California 2010

Nicole Forbes lives in Coronado with her husband, Brad, and their daughter, Hannah. One day, a woman comes to the door saying she is writing a book and wants to interview her about what happened to Ben Edwards. Nicole is shocked and sends the woman away.

London - 1986

Cassie isn’t at school so she can get a glimpse of her heartthrob musician, Ben Edwards, and his band the Secret Oktoberfest. Her older sister, Nicole, works as a waitress and at night is trying to become known as a singer. Their mother, Gigi, is ill and they so want the woman to live. Their father is so worried about their mother and is pretty strict with the girls.

California 2010

Nicole is waiting for her daughter, Hannah, to get off the school bus but she is told that Hannah went home from school with an aunt. However, she has no aunt. Now, Nicole and Brad are out frantically searching for Hannah.

I found this book difficult to get into and to understand what was going on. I will never understand young teens who get so involved with being a band groupie which is what Cassie is. The extent she goes to trying to attract Ben is ridiculous. This theme continued throughout the book and left me totally bored. Sorry. Not for me.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was really excited to read this because another book I read by this author was a five star read for me. It started off well and I was interested, but lost interest as I got into it more. The story is told in dual timelines. After a while, the past timeline became a chore to read. The character Cassie became extremely unlikable as the story progressed. At first, I was rooting for her and excited about her adventures. Then I just wanted to get through her pages as quickly as possible to get it over with. I found a few things in the story to be far-fetched. There was also some phrase repetition that I noticed. What I did like about the book was the present day timeline. I found it to be much more interesting and I liked Nicole. I was disappointed with the ending as it was very abrupt. Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me.

I tried so hard to get through this one, but it just wasn't for me. The story seemed very juvenile and the writing lacked whatever was needed to keep me hooked. I DNF'd around 45%.

Nicole has worked hard to move on from her past—until a journalist knocks on her door, asking about the legendary British boy band of the ’80s. When her daughter vanishes on the same day, Nicole is forced to confront long-hidden secrets, unraveling a web of mysteries that connects the past and present in a shocking way. You won't want to miss this story—you're going to be hooked, eager to uncover what really happened back in the 1980s. Stay tuned, because you're in for an unforgettable ride!

This book certainly kept me on the edge of my seat, filled with suspense right up until the final pages. It was dark, full of twists, and one of the characters could only be described as pure evil. The writing was strong, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger, making it impossible to put the book down. The conclusion was gripping, but I still found myself wanting more. I particularly enjoyed the dual timelines of California in 2010 and London in the 1980s, which added depth and intrigue to the plot.

If you’re into thrilling reads filled with obsession, family drama, intense passion, the glitz of Hollywood and the music world, and some serious regret, this one’s for you. It might start off a little slow, but the author really knows how to build the tension, leading to a conclusion that’s both satisfying and makes you think about what might happen next.

I enjoy her books and I would say this one was pretty good. 3.5 stars. I got a little bored but overall I’m glad I stuck with it and saw it through!

This story had me hooked from the start. It's told from multiple viewpoints in the past and the present. I kept turning pages so I could find out what really happened. The characters were interesting. Every time I thought I knew what was going to be revealed, I was surprised. The book was a great escape. The ending though was not satisfying! But I would read more from this author in the future. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book was too much for me. I did like that the plot was centered around the demise of a 1980's boyband that was on its way up. The story of the reason it failed--was too drawn out to be suspenseful. It was done in two timelines and honestly, the one set in the 80's had way too much going on. Cassie was a teenager with stuff going on at home (I don't want to give anything away) and "in love" with the lead singer. The crazy that she displayed was too much, redundant and could have shortened the book by a bit. The NOW timeline with its twists and turns was a little too over the top. Suffice it to say that while the book was ok, I didn't really care for it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complementary digital ARC. This review is my own words and thoughts.

This book is made more interesting by the multiple POV of the timelines. In 1986, a 16yr old groupie manages to catch the eyes and ears of her favorite group's lead singer. A few days later, the same lead singer hears a young woman singing and their stories merge. Neither of the three characters realize the triangle they have joined.
Fast forward to 2010, the young singer is now a suburban wife and mom with no record of her life in 1986. No one knows her back story, no one except the three people involved. But today, a journalist knocks on her door asking questions about her part in the break up of the popular group. All she can think is NO ONE KNOWS. But someone does and they have her daughter.
With these two pieces of information, Sandie Jones will drag you into the story and keeping you tied in until the OH NO moment. While this might not be the most original plot line this year, Jones does an excellent job of spinning the radio dial to keep the music playing.

