The book started out very fast paced and I couldn’t put it down. Unfortunately, we found out what was really happening too early, and that ruined it for me. I appreciated the last unexpected twist, but even that I suspected when the truth was revealed early. The last quarter of the book was where I lost interest but I never “do not finish” a book so I pushed through.

Stephanie and Jasmine, seat mates on a flight that will change both of their lives. Stephanie the polished and accomplished businesswoman off to attend a conference and Jasmine, running for her life from an abusive boyfriend. Surely, Jasmine thinks, Stephanie will never miss the money she plans to steal from Stephanie's accounts when she palms Stephanie's id. But why stop there, why not steal Stephanie's life? They look similar enough and Jasmine has learned over the years to assimilate in order to survive. But when Trent McCarthy enters their lives at that very same conference everything in Jasmine's plans changes leading to setting up Trent for Stephanie's disappearance and possible murder?

With plenty of twists and turns and characters that you can't help becoming invested in, this novel will keep you up all night- wanting to finish it in just one sitting! But don't jump to conclusions too soon, for the answers you think you've found are no where near the truth!

Holy moley...fantastic debut novel! Fast paced story with excellent telling from many view points. Jasmine and Stephanie meet on a flight...in a split second Jasmine makes a decision that snowballs into madness. Edge of your seat, heart pounding great read.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for giving my honest review.

In The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia, two women, Stephanie and Jasmine, both board the same plane bound for Denver, Colorado. At some point after they arrive, each of them sends a text to a friend saying she has been swept off her feet by a man and will be extending her stay to go with him to Atlanta. It becomes clear something is not quite right when we learn it is the same man's name -- Trent McCarthy.

The author tells this story in many alternating first person POVs, initially from Stephanie and Jasmine's perspectives and starting in Part Two, from the POVs of the women's various friends and acquaintances. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about this shift, as there were a number of characters adding details to the story arc and sometimes the pacing felt a little uneven. However, ultimately I did think it was a clever storytelling device, though some parts could have benefited from editing, especially Trent's chapters.

My biggest issue was with the last part - where several reveals occur. No doubt a certain suspension of belief is always necessary when reading a thriller; however, this plot reached a point that was so implausible that it impacted my ultimate enjoyment of the book. Overall, The Business Trip is a thriller with a good premise but a somewhat far-fetched conclusion.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Two women are on an airplane, one headed to a conference that she doesn’t really want to attend and another escaping abuse. You think you know where this headed, but you would probably be wrong. I read this in one day and it was a book I didn’t want to put down. Fantastic debut.

When I was invited to read this book, I thought it sounded like an intriguing and promising storyline. But, the execution seemed too unbelievable and so I was disappointed to say the least.

Did you ever wish you could have another life. Well Jasmine does and it will cost her more than she bargains for. Jasmine grew up poor and unloved by her family. She was bullied at school and envying the rich cool kids. Jasmine has a dead end job, surviving paycheck to paycheck along with living with an abusive boyfriend. But Jasmine has a plan. She disappears one day and hops a plane to Denver. While on the plane she meets a woman who looks very similar to herself. Jasmine strikes up a conversation and learns the woman’s name is Stephanie Monroe who’s also going to Denver for a work conference. Jasmine notices Stephanie is wearing expensive clothes, has her nails done and smells like expensive perfume. Jasmine begins thinking to herself if only she could have Stephanie’s life and how unfair her life has been. These thoughts sets into motion a plan that will affect everyone in both women’s lives.

Yes, there were plot twists, but not all believable. I had high hopes for the plot when I started reading The Business Trip, but was overall, disappointed. The main resp0nse I came away with was that none of the main characters did I find likeable. That made it hard to root for anyone. Trent was basically a caricature of disgusting male qualities.

While I appreciated being given the opportunity to read and review, this is my honest evaluation.

This was a really twisty read that had me guessing much of the time. It centers on Jasmine and Stephanie, two strangers that happen to be on the same flight when their destinies are forever changed. The book is (mostly) told over the period of a couple weeks, leading up to and after the flight, and also includes some chapters from tertiary characters like friends and coworkers as the mystery deepens.

This was a really clever plot line with lots of surprises. Some of the things that happened weren’t super realistic but I didn’t even care because they were plausible enough not to take me out of the story and just added to the fun of the twists. There were a couple things that I guessed but definitely some other stuff that I never saw coming. Jasmine was absolutely insufferable and I couldn’t decide if the author wanted us to like her or not but I absolutely hated her. The overall ending was satisfying and I liked the premise of the epilogue but the very last line in the entire book was so cheesy that I wish it had been left out altogether.

