Nicole’s has fled England to leave her past behind and has built a new life with her husband Brad and their daughter, Hannah. Life seems good—until the unthinkable happens: Hannah is kidnapped, and Nicole’s buried secrets resurface with a vengeance.

The novel unfolds across two timelines, 1986 and 2010, weaving together the lives of two sisters, a popular band, and a scandal. While the story starts off slow, it gains momentum as the timelines begin to overlap. Once the action picked up, I was completely invested in uncovering the true story. The ending is a whirlwind of action, with delusional characters, shocking confessions, and truths that change lives forever.

Bummer. I was excited for a thriller and this sounded like it could be fun.
The characters were awful and just not exciting to read about. The twists weren’t very shocking and overall I just wanted it to be over.

Thanks to netgalley and Minotaur books for an eARC

This book is a crazy ride, but not in a good way. The first chunk of the book was so confusing to me. It jumped between perspectives too quickly, and I felt like there was no context as to what was happening. It left me genuinely confused. Then the book got a little interesting about halfway through and I found myself wanting to know what happened. 

However, the characters are truly awful. I didn’t like any of them. Cassie is super annoying and I just wanted to slap her the whole time I was reading. Nicole is bearable, but the interactions she has with her husband had me doing some eye rolls. 

I liked the addition of the band, but it just wasn’t enough for me to really enjoy it. The twists also left me sort of confused and the ending was so random and frustrating. 

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this eARC to review. All opinions are my own. This is available on March 25, 2025. 

Read if you like:
🕰️ Alternate Timelines 
🎸 Rockstars
👯‍♀️ Sisters
😡 Unlikeable Characters

I couldn't get into this book at all. The dual timeline was weirdly paced and just never came together for me. The ending felt like it was rushed. I'm not sure what else to say about it.

This is a dual timeline book taking place in London England in 1986 and in 2010 in California USA. In London, 16-year-old Cassie is obsessed with the frontman of the biggest pop group of 1986, Secret Oktober. She can’t believe it when she manages to make it into the hotel where the band is staying and Ben actually singles her out to talk to her. In 2010 a young woman appears at Nicole Forbes' door asking Nicole about her part in the downfall of the biggest band in the 1980s. Nicole is floored, especially since no one, not even her husband, knows about that part of her past.

After a few unsatisfactory experiences with books about the world of popular music, what am I doing reading another one?! Fortunately, I'm happy to report that I enjoyed this one more than the others I've read. Maybe it was the fact that the events in the past were mostly from the viewpoint of a 16-year-old superfan and I mostly felt sorry for her until she crossed a line. I'm sure many of us had daydreams about being discovered by a music/movie star and that star falling madly in love with us. Or was it just me?! There are many twists in this little mystery and I found myself quite confused more than once. I think I was expecting the story to go one way and when it didn't, my mind was in a mess. As enjoyable as the book is, it's a little light on character development plus the ending is rather abrupt and leaves many questions unanswered. Still, I'm rounding my 3.5 stars up to 4 because it was easy reading and kept me interested.

TW: Sexual assault, drug use.

This is the first book by Sandie Jones that I've read and I hope to find time to read some of her backlist.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, via Netgalley, for the invitation to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: March 25, 2025

I was really enjoying this one and flew through it until the end. It's like she had to wrap it up in 5 minutes and just wrote a random ending.

I Would Die For You by Sandy Jones, it’s 1980s London when we meet Cassie and Nicole. Nicole is 20 and an aspiring musician. Cassie is 16 lives at home with their dying mother and they’re overly protective dad and she is dangerously obsessed with the band called Secret October. after she meets another fan they start following the group around and even gets picked to party with the band. When she. mistakes passing interest for something more it will cause a chain of events whose consequences in trauma last a lifetime. And another POV we see Nicole again she is a wife and mother and fighting for animal rights in her area and was trying to pass a bill to protect the seals on the San Francisco Island. her husband Richard only knows that she is from London and thinks she had a normal upbringing when her daughter Hannah goes missing only to return a couple of hours later saying she was with her aunt, Nicole doesn’t know what to think because her little girl doesn’t have an aunt. When she left London she never looked back and hasn’t seen anyone in her family since but when they reporter shows up saying they want to write a book about the band secret October this is just the beginning of the odd things to fracture the beautiful life she has created for herself her husband and daughter Hannah. She doesn’t know if she should be honest with her husband but soon the choice is taken out of her hands and it seems her past has caught up to her present and will absolutely affect her future. there is so much more to this book than what I have put in this review. This was an OK read I think because I am big on personal responsibility there were a lot of things in this book that really got on my last nerve and had me rolling my eyes. not to mention the hyperbole and extreme emotion which IDK why authors overdo it and make every situation seem to affect people in the absolute most extreme way. Because of my mother‘s job when growing up I met a lot a famous people and have had a first row seat to how fans connect and trust me when I say even in front of children women will offer anything to hang out with a band but for the most part they just want an autograph and a few moments of their time but having said that I thought the author did a pretty good job setting up behind the scenes with the musicians and their fans just for some reason didn’t connect with this book. I like other books by this author and although this one did have some twist maybe it was the theme of the book again IDK I just found it OK I did like the ending but there were lots of things I found in the book that either were pointless or left without explanation. Read at your own risk I think anyone who likes thrillers has a good chance of enjoying this book I think I didn’t because of the subject matter. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #SandyJones, #IWouldDieForYou,h

