What a great debut novel! Having multiple narrators was a brilliant move because a listener you kept wondering who you would hear from next. As the story moves along it makes you think about the assumptions we make of others' lives, the stories we share, and the secrets we keep. I accept the end though I can't say I loved it. It was an entertaining listen!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jasmine is sneaking out of her trailer one night. Her abusive boyfriend sleeping next to her. She doesn't dare make a sound. She has been saving every penny for this moment, she is going to jump on a plane and disappear. Stephanie is the head of a mid-sized tv new station and is being sent to a dreaded conference in San Diego. These two women's worlds collide when they fatefully meet on the same plane. Days later they both vanish. Their friends are still receiving texts from the women saying they are in Atlanta, but something doesn't seem right, and then the texts stop. Both women mention the man Trent McCarthy, but what does he have to do with them and where are they?

I loved the opening of this story, I hated the ending. The psychological thriller starts off with each woman's POV. We know they are living very different lives but what happened on that plane and where did they go afterwards. It was great. About halfway through side characters start to get introduced and the story becomes muddy with their points of view, but I was still engaged. More and more characters and POVs get added from friends of the women, their boss, boyfriend and the infamous Trent. Too much. The ending goes off the rails. I'm good with a dark twisty story and a surprise ending but this one just went too far for my liking. I would try another novel from Jessie Garcia but this one ended up being a miss for me.

The story is told by many povs so it was read by Andrew Eiden; Dylan Fitzpatrick; Fred Berman; Gail Shalan; Hillary Huber; Jennifer Pickens; John Pirhalla; Kimberly M. Wetherell; Kirby Heyborne; Tim Campbell. I appreciate everyone's efforts and have a hard time distinguishing who read who's part. It was a bit messy to listen to although it was more the story than any one performance.

I listened to the audio version of this book. I wasn’t a fan of narrator of Stephanie. I found the start of the book a bit boring. The end and the twist is what changed my mind about the book. I found some parts very far fetched. But I had heard so many good reviews. So this is a book you need to read for yourself.

Thank you @Stmartinspress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a solid debut that kept me guessing! I was invested in Stephanie and Jasmine’s stories. Their lives are totally unrelated but when they end up on the same flight and text their friends about the same man something is definitely up. When both women end up missing the real question is who is this mystery man and how are they all connected? I don’t want to give too much away but this was a great mystery!

I’m a huge fan of audiobooks—the way they bring stories to life, lifting them right off the pages and making them feel so real. And when you have an incredibly talented narrator (or in this case, a full cast of them!), it takes the experience to a whole new level! This audiobook was everything I love—each voice actor absolutely nailed their character, making the story even more immersive. It was the best kind of listening experience, the kind that pulls you in and doesn’t let go! With that said, this debut novel from Jessie Garcia was a solid four star read for me. I'm excited to see what she writes next.

Jasmine has spent years serving drinks and making small talk as a waitress at a local bar, but behind the easy smiles, she’s been planning her escape. At 44, she’s stuck in a suffocating relationship with Glen, a younger man who started out charming but turned possessive and controlling. Every day, she pockets a little extra cash, tucking it away like a secret lifeline. And then, finally, when the moment is right, she takes it—sneaking out in the dead of night, her heart pounding as she leaves behind the life that’s been holding her prisoner. Her destination? Denver, where she hopes for a fresh start, a new identity, and maybe even a chance to finally breathe.

Meanwhile, Stephanie is living a completely different kind of life—or so it seems. A successful news director, she’s built her career on discipline, precision, and a tireless work ethic. Divorced and with a grown son, her life is all about the newsroom, deadlines, and control. So when she heads out of town for a conference, no one thinks twice—until she starts texting her neighbor about a mysterious new man she’s met. Her messages grow more surprising: she’s skipping the conference altogether, heading to Atlanta with this guy. Her co-workers are floored when she casually announces via text that she’ll be out for the whole week. This is not the Stephanie they know—the woman who practically lives for her job, who would never just disappear like this. Something doesn’t add up.

Two women. Two disappearances. But are they running to something—or from something far more dangerous?

I really enjoyed having the opportunity to both read and listen to this book - I feel both bring their own unique style and I love experiencing both when possible!
This released January 14th meaning it's available now!

