Kiersten Modglin has become one of my favorite "palette cleanser" authors because her books are reliably short, fast-paced, and intriguing. Her latest, The Last Trip, is no exception!

Calvin and Sadie are nearing the end of their pregnancy and decide to take one last vacation alone together at a remote cabin. It isn't long before Sadie experiences a growing sense of unease — Calvin springs unexpected, life-changing news on her, the cabin's owners are dropping by and acting strangely, and she's no longer sure who she can trust.

True to form, Modglin was able to suck me in from the start, and delivered a plotline and twist original enough that, even as a frequent thriller reader, I didn't see it coming. There were a few plot holes, especially in the final resolution, but nothing I wasn't willing to overlook.

The audiobook production is well done and I enjoyed the narration by Abigail Reno and Jay Myers. Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Kiersten Modglin for an advance copy for honest review. 3.75 stars rounded up.

This was okay and then I got to the plot twist and it was wild but not in a good way. It didn’t totally make sense to the story, it seemed only to be a shock factor and it didn’t really go There so it was hard for me to care and understand the characters motive

I thought this one was fine and settled around 2.5 stars.

It is full of a lot of family secrets and lies. Calvin and Sadie rent a house for their babymoon. Out of nowhere, an adult daughter Calvin didn't know he had shows up. Sadie shares a secret with her, and thinks she is lying.

There really wasn't much to the story other than some tense internal thoughts on Sadie's part while she tries to figure out what is going on and who she can trust.

When the answers come to light, the whole plotline is kind of bizarre. Overall, it was an okay domestic thriller, but didn't blow me away.

This book didn't keep me interested as much as Kiersten Modglin books normally do. I stuck it out because it was short and because I was invested enough that I wanted to know how it ended (though not so much that I really cared). But the ending didn't shock me or even really satisfy me. The last third of the book felt rushed and forced. It seemed as though things were wrapped up only because they had to be, not that each step of the story was carefully thought out and crafted to lead to the ending.

Very quick domestic thriller (using “thriller” lightly here) by one of my favorite authors.
This couple goes on vacation before baby is born. Husband is sketch. Then stuff starts unfolding. I enjoyed the fast pace.

The first couple of chapters of this book were intriguing but the rest of the book felt rushed. I was hooked when i started it, and ready to have my mind blown. It was a fun twisty story, but it wasn’t for me.

The audio narration was great!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the free copy of the book.

With the baby so close to making her arrival, Calvin and Sadie decide to have one last getaway, just the two of them. However, this babymoon doesn’t end up being the adorable relaxing retreat they expected. Little do they know, their lives are about to be turned completely upside down.

Lies, betrayal, secrets, deception, big ol’ bomb drops … this book sure has a lot of things to keep you hooked!

⭐️⭐️
2/5

This book was wild… wildly unlikely. It started off normal and then took a million left turns. All three main characters are extremely unlikeable.

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Kiersten Modglin for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This author always produces fun and quick reads sure to have a twist you don't see coming! This book was no exception!

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc!

If there is one thing I can say for sure with any Kiersten Modglin book I read it’s this: I didn’t see that coming! This story had me completely pulled in and trying to guess the outcome. Right up to the very end.


*********************************************************
Spoilers below

The couple that owned the cabin gave me the absolute creeps but when I learned the real reason they kept showing up (to protect Sadie) I was so shocked and then of course they were. How could I miss that Cal was so incredibly controlling and insane? All the red flags were there!

I’m going with the story in my head Sadie and Janel end up back together in the end. Peace out ✌️ Cal.

I'm surprised by reviews complaining that there wasn't enough romance or a HEA to this book, seeing as it's quite clearly marked as a DOMESTIC THRILLER, not romance. But anyway, this is a quick read buoyed by alternating "HER" and "HIM" timelines. Thanks to this gimmick, I figured out fairly early the major twist, but it was still satisfying to read up to confirming I was correct. All the little puzzles are wrapped up nicely by the end, but the ending came more quickly than I expected, maybe even a bit rushed. Still, The Last Trip has lots of mystery early on, leading me to question the mental health of some of the characters, and I really enjoyed Abigail Reno's narration. Trigger Warning: there is some serious gaslighting in this book.

Thank you to the author, Dreamscape Media, and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book and to provide an unbiased review.

Woah! I loved this one!

Kiersten Modglin’s The Last Trip is a chilling domestic thriller that takes the idea of a relaxing getaway and turns it on its head. Calvin and Sadie’s plan to enjoy a peaceful babymoon in a remote cabin quickly devolves into a nightmare as shocking news, strange behavior from the cabin's homeowners, and escalating paranoia begin to unravel their sense of security.

Modglin expertly builds tension from the very first page, with an atmosphere of unease that deepens as the couple is confronted with a series of unsettling revelations. As the story progresses, the couple’s trust in each other and the people around them begins to crumble, and the sense of isolation in the snowy mountains only heightens the suspense. With every twist, it becomes clearer that nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted.