I Would Die For You by Sandie Jones, is one of my favorite genres having said that I was not up to my expectations as far as this authors books. Dual timelines is not one of my favorite things, I found the characters in the story line unlikeable which is another one of my least favorite things. Having said that I would still recommend this to others, because I realize not everyone enjoys the same writing styles.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martins Press, I am leaving my review voluntarily.

“‘You can’t force someone to love you,’ barks Nicole. ‘Well, then she’s going to die trying,’ says Amelia, turning to walk away.”

Told in dual timelines, this one took a little while for me to get invested in. But once I did I just HAD to know what happened. Ugh. So stressful. I read the last 1/4 with lightening speed.

And omg I wanted to stick my hands inside this story and strangle Cassie. UGHHH. This book left me feeling angry and sooo annoyed but in a good way. I think haha. It is certainly one I won’t soon forget.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Nicole has a loving husband, a beautiful daughter and a past she is hiding. The tale is told in past (1986) and present (2011) format. One day a woman approaches Nicole looking for the tragic backstory on the biggest band of the 80s, Secret Oktober . The same day her daughter goes missing. Can these events be related? She’s unwilling to discuss her relationship with the band’s lead singer Ben Edwards or her sister’s involvement because her husband has no idea about her past. A quick, fast paced thriller as you unravel Nicole’s past and how it affects the present.

The past and present will collide in this story. It was like two trains on the same track heading for an impact that cannot be avoided, but will definitely be life changing.

Nicole Forbes is content to live her quiet existence with her husband and daughter. All of that peace is shattered one day when someone comes knocking on her door. Someone knows who she really is.

This dual timeline story was a lot. I am not going to lie. When I say at lot, I mean because there was so much necessary information (and some unnecessary). But it was necessary so you, as the reader, can fully understand the entire story. I kept plugging along because I knew disaster was coming, and I had to know where it was going to end up. I must confess that I was more than a little shocked when I learned what actually happened in Nicole's past because I was thinking something totally different was going to happen. This is why, even though there is a lot packed into these pages, I had no problem giving it five stars simply because I did not want to put it down. And because the author did a dynamic job of setting me up because I thought I knew what was going to happen.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new novel by Sandie Jones, with the audio perfectly narrated by a favorite, Imogen Wilde. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!

California, 2011: Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life with her husband and daughter. She is not prepared for a writer to knock on her door asking for details into the downfall of the biggest British band of the 1980s. Then the same day, her daughter goes missing from school. Convinced that the two events are linked, Nicole must face her past to protect her family.

London, 1986: Sixteen-year-old Cassie is obsessed with Secret Oktober, the hottest band of the moment, and has an intense crush on the leading man, Ben Edwards. But when Ben discovers her older sister, Nicole, singing at a local bar, he is immediately drawn to her.

I’m a fan of Sandie Jones and enjoyed this book and its nostalgic look into the 80s music scene. Plus, there are lots of secrets that Nicole has kept from her husband, including why she doesn’t speak to her family. Told in these alternating timelines, I found myself wanting to just tell Nicole to be honest with her husband! I couldn’t gather a real connection to the characters, but I enjoyed the mystery of exactly what happened in the past.

Hitting shelves soon - I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones. A teenage groupie makes her dreams come true by meeting her idol and immersing herself in the groupie life with a toxic friend. Almost Famous vibes, but sinister. Her older sister somehow also has a relationship with this boyband member, and there's a lot of confusion around what happened to him and who was to blame. When the dust settles, the older sister runs away and starts a new life, leaving it all behind. The book toggles back and forth between London in 1986 and California in 2010. It's chaotic to read and then just...ends. I loathed every character and had a hard time reading this one to completion, which is rare for me. I've seen several positive reviews, so this may be a "me" problem.

Thanks to NetGalley for early access.

I would like to thank Minotaur Books (St Martin’s Press) for sending me an advanced copy of I Would Die for You in exchange for my honest review.

Nicole is living a normal life with her husband and her daughter in California, but she has secrets in her past that she has never been honest about and they will eventually catch up with her. Nicole’s daughter goes missing from school and rather than be honest about what could potentially be going on, Nicole doubles down on her secrets and picks a fight with her husband blaming his career instead.