Thank you NetGalley, Jessie Garcia, and St.Martin's Press for gifting me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Although this started out a bit slow, the second half picked up and I was hooked. I really enjoyed the audiobook, especially since each character was voiced by a different narrator. I found it to be full of twists and turns and quite clever. The ending was not what I expected at all, and although I found it a bit far-fetched, I still enjoyed the ride. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

4.5 stars 🌟

I did NOT expect anything, but boy, did it deliver! I've been loving this trend of seemingly random books from Netgalley ending up as total bombshells. The Business Trip had SO many unexpected things going on that made it quite the (mostly) unpredictable ride. The multiple narrators in the beginning seemed like it could have been overwhelming, but as it tapered off, I realized how enjoyable it was to not know who I'd be hearing from next. It offered so many points of view to show a full picture. I actually pondered whether any of them would become the main characters and was totally surprised to find out who eventually took over the story. So many of them were unlikeable too, which made it quite an interesting turn of events.

I really enjoyed listening to this story and am always impressed when I don't see the twists coming. It was exciting and unexpected in the best ways. Especially for a debut! I will definitely look for more from this author in the future.

Shoutout to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jessie Garcia for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! This is a debut novel and I am still trying to wrap my head about that! I absolutely loved that this book had more of a psychological intrigue to it as it kept me flipping the pages and moved the book along at a fast pace! There are some twists that were so good, but you do need to suspend reality a bit for them! I do have to say that I found myself picking up the ebook a bit more than the audiobook. I thought the narrators did such a good job, but just due to the storyline and characters, I found myself getting more confused with the audiobook. Others may enjoy it a bit more though!

Overall, this was a wonderful debut and I am excited to see what else the author has in store for us!

Method of reading: Audiobook

I am torn on The Business Trip. On one hand, the structure and extensive cast reminds me of a tv show. On the other hand, the actual writing is lacking and very base level. No extensive vocabulary, generic stereotypical characters, and just overall dull writing. With Jessie Garcia being in the newscasting business, this actually makes a lot of sense. It makes one wonder if she was writing a tv script and pivoted to novel form when the publisher promised an extensive voice acting cast. The story was decent in the beginning, but once the story shifts to the Trent character it begins to roll downhill and crumble. The voice acting is great and as a presentation the audiobook is 4/5 but the actual book is a 2/5 which averages out to a 3/5.

Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.

I loved the start of The Business Trip, it hooked me right away with its gripping and twisty plot. However, as the story progressed, it started to lose its appeal, and the ending felt strange and disappointing. While the unexpected twists kept me guessing about what was going on, the resolution didn’t quite land for me. It had a strong beginning but ultimately fell flat. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

A plot twist delivery device rather than a fleshed-out narrative, The Business Trip's audiobook has a stacked list of 10 narrators, which seems extravagant considering this is a debut from an untested author—but after finishing the novel, I start to understand the publisher's strategy for such a lavish production; the actors really add the needed personality and emotion, because without their distinct voice and performance, on paper this is some of the most bland, bare-bone writing I've read in quite a while.

The Business Trip's plot only works because it centers around an implausible protagonist who shape-shifts at the author's convenience; the character's initial helpless desperation (she didn't even know how to use Uber) propelled the story, yet within the span of a week she suddenly became cunning and merciless, pulling off elaborate schemes requiring layers of planning. There are also tons of shortcuts throughout its narrative, from red herring characters simply disappeared after they serve the intended purpose, to overuse of stereotypes (gay character is flamboyant and loves musicals, and straight White male character is self-obsessed, cannot cook, and misogynistic).

The Business Trip is catered to readers who enjoy fast-food thrillers from the like of Freida McFadden, where unpredictability eclipses style, logic, and character. There's definitely some easy, immediate gratification to be had, seeing the ridiculousness unravels, but I also couldn't help but feel like I could've better spend my time elsewhere.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It started off strong and very intriguing. I loved the multiple POVs. I was excited for Jasmine to get a fresh start, away from her abuser.

I enjoyed the first half of the story more than the second half. It just became more unbelievable. Without spoilers, it also left me questioning the extremely far-fetched choices Jasmine made to escape an abusive relationship.

I give it 3.5 stars for the narration and suspenseful beginning.

This book had me hooked after the first 1/3 of the book! Once I thought I had the characters figured out and could predict what is coming next, there was another twist around the corner! Kept me reading and interested! Also loved how this author writes her books! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

For those interested in stolen identities and multi-layered stories this would be for you. But a hefty warning.

This story drags a bit in the first half but picks up slightly.

However - the twist/reveal at the end was pretty good. Overall, the payoff was not entirely worth the dragging of the beginning.

