The Trade Off is a newsroom thriller. It is apparent that the author, Sandie Jones, was a journalist and is familiar with the ins and outs of a newspaper. So it was fun to dive in to that world.

There were two perspectives: Jess the rookie reporter and Stella the seasoned pro, perhaps soon-to-be editor. Jess is altruistic and optimistic if not a little naive and Stella is tough, no-nonsense, and will do whatever she has to to get the story and get the job done. Both perspectives were interesting - not sure what it says about me that I liked Stella better. Anyways, shady journalistic practices end up with serious consequences and ultimately uncover something even more sinister.

This was a fast-paced read, the details felt authentic since the author was a journalist herself, and I also loved the heart of the story.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books / St. Martin's Press, and Sandie Jones for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this one and found the behind the scenes look at journalism/the newsroom very interesting. I think the message Sandie Jones portrayed is very important, but I do feel like it overshadowed the suspense aspect just a touch..the book wasn't as suspenseful as I had hoped, but it still had me hooked and I needed to find out what happened with Jess and her story.

3.5 stars for me but rounding up to 4.

Thank you to publisher Minotaur Books-St. Martin’s Press, the author, and Netgalley for access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Trade-Off by Sandie Jones follows Jess, a young reporter who is starting a new job at The Globe. This big break in her career is not all it seemed cracked up to be. Her new boss, Stella, demands that Jess doggedly pursue scoops and do whatever it takes to succeed in tabloid journalism. Jess must decide how far she will go to stay in this cutthroat world. Then, a headline goes wrong, and Jess becomes determined to make things right. The only problem is that some people don’t want Jess to get her way.

At least initially, I loved how Jones’ contrasted Jess, the green cub reporter, with her hardened vet of a boss, Stella. Stella embodies the morally compromised workaholic who has paid a high personal price to keep getting the scoops and keep climbing up the career ladder. She initially comes off as a villain versus bright-eyed Jess but we gradually see that she too has human frailties, disappointments, and struggles.

The book did well enough with keeping a good pacing. I read the book quickly and easily, but I do think that you have to be interested in the topic as a character study and a commentary on the press’s dark side. The first half of the story is theme-heavy. In the latter half of the book, Jones attempts to kick the plot into high thriller gear. Do NOT expect a journalist-centered thriller book like, say, Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy or Michael Connelly’s Jack McEvoy series. I thought the execution of climax and reveals was rather sloppy. The handling of the heavy themes like #MeToo seemed awkwardly done, especially as the book jumped from social commentary mode to thriller mode. Sad to say, this is not a thriller I would recommend.

I received a gifted eARC of THE TRADE OFF by Sandie Jones from St. Martin’s Press.

Publication Date: 8/15/2023
Rating: 3.5 / 5

THE TRADE OFF follows women involved in the world of reporting. Stella is a deputy editor for The Globe and she has made her way in media believing that getting the story and breaking news is worth anything. Jess is a rookie on staff and she’s much more idealistic, believing in the importance of truth and integrity. When Jess believes that the press is responsible for a tragedy that befalls a celebrity who has been at the center of a media storm, she is determined to bring the truth to light.

I found this to be a good and quick read. I think we’ve all seen situations where the media coverage of something takes on a life of its own. It was interesting to see this world through the very different different perspectives of a possibly jaded and definitely ambitious and cutthroat senior staff and the fresh take of a rookie who went into the business for different reasons.

This is one of those books that does have a real world message to convey and at times I thought that overshadowed some of the thriller aspects I wanted from the story. There is a danger to Jess as she tries to get to the truth that does come through as well and kept me wanting to know what would happen.

This engaging read focuses on two rookie reporters at The Globe in London: Jess and hardened Stella. Stella will do whatever it takes to get to the top and Jess wants to breathe a little morality into the world of celebrity reporting. When a celebrity is hounded by The Globe and then pays the ultimate price , Jess has to wonder if this story was even true. She has to get to the bottom of this one, and fast. With death, drugs, blackmail and suicide, you'll find yourself racing to the end!



Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Told from two POV’s, The Trade Off was a story about two women, Stella and Jess. They are each at different points in their journalism careers, but fate will ensure that their paths cross. I found the first half to be a bit slow, but once I reached the midpoint, things really took off.
Stella has sold her soul to get the stories the Globe’s readers salivate over. She will do anything to make sure her stories sell papers.
Jess is a new reporter who believes that the truth is more important than just selling papers. When she inadvertently contributes to two women’s downfalls, she vows to figure out a way to stop the people who will do anything for a story.
The twists really picked up in the second half, and it was interesting to see not only what both of these women would do, but also if there was a shot at redemption for Stella. It’s a good thing none of the tabloids have any interest in my life, since I would hate to see the level of deceit and lies pointed in my direction. A page turner that I started and finished on a lazy summer Saturday.

Sandie Jones's most recent book is about Me Too and the good old boy network that still rules the profession of journalism. As Jones used to be a journalist, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at the newsroom. It's scary to realize how easily an owner of a paper can manipulate what is reported.

I wouldn't consider this one a thriller, there's just some light suspense. While the message is interesting, the plot moved somewhat too slowly for my taste. Things pick up by the end, but at that point I wasn't feeling particularly connected to either character.

This book started out to be a real good read with the story taking place in the newsroom of a tabloid, the Globe. Stella is the number one reporter doing anything and everything to get a paper-selling story. Jess leaves her j,ob at a regular newspaper to take a position with the Globe with Stella being her boss. Stella does not like Jess which is probably because Jess seems to have a conscience. This is a real slow read and does not pick up until the second half. The characters all seem to be unlikeable.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book.

This book by Sandie Jones was a very different type of book. It is about the ruthlessness that takes place in tabloid journalism. It was a bit slow during the first half but does pick up after that. Our two main protagonists are Stella, a hard core writer who will go to any lengths to get a story no matter what the cost and to who it may involve. Jess is the newbie reporter who has morals. Something terrible happens which is in the blurb. I enjoyed this book up to a point. It was well written but to slow for me. I received this book from Net galley and the publisher as an ARC for an honest review. If you like this type of book they I highly recommend it

Highly recommend this captivating novel ! I love all of her books and this book did not disappoint . I love thrillers and will recommend it to others!

Sandie Jones is a must read author for me. Her books are wildly entertaining and the Trade Off is no exception. In a world of tabloid newspapers, some people try do the right thing, or do they? Fun book with surprise twists.

This is my fourth book by Sandie Jones and my favorite so far has been the The Blame Game, so I was very curious to see where this one would fall.

I think this falls in spot #2!

I really liked the beginning and was quickly hooked. I also appreciated the a dual perspectives and while I don't always think it adds much, in this case I think it helped.

My complaint is that things seemed to be pretty repetitive and I was just hoping things would move a little quicker. None of the characters were particularly likable and since we jumped into the plot so quickly, I wasn't too invested in any of them either.

While some of these things didn't work for me, I still think many will enjoy this one especially those of you that enjoy revenge thrillers!

Thanks so much to Minotaur Books for the ARC!

This will be out in August 15th!

Journalism at its finest with a touch of suicidal tendencies.
Ahh, what's a person to do when they want the first dibs on the breaking case.
Should we hound the hell out of the victim, stalk, or should we find an alternative to getting the truth.
Folks, not everything is cut and dry and in this case it's more juicy as in, "Drink up."
It's the name of the game and it's quite funny to join hands to bring it down in the end.
Not bad but needed more enticement, thrills, and certainly chillls to be a good thriller.
Thank you to Sandie Jones, the pub St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for this exclusive ARC in exchange for this honest review.

The Trade Off slowly draws you in to the story of Stella a veteran reporter and Jess the veteran reporter at the tabloid paper The Globe.

