Rachel and her husband, Jack, along with Rachel's best friend, Paige and her husband Noah are headed to Portugal to attend the marriage of Jack's brother to Ali. The 3 couples lives are intertwined with many secrets and lies. While partying and drinking heavily the day before the wedding, mind games and innuendos begin to cause Rachel to question things she has been told. The suspense continually builds as the lies pile up and make Rachel suspicious of those around her. The wedding day proceeds as the truth surfaces and ends with a surprise climax.

This is my first Sandie Jones book, and after seeing many of my trusted reviewers love her previous books, I was excited to have the opportunity to pick this one up. So thank you Minotaur for the opportunity

However, I found myself having difficulty wanting to pick it back up and after reading three chapters - I put it down. After hearing from another trusted friend that it took her 100-150 pages to get into the plot, I knew that I just had to set it down. I usually wait to DNF until around page 50 and I made it to page 54.

Maybe it will get better, but for me I just didn't find my attention grabbed enough to carry on reading. There was too much drunk, middle aged adult pettiness and not enough introduction into mystery to hold my attention. I'm not one to enjoy plots that center around confessions and a lot of drinking.

I'm sure this book will be great for others, but I don't think this was the right time for me to pick it up. I just wanted to share this review so that others have something to go off.

I think this book would be perfect for anyone to pick up on vacation or as a summer read.

I'm still interested in reading Sandie's other books in the future after seeing other friends enjoy the other works.

Rachel is doing her best to keep the peace during a time her extended family will be coming together to celebrate the marriage of her husband Jack's brother Will to his flighty, somewhat vapid fiancé Ali. Jack appears to detest Ali, irritation radiating off of him at her mere proximity. This strikes Rachel as odd because Jack is, in part, responsible for this union, having introduced Ali as a colleague to his brother. Rachel begins to develop suspicions about their relationship and why Jack seems hellbent at avoiding Ali whenever possible. Could there be a history she's unaware of? And given Rachel's own past and complicated feelings for her best friend Noah, does she even have a right to feel indignation? A secret or two threaten to be unveiled during this romantic destination wedding in Portugal. Who will be exposed...and what will be the irreparable damage done?

At the beginning of this book, I was all in. I empathized with Rachel, enjoyed the snark or Paige, thought Ali was a twit, and Jack was a stick-in-the-mud. But early on, I began to feel like I was slogging through, skimming the story whenever possible. I don't believe I missed any important details by doing this. A big chunk of the plot is set during the wedding, and it was literally the most fraught and dramatic intimate destination wedding in the history of small gatherings. You would have to be very, very bad at reading a room to miss the tension and drama swarming around...which was pretty much the case for all the minor characters mentioned. Will was probably the most oblivious character of them all. I just thought all of the drama being revealed at a wedding was too convenient and unrealistic. I didn't find the plot that engrossing and was bored with it pretty quickly. Not a thriller I would recommend.

The Guilt Trip is definitely a good, twisty-turney read that kept me guessing who could be the “good guy” or, more often, “good girl.” It’s well-written and fast-paced, though the dialogue felt a little forced at times. I also scratched my head at some of the “secrets” revealed, fighting the urge to shout: “y’all have been friends for 20+ years and NOW, at this destination wedding, is the appropriate time & place!?” This one’s also full of excellent examples of reasons not to make assumptions or jump to conclusions and emphasizes the importance of communication in relationships.
Overall, it’s a quick, easy read with some sexy thrill. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of friendship dramas, love triangles, catty girl books, and beautiful destination descriptions.

Wow! This book makes you question everything, even your own marriage. The twists and turns this book takes you through really keeps you dying to know what the truth is. Even after finishing it, it still left me questioning things. I enjoyed the writing style and the authors way of having so many stories tied in with multiple characters.

Destination weddings are super fun and exciting right? Well maybe not as fun when they are overshadowed by news of affairs and mass casualty situations. That is my best way to describe this book.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
When I started this book I thought it was going to be a 5 star read for me, but it fell a little flat; Too much internal dialogue from the main character, Rachel and a too abrupt ending without any real answers. This book had all the potential, it just didn't fully deliver for me. Still a good read!

Rachel and her husband Jack are excited for a kids free weekend celebrating her brother-in law Will's wedding. Rachel's close friend Paige and her husband will also be in attendance. As the couples settle in, in paradise, it becomes apparent that not everything is bliss. Rachel starts to have suspicions about her husband's behavior and wonders what causing him to act differently.

This mystery was a great guilty pleasure. It was easy to read and had lots of twists and turns along the way. I would definitely read more of Jones's books in the future.

I received an ARC copy of the book for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

Solid 4 stars. The first few chapters I thought I had this one figured out, fortunately I was wrong.

Great story development, solid characters, great twist at the end.

Worth reading!

Holy messed up relationships batman! I can't believe it! I have read other books by Sandie Jones and really enjoyed them, and The Guilt Trip was no exception. Definitely an excellent addition to anyone's bookshelf!

