This was an enjoyable thriller, a debut novel from a new author.

Stephanie and Jasmine meet on a plane, Stephanie on a business trip and Jasmine escaping from an abusive relationship. A few days after the trip their friends start receiving the exact text messages from each of them, mentioning a man called Trent McCarthy. These messages don't seem right, and as the friends get concerned, both women vanish. What happened to them, and how is Trent involved?

The story is told from multiple point of view, from Stephanie and Jasmine themselves, their friends, Trent and even text messages. The first half of the book is a slow burn, but after the half way mark, every thing changes. I didn't see the major twist coming, and I found the twists and turns, while a little unbelievable, made for an exciting read. We almost repeat most of the first half of the book again, seeing things very differently the second time through. This actually worked well.

I wasn't big fan of most of the main characters, but the plot was interesting.

This was a very interesting thriller, full of twists and turns, some that I didn't see coming. After a slow start the action really picked up and I was intrigued to see how the two characters and storylines came together and everything was related. A satisfying thriller.

While I found the premise for this very interesting, in the end, the whole thing fell a bit flat for me. I was hopeful in the beginning when we first met Stephanie and Jasmine, but the more I read the more implausible I found everything that was happening. I also didn't like any of the characters and thought it would have been better to follow just a few. We end up with like 5 or more POV's and most of them don't add anything to the story.
I do think this was a fast read, and if you don't mind some over-the-top motivations, actions, and multiple POVs this might be for you.

HE BUSINESS TRIP was unfortunately not for me. I found that there were a lot of problems in terms of the actual story itself, the characters, and the narrative style. While I appreciated what the author was trying to do here, which felt like a multilayered Gone Girl, I think it was unsuccessful in that attempt and created a more confusing, less interesting version.

On a positive note, I do think the author has potential and the idea was really interesting and solid. That was the whole reason I picked up the book. And part one of the novel held my interest. The book had short chapters and alternated between the two characters, which was interesting because they were so different and unique. I had high hopes for the rest of the novel.

But then it fell apart. Once you hit part two of the novel, the main characters aren't in there anymore. The author flips between WAY too many characters and POV, which means none of them are fleshed out or unique in their own way. This then impacts the character development and the plot of the novel because the author has to do way more telling than showing with a superficial narrative. And that narrative felt superficial at times. It truly felt like I was reading underdeveloped dialogue due to those crucial missing pieces in development and story. And that character development and narrative is everything in a thriller because, as an audience, we want to understand why a character would do this, their motivations, their ideas. And when we finally get this, in part four, it felt like a knock off of Gone Girl because this was not done as successfully due to that lack of storytelling and character development.

Overall, this book was not for me. It had a lot of potential, but fell short due to the characters, plot, and narrative style. This is personally not something I would read. However, if you like short chapters, multiple POVs, and an interesting concept, this book might be for you.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book kept me on my toes. It’s about 2 women who couldn’t be more different in who they were before and in their current life and a man who got mixed up with them. This book had many twists and turns after you thought it was ending. Really enjoyed this one.

With a ratcheting pace and an utterly unguessable conclusion, The Business Trip was a quick, easy read from beginning to end. Told via multiple POVs with a round-robin-type style, I was pulled into the storyline right off the bat. And let me tell you, the twists were truly shocking if I do say so myself. So despite a slow burn first half that had me skimming here and there, I found myself racing through the pages hoping to learn what was going on behind the deftly woven veil. You see, this one had such a well-plotted chain of events that it had me marveling at Ms. Garcia’s shrewd, canny brain.

The further into the book that I got, however, the more and more the plot seemed to unravel. From the over-the-top feel to the thoroughly unlikeable characters, it was hard to truly believe in the story despite it being incredibly well-layered. Out of all of my irritations, however, the shallow supporting characters—all of whom seemed to get their own POV—and misleading synopsis easily topped my list for this psychological thriller. I mean, it was so far from believable that I didn’t just need to suspend all disbelief, I had to completely detach it from real, non-fictionalized life.

All in all, this book was a definite mixed bag for yours truly. Twisty and mostly unpredictable, I had—on the whole—a good time and even finished it in one sitting after only a handful of hours. So as long as you’re looking for a popcorn thriller versus the hinted at Hitchcockian shocker, this one will definitely be right up your alley. After all, it would be perfect for fans of Kiersten Modglin or Freida McFadden. Just be sure to temper your expectations as the synopsis was certainly far from what was actually revealed in this new debut novel. Rating of 3 stars.

