diff --git a/app/services/http_client.rb b/app/services/http_client.rb
index 3a1792e6..8331f7de 100644
--- a/app/services/http_client.rb
+++ b/app/services/http_client.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ def setup_connection(base_url, timeout: 10, open_timeout: 5, retries: 3)
   end
 
   def get(endpoint, params = {})
-    response = @connection.get(endpoint, params)
-    response.body if response.success?
+    @connection.get(endpoint, params).body
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/services/http_client_spec.rb b/spec/services/http_client_spec.rb
index bddcd050..b0480466 100644
--- a/spec/services/http_client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/http_client_spec.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,16 @@
 require_relative "../../app/services/http_client"
 
 describe HttpClient do
-  let(:base_url) { "https://example.com/api/" }
+  let(:base_url) { "https://example.com/" }
+  let(:endpoint) { "api/endpoint" }
+  let(:url) { "#{base_url}#{endpoint}" }
+  let(:params) { { param1: "value1", param2: "value2" } }
+  let(:response_body) { { "key" => "value" } }
   let(:retries) { 2 }
 
+  # Define the webmock stub for GET requests
+  let(:get_stub_request) { stub_request(:get, url).with(query: params) }
+
   # dynamically create a class for testing
   let(:api_client_class) do
     Class.new do
@@ -18,6 +25,8 @@
     api_client.setup_connection(base_url, retries: retries)
   end
 
+  # including faraday configuration tests since business logic relies on it
+  # raising 4xx and 5xx errors, parsing JSON responses, and retrying requests
   describe "#setup_connection" do
     let(:connection) { api_client.instance_variable_get(:@connection) }
     let(:handlers) { connection.builder.handlers }
@@ -44,20 +53,13 @@
   end
 
   describe "#get" do
-    let(:endpoint) { "endpoint" }
-    let(:params) { { param1: "value1", param2: "value2" } }
-    let(:response_body) { { "key" => "value" } }
-
     context "successful request" do
       it "parses and returns JSON response" do
-        # Stub the HTTP request using WebMock
-        stub_request(:get, "#{base_url}#{endpoint}")
-          .with(query: params)
-          .to_return(
-            status: 200,
-            body: response_body.to_json, # simulate a JSON response
-            headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" }
-            )
+        get_stub_request.to_return(
+          status: 200,
+          body: response_body.to_json, # simulate a JSON response
+          headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" } # ensure JSON parsing
+        )
 
         response = api_client.get(endpoint, params)
         expect(response).to eq(response_body)
@@ -65,26 +67,27 @@
     end
 
     context "handling errors" do
-      it "when a 4xx error occur, raises a Faraday::ClientError" do
-        stub_request(:get, "#{base_url}#{endpoint}")
-          .with(query: params)
-          .to_return(status: 404, body: 'Not Found')
+      it "raises a Faraday::ClientError after no retries for 4xx errors" do
+        get_stub_request.to_return(status: 403, body: 'Not Found')
 
         expect {
           api_client.get(endpoint, params)
         }.to raise_error(Faraday::ClientError)
+
+        # no retries for client errors
+        expect(WebMock).to have_requested(:get, url)
+                          .with(query: params)
+                          .times(1) # initial request only
       end
 
-      it "when a 5xx error occurs, raises a Faraday::ServerError after retries" do
-        stub_request(:get, "#{base_url}#{endpoint}")
-          .with(query: params)
-          .to_return(status: 500, body: 'Internal Server Error')
+      it "raises a Faraday::ServerError after retries for 5xx errors" do
+        get_stub_request.to_return(status: 500, body: 'Internal Server Error')
 
         expect {
           api_client.get(endpoint, params)
         }.to raise_error(Faraday::ServerError)
 
-        expect(WebMock).to have_requested(:get, "#{base_url}#{endpoint}")
+        expect(WebMock).to have_requested(:get, url)
                           .with(query: params)
                           .times(1 + retries) # initial request + retries
       end
@@ -92,15 +95,13 @@
 
     context "when a request times out" do
       it "retries the request and raises Faraday::TimeoutError after retries" do
-        stub_request(:get, "#{base_url}#{endpoint}")
-          .with(query: params)
-          .to_timeout
+        get_stub_request.to_timeout
 
         expect {
           api_client.get(endpoint, params)
         }.to raise_error(Faraday::ConnectionFailed) # final error after retries
 
-        expect(WebMock).to have_requested(:get, "#{base_url}#{endpoint}")
+        expect(WebMock).to have_requested(:get, url)
                           .with(query: params)
                           .times(1 + retries) # initial request + retries
       end