The Trade-Off is a high stakes drama with a side of suspense about tabloid journalism and the media. It’s a slow-burn plot that builds gradually over the pages, and despite how it appears, it’s apparently a realistic view of modern journalism.

This story has two main female characters: the ruthless, highly ambitious Stella, deputy editor of The Globe, and her unwanted, guileless apprentice/rookie journalist, Jess. The thrust of this book is the unimaginatively disturbing lengths some reporters will go to in order to get, or invent a story, and to boost numbers. It’s primarily a fictional documentary on tabloid journalism for much of the story, and towards the latter portion, a suspense element is added that ratchets up the tension.

This story wasn’t what I expected (a thriller), so for that reason, it threw me. Also, the main character in this novel was so supremely naive and for much of the novel she didn’t seem all that bright. It’s incredibly hard to believe that she made it to the point of being a reporter and is that clueless. Later in the story she’s on a moral crusade and yet she uses immoral means to pursue it. Despite my frustration with her for most of the novel, she does eventually learn and grow from her experiences, while keeping who she fundamentally is…a crusader of sorts.

The Trade-Off is a drama-filled expose in fictional form. It regales the reader with the merciless, immoral tactics of some factions of the media and adds the resultant consequences. It also leaves you questioning who you can trust until the very end. Despite not being my favorite from this author, or quite what I expected, this story has a satisfying conclusion and a potent and important message.

I didn't like this one. It surprised me because I usually love Sandie Jones novels. But this one just didn't do it for me. It was slow and I didn't like any of the characters.

This book started a bit slower than I expected for a Sandie Jones thriller. Much of the story line centered around the cut throat atmosphere of high profile celebrity media coverage and how far people will go to make big money and break the big "news" about high profile celebrities...even if the "news" is not true or made up entirely. The main character, Stella, has quite the reputation for being ruthless to get her way and get the story first. Then comes Jess, a rookie reporter, and she sees right away that there is something off about what is happening at The Globe. There are many twists and turns as Jess tries to expose Stella, and ends up putting herself in more danger than she can imagine.

I love Sandie Jones’s books, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I found myself getting distracted and it just didn’t captivate me the way her others have.

The Trade Off is the newest thriller by Sandie Jones. This one takes place in the fast-paced world of newspaper publishing and reporting. Stella is a long-standing member of the staff at The Globe. Jess has just begun her career there. Jess is concerned by what she sees going on behind the scenes of her dream job and begins to question if she's where she really thought she wanted to be. Read and enjoy!

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Great fast paced story involved in the publishing world of how I exactly I envision they go after and get stories, only this was a thrilling story in itself. I enjoyed this book. My sixth read by this Author, always a good read.
Thank you to Netgalley, St Martins press and the Author Sandie Jones for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an electronic Digital Reader Copy from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books via. NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

The alternating point of view in each chapter made this an interesting read about what the tabloids, and greed can do to celebrities, and those who want to be in power. This novel also focuses on the #MeToo movement.

I had to keep reading to find out what happened. However, I felt the ending was rushed. All of a sudden questions were answered so quickly that the story became hard for me to follow.

This is the perfect thriller set in the cut throat world of UK journalism, with a ruthless editor vs. an idealistic young journalism set on a collision course. Compelling and exciting!

I so tried to get into this story but it just didn't hold my attention. I have to be drawn in immediately to a novel I'm sure it's a wonderful story but just not for me. It felt too dry and uninteresting. I'm sure others will enjoy it.

"The Trade Off" immerses readers in the lives of two central figures: Stella, the determined deputy editor of The Globe, willing to go to great lengths for a story, and Jess, the rookie reporter who staunchly believes in printing only the truth, even if it carries grave consequences.

The writing is taut and full of suspense, while the characters are enigmatic, relentless, and resolute. The narrative swiftly unfolds into an enthralling story rife with surprises, deceptions, power struggles, corruption, avarice, revelations, ambition, and brutality.

In sum, "The Trade Off" is a chilling, riveting thriller by Jones that probes the fine ethical and moral line between right and wrong. While it may not rank as my favorite work by this author, it masterfully merges the morally ambiguous world of tabloid journalism with unsavory characters, regrettable decisions, and unsettling motivations.

really good book and kept me on my on my toes of what would happen. really enjoyed the characters and their journey and would read this author again.

