A unique debut with plenty of twists that keep you guessing until the very end. Can’t wait to see what Jessie Garcia comes up with next.

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia is a thriller that really surprised me.

I had a hard time with the first part of the book, but that's because there was so much backstory to learn. And it was told from so many perspectives. It was hard to focus in a way because Stephanie's coworkers didn't really seem like a huge part of the story.

But around the halfway point is when things really picked. Characters motivations were revealed and I was shocked by how the story was developing. I was really impressed by the plotting. Looking back on it, there were a lot of clues I missed.

This book took me by surprise in a great way! I truly didn't see a lot of it coming and the ending really threw me. If you're looking for a thriller that's different and a little bit out there, I would recommend The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia.

What a fantastic debut… super fast paced story of two strangers on a plane. Jasmine and Stephanie are two woman who interact on a plane ride, one woman is running from her past and one going on a business trip and then they both end up missing.. i loved this book for its fast paced thrill ride. Can’t wait to see what other thrilling stories Jessie Garcia comes up with next!

This is a DNF at 40%. I'm throwing in the towel on this one. So many points of view, too many characters, back and forth we continued to go.

I just didn't care about any of these characters and the book was so OTT that it annoyed me. After reading others reviews I decided to just not finish it. I kept putting the book down to read something else - a sure sign that I really didn't want to continue to read this novel.

I'm sure this has a fan base but it wasn't for me and I can't recommend it.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. Since I did not finish it I will not review it on publishing sites.

This was a good debut by Garcia. Although it wasn’t my favourite thriller I’ve read recently, I did read it pretty quickly and thought the overall plot was different. I would read another novel from this author.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

Fast paced and kept me guessing! I would definitely recommend this one. The audio format was wonderful as well.

This novel has plenty of twists and turns. It's a fun read and all of the characters are a hoot. I never saw the ending coming.

The Business Trip is the first time Jessie Garcia has written a thriller, and here's to many, many more I hope! Little unsuspecting me was making my way through the book not expecting it to have such a jaw dropping ending. The pacing is good throughout, but I have to admit I was liking it and not in love with it until the very end. I don’t think I actually liked a single character in this book, even the women, and there are a couple of particularly pompous men that I REALLY didn’t like. While the book is technically about Stephanie and Jasmine, there are quite a few viewpoints and lots going on to keep things interesting.

The Business Trip is another that I highly recommend the audiobook for, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a narrator for each viewpoint and all TEN did an amazing job. Pacing for all was on point, and I thought they fit their characters well. You most definitely have to suspend disbelief with this storyline, but I had no issues with that, and it was a nice escape from the daily grind of life. I also loved the focus on television in this book and you can tell that Garcia has the experience to draft a gripping book with that included!

Read this if you’re looking for a quick, easy read, love stories that go into the unbelievable, and are a fan of the good ole popcorn thriller.

Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WOW!! This was a super twisty, whiplashing of a read from debut Mystery/Thriller author Jessie Garcia! 4 Twisty Stars!!!

The story starts with two women. Jasmine, a young woman who works as a barmaid and is desperately trying to leave her abusive live-in (no good) boyfriend and escape the lowly life she is living. Stephanie, is a successful news director, who is divorced, a mom to a teenage son (who doesn't want to spend anytime with her,), and she is getting ready to go away to San Francisco for a week long news conference. These two very different women, from very different backgrounds end up sitting next to each other on the plane.

Soon after they both arrive at their destinations, the women begin texting their friends that they met this guy, yes, the SAME guy! Trevor McCarthy from Atlanta. And that's where I have to leave you hanging. But, I will tell you that what happens next is anything but what you would expect! Like most thriller readers, you will THINK you know exactly where this book is going (and you may even question whether or not you should keep going), but please, please, keep reading!! Because there is a WHAMMY of a twist that hits you like a truck and leaves your jaw on the floor, and the ending is very satisfying.

What happened before the flight, during the flight and after the flight? Who is Trevor? What did he do? Who should you believe? The author does a fantastic job of keeping you guessing the whole way!!

Run, grab this book ASAP!!!!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

This book was the epitome of popcorn thriller. Lots of POVs increased the mystery and made it fun to read. Once I started reading I absolutely could not stop! It’s a book that had you rooting for the bad guy, which by the end gave me a bit of an ick.

