Tina Chen was wearing her lucky white cashmere sweater, which she had bought for a few dollars at the Salvation Army; he should have been a good day. On her way to university, a careless driver splashes mud on her pristine sweater. The driver gets out of his car, and Tina notices it's Blake Reynolds, the heir to the Cyclone Systems empire; he is also in her class. When Blake makes disparaging comments about the poor,Tina blows her top and they have a shouting match in class. Tina had thought he was cute before the incident, and Blake had noticed her without saying a word. To make amends, Blake makes a deal with Tina: they will change lives for a short time.

Stepping out of her comfort zone, Courtney Milan makes a very impressive debut with her New Adult novel, TRADE ME, the first book in the Cyclone series. Told from both Tina and Blake's point of view, we get a better insight of the characters; it does not hinder in the least the story's flow, quite the contrary, it helps understand them better.

I had found the premise for TRADE ME intriguing, and my expectations were more than met. TRADE ME is not a comedy, which is more or less what I expected, and Ms. Milan does an admirable job at creating a fascinating situation, which unfolds intelligently and logically. Both Tina and Blake have issues, and exchanging lifestyles gives them the opportunity to find more than they were originally looking for, more than finding love even.

TRADE ME features several characters, every one of them multifaceted and interesting, and I'm happy that some will be featured in upcoming instalments. Tina and Blake are very likeable and genuine, and there is real chemistry between them; I really liked them and I was rooting for them all along. Ms. Milan's writing is crisp, fresh and flows easily, and although TRADE ME is a rather large book, it's a very quick and easy read.

TRADE ME truly represents what a New Adult novel should be, in my opinion: it features young adults in their early twenties, trying to find themselves, without being overly dramatic and facing over the top problems; it's easy to relate to Tina and Blake and see them as our friends. I enjoyed TRADE ME tremendously and I am very much looking forward to the rest of this series.

Book Summary

Tina Chen just wants a degree and a job, so her parents never have to worry about making rent again. She has no time for Blake Reynolds, the sexy billionaire who stands to inherit Cyclone Systems. But when he makes an offhand comment about what it means to be poor, she loses her cool and tells him he couldn’t last a month living her life.

To her shock, Blake offers her a trade: She’ll get his income, his house, his car. In exchange, he’ll work her hours and send money home to her family. No expectations; no future obligations.

But before long, they’re trading not just lives, but secrets, kisses, and heated nights together. No expectations might break Tina’s heart...but Blake’s secrets could ruin her life.

Trade Me is the first book in the Cyclone series.