Nicole has a secret that she has been carrying for 25 years: she has been away from London for more than two decades trying to outrun her past. Nicole now lives as an activist near San Diego with her young daughter and husband who know nothing about how her time accross the pond is tied to one of the UK’s most popular bands of the 80’s and she is determined to keep it that way. When her daughter goes missing she worries that her past, and her estranged sister Cassie have caught up to her.

Told in split narration between Cassie and Nicole in 1986 and Nicole in 2011, we are treated to a scintillating thriller that ponders how dangerous and captivating fandom and idol worship can be. The two locations are created with believability and care and the feeling and style of the 80s shines through. A fun twisty thriller that will keep you guessing till the very end. Four stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of “I Would Die for You” in exchange for a review.

I’m having a hard time putting my mind thoughts down for this one. It didn’t feel like a Sandie Jones novel at all

I think I’m confused by a lot of her choices. Why was Nicole trying to save the seals? It was such an off profession and added nothing to the book. Plus, the end was so abrupt, and the ambiguous ending wasn’t “mysterious”, just annoyingly vague. I also found Nicole and Cassie irritating.

I did fly through it in just a few days though, so the pacing was good.

Overall, gotta call this one a skip.

I Would Die for You is an enjoyable quick mystery/thriller with some fun 1980’s references thrown in. If you’re a reader of a certain age you’ll get a kick out of them, even more so, I suspect, if you’re British. I, in particular, loved the Poison perfume reference. I forgot all about it, but it was my go-to scent back in the day.

I really liked the differing POVs throughout the book. They keep you engaged in the story and who/what to believe. IWDFY is filled with red herrings, but predictable outcomes. Even if you don’t figure out certain things, but you probably will, the “big” reveals are underwhelming since you saw it coming a mile away. The dual timeline of 2010 and 1986 (the ‘86 timeline is the stronger, more detailed of the two) is a great way to have the story unfold, but the execution is lacking and at times rushed.

I love dual timelines and 80’s music, so I had high hopes for this one based on this and the description. However, I’m firmly in the middle regarding I Would Die for You. I can’t say “grab it now” nor can I say “forget it.” This book is not going to change your life, but at the same time you won’t regret the time dedicated to reading it.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press|Minotaur Books for the digital ARC, which I voluntarily read. I Would Die for You will be available on 25 March 2025.

This book was a wild ride that kept me guessing what was going to happen next. You have sisters Nicole and Cassie who live in England. Nicole is the older sister and the one who has to help in the raising of Cassie as their mother was sick and her father needed the help. Their mother used to be in a band and that is how the parents had met. Nicole is trying to follow in the dreams of her own music while working and helping at the house. Cassie who is sixteen years old is totally obsessed with the boy band group Secret Oktober and has a chance meeting with lead singer Ben and becomes quite smitten with him. While Cassie is working to find all the ways to meet Ben her sister Nicole happens to meet him one night a bar she is performing at. The chance meeting sets the family on a course that no one could have thought would happen and causes Nicole to move to America and completely remove herself from all family in England and hoping she is safe until one day her daughter doesn't get off the bus and is missing.
Great book by Sandie Jones. I have read several of her books and she never disappoints with a great story. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me read this book.

This page turner will have you up late. Sandie Jones provided an entertaining and spine chilling story. I have read all of her books and look forward to reading more. The characters were engaging and storyline was captivating!

I wanted to love this book. I really, really did. I’m a huge fan of the 80’s as well as dual timeline stories, which this book had both. I just felt like the book took too long to get to the point, and about halfway through I was completely lost. I get that the author was trying to build suspense for the plot twist, but it just didn’t work for me. Maybe I’m just slow, who knows. 🤷‍♀️

And that ending. It definitely left something to be desired.

Thanks to St Martins Press, NetGalley, and Sandie Jones for the opportunity to read and review this book. Unfortunately this one is a big nope from me. 😔

Just finished the book “I would Die for You” by Sandie Jones.

I found this book to be very fast paced. The dual timeline was interesting. As it goes between the years you think you have figured out what is happening but then a secret comes out that has you thinking another way.

The book grabs you from the start and it is captivating. There are a lot of secrets and twists. The cliffhanger at the end is frustrating yet it makes the book.

I would recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the early access read!
The first 2 chapters had me a little hesitant for sure. But chapter 3 things picked up and stayed up. I literally could not put this down and kept telling myself “just one more chapter before bed”. It was an addicting read and while most of it is far fetched, isn’t that what makes us keep reading? The drama of it, the intensity, not knowing what’s going to happen next. I didn’t love the flipping of voice (going from “I did this” to “she did this” while talking about the same person), but I can see that the story wouldn’t have been the same without those points of view. My first Sandie Jones book so I had no expectations and I was honestly gagged the entire time with my jaw literally on the floor.

