I Would Die for You was not for me. It had a great premise but I found it challenging to stay engaged. The characters were unlikable in my opinion and it seemed disjointed in the dual timeline. I really wanted to like this one!

Thank you Net Galley, Sandie Jones and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to preview this audiobook. The opinions expressed are my own.
I would die for you is expected to be released March 25, 2025.


I will not share this review on my socials as I do not want to hurt the book release.

Title: I Would Die for You (audio)  
Author: Sandie Jones        
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5

Now: Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in a small seaside Californian town with her husband and daughter. She is not expecting a writer to knock on her door asking for her personal insight into the downfall of the biggest British band of the 1980s—unveiling the threads of a life she put behind her years ago. The same day, her daughter goes missing and the school claims 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.

1986: Sixteen-year-old Cassie is obsessed with the hottest band in London, Secret Oktober. Harboring an intense crush on the leading man, Ben Edwards, she will do anything she can to capture his attention among the throngs of groupies at the band’s scandalous backstage parties. But when Ben discovers her 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.

I listened to the audio version for this, and I enjoyed it. The narrator did a good job and kept me engaged. I liked 1980s Nicole more than I liked sort-of-present-day Nicole, and the way her entire life/marriage fell apart in slow motion was hard to watch. I felt horrible for past Nicole, but the misunderstandings back then were next level.

I did not care for Cassie at all. She was delusional, self-absorbed and selfish, manipulative, a pathological liar….AND psychotic. Her behavior was completely off the rails, and she never showed an iota of remorse. She made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, honestly.

Sandie Jones is a bestselling author. I Would Die for You is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 3/27).

Nicole lives a quiet life on Coronado Island with her husband and young daughter doing what she can to protect the seals on her local beach. Her push with city council has brought her more attention than she wants, and when her daughter goes missing, she panics. Thinking it’s a local she’s angered she is surprised to discover Hannah’s “aunt” picked her up from school, but Hannah doesn’t have an aunt, so who has her daughter?

Nicole’s past, that she has run from catches up to her, and she has a lot of explaining to do to her family when she figures out who this “aunt” is that is wrecking her world. Flashing back to her tumultuous young adulthood, we learn about Nicole’s family falling apart with a devastating medical diagnosis, and her younger sister Cassie going off the rails. Cassie’s obsession with ultra popular London ‘80s band Secret Oktober and its demise ruined her family then and is trying to ruin her family now.

Though the premise of this thriller is great, the execution was lacking a little for me. There didn’t seem to be enough tension surrounding Hannah’s disappearance. As a mother myself, I would have lost it. I would have liked more of diabolical Cassie’s POV as she was the most unhinged and interesting character. Regardless, if you are looking for a beach read, this will do.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Sandie Jones for the advanced copy of the audiobook. I Would Die for You is out on March 25th. All opinions are my own.

This was the first book I ever read by Sandie Jones and it will certainly not be my last! This was a fast paced, emotional, roller coaster of an adventure! It is a dual timeline and jumps back and forth between in 1980’s in England and current day in the United States The story is told from a couple of perspectives, each giving more insight into the events that led to today. There were so many surprises and twists that I was genuinely surprised at how things ended and I really thought the ending was almost perfect. There were places where I truly felt sorry for each of the characters but all in all, this was a fun, suspenseful read. As a mother, I can’t imagine having my child disappear and the school telling me that her “aunt” picked her up, knowing full well that isn’t possible. Then, Nicole is forced to face the past that she ran away from and hoped to never have to think about again in order to protect her family and try to get to the bottom of things.

This book on audio was perfection. I enjoyed the narration of it and the twist and turns were really well done. It had me at the edge of my seat. listened to this entire audio in one sitting.

It was fine. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars

I know that's not a great description but it's how I felt overall. I wanted to like this more than I did. I had a very difficult time believing one of the main characters seemed to just go off the deep end and become very unlikeable without much explanation or provocation.

I'm also not a huge fan of the, "this is the perfect time to tell this person my huge secret but I'm not going to" story line and it was a recurring theme, to the point of making Nicole unlikeable.

As I grew up in the 1980’s, I relished a lot of the story as it related to the fandom of the fictional band, “Secret Oktober” who, it was mentioned, at one point, rivaled Duran Duran (my first concert!). So, it wasn’t difficult to get into the mindset of Cassie….to a point.

This book has it all… kidnapping, secrets, lies, drugs, death and held a lot of promise but by the end of the book, I just didn’t care and was a little glad I was at the end.

I think if my first two points were fleshed out a little more, this could have been a great book. At least, I would have enjoyed and appreciated it more.

I listened to the audio book which was well done.

R E V I E W

this novel follows two stories decades apart and an ocean away.

the story begins with Nicole in California in 2011. she has been running from her past for a long time. now: her daughter is missing and she fears it is catching up with her.

