Great book. Couldn’t wait to see where it lead to. I almost predicted the ending but it threw me for a loop!

I was excited to receive this ARC, but ultimately, it fell a little flat for me. It started off strong, with Jasmine looking for a way out. I was also intrigued by the early chapters focusing on Stephanie.

The story got a little clunky when more characters were introduced. I lost track of where I was & I just couldn't get back. The ending brought some good twists, but I had already lost the plot.

Overall thoughts: strong start, clunky middle, flat ending.

3.5 rounded up! This was an interesting read. I was really curious to find out how the two missing women who met the same man and sent the same texts connected. The story wasn’t at all what I thought it would be. The sudden part 2-4 made the book seem longer and more in depth. I liked seeing how the main character pulled off what they did, but I also hated that character so reading so much about them bothered me. The twists in this book were great. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a twisty, unique read.

The Business Trip is a steamy, fun romance that mixes work with pleasure in the best way. Garcia’s engaging writing and steamy chemistry between the leads make it a memorable, lighthearted read.

What did I just read?! A propulsively written debut novel by Jessie Garcia-with twists upon twists! When news director Stephanie flies to San Diego for a conference her colleagues and friends are stunned when she texts them that she met a great guy (another news director0 name Trent and was flying to his place in Atlanta for the week. Elsewhere in Madison, Wisconsin a waitress named Jasmine is plotting her escape from her abusive boyfriend. Both women end up on the same flight to San Diego. Soon, Jasmine sends a similar message to her friend Anna-she met a great guy named Trent and is going to stay with him in Atlanta. Within the next week both women disappear, Trent is arrested and the real mystery sets in. How did both women meet Trent and disappear? What's the connection between the three of them, if any? Just who is Jasmine? All these questions and more are answered in The Business Trip. This is a wickedly fun and twisty read (more thriller in the second half than expected) told from multiple perspectives-which increases the tension and mystery. I look forward to reading anything from Jessie Garcia.

Two women who don’t know each other are on the same plane. Stephanie is on a business trip and Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. After a few days, they text their friends the same exact messages about the same man then the two women disappear and declared missing. Who is this guy? As the story kept going, definitely picked up in the twisty department. I thought the plot of the book was pretty good and definitely made for a good thriller. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Overall I did enjoy this book, however, I struggled at the end because the ending really fell flat for me. It seemed a bit rushed and not as thorough as the rest of the book, which left me feeling a bit unresolved. Regardless, I did enjoy the writing style, character development and the way in which the author kept me guessing while reading.

Fun, twisty story! A few unlikeable characters that we love to hate! The ending felt a little rushed and then the very last conversation between two characters was odd to me?? Like maybe the point of that conversation was just two have those two characters meet in person and tie everything up? Still, I enjoyed it and would recommend!

I really enjoyed reading this book it was well written. It had me hooked the whole way through the book. Im really glad i read this.

This took me awhile to get into mainly due to how many characters were introduced right from the get go, I was lost for awhile. And then the twists started and I quickly got pulled into the story. While some of it felt extremely farfetched to me other parts of the story I really enjoyed and it had a very satisfying ending for multiple reasons.

Overall, the book was enjoyable with a captivating plot and an unexpected twist at the end. However, I didn’t connect with most of the main characters, and the multiple POVs felt overwhelming—less would have been better. Still, it’s a strong debut, and I’d definitely read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this ARC.

The twists and turns in this book were truly shocking, to the point where the story just became so unbelievable that I couldn't stay on board with it. I also struggled with the writing. However, I have to admit that I couldn't stop turning the pages and definitely wanted to find out how things would end. So, it was enjoyable enough.

Talk about suspenseful, with twists and turns. When two random women meet on an airplane, you would never expect the events that follow.

If you love a book with good unreliable narrator, this one is for you. Lots of twists and surprises kept me guessing! Two women meet on a plane. Stephanie is headed to San Diego via Denver to represent her news station at another conference that she doesn't have the time or the desire to attend. Jasmine is headed to Denver in order to escape from an abusive boyfriend. They strike up a conversation on the plane and someone points out that they could be sisters, they look so much alike. How far would you go to escape suffering? What would you do to find time and space for yourself? This story has you thinking about these things and more.

