What an amazing twist and turn of a book. I definitely needed to put down the book and process a few times which is quite an experience.

3 couples head to Portugal for a destination wedding. All of the characters are friends or related to one another is some way. Who knows what will be uncovered while they are there.

At the beginning of this story, I was so overwhelmed with all the characters. The drama and the frenetic pace had me confused at "who belonged to who". It took me a few chapters to figure out the characters and where they fit, but once I did I was fully on board with this twisted story of lies and questionable actions of each character.

Rachel is married to Jack and they have been together for 20 years. Rachel is the narrator of the story and we see everything through her eyes. Rachel has been friends with Noah since University days. Noah is married to Paige, who is Rachel's BFF. Will is Jack's brother and is marrying Ali who everyone has opinions about. So, 3 couples and they are all intertwined in some sort of way.

This was a total page turner filled with lies, secrets and betrayal. I couldn't put this book down. In fact, when I wasn't reading it, I was listening to the audio. Any time I had, I wanted to dive into this crazy soap opera world. The pacing was just right and I loved how each layer upon layer gave us clues to what was about to unfold. And boy were they all a doozy! And that ending?! Way intense and more than I expected from characters that weren't always trustworthy.

With all that said, this is another good domestic thriller from Sandie Jones and I would recommend either reading or listening to it.

Three couples go away for a picturesque destination wedding in Portugal. It should be the perfect getaway for the six friends. Instead, secrets are revealed, and there are fatal consequences.

The Guilt Trip opens with a bang. The friends arrive at their idyllic villa and begin preparing for the wedding. They all have secrets that they are hiding and are somewhat suspicious of each other. There's a lot of gossiping and a little bit of cattiness. Count me in!

Subterfuge fills the middle third of the book. Various characters use lies and deception to keep their secrets hidden, which leaves the reader to guess who is telling the truth. I struggled with the slow pace, and nothing was resolved.

The book's final section had me turning the pages as fast as possible to figure out what was going on! All of the lies and deceit are slowly revealed, and the puzzle pieces finally fit together. I loved the ending to The Guilt Trip!

The Guilt Trip is an entertaining, twisty, domestic drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur for the digital review copy!

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones is a suspense novel that also reads a bit like a family drama, or in this case a “friend”ly drama. I say this as the story is a group of friends on a destination wedding trip that brings a whole lot of drama having this group together but it does get suspenseful along the way too.

Married couples Rachel and Jack and Paige and Noah have been invited to attend the wedding of Will and Ali. These two couples have been longtime friends with Jack being Will’s brother so of course they all accept the invitation. The couples do know Ali too as she used to work for Jack although she has now moved on. Everyone really considers Ali a hot mess though but only want Will to be happy and Ali seems to be the one that does make him happy. After arriving in their villa in Portugal though Rachel begins to discover secrets that have her questioning not only Ali but her husband, Jack, as well.

First, I will mention that I have read all of this author’s books over the last several years and have always enjoyed her writing so it boggled my own mind I only gave this three stars. I did find the same engaging writing that I always do and I didn’t want to put this one down until I found out everything that happened as usual. However, when I got to the end of this one I ended up reading the ending twice and found that it was rather vague to me and I was left feeling disappointed overall.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I went back and forth listening to the audiobook and reading The Guilt Trip.⁣
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The narration was fantastic. I really enjoyed listening to the story.⁣
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As for the story, it reminded me a bit of The Guest List- lots of secrets, lies, and drama amongst a family and friend group. Each character was keeping something from someone, and each character got some closure. ⁣
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I liked that every chapter almost ended on a mini cliff hanger. Not many of the characters were very likable since each one was unreliable but it made for a quick read, filled with drama and some twisty turns.⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
Thank you @minotaurbooks for an ARC for my honest review. #netgalley #bookstagram #books #theguilttrip

I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel, Jack, Paige and Will all go to Portugal to attend the wedding of Ali and Will, Jack's brother. But the 6 of them spending 4 days together erupts in suspicion, decades old secrets being revealed and a wedding tragedy that no one could have seen coming. The beginning of this story was a little slow for me. There seemed to be a storyline going and then Rachel would reflect on something that happened years ago, and then it would come back around. That was a bit disruptive to me and seemed to break up the flow of the book a bit. But when it all came together it was in the here and now and I didn't want to stop reading it. Overall, it was a good story that I was not disappointed in. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Sandie Jones. Scheduled release date is 8/3/21.

