A thriller that lacked the thrill? A bit of a disappointment with the characters likability and the unrealistic twists. Not my favorite but may be yours! Thanks you NetGalley!

Like Daisy Jones and the Six with a mystery. The back and forth from present to past unwraps the story slowly so that your are always waiting for the next piece of the puzzle. The story alternates between London 1986 and California 2010. In 1986, Secret Oktober was the hottest band and 16 year old Cassie is quickly becoming thier newest groupie. Meanwhile, her big sister, Nicole, is trying to maintain peace within the family. Thier mother is dying and Cassie is bent on defying her father, skipping school and partying with the band members. In 2010, Nicole is estranged from her father, having escaped from London after the death of not just her mother, but he sister as well. When Nicole's daughter goes missing, she realizes that the secret she's been hiding from her husband may be the reason; because in 1986 one of the band members died and Nicole is the only one that knows the truth.

I WOULD DIE FOR YOU by Sandie Jones
⭐️ rating: 5/10

read if you like:
🎸 band groupies
👯 multiple timelines
🥶 cold cases

summary:
I just could not get into this book. It follows Nicole Forbes, a mother and wife living a quiet life in California. One day she gets a knock on her door from a reporter, who is looking into a British band from the 1980’s that suffered a tragic ending. Soon after, Nicole gets a call that her daughter has been dismissed from school to an “aunt” she doesn’t have. We follow Nicole’s pursuit of her missing daughter, cutting back to 1986 where Nicole and her sister Cassie get intertwined with the hit band, Secret Oktober. These stories come together to explain what happened, and why Nicole is where she is today.

A few thoughts — it is hard to follow how these stories come together at first. Obviously they have a common character but the setting and surroundings are so different that it feels hard to believe that they are the same. There are also a lot of characters in the flashback, which are hard to follow and keep track of who is who. None of the characters are deeply developed or particularly likeable, so as we cut back and forth in emotional situations, it’s hard to find any attachment or empathy for any of them. The plotline itself has a lot of promise, but it feels like a slow and somewhat erratic build to come to a conclusion. It feels choppy, hard to follow and hard to stay engaged in.

I appreciate NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.

I think this lies somewhere between a 3.5-4.0 ⭐️, but rounded up…

Nicole and Brad live a quiet and happy life with their 8 year old daughter Hannah. At least it was, until a reporter knocks on the door trying to uncover the one thing Nicole has spent the past 25 years trying to hide from - her past. And when her daughter goes missing later that same day and someone seems to be targeting her with a smear campaign - Nicole is convinced it must all be related.

In order to find out who took her daughter and why, Nicole must finally be honest about her past.

Switching between present day (San Diego, 2010) and the past (London, 1986) we slowly unravel Nicole’s connection to the band Secret Oktober and what happened that broke up the band and caused her to run away from London to start all over.

This was a bit of a slow start, but had me hooked by page 50. A whirlwind read as you think you know the direction the story is heading in, but it zigged when you thought it was going to zag

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for this advanced copy for my honest opinion

Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars rounded up.
I Would Die for You is a dual timeline that follows two sisters and a mystery that spans two decades. Overall, I liked the story, it was a bit of a slow burn at the beginning. The ending was lack luster and ended too quickly.

I found this novel to overall be interesting. The setting was well done, and you really felt what it was like to be a fan in that time. The recurring idea of generations of groupie lifestyle was interesting, and I found no fault with the flipping back and forth between present day and the past. I felt Nicole was weaker than she needed to be, but she was traumatized and that was quite apparent. The ending , however, was flawed. The author should not trick the reader, and without giving any spoilers away, I feel it should have been wrapped up more empathetically and fully. Rounding up to three stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I received this ARC! The story did not disappoint. The ending was so good!

I especially liked how each chapter answered just enough of my previous questions, but then left me wanting more and ending with a “cliffhanger” of sorts. I liked the dual timeline perspective. I would recommend this to others! Thank you.

I enjoyed this twisty mystery and liked that it was part psychological thriller and had some very intriguing mentally fragile characters. The story tells the story of celebrity fandom and how we look at these famous celebrities. I liked the dual timelines and how they told the story so well. It definitely brought me back to the 80’s and how Cassie was so transfixed on Ben. Ben was an interesting character the typical fan boy who has groupies and never really knowing that Nicole is more Ben’s type. I loved how startled that Nicole was when the reporter showed up. I don’t understand how she thought she could evade being found though. I thought the explanation of relationships , obsession, and betrayal were interwoven into the story and made it all the more intriguing .

In 1986, Cassie was a huge fan of the band Secret Oktober - the lead singer Ben in particular. In the wake of her mother’s sickness, she becomes fixated on having a relationship with him, and will stop at nothing to make it happen.

Present day, Nicole is living a peaceful life in California with her husband and daughter. But all her happiness comes crashing down when a reporter shows up asking of her involvement with the band and a scandal that broke in 1986, and suddenly her young daughter goes missing. Are these events linked? What happened in 1986 that is causing Nicole grief today? And is it finally time to be honest about everything that happened?

PROS and CONS:
Obsession, grief, dishonesty, manipulation - all these things get in the way of the truth. I was a bit frustrated with these characters, as a few minutes of honesty would have saved a lot of anguish. There was a lack of flow to this book that made it a bit slow to finish - and I thought there were a few unnecessary twists.

READ IT?
If you’re a fan of Jones’ work and the 80’s, then you should give this one a try.

3 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this ARC!!

