Solid 4 stars!

This is a first for me from this author (I’ve had her debut on my shelves for 2.5 years and just have too many that I haven’t grabbed it yet.) So thanks to #NetGalley for this copy and opportunity to review The Guilt Trip!

The premise is repeated many times in other reviews and the general synopsis — 6 friends (two of which are siblings, two of which are past lovers-turned friends) embark on a trip to Portugal for a wedding between 2 of the 6. The author does an OK job of providing background to get us to where we are today. For me, it was pretty choppy, though. Because the details were not provided in a consistent manner, as a reader I found myself very frustrated with the lack of communication between the women. Many assumptions were made by our protagonist and if real conversations would’ve been had, there would have been less whining. (I hate when women appear weak.)

I gave it 4 stars for the assumptions I made as a reader that were wrong!... The epilogue left me with a, “what did she just say?!?!? And I had to re-read it again. I love a good, who done it, and this was no exception.

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones was a twisty thriller set in sunny Portugal with British accents! What more could you ask for? This book takes place in the days leading up to a wedding and was filled with DRAMA! I knew there’d be a twist or two and was pleasantly surprised to not guess them! It’s listen in a day intriguing, but memorable enough to spread over several days without loosing your place! Must listen for sure!

The Short Version: A somewhat twisty thriller filled with thoroughly unlikable characters, that is still highly readable and seems poised to be a book club favorite.

The Long Version: I got to listen to an Audiobook ARC of this title thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

Alright, so the Guilt Trip is a thriller about three couples who are off to this remote Italian village for the wedding of one of the couples. As the drinks flow, secrets are revealed and skeletons come out of the closet at a pace that would make Halloween jealous.

This is an odd title for me in that I enjoyed reading it, but when I examine the overall makeup of the book I can find a lot of issues that should have taken me right out of it

First, and the biggest issue overall was the characters. For the most part I found all of them hypocritical and unlikable. The author clearly wants you to root for and against certain characters at certain times, and reveals information in a way you might second guess your perceptions throughout, but the whole time, I couldn’t stop thinking “All of these people are terrible, I wouldn’t want to be around any of them for an extended period of time”. Since I couldn’t find anyone to root for, it really made the book less enjoyable because at the end, I wasn’t glad things worked out how they did. There was a measure of justice in the resolution but I would have been fine to have the whole villa fall off the edge of a cliff and see all the characters lost to the ocean forever.

Character development was also an issue for me. I don’t really think our main character grew throughout the story. She learns some new facts and appropriately sees things somewhat differently because of that, but she still seems like someone who would be content to talk behind your back and assume the worst about you if given the right situation to do so.

The final major issue I had with this title was the climax. I just didn’t really get it from a planning perspective. There’s a text sent out to embarrass one of the characters, and I didn’t understand the thought pattern there considering the culprit is supposed to be highly intelligent and logical. It was going to be obvious who sent it and it would have only served to confirm everyone’s suspicions about the secrets they’re keeping. I similarly didn’t get the thought process of the true villain when they enacted their plan (sorry to be so vague, you know…spoilers). It wasn’t well formed, which is illustrated by how simply it unravels in the end. It just felt like a lot of work went into constructing the tangled web between these characters and then the climax/ending was more like “Well something has to happen, so let’s do this.”

It's a testament to the writing skill of the author that despite these issues, which would tank most books for me, I still wanted to listen intensely. It’s almost like a car wreck, where you can’t look away, even though you’re horrified by what you see.

The plot for the most part is well constructed, save for the climax, which I already discussed. The pacing is flawless, not a hint of a sag anywhere in it, and the prose and dialogue are all very appropriate and engrossing. A very well written book.

The narrator was also of benefit to the production. She made each character unique and I never had trouble telling anyone apart, even with a decent sized cast. Her intense portrayal of Ali, is a large part of what I didn’t like about the character, but based on the writing, I think she hit the nail on the head. She added a lot of emotion and drama to the events unfolding and elevated the book at every turn.

