"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
There was a lot going on in this book, so many secrets and things to be "guilty" about. The author did a good job of weaving it all together in a suspenseful yet engaging way. The audiobook version added to the storytelling in my opinion.

⭐️ 3.75 / 5 ⭐️

How to not do marriage Re: The Guilt Trip.

Sweet Jesus, this was a ride. I couldn’t go to sleep without finishing this one. I had my own suspicions, but for a majority of the book, I had no idea what was going on but I was enjoying it.

The complexities of the dynamic between every character were interesting to witness, and Rachel! God, being in her mind was exhausting 😂 So much could have been solved had she had the balls to just confront You Know Who. The lack of communication in every marriage in this book besides Allie and Will’s (💕) drove me up the wall.

General rule of thumb here, friends: don’t get married if you’re in love with someone else.

Big thank you to the publishers for sending me an arc copy of this book!

I liked the layers of the book for the first half, but then it felt like it was twisting for the sake of twisting. Could have been tightened up and had less of Rachel overthinking things. This would make a great movie though.

I have read a few books by Sandie Jones but this one was a little hard to get into. I think that if I didn't have this in an audio version I wouldn't have been able to finish the book. When you first start reading it gets a little interesting because you don't even know if Ali and Will are going to make it. But by the time you get throw a couple of chapters you already know how the book was going to end. There was no real big surprise.
Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan for the advance read.

Fantastic narration. I absolutely Loved listening to this one! I really Enjoyed the plot and did not see the last twist! Classic Jones.

The Guilt Trip, by Sandie Jones, is more soap-opera fiction loaded with relationship drama,, less mystery/thriller, as the author previously penned. This destination wedding saga is ripe with gossip, miscommunication, lies and bad behavior.

Three couples head to Portugal for the wedding of Will and Ali. Will is the brother of Jack, the spouse of one of the two other couples and the reason the others have made the trip. Ali, Will’s fiancé, and former employee of Jack, seems to rub everyone the wrong way with her outlandish flirtation and often questionable behavior. All of these friends have histories, in one way or another; histories ripe with secrets that create problems a plenty on this celebratory weekend.

I loved the previous books by this author , but this newest release fell a bit flat for me. It focused more on the immature drama of a group of so-called friends, than an actual mystery, and was lacking in suspense. It tended toward the repetitive, circling the same plot points without actually moving the story forward in any significant way. As such, I struggled to stay invested and the novel felt far longer than it should have. I kept reading solely because I was curious to find out the resolution.

The latter half of the story definitely had several red herrings and kept me guessing, though ultimately, the offender wasn’t all that shocking. What was surprising, if not far-fetched, was the cataclysmic event towards the end of the story. In terms of the audio-version, while I enjoyed the narrator’s accent and voice in general, I did find it hard to understand her at times. Most of the character voices were exactly as they seemed that should be, but Ali’s voice was grating and didn’t sound realistic.

The Guilt Trip is aptly named and kept me turning the pages until its astonishing conclusion. It wasn’t, however, what I was expecting and that affected my enjoyment of the novel. I also felt that the slower pace and lack of propelling events, along with the implausible behaviors, kept me from staying as engaged as I hoped to be.

A destination wedding turns into a series of rumors, innuendos, and mutual distrust between the three married couples and the bride-to-be.
The story started slowly, and halfway through I was wondering when someone planned to die or be killed. It was sold as a murder mystery, after all.
I waffled back and forth between giving up and wanting to know what was going to happen.
One secret, I won't spoil it, was not worth the characters caring or hiding.
But the last third of the book came alive with tension, unease, and yes Death! Finally!
Good ending, and even if I felt it started slow, still worth reading.
Thank you @Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion

2.5 stars. A domestic drama with a bunch of unlikable characters. It was difficult getting into this one because as a reader, I didn't really care about anyone in it. I did enjoy the ending and how it all came together, but felt like I could have read the first 1/4 and the last 1/4 and have not really missed anything.

I was blown away by Jone's smart, fast-paced, and riveting psychological thriller. We are invited to attend the intimate wedding of the young and in love couple, Ally and Will. There is pure excitement from the future husband and wife, and tension amongst the party. Jack, Will's brother and best man, is married to Rachel, a stay at home mom who's child just let the nest. Noah, Rachel's best friend and secret love of her life, is married to an attorney Page, who is Rachel's best frenemy and Ally's biggest critic. Secrets, no one can stand to keep quiet, make for shifting loyalties and mounting aggressions as the big day approaches.

I was completely invested. I felt a part of their world despite being on the outside looking in through a single pov. For a minute, I thought the story was disadvantaged by Rachel's prejudices against and loyalties towards those around her. I wanted so desperately to know who was lying and who was being honest, but I did not feel the same in the end. Limiting the readers perspective lent an immediacy to the narrative that third person omniscience or alternating point's of view couldn't. It was a great choice not many of Jone's contemporaries would have made. I appreciate it.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

It is a story about relationships, trust, betrayals, gossip, maturity or the lack of. The story begin nicely for me but then it got pretty ridiculous with the amount of twists that were included in every character's life. There was so much drama jam packed into the last 10% of the book that my head was spinning. I'm even tempted to go back and listen to the last few chapters because it felt like it happened so fast. This is both good and bad because the ending was so thrilling that it absolutely saved the book for me, however it shouldn't have had to.