A decent read it is a bit slow in places but would recommend. Three couples. A trip to Portugal for a destination wedding. A gorgeous villa overlooking a scenic and violent ocean. As family and friends gather for a weekend together in a Portugal Villa for Ali & Will's wedding...tensions rise. Even the most complex bonds within them are tested over some of life's most challenging moments. What should have been a celebration of a new family member for Rachel and Will's brother, Jack, Ali's lively personality irritates the guests. Rachel's best friend throughout her childhood is Noah and his wife Paige.... her go-to-girl and confidante. They draw conclusions about Ali and become fixated on her flaws. Then Jack delivers some scandalous info about an apparent affair she is having, which would crush his brother if he knew. This circle of friends become engaged in so many situations...some are rather hot and steamy scenes. Ali, the bride of The Guilt Trip, is a drama queen, making her someone the reader will find a bit annoying. Most of the first half of the book is filled with Rachel’s inner thoughts and suspicions, her dialogue with the others and basically how unhappy these couples are in their marriage. The marriage took place at a very picturesque spot. I did enjoy the descriptions of the cliff side restaurant and venue and the crashing of the waves off the ocean. The characters were not relatable and mostly unlikable. These characters are in their 40's and acted like immature teenagers.

It is of interest trying to figure out who is the guilty party but there is so much going on that it appears the whole party is guilty of something.

Thank you to publisher St. Martin's Press, the author and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a review. Expected publication date: 8/3/21.

What a tangled web is this! Three couples on holiday in Portugal for a destination wedding. There’s married couple Jack and Rachel. Jack’s brother Will and his fiancé Ali, who used to work for Jack. And then Rachel’s best friend Noah and his wife Paige who is now Rachel’s best friend so she should no longer be suspicious that they were more than just friends 20 years ago, right? Riiiight. Seems some unfinished business is getting aired out on this trip with secrets finally being revealed and then some.

A little too much bickering and long panicked inner monologues for me. Was a decent enough read but not my favorite. The Guilt Trip will be released on August 3.

Thanks, @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advance copy of this book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones / Pages: 270 / Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers / Release Date: Aug. 3, 2021

The Guilt Trip is told from the point of view of Rachel, wife of Jack and soon to be sister in-law to Ali. With opinions already starting we get our first view of Ali, the blushing bride marrying Will, Jack's brother. Ali is a mess, talkative, wild, beautiful bride and she first introduced at the airport about to leave for Portugal for her wedding, when she notices she is missing her passport. With Jack they go to look for it while Rachel waits, introducing Noah and Paige. Rachel and Noah were best friends, they went to school together and at one time thought they might end up together but fell in love with better people.

This novel is built on drama and high opinions between characters, with most of the characters have a prior relationship whether it's Rachel and Noah from college or Jack and Ali from working together, everyone has a history.

I really liked some characters and their development then there were some characters I really hated and I believe I was supposed to hate. The character development was well done and really built the drama over the event.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I felt everything added up in the end and I'm satisfied with how this story ended.

I gave this novel a 🌟🌟🌟🌟 review. I felt this novel was a light and enjoyable read, however; I do think the final event was missing more information on what really happened. But I would recommend this as a mystery beach read.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Publication date is August 3, 2021

I really liked this suspenseful read- it's definitely going in my Fall book lineup! It has every thing that I love about this type of novel- a group of friends, lots of secrets, and an atmospheric locale. I am obsessed with books that keep you guessing on who you can trust, and this one has you going around and around until the very end! It felt very Lucy Foley-esque with the setting and the amount of characters. Sandie Jones does a good job helping you not confuse the characters, making them different enough that I never got them mixed up- which is helpful when you're following the lives of so many people at once. It felt very much like a modern Agatha Christie, which made me love it all the more! I binge-read most of this book in an afternoon and am really looking forward to what ever Sandie Jones comes up with next. She does a great job on setting, characters, and back story- and I would recommend this if you like suspenseful novels that aren't at all scary.

The Guilt Trip is the latest book by Sandie Jones. This story involves a lot of secrets and shows you how a person's perception can make a difference in seeing the truth, or not. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy to review.

I wanted to LOVE this book because I really enjoyed The Other Woman by Sandie Jones. I did end up liking this book but the first half was slow. I loved how fast past The Other Woman was and sort of expected this book the be similar in that regard. The twists and turns the second half of the book were wonderful.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me.

Nope. This book just made me shake my head. Rachel is annoying. Heck, no one is likable. The "who is sleeping with whom" secrecy is ridiculous and DRAGS out the plot. Did I mention that Rachel is annoying? And her total flip-flop at the wedding is just weirdly played out - she is suspicious of one character for 75% of the book and then suddenly she isn't AT ALL. It's just lame. And then the twist/climax/"event" is one of the weirdest aspects of the whole story.

While I know that I have an ARC, I am hoping that the grammar police are all over this before actual publication. At least three times, "her and I" or some iteration of using Her as the subject is used and it is grating. Let's use proper grammar and English, please!

