This is a tough book for me to review.

I was totally enraptured with the first 45% of The Business Trip, I was given an advanced audiobook, it made a 3 hour drive very pleasant. There were many points of view in that time with each chapter heading making me aware of who was telling their side of the story. It worked even if they were fair number of them but it's always great to see a story from different angles.

Right away I liked Jasmine, I felt for her and cheered her on as she escaped an abusive relationship. For Stephanie, she is in the opposite situation in that she is single but questioning things going on in her life. When these two women vanish the red herrings start popping up. It was intriguing trying to figure out what was going on, the shorter chapters worked well.

Then I started to question things as the twists started happening, overtime I had to suspend my belief a fair number of times. The ending was out there and I’m not sure what to make of it. It was unexpected that’s for sure.

All in all I was genuinely curious as to what was going on but the execution in the last half just felt off

You can find The Business Trip on shelves early 2025.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advanced copies in exchange for a honest review.

The Business Trip

I really don’t even have words to describe the emotional roller coaster from this book following Stephanie and Jasmine. I thought I knew what was going on until I hit about 60 percent of the book. After that I was shocked and wondered what else could happen in the last 40 percent. Well apparently, a lot can happen. The twist at the end took me totally by surprise. I would have given this book 5 stars if I didn’t dislike Jasmine so much. The author did a great job at writing her as a dislikeable character. I enjoyed how the book intertwines everything and revealed each part piece by piece. I went in thinking one thing and left thinking another. If you are looking for a wild ride this book is for you. I really liked the narrators and the cover.

Thank you, Net Galley, the author, and the publisher, for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free audiobook copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Stephanie is on a business trip to a convention and Jasmine is fleeing her abusive boyfriend, and once they board their flight, their lives are changed forever.

This is an incredibly engaging debut novel. Plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing and interested right up until the (slightly disappointing) finale. Seriously, this was a really great read! I look forward to reading Jessie Garcia's future novels!

The Business Trip is told through multiple POVs and in a way that has the reader wondering what is going on and how is everything going to come together. This audiobook is a full cast and it really adds to the story. I thought the beginning half or so was really intriguing and I was invested in seeing how it all played out. I thought the overall idea and twists were great, but the execution of some of the reveal felt anticlimactic for me. It was the telling rather than showing that kind of brought me out of it. Overall, the narration was very well done and I would recommend the audiobook.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the copy through NetGalley!

4⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Setting ~ mostly Georgia, some Wisconsin, some California, some Mexico
Publication date ~ January 14, 2024
Publisher ~ Nacmillan Audio
Est Page Count ~ 352 (44 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 7 minutes
Narrators ~ listed below so it doesn't take too much space up here
POV ~ multiple 1st
Featuring ~ debut fiction, 4 parts, multiple timelines, domestic abuse, murder

This is one that I don't really want to say too much. The plot is fascinatingly clever and well thought out.

Our main characters are Stephanie & Jasmine . We, also, hear from Stephanie's coworkers, Jasmine's boyfriend and friends, and a man named, Trent, which help move the story along to it's shocking conclusion.

Overall, this was a really solid and impressive debut. There was some repetitiveness and I didn't care for the epilogue, but it was fast paced and I was engaged entirely. You'll want to add this one to your TBR for sure.

Narration notes:
Holy guacamole ~ 10 narrators!! They all did a fabulous job.
Andrew Eiden, Dylan Fitzpatrick, Fred Berman, Gail Shalan, Hillary Huber, Jennifer Pickens, John Pirhalla, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Kirby Heyborne, Tim Campbell

Stephanie and Jasmine are two people with completely different lives but yet have so much in common. They are two complete strangers, who end up on the same plane. One going on a business trip, the other running from an abusive man. What's strange is, a few days following their flight they begin sending the same texts to their friends and family at home. All of these text pertaining to a dreamy Mr. Trent McCarthy. The real mystery begins when the texts stop completely with no warning and now Stephanie and Jasmine are both missing.

This is a little bit of a slow burn. It takes a little time to create a connection with the characters and determine where exactly this plot is heading.
What I really enjoyed was the fact that I had the ending all wrong. I thoroughly love a good book that can fool me! Lots of unexpected twists that kept me intrigued and helped me finish this story in a single day. Always expect the unexpected, and that is the truth with this book. Overall, the story and the conclusion were satisfying to me.

