I loved this book. There was so much hype surrounding it and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Although Hannah is the exact opposite person of me, I found myself really caring for her and the others in the band. As someone with a sister, the bond between Hannah and Ginny really resonated with me. As much as I disagreed with Hannah, I couldn’t dislike her. They were all figuring things out and I am honestly thrilled with how the story ended.

Theo was so likable. Maybe I am a bit biased as I am also working in a corporate role, but his willingness to help others even at the expense of himself was a beautiful and realistic flaw. I saw just how much can go into the production of music and how it could offer real healing.

Thank you so much to Atria and Netgalley for the ARC. I will be recommending this to everyone!

I love that this title is compared to Daisy Jones because that was one of my favorites ever! Ashley’s newest book is a similar story and deals with bands, music, and relationships, but there is SO much more. The bonds of sisterhood, families, and friends are explored at the heart of this story. Very well written, and I was enthralled from start to end. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love Ashley Winstead so much. She writes great thrillers and romcoms and here she killed the contemporary fiction genre. So so good. Lots of grief so if that’s a trigger, be warned.

now THIS is the book i was expecting to read when everyone told me to read daisy jones and the six. wow. six stars

thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a review

i’m convinced ashley winstead can’t write a bad book. this one might be one of her best

this book was real and honest and emotional and i ate up every moment of it.

it follows a cast of characters that are so well rounded and likable as they try to navigating the world after a devastating loss. this book made me laugh out loud but also made me cry.

this book deals with grief in such a visceral way, you almost feel like you lost someone yourself. hannah’s struggles with trying to process a world without her sister took my breath away

i absolutely adore theo, hannah, ripper and kenny. i would read 300 more pages of them.

theo ford is the new book boyfriend of 2026, calling it now

Ashley Winstead can WRITE. I sobbed the last 10% of this book! I haven’t lost a sister, but I felt that pain so viscerally in these pages. Is it like Daisy Jones and the Six? Only in that the stories are about bands and there’s drama. Yet, both books are riveting. Both are rooted in such specific settings. I loved this book.

Ashley Winstead has outdone herself with The Future Saints. This emotionally charged novel blends the intensity of a rising indie band with the raw, messy realities of grief, mental health, and family loss. At its heart is Hannah Cortland, a dazzling, self-destructive lyricist grappling with her sister Ginny’s death, whose struggles make her achingly real and impossible to put down. Theo, the patient, and steady record exec, becomes both her anchor and her chaos, creating a slow-burn romance that’s utterly magnetic. The band members themselves, eccentric, flawed, and fiercely loyal, bring energy, humor, and heart to every page. With music as its pulse and emotional complexity at its core, this is a searing, lyrical, and unforgettable story that will leave you laughing, crying, and completely absorbed until the last note.

Release Date: 1/20/26

I am trying to put this into words and I can not stop thinking about it - Ashley Winstead is phenomenal and depicts grief/messy parts of life SO well. This gave me that Daisy Jones and the Six feeling and was absolutely incredible. This will be a hit book in 2026 I can feel it!

I am so excited for this one to come out! The exhilaration and chaos of band life mingled with the grief of losing a loved one, made this book real and emotional. This book gave Daisy Jones vibes with the themes of band drama and self destruction but also thought it was unique with the processing of grief. I can't wait to recommend this.

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead is a read that pulls you into the world of music, ambition, and complicated family ties. This is reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six in the way it captures the behind-the-scenes chaos of rising stardom and the emotional weight that comes with chasing dreams and facing the grief of losing someone close.

A solid four stars, I’d recommend it to anyone who loves music driven fiction with an emotional tie in.

I thought I was diving into a story about the rise of a band, and I was, but it turned out to be so much more. The book alternates between two perspectives: the band’s manager (the “suit”) and Hannah, the rockstar lead singer, who is weighed down by deep grief after losing her former manager.

The story follows the band’s rise as Hannah and her two bandmates create a sound unlike anything they’ve made before. Hannah pours her grief into lyrics, acts a bit unhinged while also having raw, one-sided conversations with a ghost. Layered into this is a developing romance that adds another emotional thread.

I really enjoyed this story! It was equal parts music, grief, healing, and love. It’s not just about a band chasing fame; it’s about how pain shapes art and how connection (through music and people) can spark hope. 4 stars from me!

Thank you for the ARC provided by Atria Books the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review!

If you're drawn to emotionally charged stories set against the backdrop of the music industry with flawed, compelling characters grappling with grief, ambition, and complicated love,The Future Saints is poised to deliver. Winstead's lyrical, reflective style and her gift for capturing depth of feeling make this a standout. It’s the kind of story that lingers and makes you want to blast your favorite breakup ballad afterward.

I enjoyed this spin of a small beach band getting it big. The tragedy of her sister dying and her spiral of addiction while her fame sky rocketed was emotional. I liked the discussion around grief and the love story as well

3.5/5

After enjoying a couple of Ashley Winstead’s other books for the first time earlier this year, The Future Saints was on my list of most anticipated 2026 releases and I was sold immediately hearing that it was described for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six (one of my all time faves!). The Future Saints is about a struggling three person band, led by singer and guitarist Hannah Cortland, rising to fame with the help of music executive “fixer” Theo Ford. The characters, particularly Hannah, were imperfect and messy. There’s a romance side plot, you get to see some behind the scenes of the present day music business, and there is a very heavy focus on grief that impacts the whole band with the death of Hannah’s sister/former band manager. The story is told in a mix between Hannah and Theo’s POVs, and some “mixed media” chapters sprinkled throughout such as article or podcast snippets.

