The 1920s and the collapse of Wall Street stock market is such a pivotal decade in U.S. history, as well as the world, and Samantha Greene Woodruff has captured the essence of that era in this historical fiction. It features twins, Bea and Jake Abramovitz, children of Jewish immigrants from Russia. I was delighted that such a fascinating read was so descriptive not only of the time period but captured the atmosphere of the decade. It covers the idea that each person is unique and yet you only need a common interest to form a friendship. Please read the notes from the author. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance reader copy; the review is my honest opinion.

Bea is a gifted mathematician, far more so than her brother Jake and her dream is to be a stockbroker on Wall Street. Unfortunately however, it’s the 1920s and the world is not yet ready for a brilliant female stockbroker, especially a Jewish one from the lower east side with no connections. Her charming brother however, gets offered her dream job even with no degree and no experience, so they devise a plan where she will be the brains behind the team and he will be the face and together they will take on Wall Street. But when Bea foresees a major crash no one will listen to her, not Jake, not her fiancée - and so she is on her own to try and save her family from ruin.

I have such a love for these women who don’t fit into their time stories. I thought this novel was great and I love a historical fiction novel that doesn’t include a war and Jewish history that doesn’t include the Holocaust. Reading about NYC in the 1920s was a joy for me as well since NYC historical novels are always a plus for me. I thought the way the novel was set up was really smart - the whole novel was a ticking time bomb to the 1929 crash and each chapter was a countdown to the day when you just knew everyone’s world was going to change. The characters that came into Bea’s life were wonderful and I just really loved this story about familial love, friendship and feminism. I listened to quite a bit of this while I was doing some chores around the house and I thought the narrator really captured the character and story so well, and fully engaged me in the story.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Lake Union and NetGalley for the ARC to review

Hi and welcome to my review of The Trade Off!

Ah, the Roaring Twenties, what a time to be alive, especially in New York City! Prohibition and speakeasies, flapper girls and the Follies, the magic of Coney Island, and, of course, a blooming stock market, Wall Street its beating heart. The Trade Off paints a colourful picture of what must have been a thrilling decade with seemingly endless opportunity to do whatever you wanted, to be whomever you wanted, to turn your rags into riches. Except maybe when you’re a poor Jewish girl with a brilliant head for numbers and much ambition, but neither the background nor the gender to be taken seriously…

She’s tenacious, though, our Bea, and that’s a quality I always admire in a person, fictional or not. She works hard to accomplish her dreams, even if I didn’t always agree with the ways in which she went about doing that. There’s quite a bit of family drama. I couldn’t stand Bea’s mother for most of the book, and I wasn’t fond of her twin brother either. So dismissive, so secretive, so arrogant, ugh.

The main focus of The Trade Off is obviously Wall Street. I did enjoy learning more about the stock market and Wall Street dealings, and the actual Crash of 1929. I don’t have a head for numbers – I’m no Bea, that’s for sure – and I will never be as fascinated by the financial market as I was by the history of lobotomy laid out in The Lobotomist’s Wife, but I was never overwhelmed or bored by the information offered.

The countdown to the Crash felt like a ticking time bomb. The reader obviously knows the Crash is coming and it is inevitable, but most of the characters don’t. It’s really only Bea who sees it coming and her sense of urgency and feeling of impending doom rubbed off on me. As the crash, and the final page, came closer I found myself reading more quickly, turning the pages faster because I’d become invested in Bea and I was genuinely afraid of what the Crash would do to her and her family and friends.

I found myself engrossed in The Trade Off before long, and I would happily recommend it to readers of historical fiction, especially those who take an interest in Wall Street.

The Trade Off is out in digital formats, audio and paperback on 8 October.

Massive thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

The Trade Off by Samantha Greene Woodruff is a wonderful, wonderful Historical Fiction story based on the stock market crash in 1929 New York. Family drama, female friendships and the stock market in the era before, during and after Black Tuesday gripped my mind and heart as I happily zipped through the pages. I have read countless books about Jews set during the world wars but seldom between. The subject is refreshingly original. Personal for the author, too. Do read her acknowledgements and inspiration for writing this book.

Bea always liked numbers and strategy and enjoyed spending quality time with her like-minded father. Her parents emigrated from Russia to New York and as immigrants didn't have practical use for the stock market, where Bea's passion lie. After college and mentorship, Bea secured a job at a prestigious and reputable Wall Street bank. But in the 1920s women bankers and stock brokers were non-existent so her skills and gifts were underutilized. Her twin brother Jake preferred quick wealth and took a different direction. The two eventually teamed up. In her career, Bea was overlooked as a woman and a Jew but she knew what she wanted and what she was good at. She was tenacious and courageous.

If you seek a unique and wholesome Historical Fiction novel, you will likely become enamored with The Trade Off. It was just the book I needed.