There are what feels like a lot of characters to keep track of. This is written in a multi-perspective format which at times made it difficult to keep up with who was talking. The timeline also moves back and forth some that can make it confusing for some.
I did listen to the audiobook and felt like the different narrators helped keep me on track of who was talking when. All of the necessary emotions were expressed in the delivery of these narrations and I really enjoyed that.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, Jessie Garcia, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There is a lot of (too much) exposition in this novel. The characters and their backstories are described in great detail rather than shown via their actions. While we are meant to assume this is a story about women who switch identities to get some distance from their current situations, it’s more nefarious. The story is Ok as we follow Jen running from her abusive boyfriend and planning to disappear when she literally changes her plans mid-flight. We are privy to her thoughts and actions from her perspective. At the end of the story, there is another long stretch of exposition wherein the author must describe what happened to the main characters and why (because it was not clear from their actions). It was just OK. I expect the author can do a better job with her next book.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook for review purposes.

Jasmine is trapped in an abusive relationship, but determined to escape. Stephanie is a News Director on her way to an important conference, but so tired of the travel for her job. These two women happen to meet on a flight. From that point the first half of the book was so hard to put down as I was trying hard to figure out what was going on. Then in the second half things to start to unravel as the author backs up to explain things. But the twists and turns in the entire book kept me glued to the story! Well-written, fast-paced, and a bit heart-pounding!

Great narration, multiple narrators.

My thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this e-book and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of the audio book.

The Business trip is a thriller that focuses on Jasmine, who is escaping an abusive relationship and Stephanie who is going to a conference business trip in San Diego. They are on the same initial flight, they text the people in their lives that they’ve met a man and are staying with him. The texts become hectic and their loved ones are starting to worry and question who the Trent guy is. The book is very dynamic as listen to Stephanie and Jasmine, as well as the people in their life tell the story of what happened during and after this trip.

The plot is initially going somewhere and right when you think you have it figured out, PLOT TWIST. If you are a Freida McFadden fan, this book is a must. I enjoyed having multiple POVs and putting together the pieces of the puzzle, even if it lead me a different route.

I enjoyed the writing style and the plot in general. It was twisty enough to keep me intrigued but not overly confused.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book.

I waffled between 3 and 4 on this one: it started super strong and then spiraled/petered around towards the end, but still a good time.

Premise - Stephanie and Jasmine appear to be two very different women, without much in common other than a shared flight. But then they text their friends the exact same increasingly odd messages about the exact same man… and then they disappear. Who is Trent McCarthy and what did he do to the women - or them to him?

I really liked that this let you get into the mind of a psychopath, but I guess I wanted to start liking said psychopath at some point, or even starting to see their point of view (a la Walter White in Breaking Bad) so that it’d be super jarring to remind myself that the person is evil. I didn’t quite get that here and the ending twist felt unearned (a bit like Garcia was told she needed another twist so just tacked one on) so ultimately it’s a 3 star rather than a 4 star for me, but I had a good time!

I listened to the audiobook version, which is an absolute treat - when they say it’s a full cast read it’s a full cast read! The talented Andrew Eiden, Dylan Fitzpatrick, Fred Berman, Gail Shalan, Hillary Huber, Jennifer Pickens, John Pirhalla, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Kirby Heyborne, and Tim Campbell come together to bring Garcia’s debut to life. It’s delightful and I highly recommend indulging in a listen!

Thanks, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Business Trip
Jessica Garcia
Pub: 1/14/25
4☆

A gripping and twisty thriller that instantly draws you in and will keep you entertained throughout. That one final twist on a twist might need you to suspend reality just a tad but all in all this was a solid debut and I’m looking forward to more from Garcia.

I would definitely recommend giving this one a listen. The full cast narration of Andrew Eiden, Dylan Fitzpatrick, Fred Berman, Fail Shalan, Hillary Huber, Jennifer Pickens, John Pirhalla, Kimberly M, Wetherell, Kirby Heyborne, and Tim Campbell was so well done.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copies.

The Business Trip was a fascinating read with some jaw dropping twists and turns.

Stephanie and Jasmine meet on a plane, Stephanie on her way to a business trip and Jasmine running away from her life and abusive boyfriend. A few days later, both women text their friends eerily similar texts about the same man. As things go askew, their friends and family have to figure out what has happened.

