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Foreign Exchange
Jamie Monroe has always played it safe. That is, until her live-for-the-moment best friend, Tristan, jets off to Italy on a student exchange program. Left alone with her part-time mother and her disabled brother, Jamie discovers that she is quite capable of taking her own risks, starting with her best friend’s hotter-than-hot older brother, Sawyer. Sawyer and Tristan have been neighbors for years, but as Jamie grows closer to the family she thought she knew, she discovers some pretty big secrets—not only from her, but from each other. As she sinks deeper into their web of pretense, she suspects that her best friend may not be on a safe exchange program at all. Jamie sets off to Europe on a class trip with plans to meet up with Tristan, but when Tristan stops all communication, suddenly no one seems trustworthy, least of all the one person she was starting to trust—Sawyer.
326 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2014
679 people want to read
About the author
Denise Jaden
66 books491 followersBestselling author Denise Jaden loves cozy socks, cozy cats, and cozy mysteries. She’s the author of several young adult novels, nonfiction books for writers, and cozy mysteries that will make you laugh out loud while dangling at the edge of your seat.
Prior to becoming an author, Denise worked at everything from mushroom farming to acting and Polynesian dancing. Now she does most of her writing in a holding tent in the background of one of the many film sets in and around Vancouver. Sign up for updates, exclusive bonuses, and find out more about Denise, her books, and her crazy cat at DeniseJaden.com
Prior to becoming an author, Denise worked at everything from mushroom farming to acting and Polynesian dancing. Now she does most of her writing in a holding tent in the background of one of the many film sets in and around Vancouver. Sign up for updates, exclusive bonuses, and find out more about Denise, her books, and her crazy cat at DeniseJaden.com
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 20, 2014
Foreign Exchange is about the power of friendship and love. Jamie Monroe is the "girl next door" who's biggest accomplishment is having an uber-beautiful best friend, Tristen, who also happens to have a hot older brother, Sawyer (see where this is going?). But when Tristen tricks her parents into letting her go to Europe, where she's going to break into a career in high-fashion modeling, Jamie and Sawyer smell a rat and take off across Europe to track down the wayward teen. But let's not forget Jamie and Sawyer. Can't have a good YA without a little romance. Sawyer is the hottest guy in school, way out of Jamie's reach...or so she thinks. Sawyer, a man after my own heart, knows a good thing when he sees it (or lives next door to it). I've read previous books by this author (all great!), and she changes up things with this one. The end of the book is full of great suspense that will have you staying up wayyy past your bedtime to finish it (disclaimer: I'm a wimp and my bedtime is 10pm...beauty demands sacrifice). Jaden't writing is fantastic and the story flows well.
October 20, 2014
Denise Jaden brings everything to the table in this feast of young adult contemporary goodness. Sexual tension, longing, confusion, heartbreak. And an extra bonus - the fluid and engaging narration from Jamie, the vulnerable, yet determined heroine ready to start taking some risks in life and love. When Jamie steps out from the rather imposing shadow her beautiful best friend casts – and into her own light - things get amazing and complicated. A coming of age story you won’t want to miss.
March 15, 2015
I love books that take place in other countries so I was really looking forward to reading Foreign Exchange by Denise Jaden.
The international travel didn’t start until later in the book, close to the halfway mark. But it still worked for me because there had to be some time for the romance to slowly develop, and for the mystery aspect of it to piece together. I found myself totally sucked into the story and wondering where the mystery aspect of it would go.
Jamie was a pretty great character. She felt pretty real to me and I loved how she cared for her severely disabled brother. I saw her frustration with her mom and brother so well but also felt how much she loved them. And her best friend Tristan. Right away I knew Tristan had to have kept some serious secrets from her, but the mystery is, what is she doing in Europe and is she safe? Jamie and her Tristans brother, Sawyer, are brought closer together with Tristan gone. They can now communicate without Tristan getting jealous. That bit right there just made me not like Tristan at all. I wanted Jamie to discover that Tristan was a total crazy b*tch. But like always, there’s more to the story.
I liked how things developed pretty slowly. But at the same time it somehow felt fast. These two have known each other for years but I had to remind myself of that because they really never were able to talk or hang out. So when things started happening it almost felt weird. But later in the book I realized some things and found that it all worked perfectly.