Thank you to Jessie Garcia, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

I couldn't put this one down!

I ended up listening to the audiobook - what a page turner! This is told from multiple points of view and features a full cast of narrators. Loved all the twists and turns throughout. Highly recommend!

The Business Trip is going to be huge. It's the bingeable popcorn thriller that I feel like readers have been waiting for...a book you start reading and then literally cannot put down until you figure out what the heck is going on.

It's best to go into this one knowing as little as possible about the plot, so I'll only say this: Jasmine and Stephanie are very different women with very different lives, and they end up seated next to each other on a flight out of Wisconsin. Days later, they have both vanished. What happened to these two women, and why did their last texts mention a man named Trent McCarthy?

Jessie Garcia really swung for the fences with her debut. The plot of The Business Trip is so complex and layered, so full of twists and turns, that I'm astounded Garcia was able to keep it all straight in her own head, and to relay it all so clearly on the page. Even when you think you have things figured out...Trust me, you don't. There is definitely some suspension of disbelief required...like, a lot. But I was so entertained the entire time, the more outlandish aspects of the plot didn't really bother me all that much.

Because of the way the story is told (multiple narrators, all relaying their own versions of the same events) there is inevitably some repetition in the narrative that does slow the pace down a bit -- especially near the end. I could've done without the meticulous over-explanation of every little thing in the conclusion, and I thought the epilogue was completely unnecessary. But overall, I had a lot of fun with this book and I think most readers are really going to enjoy it. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the early reading opportunity. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Stephanie and Jasmine meet on a plane ride. Soon after texting friends the same strange messages about a stranger both women seem to disappear without a trace. After both women have been gone long enough to be declared missing by the authorities, the hunt is on. One important question is who is the mysterious man, Trent McCarthy and does he have something to do with the women being missing. But all is not what it seems and neither are the two missing women. Lies and more lies and many secrets; too many secrets.

Suspenseful, twisted: another reason not to fly?!😲

3.5-4🌟 stars
The story moves quickly and had a lot of twists and suspense. The plot did flow easily and kept my interest, the writing straightforward and action-oriented. The author created a good jigsaw puzzle of events, streams of suspect phone communication and plotting. But I found many of the main characters unsympathetic and the chain of events orchestrated by the main villain implausible.

I like to connect and sympathize with at least some of the characters and in this story it just did not happen. As written, Trent is decidedly absent of any redeeming qualities. Jasmine, her abusive boyfriend and Raven likewise. Dave, the station boss in Madison, Wisconsin where Stephanie is the news director, evinces old boy misogyny. And I did not feel the author provided enough to give me a connection with Stephanie, the key, badly-done-by character whose business trip leads to such a tragic end for one of the characters.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 12/28/24 with Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads and Bookbub.

Reading challenge category - 2024 Flourish and Blotts: Charms - Wingardium Leviosa: Includes flight

Jasmine is in an abusive relationship. She sets a plan in motion to leave her abusive boyfriend Glenn and fly to Colorado to start her life over. Stephanie is a news director who has a business trip to a news conference in San Diego, but has a layover in Colorado. Jasmine and Stephanie sit next to each other on the plane from Madison to Colorado. Their lives change forever.

The blurb on the book/site for this book does not do a great job - Trent McCarthy is just a minor player in this story and there isn't a lot of mystery wrapped up in the plotline he's in, so it's misleading.

Reading this book felt a lot like watching "Lost." It started out interesting and I was invested, but as you go along, you see that the writer didn't have the story mapped out from the beginning and seemingly made stuff up as they went along, which culminated in a ridiculous ending. <spoiler> Really, doppelganger? This trope is as played out as "OMG IT WAS THE EVIL TWIN!" Eww. </spoiler> It went downhill quickly and stayed there.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC ebook.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for approving me for this ARC in exchange for my honest and genuine review.

I enjoyed the multiple-POV throughout the story. It gave a unique approach, allowing the reader to view the details through each character's eyes. You also got to know the characters on a personal level. And while some were quite insufferable, they fit the story well.

I am familiar with thrillers, allowing me to pick up on where the story planned to take me. I was able to predict the ending due to specific information shared by one of the story's main characters. While I enjoy the author's writing style, I wanted more from the story—a little more action. I felt more invested in the story's first half because it gave the classic "who-done-it" layout. Unfortunately, the second half fell a little flat for me.

