Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy of THE BUSINESS TRIP by Jessie Garcia!

THE BUSINESS TRIP begins with two very different women. Jasmine is a young woman in a difficult relationship. As the book opens, she is sneaking out of her house and away from her abusive partner. Stephanie is a young woman with few connections in the world. Her job takes advantage of this and she's the one elected to go on yet another business trip. Both women wind up on the same plane in the same row in a coincidence that will change both of their lives. With both women suddenly MIA for the people in their life, people back home start getting strange text messages which open more and more questions.

This book had a really interesting structure. We get a lot of setup at the very beginning, following the POV of both women involved. From there the POVs open up much more as those back home start to realize something feels wrong. The story jumps back and forth in time for its reveals.

There were moments where I felt like the need to suspend disbelief got to be a little bit much, but I still was having a good time with it. The story did manage to bring some good surprise twists along the way as well!

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

The Business Trip is a gripping psychological thriller, and listening to it as an audiobook added another layer of intrigue. The story follows Stephanie, traveling for work, and Jasmine, escaping an abusive relationship. The two women don’t know each other but become connected in a chilling way—both sending identical, erratic texts about the same man, Trent McCarthy, before vanishing without a trace. What unfolds is a suspenseful, twist-filled descent into manipulation and mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.

The narrators were fantastic and really brought the story to life. Each voice fit the characters perfectly, and their performances heightened the suspense and fed the tension as the twists and turns unfolded. Hearing the story from both Stephanie’s and Jasmine’s perspectives made their experiences feel even more real and immersive. The audiobook format truly amplified the emotional intensity and sense of dread.

While the narrators kept me engaged, the story itself felt repetitive in places. Some sections rehashed earlier moments, which occasionally broke the flow. That said, the strong narration helped smooth over those bumps and kept me hooked until the final twist.

Overall, the audiobook of The Business Trip is an exciting listen, thanks to its intriguing concept and talented narrators. If you’re a fan of thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, this one’s worth adding to your playlist!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio!

The Business Trip is a domestic abuse thriller. Jasemine a victim of domestic abuse victim, decides to flee her life and start a new one. Stephanie a news reporter goes to Atlanta for a news conference. These two women meet by chance when they are seated next to each other on their flight. the two hit it off, and Stephanie becomes a big influential part of Jasemine starting over.

This book has a good enough plot, but I was not crazy about the writing style. At times I had to reread sections to understand what was happening. I didn't know if Stephanie was Jasemine or Jasemine was Stephanie or if Stephanie was the sister of Jasemine or if Jasemin was the sister of Stephanie. Then there were a range of characters popping in and out of the story. Most of the characters were pretty flat, and I thought the story could have been told without some of them. However, when I got further into the story, things began to make sense. I begin to see how all the pieces to the puzzle fit, and as the story unfolded, I was there for it. I wanted to see what would happen next. This was quite a crazy ride. I mean some of the things these people were doing, was incredulous to believe that they believed it would pass. There were twists and turns, even down to the last chapter. It was quite crazy! I enjoyed the ride, and I did like the ending. The one issue I did have is that Jasemine doesn't quite seem
to be a pushover, yet she continues to take the abuse from her husband. To me, I think it would have simply been easier to off him. Why would she go through such an elaborated risky plan when she could just end the life of her abuser and get a payout from insurance on him. Really, why not make the one who deserves it pay for it. Also, I found it hard to believe that Stephanie, this organized, respectable, driven and reliable reporter would do the things she did. It doesn't seem like she would be that careless. Perhaps if we were given more of a back story of her being a bit careless and free, then maybe I could see it, but from what I do know about Stephanie, it seems off for her character. I did really like the character of Robert. He felt like an actual person whereas many of the characters felt like talking heads.

Overall, I enjoyed the read. Once the pieces started to connect is when I really got into this story. Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillian audio for this ARC for my honest review.

This was a great debut novel! With few complaints I recommend this to all audiences as there is a very interesting plot line here that spans long distances and time.
The final twist was a bit in my opinion, but I think it did tie in nicely with the rest of the story
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Macmillan audio for my copy of this audiobook.

The Business Trip is the debut novel from Jessie Garcia.

"Stephanie and Jasmine are on the same flight - sitting in the same row. They send friends cryptic text about the same man - Trent. But then they go silent. Where are they? Who is Trent? Has he done something to them?"

This is a full-cast audiobook. The story is told through the first-person POV of each character. There are dual timelines. The farther you move into the book, the more you realize just how jacked-up some of the characters are. Men are not treated well by Garcia. There are some terrible male characters here - a little stereotypical on being a dirtbag, but you probably know someone just like them.
When the reveals started, I couldn't believe what was going on - but again, jacked-up characters.
There's a crazy twist at the end that helped because it felt like Garcia was going to allow the ending to fizzle out, but she was just teasing us. I would have liked less man-bashing but luckily no BRads were harmed in the writing of this book.