I will mention that I liked Sawyer just fine. But I never felt like I fully knew him. Which was weird. I felt like he was in the picture quite a lot. So I think maybe it would have benefited from having his POV in some chapters. But not a big negative.
The international travel aspect was really great. It was very fast as they are on the move the whole time with no time to really site see. But the few minutes they were able to stop and breathe and take in the sites, I really felt it.
The ending is very intense. I did plenty of inner screaming of ‘No, don’t DO that, use your brain!!!!’ but it was done well. While all decision weren’t smart, they were ones I understand a teenage girl would make. There is a very good message here that not everything is safe and especially when you go out of the country without your parents. If you tell people you put a mark on your back. It was a really great message that I think every teenage girl could use the reminder of.
I highly recommend this one! I had a very hard time putting it down!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
The international travel didn’t start until later in the book, close to the halfway mark. But it still worked for me because there had to be some time for the romance to slowly develop, and for the mystery aspect of it to piece together. I found myself totally sucked into the story and wondering where the mystery aspect of it would go.
Jamie was a pretty great character. She felt pretty real to me and I loved how she cared for her severely disabled brother. I saw her frustration with her mom and brother so well but also felt how much she loved them. And her best friend Tristan. Right away I knew Tristan had to have kept some serious secrets from her, but the mystery is, what is she doing in Europe and is she safe? Jamie and her Tristans brother, Sawyer, are brought closer together with Tristan gone. They can now communicate without Tristan getting jealous. That bit right there just made me not like Tristan at all. I wanted Jamie to discover that Tristan was a total crazy b*tch. But like always, there’s more to the story.
I liked how things developed pretty slowly. But at the same time it somehow felt fast. These two have known each other for years but I had to remind myself of that because they really never were able to talk or hang out. So when things started happening it almost felt weird. But later in the book I realized some things and found that it all worked perfectly.
I will mention that I liked Sawyer just fine. But I never felt like I fully knew him. Which was weird. I felt like he was in the picture quite a lot. So I think maybe it would have benefited from having his POV in some chapters. But not a big negative.
The international travel aspect was really great. It was very fast as they are on the move the whole time with no time to really site see. But the few minutes they were able to stop and breathe and take in the sites, I really felt it.
The ending is very intense. I did plenty of inner screaming of ‘No, don’t DO that, use your brain!!!!’ but it was done well. While all decision weren’t smart, they were ones I understand a teenage girl would make. There is a very good message here that not everything is safe and especially when you go out of the country without your parents. If you tell people you put a mark on your back. It was a really great message that I think every teenage girl could use the reminder of.
I highly recommend this one! I had a very hard time putting it down!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
January 31, 2016
Well. That went places I didn't expect.
Foreign Exchange starts out much the same way as any other YA romance: girl (Jamie) has the hots for her best friend's brother (who is a model and considered the holy grail of a romantic goal for every single girl at their high school). He's off limits, of course, both because Jamie is shy/awkward and because her best friend (Tristan) would not approve.
Tristan goes to Italy for a semester, and when the cat's away...
So Jamie and Sawyer immediately swoon over each other a lot, though they are occasionally thwarted by Jamie's grumpy mother, who seems to blame Jamie for not being able to be on call 24/7 to take care of her disabled brother.
But then stuff gets weird. Tristan's exchange programme is looking sketchier by the minute, and since Jamie is (conveniently) going on a school trip to Spain and (conveniently) already has plans to ditch the trip to meet up with Tristan and hunt down her (inconveniently) absentee father...well, Sawyer decides to tag along, and they get dragged into a seedy underworld of modelling and sex slavery.
Now. Okay. Acouple lot of things here. First, I find Jamie's insecurity tiresome, but that's really no surprise. Second, she and Sawyer both end up using other people—basically getting into fledgling relationships with other people with no intention of being faithful. Now...I don't generally get up in arms about cheating in YA fiction, because frankly, it's more realistic than squeaky-clean characters / books where only the evil asshole ex (or soon-to-be ex) cheats. But this one gave me pause, just because it's not the I'm with this other person but omg I like you too sort of thing, but rather I'm with you, but I'm totally gonna pretend I'm into this other person so I can use them, which seems...rather more skeevy. (Mind, this does not stop them from oodles of jealousy/insecurity/distrust.) I mostly let it go, but gotta say, this does not seem like the healthiest start to a relationship ever.