Overall, I thought this was a fun read with a unique premise and some great twists. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A scared woman with a troubled past, escaping an abusive relationship. A successful woman on a business trip, at a crossroads in her life. A plane ride that will change their lives forever- or maybe end them.

The Business Trip was a twisty, suspense novel that I read in two sittings. The short, propulsive chapters kept me turning the pages, needing to know what in the world was going on. Different chapters were told from different characters’ perspective; that kept the narrative interesting and the author handled it very well. Including the various text and voice messages was smart, especially since you also got to see some of those through different characters’ eyes and what they meant to them.

Ultimately, however, The Business Trip wasn’t the biggest hit for me, for two reasons. First, there really wasn’t anyone to like or, more importantly, to root for, other than a few very minor supporting characters. These were selfish, terrible people with no justification for the way they’re treating other people. I don’t have to like a character, but I at least need to understand they’re motivation. And these people just kept getting worse the longer I read.

Second, the pacing of the book was off. After doing a fantastic job keeping the reader spellbound and steadily building suspense, the ending is abrupt and jarring. There is no real sense of resolution or justice having been served. The book started, the book finished. That’s all, folks. Nothing more to see here.

For these reasons, I’m rating The Business Trip 3 stars. It would make a decent beach or poolside read. (Note for those interested: the language is pretty bad in this book. If you’re sensitive to that, I’d skip it.)

I really wanted to savor this book… from the very first words I was hooked. I couldn’t believe how it all played out. I was SO enamored by this story and how it progressed even with the multiple POV and the time line jumping… I just couldn’t get enough of it! That final twist at the end rendered me speechless. The author really has a gift in story telling. Between the character development, the in depth plot and the engaging dialogue, this author really knows how to hook and sink a reader! So many character personalities were present and each one was shining! It was brilliant! I can’t remember the last time a debut novel moved me this way. I will proudly say this book, goes on my list of top 5 books for the year!!! Major kudos to this author, I LOVED IT.

this ARC has been bandit approved🫡

the business trip by jessie garcia | pub date January 14, 2025

this was, without a doubt, the most insane book i’ve ever read. the changing character povs and the nonstop twists left me so flabbergasted trying to figure out what was happening. the style of this book really shouldn’t have worked, but it did—and it worked extremely well!

jessie makes plans to get out of her abusive relationship and while on her escape flight, she meets a woman named stephanie, who is on a business trip. the story just gets progressively more bonkers from there.

i ATE this book up yesterday afternoon, start to finish, i HAD to know what happened.

be on the lookout for this one to drop in january!!!!

thank you @netgalley @jessiegarcia_author for the chance to read and review this ahead of time🤩

five star rating from me🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you so much to the publisher & NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a free review. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a let down for me. With that said, I’m not mad that I read it, but would still be willing to read from this author in the future!

WOW!! This book was a WILD and fun ride. I absolutely couldn't put it down! It is so cleverly plotted and compulsively readable. You are hit with a lot of characters from the start, but it is pretty easy to keep track of all of them (and the multiple viewpoints adds to the fun/suspense). I'll admit that I had no idea where the story was going, and as someone who reads thriller/suspense novels almost exclusively I found that incredibly refreshing. I'd recommend going into this book blind (like I did) for optimum enjoyment. Highly recommended if you are looking for a twisty, quick read!

📚 The Business Trip
✍ Jessie Garcia
📖 Mystery/Thriller
⭐3/5
➡ Two women. One flight. One encounter that changes everything.

To escape her abusive boyfriend, Jasmine flees her home in the middle of the night bound for a flight that will take her away. Miles away, Stephanie, a woman she's never met, boards the same flight on her way to a business conference across the country. The next day, friends of both women receive similar texts about a mysterious man before everything goes radio silent.