"I Would Die for You" by Sandie Jones is an enthralling mix of suspense and nostalgia, skillfully connecting the glitz of the 1980s music scene with a haunting mystery unfolding in the present. Through its dual timelines and vividly crafted characters, the narrative delves into themes of obsession, fame, and familial ties. Jones artfully weaves the intensity of fandom with a mother’s frantic quest for her daughter, resulting in a gripping and emotional thriller. It's a must-read for enthusiasts of music-driven drama and intricate mysteries.

I Would Die For You
By Sandie Jones
Publication date: March 25, 2025

We all made dumb mistakes in our teens. Staying out all night and trying to get a peek at your favorite singer were rights of passage. However, I am sure your mistakes didn’t lead to MURDER. This music-entrenched thriller leads not only to the death of person, but to the death of dreams.

The 1980’s were filled with bands and music that shaped a generation. The British band created by Sandie Jones is derived from the second British invasion of bands, like Duran Duran. These bands were the inventors of the music video and lived larger than life. The fictious band, Secret Oktober, is at the height of their fame, but an underlying power struggle is tearing the members apart from the inside. Crazed fans like Cassie and Amelia have no idea what they are getting involved in. They are risking their hearts and their safety. Song writing partners have no idea how their lives will be changed in the aftermath.

In 2011, Nicole Forbes has left behind her love of music and her painful secrets. She is living a new existence in Coronado, CA as a married mother. Her day-to-day is rather boring, until her life explodes as her past collides with today and pulls secrets from the grave.

It is hard to like some of the characters in this book, I felt sorry for them, but was never really attached to them. I think that’s what made the story flow successfully, you couldn’t get caught up in the emotions of it, you just needed to hold on tight for the thrill ride.

As the story unfolds, I was shocked how far someone would go for an unrequited love. I was also surprised how so many let their dreams die. It wasn’t until the end that a few characters showed their strength by keeping the personal fight going. However, that fight was so misdirected.

It’s hard to say more in their review without giving away the story. You must read it to believe it. The end is a huge “WTH” moment. I had to read the last few chapters twice.

Order your copy for delivery on March 25th. Four Stars!

Net Galley and St Martin’s Press, have provided me with an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by Sandie Jones and while it was enjoyable I can’t give it a 5 due to the abrupt way it ended. At times I was confused with the timeline as the flipping back and forth between 2010 and 1986 didn’t seem necessary and many times I was uncertain who was ‘talking’ in the chapter. Most of he characters are okay but not great for me.

Thanks to #netgalley, #minotaurbooks and the author for this ARC to read. All opinions are my own

This was a quick and fun read. The short chapters and mysteries kept me invested in what was going on and wanting to read more. At first, I had a bit of a hard time keeping track of what was going on with the different timelines, but once things got going it became a lot more clear. I was invested in the mysteries going on in both timelines so I wasn't ever disappointed when it switched between them which was nice. The characters weren't necessarily likeable, but they were complicated and interesting. I was invested in finding out what would happen to the characters, but because of that I felt the ending was a bit abrupt.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. Ive enjoyed Jones' past work. Unfortunately, this one didnt quite pull me in as some of her others. However, the ending did save it! I was sucked in reading the last quarter of the book.

I really loved this book and honestly hope this is made into a movie! I binge read this book and the ending will just floor you! The story follows a young girl, Cassie, obsessed with a band named Secret Oktober and the lead singer Ben Edwards. Its reminiscent of the fandom stories you hear about Beatlemania, following the band from hotel to hotel, waiting for a small glimpse of them at the airport, and the obsessed young groupies who idolized the members. I don't want to ruin my review with spoilers, but I highly recommend that you read this book! The book is well written, the characters are so believable and following the timeline was not confusing. I couldn't wait for each chapter to jump back and forth from current to past to find out what happens next. Read it to find out!!

This one kept me guessing for awhile though I have to admit that reading a meet your hero type book felt reminiscent of my time as a preteen on wattpad.

This one was not for me. I felt like the relationship between Ben and Nicole was not really developed. Cassie and Amelia were such vile characters that it was hard to stomach. The twists were confusing and contrived. At least it was entertaining so I will give it 3 stars. It just wasn’t the best. Thank you for the ARC though.

Cassie is madly in love with Ben. Ben is the lead singer of Secret Oktober. She follows the band with the help of a new friend to their exclusive hangouts. Ben reacts with similar feelings. Cassie’s older sister Nicole helps her navigate through her feelings. This is a great read about two sisters who have to deal with the loss of their mother and find distraction with a boy band.

This novel starts out with an interesting premise, but turns dark very quickly. There are 2 timelines which connect the events, going back from modern California to London, 25 years earlier. The novel quickly darkens when a child is kidnapped from school. The main character, Nicole is brought back to the events that occurred in England and tries to understand how her peaceful life has been upended. The catalyst was the appearance of a strange woman trying to ask questions about that incredibly fraught time.

I never found myself not really liking the characters or the dual timelines.

Thank you Netgalley for this novel to read and review.

I read this book in just two sittings, as it captivated me from the very first chapter with the gripping premise of Nicole’s daughter going missing. Immediately, I found myself immersed in the narrative, eager to unravel the mystery. The author weaves in flashbacks to Nicole’s early life in London, which enriches the story and shows how her past experiences have shaped her present circumstances with her husband and daughter.

The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping me guessing about the identities and motivations of each character. Read to find out how Nicole’s choices regarding a popular young boy band during her teenage years impacted her life. I could not put this book down!