I received an early copy from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio. This review is my honest opinion. Two women are sitting on a plane in the same row. One for a business trip, the other is fleeing an abusive boyfriend. As they begin to share a little of their lives, one begins to formulate a plan. Think you know what happens next? You would be wrong.
I was drawn almost immediately into this story and the first third of the book kept my interest. However by the middle, I felt the book begin to drag and I began to not like at all one of the main characters. But then another twist happened and the author ratcheted up the heat. A good twisted debut book of two women who should have never met.

This was a wild ride and clever for sure. I barely saw any of the pivot points of the story coming!

One of the gripes I did have was at the start of the story, you are in like 4-6 differrent POV's. As your learning the setting, I feel like all those POV's really toss you around and leave you confused.

Past that, it was such a good story. I barely put it down once I got to part three!!

I think I might not be the target audience of this book and potentially an outlier. The first half of the book was chugging along and I was enjoying it. That all comes to a halt when we start to learn more about the twist. I found the author to put more time and effort into TELLING the reader what happened, instead of showing us. I found myself very disappointed. The characters were very one dimensional, and there were certainly too many of them. I did enjoy listening to this as an audiobook, however, because the cast did do a great job in delivering the story. I just feel like the story itself was weak, not the narrators. I don't want to give any more away because I'm sure a lot of people will like this book, it just felt like a low grade thriller for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

An excellent audio! It's so fun when there are multiple POVs and multiple narrators. Narrated by the following: Andrew Eiden; Dylan Fitzpatrick; Fred Berman; Gail Shalan; Hillary Huber; Jennifer Pickens; John Pirhalla; Kimberly M. Wetherell; Kirby Heyborne and Tim Campbell.

The story starts with two women wanting a different life. Things end up sinister and the book moves quickly from there. Jasmine and Stephanie are from different walks of life. Jasmine with a sordid past and Stephanie, a recent divorcee and successfully runs channel 3 in Madison, WI. Suddenly, a plan hatches in Jasmine's mind and the suspense is real. What will happen to Stephanie?

This story has all the makings of a great thriller. Suspense, good guys and bad guys- and a twist at the end that I never expected!

The audio quality was excellent and each narrator really represented their character well. The transitions between character and chapter, flowed well.

I highly recommend the audio of this story vs print.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time!

I was immediately pulled into the story! It was fast-paced and intriguing and I definitely wanted to keep reading (or listening!).

I did a mix of Kindle and Audiobook, and if you're wondering which version to get, with the fantastic full cast of narrators, I definitely recommend going for the audio! I really enjoyed the different narrators, and some really shine through with their performance!

The last third of the book dragged on a liiittle too much for me, but that ending had my jaw dropping to the floor!

It's shocking to me that this is a debut novel and I'm definitely looking forward to the author's next books!

This was the debut audiobook for Jessica Garcia and I was impressed. I went into this book blind and I'm so thankful I did that. I had no idea what was going on and that made this story even better in my opinion. This story and the characters were well written.

Andrew Eiden, Dylan Fitzpatrick;,Fred Berman, Gail Shalan, Hillary Huber, Jennifer Pickens, John Pirhalla, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Kirby Heyborne, and Tim Campbell were great narrators. I felt like they told this story in the best way possible. They held my attention and kept me entertained. I didn't get bored in this book because there was so much going on. There are a lot of twists and turns. I almost needed my motion sickness pills with this roller coaster ride! LOL

Stephanie and Jasmine end up on a plane together and they are nothing alike. Once they lad everything will go off track and things will get very interesting. This is the type of story that the less you know the better. I was so happy that I went in blind so I could just enjoy the ride so I'm going to recommend the same thing.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat. Each chapter will leave you wanting more and asking what is going to happen next. This was a great debut story and I can't wait to see what Jessica write next. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ALC for my honest opinion.

I would not have finished this if I hadn’t had an early copy for review. I don’t understand the hype, nor do I think this was original in anyway. There are too many characters given a POV, and absolutely none of the characters are likable. I don’t think I stopped rolling my eyes past the plane taking off.

I received an ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Even though I’m sure this story is highly implausible, I still really enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down.

I was shocked on the last twist. I really didn’t see that one coming.

I loved the different POVs and I found the characters all pretty interesting. Jasmine’s backstory is was pretty good. I know she is pretty much the antagonist, I still somehow rooted for her and found her to almost be an anti-hero. I definitely don’t condone any of her actions and I am happy how things turned out, the author just did a great job on creating empathy for a terrible person.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

That feeling you get when you want to like the bad guy be cause you get it but then it just keeps twisting... loved this book. The writing style is great. The multiple narrarators was perfect as well. Can't wait for more from this author.

I actually did not finish this book. I loved the narrator's voice and the story might have been worth the listen, but I didn't check trigger warnings before diving into this book and I found it too hard to read.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: Two women with seemingly unrelated lives cross paths on a flight, only to vanish days later, sparking a chilling mystery about the enigmatic man they both encountered and the dangerous web of manipulation surrounding him.

My Review: Wow what a wild ride! While some of the plot twists may feel a bit far-fetched. The story is clever and fast paced which makes it easy to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the ride. The twists and turns kept me guessing—I thought I had everything figured out, but I was completely wrong. The audiobook experience is particularly good, with each character brought to life by a different narrator, adding depth and intensity to the story. If you’re looking for an exciting, edge-of-your-seat read, I highly recommend giving this one a listen! Perfect for fans of Frieda McFadden.

