Macmillan Audio ALC
This was a solid thriller debut. I first went in thinking I knew where the story was going, but I was so glad the author surprised me multiple times. Her plotting was impeccable. She created so many characters; some of whom were likable and easy to root for, while others were awful and easy to root against.I really, really like audio production of this book because each character has their own narrator. This made it easy to keep everybody straight and to really get to know all of them. It added another layer of suspense in the novel. I will be looking forward to what she writes next.

3.75 stars
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TW: Domestic abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Rape, Abortion
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Stephanie and Jasmine are from two entirely different worlds. Stephanie is on a business trip while Jasmine is fleeing from an abusive relationship, little do these two women know, that one flight will change their worlds forever. A few days after both women have left, their friends back home start receiving eerily similar texts - how they've met a man and things are going SO well.

After a few days, both women vanish. As their friends back home begin to worry, we start to wonder what happened to Stephanie and Jasmine. This was a slower burn for me, a lot of the beginning was a tad repetitive as people began to wonder what happened to Stephanie and Jasmine. When a man is arrested for their murder you start to think that it's the end of the story.

Once this book picks up, you won't want to put it down. Just when you think you've figured it all out, another twist is thrown in and throws you off the loop entirely! The plot and twists were far-fetched, but if you're not going in thinking this would be something realistic and factual, you should be ok!
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I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, Jessie Garcia, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, The Business Trip publishes on January 14th 2025, pre-order your copy today!

What a good story with some surprising twists. I thought I knew where the story was going but I was not expecting the twist at the end. This was a great thriller/mystery!

My Rating: 4.5 stars!

An amazingly impressive debut novel by Jessie Garcia, this book was a page turner that kept my attention at all times!
I love dual POV novels, and the way Jessie used that made for an incredibly suspenseful read! This novel leaves readers wondering what will happen next, how things will turn out and how all of the pieces fit together... and let me tell you it is full of great twists and turns.

This book is going to be the next big thing and I am sure will be on thousands of peoples 'to be read' list.

This debut novel is told through multiple POVs. Initially, I thought I was going to enjoy it, but as I read further, I lost interest. The only character I genuinely liked was Stephanie’s neighbor. Unfortunately, much of the story felt over the top, which ultimately made it hard for me to stay engaged.

Jasmine and Stephanie are two strangers who meet on an airplane. Both have completely different lives. Jasmine is running from an abusive ex boyfriend and Stephanie is headed to a conference she would rather not attend.

Both women end up missing and their friends and colleagues have to piece together ehats happened to them. I definitely thought I had this book figured out but didn't. The twists were so good. An excellent read!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's press and Jessie Garcia for the ARC.

This is an intriguing mystery with excellent pacing. When two women, passengers on the same flight from Madison to San Diego, disappear, their vanishing is linked to the same man, and the circumstantial evidence against him is overwhelming, but the real situation is not that simple. The story alternates between the viewpoints of the two victims, the alleged perpetrator, and several friends and coworkers of each woman as the truth gradually reveals itself. This device works well to sustain suspense and move the action forward, though it may be a challenge for some readers to keep all the narrators straight. The final twist may or may not come as a shock (I had an inkling) but the ending is satisfying. I’d definitely read more from this debut author!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest and independent review.

"Two women don’t know each other but are on the same plane. Stephanie is on a business trip and Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship."

This book will keep you guessing and was fun to read! Many moments were farfetched, but it is a fiction novel and enjoyable nonetheless. This was very impressive for a debut and I would read future books by this author.

I finished reading “The Business Trip” and immediately looked for more thrillers by Jessie Garcia. Surprise—-this is her first! Loved it. I was in a little bit of a slump but this one had me really thinking and just wanting to read.

As per usual, I loved reading the different POV’s. It was written in a unique way. The POV doesn’t always change chapter to chapter so those who get confused with multiple POV’s may like that aspect. So twisty. The surprises kept coming.

The characters were described in detail so well it was like you were right there with them. I definitely did not have this figured out. There’s only one thing I had an inkling on based on a big hint but other than that it was definitely a surprise as the ending was revealed. I can’t wait to read more from Jessie Garcia. I definitely recommend this book.


Thank you @JessieGarcia, @StMartinsPress and @NetGalley for a free e-ARC. The opinions are mine alone and not biased in any way.

