I loved the notion of this book. I was very excited to start it, but for me, this was not really a fast and action packed read, as promised. It centers around 2 tabloid reporters, the rookie reporter Jess and hardened veteran Stella. Stella will do whatever it takes to get the bestselling story and to get to the top. While Jess wants to bring back what it means to get the real story and a little morality into the world of celebrity reporting.

Stella is somewhat likable for a character with that much determination and doing what she does, though sometimes her actions didn’t necessarily match the type of person I was led to believe she was. The book does cause you to need to suspend your disbelief. I don’t consider this to be a “thriller” for me, I felt it’s definitely more of a dramatic fiction. It’s an overall fun read , and the ending is satisfying.

Overall for me, this was a light and enjoyable read. This book may not have the punch of a standard thriller, but I think it’s a perfect beach read.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, The Author, Sadie Jones as well as NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Trade Off.

This look at tabloid journalism (set in the UK, known for their viciousness) was fast paced and did a great job pairing the perspectives of a seasoned, ruthless journalist with that of a young, still idealistic new journalist with a strong sense of right and wrong. There are some nice surprises throughout the story, though some of the plot points are more heartbreaking. Sandie Jones is a really consistent author, and this is a nice addition to her list.

The Trade Off is a psychological thriller. If you enjoyed The Other Woman, you are going to love The Trade Off.
I highly recommend this book!

Sandie Jones is an auto-read author for me. My favorite is still The Other Woman but The Trade Off is worth the read too. It’s definitely a quick read with a fast paced format— short chapters between two POVs. The first POV is Jess, a rookie reporter for The Globe. The other POV is Stella, long term reporter for the same paper that is a total cutthroat when it comes to journalism.

The Globe publishes an article causing the death of a celebrity and everything begins to unravel. Who is to blame— Jess for befriending the celeb and getting a story or Stella for publishing pictures that creates a huge storm. You can’t trust anyone or anything.

I liked the short chapters and the female empowerment in this one! Well done SJ! I’ll continue to add her books to my lists.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 (rounded up to 4⭐️ on Goodreads).

Many thanks to @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for sharing an early copy with me!

Jess is The Globe’s newest reporter, and her moral compass always points in the right direction. Reporting for a tabloid won’t be easy, but she vows to do what she has to to make sure the truth is published.

Stella has been with The Globe for fifteen years and is the deputy editor. The lines have blurred over the years, and she will go to great lengths to ensure she gets the story.

After an article is printed regarding a celebrity which includes more fiction than fact, Jess wonders who is at fault. Will it be possible to right the wrongs and ensure that the right people pay for what they have done?

This novel had me wondering what was going to happen next and who would be ultimately responsible for all the stories that were told to the world. I enjoyed this book and will recommend it to others as it kept me guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #TheTradeOff

A behind the scenes look of two women working for The Globe: one who will do anything to get the story and the sales, and the other who firmly believes in telling only the truth and nothing else. But things start to take a turn for both of them when one story leads to some very unfortunate circumstances and more secrets about the magazine begin to unravel.

This book was not a thriller like I was expecting. In fact, it moved fairly slowly even in the somewhat suspenseful moments. It also got very dark with some themes I wasn’t expecting (sexual assault, slander, suicide). This one ended up not being for me.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advance copy.

The Trade-Off is an eye-opening and harrowing read, perfect for fans of fast-paced thrillers. This intense novel pulled me in with its gripping narrative and heart-pounding suspense.

The Trade Off, a thriller by Sandie Jones, is an inside look at the sleezy and scandalous operations of tabloid rags. The story centers around two women, Jess, a rookie reporter and Stella, the accomplished newswoman from The Globe in London, England. The ugly secrets and dark misdeeds of this business are seamlessly woven into a moving and passionate dialogue. The writing is so clear and revealing that a reader almost feels the need for a shower to rid oneself of the scum and filth.

Sandie Jones spins a unique and believable story as these two women war on differing sides of a moral dilemma. The reader must sift through all the clues to discover the truth amid lies, deception, and blackmail. Is this how our media works today? Is no price too great to pay for that one big story? The fast past kept me engaged and reading. I am delighted to have found another great mystery writer.

The Trade Off follows two tabloid reporters and how far they will go to not only get the story, but get ahead. Based on the blurb, I think I expected a far more thrilling story than was presented. It took about 60-70% before the thriller aspect kicked in, and I had guessed most of the twists well before. All of the characters were unlikeable, and not in the redeeming, fun to follow type of way. Overall this was just a miss for me. If you like juicy workplace drama with a thriller vibe, this might be for you.

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for the advance copy.

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones is another well written novel by a very talented and seasoned author. It is well written, fast paced and has strong well developed characters. Another terrific mystery/thriller that kept me captivated from start to finish. Based on tabloid journalism, it shows the darkest side of this kind and the effects on those involved. Filled with mystery and suspense, there are many twist and turns and a surprise ending that will drop your jaw in the floor. I am a huge fan of Sandie Jones and her books and she does not disappoint with this one!! A must read!!!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sandie Jones for another intriguing book to read and review. The thoughts expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley. #stmartinspress. #sandiejones. #thetradeoff. #stmartinspressunfluencer. #arc

4 stars rounded up to 4.5! Another great thriller from Sandie Jones!