Genres/Themes: Fiction / Thrillers - Domestic / Thrillers - Psychological

The Business Trip is scheduled for publication on January 14, 2025, by Macmillan Audio.

This is the best audio book I have listened to in a long time! So many narrators! I did not see where this one was going - a really good fast paced thriller. I did not really like the ending but I enjoyed the rest of the book so much that I rounded it up to 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audible arc in exchange for my honest review. Publication date is 1/14/25.

Oh.... oh no. The writing was not good. It felt like a beginner writer wrote this, very choppy. And everything just played out way too easy and conveniently. Wildly unbelievable. Are we sure McFadden didn't write this instead?

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillian.audio for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Suspenseful Debut with Room to Grow

Jessie Garcia's debut novel, "The Business Trip," delivers a thrilling ride for suspense fans. The first half effectively establishes a sense of unease, leaving the reader questioning the unfolding events. The second half maintains this momentum, masterfully building anticipation with each twist and turn.

The multi-perspective narrative allows readers to connect with various characters, fostering empathy and understanding, even for some of the more morally ambiguous figures. This approach provides valuable insights into their motivations and adds layers of complexity to the plot.

The story follows Jasmine as she escapes an abusive relationship and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, intersecting with Stephanie's business trip. Their paths converge unexpectedly, while their loved ones race to unravel the mystery surrounding their disappearances. The suspense is expertly maintained, and the plot consistently surprises with unexpected twists and turns.

The audiobook boasts a stellar cast of ten narrators, each bringing a unique voice to their respective characters. This full-cast approach significantly enhances the listening experience, immersing the audience in the suspenseful atmosphere. It's an ideal choice for commutes or relaxing evenings.

While some aspects of the writing and dialogue could benefit from further refinement, "The Business Trip" offers a fast-paced and entertaining read. Overall, it's a promising debut that showcases Garcia's talent for crafting suspenseful narratives.

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #macmillianaudio #netgalley #goodreads #thebusinesstrip #jessiegarcia

Hello wild ride. This was a gripping thriller that I didn’t want to put down. You follow Jasmine and Stephanie, both take a flight out of town. Jasmine to escape her controlling, abusive boyfriend and Stephanie for a work trip. It doesn’t take long for things to heat up and to have you start guessing what exactly happened. Even when you think you have it figured out, don’t be so sure.

Jessie Garcia’s debut novel is a triumph for thriller fans. I spent the first half of the book wondering what was happening and the second half wondering what would happen next.

The story is told from various perspectives so readers get to come along for the journey, developing empathy and rapport with the narrator. It’s even fun to hear the voice of some of the more self-assured nefarious characters!

You’ll join Jasmine as she’s sneaking out of her boyfriend’s house, escaping an abusive relationship, taking a plane to Denver, pretending to be on a business trip. Meanwhile Stephanie is taking the same plane on a business trip of her own. From there their lives entwine while their loved ones try to uncover the mystery with clues left behind. Readers will be in on it too but I could never guess what was going to happen next.

The audiobook features ten different narrators! What a treat for each chapter told from a different character’s perspective to be in a unique voice.

I gave it 4.5 stars because I found some of the writing and dialogue to be rudimentary but if you’re looking for a fast, easy, thrilling read, this is worth your time.

The beginning started strong for me. I received the audiobook from NetGalley prior to its release and was most excited because I love the company that narrated it. The story was a bit hard to follow as there were a lot of people involved. Overall I enjoyed the plot though! The writing style was enjoyable and entertaining.

Wonderful thriller debut!
I love thrillers like these, the kind that there truly is no "innocent" or "hero" just a bunch of flawed and unreliable people adding pieces of a puzzle. The more you wait around for answers, the more confused you get. But I have to say its those wonderful kinds of confused, you know as a reader you should be this way, it adds to this deep curiosity. I HAD to find out what was happening, so I kept reading and reading.

The narration is done very well too! All narrators were very skilled!

SPOILERS!!!!


This book just wasn’t for me. The premise sounded interesting—two women, Stephanie and Jasmine, don’t know each other but are linked by strange, erratic texts about the same man, Trent McCarthy, before they both disappear. It promised twists and layers, but honestly, I couldn’t connect with it at all.

The main character was completely unlikable—honestly, a psycho—and her decisions were baffling. Why go after some random person instead of her abuser? It made no sense to me and left the whole story feeling disconnected. Plus, the allusions to domestic violence didn’t add much depth; they felt more like a plot device than something meaningful.

And the ending? I was left thinking, what even was that? I know they were trying to provide closer but I just thought the whole deal was just a waste of time. Overall, I wasn’t a fan, and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re really into messy, chaotic thrillers.

Stephanie and Jasmine, seatmates on a flight, have nothing in common. Stephanie is on a business trip as a news director for a local television station whereas Jasmine had to paid cash from her waitressing tips for her ticket to flee an abusive relationship. The two women have entirely different backgrounds and likely wouldn’t have much to say to each other if they weren’t seated in the same row, yet both women go missing and their texts to family and friends are eerily similar. Both women claim some man named Trent hit on them and then suddenly became violent. Are the women in danger? Are they together? Who and where is Trent?

The Business Trip starts off slow, but like all thrillers the second half of the story picks up the pace. There are several points of view in this telling, and I found most of the characters hard to connect to and rather unlikeable truth be told. The kicker for me is the ending—though surprising, it was a little too far-fetched for me. Overall, this popcorn thriller is an easy and quick read if thrillers are your genre of choice, but too much is explained as it happens taking away from the suspense while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Helen Phifer for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Business Trip is out January 14th. All opinions are my own.