The Trade Off is a workplace, dual POV thriller that to me was a bit of a slow burn. Told in the first person perspective of Jess, a wet behind the ears new hire at The Globe, London's most well known tabloid newspaper, and the third person perspective of Stella, the cutthroat second in command, I had a bit of a hard time connecting with the characters in the alternating tenses. When Jess is sent on her first big assignment to get an interview with a cooking contest winner with a murky past, she realizes the lengths that The Globe, and Stella, will go to to make sure they get the story they need to sell papers. When a crime kingpin that Stella and Globe editor, Max, singlehandedly put behind bars with their exposé is granted parole, all the threads that have been woven together start to become unraveled. This was a solid workplace thriller, but there were many side stories with various celebrities that had been wronged by The Globe that I felt could have been streamlined. I saw the twist coming, but I do enjoy a good redemption arc, and when the bad men get their just desserts.

This book shows how far some tabloid publishers will push the limits just to get a good story even if it means using deception. Jess, a new reporter, questions the tactics of her editor, Stella and now her integrity is being tested. When she learns of plan that went drastically wrong, she has to put her conscience first. Jess is in a tough spot and fears for her safety as she sifts through the truth and doesn’t know who to trust.

It took me awhile to get into this book because I wasn’t sure where it was going. Nearly midway through, the story picked up pace and the true colors of the characters began to show. There were some really good twists and suspenseful moments but I would classify this as a mystery more than a true suspense thriller.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I’m a HUGE Sandie Jones fan. So I am sad this book fell a little flat.

It wasn’t one of her best works, but it also wasn’t one of the worst books I’ve ever read.

The Trade Off is another outstanding thriller by Sandie Jones author of The Other Woman, a Reese’s Book Club pick. It’s intriguing plot and in-depth portrayal of the cutthroat goings on at a tabloid newspaper, something Jones herself is very familiar with will shock the reader. Along with characters you will love/hate and a story which will both infuriate and surprise, The Trade Off is a must read.

Jess finally gets her big break as a reporter for The Globe, a tabloid paper. She is both nervous and excited. She wants to make a difference. She is also very, very naive.

Stella is the deputy editor of the paper. She and Max, the editor of The Globe have a long history of breaking unbelievably insane stories. It’s Stella’s dream to become the editor of the paper. Stella will do anything for a story…even by helping it along to make it much more sensational. Years before she and Max actually put someone in jail.

During Jess’s first assignment, she witnesses just what lengths the paper will go to assist a story along and she is shaken. She can’t forgive herself for the part she played. She realizes The Globe builds stories out of thin air.

But when Jess is promised it will never happen again, she agrees to another story. Unbeknownst to her she is once again used and this time the outcome is tragic. There was no reason for Stella to do what she did.

So, Jess begins to investigate Stella and what she discovers puts her not only in the line of fire but opens up a long-buried hornet’s nest. But even with what Jess knows, she can’t believe what is truly happening and that she is in danger. All she ever wanted to do was fight the good fight for those who couldn’t and now she is the target.

The Trade Off is an intense psychological thriller with incredible twists in the story lines and an exceptionally powerful ending.

Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #SandieJones #TheTradeOff for the advanced copy.

I believe this is my second Sandie Jones book and knowing that she writes good thrillers, I decided to give The Trade Off a try!

While I found the author's take on the "me too" movement to be well handled (especially when it comes to newspapers aka The Globe in this case), the plot didn't especially scream thriller to me. The pacing was slow and I found neither character to be one I truly liked.

Thank you Minotaur books and Netgalley for my earc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book will definitely make you ask questions about yourself and what would you do in the same situation. If you knew the story was not really true but a lie would you still tell the story. This was a thriller and page turner. Each of Sadie Jones’s books just get better and better. A must read and this book will make a great book discussion for any book club.

Jess has just been hired by the globe. She is their newest, rookie reporter. This is her dream job. But she soon realizes the unethical and dangerous tactics that The Globe uses to to get a story is not her idea of news. Jess decides to reveal all the dirty secrets but this may just be the death of her.

This story has quite a few corrupt, degenerate and viscous characters. And this is one of the reasons I did not enjoy it as well as many other readers. The underhanded and atrocious deeds got a little old for me. But, this story does get better the further you go along, especially surrounding Jess. Jess starts off a bit mousy but she comes into her own in a big way! You will need to read this to find out.

The narrators, Nathalie Buscombe and Sofia Engstrand had excellent tone for all the bad people in this book! They are probably the reason I stuck with it! Sandie Jones read the prologue to this novel. And I love a book where the author has a hand in the narration. It always adds to the realness of the tale.

Need a story about the British media…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This was an engrossing thriller. The story revolves around Stella and Jess and what they are willing to do to report a story for their employer, The Globe newspaper. Stella is the seasoned reporter and Jess is the newbie. The more Jess learns about the newspaper’s reporting practices the more disillusioned she becomes about her career so she decides to try and tell the accurate story. Stella has slowly lost her integrity when chasing down a story and as time goes on she starts to question what she’s doing. As Stella and Jess start to challenge how the paper is run deceit and lies are uncovered and the tension ramps up. Can Stella be trusted or will she still do anything for a story? Overall an engaging book with interesting characters.

this one took me awhile to finish! i guess i wasn't completely drawn into the story? while i always enjoy reading different takes on the media because it's usually fast-pace and keeps you on your toes, this one missed for me and i was kind of bummed by that. it was pretty slow developing. not sure i would recommend this one.