Days later, a conference attendee is arrested for the murder of both women in another part of the country and friends of the women are left to piece together where they've disappeared to and whether they'll ever come back.
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🙏 Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for an advanced copy of The Business Trip. All opinions are my own.
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🎯 What I loved: Most thrillers set a significant portion of the storyline in the past, building context and characters up to help connect the dots on a character's present motivations. Honestly, I think the majority of the thrillers I read have dual timelines. While there were a few flashbacks and some small 'memories' in this book, the majority of it took place in the present tense (albeit overlapping timelines between perspectives) and I felt that was a unique approach for a thriller and it made the twist feel twisty because things were truly unraveling in real time. I really enjoyed the parts of the story told in multiple points of view- it was interesting to try to piece together what was happening from somewhat unrelated perspectives and I wish more of the story had actually been laid out like those chapters. And, even though this was mostly a quick thriller, there were some good underlying messages about sexism in the workplace, misogyny and

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: The writing in this felt choppy and the way multiple perspectives were layered wasn't very cohesive. I think the author was aiming for the writing to genuinely sound like the perspective she was writing from but it left me feeling stilted and I just wasn't overly impressed with the prose. There were a lot of short chapters from a variety of perspectives towards the beginning of the book and then there was a pretty sudden transition back to single/dual POV about halfway through that seemed weird. Although I enjoyed the storyline and the twists, I wasn't blown away by the writing on this one.
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Read if you love:
*layered whodunnits
*women seeking new identities/new lives
*social climbing
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See also: The Last Flight, The Last Mrs. Parrish, First Lie Wins

Jessie Garcia's debut thriller "The Business Trip" is a gripping, page-turning adventure that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This masterfully crafted novel follows the mysterious disappearance of two women, Stephanie and Jasmine, whose paths unexpectedly intertwine during a fateful business trip journey.

Garcia's storytelling prowess shines through her unique narrative structure, presenting the story from various character perspectives and in non-chronological parts. This approach adds layers of complexity to the plot, keeping readers guessing throughout.

The novel's pacing is relentless, with each chapter building tension and drawing readers deeper into the enigma surrounding Trent McCarthy and the two missing women. Garcia expertly weaves together multiple storylines, creating a tapestry of suspense that spans from Madison to San Diego, Atlanta, and eventually Mexico.

One of the book's strongest aspects is its unpredictability. Just when readers think they've figured out the puzzle, Garcia delivers a stunning twist in the final section that reshapes the entire narrative. This unexpected turn of events showcases the author's skill in crafting a truly surprising and satisfying conclusion.

"The Business Trip" marks Jessie Garcia as a promising talent in the thriller genre. With its addictive storyline, relatable characters, and masterful manipulation of reader expectations, this novel is highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and mystery enthusiasts alike.

A big thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I don't know what I was expecting but not this. What a great book with lots of twists and turns til the end. I really enjoyed the multiple viewpoints. Really had the sense for the first half of this book 'What is going on'?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

This novel starts out with two women’s storylines- both trying to escape their lives in some way. I was turning the pages pretty quickly for the first 30 % or so.

That is where my intrigue ended.

Something happened around 40% or so, where the writing changed, it started to almost drone on, and it was as if the entire storyline lost its steam! “Did the same person write this part?” is what I often found myself asking!

The Business Trip had SO MUCH potential.

I am sad that it took a bit of a turn from its origin- maybe this will get cleaned up a bit in editing- its a great premise and a great idea for a novel!

Two women get on a plane, then what happens next is told from the points of view of different people in their lives, until the last quarter or so of the book when a number of unbelievable (not in a good way) plot twists wrap up the story. The book had a clever premise that didn’t live up to the hype. Given this author’s agent and editor (two of the best in publishing), I would have expected better.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Marten’s Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was….not great. It had its moments where I thought it was going to get really clever! And I did Want to keep reading but that’s where my enthusiasm ended. I had to just get past the amateur writing style and try to embrace the story.

We start by following Jasmine, a bartender handed a tough hand in life, stuck in an abusive relationship with Glenn. Jasmine decides she’s had enough and wants to leave Glenn in secret. So she starts a plan. Firstly, Jasmine, is AWFUL. Like the most insufferable character, yet I feel like the author was trying to make us root for her? She not only murdered a girl in high school and framed her boyfriend for literally no reason other than “they’re mean and rich”, she then murders a completely innocent woman for zero reason whatsoever. Then frames Trent, another completely innocent man she doesn’t even know. Then we’re supposed to feel bad for her because she thinks they deserved it for being better off in life than she is? It’s a nah for me. If she was fine with killing people why didn’t she kill Glenn, the abusive asshole boyfriend? Instead she acted afraid of him and ran away. Makes no sense.

Don’t even get me started on the amount of pointless POVs we’re given. Random co-workers, the neighbor, another friend from high school. We’re told the story from all these POVs and when the “reveal” happens around the 50% mark, we are told the exact same story from Jasmine’s POV. I could’ve Skipped the last half of the book and just read the epilogue and understood it.

The end knocked this down to a 1 star read for me, with the last reveal being so wildly absurd and thrown together it was laughable.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.