I wish I could share a clip of a standing ovation for this review. It’s truly majestic! Jessie Garcia is a gifted writer who masterfully tells a story from multiple character perspectives, crafting a thrilling experience. I wholeheartedly recommend this book; it will captivate you and keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Among my many books, this one will always hold a cherished place in my top three.

Jasmine is running from an abusive relationship. Stephanie is a broadcast news director on her way to a conference. They sit together on a flight but soon both women disappear. Jasmine emailed her friend that she had met a wonderful man, Trent McCarthy, who finally treated her right. On the day that Stephanie was to return to work, she emailed the office that she was taking time to travel to Atlanta with Trent McCarthy, a man that she met at the conference. Stephanie continues to contact the office but something feels wrong. It is Stephanie’s phone but the messages are being sent by someone else. Who is Trent McCarthy and what is his connection to the two women?

Jessie Garcia takes you on a roller coaster ride with her story. Just when you think that you know where it is going, she hits you with one twist after another. Stephanie hinted to her neighbor Robert that she would love to disappear for a few days, so he is not concerned at first. Then her texts hint at danger and send him into full panic mode. She has always cared about her job and her co-workers so her disappearance is so unlike her. Garcia introduces the two women with their backgrounds and current situations so that the reader gets to know them. Stephanie is a divorced mother of a grown son, living a comfortable life. Jasmine has had a difficult life. She is not easy to like with her attitude that the world owes her and her resentment toward anyone who has succeeded. From the Midwest to San Diego, Atlanta and finally Mexico, where Garcia’s intricate plot finally comes together, there are enough surprises to keep you guessing to the very end. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book.

Great thriller. Loved the twists and turns. The ending was unexpected and for a debut book, this author knocked it out of the park with a fast paced read! Loved that it took place in Madison, Wisconsin, being a Wisconsin girl!

Unfortunately, I could not get into this one. It was too formulaic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my egalley.

WOW! This book was so good I don’t even have words. I did not want to put this book now and when I had to I was mad and kept thinking about it. I had no idea what in the world was going on and I loved all of the characters and seeing how they fit into this puzzle of crazy. A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

In "The Business Trip," we meet two women who have seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth, but we know they are somehow connected and creepy womanizer Trent McCarthy knows something.

It was good premise with potential, but the story was a little complicated (while I appreciate the layers, it just didn't come off well--maybe because I was listening instead of reading), there were too many one-dimensional side characters, and the "twist" was revealed much too soon in the book to keep it interesting. Maybe because I didn't particuarly care for any of the characters, I didn't really care what happened to them.

As it's a debut novel, I would give the author another try.

Book: The Business Trip
Author: Jessie Garcia
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Places Featured: Atlanta, Madison
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️1/2 (rounded down)

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

There was wayyyyy too much going on in this book and usually I do not mind many POVs but this was over the top. Too many unlikeable characters....

I usually like books like this but this one was not for me.

Thanks to Jessie Garica, Netgalley and St Martins press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Already available

Hold on to your seatbelts! This incredibly exciting book, The Business Trip had me from the very first to the very last page! It did not disappoint. The story will keep you in suspense and your imagination will fly you to unexpected places! The story is filled with unimaginative mistreatment in so many ways, greed, narcissism and secrets...so many secrets.

Jasmine has decided today is the day she leaves her abusive boyfriend before he ends up killing her. He seems to be getting close. Her plan, a year in the making, she now just has to find her way to the airport.

Stephanie works at a television station and is going on a business trip to a convention. She has an older son and is divorced and partly wishes she could get back out into the dating world. This is a quick trip, and she too heads off to the airport.

Jasmine and Stephanie are supposed to be flying to different places, until suddenly they aren't... something happens, and neither will make it back home.

Although Stephanie does make it to the convention, and continues texting her cat sitter, something happens which makes everyone fear for her safety. Jasmine too is texting but for her it's the terror of her boyfriend figuring out what she is doing which makes what she types cryptic. Then the texting of one becomes a passionate plea for help. And then nothing from either of them.

Trent McCarthy who is also in attendance at the convention immediately has his eye on Stephanie. You see, Trent thinks he is a lady's man. But unfortunately, only he seems to think it. He treats women awfully as he feels they are so far beneath him. And very much disliked. A narcissist bully who is clueless to social norms.

But for Trent, these two women's disappearances will look as if he had something to with them going missing.

The story which uniquely told by all the characters in chapter form is riveting with the ending revelations brilliantly startling! The Business Trip is very messy, suspenseful adventure you don't want to miss!

Thank you #NetGalley #St..Martin'sPress #JessieGarcia #TheBusinessTrip for the advanced copy.

This book follows multiple characters and points of view—10, to be precise. Did we really need that many? Probably not. Could some of them have been cut? Definitely. I can think of a few whose perspectives didn’t add much to the story. But, despite not always liking the characters (and honestly, some of them could fall off the face of the earth and I wouldn’t bat an eye), I still found myself rooting for a few of them.

What I really appreciated was the pacing. The way it was split into different parts kept the story moving, and the added text messages were a nice touch, bringing some modernity and fun into the mix.

I was intrigued from the very start, though the ending is definitely a bit ridiculous and far-fetched—something I’ve got a love-hate relationship with. But if a book can keep me engaged and wanting to keep reading, it earns my stamp of approval. This one did just that.

