I found this to be an interesting, thought provoking, readable psychological thriller.

Was it intense enough to keep me up at night or spike the adrenaline? No.

Did it ask some really good questions and make me think? Yes.

Did it explore the dark side of the media, particularly tabloids, and make you question what, if anything, is true and how far people would go for a good story? Absolutely yes.

Stella and Jess, our two POV characters, are both in the industry to get the story but that is where their similarities end. While Stella is ruthless, willing to do anything to get a story and has been around the block, Jess is new to the industry and clear on what is right and wrong when it comes to the integrity of journalism. When they end up working for the same paper and on the same story, their world's collide. Things go terribly wrong and they are forced to face the monster they - or is it the industry? - have created head on.

Reader, be warned, this one has a slow start but does pick up for the second half. I do think the strength was its stark look at journalism's ugly side more so than the "mystery" that evolves.

If you like a slow burn, thought provoking thriller, this one is likely your jam.

Sadly, this was a really slow story and I was never able to get into it. There was a lot of potential based of the synopsis, but it did not deliver. Also, this is definitely NOT a thriller. It should have been classified as a drama. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, but it never did.

I also really disliked the characters. Even though the first half or so of the book really built up the characters, I still didn't like any of them. Plus, all this build up about the characters made for a super slow read! It really felt like a chore to read this one.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one was interesting! I thought the news angle was a cool aspect to the story, it made for an entertaining twist to this contemporary thriller. While the suspense was more of a slow burn, I did enjoy it. I enjoy a good cat and mouse thriller and this definitely made me think about how I consume news stories.

The Trade Off started a bit slow, but about half way through it took off like a rocket! Full of intrigue, twists, turns and a little viciousness thrown in for good measure! I'll never look at the tabloids the same again!

The Trade Off is a cautionary tale about media and journalism. While it covers some heavy topics, it is a very fast paced book. Touching on #MeToo and other important issues I resonated a lot with the storyline. While it was not my favorite book in this genre, it will stick with me for some time.

Finding the right words for this review is a bit tricky. On one hand, I was captivated by the book's exploration of the tabloid culture and its relevance in today's media landscape. The message it conveyed about the blurred lines between sensationalism and legitimate news struck a chord with me. However, I couldn't shake the feeling of being pulled back to the book whenever I tried to set it aside. It's possible that the unsettling parallels to current events made it hit too close to home for me personally.As for the story itself, it was a rollercoaster of twists and turns populated by a cast of characters that ranged from mildly irritating to downright unlikable. I found myself constantly guessing where the plot was headed, only to have my predictions dashed at every turn. While this uncertainty kept me engaged, it also left me feeling a bit disoriented by the end.

I’ll be honest, I skimmed the last 100 pages because I had a feeling how it was going to end and I was losing interest. I think the story needed more development of Jess to be our main character, and splashes of Stella but it held pretty 50/50 for their alternating chapters. It’s thriller/suspense with some #metoo movement storyline.

I've read several books by this author, and honestly, they unfortunately were just not for me. I decided to give her one last try with this one, and I'm so glad I did. This was the one. I genuinely enjoyed it and this has convinced me to continue giving Jones a chance in the future. 3.5 stars

Another great novel by Sandie Jones. I loved the twists and turns in this novel, and they had me hooked. Definitely recommend this one.

I usually really enjoy Sandie Jones books, but I found this one to be a bit all over the place and hard to really get into. A me-too era office thriller, I found the characters to be frustrating and naive at times. I didn't feel the twists hit as hard as other Jones books. Still, thank you NetGalley for my copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Trade Off by Sandie Jones in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I absolutely love anything by Sandie Jones and could NOT wait to begin this! As always with her books, you are drawn in from page one and are taken on a wild ride. Once I started reading this, I was unable to put it down and stayed up way past my bedtime in order to finish this in one sitting. Do yourself a favor and read this as soon as you can. You will soon find out that Sandie Jones is a must read author.

This was a fast paced thriller that I read in a day!

Forgive me for the late review, I read it so quick and then forgot to write my review-LOL.

