My feelings were all over the place for this book
It's a story about teenage obsession with a strong sense of 80's music nostalgia with short chapters and dual timelines. Sounds great, right? And it was ... until it wasn't.
Despite keeping me intrigued about the identity of one character that returns in Nicole's life and Cassie's unpredictable behaviour that creates some interesting /chaotic situations, I struggled to connect with this book.
It's more of a mystery than suspense and the modern-day storyline was easily overshadowed by the older timeline. The story soon becomes too far-fetched with deeply flawed, one-dimensional characters whose connections to each other were never explained well for the reader.
Overall, I liked the premise, the Daisy Jones kind of music vibe and how the author gradually reveals secrets to the reader which kept me turning the pages. But the disjointed storytelling and undeveloped characters who I struggled to connect with left me wanting a lot more from this suspense read.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Minotaur Books for the complimentary advanced digital copy of this book, given in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating: 3 stars
Author: Sandie Jones
Genre: Suspense
Type and Source: ebook from publisher via NetGalley
Publisher: Minotaur Books
First Published: March 25, 2025
Read: March 11 - 25, 2025
Book Description from GoodReads: From the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club Pick The Other Woman and The Guilt Trip comes an electrifying new novel.
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.
Infused with the sounds of the 80s, this thrilling new novel from the inimitable Sandie Jones will captivate her readers, as she explores what the frenzy of fandom can lead to in this shocking blockbuster.
Same feeling as you - I didn't like it. I actually didn't finish it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review.