Thanks to NetGalley for the kindle version of this ARC. Only wish I actually liked it.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was good. A good storyline. A cast of characters that were both likable and unlikeable, sometimes even both. And twists. Lots of twists.

Definitely would recommend this to others.

The story was kind of juicy at first - a destination wedding, 3 couples, all suspicious of each other's motives.
However, the narrative was so hyperbolic it kept hitting me over the head, saying the same thing over and over again - I get it already! They are all dysfunctional! I do not need to be told the same thing 50 different ways.
The twists & turns and the ridiculously dramatic end left me exhausted. I just wanted it to be over.

This one wasn’t my favorite and I’m pretty disappointed by the book after reading the synopsis. I listened to the audio version and found the narrator difficult to understand, which is odd because I looked her up and discovered I had listened to her narrate 5+ other books and don’t remember that being an issue before. Aside from the narrating, I found that the book itself slow, the storyline was boring as well as the characters were not at all likable and it was like reading about middle schoolers pettiness instead of grown adults. I’m sure this book will be the favorite of some but it was not for me.

The Guilt Trip hooked me from page one. We are introduced to 3 couples who are headed to a destination wedding. Everything about the villa is over the top. Will & Ali can't wait to tie the knot while, Jack (will's brother) seems to have a short fuse with the bride. Meanwhile Jack's wife Rachael is left to be the buffer between Ali and her best friends Noah & Paige. This had so many twists I totally didn't expect. This is Jones best book yet! Every detail made you question a little more.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this digital arc. All opinions are my own.

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones
Published: August 3, 2021
Minotaur Books
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Sandie Jones has worked as a freelance journalist for over twenty years and has written for publications including the Sunday Times, Woman’s Weekly, and the Daily Mail. She lives in London with her husband and three children. The Other Woman is her debut novel and a Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick.

“…if you’ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear.”


Rachel and Jack are flying to Portugal for Jack’s brother's wedding, along with their best friends Paige and Noah. Will and Ali are looking forward to tying the knot in a beautiful location, surrounded by those they love the most. But when Rachel starts getting suspicious of Ali- till death do us part might happen sooner than anyone anticipated.

Whew. This was a ride from page one. I enjoyed how this story just kicked off with a bang and didn’t slow down until the end. We immediately get introduced to most of the lead characters right away as they begin their travels to Will and Portugal.

Right away, we start to see the different personalities start to shine through, and you immediately appreciate the detail that has gone into bringing each character to life. The subtle details and the blatant characteristics make this story come to life in so many ways.

I loved how incredibly flawed the characters all were. No one is blemish-free, and each has moments of selfishness or weakness, and that just further cements the feeling in your head.

There were several beautifully crafted twists in the novel that you won’t see coming whatsoever. The intensity only gets stronger the deeper you fall between pages. The free-fall into the abyss becomes terrifyingly real as things start falling into place.

Three couples, two married for ages and one about to take the plunge, are about to find out what their vows meant… and not everyone will survive.

I am a HUGE fan of Jones and couldn’t have been more excited to read their newest book! I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. The twists and turns kept my attention throughout. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author and I would recommend this book to friends and family.

I was truly hoping to enjoy this book and kept reading until the end both because I was hoping that it would get better and because I felt like I had to leave a review since I received an ARC. I think I'm learning that I don't enjoy domestic thrillers as much as other types of thrillers, so I'm pretty sure there is an audience for this novel that isn't me.

"The Guilt Trip" follows a group of three couples who travel to a destination wedding on the coast of Portugal. Rachel and Jack, and Noah and Paige are two couples who are invited to Ali and Will's wedding. However, before they even get to the villa, we notice that they might not be the tight-knit group that they appear to be, in particular, most of them seem to have it out for Ali, the newest member of the group.

In general, I thought that this book wasn't quite what I thought it would be based on its cover and description. I think I expected more of a locked-room type mystery or something similar to "The Guest List" based on the cover and the description. However, the book read more like a "telenovela" and was full of slow-burn drama, which is not something I look forward to in books. It also had a host of truly unlikeable characters that I knew were not going to be much fun past the airport scenes.

The plot of the book basically revolves around the main narrator's (Rachel's) suspicious thoughts about everyone around her. There is a lot of miscommunication as well as a lot of lying involved. I felt there wasn't much happening, and there were a lot of almost events that just led to the simmering thoughts and feelings for all the characters. This proved to be frustrating and rather boring to read for me. I also guessed what the twists were going to be fairly early on, and their development didn't really pay off in my opinion. I also thought it was rather unrealistic at times. Finally, I thought the book wrapped up too quickly compared to the pace set in the rest of the book.

Content warnings: infidelity, mentions of loss of pregnancy

Expected publication: August 3, 2021