Anyway. The book gets a lot darker than the initial setup implies: there's violence, and implied rape (and statutory rape), and a whole mess of family problems and possible crappy-friend problems (not really enough time to explore them, though; would have preferred to see less of the romance/drama and more of the family/friendship stuff). I'm curious about Tristan's lies—given that her mother pressures her so much to model/act, you'd think she wouldn't have needed so many layers of dishonesty. Also curious about Jamie's mother, since at the end of the book it's implied that once upon a time she was more patient/loving. Curious about how things go with her father once they reunite. Curious about whether or not her friendship with Tristan survives, and how much it might have to change to do so...
There are elements here that I really loved, by the way, from Jamie's facility with languages to her having a disabled sibling who neither is an angel nor brings out Jamie's best side; I'm also pleased that it did go really dark—but I'm not sure that (though you can see the sketchiness coming) the back half quite fits with the front half.
Foreign Exchange starts out much the same way as any other YA romance: girl (Jamie) has the hots for her best friend's brother (who is a model and considered the holy grail of a romantic goal for every single girl at their high school). He's off limits, of course, both because Jamie is shy/awkward and because her best friend (Tristan) would not approve.
Tristan goes to Italy for a semester, and when the cat's away...
So Jamie and Sawyer immediately swoon over each other a lot, though they are occasionally thwarted by Jamie's grumpy mother, who seems to blame Jamie for not being able to be on call 24/7 to take care of her disabled brother.
But then stuff gets weird. Tristan's exchange programme is looking sketchier by the minute, and since Jamie is (conveniently) going on a school trip to Spain and (conveniently) already has plans to ditch the trip to meet up with Tristan and hunt down her (inconveniently) absentee father...well, Sawyer decides to tag along, and they get dragged into a seedy underworld of modelling and sex slavery.
Now. Okay. A
Anyway. The book gets a lot darker than the initial setup implies: there's violence, and implied rape (and statutory rape), and a whole mess of family problems and possible crappy-friend problems (not really enough time to explore them, though; would have preferred to see less of the romance/drama and more of the family/friendship stuff). I'm curious about Tristan's lies—given that her mother pressures her so much to model/act, you'd think she wouldn't have needed so many layers of dishonesty. Also curious about Jamie's mother, since at the end of the book it's implied that once upon a time she was more patient/loving. Curious about how things go with her father once they reunite. Curious about whether or not her friendship with Tristan survives, and how much it might have to change to do so...
There are elements here that I really loved, by the way, from Jamie's facility with languages to her having a disabled sibling who neither is an angel nor brings out Jamie's best side; I'm also pleased that it did go really dark—but I'm not sure that (though you can see the sketchiness coming) the back half quite fits with the front half.
October 25, 2014
Foreign Exchange, by Denise Jaden, is an unexpected twist on teen romance. Don’t get me wrong—lovers of the genre will find all they want of that in this book. But there’s more here, too, a startling parable without the preaching, a cautionary tale that is story-driven, not sermonized.
Jamie Monroe is a teenager with more than a kid’s fair share of responsibility. A multi-lingual would-be world traveler, she’s mired in drudgery in her less-than-ideal home life in suburban Michigan. With no father at home and her disgruntled single mother working late most nights, it falls to Jamie to be the caregiver for her severely disabled little brother, Eddy. Though she loves him, she yearns for something better for herself, and it is with no small degree of jealousy that she bids farewell to her best friend, Tristan, to a foreign exchange program that will, for the moment, leave her behind.
But Jamie and Tristan have a plan. A reckless, dangerous plan that the reader knows will go terribly wrong before it ultimately does—and yet the suspense builds, even as the inevitable outcome edges us further and further down the road of bad decisions and their consequences.
Because Jamie is going overseas, too—on a class trip that she plans to abandon, all in the hopes of re-uniting with Tristan and, ultimately, a father she has not seen in ten years. Taking the journey with her will be Tristan’s “playboy” brother, a surprisingly vulnerable character the reader will love as much as Jamie comes to love him … all against Tristan’s wishes and advice.
