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.

Bea has always been a standout, a genius with numbers who consistently topped her class. With a mind that effortlessly calculates and visualizes patterns, she excelled in the stock market like it was second nature. After attending Hunter college most women were getting married but Bea dreamed of becoming a stock broker. In the 1920’s women didn’t work on Wall Street and even though Bea was more than qualified the banks shunned her. Weaseling her way into a position in the wire room Bea was convinced she could prove her value. But the Abramovitz family was struggling. Living in the Lower East Side with her immigrant parents and twin brother was not easy. While her father managed a fruit and vegetable cart, her charming brother was a handful. Bea was expected to marry and stop this silly nonsense of a career. But she loved the rollercoaster ride of the fast paced market and it didn’t take long for the men at the bank to depend on her skills. Unfortunately, the promotion she never appeared. Bea would always be poor and a woman with no connections. As she watched the rich get richer, the poor continued to struggle. All Bea ever wanted was to help her father establish his own grocery and give her mother a bit of the glamour she left behind in Russia. It didn’t take long for Bea and Jake to come up with a plan. He could easily slide into the banking world with Bea as his secretary. She would funnel information making him an instant superstar. As Jake’s career soared, their wealth grew beyond anything their family had ever imagined. Yet Bea never stopped seeing the patterns. In 1929, what she foresaw was catastrophe—but who would listen to a woman? This masterful work of historical fiction transports readers to another era with a richly developed cast of characters, intriguing stock market history, and plenty of family drama. A must-read for fall! Highly recommended!

Thank you to @netgalley and @LakeUnionPublishing for this ARC. Beatrice is a wiz with numbers. From a very young age, she was able to calculate groceries in her head and see trends in the prices. Early 1920's, she attends Hunter college to earn her degree and finds out about a stock trading course. Being a woman, who is also Jewish, she can't take the course in a college but asks for special tutoring. She finds her way into the wire room in the JP Morgan firm but her ultimate goal is the trading floor. She gets creative since she can't be a trader but starts to see severe fluctuations in the market, noting a crash is inevitable.
As a finance minor, this book had my attention. I loved reading about the stocks and trading but the author does a great job of weaving that information into a story. Well done for Woodruff's second book! #TheTradeOff #SamanthaGreeneWoodruff #LakeUnionPublishing #Oct2024

The Trade Off is a fascinating view of the great market crash of 1929. Reimagined with a passionate, driven young lady as the heroine, the story details her love for the stock market. Rather than being a dry financial account, this story is very engaging and interesting. Various characters and situations are well developed for a fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I absolutely loved this novel! Set in 1920s New York, this novel follows the story of Bea Abramovitz, a Jewish-Russian refugee who dreams of becoming a stock broker. I appreciated that I didn't need to have an in-depth knowledge of the stock market in order to enjoy the story. The author did a great job at portraying all the characters beautifully and creating an atmosphere of excitement and intrigue throughout the novel. I never thought I would be so captivated by a financial story, but this book did just that.

The first thing you need to know about The Trade Off is that you need to read it.

The second thing you need to know is that I do not like Historical Fiction as a genre.

The third thing is that Samantha Greene Woodruff's storytelling is so good, so captivating and addicting that I could not put this book down, despite the fact that this is ordinarily not a genre that I enjoy.

I loved our heroine Bea Abramovitz, a mathematical genius determined to become a stockbroker on Wall Street, even though it was not a job suitable for a woman in the 1920s (let alone a Jewish immigrant). I loved the suspense that arose as the timeline of the story brought us closer and closer to the stock market crash of 1929. I loved the fantastic cast of characters that make this a full story about navigating friendship and family, love and ambition.

It's a five star read, I absolutely loved it cover to cover! I also loved Woodruff's previous book, but I have to say there is something particularly special about this one. And I can't wait to read whatever she writes next!

The Trade Off by Samantha Greene Woodruff is a fantastic story of historical fiction.

The story is about a young , Immigrant Jewish woman whose dream is to become a stockbroker in the 1920s. This is such a hear dream/goal because of not only being a woman, but a Jewish woman in the 1920's.

This story was so incredible as it prefaced the great Wall Street Crash of 1929.

I absolutely LOVED this book and could not put it down! Such history. Ultimately about strong, independent woman fighting for what they want in a man's world.

I really enjoyed the rich history of Banking during the 1920's.

Excellent historical novel that I really enjoyed.

An enjoyable book about a young Jewish girl, gifted in math and wants to become a broker in Wall Street. I particularly liked how the author plots the timing of the book against events leading up to the stock market crash. Although I have a strong interest in Wall Street, I think this book.would still.be enjoyed by readers not interested in the stock market.

My favorite book this year!

I work at a brokerage firm and was totally interested in reading this book after reading the description - and it was absolutely amazing! Bea is a young, Jewish woman in NYC that has dreams of becoming the first woman stockbroker on Wall Street. She is funny, ambitious and smart She's disappointed to find out how hard it is to break into the man's world of investing, no matter how hard she tries or how successful she is. She's a complex character - I feel for her troubles, but then I got so mad when she tries so hard to make up the problems her twin brother causes. Jake is the golden boy, who ends up selling worthless oil company stocks and it's up to Bea to save the family. When he returns and takes a stockbroker job at a bank, he hires Bea to be his "secretary" but in reality she's telling him what trades to make. I liked how the story leads up to the crash, giving glimpses of what devastation will come. But shows how resilient Bea is and how she saves her family's business, not once but twice with her quick thinking and daring stock trades.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

‼️FABULOUS‼️ If you think you’d enjoy a historical fiction novel about an exceptionally bright young woman who had ambitions to be a stockbroker during the 1920’s, I encourage you to INVEST your time reading this electrifying story! The RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT will be a PAYOUT OF GREAT DIVIDENDS in your reading pleasure. The release of The Trade Off is October 8th and it will definitely be a great ASSET to add to your TBR PORTFOLIO.

Fictional Bea Abramovitz, hailing from Jewish immigrant parents, had a wild and imaginative mind in the 1920’s when she declared her interest in becoming a stockbroker on Wall Street. Despite her education and brilliant ability to recognize patterns and make accurate financial predictions, Bea was turned down as a result of sexism and antisemitism but didn’t let that end her dream.

With a cast of endearing characters set against the backdrop of NYC in the 1920’s, this story captured my interest and my heart from the very first page. Please don’t neglect to read the Author’s Note as it is so enlightening in how the book came to be. Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishers and Samantha Greene Woodruff for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 stars rounded up. Woodruff has done it again, and by "it", I mean explore an interesting topic with the twist of shining the light on a female lead character in an unexpected place and time. Bea Abramovitz, our main character, has an uncanny mathematical ability to analyze the market and make profitable investments. She is seemingly always able to save the day, even after a cataclysmic error on her part that causes her family to lose it all. She faces gender, economic and religious hurdles of the 1920s during her plight. Will she be able to help her family survive the big Stock Market Crash in spite of it all? If you "Buy" into The Trade Off you will find out... Half point deduction for excessive use of Yiddish terms that all users might not understand. Overall, Woodruff's 2nd novel is a fantastic historical fiction that puts a female character of her time in the forefront.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Samantha Greene Woodruff for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!