The second timeline of the book is set in the 80’s in the UK. Cassie, Nicole’s younger sister, is a 16 year old girl who’s mother is dying of cancer while she’s busy chasing her favourite boy band around the country trying to win the heart of the lead singer, which obviously results in really poor decision making.

If you are a fan of reliving the music of the 80’s and having a twisty mystery full of unreliable narrators, then I suggest grabbing I Would Die for You on March 25 at your local bookseller or library.

I have to say that this book is not my favourite from Sandie Jones and I had to eventually DNF it. As a mom of young children I found Nicole extremely unlikeable and the flipping back and forth between the timelines was starting to give me a bit of whiplash, and none of the characters or the story were really that interesting to keep me coming back to it.

In the beginning of the book I was very interested and the book pulled me in very fast. So the first chapters I was really enjoying it. However, as the book progressed I felt the book could be cut short. The things that excited me in the beginning, such as having short chapters and jumping from past to present timelines turned quickly into not being fun, as in the chapters were too tiny to give any real information.

To be honest I hate miscommunication trope with a passion, in the beginning I understood that Nicole was afraid of telling the truth and she does explain in the end why she did that but the lying and hiding went on for too long and the book could have been shorter if she had decided to share the truth earlier.

I felt like the twists were a bit guessable, the last one was the most "shocking" one to me compared to everything else but I felt the ending of the book was a let down, as we did not get much closure with how it ended.

I gave this book 2.5 stars, rounded as there are no half stars here.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a huge fan of Sandie Jones for years now, but unfortunately I Would Die for You was my least favorite of Jones's works.

The multiple storylines seem a bit disjointed and slowed down my reading of this one. I usually struggle to put down Sandie's books, but this one was hard to pick up

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

I Would Die For You By Sandie Jones is another wonderful mystery that will have you turning the pages as quickly as you can. The story alternates between 1986 and 2011. There are lots of 80s references to keep readers who remember that decade well happy. There’s a band that’s hitting it big and the groupies who are obsessed with them. Then there’s the more present day timeline of a mom trying to protect her family. Read and enjoy!

Nicole Forbes answers her door one day to find a writer, Zoe Mortimer, asking her questions about 1980s band Secret Oktober and her relationship with the members. If this weren't bad enough, her daughter, Hannah, is picked up from school by her aunt. Hannahh doesn't have an aunt. Nicole remembers what happened twenty-five years that forced the band to stop performing. Is Zoe's asking questions have anything to do with Hannah's disappearance?

The story unfolds in two timelines, the present in California, where Nicole now lives with her family having changed her identity, and 1986 London, where she is originally from.. In 1986, Cassie, Nicole's sister, is a groupie, in love with Ben Edwards, lead singer of the band. Nicole is a singer/songwriter performing at a club. Ben hears her sing and the two become collaborators and lovers. The band's rock and roll lifestyle includes drugs, partying and other unsavory choices which the news media reports. Nicole is heartbroken about it all, especially when she learns her sister is a part of that lifestyle. What happened all those years ago? Were Nicole and Cassie involved?

This book was a bit disappointing to me, based on the synopsis I was expecting something more from this author. I did not like either Nicole or Cassie. The author attempted to give us some twists and turns, but I was not engaged. I would have given this an extra star except the ending really disappointed me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for an ARC. The review is my own.

Events of her past rapidly catch up with Nicole when her daughter, Hannah, is picked up from school by her “aunt”. Also, a reporter shows up on Nicole’s doorstep inquiring about those events of many years ago. This is a quick paced mystery with complex characters. The two timelines, the events of Nicole’s sister’s obsessive fan crush on a member of the band Secret Oktober and Nicole’s actual relationship with the same band member take some twisty turns until both timelines come together in the present. A good, well written read. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

This is a dual-timeline book that alternates between 1986 in London, and 2011 in California. In the 1986 timeline, Sixteen-year-old Cassie is obsessed with the band Secret Oktober, harboring an intense crush on the leading man, Ben Edwards. She is willing to do anything to stand out, and capture his attention. But when Ben discovers Cassie's 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 In the 2011 timeline, Nicole lives in the small seaside town of Coronado with her husband and daughter.. One day a writer knocks on her door asking for her personal insight into the downfall of the biggest British band of the 1980s—threatening to unravel the threads of a life she left behind years ago. That same day, her daughter goes missing and the school claims that 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.

I normally love this author's books, but this one was a miss for me. It was a bit of a slow burn for most of the book, Cassie was thoroughly unlikable, and to be honest, Nicole wasn't much better. The only difference between the two was that Nicole at least had sanity on her side. I needed someone to root for, and I didn't have that. I didn't really feel invested in their story either. I wanted to like this, but this one just wasnt the book for me.