<b>**3.5-stars**</b>

Rachel, Jack, Noah and Paige are a friendship foursome with a lot of history. Rachel and Noah have been best friends since college and there was a time when they considered being more than friends. Alas, it wasn't to be. Now twenty-years later, Rachel is happily married to Jack, while Noah is married to Paige.

When Jack's little brother, Will, decides on a destination wedding with his young, sexy, flamboyant fiance, Ali, the foursome, with Ali in tow, travel to the beautiful country of Portugal for the event. It never takes long for drama to arise when Ali is around. It seems to follow her everywhere, and as predicted by the friends, is created before they've even left the airport.

Ali's exuberant, over-the-top nature gets under everyone's skin. There's never a break with her. It's always something. Rachel is unnerved to observe that Ali seems to be paying special attention to her husband. While Jack doesn't appear to be recipricating her advances, Rachel still begins to wonder, what exactly is going on there?

As they settle into their cliffside villa, things continuously get worse. Ali flaunting herself around is making everyone uncomfortable, especially now that Jack has revealed to the friends something he heard about her from a work colleague. Is this even a woman he wants his brother to marry?

But Ali isn't the only one with secrets. Everyone has something to hide and as suspicions begin to creep across the group of friends, all is threatened to be revealed.

This was a compelling story. I definitely had fun reading it; particularly the first half. I'm all for excessive domestic drama. I love long-buried secrets, deceptions, betrayals; it's addicting. The setting was great and I loved the whole destination wedding scenerio.

I was hooked. Nevertheless, there were some finer details that didn't sit quite right with me. It's a good story, but not perfectly suited to my tastes. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. I'm not mad I read it. It was interesting, it was shocking, wild and not a bad way to spend a weekend!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion. I think if you love quick, domestic suspense stories, you should definitely give this one a shot!

between them that I really could care less about. It was a middle-of-the-line thriller for me. Not bad, but not one I would read again or jump to recommend to others.

3.5 stars

I'm a fan of Sandie Jones as I think she is a good storyteller. I don't think any of her books are necessarily 5 star reads but they do hold my interest. However, because I am very familiar with the author's writing style, I kinda knew what to expect from this story. This book has thriller and suspense elements and so it is a little disappointing that nothing really blew my mind with the plot.

Rachel and her husband, Jack, are attending the destination wedding of Will and Ali. Along for the trip are Noah and his wife Paige. Noah and Rachel have been friends for about 20 years and she now considers Paige one of her best friends as well. I'm sure this will be a great trip for everyone with absolutely no drama whatsoever. (That's sarcasm people!)

Within a few chapters I was already hooked as the story has a soap opera type feel to it. I don't consider that a bad thing at all as I personally love watching messy drama unfold. (Just in fiction, not in real life.) At some point in the second half it does feel like the story is dragging a bit. The action does eventually pick up though and things really get bonkers. But the bare bones of the ending were fairly predictable even if the details were surprising. (Not sure if that makes any sense but I do my best not to give away spoilers in my reviews)

The ending might not have wowed me but the book as a whole was pretty entertaining. It makes for a decent vacation/lazy weekend read.

Thank you Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Sandy Jones.
This was a quick read, I enjoyed the plot and the characters.
I found the part of Rachel wondering if her husband was cheating a bit long.
The section after the wedding was fast paced and I did not expect the turn of events.
Lots of secrets and untrustworthy people.
Who can you trust?
Recommend
4 stars

A pretty straight-forward family drama, with a helluva climax at the end. I enjoyed the character-building conflict. The author did a great job of examining all the angles of such a complicated relationship between four people, using the big ol' stirring spoon of Ali, the soon-to-be-bride, on her wedding weekend, to act as a catalyst for bringing up all of the shit, both past and present. I don't really understand why Ali waited 3 years(!) and her WEDDING WEEKEND to do something about what she knew, if she were going to, but it did make for an interesting read.

Thank you Minotaur and Net Galley for providing me with a copy of The Guilt Trip in exchange for an honest review.

Sandie Jones’s The Guilt Trip is a mystery/thriller that keeps you guessing till the end.

Rachel and Noah are friends from university who have a past together but are now married to other people Rachel to Jack and Noah to Paige. Jack’s brother is getting married and they have invited the other two couples to come to Portugal for a destination wedding where misunderstandings, lies, and secrets
explode.

I wish I could say this book worked for me because the cover is stunning but unfortunately I ended up having too many issues with the characters and plot that I did not enjoy this one.

Pace 5/10
It started out paced well but then once the made it to Portugal felt it dragged. I also found the time jump at the end really effected how well the book was paced.