The story twists around itself so many times that you don’t even realize it’s happening when it’s happening, but everything matches up and makes sense! A great thriller.

While this was another quick, entertaining read bordering on "popcorn thriller," it had a little more depth to it than that. I love when books make you think outside the box, and without giving spoilers, this one revolves around assumptions. If you're not a fan of many, many characters, this may not be for you. I, however, enjoy it when done right, and it adds to the story, which this one did. This was clever and shocking, and for those who are able to suspend disbelief, will love it. Three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Readers do not even get settled in to read before the first twist happens and the adventures unfold. There's no doubt that with a debut this good, Jesse Garcia is going to land on my TBR list often.

A good 'popcorn' thriller! Not a new or unique premise, but a fun one. If you like twist and turns and tales of two women then this one is for you.

Jessie Garcia’s The Business Trip is a psychological thriller that thrives on tension, deception, and the dark undercurrents of human nature. With an unsettling premise and a narrative that refuses to take the expected route, this novel masterfully pulls the reader into a labyrinth of manipulation, danger, and mind games. It is a high-stakes tale where two seemingly unconnected women—Stephanie and Jasmine—find themselves ensnared in the same chilling mystery, their lives converging in ways neither could have foreseen.

The novel's structure adds to its immersive nature. Stephanie, a corporate professional on a routine business trip, and Jasmine, a woman desperate to escape her abusive past, seem to have little in common. Yet, when both women send increasingly bizarre and alarming text messages about the same man—Trent McCarthy—before abruptly disappearing, the novel takes off at breakneck speed. What initially appears to be a story of two women in distress quickly morphs into something far more intricate and insidious.

Garcia masterfully plays with the perspectives of victim and perpetrator, forcing readers to question everything. Who is Trent McCarthy? Is he a charming but dangerous predator? A master manipulator who preys on vulnerable women? Or is there more to the story—something darker, something entirely unexpected? The novel thrives on misdirection, leading readers down one path only to yank the ground from beneath them. The question of agency—who is controlling whom—becomes a driving force, keeping the tension taut and the reader perpetually off-balance.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its dual narrative approach. Stephanie and Jasmine are not passive victims but layered, complex women with their own secrets, fears, and motivations. Their experiences are distinct yet eerily similar, creating a sense of inevitability that makes their disappearances even more unsettling. As their fates intertwine, Garcia crafts an escalating sense of dread, balancing psychological depth with pulse-pounding suspense.

But the true brilliance of The Business Trip lies in its exploration of power, control, and the nature of truth. Garcia forces the reader to reconsider assumptions about guilt, innocence, and the roles people play in their own stories. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the novel pivots, revealing yet another layer of deception. The twists are expertly executed—not just for shock value, but as organic revelations that make perfect, chilling sense in hindsight.

The writing is sharp and propulsive, with short, gripping chapters that demand to be devoured. Garcia has an uncanny ability to turn ordinary interactions into moments of suffocating tension, making even the most mundane details feel loaded with hidden meaning. The psychological manipulation at play feels disturbingly real, drawing parallels to real-life cases of coercion, gaslighting, and the terrifying ease with which a person can disappear.

By the time the final twist is revealed, the reader is left reeling—questioning not only the story but their own perceptions of control and manipulation. The Business Trip is more than just a thriller; it is a deeply unsettling study of how easily trust can be weaponized and how dangerous it is to underestimate the power of deception.

The Business Trip is a spine-chilling, masterfully plotted thriller that grips from the first page and never lets go. With its relentless twists and deeply unsettling psychological depth, The Business Trip is a must-read for fans of Gillian Flynn, Lisa Jewell, and psychological thrillers that refuse to play by the rules.

This book was quite entertaining to read. While a lot happened that kept the story interesting, some of it was almost not believable. The main character seemed to change completely from a person stuck in an abusive relationship to suddenly being able to come up with such a sophisticated plan. The first part of the book contained a lot of POVs, if that is not something you like this book is not for you. I was really looking forward to seeing how this ended but there were almost too many twists that made the story far fetched. I will say though that I did not see any of the twists coming. I’m giving this one 3 stars. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.