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.

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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.

I WOULD DIE FOR YOU
BY: SANDIE JONES

About 3.5 Stars!

I have read all of the Author, Sandie Jones novels so I was highly anticipating her newest novel, called, "I WOULD DIE FOR YOU," which was a one sitting reading experience for me. It is a dual timeline narrative that takes place in both 2010 (present day), and 1986. The novel begins in 2010, with Nicole and her husband Brad, at home with him offering to help her campaign with her dealing with her kind motivations for protecting the mothers, and their baby seals at their Southern Californian beach front home. Sounds like a pleasant day in the life of a happily married couple that are there for one another living an idyllic life in a beautiful part of the Country doesn't it? By the way, I happen to know that it only rains there approximately three days out of a year. If it was just me, without my children, and husband to consider, I would move there in a heartbeat. It's close to San Diego, and it's where they train the Navy, SEALS. I believe that out of all of the military enlisted that want to become one of the elite Navy SEALS who enlist in their program, that the training is so extremely mentally, and physically exhausting that out of a group who start the training, only a small fraction actually of men can successfully reach their goal of completing the training. I mentioned that since Brad, who is Nicole's husband is one of the instructors in that program. A different storm is about to rain down on their lives. Nicole answers the door and a pushy writer working on a book named Zoe, shocks Nicole by asking her an uncomfortable, and intrusive question about a famous, and the popular band from her past while she lived back in London in 1986. Nicole tells Zoe that she has the wrong person. Zoe ignores Nicole after she tells Zoe to leave, but doesn't leave before Zoe correctly identifies Nicole by mentioning Nicole's maiden name. After Zoe leaves I had the idea that Nicole's world that she left behind in London by Nicole's reaction that makes this novel start out with a bang by this author's ability to inject so much tension creating a taut, and metaphorically rug get ripped out from underneath Nicole's bucolic life, and mine as a reader, as well. This author has the talent to describe Nicole's world closing in around her so skillfully in economic prose that I could feel the sudden feeling of not being able to focus, and as she tried to regain her equilibrium, while Nicole was sitting on her stair she looked around the room at various items surrounding her in her home were totally distorted. That was some very strong writing that I could feel viscerally exactly how Nicole was feeling. But that isn't the only thing because things got much more terrifying, and that same day later that afternoon when Nicole went outside to meet her eight year old daughter, Hannah she wasn't on the bus. The bus driver told Nicole that Hannah wasn't on his list for the day. As any panicked mother would she called the school to be told that Hannah was picked up from school by her Auntie, only Hannah doesn't have an Auntie. When the administrator at the school said that Nicole had called in the week before giving her permission for Hannah to be picked up from school telling Nicole that she has the documentation right in front of her. Nicole said that she never gave permission for Hannah to be picked up by anybody. She calls her husband home, and the police chief comes to their home. Within a short time, there is a search party organized calling Hannah's name, and volunteers along with Nicole, and Brad searching for Hannah.

This is why I don't like dual timeline books because right when I was just getting involved in Hannah being missing, and Nicole's knowledge that her 20 or 25 years of building her life in America concealing her past from her husband. Lying to him, dying her hair, and basically knowing that there's a connection between the writer Zoe showing up asking her about her connection to what she would like to add regarding her connection the lead singer in London's most famous rock band in 1086, to Secret Oktober and the front man (meaning its lead singer) the timeline changes abruptly back to the 1986, timeline. And it doesn't go directly to Nicole and why she's kept her past a secret from her husband. It starts at the beginning having a lot to do with her sixteen year old sister Cassie and her obsession with the band's singer in Secret Oktober. The 1986, timeline highlights an introduction of Nicole's 16 year old sister, named Cassie. Cassie meets Amelia, and how both of them are groupies with the band Secret Oktober, and them thinking that they have a relationship, or the start of a promising one with Cassie thinking that Ben, the singer is interested in her. Amelia her friend who is able to get them into after parties with the band. What Amelia did with Michael at the party when the police raided the party, and Cassie got arrested. The book lost most of its momentum, and seemed much more in the genre of very Young Adult. It stayed there in the past, in 1986, for much too long, and to be honest I was bored, but forced myself to keep reading since I had to write a review. It took a long time to get interesting, but I'm glad I hung in there. Their mother is dying of cancer. I was reminded of a band my best friend, and I used to go to their shows, but we didn't come close to the delusional thinking that Cassie, and Amelia's antics, and wouldn't have chased them, or act so Over The Top as those two.

I think that I've not encountered a more twisted, devious character in a novel as one, or two of them turned out to be in a novel before. I won't name them since that would be spoiler territory. I don't know how other readers feel, but the compelling, and edge of my seat reading content that was included left me feeling depressed after I finished this. I wasn't able to put this down once I reached a certain point, but it left me feeling sorry for some characters that were negatively affected. It's psycho, and devious actions just lowered my vibrations. I didn't like the ending at all, and I don't like when children are part of sadistic revenge plots, especially eight year old innocent children which is leaving me torn about my rating. I'm not sure I'd recommend this even though I couldn't put it down since I was left feeling as though this ended up being a downer. I do like the Mystery & Thriller genre, but even though I realize it's fiction, this takes things too far. I can't say anything more without spoilers, Everyone is different so take my opinion with a grain of salt, and read other reviews before making a decision about whether to read this.

Publication Date: March 25, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Sandie Jones, and St. Martin's Press--Minotaur Books for generously providing me with my ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#IWouldDieforYou #SandieJones #StMartinsPressMinotaurBooks #NetGalley

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.

I ended up listening to the audiobook and reading the physical book. I really liked the narrator. She was easy to listen to and kept my attention throughout a story I unfortunately was not connecting with. It was an interesting plot idea and I liked the writing style so I would be willing to try more by the author.

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.