4 stars! Loved every min of this. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Future Saints – Ashley Winstead

A bold, thought-provoking read that kept me hooked from start to finish. Ashley Winstead continues to impress with her sharp, layered storytelling.

My goodness this was so good. Heartbreaking and intense but really so good. It was such a good switch up from your normal book about musicians with the added POV of Theo being with management. I loved the tension from the romance and honestly I loved the ending!

Definitely add this to your TBR for January!
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

Ashley Winstead knows how to write a great book! I very much enjoyed this one, and stayed engaged in the content from start to finish. If you enjoy this genre, give this book a read!

**ARC received from NetGalley**

I had actually just finished This Book Will Bury Me when this book came through (also 4 stars!). That book got inspiration from the Idaho murders so when I saw this, I was surprised it wasn't a darker theme. However, that turned out to be a good thing. Don't misunderstand, this isn't a romantic comedy, even though there are funny parts, there are dark aspects to this story, just no serial killers. I was also worried that this would be too similar to Daisy Jones and the Six, and luckily it read very differently than that for me.

The lead, Hannah, does have some similarities to Daisy Jones in some ways but her motivation and character were well fleshed out. Theo seemed less so to me but he was still a very likeable character. Kenny and Ripper were just fun side treats, important to the story but definitely not as deep. You could not help rooting for the Future Saints as they worked their way through the recording process with their "suit".

The relationship between Ginny and Hannah absolutely broke my heart. My only issue with that is how Theo found out after explaining how much research he did on the band before meeting them. I feel like there was a way to fit that in without spoiling the conversations that Hannah was having with her.

Notes:
- That Rolling Stone reporter definitely deserved to come back, those scenes with him had me laughing out loud.
- Saturday Night Live does not film in July. That really shouldn't bother me as much as it does but kept trying to figure out how to make that work in the timeline given the ending anchor point.

Thank you to Atria for the review copy! Ashley Winstead is a favorite of mine, and this novel marks an exciting shift—blending themes she’s explored in past books with something new. It’s not quite a thriller, and not exactly a romance, though it carries elements of both: a thread of suspenseful tension, complex female characters, a bit of romance, and a return to themes of grief, identity, and messy relationships. Fans of The Last Housewife, Midnight Is the Darkest Hour, and This Book Will Bury Me (which I loved) will recognize her signature depth here.

What really worked for me was the thoughtful exploration of grief—how we experience it privately, and how it's consumed publicly, especially through the lens of social media. The plot may feel uneven at times, and I suspect some readers will point that out, but honestly, that worked for me. Grief, addiction, pressure, and being in your twenties are rarely neat or structured. If someone wrote about my twenties, it would absolutely feel scattered and uncertain too.

While comparisons to Daisy Jones that have already been made, and they aren’t entirely off base, this is very much Winstead’s own voice and style. It's not an ode to music, but to art and creative expression, and to how we find meaning, healing, and voice through what we create—and the people who show up to witness it.

I've loved all of Ashley Winstead's thrillers and was so impressed with her first foray into literary fiction. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this e-arc.

A blend of grief, music, and healing, with a splash of romance. Hannah, lead singer of the Future Saints, is haunted by the ghost of her sister Ginny, literally and emotionally. As her world begins to unravel, Theo from Manifest Records is sent in. With Theo and her loyal bandmates Kenny and Ripper by her side, her journey becomes a powerful testament on how love and support can carry us through even the darkest of grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this book!

I went back and forth on what to rate this book. I personally feel like it didn't really give me Daisy Jones feelings - although many seem to disagree. At times, I felt some of the dialogue a little cheesy and the main character was frustrating beyond her circumstances, but I do really love how the book came together in the end.

After sitting with it for a while, I gave an additional star because the book focuses on grief which IS inherently messy and complex, just like the characters in this book. The romance piece wasn't totally fleshed out in the way I expected, but once again - grief is the forefront of the book and I think the romance made sense in this light.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7738837676

Hands down—fangirl speech incoming!
Ashley Winstead is, without a doubt, one of the rarest literary talents of our time. She’s proven she can masterfully navigate both razor-sharp thrillers and laugh-out-loud romcoms—but now? Now, she’s outdone herself. With her latest novel, she’s delivered something extraordinary. And yes, I know it’s only 2026, but I’m boldly declaring it: this is one of the best books of the year.

