I felt a bit lost sometimes with the flipping between 2 time periods and the same people discussing life with the same people in both eras. I did enjoy the novel. I felt the ending was a cliff hanger - or maybe it was to be a "decide for yourself" - now that you know the characters.

ARC Review of I Would Die For You by Sandie Jones

Sandie Jones delivers another gripping and emotionally charged novel with I Would Die For You, seamlessly blending nostalgia, suspense, and family drama into a story that will keep readers hooked until the last page. This dual-timeline narrative transports us from the glitz and chaos of the 1980s music scene to a quiet seaside town in 2011, creating a vivid contrast between the two eras that adds depth and intrigue.

The story begins with Nicole Forbes, a woman seemingly settled into her life in Coronado, California. Her tranquility is shattered when a writer knocks on her door seeking insights into the infamous British band Secret Oktober—dragging her back to a world she thought she had left behind. Simultaneously, her daughter vanishes under suspicious circumstances, forcing Nicole to confront long-buried secrets from her past.

In the 1986 timeline, we meet sixteen-year-old Cassie, whose obsession with Secret Oktober drives her into the heart of their chaotic world. Jones perfectly captures the allure and madness of 80s fandom, painting a vivid picture of backstage parties, starry-eyed ambition, and dangerous infatuations. Cassie’s story becomes tangled with her sister Nicole’s, as the band’s lead singer, Ben Edwards, takes a life-changing interest in Nicole—a moment that sets off a chain reaction of betrayal, heartbreak, and family strife.

Jones’s ability to craft relatable, flawed characters shines here. Nicole and Cassie’s sibling dynamic is raw and compelling, highlighting the complexities of love, jealousy, and loyalty. As the two timelines converge, the suspense escalates, with Jones expertly dropping breadcrumbs that keep readers guessing about the connection between Nicole’s past and her present-day crisis.

The novel’s setting is infused with the sounds and energy of the 80s, immersing readers in a world of neon lights and synthesizers while juxtaposing the quieter, sun-drenched scenery of Coronado. This duality mirrors the characters’ inner conflicts and heightens the tension, creating a rich, atmospheric read.

With its electrifying plot twists, emotional depth, and nostalgic charm, I Would Die For You is a tour de force. Fans of Jones’s previous works will relish her trademark blend of suspense and emotional resonance, while new readers will be captivated by this unforgettable story of love, loss, and the price of fame.
Rating: 5/5 stars

I am usually a fan of Sandie Jones' books. This one was a bit of a miss for me though.

Nicole Forbes is living in California with her husband and daughter, her main worry being saving the seals. But she is also hiding a secret past life in London involving her sister and family, a murder, an obeession with a teenage pop star, and the downfall of a popular boy band. Enter a reporter names Zoe and shortly after the disappearance of her daughter, Hannah and then all of these secrets resurface.
 
Positives:
Dual timelines
Many twists and turns
The book kept me guessing, and the reader is provided little hints along the way.

Negatives:
Nicole's teenage sister, Cassie, is such a dislikeable character suffering from mental illness
The ending was rushed and dangling, leaving me confused despite rereading

The potential was there...I will continue to read her books.

This was so good. I enjoyed the duel timelines. I was so enthralled in finding out the real story behind the band breakup!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

First off, the authors note completely threw me for a loop. It makes sense how the scenes and scenarios in the beginning felt so real 😂

Typically I don’t love stories revolving around musicians because that entire world is so far removed from me, however this one was good! Sandie is the queen of plot twists that you *think* you’ve figured out but NOPE, it’s something else. That always makes for a good time. This may go down as the most horrendous and diabolical love triangle (rectangle? Pentagon? Decagon?) in history. The ending?????? Insane. She’ was questionable from the start but HOLY

This story was more twisted than I expected. It alternates between 1986, when a series of events will lead to the downfall of a popular British band (Secret Oktober) and will irrevocably alter the lives of multiple individuals and families, and 2010, when Nicole Forbes (nee Alderton), sees her carefully crafted life collapse as her past is resurrected. She withheld the truth twenty-five years ago but even if she had confessed what she knew, it would still not have been the whole truth, as there were important details she did not know or which she misunderstood. The story will leave the reader guessing, with lots of surprises, including the ending.

It was amusing to learn that the author was a Duran Duran groupie and that some of the things that Cassie did to gain access to Ben Edwards and Secret Oktober (the fictional band member and band in the book) and some of the misadventures she experienced (toes run over, being caught on a fence, etc.) were based on the author's experiences.

