Thank you, #Partner @stmartinspress and @netgalley, for my #gifted (free) copy. Available now!

I literally can not believe this is a #debutnovel because it reads like a seasoned author wrote this! It was so freaking good, and the twists and turns had my jaw on the floor multiple times! I had a hard time putting this one down. If you haven't read this yet, I definitely recommend this wild book.

Stephanie and Jasmine meet on an airplane. Stephanie is on a business trip, and Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. The two women start chatting, and Jasmine has an idea that can solve all her problems, so she steals Stephanie's ID. A couple of days later, both women are reported missing. The lies and manipulation will have you guessing and guessing, and you won't have a clue what is actually happening! 4.5 stars.

I totally underestimated Jessie Garcia's steller debut The Business Trip as yet another story about two women that get involved who they think is the perfect man, but turns out to be a nightmare. Jasmine, a waitress, goes on the one the run from her abusive boyfriend. Stephanie, a news director, is on her way to a conference given by her peers. They meet sitting next to each other on a plane then end up having a plesant exchange of words. Both of their sets of friends recieve texts that they met a man named Trent and decided to spend a couple of extra days a way to be with him. Their friends become suspicious when both women stop responding to their texts. Trent is arrested for Stephanie's murder which causes an unexpected shift in the second half of the story. Garcia has come up with a story with genuine shocks and surprises. The plot doesn't have contrivances that are there just to try to throw the reader off. The only thing that kept Garcia's debut from being steller is its abrupt ending. Jessie Garcia is off to a fine start with The Business Trip. She definetly has a bright future in Thrillers.

If you're looking for a debut novel to add to your reading list, this mystery and suspense thriller offers a gripping storyline told through multiple points of view, and it does not disappoint. I love a multi POV!
Just when you think you have it all figured out, the author throws in another twist, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The suspense is palpable, and the story's complexity makes it an absolute page turner.
This is a fantastic read that balances mystery and suspense. A solid four stars and a highly recommended addition to your bookshelf.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5
Mode of Reading: NetGalley Digital ARC Courtesy of Jessie Garcia & St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review...
It's an ARC... When does it Release? Out Now!! (January 14 2025)
How did I pick this up: I love myself a good ARC to find new authors especially with a thriller because I find new great books this way all the time! This book was in the "Read Now" section so I snagged it
Short Yet Sweet Review: My review of this book is going to have to be vague on purpose; I can't share much without spoiling anything! Two women who seemingly have nothing in common yet meet on a plane both suddenly go missing. Who is this mystery man that they are both talking about? What happened to them? Who's guilty?

Jessie really had me feeling all types of ways about this book. I think I liked it? I think I didn't like it? I think the twists were almost tooooooo twisty that it became unrealistic but also, I couldn't stop reading it? I wanted more? I think everyone should read this book to help determine if you like twisty chaotic thriller or not!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for review purposes.

This novel has so much promise; a twisty story line, interesting locations, a writing style that kept me reading. Unfortunately it did not deliver fully on those promises. The plot was too twisty to be believed and the final reveal felt like a shark jump.

I would be interested in reading other works by this author since, even with the disappointing points this novel was a fun read, which explains the 3 stars.

Very disappointed in this book. Though it started out well, I quickly lost interest and it felt like a chore to complete it.

My cousin and I did this book as a buddy read! I was thankful for the review ebook when she suggested it! We both LOVED it. I have never read any of Jessie Garcia's other books, but I'm definitely interested now. This was a good thrilling, twisty read with several "OH" moments. I gave this one 4 stars and will be recommending it to fellow thriller lovers!

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC to review!

3.5-Star

Jessie Garcia’s debut thriller, The Business Trip, is a twisty and layered psychological mystery that starts with a compelling premise and delivers a suspenseful narrative, though it occasionally stretches plausibility.

The story revolves around two women, Stephanie Monroe and Jasmine Littleton, who meet on a flight to Denver. Stephanie is a television producer on a business trip, while Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. After their encounter, both women send eerily similar messages to their friends about a man named Trent McCarthy, then vanish without a trace.

Garcia’s background in journalism is evident in her crisp prose and attention to detail. The novel explores themes of identity, trauma, and manipulation, offering a nuanced look at how past experiences shape present actions. The pacing is generally strong, with well-timed twists that keep readers engaged.

However, some plot developments require a significant suspension of disbelief, and certain character decisions may seem forced or underdeveloped. The final act, while maintaining momentum, feels somewhat rushed compared to the carefully constructed earlier chapters.

Overall, The Business Trip is an impressive debut that offers a gripping, if occasionally implausible, psychological thriller. Fans of twisty narratives and complex character dynamics will find much to enjoy here.

I wasn't sold on the title of the book, but the summary left me intrigued. As I flew through the pages, my mind would let me think one way and the suddenly, a twist would change it all. The concept of this is very interesting - two women meeting on a plane, sending identical messages to their families, and these families realizing they are both going through the same thing. It allows plenty of time for shenanigans to occur.

The ending was unexpected, which I love. This was more excitement than I thought it would be.

This is a fast paced and twisty thriller. I couldn't put this one down, each page I turned made me want to keep turning them to find out what happens next. The big reveal at the end had my jaw on the floor! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for my review.