Cassie’s story begins in London in 1986 and we follow a story of fame, love, and music.

twists and turns detail a family’s past as it unravels the relationship between the sisters and ultimately the entire family.

this book is wild ride. the flashbacks capture the glitz and grit of the rock n roll scene
in late 80s England.

the plot twists that Sandie Jones crafted floored me. i audibly reacted several times while reading the end and my boyfriend came to check on me.

i love stories about bands and fame and boy howdy does this novel provide. the narrator

i recommend this book for fans of stories around family drama, relationships between sister, and rock n roll.

***thank you to Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, Sandie Jones, and NetGalley for this Advanced Listener Copy 🫶🫶🫶***

cw: drug & alcohol use, rape, overdose, murder, self harm, cancer, kidnapping, death of a parent
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~~~
🏷️: #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booktok #bookish #reading #books #readersofinstagram #booksta #audiobook #thrillerbook #iwoulddieforyou #sandiejones #alc #arc #arcreader

I wish I had positive things to say about this book, but it was a struggle to get through. I listened to the audiobook, and while the accent wasn’t hard to listen to- it wasn’t necessarily easy either. As a chronic consumer of all types of audiobooks with all different accents, I can usually adjust. I also had a hard time getting into the storyline- needing to re-read the “blurb” to re-captivate me. Overall, I liked the idea of the story more than the story itself, 2.5 stars rounded up. Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this ALC.

I was riveted throughout 'I Would Die for You' by Sandie Jones. I both listened to and read this ARC. It was excellent in both formats. I enjoyed the narrator throughout. It all has to do with how past mistakes affect the future and how secrets can't remain buried. There are so many twists and turns that I'll leave the reader to discover on their own. The last bombshell happening on the final lines of the book. 4.5 stars rounded to 5 on NetGalley

Do you like Boy Bands, but with a bit more Rock and Roll? Yes? Then I Would Die For You might be the thriller you need to pick up.

This story is told in multiple POVs, and two time lines. In usual form, I much more enjoyed the past time line ( 1986 ) over the present as such ( 2010 ). The time lines did jump around a lot, and it did get confusing at times. This was probably my biggest complaint with the book.

The main character Nicole, has a very nice life, with her husband and daughter, but the past she tried to bury and failed to tell her husband about , comes back to haunt her. Oh yeah, the past is where the Band Boys are.

Now the things I really liked about the books....The groupies that were in the past, oh they were messy , bad band boys with typical supposed rock and roll type behavior , that me, as a person who use to be part of the music scene just loves to read about.

The characters were ok, I was neither really fond of them, nor did I dislike any of them, with the exception of a few. Nicole had a tendency to get on my nerves, honestly I do not think what she hide about the past warranted keeping a secret, and much of her problems would not have not happened fi she had been truthful to her husband to begin with.

While were the past events were sad and tragic, and it is where most of my attention was, the confusing parts, there were loads of characters, at times really confused me and I would wander away and forget where I was. I also felt that the ending was rushed, like the author needed to get it finished for a dead line ( I am sure that is not the case, but it did feel very rushed )

There are some areas of the book that may make some readers uncomfortable, triggers, I suppose you'd call them. Drug use and bad behavior ( it is rock and roll ) a parent's death to cancer and several more, so it is fair to say, it is not a light read.

Also, I think it is pretty cool that the author was inspired to write I Would Die For You by her times a being a big fan or groupie ( I really dislike the term groupie, I think it insinuates sex, as it did in the 60s and I know a lot of HUGE fans of bands that would never even think of the members in that way ) for the band Duran Duran.

I was given an early listen to I Would Die For You by Macmillan Audio ( thank you kindly ) and I really enjoyed the narrator Imogene Wilde. I found her voice very pleasing and easy to listen to.

Despite being confused, and thinking the book end abruptly, I did enjoy this book, and I think many readers will, especially if they are fans of twisty thrillers, because it was def that

This mystery had a dual timeline and involved an 80’s band so if that is something you are interested in then I would pick this up. I thought the mystery was good, but at times I found myself slightly confused about who was who. I wish there were more high stakes in this book, I found myself not really caring about the characters and what happened to them. The 80’s band timeline was a bit boring, even though it took place in the 80’s it reminded me of a more modern band like a One Direction type, they did not scream 80’s rockstars to me.

Overall I thought this was an okay mystery, I may pick up another book by this author. The audiobook really sold it for me though. Imogen Wilde always does an amazing job and really brought this book to life, I think it needed her to narrate.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping dual-timeline thriller, The Fall blends 1980s rock-star obsession with a present-day mystery. When Nicole’s daughter vanishes in 2011, she’s forced to confront secrets from her past…ones tied to a famous British band and a love triangle that shattered her family. Sandie Jones masterfully weaves suspense, nostalgia, and family drama into a fast-paced, addictive read that keeps you guessing until the end.