I’ll be adding this author to my list of new releases to watch out for in the future!

☆꧁ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯. ࿐

Told from each of the many characters different POV's. A simple business trip by one of the protagonists turns into a wild trip that goes crazily off the rails. A great read that is fast paced and has twists and turns galore. (Patchouli mention)
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and the Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told in first person from multiple narrators and follows the story of Jasmine and Stephanie who were on a flight together but disappear under mysterious circumstances shortly thereafter. I primarily listened to the audiobook for this story which was narrated by a full cast including Andrew Eiden, Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick, Fred Berman, Gail Shalan, Hillary Huber, Jennifer Pickens, John Pirhalla, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Kirby Heyborne, and Tim Campbell. This was a great choice. It looks like a lot of characters, but it quickly had me enthralled with what had happened to these two women as their friends, family and coworkers all weigh in with what they know about them.

Stephanie is a divorced mother to an adult son who now spends more time with his father than her. She is the news director at a local TV station in Madison, Wisconsin. Her coworkers probably know her better than anyone. Jasmine works as a waitress and is fleeing an abusive boyfriend. Her responses to things are often mind-boggling. They both send texts to friends that they have met a guy named Trent McCarthy before disappearing.

This story had me on the edge of my seat. Even when some of my suspicious were confirmed, I still couldn’t figure out what was going on overall or what would happen next. It was a crazy ride full of unpredictable characters and I couldn’t stop reading or listening. I flew through this in just over a day and I loved the ending twist.

Recommended to twisty thriller readers.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

Jasmine is escaping an abusive relationship and Stephanie is on her way to a business conference. With nothing in common, these two women end up in the same row on a flight and their loved ones start to get the same text messages about a man named Trent McCarthy. They’re then both declared missing.

This was a really good book with LOTS of twists. There’s also lots of POVs, but I didn’t find it confusing. It kept the story moving along great. The writing was simple but it kept me hooked the whole way through as I need to know what happened. The end was satisfying as well. I would be interested in reading more from this author as this is a debut.

🚨 Book Review: The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia
💌 Thank you to author Jessie Garcia, @stmartinspress, and @NetGalley for the chance to read this gripping ARC! I'd also like to thank the #sqafbookclub for reading with me. I enjoyed your thoughts on the book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars) - Possible unpopular review - I really wanted to like this book more.

The Business Trip is a high-stakes thriller that doesn’t hold back. Jessie Garcia weaves a tale of secrets, betrayal, and the dangerous lengths people will go to protect their secrets. The plot moves quickly, pulling you into a tangled web of deception and intrigue. While the pace kept me hooked, some moments felt a little predictable, and the character development could have gone deeper to pack a stronger emotional punch.

What worked:
✔️ Non-stop action and twists that keep you turning pages
✔️ A tense atmosphere that had me on edge
✔️ Bold themes of ambition and moral compromise
✔️ Unlikeable characters that you can't help being drawn to

What could have been stronger:
✘ Some twists were a bit predictable
✘ Key relationships felt underexplored, leaving some emotional stakes flat
✘ The ending wrapped up a bit too quickly for me

If you’re a fan of fast-paced thrillers with high tension and corporate drama, this debut is for you.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. It kept me guessing. However, about halfway through, it became implausible for me to really believe the plot. I felt the end twist was okay but didn’t make up for the unbelievable storyline.

What a twisty ride this one was! This almost had too many perspectives to get super confusing, but it kept me on my toes to really pay attention. I really enjoyed how many different ways this took me!

One popcorn thriller 🍿 coming right up!

Thank you @stmartinspress for my #gifted copy!

Stephanie and Jasmine’s lives are about to cross in a way no one could have expected. When the two vanish after a plane ride, those around them are determined to figure out what is going on. Told in alternating POVs, this book will hook you from the beginning and keep you enthralled with its twists.

I inhaled this book! I was looking for a fast-paced thriller, and wow did The Business Trip deliver. It was a bit out there in terms of thriller plot, but that’s part of what I loved about the story.

I highly recommend picking this one up blind. Do yourself a favor and don’t look up a lot before you read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out January 14!

3.5/5 stars

This is a debut thriller divided into 4 parts. There are multiple POVs.

The story is about Jasmine and Stephanie who are on the same plane. Jasmine is escaping her life and Stephanie is a news director going on a business trip.

Even though there were many POVs I was actually quite invested in the story for the first three parts. Something happens with both women and I really enjoyed getting to see their friends and coworkers points of view.

There were two men who I found quite despicable. I was definitely hoping that they would get what they deserved.

The book was good. But where it lost me a bit was Part 4 where everything was explained. The author decided to do a very long 10 chapter explanation. This was long. But in addition I did not love how things played out (including one reveal that unfortunately didn’t really work for me).

Overall this was was a quick read. The story was told in a different way. And I did not lose interest.

OMGoodness!!! I loved this book! I loved all the twists and unexpected turns! When I got to that last twist I was so shocked! This book was a fast read and a great book for a debut! Can't wait to read more by this author!

I read this book in less than 24 hours, and I could not put it down. But that doesn’t mean it was actually good, just engaging.

This book suffers from the classic “great set up and 85% of the story but truly fails in the end” syndrome. The ending was so very manufactured and half thought out that it almost made me laugh out loud. But the first 2/3 of it were great! Just….not that truly bizarre and bad end.