Sunday 22 February 2015

Trade Me (Cyclone Book1) by Courtney Milan

Trade Me (Cyclone, #1)

'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 Technology. But when he makes an off-hand 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.'

A new adult contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Courtney Milan.

This is a very different kind of 'sexy billionaire' romance to those that have saturated the market in recent years.
Blake, the male protagonist, is quiet and thoughtful. He has been working in the family business since he was a child by taking part in advertisements and then being involved in developing and marketing products as he got older.  Now, however, he is beginning to feel the pressure of being expected to run the family business before he is ready which leads to all kinds of personal and emotional problems. He wants to escape from his life.

Tina is a clever and sassy but poor student and a Chinese immigrant. Her family has had to overcome many hardships and obstacles to get to America and give Tina a chance in life. Tina is constantly reminded of this by her mother who doesn't want her to forget the old ways.

Tina and Blake meet at a point in time when they are both seduced by the idea of escaping their lives albeit temporarily. They literally trade places. Blake gets a taste of slumming it and Tina is relieved of her financial pressures. 

I loved how this story was written with chapters alternating in the points of view of Tina and Blake. Through this technique the reader can see the motivations and evolvement of the characters in a more detailed way than simply a novel written in the third person and from the female point of view.

Recommended.

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