I absolutely loved the start of this book. I was pulled in immediately, and it felt like a real life band with raw, messy, imperfect people. I was also drawn to Hannah’s character, wanting to know what made her the way that she was at the start of this book. I really liked the music side of the book—the cutthroat nature of the industry and how difficult it is to make it.

However, what ended up taking over the central story arc was grief and how the band grappled with it, especially Hannah. It was so central to the story that for me at least, it took away a little from the story in the sense that I would have liked a little more music industry drama propelling the story or seen a little more build up to the romance. I think this made the pacing in the middle a little slower for me. I understand now why this book is also compared to the book In Five Years. That’s another book I’ve read that focuses heavily on loss. One other thing that I’d note is that I wouldn’t go into this book expecting an epic romance—it’s definitely more of a side story.

Overall, I did like this book and think Ashley Winstead is a great writer, but just feel that the focus on grief in here was so strong that it took away little away from the other elements to the story. I can definitely see other people loving this one though especially if you liked the two books, Daisy Jones & The Six or In Five Years, that The Future Saints is compared to.

Trigger warning: grief and loss

Really stuck between 4-4.5 stars. Have to think on this one!

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and @Atriabooks for the advanced copy. This one publishes in January '26.

What to expect in this book:

-Alternating POV
-Contemporary fiction
-Rock band
-Grief, loss, mental health representation
-Interviews and features
-Sisterhood

Thoughts

Ashley Winstead is one of my favorites authors ever. How can someone write the most disturbing thrillers, endearing rom-coms, and now an emotional and poignant contemporary fiction? The Future Saints is about an up and coming rock band of the same name. After a tragic death of the band's manager and lead singer Hannah's sister, Theo is called in by the record label to stand in as the band's new manager. However, while the Future Saints have great potential, they are tanking and Hannah is on a downward spiral of grief. As she begins to explore a new sound and channel her sadness into their music, the band begins to go viral. But Hannah's grief has consequences that go beyond her, but to the whole band. This is a novel about fame, but mostly it is about sisterhood, grief, friendship all within the music industry.

As someone who tries to go into books blind, I had known this was inititally compared to Daisy Jones and the Six. While it does feature a rock band, that really feels like the only comparison for me. Very character-based, The Future Saints is a deep-dive into the pains and realties of grief. I thought Hannah's journey grieving over Ginny was a refreshing take and loved the counseling scenes. I thought the slight element of magical realism was interesting and could be relatable to those experiences complicated bereavement. While I enjoyed Hannah's character and the complexities of her, I felt less enamored with her other band mates and wished I did not keep forgetting their names or anything about them while reading. In order for me to give a five star, I have to really visualize the characters and it was hard for me in that regard.

Although this is not a love story, I did enjoy the romantic elements and the potential that brought, I quite literally yelled, "What!" on the last page because I could not believe it was over. This is a book to digest and savor. If you enjoy books with deep themes, complex characters, and enjoy music/song-writing, then I highly suggest adding this to your list for 2026 reads!

Ashley Winstead is one of my absolute favorite authors and although this is different from what I've read from her in the past (all thrillers), The Future Saints did not disappoint. This book follows a band, The Future Saints, after they have lost their friend, sister, and band manager in a surfing accident. We get two points of view throughout, one from Hannah, the lead singer and guitarist, and the other from Theo, the person their label has sent in to get one last album out of them before their contract is up. We watch as Theo tries to put the band back together while juggling the media and his personal feelings about the band and while Hannah works through her grief. This book made me feel like I was watching a documentary about my favorite band on MTV. It has been compared to Daisy Jones and the Six and while they do offer similar vibes, The Future Saints definitely offers something different. The way Ashley has explored grief in her past two books has taken her writing up a notch for me and I think it is safe to say that I will pick up anything she puts out.

I cried through the last chapters of this book. Definitely a different vibe than other Winstead books, but I enjoyed the journey, characters, and reminder that you can always start again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

The synopsis compared this to Daisy Jones & The Six 🎶 so of course I had to read it, and WOW I’m so glad I did. From the very first chapters, I could tell this was going to be a story that stuck with me long after finishing. It’s already earned a spot on my shelf as one I’ll reread again and again.

🎤 The story unfolds through multiple POVs with Hannah, the band’s lead singer, and Theo, the band’s manager. It takes a moment to get into the rhythm, but once the pieces click together, the emotional pull is incredible. Ginny’s role especially adds so much depth, and by the end I was fully invested and crying my eyes out 😭.

🎶 The structure mixes traditional storytelling with interviews and articles, which naturally invites comparisons to Daisy Jones. But this book stands firmly on its own. The Future Saints feel like a real band with distinct voices and personalities, and honestly, I think I connected with them even more than with The Six.

💔 At its heart, this is a story about grief, identity, and the messy ways people cope. Hannah is chaotic and flawed, but her pain and choices felt raw and relatable. There’s also a romance element between Hannah and Theo that adds a softer thread, but it never distracts from the deeper themes.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It made me laugh, cry, and immediately wish there was a real soundtrack to play on repeat. Someone please make a Future Saints album because I need these songs in my life right now. 🎶✨

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an early ARC of Ashley Winstead newest release of The Future Saints. Fans of Daisy Jones and the Six will love this book. The dynamics between the band members and Theo alongside Hannah's own journey to find herself after the loss of her sister was beautiful to read. The main plot is behind the scenes of the music industry but the real story is about grief, survival, and ultimately love, This book will be perfect for readers who enjoy books with emotional depth and a open ending. I can see it becoming a movie or tv series.

Welcome back Daisy Jones & the Six.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for sending me this book!

Lovers of Daisy Jones & the six + almost famous will love this book!!
This was a fun summer read!
I’m a big fan of Ashley winstead and have read all her books. This one was very different than the rest, which I thought was cool! Some romance and
Thanks netgalley for the ARC 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