The Trade-Off is an eye-opening and harrowing read, perfect for fans of fast-paced thrillers. This intense novel pulled me in with its gripping narrative and heart-pounding suspense.

The Trade Off, a thriller by Sandie Jones, is an inside look at the sleezy and scandalous operations of tabloid rags. The story centers around two women, Jess, a rookie reporter and Stella, the accomplished newswoman from The Globe in London, England. The ugly secrets and dark misdeeds of this business are seamlessly woven into a moving and passionate dialogue. The writing is so clear and revealing that a reader almost feels the need for a shower to rid oneself of the scum and filth.

Sandie Jones spins a unique and believable story as these two women war on differing sides of a moral dilemma. The reader must sift through all the clues to discover the truth amid lies, deception, and blackmail. Is this how our media works today? Is no price too great to pay for that one big story? The fast past kept me engaged and reading. I am delighted to have found another great mystery writer.

The Trade Off follows two tabloid reporters and how far they will go to not only get the story, but get ahead. Based on the blurb, I think I expected a far more thrilling story than was presented. It took about 60-70% before the thriller aspect kicked in, and I had guessed most of the twists well before. All of the characters were unlikeable, and not in the redeeming, fun to follow type of way. Overall this was just a miss for me. If you like juicy workplace drama with a thriller vibe, this might be for you.

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for the advance copy.

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones is another well written novel by a very talented and seasoned author. It is well written, fast paced and has strong well developed characters. Another terrific mystery/thriller that kept me captivated from start to finish. Based on tabloid journalism, it shows the darkest side of this kind and the effects on those involved. Filled with mystery and suspense, there are many twist and turns and a surprise ending that will drop your jaw in the floor. I am a huge fan of Sandie Jones and her books and she does not disappoint with this one!! A must read!!!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sandie Jones for another intriguing book to read and review. The thoughts expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley. #stmartinspress. #sandiejones. #thetradeoff. #stmartinspressunfluencer. #arc

4 stars rounded up to 4.5! Another great thriller from Sandie Jones!

Everyone is suspicious in "The Trade Off," a psychological thriller set in London & centered around the inner workings of Britain's largest newspaper - "The Globe." The much-read tabloid is well known for using unethical, and often illegal, tactics for generating headlines. Editor Max & Deputy Editor Stella butt heads throughout the book, as Max wants to procure stories that are legitimate, yet Stella will go to any length to lock down a headline & further her career. The outlier is the newcomer to the team, Jess, who has been hired by Max to keep an eye out for Stella's whereabouts & daily activities. Jess' moral compass is pure & the situations she finds herself in leads her to take a stand against a wicked media empire. But as she digs into the paper's dark inner workings, she finds that not everything & everyone are what they seem.

Really enjoyed this #MeToo-centric plot, complete with some last-minute twists that I didn't see coming. I did feel the book wrapped up a little too quickly. I would have liked to have read more about the fallout of Peter & the circumstances surrounding "The Globe" as the secrets of the paper & its team finally were made public. I also would have liked to see Harry's storyline be more developed, given his government position & relationship with Stella.

This was a bit of a disjointed novel that had me trying to figure out what the hell was going on. I even thought at one point that perhaps this story was being told from two different time periods because the story was so disjointed. It was pretty confusing though with a great ending.

I'm sad to say this one was a bit of a miss for me. The combination of slower pace, ethics and tabloids wound up never making it to my interest level in a favorable way. Sandie jones has some other great books out there so I am hopeful this one was just not a match for me and her next will be a better fit, If you are a tabloid and Hollywood gossip junkie, you may enjoy this one more than me.

I really enjoyed this novel as I studied Journalism in College.
We all know that reporting the news on TV or in magazines, depending on the type, most people strive for the perfect story. Whether the story is stretching the truth, completely true or a misconstrued is another story in itself. Everyone hears or witnesses something someone else might not.

The Globe’s deputy editor is Stella and she will do anything to get the story. Her reputation has made her who she is today.
The other character Jess who is a new reporter wants the truth and the tabloids can be tricky. We have all seen photographers and reporters waiting outside celebrities’ home or places they go to get the next big story. The Globe will suffer when a celebrity is pursued.
Fast paced and reminds me of some of the news in today’s world with some of the best selling magazines at the checkout counter of most grocery stores.
Thank you St. Martins Press for this advanced copy of The Trade Off. I have loved all her books, and this is another preorder for me. Available August 15th.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Publication date: August 15, 2023

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones is told in dual POV. Two journalists seeing/experiencing the same situations but seeing them through two different lenses. This title is listed as Mystery/Thriller. I would actively call this one more Drama with a bit of mystery.

Jess gets hired as the Globes rookie reporter. Super new and inexperienced, Jess is not sure she can hack it in the cruel world of celebrity drama.

Stella is the Globes assistant editor. Desperate to become the next successful editor, Stella will stop at nothing to get the story, no matter who or what becomes collateral damage.

When one celebrity they have been chasing pays the ultimate price, Jess uncovers shocking details on just how far the paper will go to get their stories. Now she’s racing against time to uncover who the ultimate mastermind is behind everything and doesn’t know who she can trust. Will she find out how to stop them before it’s too late for her?

This was a good book! It’s definitely not thriller but I found myself engaged throughout. Short chapters told in different POV. Definitely worth a read! This is a 4 star read for me!

#NetGalley #thetradeoff #sandiejones

This one was a bit slow for me, but the way these journalists are so cut throat...🫢 I felt bad for new journalist Jess as she is a newby who seasoned Stella uses to get the story. From the beginning of Jess' job interview, i felt bad for her. I questioned if the press is really, truly like this in real life just to get a story?

