This book hit me hard—in the best way. The Future Saints follows Hannah, the lead singer of a rock band with her friends Kenny and Ripper. On the surface, it’s a story about music, fame, and the chaos that comes with it. But really, it’s about so much more.

At the heart of it is Hannah’s grief. Her sister, Ginny, has died, and she’s left trying to hold herself—and everything around her—together. The story dives deep into that pain, showing how loss can shape a person, and how hard it is to keep moving forward when you feel like you’re falling apart.

What I loved most is how real it felt. The emotions are raw. The characters are messy and flawed in ways that make them feel alive. It’s not just about music—it’s about grief, pressure, identity, and learning to believe in yourself when the world keeps telling you not to.

If you’re into stories that are intense, emotional, and deeply human, this one’s worth picking up. It stays with you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read The Future Saints!

Thank you so much atria for the arc. This was my most anticipated book of 2026 and it’s an honor to read it so early. I love Ashley winstead, I have loved and praised all her books and have been so excited for this one. I love contemporary novels and I knew this would work for me so well. I just feel maybe a bit underwhelmed with the ending or with Hannah or maybe with the romance? I’m not sure but it just felt like it was missing just a little something. Overall though I really enjoyed this and will recommend it!

A beautiful story of loss and how you can dig yourself out of the depths of grief. I loved this story. Hannah, Theo and the rest of the Saints are going to stick with me for a long time.

Perfect for fans of The Groupies or Daisy Jones and the Six. It digs deep in our FMC Hannah’s fall from grace in the public eye very similar to The Unraveling Of Cassidy

The band The Future Saints have been on a downward spiral since their manager died. Record executive Theo is sent to their hometown where they are bombing at a dive bar. He needs to get them to make a successful album or they will be let go.
Hannah the lead singer decides to change and go rock which the fan love...but Hannah is destructive and really isn't ready for fame. So what will happen? This book is about the relationship between the band members and what can happen after fame and how the band got together. It is also about Hannah and her sister and grief. This book touches on loss, grief, music, mental health, romance, addiction, fame, found family and more. This was a departure from the author's other books but I enjoyed it and the journey Hannah took in this story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. So excited to receive this ARC! Really enjoyed this book. Reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six.

Ashley Winstead can write every genre of fiction. I am a big fan!

The Future Saints was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026, and I am happy to say, this book did not disappoint!

As someone who has read Ashley Winstead’s previous romance books, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of her next romance novel. This book has also been compared to Daisy Jones and the Six, which is one of my all-time favorite books, so I knew I had to get my hands on it as soon as possible!

One of the things that Ashley has said about this book is that it is “a love story, but not the one you’re expecting”, and this is a perfect way to describe this book.

The Future Saints focuses on the lead singer in a band, Hannah, as she and her band mates begin their rise to fame with the help of their new manager, Theo. The story explores some of the struggles that the band faces as they rise in popularity, including jealously amongst the band members, backlash from music critics and drug abuse. It also explores the complicated relationship Hannah and Theo have as they get to know each other more, and lines become blurred.

However, the main love story is between Hannah, and her sister Ginny, who has recently passed away. This book, at its core, is an exploration of grief. Winstesd explores how Hannah processes the death of her sister, and how difficult it is to heal after the death of a loved one. Winstead explains grief in a way that I have never heard an author describe it before, and creates a completey relatable character in Hannah. Readers will feel Hannah’s pain and relate to it, and will find themselves rooting for Hannah to find peace and healing throughout the novel.

Since this book has been compared to Daisy Jones and the Six, I went into this book expecting it to primarily focus on the relationship between Hannah and Theo. While Hannah and Theo’s relationship is a big part of the book, the book also focuses heavily on Hannah and her family, how the band came to be, and the relationship between the band members and their histories. While I was pleasantly surprised by this, I do think it is important that readers go into this book with this in mind.

Winstead also uses a variety of mediums to portray this story, including excerpts from podcasts and newspapers, and descriptions of Tik-Tok videos covering the band. This makes the book even more interesting and engaging.

Even though I have already read it, I will likely buy the audio and listen to that when it comes out in January, because I do believe this book would translate really well on audio.

I am giving this book 4/5 stars. While I devoured this book, the ending felt incomplete for me, and I actually turned the page and was shocked it was over. However, I think that Winstead purposefully ended the book this way, and I am eager to see what people have to say when it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel!

“The Future Saints,” by Ashley Winstead chronicles the rise of a fictitious rock band formed by three college friends now in their late twenties. The sudden death of their manager, Ginny Courtland, sister of lead singer, Hannah Courtland, has contributed to their meteoric rise to fame as their song lyrics turn to themes detailing Hannah’s despair as she grieves for her sister. Theo, the record label “fixer” joins them to see if he can get one more album out of the band to satisfy their contract, but finds himself captivated by Hannah. Soon Hannah is spiraling out of control with alcohol abuse, wild parties and outlandish gestures, such as shaving half her head on a dare. It isn’t clear until the end whether or not she will self-destruct or find a future without her sister.