I enjoy reading different types of thrillers and this creative story is nothing like I’ve read before. It would be a challenge to add anything to the “blurb” without spoilers so I will just add that almost nothing in this book is as it seems. Both protagonists can be considered victims and the horrible misogynistic Trent really is a jerk but hang on for the whiplash! This is a book that drops little hints that many readers may pick up on but I found lots of “ah-ha” moments and then remembered the hints. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and plot creativity and the character development was better than I usually see in thrillers. The book is quick paced and engaging and hard to put down. I will definitely look forward to future books from Ms. Garcia. This is an outstanding debut!

In her interesting take on a mystery/thriller, Jessie Garcia's The Business Trip is a fast-paced ride into domestic difficulties and secrets kept. Two women are brought together on a flight out of Madison, Wisconsin, both with very different motivations for traveling. Our main character, Jasmine, is trying to flee an abusive relationship to start anew in Colorado and Stephanie is headed to Colorado as a layover to her final destination to San Diego for a newscaster conference. Their two very contrasting lives are highlighted - a more privileged life for Stephanie - single, head of a newsroom, financially comfortable, versus a struggling Jasmine - living in a mobile home, working at a bar, stuck in a relationship with an abusive boyfriend.

The first half of the book switches between narrators - Jasmine, Stephanie, and various people in their lives. The story quickly becomes fast-paced as we learn about the fate of both women - who go missing shortly after their flights. The second half of the book is almost solely one character - Jasmine. Unfortunately for me, I didn't particularly like her as a character. Much of her inner dialogue included a victim mentality, as she frequently felt jealous towards others better off than her, making assumptions about their lives, and feeling sorry for herself without taking much action to improve her life. Without giving too much away, I did feel better about Jasmine as a character by the end of the book, but this was NOT because I eventually liked her.

Overall, I found The Business Trip entertaining, but definitely felt a bit held-back by some of the details of the book that felt far-fetched. (SPOILER - namely a fairly weak/small woman picking up 50 lb dumbbells without much difficulty and proceeding to lug around 200+lbs....). I also had difficulty really connecting to or liking any of the characters, which made me feel less invested in what happened to them.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author, Jessie Garcia for an ARC of The Business Trip in exchange for an honest review!

3.75/5 rounded up

This was a very fast-paced and intriguing mystery/thriller.

I would definitely look up content/trigger warnings for this book, I can especially see the very beginning being very much not fun to some people (domestic abuse).

And even though I have not read or seen Gone Girl (I know, I know, I need to, I'll get to it eventually, I swear), I really would recommend this to fans of Gone Girl. From what I know of it, these have very similar vibes and overall themes.

This is also a very easy book to read quickly and to immediately get invested in.

Because of what happens in this book, I feel like I have to make this the world's shortest review because I do not want to spoil ANYTHING about it. Read the blurb to see if this is up your alley, forget the blurb, and then read it. You'll have the most fun that way - going in blind.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I’m not sure I still fully understand the end to this one!! Not that it matters much, I still think it was brilliant! This story follows a woman who’s been let down by everyone in her life and is fleeing an abusive relationship (no TW, it’s not specific). She meets a woman on a plane who seems to effortlessly have it all- and she wants it. What lengths will she go to, to take what isn’t hers?! 4/5 ⭐️!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

I so enjoyed this book. It had a wonderful cast that depicted the characters perfectly. This is a very tense and thrilling book. I loved how each character had a chapter. Alternating between them until the very end.

I despised Trent and Glenn. Trent was a horrible person. He treated everyone like they were so inferior to him. Glenn was a very abusive man. Both were despicable.

The women were likable. Jasmine I felt so bad for. Up to a point. She went off the rails in places and did what she thought she had to do to get away from Glenn.

Stephanie was a news anchor and I really liked her. I thought she was strong and independent. She seemed to get along with others and the people she worked with. Her friends loved her too. These two women were so very different.

The whole book was good until the ending. The epilogue. I didn't like that part. To me it was just not necessary. I wish it would have been about Diana instead. I would have loved seeing some closure with her.

Overall the book was great. Well written and heartfelt. With a few twists and a lot of edge of your seat.
For a debut it was very good. Kudos to this author. I look forward to reading more by her.