This was a quick read that I enjoyed. I wanted to know what happened. I discussed this with my #sqaf friends and it made for a great discussion. I wasn’t a fan of a few twists in the book so I think that brought down the rating for me a bit. Maybe a 3.5 rounded up. This was my first book by this author and Iook forward to more.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy. Opinions are my own. 3.5 rounded up.

I love a thriller that will keep me guessing till the very end. The Business Trip did just that. I binged this entire book in one sitting. I was hooked from the very beginning. The first two parts of this book had my heart literally racing trying to figure out what was going on. I will say the end got a bit too much like a tell all but I still really enjoyed the twist at the very end. I was not expecting that. If you love a thriller you can’t put down then definitely check this one out.
4/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Review of The Business Trip by Jesse Garcia

I had seen great reviews for this one so I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t meet my expectations. But fortunately, I was wrong and it definitely did. I absolutely loved the way this book was written. I loved the different point of view and timelines. The way the author unraveled the story was perfection. There were lots of good twists in this one and I absolutely loved it.

Quick synopsis:

Stephanie and Jasmine have nothing and everything in common. The two women don’t know each other but have boarded 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—soon, the messages become stranger and more erratic. And then the two women vanish. The texts go silent, red flags go up, and panic sets in.

When Stephanie and Jasmine are each declared missing and in danger, it begs the question: Who is Trent McCarthy? What did he do to these women—or what did they do to him?

Twist upon twist, layer upon layer, nothing is as it seems. The Business Trip takes you on a descent into the depths of a mastermind manipulator. But who is playing whom?

Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship when she is seated next to Stephanie on a flight to Denver. One of their seat mates makes a comment that they look and an idea starts brewing in Jasmine’s head. As the two women disappear, we follow their friends, family, and coworkers as they try to piece everything together. Overall, this book felt a little immature in its writing style. Jasmine’s character felt cobbled together quickly in the 4th part and a lot of it was extremely far fetched. It was a captivating story though and I did enjoy reading it.

Fast paced and I liked the multiple pov. I really didn't guess all the twists and turns. Recommended by Frieda and I think if you like hers, you will like this. I did find the Jasmine section a little repetitive after reading the story 2xs so could have cut some details down. The ending was unexpected!

This was a great book. I really enjoyed it. It was a fast read and kept me guessing the whole time. It was just released January 14, 2025, so if you haven't seen it, go find it!

Jasmine is a young woman who is in an abusive relationship with Glenn. She plans her escape and while en route on her escape, she meets Stephanie. Stephanie is on her way to a news director's conference.

We meet Jasmine, Glenn, Stephanie and Trent along the way and how they are interconnected. This one trip goes very wrong and causes a lot of chaos in several lives. Read for more to see how it ends up.

This is a five star for me. You should go read it...NOW!

#TheBusinessTrip #NetGalley

I loved the fast pace and the multiple POV’s. The book kept me guessing – it was suspenseful and made me wanting to keep reading. My major problem was the ending, it was a bit much, especially with one character in particular. Also, without giving anything a way, there was something about Jasimine that kept irking me once we found out her back story. After finishing it a few days ago, I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this one – some parts I loved and some parts I loved.

I love to try debuts and this had some buzz swirling so I gave it a shot. I'm sad to say that it wasn't for me. The setup was good - Stephanie, an overworked news director, and Jasmine, a woman running from an abusive relationship, meet on a plane and make a connection while talking about their lives. I won't spoil what transpires since it seems a lot of people like this book, but parts were suspenseful, parts were unbelievable, and 2 of the characters were completely unlikable. I both read and listened to this title and did like reading it more than listening, for the simple reason that I could flip back easier to catch up when I put it down for a couple days. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion. 2.5-3 stars

Overall, this story is intriguing. Stephanie and Jasmine happen to end up next to each other on a flight to Denver for two very different reasons. The mystery starts when they seemingly both end up missing and maybe dead, but how did that come about?

I’ve read books written in alternating first person POV, but this is written in multiple first person POV and I wasn’t a fan of that. Third person may have been a better option since knowing whose POV each chapter is about gives a huge hint about the end.

The story was well written and it kept me hooked. This was my first read by this author and I would definitely read more.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ok I will start off saying that the format of this story wasn’t for me, but I do know people that enjoy books like this so I will be recommending it to them.

I know the jumping around in the timeline with multiple POVs is common for thrillers to keep the tension and leaving the reading wanting more. I was pulled in at the beginning and then again with the first twist. However, the last quarter of the book felt rushed and some of it just seemed like it was thrown in. I would definitely read more books by this author. I would like to see how their work develops over time. This was a great debut.