An interesting look at tabloid culture meeting the #MeToo movement!

The book goes back and forth between the perspectives of Jess, a neophyte journalist, and Stella, a jaded and resourceful editor who is working her way to the top. The book starts with a clear line drawn between the two women, but as the story unfolds and secrets are revealed, the women must decide if they can trust each other enough to come together.

A better book (IMO) than Jones' last one as the story was involved, complicated, yet understandable. The lack of ambiguity at the end was a plus as well!

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

It makes me really sad to say this but I wasn't a fan of The Trade Off. I've read all Sandie Jones' books and am a big fan. Unfortunately, I found this one to be incredibly slow and by the time something happened I just didn't care. I didn't connect to the characters and the story felt forced when I think it was trying to be poignant.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of The Trade Off in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. I didn’t find it suspenseful, thought the twist was unrealistic, and felt like the relationship between the main characters changed too quickly. It was longer than it needed to be and, ultimately, didn’t hit the mark.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
Sandie Jones did not disappoint yet again with this one!° As all her other books, I could not put it down! The story at first began a little harder to understand how this will be a mystery/suspense, however,it was needed that way to understand the characters and build on them. Perfect choices for developing the story and its characters. The twists and turns were thrilling and, without giving away any spoilers, had a totally unexpected ending. Great job also providing an epilogue and not letting the reader hanging to figure out how it could end.
5 star's for sure, would give more if I could

This is a great look at the tabloid industry with all it's backstabbing, unscrupulous reporters, and journalists willing to do anything to get a good story! It centers around Stella, long-time reporter for The Globe and newbie, Jess who is trying to make a name for herself but doesn't realize to what lengths these people will go to get a lead or even an inkling of a story. There are deaths, there are drugs, there is blackmail and suicide. But there are also women who embody goodness and will fight for humanity when one of their own is wronged. I raced through this one as it's as captivating as it is entertaining!

This may just be one of Sandie Jones' best books. "The Trade Off" is a twisty, suspensful read. Great book.

I have enjoyed Sandie’s writing and this book is no exception. The Trade Off is a fast paced novel that will keep you guessing and on your toes until the very end.

Jess is a young reporter who is out to find stories that matter and report them in an ethical and morally sound way. Being referred for a position at The Globe, she’s introduced to Max during her interview process. What she believes to be a predatory encounter is soon revealed to be a test. One she seemingly passes as she’s granted a position on Stella’s team (without Stella’s knowledge). Jess fights her moral compass and values hard during her tenure at The Globe. Wondering how the stories they’re reporting are even making the page much less their tactics, to get said story, legal. Max refers to her as a dog with a bone and he is absolutely right. She refuses to let the people made victims by The Globe stand alone and works hard to gain their trust and do what’s right.

Stella, who I first found myself hating, feels she should’ve been made editor eighteen months ago when Peter Kingsley, the owner of The Globe, handed that honor to Max. Working hard to prove her worth and value within the company, she leaves her moral compass at home to get the story - whatever it takes. We see her entrap and lie and plow through to make sure her by line appears in the paper. We see her shadiness and she raises us abhorrent behavior. Stella has learned to play the game and play it well. Garnering the favor of Kingsley, she soon realizes she’s done exactly as the men controlling her professional life have willed her to do masking it under the guise of her own choices.

These two women - both strong in their own right - will keep at nothing to get what they want. They will right wrongs and hold no prisoners.

With a strong #MeToo theme running throughout, the reader is faced with despicable acts by powerful men.

I got big The Morning Show vibes halfway through the novel and was not disappointed to find them there.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

I really enjoyed this suspenseful thriller and I was absorbed into this story. I thought that it was so good and it was very entertaining.
I just reviewed The Trade Off by Sandie Jones. #NetGalley
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How do you get the latest scoop on a story? Bribes? Manipulation? Cheating? Stella will do anything to get the next front page article for the Globe. Easy read that gives great insight into the publishing world. Manipulating news stories without any consequences. Jess finds a way to bring the house of cards tumbling down, in an unputdownable read! Thanks to NetGalley and st martins press for the arc of this book. Sandie Jones knocks another one out of the park.