Overall a 3.5 rounded up. It was a mostly enjoyable listen that seems ripe for book clubs everywhere. It wasn’t overly complicated and touches on a lot of relatable subjects (insecurities we all have, infidelity, or fear of infidelity, who people are vs. how they present themselves, etc…) even though it doesn’t seem to plumb any new ground or go places overly unexpected. There are twists, but they’re not too twisty, and there’s tension but it simmers instead of boiling. A good safe read if you’re a mystery/thriller lover or enjoy pulling back the curtain of secrets between friends.

Component Ratings
Concept/Idea: 3.5 out of 5
Protagonist: 3 out of 5
Supporting Characters: 2 out of 5
Character development: 2.5 out of 5
Plot: 4 out of 5
Pacing: 5 out of 5
Prose: 4.5 out of 5
Dialogue: 4.5 out of 5
Narrator’s performance: 5 out of 5
Ending: 4 out of 5

This book was not for me. It was sold as a mystery/thriller, but there's not much mystery to it and not much suspense. All the characters are either too good or too bad to be believed. They're basically one-dimensional--until there's a "twist" and a completely opposite personality is revealed. The viewpoint character, Rachel, is all right, but I find myself quite exasperated with her too as the book proceeds. And the huge reveal at the end is no surprise at all--and based on other people's reviews, I'm not the only one who feels this way.

I feel bad leaving this review, because it's not that this book is terrible. It's just that it's being sold as a mystery/thriller, and I don't think it fits that bill at all. Had I been reading it as an e-book, I wouldn't have finished it. Since it was an audiobook with an excellent and engaging reader, I stuck with it to the end.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Sandie Jones book and it did not disappoint. Like so many thrillers, the characters made decisions and kept secrets that leave the reader perplexed. Still, the characters and their secrets drove this story and made for a good plot and an even better ending! Some of the twists you can see coming but others are unexpected, making this quite an enjoyable book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an opportunity to read and review this book.

This is not a thriller or suspense as advertised but more of a a domestic drama. I did however really enjoy the story. A group of friends all with hidden secrets and likes/dislikes of each other. Ali is the younger "typical blonde" of the group and also the bride who the story centers around and the rest of the group feels is a bit over the top and annoying. As the drama unfolds you question who is hiding what and even who is cheating with who? Once I thought I had it figured out - I was wrong!

Interesting well-written novel with a surprise twist at the end. Three couples head to Portugal for a destination wedding. The plot involves old secrets and uncertainty over who’s lying and who’s having an affair. Narration was excellent. I’m looking forward to reading this author’s next book.

I wanted to love this book but it just wasn't for me. I'll start with the good - it did keep me reading and wanting to find out what happened. But beyond that, I was too distracted by the glaring problems. My least favorite trope is the one where the WHOLE plot could be moot if people would just talk to each other. This whole story danced on that line -while I think none of the characters were capable of being honest to themselves or each other, I just kept thinking, JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. Also there was A LOT of the "Oh my partner might be cheating let's blame the woman and figure out how I can get him to love me" and that really gets under my skin. It's also not a thriller until about the last 10% so there's a lot of repeating thoughts from the MC and not a lot of action until then. This just was not for me.

A couples trip + wedding gone ALL wrong and ends in tragedy. This group of friends shared so many secrets and lies, it made me appreciate my friend circle! I enjoyed the atmosphere and imagery of Portugal; it was also cool being able to understand some of the Portuguese dialogue in the audio. The pacing of the plot was just right and had my attention from the very beginning.

There were twists at almost every turn and just when you think things are coming to a resolution at the end, she weaves even MORE surprises into the loop. The ending is packed entertainment and I think the story tied together perfectly. I alternated between the physical book + audiobook; the narration is done very well, even when communicating different characters and their emotions.

I haven’t read a Sandie Jones novel that I didn’t like and Guilt Trip is definitely worth the read!

Thank you @netgalley for the gifted alc and eARC!

Wow, this book was quite the roller coaster. The general premise is: six friends go to Portugal for Ali and Will's wedding, but slowly the group begins to fracture as lies compound and secrets are exposed! *dun dun dun*

There were a couple twists I saw coming but enough additional surprises that I found myself gasping out loud as I listened to the audiobook. I'm normally not a big audiobook listener, but the highest praise I can offer The Guilt Trip is that I found myself just sitting in my room listening to the book, so curious about what would happen next that I couldn't press pause.