Stella claws her way to the top, doesn't care who she walks over or hurts .

Jess on the other hand is the complete opposite and in danger of being the one walked over.

How much harm can the media do as the blow apart the lives of celebrities.

A lot it turns out.

The pace picks up quickly in Part 2 with twists and turns, backstabbing and intrigue.

I enjoyed the two different POV's and it works very well for the story.

Pick up a copy of The Trade Off and settle in for an intriguing read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Trade Off.

Jess has a strong moral compass and is all about integrity. So it was surprising that she would take a job at The Globe, a newspaper dedicated to gossip. Stella is ruthless at her job. She does what she needs to, to get the dirt on the celebrities she reports on. It’s what makes her so good at her job.

I confess that I’m not one for celebrity gossip, but I’ve enjoyed previous books by Jones, so I knew I would enjoy this. I really like how it came together, though I wanted more from the ending.

This one would be a fun start to a series with Jess and Stella. I’d love to watch them do more investigative journalism. I liked watching this one unfold as it made for a truly enjoyable read.

Thank you, St. Martin’s, for the advanced copy.

This book was set in a news room in the sketchy British tabloid world. It was a fun ride while I was reading this thriller.

This book was okay and will work for others, but not for me. I feel like the characters weren't fully flushed out and with this type of story you really want to have at least an idea of the characters (even if it's a lie or to manipulate the reader, it's better to have a clear idea of the characters to help with any twists). I just felt like there were some stereotypical characters that were still a bit muddy and so when they did things I couldn't even tell if I was shocked or not because I didn't have a good idea of them.  This is a slow moving story, which works for me when the characters are interesting and driving the story, but just kept losing my attention.  I did enjoy the look into celebrity gossip reporting and was shocked but not surprised the length people were willing to go to get the dramatic splash.  I also appreciated the aspects around the way women are treated, exploited, and assaulted in exchange for promises for their future. I also felt that many of the twists were not surprising, but that is a person thing.

3.5/5

In my review of the authors last book I said maybe it was time for me to move on but dammit, I can’t seem to quit her! This one was better for me than some of her previous books, which is great because I have been super disappointed in the past. This one also had a totally different vibe to it than some of her other books, it starts off pretty slow and then about halfway things pick up but I wouldn’t classify it as a true thriller. Maybe more of a suspense with a few thriller type scenes. The dark side of the media and the tactics they take to get a story, even if most of it is fabricated was interesting so there was definitely parts I enjoyed I just wanted to be a little more entertained in the end.

This fast-paced thriller about the world of journalism, morality, and fame is a great summer read. I find the world of tabloids to be a fascinating but scary setting and this story explores the dark side. Jess is a young reporter who finds out that getting the story trumps decency. Stella is a powerful editor who knows how the reporting "game" is played. The two women go head to head when a story takes a tragic turn. This was a quick read and although I didn't find myself completely invested in the story, it was enjoyable. Thank you to Sandie Jones, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is slow burning suspense with some hidden red herrings that are revealed at just the right time. Set in the world of a tabloid newspaper and exposing their sleazy practices of reporting the news that they create, this book was a little steamy, a little informative and highly mesmerizing. Stella is a veteran reporter who wants to be the manager but first she has to replace Max. The rookie Jess is an innocent who actually thinks that the newspaper reports the news. She quickly discovers that they create the scenario for the news and then trap people into playing out the scene that is most salacious and most likely to sell papers. None of the characters was particularly likable except for Jess and even she is too easy to lead astray. Stella seems totally unredeemable until near the end of the story so I spent much of the book hoping that something bad happened to her because she was so manipulative. The characters were realistic and well-developed. The plot was methodical and revealed the secrets of the paper and its owner and reporters slowly but regularly. I was not totally surprised by the ending but it was unexpected enough that it kept me reading and enjoying the book. This is a book not to be missed by those who enjoy books with an original premise and plenty of supporting action.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”