My sincere thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this riveting novel.

I really did not know a lot about Black Tuesday and the crash of 1929, just that it lead to the Great Depression. This novel follows a brother and sister as they navigate this world of getting rich quick and not seeing a downfall or end to this fortune they've amassed. Bea has always had a head for numbers and has always dreamed of working on Wall Street as a broker, but this is the 1920's and women don't have the smarts for such a position! So she gets as close as she can by obtaining a position in the wire department and soon others find out just how smart and quick Bea is with numbers, but this doesn't get her anywhere in her career. She just becomes the go to gal for quick information of the market at that time. Jake was out west making it rich with the oil mines, not having the mind like Bea for numbers, he doesn't care how he is making money, he just loves having it. So when Bea tries to warn him about this company, he doesn't care to listen and how would she know anyways? But when Jake finally makes his way back home after the fraud comes to light, Bea knows she must do something to save her family and twin brother from the mess he got them in. Using her mind, but Jake as the face they hatch a plan. Jake will get a job on Wall Street and Bea will be his secretary while feeding him everything he needs to know about the stock market. This works well for a while and Jake soon becomes a well known name, but once again Bea is stuck behind a man. But as the market continues to go up and up and up, Bea knows something isn't adding up. Once again she warns Jake and others and they in a way laugh her off. What does she know anyways? But Bea knows what goes up, must come down and so with everyone ignoring her dire warnings, she makes a rash decision before Black Tuesday in the hope that she can save them all once again. In order for this to work, she once again has to rely on a man to do as she asks. This was such a fascinating read about the country and mindset of people with the market at that time. Thank you to the author for the complementary ebook and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

Bea is my hero!! I have never been good at math lol but reading this awesome book made me feel more superior in the knowledge of the stockbroker world even in the 1920s! My favorite era led by an amazing character! Bea has a gift and she uses it to better her life! 🍾

I truly love that the author Samantha created a book not just about a wondrous human being with a talent but of a woman making her own way in the world in a time when women had only certain rights to their name. ☕

If you ever seen Boardwalk Empire with Mrs Maisel this is definitely the book for you! Add a big dash of sisterhood in the mix and winner winner!! 🎆

I love the flow of the writing and how each character is described and the interactions they have with one another I felt as if I was watching a TV series and I didn't want to end! 🎁

Bravo!! 📰

This book so easily one of my favorites of the year. And it’s so great to read historical fiction about Jews that does not involve WWII. Bea Abramovitz is a recent college grad and daughter of immigrants. All she wants to do is become a stock broker yet those roles were near impossible for women in the 1920s. Set around the stock market crash of 1929, protagonist Bea experiences career, family, and love ups and downs along the way. Can’t wait to see what Samantha’s writes next!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

What an interesting novel about a woman ahead of her time. Bea is a math whiz who fights her way into Wall Street where she thrives. Know that the crash is looming but .....no spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is well researched and the storytelling is good.

I was truly fascinated by this story of an ambitious and talented woman in a man's world, set against the backdrop of the 1920s and the inevitable stock market crash of 1929. While I knew the crash was coming, I still felt dread and a deep wish that things could be different, as I watched the protagonist, Bea, try to use her smarts and expertise to figure out how to proceed, aiming to have an impact in a world that doesn't easily recognize her potential. I thought the subplot involving her twin brother was quite moving, and I enjoyed the scenes of her friendships. I especially liked the attention to detail in the research, and found myself constantly comparing Bea's world to events occuring in the world now -- something I love to do when reading historical fiction. A very good read!

First of all, the historial aspect of this novel is astounding and fascinating. I am in awe of the amount of research that went into every detail—from the fashion to the various Jewish immigrant experiences, to the drama of Wall Street. I devoured the information with zeal. I love that is was written in a voice authentic to the era. I enjoyed the romance and family dynamics. It was much more than I expected and the pace was unrelenting!

Wow! Samantha Green Woodruff, the Author of “The Trade Off” has written an intriguing, captivating, and powerful novel. The Genres in this well-written and researched novel are Historical Fiction, Family, Romance, Sisterhood and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the 1920s, and takes place mostly on Wall Street, and in the New York boroughs. The author discusses how women in the 1920’s were not equal to men, and how society’s and family expectations of women’s roles and careers. There is also the contrast of wealth and poverty and differences in class. There was a big adjustment for immigrants that had been wealthy and now are trying to make a living. There was also anti-semitism.

The author vividly describes her colorful and dramatic characters as complex, complicated, and determined. Some were greedy and had entitlement issues. Bea and Jack Abramovitz are close twins, but extremely different. Bea is short and dark, and Jack is tall, blond and fair. Bea has always shown an aptitude for math and numbers, and Jack has the ability to charm everyone. After college, Bea realizes that she wants to be involved with stocks, bonds, and trading, and realizes that there are few opportunities for her, unless she is creative. Jack is impulsive, and has difficulty making good decisions. Although Bea has helped Jack, their mothers regards Jack as the “Golden Child”. Bea does create her own opportunities, with consequences.