What Winstead has done is nothing short of magic—blending the nostalgic band drama energy of Almost Famous, Daisy Jones and The Six, and The Dirt, with gut-wrenching themes of grief, sisterhood, mental health, and the ache of family dysfunction. But it’s more than that. It’s refined, heartfelt, creatively layered, and emotionally raw in a way that makes it impossible to put down. I savored every single page.

Let’s talk characters—because they own this book.
Hannah: a walking contradiction. A dazzling voice paired with crippling self-destruction. A lyricist who writes like her soul’s on fire, who battles between selfish impulses and unwavering devotion to her late sister.
And then there’s Theo: a suit, a record exec, nicknamed the Grim Reaper of Manifest Records. But beneath his calm, corporate armor lies the heart of a saint. The most patient man in the music industry—wrangling the chaos of the Future Saints, enduring their drama, egos, and emotional implosions until, finally, he snaps.

And yes—the slow-burn love story between Theo and Hannah? Chef’s kiss. It’s messy, magnetic, and completely unputdownable.

The band is pure magic:

Tarak “Ripper” Ravishankar, the bassist with a hunger for control, always one step from stealing the spotlight but still carrying protective big brother energy.
And Kevin Lovins, the crystal-loving, peacekeeping drummer who’s as eccentric as he is loyal. His love for music pulses through every beat, and his energy is contagious.
Now for a quick synopsis:

The story kicks off when Theo Ford—record label enforcer and occasional miracle worker—is sent to a tiny L.A. venue to evaluate the Future Saints. He’s meant to shut them down… until Hannah steps on stage and delivers a soul-splitting final performance that goes viral. Suddenly, Theo can’t look away.

When he learns their crumbling band has just lost their manager—who, twist, was also Hannah’s sister Ginny—he takes on the impossible mission of putting them back together. Tour by tour, stage by stage, he becomes the glue holding them (barely) intact, pushing them from the bright lights of Vegas to the heart of San Francisco.

But Hannah is spiraling—haunted by grief, haunted by Ginny. She numbs her pain with booze, pills, and denial, dragging herself and the band to the brink. And Theo? He risks his job, his sanity, and his heart—because something in Hannah's broken resilience calls to him. Even if they’re destined to crash and burn.

This book is a searing, soaring tribute to music, love, grief, and the pain of creativity. It’s about choosing life when all you want is escape. About raising your head and finding light, even in the darkest night.

Five blazing, gut-punching, electric stars from me.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the chance to read this unforgettable story early. I’m still not over it—and I don’t want to be.

4.25 ⭐️

A little different from Winstead, and yet she still delivers. Yes, it is another story about a band with a unpredictable and self-destructive lead female singer (similar to Daisy Jones), but there is another layer that makes it different. I’d imagine this would be great on audio, too!

4.75 stars rounded up. I think the best way to describe this is Daisy Jones and the Six but make it modern, less toxic, and lose the documentary aspect. This book made me so emotional and I really cared for the characters, especially Theo and Hannah. The story is told from both of their POVs and includes mixed media chapters as well. Pretty much my favorite kind of book. Theo has been instructed by the band label to help them push out their last contracted album and then cut them loose. He meets the band and then videos of their performances start going viral, now he’s on a mission to guide them through the fame as best as he can. Hannah is a haunted soul who is left reeling from a major loss, while also quickly rising in fame with her band. Being thrown into the spotlight while also dealing with grief could do anyone in, and Hannah unfortunately has her vices. The only reason I didn’t give this a full 5 stars was because I was left craving more at the end. I just wanted a bit more closure for the characters. This is a completely different type of story for Ashley Winstead, but she has been one of my favorite thriller writers in the past so I am happy to see her branch out some more. It definitely worked for her. I definitely think this will be on a lot of readers list of top books for 2026.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this book but definitely felt like 3/4 of the book was fairly slow. I really enjoyed the last part of the book and how it touched on and examined grief. It felt emotional, raw, and real at times no matter who you are. I wish there was more depth within the interactions the band members had and how each of them came to be in their pov but I understand the limitations with the length of the book. I personally felt like I couldn’t connect with any of the characters until the last portion of the book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
This was such an emotional journey. I barely have words to describe this masterpiece. It made me feel all the emotions. Grief was portrayed so beautifully. The characters are multidimensional. But mostly, it shows hope. Hope that it will be better. Hope that you can achieve your dreams. Hope that you will find someone who understands you. Honestly, the ending had me sobbing. But that’s how you know it’s a great book. Definitely a must read.