Don’t worry. I haven’t blown anything for you, O Reader. That’s all relatively early in the book. What comes after, especially in its breathtaking final act, transforms a story of family conflict (and, even more, conflicted young love) into a whirlwind thriller. Along with a lot of Barcelona and Spain, the reader is plunged into a dark, seedy underworld of ruthless, bottom-feeding human parasites who promise fame with one hand, holding misery and worse in the other behind their backs.
There’ll come a time when you want to close the book. But you won’t. And in the end, you’ll be glad you didn’t.
Foreign Exchange is an excellent novel of friendship, family, and love—a story of victims and heroes, with the same character often alternating as both. It’s a fantastic read!
Jamie Monroe is a teenager with more than a kid’s fair share of responsibility. A multi-lingual would-be world traveler, she’s mired in drudgery in her less-than-ideal home life in suburban Michigan. With no father at home and her disgruntled single mother working late most nights, it falls to Jamie to be the caregiver for her severely disabled little brother, Eddy. Though she loves him, she yearns for something better for herself, and it is with no small degree of jealousy that she bids farewell to her best friend, Tristan, to a foreign exchange program that will, for the moment, leave her behind.
But Jamie and Tristan have a plan. A reckless, dangerous plan that the reader knows will go terribly wrong before it ultimately does—and yet the suspense builds, even as the inevitable outcome edges us further and further down the road of bad decisions and their consequences.
Because Jamie is going overseas, too—on a class trip that she plans to abandon, all in the hopes of re-uniting with Tristan and, ultimately, a father she has not seen in ten years. Taking the journey with her will be Tristan’s “playboy” brother, a surprisingly vulnerable character the reader will love as much as Jamie comes to love him … all against Tristan’s wishes and advice.
Don’t worry. I haven’t blown anything for you, O Reader. That’s all relatively early in the book. What comes after, especially in its breathtaking final act, transforms a story of family conflict (and, even more, conflicted young love) into a whirlwind thriller. Along with a lot of Barcelona and Spain, the reader is plunged into a dark, seedy underworld of ruthless, bottom-feeding human parasites who promise fame with one hand, holding misery and worse in the other behind their backs.
There’ll come a time when you want to close the book. But you won’t. And in the end, you’ll be glad you didn’t.
Foreign Exchange is an excellent novel of friendship, family, and love—a story of victims and heroes, with the same character often alternating as both. It’s a fantastic read!
November 27, 2014
Strong 3 stars
Probably my favourite thing about this book is the characters and how they interacted. I thought Denise Jaden did a good job of creating layered characters who had shades of grey to them, just like real people. Our main character is Jamie, an all around girl next door type. However Jamie has had a pretty tough life, having to look after her little brother constantly and having a mom who doesn’t make it easy on her.
The secondary characters in Foreign Exchange were also very interesting. I liked that Sawyer had hidden depths and he wasn't what people thought he was. There’s this idea we have, both in fiction and real life, that if you're a Popular Beautiful Person then you must automatically be a completely horrible person too. Of course this isn’t true, and this stereotype is completely proven false by his character. Tristan, Jamie’s best friend and Sawyer’s sister, is definitely capital-T Trouble. She’s a total control freak and is seemingly a compulsive liar, something which Jamie is just figuring out. Things are never what you think they are with Tristan, and it makes for an interesting mystery to unravel.
This book has a lot of good elements, but I think what I enjoyed most was seeing Jamie coming into her own and out of Tristan's shadow, making her own decisions and getting away from that toxic friendship. Jamie does make some pretty sketchy decisions, but I didn’t find them entirely unbelievable. I could see someone who's a little desperate and naive going along that same path. On the romance side of things, I definitely dug Jamie/Sawyer. Romance isn’t the primary focus of the story, but it does make up a nice part of it. I liked seeing these two truly get to know one another.
Overall I definitely liked this book. I didn’t completely fall into the story, but it did provide an enjoyable reading experience, and I’d recommend it.
Probably my favourite thing about this book is the characters and how they interacted. I thought Denise Jaden did a good job of creating layered characters who had shades of grey to them, just like real people. Our main character is Jamie, an all around girl next door type. However Jamie has had a pretty tough life, having to look after her little brother constantly and having a mom who doesn’t make it easy on her.