Bea is loyal to one friend, and meets some other girls on Wall Street, and their friendship becomes a sisterhood of support and encouragement. I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, friends, sisterhood, self-worth, love and hope. I was intrigued how the author describes the tragedy of the Crash of 1929, and the historical ramifications. The author discusses how capable women had to find the courage and create opportunities in the financial world. I highly recommend this powerful, thought-provoking and memorable story.

The Trade Off by Samantha Greene Woodruff is an absolute must. Set in the 1920s on Wall Street, this book follows Bea Abramovitz (an absolute Jewish Queen) as she navigates dating, friendship and … the stock market? I am definitely someone who is burnt out on WWII historical fiction (as the phrase goes, people love dead Jews), so I love an opportunity to foray into a completely different genre of Jewish HF and this book absolutely blew me away - 5 stars!

I love books about strong women and even more so when they are fighting their way in a world run by the patriarchy. Set in the late 1920s leading up to the stock market crash that started the Great Depression, this book follows Bea, who has a talent for numbers. She wants to use her talent to be a stock broker on Wall Street, but there is a lot going against her beyond being a woman. I loved watching her story unfold and as well as see the stock market drama unfold. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a chance to read this one early in exchange for an honest review.

WARNING: yet another unexpected unpopular opinion review ahead!!

I'm honestly still shocked this has happened. I loved my first experience with this author's writing back in 2022, so I knew that I wanted to read The Trade Off even before I learned about the premise. Once I did, I was even more excited to read this newest story, because you don't often see stories about this topic... Unfortunately, somehow I wasn't able to enjoy my time with this book at all though. I'm blaming my particularly fickle reading mood, but I confess that even reading a different book first didn't help at all... I'm sad to say that The Trade Off ended up being an unsuspected miss for me.

First of all I have to stress that I strongly suspect this is a 'it's not you, it's me' problem. I'm not a big fan of family drama in my stories, and there is plenty of this to be found in The Trade Off. The main focus of the story seems to be on the main character's toxic home environment and the fact that most family members simply don't respect her, and the constant repetition of this toxic behavior got old fast. The plot was quite repetitive in general, which slowed down the pace considerably... And while I initially appreciated all the inside information of all things 1920s Wall Street, my eyes started to glaze over after a while as it was basically almost the same thing over and over again.

As for the characters: I can't say that I was a fan. I personally thought that they lacked dept and were too much built on cliches. Especially the main character was extremely frustrating, and I really started to resent having to spend time inside her head. Bea basically has a mix of a savior and martyr complex, letting others walk all over her and sacrificing everything in her life just because she feels it's up to her to do so. Her toxic family enabling her in doing so only made things worse... Especially since it happened again and again and again. The romance itself didn't convince me either, as it didn't feel natural and only distracted from the rest of the plot. It was also yet another reason to dislike Bea, because the way she treats Nate is just NOT right.

I confess that I started skimreading way before the halfway mark, as there was simply not enough there to keep me interested. I probably should have just DNFed it... There is one thing for sure: The Trade Off definitely wasn't for me, or at least it wasn't the right time for me to read it. I'm in the minority though, as most people seem to love their time with this story so far. Definitely don't give up on my account if you like the sound of the premise!

Rating 3.5 stars
The Trade Off focuses on the time leading up to Black Friday, aka when the 1920s stock market crashed. Woodruff's prior novel, The Lobotomists Wife was intriguing and interesting and I fully enjoyed it. When I saw she had another book coming out, I was excited to see what else she had up her sleeve.
I had a difficult time getting into this story, BUT as it continued and unfolded I found it interesting.
Bea is gifted when it comes to math and understanding the stock market. Unfortunately, opportunities for a women are hard to come by, so Bea teams up with her twin brother; she's the brains and he's the face of the plan as the broker. He is enjoying the success, a little too much, when Bea sees the signs of the impending crash.
Can Bea take control and save the family ?
*interesting note - it's based on a true story*

I really enjoyed this book. The pacing was excellent. The striking was unique. It did a great job of creating a fictional story within a historical context rather than trying to fictionalize the story of a historical figure.
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I never expected to become so engrossed in a book focused on stocks, brokers and the Stock Market Crash of Oct. 29, 1929, but this was a page turner for me. Much of my enjoyment for this historical novel came from the main character, Bea Abramovitz. Bea had a phenomenal talent for math and numbers and from a very young age, she was interested in working on Wall Street and becoming a broker. However, as with most things in the 1920s, Wall Street is a male-dominated profession.

