The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead (Jan 20, 2026) Thank you, @atriabooks & @simon.audio for the gifted digital and audio copies! #simonaudioinfluencer
Theo is one of the best fixers in the record industry but even he might not be able squeeze another album out of The Future Saints. The Saints had never had a breakout hit with their California pop vibes, but they owe one more record on their contract. Theo’s job is to get it out of them.But The Saints are spiraling after the death of their manager a year ago. When Theo finds them playing in a dive bar, he is drawn to two things – Hannah, the chaotic and mesmerizing leader, and the darker sound she’s started writing for the band. As Theo takes a leap of faith and risks his career on The Future Saints new sound, Hannah’s grief and self-destructive behavior threatens to blow everything apart just as the band starts to go viral.
I’ve been a huge Ashley Winstead fan for ages. She can write a nerve-wracking thriller and a swoon-worthy romance (Fool Me Once is an all-time favorite). And now, it turns out, she can also write an epic fiction novel about loss, heartbreak, trauma, mental health, addiction, recovery, believing in yourself, and love in so many forms. This is one of those books that just pulls you in. The characters are so achingly developed. Theo and Hannah are the core of the book, but the story is so much bigger. This one is going to stay with me for a long time.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: Ali Andre Ali, Brittany Pressley, Vikas Adam and Tyla Collier come together for an absolutely extraordinary performance that does perfect service to Windtead’s beautiful story. No notes. (11h, 11m)
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Spice: 1/2 🌶️
Book Smart Kate 