The characters are well-drawn and their emotions are felt by the reader as they fight for success, and to keep their sanity in the midst of their new found fame, while dealing with their clashing egos and Hannah’s out of control behavior. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a character driven novel with flawed characters who try to find a way through challenging times, while growing as a person.

Out January 20th, 2026
When I was granted access to this book, I didn't know what a gift it would be. All I saw was the author name and the Daisy Jones tagline. Of course, we could see that as a weak pander to the readers of the megahit of Daisy Jones but when I tell you, it's sitting at the same table. I don't say it lightly out of respect for the love I have for TJR. See, when there is a revered author, you give each a chance.

Absolutely gutted—in the best way.

I don’t even know where to begin. The Future Saints cracked me open. Ashley Winstead didn’t just write a novel—she orchestrated a symphony of grief, love, ambition, and the messy, beautiful chaos of sisterhood. I felt like I was living inside a song that was equal parts haunting and healing.

Hannah, the lead singer, is a force of nature. Her grief is visceral, her rage is poetic, and her vulnerability is so raw it made me ache. Watching her spiral and soar, often in the same breath, felt like watching someone I knew and loved try to claw their way back to themselves. And Theo? He’s the kind of character who makes you believe in second chances and quiet bravery. Their connection isn’t just romantic—it’s electric, complicated, and deeply human.

The music industry backdrop isn’t just a setting—it’s a character in itself. The dive bars, the viral moments, the tension between art and commerce—it all felt so real, like I was backstage with the Saints, holding my breath before every performance.

But what truly wrecked me was the relationship between Hannah and her sister Ginny. It’s messy, painful, and fiercely loyal. It reminded me of my own sibling—how love can be both a lifeline and a battlefield.

This book made me cry, made me underline passages like they were gospel, and made me want to scream-sing my feelings into the night. If you’ve ever loved someone too much, lost someone too soon, or chased a dream that almost broke you—The Future Saints will feel like home.

Ashley Winstead, you’ve written a masterpiece. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long, long time.

Thank you a thousand times to NetGalley, Atria Books, Simmon and Schuster for this ARC!

Swoon… this was such a great read! A round of applause for Ashley Winstead’s newest book.

The Future Saints packs a punch with themes of sisterly love, heartbreaking loss, mental health, music, and romance while still having Winstead’s knack for suspense and mystery.

I was so wholly invested in this book from the first page. I lovvvvvvve these characters. I felt something in Hannah’s character so deeply. If you want an emotional read with some really awesome music, please read this!

I will admit, I wasn’t as excited for this book as I am for a new thriller by Ashley, but I was looking forward to seeing what she would do with a new genre! Immediately this book gives Almost Famous vibes, which is one of my top 5 favorite movies! Seeing Ashley breeze into this new genre just solidifies that she is the queen and can write anything!
The mixed media is used so perfect adding an extra layer to the story and the moment I finished I thought I can’t wait to listen to this on audio! The way Ashley develops these characters makes me feel like I personally know them and their fate is all that matters in the moment. She forces me to become invested in them and my heart broke for Hannah!
Also, in true Ashley fashion, I have so many highlights in here of powerful quotes and reflections. I connected more with this book than any of her previous ones, which I suppose is good considering they’re mainly about sex cults and murder 🤣
But truly, this book of grief, addiction and love helped me process some grief I have had with my aunt’s passing. I was sobbing in the end and while writing my review, highly recommend grabbing your tissues! As always when I finish a new Ashley book, I’m sad it’s over and can’t wait to see what’s next!

🌟ⒶⓁⓁ ⓉⒽⒺ ⓈⓉⒶⓇⓈ 🌟

✂️ P L O T L I N E
The Saints are struggling after the death of their manager, and music executive Theo is sent to save the band or end them. Lead singer Hannah shocks everyone with a raw new sound that unexpectedly goes viral, giving the group one last shot at success. But as the band gains momentum, Hannah’s grief and self-sabotage threaten everything: their comeback, her budding connection with Theo, and her bond with her sister Ginny.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
From the end of the first chapter, this book had a chokehold on me. The goosebumps stayed with me from that moment through the final pages and even after I finished the book. I already know this will be one of my top reads of the year, and I truly believe it’s going to be huge when it releases next year. Ashley Winstead proves that authors should never be kept in a genre box. This is, in my opinion, her best book yet. No words can fully do this story justice. This book is the definition of “show, not tell.” Hannah, Theo, Kenny, Ripper, and Ginny are all messy and flawed in the most human way, and they show us what it means to be fully alive. This is a love story in every sense and a reminder that grief is never easy and never endless, but hope always finds a way. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters. Their story gave me endless hope. The California setting spoke straight to my heart. I lived in Long Beach for 12 years, and Ashley captured the vibe and soul of that place so perfectly. Someone please make The Future Saints album a reality and turn this book into a show. Do yourself a favor: preorder this book along with a big pack of tissues! You’ll thank me later. 🥰

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
❤️Rockstar romance
💕Second chances
❤️‍🩹Navigating grief
❎Forbidden romance
💔Flawed and messy characters
👯‍♀️Love letter to sisterhood
🎶Music as the heartbeat
🎭Complicated family dynamics
🫶🏼Found family
🗣️Dual POVs

⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment.