This book is a bit like the script for a soap opera (particularly in the last third of the book), but if you can suspend your disbelief about how adults normally act, it's a good time.

I truly enjoyed THE GUILT TRIP by Sandie Jones. It was astounding and jaw-dropping good. The complex relationships between the characters are well designed and carry the story to an unexpected ending. The book has a solid plot that delivers several good punches. All the characters’ secrets were over-the-top but not so far fetch. The epilogue delivered the final blow and now I am not sure if I know who did it. Well done, Ms. Jones!

The narration was well done. The narrator succeeded to communicate the characters' emotions and her pace was perfect.

I really wanted to like this book based on the description, but it fell short for me. To me it was very slow to start (and honestly most of the book) and only picked up the last 1-2 hours of the audiobook, but even then I was not very shocked by the revelations that occurred. The narrator was great.

The premise of THE GUILT TRIP is all too familiar. Old friends gather for a destination wedding in a foreign country. The bride, as usual, is not a part of this closely knit group of friends. She is marrying the brother, Will, of her former boss, Jack. The wild, roaring sea surrounding the secluded island resort, sets the stage for the long hidden revelations of the friends. Eighty eight per cent of the book is devoted to discovering which of the married friends are having affairs with each other. The bride seems to know the answers, but no one believes her. Finally, at the wedding, a tragic event takes place. All is revealed in a fast paced ending. Or is it ?
I have read, and enjoyed Sandie Jones’ other books. THE GUILT TRIP seems too familiar.

I’m preferred reading this book, rather than listening to the audio. I was not a fan of the narrator.

I received an ARC from the publisher for my honest review.

A keep you on the edge of your seat read! A great story about love, attraction, and learning about how well you really know those close to you. When I had to pause the book I found myself itching to get back to it to hear what happened next. Just when you think the story is going in one direction you’re twisted in another. Even when I reached the end I wasn’t sure I really knew what had happened and I found myself thinking about the details for a couple days after I had finished. This thriller does not disappoint

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

Audiobook
Narrated by Clare Corbett
300 Pages
Publisher: MacMillan Audio
Release Date: August 3, 2021

Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Relationships

Three couples go away for a destination wedding in Portugal but how many will come back? The main character, Rachel is married to Jack. It is Jack’s brother Will getting married to Ali. On an impulse, Will invites their friends Paige and Noah to come along. Tensions begin to run high as they arrive at the airport to leave. Ali is missing her passport and Rachel makes Jack go with her to look for it. Paige begins to put thoughts in Rachel’s mind that Ali is/was having an affair with Jack.

Rachel’s suspicions begin to build as Ali seems to be flirting with Jack. When Ali gives Jack an inappropriate best man gift, it all but confirms their affair. An incident at the wedding will change everyone’s lives forever.

The book has a slow pace since it takes place over the course of a couple of days. The characters are somewhat developed. The story is told in the third person point of view. This is the first book I have read/listened to by this author, but it will not be the last. I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plots and the fact that they left me guessing until the end.

Well! Sandie does it again! I’m a huge fan of her previous works, and I’m so excited that this one lived up to her name! I find that a lot of authors can never quite measure up to their first explosive debut, but everything Sandie has written sense is definitely keeping the ball rolling.

The Guilt Trip kept me on my toes, while I also found myself deeply concerned for the characters, their well-being & their futures.
It’s hard sometimes in thriller books to really be invested in the characters, but the depth of the characters in The Guilt Trip was a nice surprise.

The guilt trip is a novel full of twist & surprises, that will have you gasping on one page, cringing on the next, and tearing up after that! It was a nice surprise that once I finished the book, I noticed there was a strong message about how we treat each other.
The first half of the novel is desperately entertaining. I loved reading about the dynamics of the friendships & relationships, and reading about Ali’s Over the top ways. The second half of the book is where shit gets real, where it all goes down.
The twist ending was a bit predictable, but trust me when I say it didn’t make it any less fun!
If you looking for a quick, binge-able thriller, and are a fan of Sandies previous books than I’d highly recommend this one!