This book was all over the place and never really found its footing. There are two storylines. We are first introduced to Nicole, living in California with her husband and her daughter. She's keeping secreats and we don't know what they are. Or what they even relate to. Okay.

Then her daughter gets picked up from school from her "auntie" but she doesn't have an aunt, because her husband doesn't have siblings and her sister is dead. So who has her kid? (The kid is found and returned quickly so this isn't a child abduction story). But then in the present, Nicole has to figure out who would want to take her child and what they want from her. She also has to start being honest.

In the past, we get 16 year old Cassie fan-girling over a band. She acts stupid and this plot is even stupider. She meets some girl and they sneak around to party and do illegal drugs with the band. Then they are shocked when bad things happen and the band members don't believe that they are soulmates and want to go get married.

This does tie together but it's bizarre and unbelievable.

Nicole Forbes lives a pretty quiet life with her husband and daughter in California. But when a journalist shows up at her house on the same day her daughter goes missing, Nicole knows her past has caught up with her. Because in the 80s, she was involved in the downfall of the biggest British boy band of the time.

I really enjoyed this book. SO MANY SECRETS. The relationship between Nicole and her sister was interesting and watching everything unfold kept me reading. This is a super fast read and take it from me, don’t let your guard down for a second!

Sandie Jones hits it out of the park again.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available March 25, 2025.

Nicole Forbes is enjoying her life in California, far from England where she grew up, until her past comes knocking on the door. We learn that she left 25 years prior having been entangled in a murder trial. The narrative goes back and forth between the 1980's as Nicole and her sister Cassie get involved with members of a top pop band, and the present of 2010 when all the bills of Nicole's past come due. The writing is crisp and the plot moves quickly. I enjoyed the book, but the ending left me a bit wanting. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the book #IWouldDieForYou by #SandieJones. This book had me hooked from the beginning. It is set in dual timelines, 1986 and present day, 2011. Twenty-five years ago, Ben Edward’s is the lead singer of a band called Secret Oktober. One sister, Cassie is obsessed with him and will do anything to have him. The other sister, Nicole, is singing in a bar when Ben becomes smitten with her. The girls had no idea about the other. A terrible tragedy happens one night that devastates them all and changes everything. Present day, Nicole gets a knock on her door that upends her whole life. Can she keep her secret about that night?

I Would Die for You was told in a dual timeline format. I normally don't like that, but I thought it worked here. I especially enjoyed the "old days" in the 80's. It made me think of my love for a boy band back then, although I never went to the lengths Cassie and Amelia did.

There was sex, drugs, and rock and roll back in the 80's. We also get the timeline now from one of the sisters who moved to the US and doesn't tell her husband the truth about her past. I thought the story was a quick read and I enjoyed it....except for the ending. It left me wanting another chapter.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for an ARC of this book. The review is my honest opinion.

I Would Die For You by Sandie Jones
My rating:
3/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my second book by the author and overall I enjoyed it, but it lost me at the ending. Beware…definitely a cliffhanger ending that will have you confused and frustrated!

This was a fun ride and it really started to get good in the second half of the story.

I enjoyed the narration and overall pace of the story. There were times that I had to pay close attention with the dual timelines and POVS, but it was a super fun one once all the pieces came together (besides one at the end)

Overall, I would recommend this story especially because I need to talk to someone about that ending! It was a 4 star from me right until the ending, as I have stated that I needed a little more closure.

Thank you netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the audio ARC! This will be published on March 25, so add it to your TBR now!

I WOULD DIE FOR YOU by Sandie Jones is a twisty thriller told in dual timelines and from multiple points of view. It is a story of sisters, secrets and an obsession that turns deadly. In 2011, Nicole Forbes is living a quiet life with her husband and young daughter on Coronado Island, California. Her world is turned upside down when a young woman appears at her door asking for an interview about what she knows about a famous British boy band from the 1980s and the shocking death of one of its members. Nicole is stunned. Who is this woman and how does she know anything about Nicole’s past when she has kept it a secret for decades. Not even her husband knows about the life she led before coming to the US from England so many years ago. Back in 1986, Nicole’s little sister, Cassie, is obsessed with super band, Secret Oktober and especially with its frontman, Ben Edwards. She is elated when a new friend gets her in the door at several band parties. When Ben actually talks to her, her fantasies seem to be coming true. But a tragic event threatens to destroy the band and everyone around them. Alternating between past and present, it is soon clear that both sisters have ties to the iconic band and we learn to what lengths they will go to protect themselves. This is a suspenseful story of secrets, lies and obsession that kept me guessing until the end. If you like a fast-paced read with lots of 1980s British band vibes, this is a read you might enjoy. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Sex, Drugs, Groupies, and Rock and Roll sum up this novel.

