This historical novel is set in the years leading up to the financial crash of 1929. Main character Bea is a young woman who has just graduated from college, living with her Jewish immigrant parents and twin brother. Her dream is to be a stock trader, but of course no one wants to hire a woman to do so, but she tries to break into the banking business anyway by any means she can. The book follows not just her career aspirations but family drama, friendship, and romance, all as the stock market crash draws closer and closer.

I just loved this one! First of all, I love historical fiction that is on the lighter side and not just war fiction. And I love even more books with great Jewish representation that are not set in WWII, but are about regular families in the US that make me feel like they could be about my own relatives of previous generations. Bea was a great character and I loved all the supporting characters as well who really came to life, and it was one of those books that really unfolded visually in my head like a movie. This book reminded me of a cross between Beatriz Williams and Lynda Cohen Loigman, and if you know how I feel about both of those authors, you’ll know that’s a big compliment!

This was the first book I have read by Samantha Green Woodruff, but I look forward to going back to read her debut, as well as whatever she writes in the future.

4.25 stars

This is my first Samantha Greene Woodruff book and I really enjoyed it. In the 1920's, when career paths for women are limited to being a teacher, nurse, or secretary, Bea Abramovitz desperately wants to be a Wall Street stock broker. She's a math wizard who grew up following the stock market with her father. Bea has been tracking a hypothetical portfolio of stocks and recording her success in a notebook. After graduating from college with honors (but with no access to financial classes), she finds a way to access someone from her twin brother Jake's business college to help her find a job on Wall Street. Even though she finds a challenging job that allows her to track the market ticker all day, she's not satisfied that the stockbroker career path is essentially closed to women. So Bea has to get creative and team up with Jake to pursue her dreams, but her plan has many ups and downs. This is such an interesting historical fiction book about the 1929 stock market crash inspired by the story of an investment legend (according to the Author's Note at the end of the book). This person was a male, but Samantha Greene Woodruff decided to make her main character a strong female and it works really well. I recommend this one and look forward to reading more of Samantha Greene Woodruff's books. Thanks to #netgalley #TheTradeOff #lakeunionpublishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this eCopy to review

The Trade Off is a fascinating account of the run up to the stock market crash in 1929. It is full of engrossing characters, I found myself sympathising with their problems and cheering for their victories.

We follow Bea as a young Jewish woman wanting to work in the predominantly male world of stock brokering. She faces many challenges and in the end her twin Jake works as a broker with Bea telling her what to do. Due to mistakes Bea makes Jake and her husband Nate do not listen to her warnings that a bigger fall is to come.

What really stood out was the emotional depth – the way each twist and turn was underpinned by genuine human emotions made it a compelling read. The author’s knack for setting vivid scenes and creating palpable tension truly impressed me.

However, there were moments when the narrative felt a tad predictable. Still, it’s a gripping tale with richly drawn characters that I’d recommend for anyone looking for an engaging historical read.

In a very "man's game" of banking and stock brokers, this story follows Bea..whose knowledge with numbers and the stock market that she studied with her father, brings her as close to that world as a woman can get... But she wants more. This is all in the years before the crash of 1929.

I wish Bea had got more credit and the people who really should have listened to her, did listen more. She was so smart and so driven to succeed. Too bad she had to hide behind her twin brother to get him the success that he had for a while.

I gained some of my own knowledge of the market and I could never see myself getting that much invested into it IRL. It's so volatile! But reading this book was an educational experience and I really appreciate the author's note on inspiration for this book from her life and what the world has been like for the last few years.

Bea Abramovitz struggles to achieve her goal of being a stock broker in a world that is set to discriminate against her, not due to her intellectual skills or abilities, but because of her gender, religion and immigrant status. Bea is a naturally gifted mathematician who uses her talents to chart market indicators and trends. This enables her to anticipate the stock market crash and through her cunning save her family from financial ruin. Set around the 1929 stock market crash, Bea and her family experience the roaring, wild 1920s, career, family and love ups and downs. I found Bea a well developed and relatable heroine. I recommend this book.

Thank you to Lake Union publishing, author Samantha Greene Woodruff, and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide candid feedback in exchange for receiving an early copy.

This book is about our main character Bea, and Wall Street in 1920’s NYC. Bea, a Jewish immigrant, has always been good with math and numbers and is very interested in the stock market. She knows it's hard for a woman to succeed in this industry and comes up with a plan with her twin brother Jake. He can be the broker, and she'll do all the research and work so they can really succeed and make some big money. I loved that Bea was such a strong woman and was able to accomplish her dreams of working on Wall Street while also having groups of friends around her and even finding some romance. I loved the vivid descriptions of booming NYC in the roaring 20’s. The author did a great job. What was really nice is that this historical fiction book wasn't about war. I enjoyed a story that felt authentic and light. It was a really nice, and entertaining read. I'll be looking forward to more books by this author in the future!