Thank you #StMartinsPress, #MacMillanAudio and #NetGalley for this ARC.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 14, 2025
Sportscaster and non-fiction author Jessie Garcia has made the transition to fiction with her debut novel,
“The Business Trip”. Two women from very different worlds meet on a plane and, by the time they land, an intricate web of secrets and lies has been forged.
Jasmine is a young woman from the wrong side of the tracks. Abandoned by her father, estranged to her mother and basically ignored by her siblings, she finds some solace in her partner, Glenn- until he starts to hit her. Stephanie is a producer in broadcast television and she’s headed to yet another business conference. Wealthy and well put together, Stephanie is the very ideal that Jasmine has always dreamed of. The two meet on the plane and when they land, their respective friends and family start to receive cryptic messages and pictures which leave them with lots of questions, especially when neither woman returns home when they are expected. How did two very opposite women end up tangled up in such a web of deceit?
“The Business Trip” has many characters, besides Jasmine and Stephanie of course, and most of them have at least a chapter dedicated to them, where readers can learn about the protagonists from the people who loved them (or, at the very least, knew them). There are four parts to the novel, each dedicated to a particular character with the fourth tying all parts together. Although this sounds like a confusing format, Garcia’s plot is easy to follow. There was only one chapter toward the tail end of the novel that had me slightly confused for a short time, as a character reappeared under the guise of someone else with no notice, but I quickly caught up and continued plowing through to the end.
“Trip” is a revenge thriller, with a fair number of twists and turns. Right away, it is obvious that something happened to Stephanie, and maybe Jasmine, too, but the plot leaves just enough mystery that it keeps readers guessing until the truth is revealed. All of my initial impressions of both Stephanie and Jasmine were off base and I had a completely different perspective of them by the novel’s end, which I think was Garcia’s intention.
“Trip” is unique and had a lot of clever characters and creative plot twists. I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at television broadcasting (no doubt enhanced by Garcia’s professional experience) that Stephanie’s character provided, and still managed to feel sorry for Jasmine throughout the novel (even at the end, somehow). Garcia ended the novel just the way I wanted it to, and I was left feeling satisfied.
Garcia’s first foray into fiction, “The Business Trip” is a hit and I hope she continues to create more novels like this one.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

This was exactly what I needed after a streak of thrillers that leaned more toward slow burns than I’d hoped. The Business Trip delivers a fast-paced, twisty ride that keeps you guessing. Was it over-the-top and sometimes even absurd? Absolutely—but it more than makes up for that with its gripping plot and constant surprises.

Told from multiple perspectives, the story revisits the same scenes as new details emerge. While this approach added depth and intrigue, it occasionally felt repetitive. That said, the payoffs were worth it. And trust me—you won’t see the ending coming.

If you’re looking for a wild, entertaining thriller that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this is a solid pick!

In this disturbing debut novel, Jasmine Littleton, a woman running from an abusive relationship, decides nothing is going to keep her from enjoying the life she feels she deserves, even murder.

Treating readers to a unique plot, though difficult to swallow, and a protagonist worth loathing, the author throws in a bizarre, over-the-top ending that will leave most scratching their heads and wishing they could turn back time.

Although the novel wasn't the suspenseful thriller I hoped it would be, most will consider it a commendable first effort. I do want to thank the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. I would recommend THE BUSINESS TRIP to indulgent psychological thriller fans.

The Business Trip - Jessie Garcia
Pub Date - 1/14/25
Rating - 3/5
Page Numbers - 352

Summary - Two strangers - Jasmine, fleeing an abusive relationship, and Stephanie, going to a conference, end up sitting next to each other on a flight to Colorado. A few days later, both send texts saying they've met the same man before suddenly going dark altogether. What do these two have in common? And who is this mystery man they both seem to be with?

Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I liked this book - the writing was well done and engaging, and the story took a turn that I definitely wasn't expecting. It was very entertaining, but I will say, far fetched at at one point, I didn't feel like some of these things were possible? I guess that's why the story is fiction. Regardless, great story and entertaining read.

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher. This book has been totally hyped up and it is well worth the read! It kept me guessing the whole time. It is written by a few different perspectives and they pull the story together by the end. A lot of thought went in to this story, especially Jasmine's part.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the fiction debut by Jessie Garcia, with the audio narrated by a fabulous cast. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Jasmine is fleeing an abusive partner and Stephanie is headed to a conference for work when they meet on the plane. After a few days, both women text their friends and coworkers the same message about meeting the same man - Trent. But the texts start sending red flags and then the two women disappear. Who is Trent and what did he do to these women?

I love having both the audio and digital versions of books for a totally immersive experience, but once I started listening to the audiobook, I was hooked. The cast is fabulous and I could picture all the characters from the voices, especially Trent. The book is told from multiple POV and different timelines but it was never confusing. You may have to put aside your realism radar a bit, but this was pure escapism on all levels, and isn't that why we read fiction? While I thought I had a clue of how things would end up, I couldn't have been more wrong. So many twists and turns perfectly played out. Wonderful debut and looking forward to more from this author.