Great performance from the audio cast, especially the Trent character. The narrator had to have fun with a character that much over-the-top.

Nice debut from Garcia.

"The Business Trip" is an exhilarating thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot was intense and captivating, making it nearly impossible to put down as I eagerly turned the pages.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, with the main characters driving the plot and secondary characters providing important context. Their contributions kept me engaged, and I found myself eager to see what would happen next.

However, the finale was disappointing and detracted from the suspense I had enjoyed throughout the book. I ended up reducing my rating by two stars because the ending felt overly complicated. Instead of a satisfying resolution, it introduced unnecessary complexities that lengthened the story without purpose.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel up until the Mexico section and wish it had ended there. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

💼Book Review💼
*
Summary- Stephanie and Jasmine have nothing and everything in common. The two women don’t know each other but 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—the messages becoming stranger and more erratic.

And then the two women vanish. The texts go silent, the red flags go up, and the panic sets in. When Stephanie and Jasmine are each declared missing and in danger, it begs the questions: Who is Trent McCarthy? What did he do to these women— or what did they do to him?

Twist upon twist, layer upon layer, where nothing is as it seems, The Business Trip takes you on a descent into the depths of a mastermind manipulator. But who is playing who?
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
*
My thoughts- thank you so much @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the advanced Audio arc, this one comes out on 1/14. Be sure to grab it where books are sold then, this was a super impressive debut. I loved the premise and how this was told, it was a full cast audio and expertly done. I enjoyed this one but the ending was kind of unbelievable. Overall a super solid enjoyable thriller with a crazy premise, I’m looking forward to reading any future books by her!
*
QOTD- what are you currently reading ? My current read is A Winter Wish
*

I LOVED this book. It had a great twist and kept me on the edge of my seat. Character development was strong and the story was easy to follow.
Will be looking for more from this author.

This book hooked me with its suspense and kept me guessing the entire time! Stephanie and Jasmine are two women with completely different lives—one on a business trip, the other fleeing an abusive relationship—but their stories collide in the most chilling way. The texts they send about the same man, Trent McCarthy, grow eerier until both women disappear. From that point on, the tension doesn't let up.

I’ll admit, the beginning felt a bit chaotic with the multiple timelines and characters. But once the pieces started coming together, I was completely engrossed. The lack of deep character development might bother some readers, but I actually think it worked. The story was so twisty and fast-paced that too much detail about the characters would have slowed it down.

What really stood out to me was how the book is told through different perspectives. I loved how you’re kept in the dark for much of the first half, trying to figure out how everyone connects, and then everything explodes in the second half with revelations I didn’t see coming.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was fantastic. Hearing the different narrators brought the characters and their experiences to life in a way that enhanced the story's intensity.

If you love thrillers that keep you guessing, this one’s worth your time!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

¤°´✿.｡.:* 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 *.:｡.✿`°¤

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣
𝗝𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗜𝗔
𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢

🌟🌟🌟🌟/ 5

O.M.G.! This is such a 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘇𝘇𝘇𝘇𝘆 psychological rollercoaster, and I completely loved it!
This is Jessie's debut novel, and in my opinion, she knocked it out of the park.

I listened to the audiobook, and it definitely raised the bar. It was beyond excellent with a 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 cast of narrators. Ten of them! One for each character, which elevated the whole story.
It was so damn entertaining that I cleaned my whole house from top to bottom just so I could keep listening

The chapters are well defined in the audiobook, so you're never guessing or rewinding. It's very easy to follow along and to know who is speaking.

The plot is fast-paced and clever. The twists are jaw-dropping and devious, and the characterization is on point. Unpredictable, unputdownable.
An impressive whodunit that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Pick this up on January 14, 2024

My sincere thanks to Netgally, Saint Martin's Press, and Jessie Garcia for my advanced copy. My review was voluntary.

A list of the narrators:
Andrew Eiden, Dylan Fitzpatrick, Fred Berman,
Gail Shalan, Hillary Hubur, Jennifer Pickens, John Pirhalla, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Kirby Heyborne, Tim Cambell.


Instagram post :
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDJIdaBOnFr/?igsh=MTF0eW41cTd6emg5bA==

I 'read' The Business Trip in the form of audio. I thought the narration was well done. I did have trouble sometimes when the characters changed, telling who was speaking. Overall though it's well written.

The storyline was intriguing. I didn't see the ending coming, and that's exactly what I like from the genre. Looking forward to more from the author, Jessie Garcia.