Overall, this was a good debut novel, and I'd be very interested in their future work!

3.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Business Trip in exchange for my honest review.

The Business Trip was an exciting book that will stick with me for a while. I liked that the story was told from multiple points of view. It made the characters much more personal knowing more about their relationships with friends and colleagues.

There are a few twists that I did not see coming and I absolutely did not expect the way the ending panned out! I was really happy with the way things were wrapped up, the entire story did not disappoint.

The only piece I want to add is a content warning regarding themes of domestic violence. Please proceed with caution as these themes are present throughout the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook and reader copy of The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia in exchange for an honest review. This book was full of surprises and twists and kept me guessing the whole book through. Who knew a simple business trip to San Diego could become so convoluted?

I liked this creepy thriller! Once that twist happened I had to double-check what I had read/listened to! Jasmine and Stephanie meet on a plane, they also look like they could be doppelgängers! Stephanie is going on a business trip to a conference and Jasmine is escaping a toxic relationship. However, soon both their friends/coworkers receive a text from the women about meeting a guy and following him back to Atlanta. At the same time, Jasmine's friend is a little annoyed with her for leaving her abusive relationship without giving her a heads-up that she was going. However, Stephanie's work starts trying to get ahold of her and her friend and cat sitter are getting suspicious they finally get ahold of the police and the guy is a dirtbag type of guy and he is arrested with evidence on him.
However, while this seems to be a hook, line, and sinker type of mystery this is just the beginning and nothing is as it seems! There is this SHOCKING twist that you'll be on the edge of your seat, unable to put the book down until you find out what happens! Guys this should definitely be on your TBR in January! I listened to the audiobook and read the ebook too! The audiobook was phenomenal! The narrator was incredible and her voice fit the storyline and was engaging to keep my attention!
I'm really grateful for the chance to read and listen to this book. It was a real treat, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns in the story!

Holy moly, this book had me guessing the whole way through! I thought I had it figured out, but Garcia threw so many curveballs, I was constantly wrong. The multiple POVs were a bit confusing at first, but I got the hang of it quickly.

If you're a dual reader/listener like me, the audiobook is a MUST. Each character has a unique voice actor, making it incredibly easy to follow who's who. Plus, it's just plain engaging to listen to!

Sure, some parts might be a tad far-fetched, but hey, that happens in a lot of good thrillers. This is Garcia's debut, and I'm seriously excited to see what she comes up with next!

Thank You to both MacMillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC and ALC via NetGalley. I voluntarily read and listened and gave an honest review.

The Business Trip is an extremely creative, gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Stephanie and Jasmine are both flying to Denver: Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship and Stephanie is on her way to San Diego for a business trip. A few days after the flight, friends and colleagues of the two women receive odd text messages from them referencing the same man - Trent McCarthy. When the women seemingly vanish and the text messages become even stranger, friends begin to panic. Who is this Trent McCarthy? How is he related to these two women who have nothing in common?

The Business Trip is told from multiple POVs. The chapters are short and fast-paced. The way the author weaves each chapter with the next and the various timelines is stunning. Clues are sprinkled throughout but the twists are still surprising. There are so many layers to this book. I can't believe this is the author's first book. I will absolutely be reading more by Jessie Garcia. Easy five stars! I will most certainly be recommending this book to anyone who loves to read. The Business Trip will most definitely be one of the top books of 2025.

I really enjoyed this book and loved all the different POVs. It was easy to follow and the pacing and writing were well done. Even though I didn’t see the big twist coming I still wanted a little more from the end of this book. Another twist or more suspense or a more exciting ending. I’ll still be recommending this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

I enjoyed The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia and am not alone! This novel is getting some fantastic reviews from book reviewers all over. The story centers on two very different women with one thing in common: a man named Trent McCarthy.

When the women go missing, the pieces must be put together to find out what happened, and you should go into the story not knowing more than that. I didn't know anything about the ebook before reading it and I had no expectations, I was long for the ride and enjoyed every second.

The Business Trip was well-written, intriguing, and gripping. I look forward to more books from Jessie Garcia.

Synopsis:

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?

I absolutely loved this story. Oh my. So many twists. A definite recommend.

Thank you st. Martins press and netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else