Told from multiple points of view, this thriller unfolds in a way that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. This was particularly well done in the audiobook with use of 10 different narrators.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me access to this ALC!
The Business Trip will be published on Jan 14, Stephanie and Jasmine, strangers on the same flight, disappear days after sending unsettling texts about the same man, Trent McCarthy. As red flags rise and panic spreads, questions emerge: what happened to them, and who is Trent? The story unfolds with twists, revealing a web of manipulation and deceit. In this book, nothing is as it seems, and everyone might be playing a dangerous game!
🎧 Narration: WOW—10 narrators! 🤯 This was my first time listening to an audiobook with that many voices, and it was incredible! 🎭 Each narrator brought so much depth, making this twisty thriller even more immersive. Highly recommend for your next listen!

I really wanted to enjoy this based on the blurb, but it didn't work for me and here’s why:

The first half was enjoyable and had me engaged from the outset. I was invested in the main characters and always enjoy a good story told in multi POV.

About shy of halfway, a preachy shot was fired (figuratively). It caught me off guard as it’s not something you expect to hear in a fictional thriller.

In the last half of the story the final monologue is delivered, alternate preachy shots are fired, and the sermon begins. If this were intended as a satirical novel, the preaching might fit. I found the blatant caricature stereotyping well over the top, distracting from the story and it made it difficult to get to the end. The have/have-not battle was seriously overdone.

There was a lot of telling rather than showing in the last part of the book and it sounded like working through a list to make sure all points were covered. On top of that, the final twist was incredibly out there.

As far as the audio experience-I enjoyed 99% of that (at 1.75x). As a rule, I don’t pay attention to who is narrating but there’s one name I will now remember. One of the male character’s voices is so distinct it reminded me instantly of another book I listened to, and did not enjoy. Regardless, my previous comments stand, no matter who narrated.

Who can enjoy this? People who like insane twists just for the sake of the twist, even if it’s nonsensical.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Jessie Garcia for the opportunity to hear an advance listening copy.
#TheBusinessTrip #NetGalley

Business Trip is a brilliantly crafted thriller that blends intrigue, suspense, and psychological depth in a way that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. It’s a perfect read for fans of complex, morally gray characters, shocking plot twists, and an ending that will make you reconsider everything you thought you knew. This book apart is its intricate web of lies and betrayals, reminiscent of Gone Girl's unreliable narrators and How to Get Away with Murder's web of legal and moral ambiguity. Just when you think you’ve figured out where the story is headed, the author pulls you in a completely unexpected direction, crafting twists that are as brilliant as they are jaw-dropping. Highly recommended!

Macmillan Audio ALC This was a solid thriller debut. I first went in thinking I knew where the story was going, but I was so glad the author surprised me multiple times. Her plotting was impeccable. She created so many characters; some of whom were likable and easy to root for, while others were awful and easy to root against.I really, really like audio production of this book because each character has their own narrator. This made it easy to keep everybody straight and to really get to know all of them. It added another layer of suspense in the novel. I will be looking forward to what she writes next.

What a good story with some surprising twists. I thought I knew where the story was going but I was not expecting the twist at the end. This was a great thriller/mystery!

I also really enjoyed the full cast of narrators, while listening to the audiobook.

I listened to the audiobook and loved the whole cast of narrators! The twists were surprising and nonstop! Very quick and easy read, highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Jessie Garcia's twisty thriller, The Business Trip. Holy plot twists.... it would be impossible to predict the ending of this jaw-dropping debut.

Jasmine is in an abusive relationship and will do whatever it takes to escape, hiding her tip money from the bar and heading to the airport in the middle of the night. Stephanie is on her way to yet another dreaded business trip. The two cross paths on the flight and the trajectory of their lives changes forever. When Stephanie meets a questionable guy named Trent at her conference and spontaneously agrees to spend a week with him, her friends and co-workers become increasingly concerned by her cryptic messages. And where has Jasmine gone to hide from Glenn?

The audio of this impressive roller coaster ride definitely adds to its compulsive readability and makes it impossible not to devour it in one sitting!

Jasmine lives in a trailer with her abusive boyfriend and plans on leaving him ASAP. Stephanie is a newsroom director and goes on a business trip. Both women meet on a flight. Both women text their friends that they have met an amazing guy, and then their texts stop. What happened to Jasmine and Stephanie?

The book is divided into several different chapters and parts. Each part is told from the point-of-view of a different person. I really liked the way you didn't know what was going on for the first half of the book and how all the people connected to each other. Then, in the second half of the book you finally find out what is going on and it gets even more intriguing. I enjoyed all the different narrators throughout the story. I highly recommend this one to anyone that enjoys thrillers! I give it 4/5 stars.