Although I tore through this book quickly, I wasn't too impressed. The ending was a bit rushed and fantastical, and altogether I didn't really like the characters or the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
//TW: death, mature content, alcohol, violence//

~Quick Statistics~
Overall: 4/5 Stars
Plot: 4/5 Stars
Setting: 4/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 4/5 Stars
“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?”
~Quick Review~
A dark and twisty novel, Sandie Jones takes the horrors of an affair to a sinister level. The Guilt Trip left me stunned and wanting to know more. Sucked into the drama of the novel, I found myself turning page after page until the height of the chaos came crashing down around me. An excellent novel with fantastic characters, The Guilt Trip makes you feel like you’re sitting down with your best friend, trying to find out if their husband is having an affair. The drama in this novel is unparalleled, and I honestly thrived reading it. While I expected a mystery, rather than a drama-filled novel, I did enjoy the story.

~Other Information~
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Page Count: 320 pages
Publication Date: August 3, 2021

“How would they feel if they found out one of them was betraying the other in the worst way possible?”

~Book Description (via Goodreads)~
Six friends.

Rachel and Noah have been friends since they met at university. While they once thought that they might be something more, now, twenty years later, they are each happily married to other people, Jack and Paige respectively. Jack’s brother Will is getting married, to the dazzling, impulsive Ali, and the group of six travel to Portugal for their destination weekend.

Three couples.

As they arrive at a gorgeous villa perched on a cliff-edge, overlooking towering waves that crash on the famous surfing beaches below at Nazaré, they try to settle into a weekend of fun. While Rachel is looking forward to getting to know her future sister-in-law Ali better, Ali can’t help but rub many of the group up the wrong way: Rachel’s best friend Paige thinks Ali is attention-seeking and childish, and while Jack is trying to support his brother Will’s choice of wife, he is also finding plenty to disagree with Noah about.

One fatal misunderstanding . . .

But when Rachel discovers something about Ali that she can hardly believe, everything changes. As the wedding weekend unfolds, the secrets each of them hold begin to spill, and friendships and marriages threaten to unravel. Soon, jumping to conclusions becomes the difference between life and death.


~Characters~
The Guilt Trip follows the dramatic events of Rachel, Jack, Paige, Noah, Will, and Ali; 3 couples who are intertwined in ways that none of them could have ever expected. Despite Rachel and Jack, and Noah and Paige’s marriages, something more is beneath the surface. Could Noah and Rachel’s history be dug up and cause more turmoil? And what of the supposed affair between Ali and a random man, despite Ali being engaged?

Rachel, the main character of the novel, is married to Jack. Together they have a child, Josh, who is the light of Rachel’s life. Their relationship has never been in question for Rachel, she trusts Jack completely. Life is good, yet the prospect of having to spend a few days in Portugal for Ali and Will’s wedding (Jack is Will’s brother) certainly puts a damper on her joyous outlook. I personally really enjoyed Rachel’s character, though I was so frustrated at so many points with her. My inner dialogue was pretty much ‘RACHEL, you deserve so much better! Come on, don’t let Jack walk all over you and potentially cheat on you!!!!’ Ugh, I was so upset, but you know, I’ve never been in her situation so I guess I can’t judge.

Anyways, Jack, Rachel’s husband, seems to not be able to stand Ali even for short periods of time. Jack seemed a little annoying and jerkish at first, but as the story continued? Guess what… I hated him even more. Let’s just say this piece of chewed gum doesn’t deserve Rachel. Or anyone in his life.

Paige is Rachel’s best friend, or so she thinks. While I liked Paige at the start of the novel, as the story continued my appreciation for Paige just plummeted. I found her rather snippy, and though claiming to be a feminist and supportive of other women, she shames Ali in private for her personality.

Next on the long list, Noah. I loved Noah so much. Literally, what a sweetheart. Always there for Rachel, no matter what, I totally hoped that he and Rachel would get together. Yes, they’re both married. But this whole novel is *gasp* ‘scandalous’.

There’s not much to discuss about Will, except he was pretty much an oblivious husband. So… Next and last on the list is Ali. She annoyed me so much at the start of the novel that I was ready to just go on a rant about her when I reviewed The Guilt Trip. But, the story progressed, and I realized that maybe she’s being portrayed in a way that made me hate her. Maybe she wasn’t so bad… and she wasn’t. By the end of the novel, I loved Ali so much. Despite seeming to have vile intentions, Ali was truly someone who had Rachel’s back from behind the scenes. Love. Her.

All of these characters had so much depth and importance to them, they were so incredibly realistic.

“She was just a silly little girl who didn’t know what she was doing.”

~Writing and Setting~
The writing itself was pretty slow until the last, I’d say, 10% of the novel. Which I found kind of annoying at some points, but the rest of the novel was excellent.

The novel takes place in Portugal, in the days leading up to Will and Ali’s wedding.

~Plot~
The whole story is so misleading until the very end. You expect one thing and then the entire basis of truth is completely turned upside down. Somewhat like Rachel, I suspected Ali and Jack being trash people and having an affair when Ali is supposed to be getting married to Jack’s brother in the next few days.

The only thing I had a complaint about was that the story had so much build up to have such a disappointing ending in comparison. I loved most of the novel, the ending I cannot say the same. It just seemed to be wrapped up in a nice little ribbon so quickly after the days before seemed to drag out indefinitely.