Plot Development 5/10

Some of the plot did not make sense and some plot was purposely thrown in to try to make you think a certain thing but the plot made no sense so it just seemed out of place. For example the gift Ali gives her brother in law to be in the limo the scene was so random. Why would a women pull out a gift when they were in the middle of talking to his wife.

Characters 2/10
I could not connect with any of these characters. I found them all very unlikeable, especially Paige. I couldn’t understand why you would travel to someone’s wedding when you disliked them so intensely. All the snide remarks about Ali drove me crazy.

Enjoyability 3/10

As mentioned this one did not work for me and I couldn’t enjoy it because of the plot holes and issues plus the dislikable characters.

Ease of Reading/ Reading Comprehension 5/10
I felt this book was easy to read but some of the back and forth timelines were confusing.

Ending 2/10
I also didn’t enjoy the ending. I felt like in the end I still had no concrete answer and was left with more questions.

Although this book was not for me I am a strong believer that not every book is for everyone and what I didn’t like or wasn’t for me in a story could be exactly what you like.

A destination wedding in Portugal, three couples, secrets, lies, and drama! This was a quick read, engaging, a bit soapy, kinda fun, a bit like a car accident (no pun intended). I was interested enough to want to see the outcome. Thinking back as I write this review I'm not sure I truly liked any of the characters. Perhaps that doesn't matter. You may want to read and judge for yourself.

**I received an electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review of this book.

If at any point in this book, you think you know what’s going on, you’re probably wrong. Two couples are attending a wedding in Portugal and there are more strings connecting them all than you’d imagine. I still don’t quite understand the epilogue but sure did my brain in along the way. Very similar to her previous book, The Other Woman, as characters’ true motives begin to be unveiled throughout.

This is the perfect book to read on vacation because it’s one you won’t want to put down! When a group of three couples travels to Portugal to celebrate an upcoming wedding, secrets are revealed and allegiances are destroyed. Sandie Jones masterfully sets the story up so you know something big happens but it takes a completely different turn from what you would expect. There are plenty of twists that all lead up to shockingly satisfying ending. Sure you probably won’t love the characters but that’s all part of the fun, right? Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an e-galley!

I loved this book! The story drew me in immediately and kept me interested until the very end. I naturally wonder while reading a book how a story earns its title and trying to determine who was guilty and why on this one was so fun! The characters were well developed too and I loved them all until I didn’t and then I did again! Just when you thought you had someone figured out a little something would happen that made you question everything. And oh how I loved the ending. Nice tidy bows are boring ;). I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends. Well done Sandie Jones! And thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in return for an honest review. Yay!

A group of friends, both new and old, embark on a wedding weekend at a gorgeous beachside villa in Portugal. Some have known each other for years, some are married and some have secretly been lovers. As the wedding day nears, arguments ensue and tensions rise. Their many buried secrets threaten to destroy the lives they've carefully built for the past 20 years and could also end some of their lives..for good. 
The Guilt Trip was undoubtedly a trip filled with palpable tension and had me on the edge of my seat - especially toward the end. The domestic suspense novel left me frustrated at times because I could tell things weren't what they seem and I was anxious to find out the truth. 
If you're a thriller/suspense lover, willing to let the story slowly unfold for a big twist and shocking ending, this book is for you.

Three couples at a destination wedding set in a gorgeous location overlooking the ocean in Portugal. Sounds perfect right? Unfortunately right from the start tensions run high and the lies and deception begin. Appearances can be deceiving as the story unfolds and seemingly perfect relationships begin to crumble. The characters question everything from their fidelity to their motivations in this slow building tale by Sandie Jones. Jones does a great job developing the characters and shows how guilt can cloud your judgement. I was not sure whose story to believe up until the ending when the story races toward an unexpected climax.

I enjoyed this story but was a little disappointed with the ending. I would have liked more exploration of the ending instead of just in the epilogue. It felt a little bit rushed. I was entertained by the book but it was not more that a 3 star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read in exchange for an honest review #NetGalley #TheGuiltTrip

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones is a domestic suspense story about three couples who travel to coastal Portugal for a small wedding. Two of the couples have been married for about twenty years and the third couple is getting married. Each person has their own secrets, which are slowly divulged in this novel. The characters aren’t very likeable and at times are caricatures. The short chapters kept me listening and interested in the story.

The beginning was captivating, but then in the middle, the story is a bit stilted and frustrated me, with 100 pages of nonstop paranoid ruminations about a spouse who may be cheating. Meanwhile the two long-time married couples are practically the worst wedding guests imaginable. The characters jump to wrong conclusions and yet can’t accept facts when they’re thrown in their faces. The last third picks up with more action and we finally get some answers, culminating in a terrible event that occurs at the wedding reception. I listened to the audiobook which was deftly narrated by Clare Corbett.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books / Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC.