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. A newbie in the journalist world - torn between integrity and a good story when something happens that makes her really question to choose between what is right and what her bosses expect of her. Is it worth potentially losing her job? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I think the thing I love best about Sandie Jones books is that they are never what I am expecting and especially with a thriller that is so refreshing. I wasn’t sure about this one when I started but the story quickly sucked me in and I read the whole thing in one evening because I just needed to know what would happen next. This look at tabloid reporters and their seedy business was a horrifying but thrilling ride. Jess is a green reporter with big dreams and a good sense of morals. Stella, her boss, is hardened and willing to do whatever it takes to get the story. As Jess sees how tabloid journalism really works she will be forced to decide what decisions she can live with in this dirty and sordid business.

Would you tell a story if you knew it was a lie? Or would you tell the truth to be able to sleep at night? This story follows two reporters for a newspaper who are trying to navigate telling stories and the consequences of telling those stories, especially if they have been warped or manipulated.
This book is a total cat and mouse page turner, with some # Me Too events that occur as well as dashes of intrigue and murder. I thought the first half was a bit of a slow burn but the action really picks up in the second half and makes you question things. I thought it really seemed to be a realistic depiction of tabloid journalism and it did make me think while the mystery portion kept me on my toes.
I believe I’ve now read all of Sandie Jones’ published books, and can say this one was one of my top three (though nothing compares to The Other Woman.)
Thank you to Netgalley and Mintoaur Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fast paced mystery/thriller with #metoo themes and topics of how the press can impact EVERYTHING. I loved the dual POVs. This was quick and had some twists I wasn’t expecting. 3 ⭐️

What a thriller! I enjoyed this book and the look inside the world of tabloids. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

I want to thank the publisher and author for the digital and audio copy of this thriller. I enjoy her books, and this one was no exception. It’s set in the fast paced, cutthroat world of tabloid publishing, which I thought was a very fun aspect of the book. Although it is a thriller, and that becomes apparent at the end, it read mostly like a drama. It had a few slow spots, but overall I enjoyed it. I liked the two main female protagonists quite a bit and liked how their personalities and relationship to each other progressed. I would recommend the audio.

Synopsis:

For Stella, deputy editor of The Globe, the choice has always been clear. It doesn’t matter how low she has to stoop—getting the best story is what she’s built her reputation on.

For Jess, The Globe’s rookie reporter, the story stops when the truth does. But she knows that the dirty tricks of the tabloids will be hard to overturn.

And when a celebrity is hounded by The Globe and pays the ultimate price, Jess wonders just how much Stella and the paper are responsible. 

Determined to show the world what the tabloid is capable of, Jess will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth, but she needs to watch her back, because someone else is prepared to kill to bury it.

Jess wants more than anything to climb the ranks of writers and editors in the news industry, The Globe is her big opportunity to do that, but it comes at a cost. The Globe is infamous for telling stories early, but in the publishing industry they're infamous for cooking the books. Jess believes this is her opportunity to correct their wrongs, to bring change to The Globe with the support of the editor, but others in the ranks have a different opinion. Stella knows the editor position should have been hers, she's the reason The Globe gets all the exclusives, she does the work. Taking a newbie under her wing isn't in her plans, nor is the man she put behind bars coming back to take her down. As the two fight for justice, both ethically and not, things get dark for The Globe and the famous stars they manipulate.

The Trade Off has an incredible concept, but it missed the mark for me. I had so much compassion for Jess and Stella equally grew on me as we got to know her, but the pacing was too slow and the character development occurred too late in the novel for me. The first 50% took ages to get into, I spent over a week just reading it, but the last 50% flew by and had my full attention. The novel hits on an incredibly important part of social media, gossip news, and the human impact, but doesn't get there in a way that will hold readers attention.

I think this will be a hit with a lot of readers, I think it's timely and important.

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for the ARC of The Trade Off. All opinions in this review are my own.

I have held off writing my review of The Trade Off because I feel like I am still trying to process what I think about it. I liked the newspaper is exposed for entrapping celebrities for headlines angle, but Jess's naivety were grating after awhile. She took a job at The Globe, a tabloid, so it was hard to understand why she was so shocked by everything that was happening. She used her morals to judge the other characters which got to be annoying after awhile. The uneven pacing throughout the story didn't help her either. However, I liked the reveal at the end and how everything came together.