“If she had a knife right now, she’d fancy shoving it right between his twitching shoulder blades.”

~Overall Review~
In the end, The Guilt Trip, though marketed to seem like a mysterious thriller, was more of a drama. Despite that, the depth of the characters and the interesting plot twists made The Guilt Trip a truly excellent experience.

…and Sandie Jones knocks another one out of the park!

If you’ve been here a minute you know one of my favorite genres is suspense/thriller. The Guilt Trip is the very definition of thrilling suspense!

It is heart-pounding, mind-blowing, unputdownable magic!

As the daughter of a detective and a naturally Nosy Rosy, I pride myself on being able to deduce the plot of most books pretty quickly. I find enjoyment in proving myself correct, but it’s an even bigger joy when I’m stumped and questioning my own judgment. This one did just that! Every single time I thought I knew which end was up, the script would flip and I’d be at loose ends again!

If you enjoy second-guessing yourself and reading books you simply can’t put down, this is the one for you!

5/5 ✨

Guilt Trip was a fun mystery that kept me guessing the whole way. Like many suspenseful books in the genre, when written well, I did not anticipate the ending and was thrown by the twists. I appreciate that, because 1) it is not exciting or satisfying when what you expect from the beginning is as it seems and is entirely predictable and 2) it doesn't leave you with a feeling of anticipation for what comes next. The Guilt Trip had neither of those problems and was a quick read, because I wanted to know what would come next and what the true intentions of each character were. The only thing that I thought to be overdone was the amount of overthinking done by the main character. Many chapters included her imagining what would happen, what characters would say or do if something was revealed, what scene would play out in various scenarios, etc. While her expecting the worst adds drama and gives insight into different aspects of the mystery, there were too many, in my opinion. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to those who enjoy the genre!

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher, and author, for giving me the opportunity to read ahead of the publication!

The Guilt Trip is a solid domestic thriller, probably my favorite of all Sandie Jones’ books to date. The book opens with an unidentifiable narrator answering a policeman’s questions from a hospital bed. We then jump back in time a few days, where the story begins with 3 couples - Jack & Rachel, Noah & Paige, and Will & Ali - heading off for a wedding weekend at a coastal villa. Without giving too much away, there is plenty of tension amongst the group - past history, secrets shared, and secrets kept. Lots of shifting alliances and plot twists to keep things interesting. All the drama culminates at the wedding, and the final twist at the very end definitely took me by surprise. Highly recommend this thriller for everyone’s beach bag this summer!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity (again!) to read an advance copy of Sandie Jones’ lastest!

I only finished reading this book because I received it as an advance reading copy and felt obligated to provide my honest review. The characters are generally unlikeable, particularly Rachel. Rachel thinks only in terms of herself when she thinks that a potential secret about her relationship with Noah may be revealed. She suspects her husband of having an affair and confronts the person at her wedding reception. Although Paige and Rachel are purported to be friends, they don't seem to like each other.
Don't feel guilty about passing up this book.

Hmmmm I was mostly confused about the ending. Also so much of the book was conditional on miscommunication which was frustrating.

This book fell kind of flat for me. I disliked most of the characters and they were all two dimensional and I had a hard time keeping straight who was who. Nobody really felt worth rooting for and then end wrapped up REALLY quickly with very little explanation. Not for me. 2.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such an awesome read! This is my first by Sadie Jones and not my last. I was doubting Ali and Paige, even Rachel. I did guess the twist with who was doing what with whom but I did not see the ending coming. It was so fun to get lost in the writing.

While I read the novel in one sitting, because I couldn't wait to see how the ending would pan, it left me wanting. The novel follows three couples as they travel from London to a beautiful wedding in Portugal. There is lots of drama, infedility and even a murder, but love and loyalty are also present in the book.

The Guilt Trip is another in a long line domestic thrillers to come out in the last few years. A group of close knit friends are on a trip of a remote beach in Portugal for a friends wedding and the animosity is palpable. Everyone is hiding something they don't want the other to know. The story is told from one person's point of view, Rachel, and she seems to in the center of everything. Is her husband cheating on her? Who's the father of her adult son? Why is her best friend so angry? What is the bride hiding? The list goes on.

Honestly I don't see this as a mystery and its really barely a thriller. A lot of the secrets are put out in the open early on. The big questions that drive the book are: is Rachel's husband having an affair, and with whom. The book starts similarly to Big Little Lies and other thrillers, with the main character being questioned by the police about a mysterious incident, then flashes back to the start of the wedding weekend. I think the book would have been stronger if it maintained the non-linear narrative and continued to flash forward and back, so we as the readers could see the build-up to the murder, and allow Ms. Jones to flush out the climatic incident a little more. This would have helped the finale twist by allowing us to spend more time on it, and make the epilogue part of the story instead of a confusing unnecessary addition.

The characters were generally bland and overall uninteresting, and everyone is unlikable.
The writing itself is well done, and engaging, just wish the plot was better.

If you enjoy a bit of lite thriller with your domestic drama this is for you.