Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. It was really good and I'll definitely be recommending it to friends.

The present, the past, a British band, and siblings all take center stage in I Would Die for You. Sometimes taking a walk down memory lane isn't as enjoyable as one might think. In the beginning of the book, Nicole Forbes has been asked about a British Band she had ties to in her past. Adding to that shocker, she learns that her daughter has been picked up at school by her aunt - an aunt she doesn't have!

The synopsis sucked me in, and I thought I would love this book. It had all the right elements - a missing child, a blast from the past, secrets, obsession, lies, and sisters. While enjoyable, this one failed to completely wow me. I did enjoy the look at groupies, obsession, the two timelines, and how actions have long lasting consequences. This book has drama galore mixed with nice amounts of twists, turns and tension. My big issue is with the characters and my lack of connection from them.

I had both the book and the audiobook. I thought the audiobook was very well done.

Thank you to Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bouncing back and forth between the past and present, we learn how the smallest wrong decision can affect you for the rest of your life …

We follow the stories of Cassie, Amelia, and Nicole throughout the rise and fall of the new “it” band: Secret Oktober.

Lies, fame, deceit, drugs, sex, delusions, obsessions … these are only a few things you can expect from this story, but there is so much more to it.

——————————

Unfortunately, in my opinion, this book was a bit of a disappointment. There was a lot of buildup, for what would be expected to be an exciting/jaw dropping grand reveal … but ended up being more of a flop.
The story kept me invested for the majority of the book, but the ending just fell a bit flat and didn’t give me any sort of satisfactory feelings. I also hate how the book ended. Then again, I’m still fuming over the last episode of “The Sopranos,” so it makes sense that I wouldn’t enjoy a cliffhanger like Jones leaves us on.

I Would Die for You is a fast paced page turner. The plot quickly pulled me in as the book told the story of Nicole who is hiding her past from her husband of 20 years. When her daughter disapears, she is forced to confront the past she ran away from. Told in dual times lines, the story moves quickly and was quite enjoyable. The twists and turns kept me engrossed, however, the end left me a little dissapointed.

Thank you to NeGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Be forewarned: Once you start this book, it will be hard to put down...there're a lot of twists and secrets that will keep your mind spinning until you finally finish it! Even after it's done...the ending had me wondering why Nicole did something that changes how it ends...Great book!!

Thanks NetGalley, Sandie Jones, and Minoutar Book for this ARC! I truly enjoyed it!

This new Sandie Jones was just an ok read for me. Dual timelines and a love triangle that kept me turning pages, but slowly turning them. I was a little disappointed in the ending of the story and I was hoping for a bit more. Overall, a decent mystery read and I will continue to read books by this author.

In London, 16 yr old Cassie is obsessed with the band Secret Oktober and believes she and her friend are in relationships with two of the band members. She has an older sister Nicole, who is a singer/songwriter who is trying to make it by playing at bars. We also have the Nicole 24 years point of view when she is married and living in San Diego with a daughter who know nothing about her past in London. It is a past she wants to keep hidden.

This was definitely a thriller that kept me guessing until the very end of the book. It was dark, twisty, and one of the characters can only be described as evil. The writing was good and each chapter left me on a cliff hanger. I'm rating it down a half star simply because I wanted more out of Nicole and that ending was such a cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and the author for an ARC of this book.
Publication date is: March 25, 2025

This is not the first book I've read by Sandie Jones and I hope it won't be my last, but WHAT in the WHAT? Sandie, where are you and who wrote this? Also, Reese, I would like to hang out with you and be your friend, but no book recs, please!

Basically the story flips between present Nicole and past Nicole and Cassie's life (sisters, 1986). Cassie was obsessed with a band in London called Secret Oktober and she was a little "crazy" about them. Now, Nicole is approached by a journalist asking about this band (umm ok) and she is like that's weird but also where did my kid go, she doesn't have an aunt (yes, she does).

Maybe this happened with The Beatles, Elvis...The story just didn't do it for me and it felt 😝

First off, thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book comes out on March 25th.
Admittedly, this book started very slow for me. I was also quite distracted with an upcoming trip so I ended up putting this aside to read a rom com. I picked this back up a little over a week later and then flew through it! This is why I never DNF books. I feel sometimes it’s just the headspace or sometimes it’s simply a slow burn. In this case, I think it was a bit of both. This flips back and forth between Nicole in 2010 and then both Nicole and Cassie on 1986. I, personally, much preferred the 1986 storyline and that is what kept me hooked. I wouldn’t say this is a traditional thriller but I did enjoy it in the end. I’ve read one @sandiejones_author in the past so I don’t have much to compare to in regards to the author, but it had similar domestic thriller vibes.

This book was all over the place for me. It jumped around a lot and I had to really think about what the author was trying to tell. I definitely had some strong feelings about the characters, especially the villain. Overall, it kept me intrigued throughout. I was disappointed with the ending and how it left it way too open to interpretation about what might happen next without really telling us much. I was invested in wanting to know all of the outcomes and I just did not get that.

I would die for you

A story of a super obsessed fan girl who grows up and has her past creep up on her. Around the same time Cassie was hanging with the band, the lead singer gets murdered. The scenes where Cassie was clearly obsessed but thinking that they’re in a relationship after one after party was so cringe, she was in such denial!

