Thankfully none of my business trips end up like this! Multiple twists and turns in the plot, interesting characters (do you every really know anyone?), thrilling, fast paced and I did not see the end coming until just before the end.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an electronic ARC of this book.

THE BUSINESS TRIP is a fun, compulsively readable thriller with lots of twists and turns, one on top of the other. I really enjoyed the first half, but the second became a bit unbelievable to me. I also dislike when authors over explain the resolution. I prefer to read between the lines.

That said, THE BUSINESS TRIP has a fresh premise and I enjoyed the various points of view to tell the story. This one has pretty much everything you'd want in a snappy thriller and I enjoyed it!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE BUSINESS TRIP in exchange for my honest feedback.

“𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒃@𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃@𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒏.”

Special thanks to @stmartinspress @jessiegarcia_author & @netgalley for the #gifted eARC.

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 [4.50]

It's definitely a fast-paced read with multiple povs and over a not quite consistent timeline, but it's great for theatrics and intrigue.

This one touches on a lot. Domestic abuse and wanting to get as far away as possible. Just wanting to run away from your work and explore. Unaliveing someone in the moment and premeditated. Testing the strength of friendships in tough situations.
But in the end, I didn't see it coming. I loved this one! It's fast-paced despite the long chapters. Love the multiple povs.
This is definitely a fun read!

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
Jan 14, 2025

ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ When was the last time you took a plane ride, and where did you go?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #thebusinesstrip #jessiegarcia #stmartinspress #stmartinspresspartner #partner
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The Business Trip is an impressive debut novel! It has a perfectly unique format with twists that kept me hooked all the way through!

Two women meet on a plane flying to Denver. Stephanie works at a tv station and is ultimately flying to California for a business trip. Jasmine is fleeing from an abusive boyfriend and plans to make Denver her final stop. However, once they start talking on the flight Jasmine rethinks her plan of staying in Denver. Without giving much more away, the reader soon loses the points of view from the two women and instead switches to various people in the women’s life. This point of view change really made the book captivating and suspenseful as the story unfolds as to what happens after these two women meet and ultimately go missing.

I would never have thought this was a debut novel. This book is perfectly executed. I really enjoyed how the author would flip back in time with a different point of view, which would change up what was previously known.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Jessica Garcia, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. A quick read of a domestic thriller than keeps you reading to find out what the heck is going on.

I really enjoyed reading! The twists and turns kept me guessing. It was just what I needed to get out of a reading slump!

A thrilling novel with numerous unexpected twists and turns that kept this reader engaged and guessing. Intriguing characters, with a fast paced plot. Highly recommend.

Please note that this review is entirely voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

There were a lot of perspectives aside from Stephanie and Jasmine. The story was also told by their friends, coworkers, bosses and an abusive boyfriend. All of the men with the exception of Robert were trash. These two women who did not know each other both disappeared after their flight. I was hooked immediately, and wanted to know how their disappearance was connected.

This started off very promising, but where it lost me was the conclusion. The first half had me gripped and turning the pages quickly, but when it came to the ending, I felt like it was outlandish and a little bit unrealistic. Because of this, I changed my rating. Had the ending been a bit better and the twist a bit more believable, this would have been a five star for me.

4.5 Stars
This was a surprisingly impressive debut with so many great twists (I did not see that last reveal coming at all!!) and I really enjoyed how the author connected everything together in the end. The pacing was great, there is a lot happening/to follow but I liked the multiple POVs and how they all added to the story and the audiobook narrators did a really great job at giving the characters life. I will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author in the future as I found this to be such a clever, well thought out debut!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

What a wild ride this one was! I was invested in the direction the story was taking from the first chapter and enjoyed how it kept me guessing until the end. The multiple POVs, parts and twists felt like I was playing a game of cat and mouse with the characters. The twists were great but also somewhat on the unbelievable side of things at times. All in all, super intriguing, binge worthy novel with a very unlikeable cast and some not so great decision making- which are all things I enjoy and want in a thriller!

First, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book. I very nearly gave up on this book pretty early on, but I try to finish what I start, and the storyline intrigued me. I did not care for any of the characters. Not a single one, not even ones who might be construed to be main characters, were likeable. Unlike most actual people, at least in my experience, their faults outweighed their positive qualities. The only truly likeable character was Stephanie's neighbor, Robert, the cat sitter!

I did finish the book, however, drawn on by wondering what was going to happen to these people, how they were all connected, and how in the world it was going to end. It's a good plot. It's a really good plot! I did not foresee the turn that the story took, and that's always fun.

I was not impressed with the author's writing style, but this is a first novel, and I will take a look at something else by this author.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

This book presents such a compelling concept and the author does a pretty good job fleshing out the story. There are a host of characters that are flawed and generally somewhat unlikable - some who are truly horrible human beings. The story being told from multiple points of view lays out the key events from that character’s perspective, giving insight into personality and reaction to those events. I did enjoy the overall story and found how it all came about quite interesting, but there almost seemed like too much minute detail that slowed the pace and dimmed the suspense. This was a well written debut that didn’t quite deliver the tension and suspense I was expecting and hoping for.

This book was good but it could have been great. I loved the premise of the book and that's what initially drew me in. It was a fast read and had some twists just could have been better. I would definitely read another book by the author.