The secondary characters in Foreign Exchange were also very interesting. I liked that Sawyer had hidden depths and he wasn't what people thought he was. There’s this idea we have, both in fiction and real life, that if you're a Popular Beautiful Person then you must automatically be a completely horrible person too. Of course this isn’t true, and this stereotype is completely proven false by his character. Tristan, Jamie’s best friend and Sawyer’s sister, is definitely capital-T Trouble. She’s a total control freak and is seemingly a compulsive liar, something which Jamie is just figuring out. Things are never what you think they are with Tristan, and it makes for an interesting mystery to unravel.
This book has a lot of good elements, but I think what I enjoyed most was seeing Jamie coming into her own and out of Tristan's shadow, making her own decisions and getting away from that toxic friendship. Jamie does make some pretty sketchy decisions, but I didn’t find them entirely unbelievable. I could see someone who's a little desperate and naive going along that same path. On the romance side of things, I definitely dug Jamie/Sawyer. Romance isn’t the primary focus of the story, but it does make up a nice part of it. I liked seeing these two truly get to know one another.
Overall I definitely liked this book. I didn’t completely fall into the story, but it did provide an enjoyable reading experience, and I’d recommend it.
August 8, 2015
I've enjoyed two of Denise Jaden's other novels, and I love the "foreign travel" setting, so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, I didn't really care for Foreign Exchange. Although the plot centered around locating protagonist Jamie's best friend, Tristan, who seems to have disappeared on a trip to Italy, most of the pages seemed dedicated to a very lackluster romance between Jamie and Tristan's brother, Sawyer. (For those who might be confused about the names, Jamie and Tristan are both girls. Since I have never heard of a female "Tristan" before, I stumbled over the name every time I read it.)
When Jamie and Sawyer finally get to Europe to look for her, the action slowly picks up a bit. Around the 80% mark, things really escalate, but the events are so much darker than everything prior, I found it a bit jarring.
Overall, I was disappointed, although I will admit that
1. I am not a huge fan of romance-driven stories, which this turned out to be; and
2. Nine times out of ten, I dislike the use of the present tense. Perhaps authors think it makes their story more exciting or immediate, but usually, I find it awkward, and this was no exception.
Not a terrible book by any means, and others seem to like it more than I did, but personally, I don't think it's Jaden's best effort. I would recommend Losing Faith as her best work, followed by Never Enough.
When Jamie and Sawyer finally get to Europe to look for her, the action slowly picks up a bit. Around the 80% mark, things really escalate, but the events are so much darker than everything prior, I found it a bit jarring.
Overall, I was disappointed, although I will admit that
1. I am not a huge fan of romance-driven stories, which this turned out to be; and
2. Nine times out of ten, I dislike the use of the present tense. Perhaps authors think it makes their story more exciting or immediate, but usually, I find it awkward, and this was no exception.
Not a terrible book by any means, and others seem to like it more than I did, but personally, I don't think it's Jaden's best effort. I would recommend Losing Faith as her best work, followed by Never Enough.
November 29, 2014
3.5 stars.
I don't mean to be insulting, but I didn't have very high hopes for Foreign Exchange. I was really excited because of the premise and the excerpt, but I was worried because of the cover. (I'm sorry, I'm a cover snob.)
Then I started reading it and it's really good. Like, ignore the cover because what is inside is what matters. There are a few low points but for the most part, it's so freaking awesome and it's hot and steamy.
I don't even know where to start. I guess while it's technically YA, but it definitely has a more NA vibe. I guess I'd call it an NA read that plays by YA rules. It has some New Adult tropes, the misunderstood bad boy and the good girl, the extremely palpable attraction. It's all there. But I love the way that it read.
I don't really like NA books, in general, but this might be one of my favorites. It's fun and cute and steamy, but underneath all that, there's a real story that's understandable. It one of those contemporary fantasies (think daydream) gone wrong, but don't absolutely right.
The characters are really developed and while I wasn't completely in love with the plot, I believed it. It just felt so real and it hurt my heart a little (on behalf of the characters).
e-ARC provided by Author for an honest and unbiased review.
I don't mean to be insulting, but I didn't have very high hopes for Foreign Exchange. I was really excited because of the premise and the excerpt, but I was worried because of the cover. (I'm sorry, I'm a cover snob.)
Then I started reading it and it's really good. Like, ignore the cover because what is inside is what matters. There are a few low points but for the most part, it's so freaking awesome and it's hot and steamy.
