The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story revolves around Stephanie and Jasmine, two seemingly unrelated women who find their lives intertwined. The story is suspenseful, with every twist and turn heightening the tension and deepening the mystery. The characters are relatable and well developed, combined with a storyline that is as unpredictable as it is addictive, making this book an unputdownable read!

The Business Trip is a solid debut. The story is fast paced. Sometimes with a book with multiple POV and it moves quickly, I have trouble keeping everyone straight. I didn't in this case. It kept me reading, and reading...until I was done. A business trip, two women of different backgrounds, and a man. Just when I think I knew where it was going, it went somewhere else! I enjoyed it a lot. Some reviewers say it's far fetched, and yes, some points are...but it didn't make this any less enjoyable for me at all. I can't wait for another by Jessie Garcia.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheBusinessTrip #NetGalley #StMartinsPress #debutnovel #thriller

Definitely a thrill ride! Some books hinge on characters, this book is mainly on plot, which isn't a bad thing. We follow multiple narrators (sorry if that's not your thing) across several states but the main one is Jasmine.

A bar waitress fleeing an abusive boyfriend and heading to Denver to start over, Jasmine meets someone and makes a last minute decision that will change everything. meanwhile, Stephanie, a new channel director is headed to San Diego for a typical business conference. What could go wrong?

I was never bored reading this and it was interesting to see how all the pieces fit together throughout. There was even a last minute twist I wasn't expecting. Sometimes a good story is just a good story!

*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC

Read this book all the way through the end of chapter 42 and then close the book and walk away. If you keep reading, it will ruin everything.


***SPOILERS***

I tore through this book in one day. I found the plot to be original and engaging, and at one point it even crossed my mind that this was almost like following a female Tom Ripley. I was impressed that she was coolheaded and always able to think three steps ahead in order to cover her tracks. I was so close to the end of the book that I just knew it had to end with her slipping away into a new life and getting away with everything. I was so impressed that the author was doing the dangerous thing and letting the villain win. And then...

And then.

The most nonsensical plot twist. It made NO sense on any level. It was so bad that it kind of undid all the solid plotting that came before. DOPPELGÄNGERS? Seriously??

Suddenly I was noticing all the other problems that I had overlooked in my reader's fugue state... The female characters all had kind of the same voice. The males were mostly clunky caricatures. The relationships didn't feel real… I mean, Jasmine's childhood best friend knows that her new boyfriend is abusive, and decides not to warn her? Stephanie sits on an airplane next to a complete rando and freely gives up every detail of her itinerary, including what hotel she's staying in? And the doppelgänger stuff… It was just so ridiculous and far-fetched. A random actress that she sort of resembles appears on an app and she's going to hire this woman to impersonate her at a conference, complete with a matching human hair wig or something, while she disappears to party in Mexico? And then she's going to give this total stranger all of her social media accounts and passwords? And her clothes? (Except the underwear! I mean, she's not GROSS.) What is she supposed to do when she gets home and is meant to be presenting the findings of the conference to her boss and her news team? This is so stupid.

Chapters one through 42 of this book, five stars. After Chapter 42, one star. What I'm saying is, stop reading at the end of chapter 42. You'll thank me for it.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

Are you ready for your next mystery and thriller? The Business Trip should be moved up to the top of your TBR list.

This was a wild ride. If you'd asked me at any point to predict how the rest of the book would go, I'd have been completely wrong. I had to know what would happen, to the point that I was reading in the car (as a passenger, obviously) even though I get carsick. The ending was one twist too many, but I prefer that to not enough!

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Pretty good book! Would read more from this author. Jasmines whole attitude and angst against the upper middle class was hard to find believable.... Twist at the end was kind of out of left field. Quick, easy read but only 4 starw for stated reasons.

This book is the perfect example of how a debut author should come out swinging hard and winning!! This book is one psychological roller coaster ride you will get on and not breath until the very last page!! I’d give this book 20 stars!! Kudos Jessie Garcia for a perfect debut & thanks for the advanced read!

This story is fast-paced and yes, far-fetched, but lots of fun. Told from multiple POV's, this thriller is the tale of two women who go missing and the one man in common to them, And just when you think you might have a handle on what is happening, you can be sure you don't thanks to the many twists and turns and a great final punch as well!

Thanks to NetGalley for a preview of this book in exchange for an honest reveiw.

I received a free copy of, The Business Trip, by Jessie Garcia, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Two ladies on the same aircraft, then they send out the same exact message to their friends, freaky. People can be devious, and manipulative, be careful. An interesting read.