Also, I kinda hated Jasmine…like, a lot. She had this sorta victim complex (someone correct me if there’s a better name for it) in that she absolutely hates that there are people in better situations than her and feels justified in doing really not good things to these people just because they’re better off than her. That’s actually a horrible mindset to have.

I cannot confidently say that I would recommend this.

Jasmine has had enough. When she first met Glenn, he seemed nice. He took her on dates and made her feel special. But that was long ago. That was before he hit her and demanded she turn over her paychecks and kept her away from friends and family. And then he started hitting her. Jasmine saved up a little bit of money week after week for over a year in order to make her getaway. But it’s finally time. She is boarding a plane for Colorado and not looking back.

Stephanie is a news director in Madison, Wisconsin, heading for a work conference in San Diego, with a stop in Denver. She didn’t know anyone at the conference, and she was getting tired of being the person from the station who had to travel to all the work things. But as a divorced woman with a cat, Stephanie is the easy person to choose, and she always agrees. Her neighbor and friend Robert will be handling the cat sitting duties, and she will bring him back a kitschy gift. It’s what they do when she has to go on these trips.

These women had nothing in common but a flight, a row of seats where one sat by the window and the other by the aisle. They chatted briefly and went on their separate ways. But aside from a few texts where each woman talked about a new man they were seeing, no one heard from either woman until the police were called to the home of a man named Trent McCarthy and find DNA from both women in his possession.

Trent is a news director also, and he attended the same news conference Stephanie was heading to. They had been assigned the same table for the first day, sharing ideas on running their respective newsrooms. After the conference, he had gone back to Atlanta to return to his life, and everything seemed normal until the day the police came knocking on his door, after a 911 call directed them to his place, a woman begging for help on the line.

As the police and Stephanie’s fellow news reporters started to dig into her disappearance, they found a number of things that didn’t add up. Her texts had been sparse and terse. Stephanie hadn’t answered her phone for anyone, just sent texts and voice memos and posted on social media. What exactly happened to these women between their flight to Denver and Trent McCarthy’s arrest?

The Business Trip is the debut thriller from Jessie Garcia, and it’s filled with questions and twists that suck you into the story and keep the pages turning until the end. Told in multiple perspectives, this story offers up breadcrumbs of truth, letting readers make their own guesses about what is really happening and finally resolving it (for the record, I guessed wrong). But seeing all the puzzle pieces fall into place is such a fun journey that I genuinely enjoyed this trip.

I listened to The Business Trip on audio, which has ten different narrators. It was easy to know whose perspective we were getting, as each character truly had a distinctive voice. The voice actors are Andrew Eiden; Dylan Fitzpatrick; Fred Berman; Gail Shalan; Hillary Huber; Jennifer Pickens; John Pirhalla; Kimberly M. Wetherell; Kirby Heyborne; and Tim Campbell, and they definitely bring all these characters to life through this narration. I thought the audio book was masterfully done, and I think it’s a great way to experience this thriller.

Egalleys for The Business Trip were provided by St. Martin’s Press and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Wow what a mind trap this book is! A totally bingeable page turner told in multiple points of view and just when you think you finally get a grasp of what’s happening bam you are flabbergasted caught off guard by a twist you don’t see coming.

Loved the narrators for this read and the premise of the story. It was fast paced and Garcia did a great job in making a few of her characters extremely unlikeable. I think I was hoping for a different ending as it was a little too predictable. I thought the beginning and the middle of the story were very well written and but the ending was a little too formulaic and predictable which made the ending not so great and a little lazy and rushed.

DNF @ 14%

The silliest reason to DNF a book but having lived in Madison, WI for 3+ years, the descriptions were wildly inaccurate and kept taking me out of the story. Will work for 99% of readers, because it was very engaging otherwise.

✈️ The Business Trip - Jessie Garcia

3.75 ⭐️- This was addictively good! What a fun, twisty psychological thriller debut. I was hooked from the very beginning!

I was addicted to this audio! It’s a full cast so I definitely recommend it. The thrill and mystery started from the very beginning with unlikeable characters, that I enjoyed not liking, twists and turns and multiple skeptical POVs. This was fast paced and easy to binge. There were a couple of storylines I felt were unfinished and I wanted more, but I did enjoy the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin Press for the early ARC and audio. This one’s out now!

Unfortunately not a fan! Way too many POV to keep track of and not a single likable character. My biggest issue was the unrealistic plot twist.