🎶𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾🎶
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟:

🙏 Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Ashley Winstead for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. 💕

When I saw that Ashley Winstead had a new novel out, I assumed I’d got my hands on her latest thriller. However, Winstead surprised me by stepping away from her recent genre and delivering a beautifully written work of contemporary fiction, reminiscent of Daisy Jones & the Six.

The Future Saints follows Hannah, the lead singer and songwriter of a struggling band, and Theo, a representative from their label who’s sent to sever ties. But Theo sees potential in the band and believes they’re not done yet, setting the stage for their rise to fame—and all the complexities that come with it.

With themes of grief, perseverance, and a hint of romance, the journey of The Future Saints kept me engaged for the majority of the novel. (It did get a little slow for me in the middle). I’d recommend this novel to anyone in search of a musically-inspired story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. (Pub date: 1/20/26).

This is unlike anything Winstead has written before. It’s a bit romance, but it’s mostly a story about grief and overcoming the hardest aspects of dealing with loss. Told in dual pov, Theo, who is the new manager of the almost defunct band, The Future Saints, and Hannah, the lead singer of said band. Hannah is grappling with the loss of the former manager of the band 10 months prior.

If you’re looking for a modern take on Daisy Jones and the Six, look no further. This isn’t told in interview style, but there are snippets of interviews, news articles, and social media posts throughout the book. The band is facing highs and lows, working through grief while going viral on TikTok.

Beautifully written, this book grabbed me from the beginning. I simultaneously wanted to read the whole thing in one sitting and savor it by taking my time. I didn’t want it to end.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! This was such an emotional read, and I loved it!

The Future Saints is an atmospheric, raw, and sometimes messy dive into fame, grief, and the self-destructive edge of indie rock stardom. Ashley Winstead’s writing is sharp and immersive, she pulls you into Hannah’s world of haunting memories, band drama, and the desperate search for meaning after devastating loss.

While I appreciated the gritty tone and the music industry setting, I didn’t care for the parts where Hannah’s dead loved one “speaks” to her. For me, those moments pulled me out of the story a bit and I would have preferred her grief to stay grounded in memories rather than imagined conversations.

Thank you to Atria, NetGalley and the author for this ARC

I loved this book! It was the perfect combination of drama and character. Having suffered. Great loss I connected to the main character immediately, and her journey and internal conversations resonated with me.

This is a departure from the other books I have read by Ashley Winstead and that is always so fun to me when an author can write totally different genres. The Future Saints, fronted by Hannah Cortland, have been in a downward spiral after a tragic accident. Theo Ford is sent by their record label to get one last contracted album from the band and then to cut them. The story follows the band making this album, their viral social media moments that have them back on the rise, and them coming to terms with their loss and what that means for the band. At the heart of this story, it’s a portrayal of grief. If you love a band story, interspersed with media and interview snippets, this might be for you. I loved Kenny the most and enjoyed how the book wrapped up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First off, I would read anything Ashley Winstead writes. This book was great. I really enjoyed reading it the entire time. It was a story of love, addiction, grief, loyalty and perseverance. I was rooting for the characters to succeed and find their peace. This book follows a struggling rock band following a tragic loss as they are trying to revive their brand. We also meet their new manager, Theo, who is otherwise known as “the fixer.” This book is raw, emotional and inspiring. I would highly recommend this book and this author.

Thank you Atria Books for the gifted ARC!

Whenever I get my greedy little paws on a new Ashley Winstead book, it is a "drop whatever else I'm reading and start immediately" situation. I simultaneously could not put this down and did not want it to end, which is the best combination to encounter as a reader.

Unlike Ashley, I do not have a way with words, so I'm struggling to write this review in fear of not doing this beautiful book justice. At its heart, it is a romance. And just like the synopsis says "...but not the one you're expecting." You will feel every single emotion under the sun while you're reading, and some of it will tear you to shreds.

Ashley is so gifted when it comes to making her characters come alive. The sisterhood, friendships, and romantic relationships were all so thoughtfully crafted they felt like they belonged to my own friends and loved ones. And only someone who has experienced such visceral loss could so eloquently write about Hannah's tumultuous grieving process. (Endless hugs to you, Ashley, love you my friend!)

I was a complete and absolute puddle when I got to the end of the book. There really is no higher praise I can give to an author than to tell them their book made me *feel* so deeply, and that is putting it mildly in the case of The Future Saints. You can absolutely expect to see this beautiful book in my top 10 of 2026 - pub date January 20.

Ashley Winstead has been one of my favorite authors for years. I love her thrillers so much and anxiously await their release. Her romances are always delightful and a nice palate cleanser from the dark and twisty thrillers she writes. The Future Saints is such a departure from both, but I really enjoyed it and could not put it down. I loved the characters so much and audibly gasped more than once. I love that it was a love story, but one of sisters and family. I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait until its release to read it again!