Towards the end of the book, the story picks up, and at that point is where I didn't want to put it down. I did enjoy reading the twists, as well as the realistic feel of the world of journalism and how they can ruin these celebrities' lives.

Addictive tale about tabloid reporters. Jess is a newbie reporter at a tabloid newspaper who is determined to do a good job and be honest in her reporting. Stella is the long time editor for the paper and she only worries about getting the best stories even if they aren’t true. Dark, entertaining story about the impact of tabloid reporting on the lives of people featured. Fast paced, difficult to put down.

Love a good journalist mystery book! Lots of drama and action! I was lucky to get an early copy from Minotaur books and St. Martin’s Press. Thank you ❤️

When I started reading The Trade Off by Sandie Jones, I was totally unprepared to be sucked in for a twisty tale of sleazy tabloid journalists and a whodunit of unlikeable characters. The cast of possible bad guys is broad, and not one of them is totally innocent, nor are they completely bad, or so the reader is led to believe.

It was a distinctly disconcerting feeling, as Jess, a rookie reporter on a tabloid newspaper, accepts a job in which she believes that she is expected to maintain a high moral stance and report from a place of truth. She soon learns that this is not the norm at The Globe, and when disastrous events occur as a result of one of her stories, Jess is motivated to bring the responsible parties to justice...but who is actually responsible is yet to be determined.

There are enough bad guys in this story to keep the reader guessing until the conclusion, and the layers to the deception are a twisted quagmire of bad actors.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press-Minotaur for the digital ARC of The Trade Off by Sandie Jones. The opinions in this review are my own.

Reading Between the Wines book review #102/115 for 2023:
Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: The Trade Off
Author: Sandie Jones
Releases Aug 15, 2023!

Sipping thoughts: I loved Sandie Jones, and while I enjoyed this book, it wasn't my favorite of hers. It was definitely the error of #MeToo and the movies Bombshell and She Said. There was definitely a level of surprise and twist and kept my interest. While this was not my favorite Jones book, I can't wait until the next release.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for an advanced copy of @TheTradeOff.

#TheTradeOff #SandieJones #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult @JoannaSchaffhausen @Minotaur_Books

A fun foray into the world of tabloid journalism. Two reporters, one seasoned the other a newbie with differing points of view. Get the story at all costs including lies and manipulation or put ethics ahead of all else. In this world one must be careful as doing the right thing might get you killed.
I really enjoyed the author's take on tabloid papers and the underhanded ways reporters get their stories. The conflicts of good vs evil and acceptance vs revenge are played out in an entertaining and thoughtful manner. The story is told through the POV's of the two reporters at an even pace that eventually kicks into high gear towards the end. All in all this was a fun read and one I can recommend.

Two seemingly very different journalists perspectives tell this story and the exploitation that occurs in journalism and the media. Jess, new to journalism and has a moral compass, then there is Stella who has been around for awhile and appears she will stop at nothing to get a story, even fabricating most of it. Max the editor and Peter the owner are pulling strings from the sidelines but you won’t believe the why behind it until the end.

I didn’t enjoy the first 50% or so, didn’t relate to the characters, or enjoy the storyline, moves pretty slow. The ending is a whirlwind of action and activity. Really wouldn’t classify this a a thriller myself—more drama with some mystery. Not my favorite by this author but definitely will be looking forward to more of her work and grateful for the electric advanced reader copy, all opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press!!

Sandie is a top go to author for me and she didn’t disappoint with this book. This is a must read and I don’t want to spoil anything because it’s jaw dropping!

Thank you to Minotaur for letting me read early. This one publishes August 15.

I had a hard time getting into this one. I honestly just didn’t like the characters. I also didn’t love the plot. In the end it just wasn’t for me but I know others will probably dig it.

“Would you tell a story that you knew was a lie, or would you tell the truth and sleep at night”?

For Stella, duputy editor at The Globe, she will stop at nothing to get that story. But Jess, the rookie reporter, stops when the truth does, no matter how much more interesting the story may be without it. When a celebrity pays the ultimate price over a story printed by the tabloid, Jess feels the paper is responsible and she will stop at nothing to expose them.

I loved the last book by this author (The Guilt Trip) so I was eager for the chance to read this one as well! Well, Sandie Jones did NOT disappoint! In this exciting page-turner, we see the inner workings of a tabloid newspaper (which I found to be entertaining) and what really goes into “making” the story. I found this to be unique and refreshing from other thrillers I have read recently too. If you are a fan of thrillers and journalist-type stories you will enjoy this one too!

Thank you to Netgalley, Sandie Jones and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! “The Trade Off” is out now! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

For Jess, working for The Globe is her dream job. That is, until she gets her foot in the door, and realizes just how corrupt they really are. Jess is determined to only do clean and above-board reporting, but she keeps getting thrown into precarious situations. Stella, deputy editor of The Globe, has always been clear how she felt about her job. It doesn’t matter how low she has to stoop—getting the best story is what she’s built her reputation on. When a celebrity is hounded by The Globe and ends up paying the ultimate price, Jess wonders 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.

This book starts off as a bit of a slow burn, but once it picked up, I didn't want to stop reading. I feel like this is a very realistic view of journalism and journalistic integrity, and it was truly horrifying the lengths they would go just to get a story - any story. They didn't care who they hurt, or what lives were destroyed in the process. I have always held a dim view of tabloids, and this did nothing to endear me to them. The last several chapters were a complete whirlwind, as Jess becomes determined to expose The Globe, and someone has decided the only way to keep that from happening is to remove Jess from the picture. This wasn't my favorite book by this author (in part because of the subject matter), but it was still definitely worth the read.