Thank you to the publisher, Suzy approved book tours, and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was so good!! I absolutely loved how immersive the story was; will definitely read more of this author in the future!

I loved this book. I went on the rollercoaster of emotions alongside Bea not only with her personal life but with the stock market as well. Her enthusiasm about the stock market made me excited and had me want to learn more about investing. But also her fears about what was going to happen validated my worries with it. I loved the friendships that she made and the romance that came along. I was so frustrated with the people who would not listen to her and even some of the choices Bea made at times. I could not put this book down.

Thank you @samgwoodruffauthor @suzyapprovedbooktours the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this arc.

I was primed for this one with its go-getting and smart heroine making her way against the tides that were still against not only women but also basically anyone who wasn't a white male. Bea is determined and hard working. She grabs any chance to improve herself, increase her knowledge and get what she wants - a job as a stockbroker on Wall Street. Her home life is checkered with parents who fled the pogroms in Odessa only to not quite make it good in NYC. Her father has worked his way up to a respected merchant but her mother can do little but bemoan her lost life of wealth and privilege. What little Pauline does do is favor Bea's twin brother whose path Bea then proceeds to smooth and whose mistakes Bea compensates for. Bea is the brains while Jake is the charm in this duo.

Bea's also got a martyr/savior complex going on and there is a lot of repetition to wade through. Granted I don't know that much about being a stockbroker and learned a little but I wanted more action and less of the same thing again. The characters felt a little cliched as well. I appreciate the idea of the book but am less happy with what I actually read. However the author's note is almost worth the price of admission. Definitely read that part. C-

An intriguing look at 1920s Wall Street through the eyes of an ambitious young woman with a unique gift for numbers and a talent for picking stocks.

Bea Abramovitz is used to being underestimated. The daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, she’s faced poverty and antisemitism. But even with all the odds stacked against her, Bea is determined to build a better life for her family.

But the Wall Street boys’ club is less than welcoming, and Bea must use her gifts—and a modicum of sympathetic deception—to carve out a place for herself. With all signs pointing to a looming crash, Bea is faced with a difficult decision: risk it all in one final gamble, or lose everything she’s worked so hard to gain, including the love of her life and the respect of her family.

I enjoy books set in the 1920s, but it’s very rare to find a book about Wall Street written from the perspective of a woman, and Bea is such a sympathetic and lovable heroine. I related to her desire to help her family, even when her brother’s actions frustrated me. (And they did—immensely!) I could not put this book down, because I had to know how the Abramovitz family weathered the Crash. Brilliant historical fiction, steeped in Roaring ‘20s flair.

What an absolutely engrossing read! I loved The Lobotomist’s Wife and dare I say Woodruff has written an even better book in The Trade Off. Bea is an absolute dream of a leading lady and can you ask for a better setting than New York City in the 1920s?! I am embarrassed to admit that I know next to nothing about the Stock Market, so I found this aspect of the story particularly compelling… especially with the looming crash of 1929. For a great, empowering story that I couldn’t put down, check out The Trade Off! 4.25⭐️

I enjoyed this historical fiction novel set in the Roaring 20s about Bea Abramovitz, her twin Jake and their parents as they strive for success in NYC. Bea is a numbers whiz who dreams of being a stockbroker while her twin is a handsome dreamer who decides to go West and sell stocks in the oil industry. From humble beginnings, their father sells produce from a grocery cart in their NYC neighborhood. As each twin becomes successful, they help their parents improve their circumstances. Along the way, Bea meets a supportive group of women as she gets a job at J.P. Morgan’s- she meets Henny and Millie- two working girls from American aristocracy. She also meets Henny’s cousin Nate and falls in love. This novel captivated me as Bea fulfills her dreams to work on Wall Street and secure her family’s future. Romance ensues for Bea and friends. As we know, the Roaring 20s came to a screeching halt. I found myself hoping that the Abramovitz family would succeed despite the crash. I loved how the author painted a portrait of a booming NYC during the 20s while also making us root for this family and for the indomitable MC, Bea.