Everyone is suspicious in "The Trade Off," a psychological thriller set in London & centered around the inner workings of Britain's largest newspaper - "The Globe." The much-read tabloid is well known for using unethical, and often illegal, tactics for generating headlines. Editor Max & Deputy Editor Stella butt heads throughout the book, as Max wants to procure stories that are legitimate, yet Stella will go to any length to lock down a headline & further her career. The outlier is the newcomer to the team, Jess, who has been hired by Max to keep an eye out for Stella's whereabouts & daily activities. Jess' moral compass is pure & the situations she finds herself in leads her to take a stand against a wicked media empire. But as she digs into the paper's dark inner workings, she finds that not everything & everyone are what they seem.

Really enjoyed this #MeToo-centric plot, complete with some last-minute twists that I didn't see coming. I did feel the book wrapped up a little too quickly. I would have liked to have read more about the fallout of Peter & the circumstances surrounding "The Globe" as the secrets of the paper & its team finally were made public. I also would have liked to see Harry's storyline be more developed, given his government position & relationship with Stella.

This was a bit of a disjointed novel that had me trying to figure out what the hell was going on. I even thought at one point that perhaps this story was being told from two different time periods because the story was so disjointed. It was pretty confusing though with a great ending.

I'm sad to say this one was a bit of a miss for me. The combination of slower pace, ethics and tabloids wound up never making it to my interest level in a favorable way. Sandie jones has some other great books out there so I am hopeful this one was just not a match for me and her next will be a better fit, If you are a tabloid and Hollywood gossip junkie, you may enjoy this one more than me.

I really enjoyed this novel as I studied Journalism in College.
We all know that reporting the news on TV or in magazines, depending on the type, most people strive for the perfect story. Whether the story is stretching the truth, completely true or a misconstrued is another story in itself. Everyone hears or witnesses something someone else might not.

The Globe’s deputy editor is Stella and she will do anything to get the story. Her reputation has made her who she is today.
The other character Jess who is a new reporter wants the truth and the tabloids can be tricky. We have all seen photographers and reporters waiting outside celebrities’ home or places they go to get the next big story. The Globe will suffer when a celebrity is pursued.
Fast paced and reminds me of some of the news in today’s world with some of the best selling magazines at the checkout counter of most grocery stores.
Thank you St. Martins Press for this advanced copy of The Trade Off. I have loved all her books, and this is another preorder for me. Available August 15th.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Publication date: August 15, 2023

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones is told in dual POV. Two journalists seeing/experiencing the same situations but seeing them through two different lenses. This title is listed as Mystery/Thriller. I would actively call this one more Drama with a bit of mystery.

Jess gets hired as the Globes rookie reporter. Super new and inexperienced, Jess is not sure she can hack it in the cruel world of celebrity drama.

Stella is the Globes assistant editor. Desperate to become the next successful editor, Stella will stop at nothing to get the story, no matter who or what becomes collateral damage.

When one celebrity they have been chasing pays the ultimate price, Jess uncovers shocking details on just how far the paper will go to get their stories. Now she’s racing against time to uncover who the ultimate mastermind is behind everything and doesn’t know who she can trust. Will she find out how to stop them before it’s too late for her?

This was a good book! It’s definitely not thriller but I found myself engaged throughout. Short chapters told in different POV. Definitely worth a read! This is a 4 star read for me!

#NetGalley #thetradeoff #sandiejones

This one was a bit slow for me, but the way these journalists are so cut throat...🫢 I felt bad for new journalist Jess as she is a newby who seasoned Stella uses to get the story. From the beginning of Jess' job interview, i felt bad for her. I questioned if the press is really, truly like this in real life just to get a story?

Towards the end of the book, the story picks up, and at that point is where I didn't want to put it down. I did enjoy reading the twists, as well as the realistic feel of the world of journalism and how they can ruin these celebrities' lives.

Addictive tale about tabloid reporters. Jess is a newbie reporter at a tabloid newspaper who is determined to do a good job and be honest in her reporting. Stella is the long time editor for the paper and she only worries about getting the best stories even if they aren’t true. Dark, entertaining story about the impact of tabloid reporting on the lives of people featured. Fast paced, difficult to put down.

Love a good journalist mystery book! Lots of drama and action! I was lucky to get an early copy from Minotaur books and St. Martin’s Press. Thank you ❤️

When I started reading The Trade Off by Sandie Jones, I was totally unprepared to be sucked in for a twisty tale of sleazy tabloid journalists and a whodunit of unlikeable characters. The cast of possible bad guys is broad, and not one of them is totally innocent, nor are they completely bad, or so the reader is led to believe.

It was a distinctly disconcerting feeling, as Jess, a rookie reporter on a tabloid newspaper, accepts a job in which she believes that she is expected to maintain a high moral stance and report from a place of truth. She soon learns that this is not the norm at The Globe, and when disastrous events occur as a result of one of her stories, Jess is motivated to bring the responsible parties to justice...but who is actually responsible is yet to be determined.

There are enough bad guys in this story to keep the reader guessing until the conclusion, and the layers to the deception are a twisted quagmire of bad actors.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press-Minotaur for the digital ARC of The Trade Off by Sandie Jones. The opinions in this review are my own.

Reading Between the Wines book review #102/115 for 2023:
Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: The Trade Off
Author: Sandie Jones
Releases Aug 15, 2023!

Sipping thoughts: I loved Sandie Jones, and while I enjoyed this book, it wasn't my favorite of hers. It was definitely the error of #MeToo and the movies Bombshell and She Said. There was definitely a level of surprise and twist and kept my interest. While this was not my favorite Jones book, I can't wait until the next release.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for an advanced copy of @TheTradeOff.

#TheTradeOff #SandieJones #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult @JoannaSchaffhausen @Minotaur_Books