap Nicole in the face. Can her marriage survive from all the secrets Nicole has kept buried?

There is a ton of suspense and drama, but the ending seemed to drag on for a rapid read at the beginning. Pick this one up for a fast summer thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for early access.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this whole story, especially the flashbacks to the 80’s and following a fictional boy band around the UK! It had so many missing pieces right from the start that slowly fall into place when you start getting the backstory. I loved how I had no idea where it was headed and the was satisfied by the time the story concluded. I would recommend if you like psychological thrillers and mysteries involving long kept secrets!

I couldn't put this one down!!! It was such a fast-paced easy read. I had some inkling along the way as to where it would end up, but there still some surprises I didn't see coming. Recommend this one for an enjoyable read, that's thrilling but not creepy!