"The Business Trip" is a popcorn thriller that you will not want to put down and will keep you up late at night turning the pages. The first chapter alone had my heart absolutely racing. I was hooked and did not want to stop reading. From there, the POVs changed often, with new characters being introduced and new information being revealed. I typically don't like when there are too many characters, but each character added something important to the story. I think a couple could have been eliminated or maybe even combined, but overall I didn't find it too confusing with so many characters. There were definitely a lot of twists and turns that I did not see coming. The ending was a true jaw-dropper, and if you are able to suspend disbelief, then you'll really enjoy it. I did think the epilogue was a bit unnecessary and would have preferred that it end with the final chapter. Overall a pulse-pounding, unputdownable thriller, and an impressive debut from Jessie Garcia.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by a full cast. As I mentioned, there were a lot of characters, and when the list of narrators was read at the beginning, I was very nervous that it would be extremely confusing. However, they had distinct voices, and I was able to tell them apart easily. If I paused in the middle of a chapter and came back later, I could tell exactly whose POV I was listening to without even looking at the chapter titles. The narrators were all very good and perfect for their roles, and I thought the pacing was excellent. The audio really enhanced my reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested The Business trip because I love a twisted story with some Wisconsin references, especially when it seems to have relevant themes and a wronged woman trope.

Jasmine is looking to escape her abusive boyfriend and rough past to start fresh, ideally in a small beach town in Mexico. Stephanie is heading to San Diego for a work conference. After they board the same flight, their friends get texts saying they each met a dreamy man named Trent so they're extending their trips. Then they both turn up missing. Is Trent to blame, or is something more twisted going on?

This may be a good fit if you are interested in:
- strangers on a train inspired plots
- dark, cynical, and bold main characters
- suspending belief in your thrillers

This book was wild! The structure of the timelines and perspectives was clever and kept me guessing. It was refreshing to read about the experiences of co-workers, friends, and strangers as the story plays out.

Jasmine had me on a roller coaster. At times I would roll my eyes at her petty thoughts, but then she'd take a dark turn that had me raising my eyebrows. I wasn't necessarily rooting for her, but I was always curious as to what she'd do next. Sometimes the dynamic of dark moments and over-the-top reveals (which could be borderline silly to me) was a bit jarring. It was an interesting mix of bleak and popcorn thriller.

The audio production was great with the full cast. With so many perspectives, not having a full cast would have been a disservice to the story IMO. And Hillary Huber is one of my favorite narrators, so I'm glad she was included! It's interesting to think about listening to a book vs reading a physical copy because I think the writing can't hide when it's read out loud. Some of it felt a little clunky to me.

Overall this was a quick, twisty audiobook with some fun references for a Wisconsin gal.

Rating: I liked it! (3)

I went into The Business Trip, by Jessie Garcia, totally blind—which is not always the case. I had read the blurb a few weeks prior, and when I downloaded the audiobook, I was doing some things around the house and didn't feel like rereading the blurb, reviews, etc. And I'm so glad I didn't! The audiobook was fantastic, with specific narrators for each character (10 in total, and they were all pitch perfect!). If the large number of POVs sounds confusing—it wasn't. It really made the audiobook feel so much more compelling and suspenseful. And I loved how I believed the protagonist to be one thing and I was completely surprised when she turned out to be the exact opposite. But the transition wasn't one of those: Whoa, where did that come from??? Garcia had dropped plenty of hints, but they were so subtle I didn't put them together until she revealed the truth. Such a satisfying twist! And that wasn't the only one, either. There were several twists throughout, including the one at the very end, which was absolutely shocking in the best way possible. I think this is Garcia's debut, though I honestly can't believe it. She is a new fave author for me. Highly recommend!!!

I can't believe this was a debut thriller! Totally blew my expectations out of the water. This hasn't been a great thriller year, and this just got me excited for what's to come in 2025. The audiobook is excellent, there's a unique narrator for the whole collection of characters. Such a fun, fast paced read, that will have you on the edge of your seats.

Stephanie and Jasmyne sit in the same row on a plane, both coming from different backgrounds and traveling for very different reasons. Stephanie is traveling for a work conference and Jasmyne is traveling to escape her abusive boyfriend. Then both seem to go missing.

There's a big cast of characters, but I didn't get confused at all. They all overlap into each others chapters and have unique voices so you got to know each one pretty well. The novel is broken up into 4 parts and each part has a different set of characters that rotate being the main POV. It really was a unique thriller the way that it was told and built up maximum suspense. I was hooked from the very beginning and stayed totally invested until the end. The only slowish part was part 3 or 4 when it was primarily a specific person's POV, because you didn't get too many unique details and you knew what happened already, so it was a smidge repetitive and a little drug out, but that's okay, that's being nit picky. I think I was just anxious to get on with the story to see what happens next lol.