There are those fans who become obsessed with celebrities. Think back to Elvis and The Beatles, and you will have the same scenario with an up-and-coming band, Secret Oktober. The novel focuses on two of the band members, sisters Nicole and Cassie, and Cassie's new friend, Amelia, at least for the 1986 flashbacks. In 2010, it focused on Nicole and her family. However, the past rears its ugly head when Nicole's daughter, Hannah, goes missing after being picked up from school by an aunt. However, she doesn't have an aunt that we know of. You can tell that Nicole is hiding something from her husband, Brad, but what? It takes most of the book to unwind the facts and the truth. 

I enjoyed the dual timelines because they gave me insight into Nicole and how the events of 1986 impacted her life in 2010. Cassie's character is depicted as an extreme groupie. She skips school and work, lies to her father, and believes she has a relationship with Ben from the band. A string of events doesn't bode well for Cassie or her family, but the outcome is not disclosed until near the end of the book. 

I wasn't wild about the 2010 Nicole because she was still hiding her past, even from her husband. While events aren't something to be proud of, why cover them up? I found it interesting that what she thought was the truth wasn't quite correct. Perhaps that is why she hid the truth, avoiding the events and her role in them. 

The book does leave a bit of a cliffhanger. While we can surmise what happens, it isn't confirmed. 

I was engrossed in this novel, and when I couldn't sleep, I finished it in the wee hours.

We give this book 4 paws up.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Two sisters connected to one famous band leader of the time. Cassie, sixteen, is infatuated with him and fights for his attention, while Nicole, the older sister, tries to avoid him for her sister's sake. But Nicole loves music 🎶 and this connection brings her closer to music. What happens next will change the lives of both sisters. They will live with secrets and will be haunted by the past.

The present will reveal everything.

Nicole's life is good. She has a loving husband and a lovely eight-year-old daughter. No one knows her secrets that she has kept for twenty-five years. Until one day a strange woman shows up at her door, claiming to know her past. The next day her daughter is kidnapped. Her aunt took her from school. But she doesn't have an aunt.

The story goes back and forth, to the present and to twenty-five years ago.

I returned to London in 1986, where teenagers were fascinated by the famous band and chased them to concerts 🎸and events. Very often they risked their safety and sneaked out of their homes, lying to their parents and putting themselves in danger. The scenes were described vividly and I could imagine the moments of anger and frustration from both parents and children.

This is my first book by this author and I will be reading more of her books. The author kept me guessing throughout the book. 🥁I had many theories and guesses about the past and present. The dual timeline was nicely done and easy to follow.🎺

3⭐️

I was really excited about the drama in regarding the Beattle-Mania/One Direction style 0bsessive fans and the hints at a earth-shattering death throughout the present timeline. Unfortunately most of this book fell short for me. I did love how deranged Cassi was and her absolutely delusional beliefs made it hard to guess what was actually true or not. But it did feel that Cassi being so over the top in her convictions lead to red harrings that made the plot feel more convoluted than mysterious.

I think my biggest issue with this was over all the pacing of the story. I feel ike the backstory leading up to the big reveal was given at a very slow pace and then the actual reveal was very rush with a very abrupt, open ending. It felt like we didn't get the mindset of a few of the characters that would make the ending believable and are instead left with a conclusion that felt disproportionally vindictive compared to the history we got.

Thanks Netgalley and Minotaur Books for providing this ARC to me!

Nicole is living the perfect life with her family in California. The past comes back to haunt her.
We jump back to the year 1986. Cassie the usual teenager likes a certain band member. She tries anything to get the attention of Ben.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher Minotaur Books.

What a great dual timeline story, and the era of 80's music is my favorite! The way Jones flipped between timelines was flawless and easy to track. And the build of suspense was done so well!

Sixteen year old Cassie (1986, London) becomes completely obsessed with the band Secret Oktober, with a massive crush on the lead singer: Ben Edwards. Like many teens of the era, she would do absolutely anything to meet him. She becomes friends with another groupie who knows the ropes, which only feeds her fire. Unbeknownst to Cassie, Ben happens upon her sister Nicole singing at a bar one night. This leads to more interaction between the two which drives a wedge between the sisters.

Meanwhile, Nicole Forbes is living in Coronado, near San Diego with her husband and daughter (2011). She never expected a journalist to appear on her doorstep asking for her perspective of the dramatic demise of this top band. And later that day, her daughter goes missing, and the school claims her Aunt picked her up. But there's one problem; there is no Aunt.

If you're a music lover of the 80's like me, read the note from the author as well.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and Sandie Jones for the eARC.
Pub Date Mar 25 2025