I don't even know where to start. I guess while it's technically YA, but it definitely has a more NA vibe. I guess I'd call it an NA read that plays by YA rules. It has some New Adult tropes, the misunderstood bad boy and the good girl, the extremely palpable attraction. It's all there. But I love the way that it read.
I don't really like NA books, in general, but this might be one of my favorites. It's fun and cute and steamy, but underneath all that, there's a real story that's understandable. It one of those contemporary fantasies (think daydream) gone wrong, but don't absolutely right.
The characters are really developed and while I wasn't completely in love with the plot, I believed it. It just felt so real and it hurt my heart a little (on behalf of the characters).
e-ARC provided by Author for an honest and unbiased review.
April 13, 2015
Wow! What a ride!
The story opens up to Jamie saying bye to her best friend. Tristan is going to Europe as a Foreign Exchange Student. That's what everyone believes. Their main goal is to find Tristan's dad who's going to be at a conference. Jamie is to leave on a class trip to Spain.
Everything seems to be going ok, then things start happening that question Tristan's real intentions. Then there's Sawyer, Tristan's brother whom is off limits. She doesn't want Jamie anywhere near him. But Jamie doesn't quite understand this. She drawn to Sawyer like a moth to a flame.
When they realize that something isn't right with Tristan. They use the class trip to Spain to find her.
This book had me so nervous, I couldn't wait to turn the page. Denise Jaden is an excellent writer. If you have the ability in evoke emotion of any kind. Be it crying or just your heart racing cause you're so nervous. Then that's writing is all about.
I want to thank the author for letting me read this thrilling story and I can't wait to read more from her....Lissa
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The story opens up to Jamie saying bye to her best friend. Tristan is going to Europe as a Foreign Exchange Student. That's what everyone believes. Their main goal is to find Tristan's dad who's going to be at a conference. Jamie is to leave on a class trip to Spain.
Everything seems to be going ok, then things start happening that question Tristan's real intentions. Then there's Sawyer, Tristan's brother whom is off limits. She doesn't want Jamie anywhere near him. But Jamie doesn't quite understand this. She drawn to Sawyer like a moth to a flame.
When they realize that something isn't right with Tristan. They use the class trip to Spain to find her.
This book had me so nervous, I couldn't wait to turn the page. Denise Jaden is an excellent writer. If you have the ability in evoke emotion of any kind. Be it crying or just your heart racing cause you're so nervous. Then that's writing is all about.
I want to thank the author for letting me read this thrilling story and I can't wait to read more from her....Lissa
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
October 20, 2014
Foreign Exchange is an exciting page-turner! I could hardly put the book down and when I did, I just wanted to pick it right back up again. The story is about shy, quiet Jaime and how she wants to be like her outgoing, model-beautiful friend Tristan. When Tristan heads off to a foreign exchange program in Europe, Jaime is excited to use their time apart to become a more confident and bold version of herself. Well, it works and she catches the eye of Sawyer, Tristan’s handsome, popular brother – who is completely off limits for so many reasons. Jaden does an excellent job of capturing the rapture and angst of first love and of the loyalty and lies between best friends. Where does Jaime’s loyalty lie? Pick up Foreign Exchange and find out! :)Denise Jaden
October 20, 2014
A refreshing book of friendship and love. This is the first book I have read by Denise Jaden and I plan to read many more. Jamie and Tristan grew up being neighbors and best friends. Tristan also had a hot brother names Sawyer who Jamie has had a crush on. upon getting ready to go on a trip to Europe with her school Jamie discovers her father will be in Malin and Tristan just so happens to be going their as well to pursue her Modeling career.Things become intense with Sawyer and Tristan gets worried about the trip. This book will have you turning the pages faster and faster and taking you on a roller coaster of a ride once Jamie hits Europe. Will Jamie finally get to see her father? Will Tristan become a high fashion model? Will Sawyer confess his feelings to Jamie. Be sure to check this book out.
March 14, 2015
Jamie has a lot on her shoulders. She lives with a single mother and takes care of her disabled brother. She seems to be in the shadow of her wildly beautiful, model-wannabe best friend, Tristan. This friend has a good-looking brother, Sawyer, who is Jamie’s crush. Jamie is full of longing—for romance, excitement, and a familial bond with her father.