I really enjoy duel timeline books 1986 and 2010 and so that made me enjoy the story more. It was a fast and easy read which I liked. But there were some plot holes and the pacing was a little off so not my favorite Sandie Jones book.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. This book weaves together two timelines, one in the present and the other in 1986. Presently, Nicole lives a more secluded life until a reporter approaches her and asks for her take on the end of a highly successful band from the 1980s; on this same day, her daughter goes missing when her "aunt" picks her up from school. Back in 1986, Nicole works as a bartender and sings open mic - this is when Ben, a member of this highly successful band, discovers her. However, Ben has already been embroiled with Nicole's younger sister, Cassie, but his eyes shift once Nicole comes into the picture.

This was a wild ride of a book, and the plot itself was just crazy. With a storyline like that, there are obviously a lot of twists and turns and this book is definitely a page turner! The only downside was due to the fast pacing, it felt as if the characters were not as developed as they deserved. That being said, having not cared for anything from the '80s, this certainly was interesting for me from that perspective!

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

This book started off with a great premise and I was interested till about the 50% mark, but unfortunately, the ending was pretty anticlimactic and I've read the authors other works and know she can write a better story. None of the characters were particularly likeable. I do find that sometimes I can enjoy a mystery thriller more in audiobook form if the narrator really brings it to life, so I'll give that a try before delivering my final review on goodreads. trating Overall, it just didn't deliver the payoff I was hoping for. That said, I would recommend "The Other Woman" instead.

I have loved this authors previous works, but this one just wasn’t for me. I was pretty invested at first but about 60% in I just felt lost and uninterested. I also really didn’t understand the ending. 2 stars.

Nicole Forbes is living a seemingly happy, mundane life with her husband, Brad, and young daughter, Hannah. Her biggest problem is trying to save the seals in her area. When a reporter shows up on her door asking her about long suppressed events of the past, everything she has carefully hidden is at risk of being revealed.

We go back to London, 1986 to figure out what Nicole is still trying to hide in California in 2010. In 1986, Nicole is an aspiring musician with a dying mother, a stoic father, and a younger sister, Cassie, who is absolutely obsessed with the front man of an up and coming band. As Cassie makes terrible decision after terrible decision and Nicole tries to hide her love life and potential big break, tensions flare and someone ends up dead. Clearly, these events are what Nicole is hiding from in the present. We are fed breadcrumbs about what happened, who it happened to, and whodunit. The book is unbelievably drawn out and a lot of what happened could have been avoided without delusions and with better, honest communication. When we finally find out what exactly happens, it confirms what an awful person the culprit is (as we suspect along the way) but I don’t really feel like justice was served. Then the book ends on a cliffhanger!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Filled with drama and a great dual timeline plot, this book was a complete page turner.

However, I didn't enjoy the dialogue which was inconsistent with the narrative, and it felt convoluted and unrealistic. The characters were one dimensional and didn't feel true. My first Sandie Jones book and sadly my last. The cliffhanger was not the greatest way to end this book and if there is a sequel, I won't be reading it. That being said, there are people who really like her books, just not me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was such a good book! I saw none of the twists coming, even though sometimes it was hard to tell what was happening with all of the frenetic sequences. I love when I don’t know what will happen next, this book definitely satisfied me in that respect. It was clever, creative, and challenging to keep up with. The characters were so well written that I loved and hated right along with the story. Great debut novel!

Nicole Forbes is a loving wife to Brad and mother of Hannah, champion of the local seal population and about to have her world implode. The day her world starts unraveling is the day, Hannah is picked up from school by her Aunt but Hannah doesn’t have an Aunt. This is also the day, a reporter comes to Nicole’s home and asks her about her involvement in the demise of the band Secret Oktober. These two emotional events turn Nicole’s world upside down. Are these two events somehow linked together? Who is behind this? What secrets has Nicole been hiding? Are those secrets going to cost her more than she bargained for?

Told in two timelines, the story flows seamlessly between past and present, as well as between characters, both past and present. The tension between Brad and Nicole is palpable, tensions while Nicole was going up are just as intense. Those feelings of teenage angst and having feelings for that guy who made you deliriously happy in youth are well written. Little by little, the story unfolds what happened that fateful night years ago, what secrets is Nicole hiding, and who is behind all the terror is revealed in a delightfully wicked way. Skillfully written, characters and plot are developed in a first rate manner, well done!