The Trade Off is a psychological thriller that focuses on tabloid journalism. It is my sixth book by this author.

This book is set in the UK and focuses on two female main characters Stella and Jess. Stella is a deputy editor/journalist at a tabloid. Jess is a rookie journalist hired by the editor to work under Stella.

The story started off a bit slow for me. The things that these people did to get their stories was horrifying. The book did pick up towards the end. And it did get quite interesting. But I just wasn't super invested in these characters. And most of them were extremely unlikable.

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones is a fast-paced, exciting read. I was expecting a soapy, dramatic read and although this was that, it also had much deeper layers and gave a fascinating look into the tabloid world.

5/10 - This book took me a long time to finish. It didn’t draw me in like I would have hoped. I did, however, think it was an interesting take on the media industry and enjoyed the different perspectives of the characters. Overall, I don’t think I would recommend.

Trigger warning: this book contains suicide and violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I've read many books by this author in the past and loved them. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. It's labeled as a thriller, but I didn't feel that was the case. I didn't find the twists that shocking, and the characters were unlikeable (and not in a "love to hate" way). The pace was slower than I'd expect for the genre. If you're a tabloid/gossip lover, then you may feel differently about this book.

TW: some dark, unexpected themes, including sexual assault and suicide


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Be careful what you wish for…when Jess gets the chance of a lifetime to be a rookie writer at The Globe, the country’s best selling paper, she thinks she’s made it. The only problem is she just doesn’t play be the same rules as the others. Her morals won’t allow it. Stella, deputy editor, along with the Editor, Max, will get the story by any means, even if the story isn’t exactly true. Lives are ruined and there are some that are out for revenge. The dirty tricks Jess sees makes her want to quash the stories and soon she’s ready to walk away. That is until a story goes south and causes utter devastation. The Globe and its practices are called to attention and Stella is left trying to dig herself out from the debris. Is there any hope for Jess to turn things around or is it way too late to change hearts and minds? Jones has written another compelling book that takes us behind the scenes of tabloid journalism. This was a dual read/listen and I really enjoyed the voices on the audio. They added a whole new dimension and helped bring this story to life. Thank you to Minotaur books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones tells the story of two journalists working at one of London’s largest tabloids. When Jess starts at The Globe, she quickly discovers that her deputy editor, Stella, will do anything to get the story.

I enjoyed the pace of this book and the way the perspectives of the main two characters overlapped. I also loved the shorter chapters.

Unfortunately, some of the content matter was a bit unnerving and could be quite bothersome to some readers. While I understand that it helped to convey the severity of the problem, it felt a tad extreme at times.

Although this wasn’t my favorite book by Sandie Jones, it was well written and I will definitely check out her future books!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There was something predictable about the plot. I expected bigger surprises yet I wanted to keep reading. I would say the book was a pleasant read but not a real thriller. I am curious to tray another book by this author.

Thank you so much @Minotaur_Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 15 August 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Stella is a seasoned journalist who will do whatever it takes to get the best story whereas Jess is newer to the industry & is struggling with the seemingly lack of ethical boundaries in place. When a celebrity takes her own life after a particularly scathing story is released, Jess is sent to investigate what actually happened.

WHAT I LIKED:
- discussing how scandalous & salacious the media world truly is

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- I really struggled to get invested in any aspect of the story
- a very slow start with the first 50% mainly focusing on setting up the characters (who were all unlikeable)
- the storyline, characters & pacing didn't come together for me
- I wasn't convinced that someone's entire opinion would change because of something that almost happened to them

A green reporter and her coldblooded editor go after a big, misogynistic fish in Jones’s #MeToo–era thriller.

I picked up this book because it promised to show the merciless, competitive, dog-eat-dog universe of tabloid journalism and the lengths (lies) journalists go to to get the scoop. The choice to tell the story in dual POVs with an older, seasoned journalist and the green newbie worked well.

Unfortunately, this book didn't hit the mark for me. The slow pace made it hard to stay engaged, and I found myself losing interest throughout. The predictable stereotypes, unrealistic plot twists, and underdeveloped characters disappointed me. This author may not be my cup of tea.

Thank you, @sandiejones_author @minotaurbooks @stmartinspress and @netgalley 🙏🏻

What a smart, engrossing, good solid suspense thriller 👍🏻👍🏻 I’m not particularly interested in tabloid journalism but this book had me hooked and I was enlightened by the corruption that could very well be true.

“She is Melanie Tooley. Known as #MeToo to her friends.”
Yes. Bringing in the corruption that is still happening. And it will until the consequences fit the crime 💯

Jess is a beginning journalist who is hired by The Globe, often known for their sensationalism and unethical tactics for “the story”. From her first interview, and throughout the dealings that she’s not ready for, Jess’s moral compass steers her on the innate sense of justice. Ultimately redemptive, this is an excellent portrayal of the unscrupulous, cut throat world of getting the scoop.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thought it would be fun to read the backroom antics of a tabloid like The Globe. It got to be a lot for me. I found myself having to skimread some stuff just to make myself finish it. That being said, it wasn’t a bad book. I just don’t think I am built to enjoy the level of it all here. I can see others enjoying it way more than I did.