Bea’s journey is both inspiring and heart wrenching as she tries to make her mark on the financial world. At times, she finds herself sacrificing relationships and making some bad decisions as she tries to get ahead. Probably the most frustrating part is how quickly others dismissed Bea and her predictions about the looming market crash because she was a woman and of course, men always know better. Although Bea is a fictional character, I believe the book is very reflective of the struggles women faced and continue to face to be treated as equals.

Although Bea is a fictional character, there are references to events occurring during the 1920s and the reader will get insight into life during this time and the devastating effects of the crash when it finally hit.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#NetGalley #TheTradeOff #SamanthaGreeneWoodruff

*Thank you to the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, for providing me with a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All Opinions are my own. *

I'm delighted I could read the ARC of this book. It's one of those books that you can't seem to put down. You didn't want this story to end. I don't recall a moment in the book when I wasn't on the edge of my seat. I read it after studying all day; I read it during nap time at work; I couldn't stop and wasn't reading it; I was wondering what would happen next for Bea, Jake, and Nate. I love reading books about strong women, and Bea was one of the most powerful women I've read about. Despite all the obstacles she had to endure as a woman, it didn't stop her from pursuing her dream of being a stockbroker. This is one of the reasons she was my favorite character in the novel. I was rooting for her until the end.

I love how the book began, drawing you straight into the story. I like the book's timeline, how it was written before the crash, and how the tension built as the crash approached. The closer the crash came, the bigger the tension began and the harder it was to put the book down. Before reading the book, I had some knowledge of the stock market and how it functioned. As the story progressed, I learned more about the financial industry, including how tough it was for women to become stockbrokers in 1929. I felt others should know that Bea was helping Jake. I was rooting for her and hoping she'd fulfill her dream.

I read Samantha Greene Woodruff's debut novel, The Lobotomist Wife, in 2022 and loved it. I didn't realize she had a new book coming out until I found The Trade Off on Netgalley. I recognized the author, and the title also caught my attention. I’m so glad that I got a chance to read it. I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read it. Even though I loved her debut work, this was my favorite. I'm excited to see what the author has planned for us next. Be prepared for a thrilling ride!

The Trade Off is historical fiction with an unusual focus.

Plot summary: It's the roaring 20s, right before the stock market crash. Bea is the daughter of Jewish immigrants who are doing better than some, but never quite made it. She has a gift for numbers and recommendations from her professors at Hunter College to get a great job on Wall Street. It doesn't happen quite the way she wants, but she takes every opportunity. Eventually, she gets caught up in family financial issues and tries to bale everyone out. Guess how it ends :)

I see everyone giving this great reviews, and I get why. It's a lovely story with a strong protagonist and likable characters.

I liked it, but it didn't totally work for me. It was fairly contrived and predictable. Bea keeps changing her mind about what she wants. She cares a bit too much about her brother. She has a major savior complex.

This is just personal to me, but I know a lot about the stock market. The way this is written might be interesting to a novice, but otherwise it comes off as taking a complex mechanism and making it sound very simple.

There is a wonderful part at the end where Bea gets the recognition she's been craving from her mother. It was inconsistent with the way the relationship was portrayed, but I loved it anyway.

I also much appreciated the author's note at the end, where she feels she needs to speak up in the face of global antisemitism. Things haven't changed in a century, have they? She asks for a kinder, gentler world where people don't have to fear being who they are.

In summary, most people will enjoy this.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and Samantha Greene Woodruff for an advanced copy for review.

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @amazonpublishing and @netgalley for sending me this book for review. Opinions are my own.
“A brilliant and ambitious young woman strives to find her place amid the promise and tumult of 1920s Wall Street.”
I’ve read historical fiction books that include the 1929 stock market crash, usually as part of a decades-long family saga where the focus is more about how the crash affected the family and New York City. It’s always hard to read about people losing everything in the aftermath of the crash and, to be honest, it scares me that it could happen again.
The Trade Off is the first book I’ve read that is focused specifically on the crash, and it’s actually written from the point of view of a young Jewish woman, the daughter of immigrants, living on the Lower East Side of New York City.
The author writes, “the stock market wasn’t actually relevant to immigrants on the Lower East Side who didn’t have the time or money to buy shares of America’s great companies.” However, for Bea, “Wall Street wasn’t about getting rich; it was about numbers, and patterns, and strategy.” This book examines the rise of the stock market in the years before the devastating crash, and the involvement of many lower income Americans and immigrants in investing in the booming market of the 1920s, while following Bea who, as a woman, and a Jew, could not become a broker on Wall Street, but had great insight into the market.
With Jewish representation, and themes of the immigrant experience, antisemitism and gender roles in the 1920s, The Trade Off is a powerful and enlightening examination of a complex period of history.