I Would Die For You by Sandie Parks
This book immediately intrigued me because it was about a girl (actually 2 girls, sisters) and their involvement with a rock band in the 80’s. (I remember the 80’s bands well as a teenager then!)
Cassie is a diehard fan/groupie of the band Secret Oktober and especially lead singer, Ben Edward’s. She spends a lot of time chasing the band everywhere. She also feels that Ben has the same feelings for her as well when in fact she’s just another face in the crowd to him. Until he meets her older sister Nicole whom really could care less who he is.
This story is set in two different times. So you have to pay close attention to when it’s back in the 80’s vs now 25 years later when Nicole is married with a little girl of her own and a past she’s never shared with her family. Eventually these two time zones collide. Sometimes it was a little bit hard to follow but still a good read.

This was my fourth read by Sandie Jones, and my least favorite. In fact, I couldn’t wait for this book to finally be over. If I wasn’t reading and reviewing this book for NetGalley, I probably would have put this book in the DNF pile, as it was a complete waste of my time. All the characters were unlikable (and not in a good way), there was absolutely zero substance to this story, and every “twist and turn” was unnecessary and totally not shocking.

This story is mainly about Nicole, who is living a new life in California. We have flashbacks from Nicole’s life in London, 1986 to now in California, 2010. Nicole has a younger sister Cassie, who is a complete whack-job. Cassie is deplorable and delusional, and chases a rock band around town called “Secret Oktober”. How does this famous band change the course of their lives forever? Especially Nicole’s?
Well, if you would like a bunch of eye-rolling moments, then I suggest you read this book and find out!

As I mentioned above, this my least favorite by this author. In fact, I feel like this was written by a totally different author (who kidnapped Sandie Jones? And can we please have her back?!). Maybe others will enjoy this more than I did if you enjoy reading about young groupies, and twists that really don’t go anywhere…

I would still like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and the author for an ARC of this book.
Publication date is: March 25, 2025
Genre~ Mystery & Thrillers

Teenage Angst at its finest. I was a baby in the 80s but I know a good boy band when I see one! This had everything! Star crossed lovers, teenage sisters, tragedy at home, drugs, promiscuity, and rock and roll! Put your feet up and enjoy the ride!

Fast paced with a great premise; but this book unfortunately just fell flat for me. The pacing was jumpy, there were too many odd plot holes, and the entire plot was based on multiple instances of miscommunication. I held out hope the big “lie”/reveal would redeem the sorry, but it was anticlimactic.

A deepdive of groupies of the 80s and a whole lot of crazy!
This was fun! Its dual timeline going back and forth between the 80s and the now is done well and moves the story along nicely.
We start with Nicole in the 2010s as her daughter gets picked from school by a stranger. There is also a woman asking questions about her past and her connection to a certain band of the 80s. The second timeline follows exactly that and we find out more and about Nicole, her family, the band and what that all has to do with Nicole‘s daughter being taken.
The parasocial relationship between the band and groupies creeped me out and got more intense the longer the story went on. I couldnt stop reading. The relationship between Nicole and her husband felt off, like she actually didnt care that much about him. But overall, great book and dang what a last page?!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy!

Present: Nicole Forbes lives a quiet and happy life in California with her husband and daughter, Hannah. When a reporter shows up unexpectedly and starts asking questions about the downfall of Secret Oktober, a hugely successful 1980s British boyband, Nicole sees her carefully curated life start to crumble. On that same day, Nicole’s daughter goes missing from school supposedly picked up by an aunt that does not exist. Believing that these two simultaneous events cannot be a coincidence, Nicole starts down a rabbit hole and must revisit a past that she has been determined to escape.

Past: Cassie is fangirl obsessed with Secret Oktober lead singer, Ben Edwards. When she is lucky enough to gain access to a backstage party, she believes they have a real connection. Willing to risk her life and relationships, Cassie sets down a path of destruction. Meanwhile, Ben meets Cassie’s sister, Nicole, by happenstance and feels an instant connection. As each sister’s relationship with Ben accelerates, the family begins to collapse under the weight of lies and deceipt.

The story switches back and forth between the points of view of Nicole and Cassie in past and present timelines. This is a tough one for me! I really enjoyed the premise and actually enjoyed both Nicole and Cassie’s perspectives, but the story was a little hard to follow. I think this is because of the twists and turns that were around each corner, but something got lost along the way. And ugh, the ending! While I typically don’t mind a cliffhanger, this one wasn’t my favorite. I actually went back and read the last page several times to make sure I didn’t miss something. I will continue to read what Sandie Jones writes. This one just wasn’t my favorite :)

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