Another hit for Sandie! Dual timeline, fast paced and intertwined very neatly.
Definitely very dark, psychological thriller vibes.
I feel like the characters could have been developed a little better and it was a tad rushed but I really enjoyed it.

I WANTED to like this, and it wasn't that it wasn't a great book, it just wasn't for me. Found myself struggling to get through it. I do like this author tho and will continue to read others she puts out!
Thanks for the ARC!!

Nicole spends her days protecting the local seals in her Southern California coastal town. When a writer shows up on her doorstep asking about her painful past in England, a time she has kept secret from her husband and daughter, it threatens to upend her carefully constructed lies. Later that day, her young daughter is kidnapped. She is picked up from school by her "Aunt", an aunt Nicole says doesn't exist. Told in both timelines, back in 1986, Nicole's 16-year-old sister, Cassie, is crazy about the hottest new band, Secret Oktober, and the band's lead singer Ben Edwards. Fueled by the belief that her mom, who is rapidly losing her battle with cancer, would want her to embrace her love of the band, Cassie hooks up with a new friend with connections to the band and finds herself in too deep. The 1986 storyline is the stronger of the narratives and is a look into the dangers and delusion of obsession. The cliffhanger ending is a letdown, as is the "twist" surrounding Zoe. I'm not sold that her character needs to exist.

My first by this author and actually one I really wanted to read. I’ve seen so many good reviews for her books that I knew I would request this one.

That said, it wasn’t for me. It felt like I disliked all of the characters and it didn’t have the tightness of a plot that was slowly being uncovered. Implausible for sure but didn’t grab me.

I have read other reviews now, and it looks like I’m not alone. Maybe I’ll try another one of her backlist and see if it was just a one-off.

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted e arc!

A fast paced thriller is one of my favorite kinds of books to read! The perspective of fan obsession and celebrity boundaries was definitely interesting. Some rushed moments though and not well developed characters.

This was my first book by this author, so I had no expectations going into it and wow was I surprised. I could not stop reading this book and was thinking about the plot, characters and possible twists when not reading it. Fast paced and kept me guessing even after the last page.

This was such a fun read! I love anything rockstar romance so I was immediately drawn to this book. I love the dual timeline, and thought it was really well done. It gave the reader an extra layer to the mystery. I was drawn to Cassie and the lengths she would go to in order to see her favorite band. I did think Nicole was a little boring and I just wanted something extra added for her character. I hated how she kept secrets from her husband. Once the big "secret" was revealed, it seemed such a insignificant thing to keep from her spouse. I LOVED how the book ended on a cliffhanger. I definitely sat there with that for a few and just let it sink in. Overall, this was a great quick thriller! Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this arc. I am not sure if it was a me issue, but I had a hard time focusing on this story. The plot and characters didn’t really grab me so I lost focus frequently. It wasn’t my favorite but appreciated what the author was going for!

Big Sandie Jones fan! This one was full of twists and turns up until the final page. Fun and fast read

It was a quick read, and the story/premise was solid, but it just didn’t come together for me & overall fell pretty flat. 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
4/5!!!!!

This is my first Sandie Jones book and I truly enjoyed Nicole’s story and the (mostly) unpredictability of it all; however, I think this thriller lacked a bit of thrill. In the end, it did not come together for me as I had hoped; not like we don’t love a cliffhanger, but in my opinion, this book did not warrant one.

What worked: The plot was unique and rooted in the reality of Jones’s own experiences in Duran Duran’s heyday. The fictional band Secret Oktober and their doting fans come alive, and leave you feeling shocked at the level of obsession and lengths they will go to be seen. The sounds of the 80s, infused with the frenzy of fandom, Nicole’s unhinged sister is riddled with secrets that could destroy many people’s lives, including her own. It’s all too easy to envision these young girls’ hearts desires driving their out of pocket decisions and feeding their delusions. Both timelines had many layers, which will simultaneously leave you heartbroken and on the mend.

I Would Die for You had so much potential, but it just didn’t land for me. The story follows two sisters, Nicole and Cassie, in 1980s London—Nicole trying to make it as a singer, and Cassie spiraling into an obsession with the band Secret Oktober and its frontman, Ben. When Nicole starts secretly dating Ben, Cassie’s jealousy sets off a chain of events that leads to tragedy.

Fast forward 25 years, Nicole has built a quiet life in California, but the past comes roaring back when someone shows up digging into the band’s dark history. I loved the 80s music scene vibes, but the characters were tough to root for. Cassie was unbearable, and Nicole’s constant secrecy felt more like a plot device than something real. The pacing was all over the place, and the ending left so many questions unanswered, it felt unfinished.

It was a quick read, and the premise was solid, but it just didn’t come together for me. 3 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the St. Martin's Press for the ARC