The Last Trip keeps readers on edge, offering unexpected twists and a mounting sense of dread. The author masterfully manipulates the domestic thriller genre, blending psychological tension with thrilling suspense. The couple's journey becomes not just about a trip before the baby arrives, but a desperate race against time to uncover dangerous truths.

Fans of suspenseful, twisty thrillers will find The Last Trip an unforgettable read—full of secrets, betrayal, and a heart-pounding conclusion.

Kiersten Modglin is one of my favorite quickly read thriller authors. She really knows how to put on roller-coaster with crazy twists and satisfying revenge plays.

I loved how this book was short and packed a lot in a short read. Sadie is in the final stages of her pregnancy and decides to take a trip with her fiance Calvin. When they get to the quaint cabin in the snow Sadie loves it at first. The elderly owns are excited to rent to a young couple expecting their first baby. Sadie quickly discovers the couple who own the cabin are a bit off. Strange things begin to happen and this couple seems to be around ever corner always watching.

Prior to their arrival to the cabin Calvin receives some unexpected news which leaves Sadie feeling confused and unsure what to do next. Now at the cabin she tries to put this news out of her head and enjoy these last few remaining days with Calvin. Strange things keep happening and now Sadie is scared and wants to head back home. Prior to their departure Calvin and Sadie receive a guest that leaves Sadie reeling. Who can she trust at this point? Her gut tells her something I really wrong.

I give this book a 3.5 star read. I was engaged and enjoyed the twists and crazy plot.

Danggg, Kiersten Modglin did it again! Twistedddd!
Quick easy read, amazing narrators!

Description
One last trip before the baby gets here… That’s all the getaway is meant to be. Then the guests arrive.
When Calvin and Sadie decide to spend their babymoon in a remote cabin in the snowy mountains before their first child is due, it’s supposed to be a chance for them to connect, relax, and celebrate their future.
Before the vacation even gets started, shocking news leaves the couple reeling. To make matters worse, their arrival at the rental is marked by strange behavior from the homeowners, and Sadie can’t shake the paranoia that she’s being watched.
When another revelation comes to light that’s so distressing it cracks the stable foundation Calvin and Sadie once stood on, everything changes.
Suddenly unable to decide whom to trust and how to move forward, the getaway takes a terrifying turn. Just how safe are they up in the mountains all alone? Someone knows their location, and if the couple can’t discover the truth before it’s too late, their last trip before the baby arrives might just be their last trip… ever.

Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book!

The Last Trip
by Kiersten Modglin
Narrated by Abigail Reno; Jay Myers
Dreamscape Media

I received a free copy of this audiobook from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. I’ve been reading a lot of thrillers lately, so this book had a lot to live up to. It was great - so many twists and turns I pretty much needed a map to keep track! The plot was like an onion and Modglin kept peeling back layer after layer to give us the full (shocking!) story. Just when I thought I had it figured out a new twist would appear, tossing my assumptions out the window.

The characters were intertwined and had the strangest connections. I loved being continually surprised. The story jumped from perspective to perspective, back in time and to the present. The different perspectives were a nice way to be able to tie everything together neatly.

The characters, despite their detailed back stories, seemed kind of surface level and weren’t really developed as much as they could have been. But overall I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who enjoy thrillers.

Yes! This was sooo good! The shocking secrets that are exposed left me floored! It was full of secrets and webs of lies and I was there for it all!

Sadie and Calvin are headed for their last trip prior to the arrival of their baby girl. Calvin has picked the perfect cabin, away from everything and everyone. A nice quiet little retreat to enjoy each other's company. Everything is perfect, it's snowy outside, perfect landscape for a stay-away-from-home-cation. Until there's a knock at the door and they're greeted by the cabin's owners. Something about these owners just feels off to Sadie and she can't shake the feeling something is terribly wrong.

This is a quick, short, easy listen book. There are a couple of unexpected twists. Abigail Reno and Jay Myers did a fantastic job portraying Sadie and Calvin. Told in a dual POV, it was nice to have the differentiation in the characters. Definitely recommend this one on audiobook!

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange of my honest review!

This was just the book to get me back into reading/listening to audiobooks.
The whole time I was saying "this motherf*cker" out loud every ten minutes.
Omg it was madness.
Give it a listen! You'll be hooked.

This was such a quick, intense read!! I just love a good K.Mod read to get me through another day lol I did not expect the twist, which makes it even better! The audiobook was absolutely awesome with two narrators for the main characters. Highly recommend!!

*Thank you partner @dreamscape_media for the #gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

This thriller unfolds around a babymoon that takes a dark turn, with the fiancé and several other characters harboring deep secrets. The book was engaging and made for a quick read—I managed to listen to the entire audiobook in just one day. The nuances of the characters were particularly well-delivered, and I found the character development and storytelling to be fantastic. I've consistently enjoyed Kiersten Modglin's books, and this latest addition was no exception.