3.5 ⭐
All things considered, this was a pretty good book. It's evident that this is a debut novel, but I don't mean that negatively.
"The Business Trip" by Jessie Garcia is a fast-paced psychological (seriously 😵‍💫) thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. From the very first page, the story grips you, drawing you into Jasmine’s world as she navigates a series of increasingly daring and devious schemes.
But, not only Jasmine. We get a dual POV and see that Stephanie has a few tricks of her own up her sleeve. (dun dun duuuuun)
The novel moves quickly, and the suspense doesn’t let up, leaving you constantly eager to find out what she’ll do next.
While some of the twists and turns may feel a bit farfetched, it’s important to remember that this is a work of fiction, designed for pure entertainment—and it certainly delivers on that front. Garcia’s debut is a rollercoaster of thrills that will appeal to fans of Freida McFadden’s style, though it’s important not to directly compare the two, as each writer brings their own unique flavor to the genre. 💚
The cherry on top is the jaw-dropping twist at the end 🤯, which is sure to leave readers reeling. If you're looking for a captivating, high-energy thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night, "The Business Trip" is an enjoyable ride you won’t want to miss.

Big thanks to NetGalley and StMartins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tell you what - this is one of the most "Aw, c'mon, you've got to be kidding me" tales I've read in a long time. But I didn't mind at all - the twists and turns made it a romp and really hard to put it down. Trying to review it, I quickly realized, is a challenge, though - way too much chance of spoiling it for others.

The two main characters are Stephanie, a TV news director, and Jasmine, a have-nothing 44-year-old who's in an abusive marriage. Both are looking for a break; Stephanie from the daily grind and hoping to reconnect with her grown son, and Jasmine for the obvious reason. Over time, Jasmine has surreptitiously squirreled away tips from the bar where she works so she can make a getaway when the time is right - and she's finally reached it. Stephanie's breaking point comes with what she hopes will be the last demand that she drop everything - this time to head for San Diego for a news director convention she really doesn't want, or need, to attend.

On the plane, Jasmine and Stephanie coincidentally sit next to each other (yeah, right). And that's when things start to get interesting, as it isn't long after that when the two women are reported missing. Say what?

The calls of foul play come from various sources, although one of them is not Jasmine's ne'er-to-well husband Glenn, whose track record makes him reluctant to notify the authorities. Not so her friend Anna, who's been helping Jasmine make plans. On Stephanie's end, her ever-so-gay next-door neighbor Robert, who's been watching her cat, becomes suspicious early on, as do a couple of co-workers at the station who begin to notice irrational behavior.

Readers, however, are clued in to what's happening by way of chapters that shift in perspective among several of these characters including, of course, Stephanie and Jasmine. Now I do have to admit it's unlikely I'd ever want to hoist a beer with either of them, nor did I much care what fate (or make that ultra-careful planning) had in store for them personally. The process of finding out, though, was rather fun, and the author did a great job with the plot development and "reveals" along the way.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable read, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the nod to download a pre-release copy. This is a debut novel, and I'll certainly be on the lookout for more from this talented author.

Jessica and Stephanie are sitting on the same plane next to each other, but they have nothing in common. Stephanie is on a business trip and Jessica is fleeing from an abusive relationship. After not returning home and vague messages, there friends are concerned. A 911 call is made to check on Trent McCarthy. But who is he? Where does he fit in?

The further into the story the more the storyline seems unbelievable. I was pulled into the story and unable to see the connecting thread. I think Freida McFadden fans will love this thriller.

Thank you to Jessie Garcia, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two women meet by chance on a plane. A week later - they are both dead?

Stephanie is a put-together business-women on a work trip looking for an opportunity to let her hair down. Jasmine is escaping her abusive and controlling ex-boyfriend when they are seated next to each other on a flight. Soon, their friends receive messages how they each have meet the same man - and then they both vanish. Their friends start to worry given the strange text messages and try to figure out who Trent McCarthy is and what he may have done to these two women.

This was such an interesting concept and it just kept twisting and surprising me! I loved how the story was set up to reveal different parts of what actually happened from various perspectives; it really helped build the suspense and made the reveals along the way so satisfying. I hope Jessie Garcia keeps writing more books as her next one will definitely be going on my 'to read' list! Thank you to netgalley for providing me an ebook copy to read!

**This book comes out on January 14, 2025!**
I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!

Jasmine is a waitress in a bar and is running from her present life and abusive partner. Stephanie is a newsroom director going on a business trip. When they are introduced on the plane and are mistaken for sisters, the two start chatting away during the plane ride. A few days after the plane ride, they both send texts, separately, to their friends about the same guy; Trent McCarthy. When texts start to get more erratic and then communication completely drops off, panic sets in for their friends. How are these two connected to the same guy and will they ever be found?

When I started this book, it took me a bit to get past the first two chapters, but man am I glad that I did! Once I got going, I could NOT put this book down! Although there were several POVs, I do not think it was hard to keep them separated. The author did a great job of giving each character their own voice and of telling the story from so many different POVs, but still keeping my interest, especially with that twist! If you want a thriller that you cannot put down, GRAB THIS ONE!

Jasmine and Stephanie come from two different walks of life. One leaving a domestic violence situation and the other on the way to a business trip. Seated in the same row with a stranger, what could go wrong? Both women begin sending odd texts to people in their life after the flight implicating one man - but what’s the real story?

A slow start but once it got going - WOW! I couldn’t put it down. Never once did I know what was going to happen. Super twisty and an ending I never expected!

The Business Trip offers an engaging story with some intriguing twists, though it occasionally feels predictable. The characters are well-developed, but the pacing can be uneven at times. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read for those who like light, fast-paced narratives, but it could benefit from deeper exploration of certain themes.