Overall, a good thriller. A little far-fetched but that made it fun. What kept me from rating it higher were too many POVs. The male ones were almost absurd and I didn't think they were needed. Trent's just annoyed me so only 3 stars from me.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC copy of The Business Trip.

I started out really enjoying this book, with the alternating POV and the "hole" in the timeline of the story I was hooked! Unfortunately, the further I read the more and more absurdly improbable the story became until I was just annoyed. I'm not surprised that Freida McFadden wrote the endorsement featured on the cover because the ending to this book was as ridiculous as the ending of her books 🙄 If you enjoy endings that are "jaw dropping" but also make no sense, this is the book for you.

2.5 stars

I was excited to read The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia--it sounded like a fresh take on thrillers and the reviews were glowing. As I was about to go on a business trip, it seemed serendipitious. Then I started reading it and I was so disappointed. I thought about DNFing at 10%, but I wanted to figure out what the big twist was that captured the interest of all the other people who read it. The writing was all about telling, not showing and when one of the characters started listing out all the items she was packing, I nearly put it down. Jasmine and Stephanie had a lot of explanations of who they are and their motivations, but they made decisions that just didn't make sense based on what we had learned. The big twist revealed itself at the end, and there was very little foundation for it--a good twist leaves crumbs, but this one didn't. This book was a disappoinment.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Two women. Stephanie and Jasmine. Not a thing in common it would seem. But during a plane ride, they both make plans that will change their lives.

Jasmine is running from an abusive boyfriend. Stephanie is going to a work conference. Neither of them is telling the truth.

I wanted to care about both of them, but I did not. With all of the suspense the ending felt rushed and not at all believable.

I liked the premise, not the execution.

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press January 14, 2025

#TheBusinessTrip #NetGalley
Compelling.
The novel follows two women, Stephanie and Jasmine, who seemingly have nothing in common but end up entangled in a terrifying mystery. Stephanie is on a business trip, while Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. Their paths cross on the same plane, setting off a chain of events that neither could have anticipated.After a few days, both women begin sending eerily similar text messages to their friends about a man named Trent McCarthy. These messages quickly become more bizarre and erratic, raising alarms among their loved ones. Then, without warning, the texts stop. Stephanie and Jasmine vanish, and the panic sets in as it becomes clear that something terrible has happened.As the search for the missing women intensifies, questions emerge: Who is Trent McCarthy, really? What happened to Stephanie and Jasmine? And as the story unfolds, it becomes evident that nothing is as it seems. The novel is a masterclass in twists and turns, where each revelation peels back another layer of deception and manipulation.
A must read.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. This was such a page turner and got me out of a reading slump. I loved the full cast and wanted to know how it would all end. I'd describe this as a popcorn thriller.

Such an excellent debut novel by Jessie Garcia!

Jasmine is desperate to escape from her abusive boyfriend and unfulfilling life. Stephanie has achieved success in her field and from the outside appears to have it all but feels disconnected from and unappreciated by her work and family. Jasmine finally escapes and is on a plane to Denver seated next to Stephanie and a connection is made. What happens after their flight? We are left to wonder for a while! We know that something is amiss as they both become very unavailable and begin sending cryptic texts to friends and coworkers. There is a large part of the book that focuses on the coworkers/friends and their growing annoyance followed by concern.

No spoilers here but the ending is not what I expected and don't we all love it when that happens! Don't miss this great read and I hope Jessie Garcia writes many more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a whirlwind of twists and turns!

This book is perfect for when you're in the mood for a thriller that hooks you immediately. It really pulls you in with its multiple points of view, and keeps you guessing as you try to piece together the puzzle. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the plot takes a sharp turn, and nothing is as it seems. The moments of tension are so well-crafted that you’ll find yourself holding your breath, completely absorbed in the unfolding drama. If you’re someone who needs your books to be pretty realistic, be aware that you'll need to suspend a fair amount of disbelief to fully enjoy the ride.


The book's resolution is satisfying, although the very last scene felt a bit stilted, leaving me wanting just a little more. Despite that, it was exactly what I needed as a palate cleanser between denser reads, pulling me out of a reading slump with its fast-paced, engaging storyline. This book is perfect for fans of twisty thrillers and those who enjoy being kept guessing until the very end. I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars, and recommend it as a good option for your next beach day or weekend escape.

Great book. Held my attention and kept me guessing. The characters were likeable! Thank you to Netgalley, St Martens press and the author for the arc for my honest review.