Thank you @netgalley and @monotaurbooks for this advanced listeners copy of The Guilt Trip by @SandiJones in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What can I say? This was one wild ride. The drama and the suspense started from the very beginning and kept going until the very last page. There were several points when I thought I had it figured out, but I was so far off. The author had a way of deceiving the reader into thinking one way and then twisting the story in a totally different direction. It was amazing. The main point here is trust NO ONE.

Rachel is anxious about her upcoming trip to Portugal for her brother-in-law's wedding. First there is the strange way her husband Jack is behaving and then there is the way Ally, the bride- to be is grating on all of their nerves before they even leave the airport. Luckily, her best friend Paige and her husband Noah are coming along too, and she is thankful for their presence for the sake of her sanity.

Upon their arrival to the beautiful seaside villa, the drama between the 3 couples begins to escalate and Rachel begins to question her husband's fidelity. But Rachel is hiding a secret of her own, one she had buried for nearly two decades. As the wedding day draws closer the tension becomes unbearable. It seems everyone is hiding something and Ally seems to be flaunting her indistrections right in front of all them. Rachel is not sure who she can trust anymore or if they will even make this home from this trip alive.

Luckily, you will not have to wait long to check this one yourselves. It is due out August 3rd!

I couldn’t get into this book at all. The synopsis made it sound good but the book ended up being a DNF for me because it was just not hooking from the very beginning. Maybe if I had hung on, it would’ve gotten better. However, I honor and respect the author for her ability to write a book.

Three couples, all six of them friends, head to Portugal to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Will and Ali. But the longer the group is together, the more the secrets start spilling, and the more the friends jump to conclusions and look at each other through a new set of eyes. Are any of these secrets true? Or is Ali a pathological liar and trying to remain the center of attention?

I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a good job. She was clear and precise and her emotions added an extra element to the story.

The writing was well done, and had a lot of potential for this to be a fantastic, thrilling, shocking book. Unfortunately, it ended at good writing.

The beginning of the story was interesting and I had a lot of hope for a twisty, shocking thriller. The ending was a twist, kind of, but it wasn’t mind blowing or really even that surprising. I guessed the ending by 3/4 of the way through.

My biggest issue with this book was the characters. I don’t think I have ever read a book with such annoying, whiny, immature characters. Every single one of them had thought someone else had done something horrendous, but not a single one wanted to confront anyone about it. The entire story was one person jumping to conclusions and gathering “evidence” against another, and listening to what other people had to say about the same person, but never actually talking to that person about the issue. Communication is not a strong point with these characters, but gossip runs rampant.

The ending was honestly the best part of this book, in my opinion, but it was also extremely confusing. One of the big reveals was kind of glossed over and it wasn’t even blatantly stated. It was kind of revealed in a hidden meaning, beating around the bush type of way. I had to really think about what was said to get the full impact of the reveal instead of just having that “aha!” moment. I also felt like the ending left a lot of loose ends, not everything seemed to fit together or feel completed. I don’t know if that was on purpose or if the endin was rushed, but to me it felt like the latter.

I think this story had a lot of potential but I couldn’t get past the annoying characters. I was constantly rolling my eyes and thinking they sounded like a bunch of middle schoolers who had their feelings hurt because someone else called them a mean name. I also think the ending should have been more detailed and complete to really give a final punch. I think the reveals were important and great, but they were done in a poor manner and it took away from the overall impact.

This book was just okay for me. I didn’t love it nor did I hate it, but I don’t know that this will be one I recommend solely for the confusing ending.

"Guilt Trip" is perfect for fans of " The Guest List". A group of friends, brothers, and partners go to a destination wedding. Most of them bring the baggage of years long secrets from one another. Not all of them will return alive.

I found this to be entertaining while I was reading it after a slightly slow start. But I think I would enjoyed it more if it had been a multiple POV instead of just from Rachel. Even if it was just one other person.

One critique I had was the others characters continuously talked about the bride as if she was a 19 years old instead of a 29 year old. Reminiscing of there life at her age when they are only in their mid to late 30s themselves.

Overall this was an average thriller, but the event at the wedding was definitely surprising and I would guess the no one could predict that happening.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.