In the same vein as Daisy Jones and the Six this book ripped me apart and put me back together again.

Hannah is the Queen of Sadness, a troubled rocker of The Future Saints and is fueled by the loss of her sister. We are given a front row seat to her decline and the inner workings of her mind on this journey.

Not only do we have Hannah's POV, but we also get another POV from new band manager Theo, "the fixer". He tries to be the anchor for the band and for Hannah, but can he save them from themselves?

5/5 ⭐
Pub date: 01/20/2026

In one sense so different to the authors other books, but in another Ashley Winstead has always been able to seamlessly deliver haunting and poetic chapters that have so much more hidden layers to the surface level genre.

The book follows a famous music band, they are struggling after the tragic death of their manager and practically drowning in their grief which ultimately sends the band in a different direction musically, they tap into something new and unique, their record label is not happy about it but they have one true supported who sees their new vision and the way it resonates with the fans.

I loved the band members and their emotional journey, there is a lot of character depth and development, their emotions are honest and raw and bleed off the page.

If you are passionate about music and willing to travel to something beyond that this book is absolutely for you.

I see the comparison to daisy jones and the six and I understand why but imo that book / tv adaption is full of toxicity which you won’t find in this one and im glad for that, it would take away from the beauty that is “the future saints”.

A novel about sisterhood, friendship, and the ghosts that haunt us, The Future Saints is “a mesmerizing look at grief, love, and the music industry that's so raw and emotional, you’ll want to play it on repeat.”

Thank you to Atria Books and Ashley Winstead for this #netgalley #gifted copy.

It’s quite a long time until the publish date (January 2026) but absolutely worth the wait, put this one on your wish list so you don’t forget!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A grieving lead singer, a risky new sound, and a record exec betting it all—can the Future Saints survive their big break?

Ashley may be venturing into new territory with this genre, but she absolutely nailed it. She didn't just write a book about a band, she composed a symphony of the human spirit!

It is no surprise to those who know me that I would read anything Ashley writes, not just because she’s endlessly talented, but because she’s a master at capturing the intricacies of the human experience. In this novel, her depiction of grief is breathtaking- intimate, nuanced, and devastatingly honest. The characters feel achingly real, their emotions so vivid and raw...it is clear that Ashley poured her own grieving heart and beautiful soul into this novel.

I loved the dual POVs, the inclusion of interview transcripts and media snippets woven throughout the band’s journey. That was pure ROCK STAR storytelling, Ashley (pun intended)!

This book broke my heart and remixed it into something new. Like a song that lives in your bones, its melody will echo long after you’ve turned the final page.

Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley, and Ashley Winstead for the gifted copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, Death/Grief

This wonderful book took me back to Daisy jones and the six and Almost famous. A book about a modern day up and coming rock band and their young manager who comes to fix their issues.

I went into this blind, only knowing it was a departure from Winsteads main genres of romance and thrillers ( both of which I love).

This wrecked me in the best way, in the way I can imagine Hannah’s grief and her subsequent portrayal of that grief in her lyrics, wrecked her fans. I felt every emotion, and was so impressed with how layered this was- both thematically and in in the mixed media interweaving of interviews and the media portrayal of the future saints.

In some ways, this reminded me of my favorite of last year, Colton Gentry’s Last Stand, with its themes of grief, love, and second chances all with music as a substantial plot point. They both hit hard emotionally ( and sometimes unexpectedly) but wove a perfect balance of the portrayal of grief and the emotional backslide that results with the hope that’s on the other side.

I have a whole new appreciation for Ashley Winstead’s talent and am a forever fan!

Hannah is the Queen of Sadness, a troubled rocker of The Future Saints and is fueled by the loss of her sister. We are given a front row seat to her decline and the inner workings of her mind on this journey of pain.

Ashley poured her soul into this book and with each line, each song lyric, all you can feel is the raw emotion and you're transported into Hannah's grief. Beautifully written and poetic.

Not only do we have Hannah's POV, but we also get another POV from new band manager Theo, "the fixer". He tries to be the anchor for the band and for Hannah, but can he save them from themselves?

5/5 ⭐
Pub date: 01/20/2026