I absolutely loved The Trade-Off. It is historical fiction about Bea, a young woman in New York in the late 1920s with a mathy brain who just wanted to be a stockbroker. But despite her intelligence and knack for reading the markets, she was a woman and Jewish and was not even able to get a job at JPMorgan for female brokers. Everything about this book was perfection. From Bea’s drive and determination to still find a way to work at JPMorgan and to still advise on trades, to her combatting sexism, misogyny and antisemitism at every turn, to her dedication to her family and friends, doing what she needed to do and take the risks that had to be taken to support them. I loved the historical component too and learning the details about the stock market leading up to and after the crash of 1929. I love the tense build up about Bea’s trades and the gambles she was taking. I loved the reading about life in NYC back then, particularly for women. The emotion oozed from the pages and this book was compelling and so riveting and I did not want it to end. All the stars for this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

This historical fiction caught me by complete surprise. In my humble opinion, this is the crown jewel of my Canadian Thanksgiving read-a-thon. It's 1926 and Beatrice( Bea) Abramovitz wants nothing more than to become the next broker on Wall Street. But Bea is about to find out that even with the skills, those who run the financial district are not keen to see a woman take her place amongst them. Especially a Jewish woman from a poor New York neighbourhood. Her twin brother, Jack, on the other hand, the roads are paved in gold for men like him. With unwavering determination, Bea will persevere, but when she makes a critical error, it will take the support of her loyal friends and family to help her realize that she can continue.

As I stated above, this was a winner, a historical fiction that is equipped with a territory( Wall Street) I am unfamiliar with and a strong female protagonist that I kept on cheering. Even when I didn't always agree with her choices or blind loyalty to her brother. I selected this book on a mere whim and it presented me with a great deal of reading pleasure.


Don't skip by this one.






#TheTradeOff #NetGalley.
Publication Date 08/10/24
Goodreads Review 14/10/24

Set in NYC in the roaring twenties, with a countdown to the stock market crash of 1929, this work of historical fiction provides insight to the times. Bea is a smart young woman, the daughter of Jewish immigrant parents living on the Lower East Side. Bea becomes immersed in the patterns and numbers of the stock market, hoping to break into the male dominated field. The double whammy of being both Jewish and female serve as an obstacle, as her less accomplished brother, Jake, finds easier paths. Bea resists an early engagement to Nate, determined to succeed in a career first. The secondary characters, including friends and family members, give depth to Bea’s story. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for my copy of The Trade Off by Samantha Greene Woodruff. I saw some friends first post about this book and rave about it so I knew I needed to read it too and I loved this book.

This captivating Historical Fiction is set in 1920s New York City about an ambitious young woman who wants to be a stock broker. She has great insights into the stock market and a brilliant mind for numbers, but she's from an immigrant family in the Lower East Side.

I loved the look at 1920s with the financial side, especially seeing society through Bea and those involved. I loved the sisterhood and friendship Bea formed and the complicated family and sibling story too.

I highly recommend The Trade Off for anyone looking for a great historical fiction!

This book was everything I was hoping it would be. It had characters who were very realistic and a story that was interesting and entertaining plus very well written.

I really enjoy stories about women who entered jobs that were strictly for men. The courage and drive these women had is always fun to read. Bea is just this type of person. Being a stockbroker was strictly something men did back in the 1920s but that didn't stop Bea from being determined to get a job on Wall Street and become a stockbroker. I loved her drive and determination. I also enjoyed her friendships with other women and relationship with Nate.

I loved the author's writing style and the way she pulled me into the story. I had read 50 pages and thought I had only been reading 5 minutes. The pace was perfect for the story being told. I loved all of the details of life in the 1920s. It really made the story fun to read.

This book was so good that I read it in a day. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what happened to these characters.

The Trade Off is one of the best books I have read and in my opinion is a must read. I will be looking for other books by this author as well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

WOW! Samantha Greene Woodruff has written a well-researched, captivating historical novel about the Crash of 1929. The Trade Off also details with women trying to break into the business world during the roaring 20's and antisemitism. Ms. Woodruff has also added a dollop of romance. As someone who has been involved in the financial world, I found this novel to be of interest. Little did I know, when I began reading it, that I would identify with the well written characters. Bee Abramovitz is an intelligent young woman, with a flair for picking stocks and determining trend in the market. We meet her family and friends, who are also multi dimensional. It's a must to read the author's notes at the end of the novel! I will most definitely read first novel, The Lobotomist's Wife and her future work. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

This historical fiction novel is set in the three years leading up to the 1929 stock market crash. Bea Abramovitz, gifted with a natural talent for numbers, has an uncanny ability to spot trends in the stock market and accurately predict the best times to buy and sell. Despite her dream of becoming a stockbroker, the societal norms of the 1920s make that impossible for a woman. Instead, Bea advises her brother, a stockbroker, guiding his decisions with her keen insights. The book vividly captures the economic atmosphere of the era, making the portrayal of the time especially compelling.

I was excited to read a historical fiction book in this field. Overall, the book is just okay. I think the writing was a little to simplistic I found myself a little bored by it, Thank you, NetGalley.