WHOA! What did I just read? Sandie Jones has done it again. The Guilt Trip checks all the boxes. A great plot that keeps you guessing – check, twists and turns – check, engaging characters – check, a tropical setting you wish you were in – check, saves the best for last – check, check, check.

Sandie Jones is an auto buy for me and The Guilt Trip is fantastic. I was ready to reread it hours after closing the final page. The ending will leave you breathless. I lingered on those final pages needing to know but not wanting it to end.

Run don’t walk! This book is amazing.

I enjoyed this book. But I didn’t love it.
I didn’t mind the characters, but I didn’t love how the drama was like a soap opera.
I found it easy to read, but it wasn’t the couldn’t put it down book I was hoping for.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I would definitely try something else of hers!

First line: The policeman, with the slicked-back hair, stands at the bottom of my hospital bed, staring at me intently.

Summary: Rachel and Jack, along with their best friends, Paige and Noah, have traveled to Portugal for a wedding. Jack’s brother is marrying the young, beautiful and impulsive, Ali. Even before the trip starts secrets start to reveal themselves about who Ali really is. Jack says he had a coworker tell him about an affair he had with Ali. And as the trip progresses Rachel begins to believe that this is a cover story for an affair between Jack and Ali. As more clues come to light, Rachel is convinced that her marriage is not what she thought it was. Does she ruin the weekend and tell the secret or does she wait until it is too late?

My Thoughts: I was unbelievably disappointed in this story. It was like a high school drama. So many worries about someone kissing someone else, insinuations, flirting, innuendos and lots of drama! Rachel was worried about just because she felt insecure. Then her friend continued to feed into the insecurity. It was a lot of hearsay and bad timing. I was just so done with it about half way through but I kept going hoping that it would redeem itself or bring it to a satisfying conclusion but it was a silly ending. Not Sandie’s best book.

FYI: Skip this one unless you love relationship drama.

The twist in this one was pretty pedestrian but it felt like all of those British thrillers lately -- predictable and kind of boring. I ended up listened to the audiobook because I couldn't get into the actual book and the narrator was fine. I wouldn't read this one again and I think a lot of other books will give you a greater twist and lots of anticipation but you may have better luck.

The Guilt Trip comes out next week on August 3, 2021 and you can purchase HERE.

The policeman, with his slicked-back hair, stands at the bottom of my hospital bed, staring at me intently.
"So, can you confirm you knew the deceased?" he says, in heavily accented English.
I nod, but even that hurts.
His eyes narrow as he studies me. "Do you remember what lead up to this unfortunate incident? Were there any altercations between the guests? Was anything said?"
I almost laugh. Where would I start?
Should I be honest and say everybody was at each other's throats? That it was only a matter of time before something like this happened? That I wish it wasn't me who caused it?

I LOVED this book!!! I was sucked in right away.....I thought I had it figured out from the beginning, but I just wasn't sure how it was all going to play out.....I was totally wrong. So many twists and turns....and fun characters!! I'd love for Sandie Jones to continue this story and see what happens next in all of their lives!

Another book by Jones that will keep you guessing until the very end!
This wedding party/holiday/reunion is layered with complex relationships & many many secrets.
Friendships stretching back decades reunite for a wedding on an island all to themselves.
No one,absolutely no one could see how the weekend unfolds.
A+++++

Having read The Other Woman by Sandie Jones, I was excited to read The Guilt Trip. I liked the premise of a small destination wedding in Portugal. The first fourth of the book was fun as I was introduced to the many characters. Ali, the bride, was ditzy at first when she arrived at the airport with her future brother-in-law, Jack, and his wife, Rachel, to find out she did not have her passport. How does the bride manage to lose or leave her passport? Jack runs her home and they return just in time to catch the plane. Jack is the groom’s brother, Will, who is waiting in Portugal for them. Also traveling on the plane is Noah, Paige’s best friend in college and travel partner seeing the world the year after graduation, and his wife, Paige who is a lawyer. Warning: There are two many characters at first and it was hard to keep track of who is who. I finally decided to keep a chart and that was very helpful.

This book is a good beach read as there us mystery involved, trying to figure out which character is telling the truth, and who is really in a relationship with who. The middle part of the book was too long and I did find myself rolling my eyes at times. The ending was interesting and I found myself saying, “What?” Several times. I am glad there was a monologue! I also enjoyed the Portuguese sentences that were written correctly, Parabéns! I would rate this book 3.5. Thank you St. Martin’s Minotaur for an ACR of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.