Her sister, Nicole, however catches Ben’s attention at a local whole in the wall bar and they have an instant connection.

This story goes between past and present, in the present Nicole is married with a daughter, who goes missing the same day that a reporter came to ask her about more from her time “with the band.”

This was a quick, engaging read. I needed a thriller as a palette cleanser and this was perfect ! Mysterious, but not too dark.



Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 3/25!

I enjoyed this book. Nicole is looking for her daughter, Cassie who goes missing. The multiple point of views added to the story in a unique way and I thought it was balanced. The writing style was interesting and I found it difficult to decide what I thought of each of the characters at the end.

An absolute page turner!! I loved this book.

This story follows two sisters, Cassie and Nicole who are growing up in England, Cassie is obsessed with a local boy band and soon she's sneaking into concert venues without her parents knowing. Nicole is the older sister trying to keep her family together while their mom is dying.

The plot jumps from current time to the past. Nicole has left England and started a new life. But one knock on her door brings the past tumbling back along with all the secrets she's tried to keep buried for 25 years.

Thanks Netgalley, Sandi Jones and Minotaur books for this ARC!

I don’t know how I feel about this one. Half of the book reads as YA because it jumps into the past. It also switches points of view from Cassie as a teen to Nicole as an adult. The YA point of view makes the book feel disjointed.

I’m also unsure how Cassie could function. She never went to school, and yet never got in trouble for being truant. And it’s clear she’s suffering from delusions, and sadly, no one in her life strives to get her help.

Jones often writes unlikable characters that are adults who can’t or won’t communicate with each other. That’s not everyone’s cup of tea. We see how Nicole immediately starts distrusting her husband, even though she’s the one keeping secrets. It makes it hard for readers to root for her

But the drama is what keeps you engaged with the story, and there’s definitely a ton of that here.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

This dual timeline follows Nicole in the 1980’s and 2011. She ran away from something tragic and has dedicated the following decades to building a new life. But her worlds collide after a stranger appears at her door and then her daughter goes missing. There’s no more running from her old life as the truth will find a way out no matter what.

This is a suspenseful read full of obsession, family dynamics, passion, and regret. While slow building at times, the stage is impeccably set to bring everything together at the end. The ending leaves the reader wondering what may happen next.

An exciting, twisty thriller where the past catches up with the present. I am not 100% sure what to make of the ending, but this one certainly kept me guessing and the pages turning.

Loved this! Suspenseful, fast-paced & a great author! This is the third book I’ve read and hope to read many more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A rock band novel mixed with a psychological thriller was right up my reading alley.

I think that most young people have had crushes on their favorite singers or bands. Yes, I had posters up in my bedroom. Yes, I bought those teen magazines that promised an article and a centerfold picture. It’s fun to imagine, to swoon, and to fantasize about all of the what ifs, but most people know that they are never going to be with their celebrity crush.

I Would Die for You goes back and forth between London 1986 and California 2011. In 1986, the reader gets to meet Cassie and Nicole, sisters who are both into music. Cassie has a major fascination and obsession with Secret Oktober’s lead singer, and Nicole is an aspiring singer/musician. Much to their family’s dismay, Cassie’s preoccupation with this band is consuming her life. When she meets another superfan at one of their events, she is now able to get even closer to the band and her dream man, Ben Edwards.

In 2011, Nicole is living with her husband and daughter in Coronado, California. When a writer shows up at her home looking for the inside story of what happened to Secret Oktober, Nicole realizes that her old life may be about to get exposed, despite her efforts to keep it a secret all these years. Not only has someone found her, but her daughter gets picked up from school by a woman she refers to as “auntie,” despite never meeting an aunt before. Nicole is certain that these two occurrences are related, and she is desperate to not only find her little girl, but also to keep her secrets buried.

I really enjoyed the back and forth in this novel. During the 1986 chapters, it is a fast-paced story of a fan’s obsession that is as fascinating as it is frightening. There is the typical rock and roll lifestyle, plenty of debauchery, and also a bit of a love story. Yes, a love story. It was a page-turning, addictive read that kept me anxiously flipping the pages. During the 2011 chapters, we get Nicole’s desperation to keep her family together and try to keep the past in the past. How did anyone find her? Why do they want to talk to her about Secret Oktober after all these years? I wanted to know, too!

Sandie Jones has written a page-turner that kept me completely enthralled. It kept me on pins and needles and my nerves rattled right until the final page. And that ending? Whoa!

*4.5 Stars

I was absolutely hooked by I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones from the very beginning. The switch between different times and different points of view in order to tell the almost Shakespearean tragedy of two sisters made the book gripping and suspenseful as different threads of the storyline were revealed.
I stayed up way too late reading, anxious to see how everything tied together. I was definitely gearing up to give the book five stars.
SOME MAY CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING A SPOILER.

And then I got to the ending. I'm not sure if things are meant to be left hanging, or if the author is setting things up for a sequel, but for me it made all of the enjoyment I had reading up to the last few pages go sour.
In the end, I was as disappointed in a book as I have ever been.
I do appreciate being given an ARC of the book from #NetGalley, but I won't be reading any more of Jones' work.