I dont remember all the details but it was great! The perfect book for if you have time to binge read,

This was a DNF for me. I just couldn't get into it. Usually, Sandie Jones is an automatic good read, but this one fell flat.

*Thank you @minotaurbooks for the #gifted egalley. Review not posted to Goodreads/Amazon because DNF or 4 stars or less.*

I have given this author a few tries and I just don't think she is for me. her writing style just does something to me that I don't like and it makes it hard for me to get through a book.

In my undergrad days, I had big dreams of being a journalist whether it was a big newspaper or a well-known magazine. While those dreams didn't come to fruition, I'm a big fan of stories that center around the world of journalism. The Trade Off was a good example of this kind of story. I found the book to be well-paced; not necessarily a page-turner, but enough to keep me moving through the story. I did like that this was more about the darker side of journalism, focusing on the gossip and how things can be manipulated to fit the story line that an outlet wants, instead of the actual story.

The Trade Off goes deeper than that, with a whole lot of conspiracy, powerful men doing horrible things, and much more.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. I thought the ending could have been stronger and at times, I thought the plot switched gears a bit too quickly without much of a transition, but it was still a good book.

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARc in exchange for my honest review.

I've read Sandie Jones before and enjoyed her work, but this one didn't quite hit the same way.

The Trade Off follows journalist Stella Thorne, who has made a name for herself by being the first to break news of a scandal. When new hire Jess learns how Stella picks and chooses pieces of interviews and snapshots to build those scandals, however, she is taken aback and becomes concerned for herself and for the subjects of the tabloids.

This book was a slow-burn that kind of picked up pace by the three-quarters mark, but it was still a pretty slow pace. I struggled to get through this one, though I can't really explain why. The characters were detestable, but I found myself wondering how morally grey Stella and the others truly were.

I also make it known that I am very rarely satisfied with the ending of a book, so take that information and do with it what you will. I didn't really care for the ending of this book either, but I supposed it fit the rest of the story and was okay.

Overall, I gave this book 3 stars. It was okay for me, definitely not my favorite Sandie Jones book, but I would still encourage others to give it a shot. I personally think this story line just has a really narrow audience and I wasn't part of it.

This book was your typical entry from Sandie Jones. I like her books but never love them. This one as usual was good but not great. 3.5 rounded up.

Stella is the deputy editor for the Globe, hardened by years of work, while Jess is a rookie reporter who just wants to report the truth. When a story drops about a celebrity that ruins their life, Jess is distraught and decides that she needs to stop the paper of harming anyone else.

This is a slower paced thriller that explores the dark side of journalism as well as the #metoo movement. I wouldn't necessarily call it a true thriller, more of a drama with a few suspenseful scenes. It starts off very slow, as we learn more about Jess and Stella and their differing takes when it comes to their jobs. It does pick up in the second half, and I definitely liked the second bit much better. I was very invested in the story, from the very beginning, and ended up finishing it in one sitting. It was a very quick read. I listened to it on audiobook, where there were multiple narrators, which I think highlighted the characters even more. Stella was unlikeable, but she did go through some development by the end. I liked Jess more then Stella, but she was a bit too naive at times.

Overall, a quick and easy read with strong female leads.

As is typical with novels of this genre, there was a twist at the end, but it wasn’t completely unexpected. That being said, the novel ended exactly as I wanted it to, and I was completely satisfied with the outcome. “The Trade Off” is thought-provoking and modern, and its uncompromisingly honest plot will leave an indelible mark. Jones has delivered once again!

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for an eARC of The Trade Off by Sandie Jones! 3.5 stars.

This one was less thriller for me and more suspenseful and extremely interesting and thought provoking.

Stella is deputy editor of the Globe, and she'll stop at nothing to get the best story. She's got quite a reputation for crossing lines when necessary. Jess is a rookie reporter who wants to focus on the truth and coloring within the lines...but, if she makes an enemy in the process, will it be fatal for her?

Really thought provoking - One of those books that makes you wonder what you'd do in a certain scenario. I love ethical dilemmas in my reads and this one is chalk-full of them. Really enjoyed the audio on this one, too.