A fast-paced read with lots of twists & turns. The book is told in separate POVS and follows the story of two women, Stephanie & Jasmine, who both meet the same man. But all is not as it seems - not for them, and not for him, either. Kept me guessing until the end!

Fun and quick read! There was a time where I got confused about what was going on, but overall-fun read!

This was a gripping story with a lot of twists and turns. I would think I knew what was happening only to be blindsided by another twist. It was an extremely easy, enjoyable read and I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book…for the most part. The first half started off well - I was into the story, the pace was great, I enjoyed the switching POVs. And then in the second half, I felt like it was a retelling of the first half from one POV. That slowed it down a bit for me, but overall I enjoyed the book. 3.5 ⭐️

This debut is a fast paced read that can be read in an afternoon. Good pacing throughout and I wanted to find out what happened. I liked that there was some unreliability in one particular character. It was interesting and well done. Would definitely pick up future books by this author.

This is a great book, full of surprises and twists. Two women meet on the same flight, traveling for very different reasons. Just as you think you know the characters and your empathy and loathing is in place, something happens to turn the narrative on its head!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia had some pretty unexpected, jaw dropping twists! Multiple POV, tension, and many twists made this a binge worthy read for me! I would love to listen to it on audio as well.


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think I was in the mood for a good thriller, and I thoroughly enjoyed The Business Trip.

In the beginning, we know more than the other characters (or at least we think we do). It had me yelling at the characters to figure it out faster. It's kind of like when you tell the girl in the horror movie not to go into the basement. I love it when I'm so into the book that I'm telling the characters what to do.

The story is told from multiple points of view. I thought that the storytelling method was interesting. For several of the characters, it felt like they were being interviewed. This was especially strong with the start of Trent's section. It gave us more insight into the characters, but it also felt like we were being told a lot, so it wasn't easy to determine if it was true or not.

Some bits of the story were pretty obvious about what was going to happen, and I felt like the ending kind of wrapped up too quickly, given how drawn out the rest of the story was.

I was really rooting for Stephanie, and I'm still not sure how I feel after everything was revealed. My favorite character was Lucy, and I wish there had been more chapters with her. Had the ending not wrapped up so quickly, and we had gotten to see more of the investigation, then we probably would have seen more of Lucy.

This would make a great vacation read as it is thrilling enough to keep you turning pages, but doesn't give you so much anxiety that you can't relax with the book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/04/the-business-trip-by-jessie-garcia.html

Have you ever started a book thinking you knew exactly where it was going… only to realize, several twists later, you were completely wrong? That’s exactly what happened when I picked up The Business Trip—and I mean that in the best possible way.

From cryptic texts to multiple intertwined perspectives, this thriller is anything but predictable. It kicks off with a seemingly straightforward business trip and quickly spirals into a layered story of survival, secrets, and split-second decisions. Buckle up, because this one doesn’t slow down.

ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ:
Stephanie, a high-powered TV executive, heads to a conference in San Diego on a routine business trip—but when the event wraps up, she sends a cryptic message to her friends and colleagues saying she’s met a man and is flying to his home in Atlanta for a week. Then… radio silence. Or worse—strange, increasingly disturbing texts that suggest something is very wrong.

Meanwhile, Jasmine, a woman desperately fleeing an abusive relationship, happens to be on the same flight. She’s not just trying to escape her past—she’s trying to disappear altogether.

What unfolds is a tangled, suspenseful web of mystery, misdirection, and survival, told through multiple viewpoints.

ᴍʏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴄᴇɴᴛs:
This book was seriously a trip (pun absolutely intended)! I love a thriller that keeps me guessing, and for the first half of the book, I genuinely had no idea what was going on. In the best way. The plot constantly shifted in unexpected directions, and just when I thought I had something figured out, the story veered somewhere completely new. It kept me hooked and turning pages late into the night.

Now, I’ll be honest—I was a little apprehensive when I realized how many perspectives the book switches between. We get at least six different POVs, which sounds like a lot (because it is!). But surprisingly, the structure worked. The chapters are super short, which helps the pace fly, and the way some scenes are revisited from different angles actually made things easier to follow. That said, with so many characters and quick chapter changes, most of the characters felt a bit surface-level. I would’ve loved a little more depth and emotional nuance from a few of them, especially Jasmine.

Still, the twists and payoff made up for it. And without giving anything away, I really appreciated that the ending wasn’t just clean-cut justice. There were consequences across the board, even for characters who weren’t strictly “villains,” which felt refreshingly realistic.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller with a unique structure and plenty of surprises, The Business Trip is worth the ride.

Disclaimer
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and the SMP Influencers program for sending me a physical copy of this book to read and review, along with fun goodies, including airline biscuits and brochure. This does not affect or influence my opinion of the story.

Jesse Garcia’s The Business Trip is a sharp, fast-paced narrative that blends corporate tension with personal transformation. The story follows a protagonist thrust into an unfamiliar professional setting, where each decision carries weight—and hidden consequences. Garcia skillfully captures the subtleties of office politics and the quiet intensity of high-stakes negotiations, all while exploring themes of identity, ambition, and integrity. The writing is clean and focused, with just enough detail to paint vivid scenes without dragging the pace. A compelling read for anyone who enjoys workplace drama with emotional depth.