Do you ever wait so long to write up a review that you don’t even remember much about the book? I feel like that kinda says it all for this one because if I had really loved it I don’t think it would be so forgettable. I know it was super dramatic and had some seriously messy situations and it was definitely a quick read. Also remember thinking that the end was decent and made up for some slowness in the middle. And the characters were all toxic. So maybe I remember more than I thought 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️ Anyway, I guess this was ok for me? I do remember thinking it was ⭐️⭐️⭐️ You’re welcome for this amazingly detailed and eloquent review.

Thanks @minotaur_books for my copy!

A group of old friends plus one new fiancée meet in Portugal for a destination wedding. Soon everyone is getting on each other's nerves and relationships start to unravel. Everyone has a secret, old or new, that causes them to feel guilty. This book is billed as a domestic or psychological thriller and the cover looks appropriately sinister. However there is much more drama than suspense. It would make a great soap opera. The ending was the best part of the book with a couple of unexpected twists but still no real suspense. Not a horrible read but also not great. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to a copy of the audioboo

I received an advanced copy of this title for review on NetGalley.

I really liked this one! I haven't felt like many of the books I have read recently go above "good." Yeah, they were enjoyable, but not outstanding. This one was the type of book that I was still sitting in my car in the driveway so I could keep the audiobook playing because I couldn't stop now. It's the one that I had to keep listening to because I needed to know what happened next. I think it was shown pretty early how one of the big events was going to play out, but even guessing correctly, the drama was so good, I was just as eager to see how that scenario played out. I don't recommend a lot of books on my personal social media, but this is one I will be.

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones… I went into this one thinking it was a thriller or psychological suspense novel. And there were elements of that, but overall it was more family drama than anything.

3 couples go to an island for a wedding. Ali is the bride and she’s a bit over the top… in her mannerisms and in her clothes. Soon the other two women are finding all kinds of things wrong with her, including believing she’s a liar and a cheater.

What is really true, though? The story basically chronicles their getaway trip and lots of secrets are found out. The thriller/suspense part really happens toward the end, IMO, and definitely surprised me. Felt a little out of left field, but it was an interesting way to tie up loose ends.

All in all, I liked the story and I loved the narrator. I would recommend this book for people who like family drama and secrets! Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars rounded up. I ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I would give the narrator 5 stars!)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ACR in return for my honest review.

This was one of my first arc audiobooks and it was wonderful! I love the story and reading along in a book as well as listening to this narrator. They words of the story and the sounds in the audiobook went right along with everything and made me feel like I was right there part of the story! Which most of the time was fantastic! The twists and turns kept me listening to this audiobook very quickly! I couldn’t put it down

These three couples travel to Portugal for a destination wedding for Ali and Will. Five of these friends have known each other for quite a while. Ali is the newcomer. But, as time goes on, secrets about Ali start to surface. This leads to other secrets, and more secrets…until!

This story has a good many characters. It might have been different for me if I had read and not listened to it. But, I had some issues at the first keeping up with everyone. I will be honest…I almost put it aside a time or two. I am glad I finished it. The ending was not exactly what I expected.

This story does move a little slow in places and tends to get bogged down in stuff that is not really relevant. However, I did enjoy the intensity of all the secrets, especially the who, what, when and where?! Definitely kept me guessing!

I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.

3.5 stars. This book is written in a way that made me want to keep picking it up. I enjoyed the setting especially and the three couples/friends banter. The affair and suspicion of the affair was a little overdone for me. I think it was pretty easy to predict what was happening and knew who would be the one to wreak havoc. I enjoyed how the end wrapped up though. Overall, good Sandie Jones novel but not my favorite of hers.

I both read and listened to an early copy of this book. I think the audiobook definitely held my attention a bit more than the ebook version. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and Netgalley!

The Guilt Trip is my third book by Sandie Jones and I am so happy to have received this one. A group of adult friends travel to Portugal to celebrate the wedding of Allie and Will. While the story unfolds, the characters develop more and the plot line has the twists and surprises that made Sandie Jones’ book; The Other Woman so memorable. I loved the history of choices made two decades ago rising to the surface on this trip, and don’t we all know a girl just like Allie? I highly recommend this book for a quick read on your next getaway or that last beach weekend before you wrap up summer! I received the audiobook as an ARC, all opinions are my own.

Overall this book was good! I have to say it was one of the more predictable thrillers I’ve read recently though. The biggest twist was honestly Ali. We were made to think she was ditzy and a compulsive liar when really she was the sweetest person ever. Ali was honestly my favourite character and I’m kind of sad the MC portrayed her so badly for most of the book. I would definitely still recommend as it’s a good, easy read. It’ll keep you interested!

The Guilt Trip is the 2021 offering by Sandie Jones. All I can say about this book is “WOW!” This is the story of a weekend getaway that should have been a joyous time for all involved. Will Hunter is marrying his lady love Ali Foley in a destination wedding in Portugal. Joining Will and Ali in the villa they’ve rented are his brother Jack and wife Rachel as well as Jack and Rachel’s long time friends Noah and Paige Collins. Other family and friends will be staying locally as well.

Throughout much of this novel Ali is portrayed as a needy woman always seeking to be the center of attention. To the casual viewer, but even more for Rachel, it would appear that Jack and Ali are having an affair. She is always maneuvering to get him alone, and circumstantial clues are found that would easily confirm an illicit liaison. Since Aly readily embellishes stories, it takes little stretch of the imagination that what she says may also be blatant lies. Between Jack and Paige prompting this dialog, it puts Rachel in a downward spiral of not knowing who to believe. Who’s is the liar, really?

This drama transitions to a thriller before the reader’s eyes. I felt hints of Hitchcock as the story built to an unexpected crescendo and an ending that will leave the reader guessing the longer they think about it. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!