I liked both Jess and Stella in their own respective ways. The storyline is light and enjoyable, a quick read. It made me think of all the ways our current media sources twist the truth and present outright lies. The ending was satisfying. Another sure fire hit for Sandie Jones.

Oooohhh this book was SO good, so well-written..... I had a hard time putting it down at night. It's extremely timely, and highly satisfying to see the bad guys taken down many notches. A very exciting, fun, well-done book. I'll definitely be recommending this book and looking dor future titles by Sandie Jones.

Love this author but had a really hard time getting into this book. I did not enjoy the media aspect of it and kind of thought it was long and drawn out. It didn’t have a lot of suspense for me and when I thought it started to move faster it didn’t wow me. I’d read this author again but not recommend this book.

I absolutely loved “The Other Woman”, but this novel fell flat for me, personally. I was waiting for suspenseful moments or twists but they just didn’t manifest as I hoped. Got through it, but not my favorite. Definitely try it for yourself though, because it may be more your style that mine!

This book was difficult to get through. Nothing really happens until the second half… and tbh I almost dnf’d. Ending was rushed. Could have been an interesting plot but it fell short. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Stella is the deputy editor at The Globe, a popular newspaper based out of London. She has a reputation for being fierce and always getting the story that she wants, no matter the cost. Jess is hired as a rookie reporter at The Globe and does not fit in from the start. Jess is horrified as she begins to see how The Globe comes by their stories. When The Globe publishes a damning story about a well-known celebrity, Jess gets a glimpse of how much harm these stories can cause and how little truth might actually be behind them. Jess decides that she must get to the truth no matter the cost.

I hate to say it, but this book was a miss for me. The story switches back and forth between the points of view of Jess and Stella but I didn’t find either point-of-view to be very compelling. The story moved along at a very slow pace and seemed to be overly focused on the job of being a journalist rather than the tension between the characters. Maybe this is because the author previously worked as a journalist and has a lot of experience in this field but to me, it got very redundant. Even the moments that should have felt tense, didn’t have that feeling for me. I will continue to read what Sandie Jones writes. This one just wasn’t for me :)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled getting into this book. It was very slow, and nothing really happened until about the half way mark. The characters were pretty unlikeable, and I just didn’t care what happened to them. The last 20% or so of the book were interesting, but not enough to carry the whole book. I think maybe if I was more into back stabbing and politics I might have enjoyed this one. Or if I was a salacious tabloid reader. I just never felt invested in the story. I also think that this book is mislabeled as a thriller. Nothing exciting really happens so I would classify it more as contemporary fiction.

If you are looking for a glimpse into tabloid journalism them check this one out late summer, August 15th.

Thank you to the publisher St Martin’s Press, @stmartinspress, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Instagram link will be added once posted.

Not my favorite from Sandie Jones but I did enjoy the whole publication storyline, just not much of a mystery/thriller. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I was excited to read this book because I enjoyed Jones' last one. However, The Trade Off did not please me as much as I had hoped. Three stars.

I have enjoyed other books by Sandie Jones, but I had a hard time enjoying this one. It’s the story of Jessie, who starts working at a tabloid but seems to be anti-tabloid material. She’s working under Stella who is determined to get the story no matter what. I just didn’t love the characters and it made it hard to get into. The last quarter of the book was a lot better than the beginning, in my opinion.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley, but the thoughts are my own.

I loved "The Other Woman" so this book was a must-request, and I always love a plucky gal reporter story; Evil paparazzi,, glam celebs, a stalker and and evil boss with girl on girl crime - it's all here for a great pool read! Even though this book is released as a stand alone I would love another book about Jess!