The audiobook was a huge hit and I feel like really made the story come to life! I recommend experiencing the story this way. If the author writes another thriller, I will be sure to read it. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

THE BUSINESS TRIP
Jessie Garcia

Sometimes the grass looks greener on the other side. Sometimes your life is the last one you want to be living. And taking a chance is your last resort.

Jasmine no longer wants to be in her shoes.

She’s in an abusive relationship and she is at the end of her rope. Glen, her partner has gone from being a nice guy to being someone she’s afraid of, someone she despises. She’s been planning to leave for months. Tucking away part of her tip money. Ones and fives, nothing bigger than a ten. It’s taken a while, but with the help of friends, she finally has enough to leave, and never come back. She will leave this weekend, God willing.

Stephanie is at the end of her rope as well.

But for very different reasons. She finds her life to be mediocre and barely worth living. She struggles to find the inspiration to get out of bed every morning to go to her uninspiring job. She is divorced, and her son hardly answers her calls and takes her for granted. She’s unsure which is worse. She’s headed on another business trip this weekend. She has been sent on far too many recently and the hotel life is not for her.

They end up on the same plane sitting next to each other. Days later they each send a text to their friends saying they met a man, a man named Trent. As more days go by, their texts and descriptions of Trent become alarming and confusing.

Who is Trent?

When each of the women end up missing, Trent becomes the first one people want to talk to. How does he know each of the women, and what does he have to do with their disappearances?

OK. How do I say this without giving anything away?

You could call THE BUSINESS TRIP unbelievable, and I would agree. You could call it basic, and I’d nod my head in affirmation. You could call it a horrible way to waste an afternoon and I wouldn’t argue.

To keep it simple THE BUSINESS TRIP is too similar to what is already on the market. And the only things that make it different are also what makes it ridiculous.

I’m not asking for a lot when I sit down to read a thriller. I am asking to be entertained. I am asking for the story to make sense, and when I’m feeling needy, I ask for the twist to be twisty, the characters to be dark, and the storyline to be unique.

Sometimes even when you have all of that, it can still go very, very wrong. That was the case with THE BUSINESS TRIP.

I’m sorry this one didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies!

THE BUSINESS TRIP…⭐️⭐️

This is one of those where you really dislike the main character. You would think because the main character is in an abusive relationship you would be sympathetic towards her, but it is hard to feel bad for a sociopath. This did not go where I thought it would, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

Wow! This book was crazy!
You have a woman who leaves her abusive boyfriend and a woman who is having a midlife crisis, but also has to go on a business trip to a news reporter convention.

The story is told from multiple points of view. I’m forgetting who the male chauvinist of a newscaster was, but the narrator who voiced him was superb. I definitely wanted to give him a slap or two.

If you like Freida McFadden, this is a similar style to hers, with crazy twists and turns.

All of the narrators did an excellent job and I’m looking forward to future audiobooks from this author.

Definitely pick this one up and give it a read!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

THE BUSINESS TRIP is a book you're not going to want to put down. When I finished the first chapter, I knew right away I was going to like this one. The chapters alternate between Jasmine and Stephanie and each of their POV's. I found both of them to be very interesting characters. Maybe Jasmine’s character even a bit more since we learn a great deal more about her and her past. There are a lot of surprises, with some more shocking and more believable than others. I absolutely enjoyed being able to listen to this audiobook. It was very well done and I can recommend it!

Many thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for my gifted copy.

This book will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

When Jasmine has had her fill of domestic abuse from her violent controlling partner, Glenn, she begins squirreling away enough money to run for her life. She gets to the airport and is seated on a plane in the same row as Stephanie, a successful business woman and news director. Stephanie is divorced, estranged from her grown son and lives with her cat who is being watched by her neighbor, Robert. Although they look enough alike that another passenger asks if they are related, the two women seem to be polar opposites.

Told through various POVs, the story quickly becomes a fast paced thriller in which both women go missing. Each has texted a friend that she has met a man named Trent McCarthy who is described as a love interest by both Jasmine and Stephanie. But who is he really ? What does he want? And who exactly are these women? Did they truly just meet in the plane ?

In a very well constructed twisty plot things get mysterious, suspenseful and very bloody. But why? I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong About three quarters into the story it changed direction. It became a bit too much like show and tell, focusing on just one character’s thoughts but even then things took a turn.

I listened to the audio version on a long car trip and never tired of the plot. There were three readers who did a great job. Each character was well developed and most were not likable, a fact that didn’t impact my enjoying the book. This was a debut by Jessie Garcia , whose books I will look for in the future. Four twinkling stars for a read that may require you to suspend reality a bit but is sure to keep you guessing. Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan audio for providing me with this audio book in return for my honest review. It will become available on January 14, 2025. Go get it !