Trade Me by Courtney Milan

Series: Cyclone #1

Format: Ebook

Rating: 5 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

This is my first Courtney Milan book and it did not disappoint. I quickly connected with the characters and their stories. And I don’t like the billionaire trope so that’s saying something.

Tina was a great heroine. And she isn’t a rich white girl or a white girl with a dark/abusive past which is different for new adult. And she could come across as whiny because of her socio-economic situation, but she doesn’t. She’s poor, but that’s a fact and she is willing to sacrifice and work hard to make a better life for her family.

The romance was also great. They had immediate sexual chemistry, but it didn’t overwhelm the story. I love that these characters fall in love, but also have their own individual journeys/growth. And I want to see more of them as a couple, but I get the impression that will be happening later in the series.

I do wish we had spent more time with the immigration storyline. I didn’t come into this with a lot of prior knowledge and was intrigued by Tina’s family and their situation. But I understand this isn’t an issue book.

Oh, I love Blake’s relationship with her dad. It’s a nice blend of touching emotion and macho man. They are hilarious together and I want more of it. Again, I’m really hoping we get more of them and the dad in general in future books.

Now, it’s time for specific talk.

Blake. I would not have guessed what his problem was, but I see it now that I look back. Ms. Milan said this isn’t about anorexia/eating disorders, but she does an excellent job of weaving that issue into the larger story. And I can definitely appreciate her choice to discuss an illness that’s often ignored in fiction and the real world.

This is definitely one of my favorite new adult books and I highly recommend it. And I can’t wait for the other books in the series to come out. I may need to check out Ms. Milan’s historical romances to hold me over.

Video Review:

 

Thanks for reading!

~Holly