This is the story of Nicole. a marine biologist living in California in 2011. She is confronted by a journalist who starts asking questions regarding Nicole's past in 1986 London. Mainly, the murder that took place surrounding the band Secret Oktober. Nicole has kept her secrets close and will do anything not to revisit the past. But her daughter ends up disappearing from school, picked up by her "auntie" and Nicole realizes that her past has come for her.
The ending was WAY too abrupt for my investment into the story. I needed more closure. But it does work well with the dual timelines.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital audio e-arc.*

WTH. I devoured this novel in a day. Just finished it at 12:04am. when I have to be up at 6 am for an all-day soccer tournament. I HAD to know how it ended and damn! Was I not expecting any of it. I was guessing until the end.

I loved the dual timelines and how I was wracking my brain to figure out how the timelines were connected.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

I listened to the audiobook for I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones. I gave it a 3 star rating. The audio performance was a 4 star for me. The narrator, Imogen Wilde did a very good job.
The story itself was kind of long and drawn out. But the mystery of it kept me interested enough to finish. There was a lot of things that didn't fit together for me and left me a little confused. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't great either. It was pretty mediocre.

This book is an interesting recipe with two timelines -- 1986 and 2011. The connecting character is Nicole. Back in 1986 she was on the verge of a recording career (think the early parts of 'A Star is Born'). In the 2011 narrative, Nicole is married to a former Navy Seal and has a daughter. She also has a 'Save the Seals' campaign going due to her marine biology degree. Record scratch. What?! No wonder her past has been so well hidden.

Many of my friends have found this to be a bit of a let down and I can't say I disagree. This plot gets a bit convoluted. Quite frankly I kept reading so I could find out which pop star was murdered in 1986 and (of course) whodunit.

This is not my favorite read from Sandie Jones, but there were three things I liked:

🎶The depictions of fandom were authenic. Sandie was a Duranny back in the day. I did love finding out that she knew exactly what it was like to be a part of the crazy fandom that we see in this book.
🥨There are some interesting and unexpected twists and turns in the plot. It could have used some additional editing, perhaps, but I did want to read through to the end.
👎Taking drugs is clearly discouraged and the consequences are clear. I did find it interesting that there were characters in the book who looked upon infidelity as much less of a problem than drugs. Not a fan of that perspective.

With the end being quite abrupt, I did feel a bit disoriented. The audio narration by Imogene Wilde was well done. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had an interesting premise, but in the end was a little too outlandish and a bit of a hot mess.

The two different time frames worked OK-ish, but I much preferred the 1986 one. Full disclosure, I'm a teen of the 80s and I have a hard time believing that any of the story could happen, which is where the outlandish part came in (I did read the author's note at the end, so I guess it's just not something that would happen to ME). I had a hard time connecting with the 2010 time frame, which is where the hot mess came in.

The coincidence of a big boy band pop star coming across (and having some kind of relationship, real or imagined) with two sisters seemed a little much. Most of the characters were unlikeable; made questionable choices (bordering on unhinged); and the husbands / fathers just seemed incredibly unobservant / disinterested / over the top.

I'm a fan of an ambiguous ending, but this one was just . . . abrupt. I actually thought I had put an audiobook on my timer and had to double check that it was, indeed, the ending. I didn't hate it as much as some other readers did, but it was very rushed and left a little too much unresolved.

I thought Imogen Wilde did a reasonably good job which made for an enjoyable listen.

I received the audiobook version of this book. It started off great but then the longer I listened, the more I got confused. It bounces back and forth between present day and past tense. I wish before each chapter they would tell you the year because sometimes it would bounce back every other chapter and some would be back to back years, but I wouldn’t figure it out until half way through the chapter. Overall the book kept me interested and I’m glad I finished it.

Thank you Sandy Jones, NetGalley, MacMillan audio for the ARC!

Arc review - pub date 03.25.25

So this is my first from this author and I thought it was pretty good. I’ll read other books by her.

Nicole is haunted by her past after a reporter knocks on her door asking about a band from the 80’s and how Nicole was involved in their downfall…

Dual timeline and lots of flashback to the 80’s. I enjoyed the story and it’s a pretty fast paced read with a few twists. I wouldn’t discourage the read.

3.5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC.

#MacAudio2025

I was provided with an ARC from NetGalley to review. These are my honest opinions.

“I Would Die For You” had the makings of a really interesting mystery/thriller novel, and I absolutely did enjoy it, right up until the very end. Without giving away any spoilers, it felt like things were wrapping up nicely and everything was making sense, but the ending just really wasn’t what I was expecting/hoping for, and not in a good way. Perhaps a clever epilogue would have left me feeling more satisfied, but instead, I just felt kind of let down. I still am giving it 4 stars because I truly did enjoy the storyline and the characters. For me, this is one of those books where it’s about the journey and not the destination. Perhaps a sequel is planned for the future?