When Tristan goes to Europe to go into modeling, that seems like a good time for Jamie to do so as well—for a class trip, to see her long-lost father, and to meet up with Tristan. In Europe, things seem to spiral out of control. I don’t want to reveal too much, but it gets intensely dangerous for Jamie and company. The suspense, romance, and deep characters make this a wonderful page-turner.
When Tristan goes to Europe to go into modeling, that seems like a good time for Jamie to do so as well—for a class trip, to see her long-lost father, and to meet up with Tristan. In Europe, things seem to spiral out of control. I don’t want to reveal too much, but it gets intensely dangerous for Jamie and company. The suspense, romance, and deep characters make this a wonderful page-turner.
March 26, 2017
Jamie, the main character, is best friends with Tristan but everything is not as it seems. When Tristan goes to Europe, the mystery deepens. Tristan has warned Jamie to stay away from her brother Sawyer, so of course they fall in love. I didn't always understand or agree with their actions but I had to remember that these were kids, not adults. The narration was well done and the ending surprised me a little. I liked that there was a message here for young people, not just another romance story. I really enjoyed Foreign Exchange and would recommend it.
I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator. This review is my honest opinion.
I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator. This review is my honest opinion.
October 30, 2014
Denise Jaden is a powerhouse when it comes to writing contemporary YA fiction that doesn't hold anything back when it comes to tackling big issues. With Foreign Exchange, she's created another fantastic read around a very serious, very intense issue facing young women today. The characters are honest, vulnerable, and full of surprises while the storyline rockets along at high speed, leaving you wondering what's going to happen next. Foreign Exchange is a great read that will leave you breathless and wanting more.
January 10, 2016
Just as good as the rest
I absolutely love every book I've read by Denise Jaden. Although the characters are usually young, they are always relatable. Each books seems to start with a crush and a hope of future romance. As you get further and further in you become hooked, not only by the anticipation of the relationship, but the new serious mature situations the character must handle. On to the last fiction novel written by Denise. Can't wait to get started. But oh so sad to finish the last book written by her.
I absolutely love every book I've read by Denise Jaden. Although the characters are usually young, they are always relatable. Each books seems to start with a crush and a hope of future romance. As you get further and further in you become hooked, not only by the anticipation of the relationship, but the new serious mature situations the character must handle. On to the last fiction novel written by Denise. Can't wait to get started. But oh so sad to finish the last book written by her.
February 19, 2015
I'm a fan of all Denise Jaden's books, and I especially loved the European setting and suspenseful action in Foreign Exchange. This is my favourite of her books so far. Jaden writes relationships so well, whether siblings, best friends, or romantic. Foreign Exchange had all three. I cared for all the supporting characters as much as Jamie. And Sawyer...ah, Sawyer. He's definitely book boyfriend material. Secrets, lies, risks, romance - everything I love in YA books!
February 19, 2015
I'm a fan of all Denise Jaden's books, and I especially loved the European setting and suspenseful action in Foreign Exchange. This is my favourite of her books so far. Jaden writes relationships so well, whether siblings, best friends, or romantic. Foreign Exchange had all three. I cared for all the supporting characters as much as Jamie. And Sawyer...ah, Sawyer. He's definitely book boyfriend material. Secrets, lies, risks, romance - everything I love in YA books!
September 27, 2018
Wow! This book is a page turner! I had to read it in one sitting because I really needed to know what happened to Tristan and how the relationship between Jamie and Sawyer was going to end. The chemistry between these two teenagers is dynamic. I believe that young teenage girls will absolutely love this novel. I have read several of Jaden's books and plan to read many more in the future.
November 7, 2015
Fantastic! (Review coming soon)
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June 20, 2014Can't wait to share this book with you! Jamie and Sawyer are really special characters to me.
September 30, 2014
Denise Jaden is a force to be reckoned with! I loved her new book so so much. This one is a thrill ride with full realized, lovable characters, and a refreshingly unique premise.
March 21, 2015
Loved this! Wanted it to delve deeper though.
Very interesting to see into the modelling world.
Very interesting to see into the modelling world.
August 29, 2019
I really enjoyed this book but so much was left unanswered I wish there was a sequel
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February 14, 2016**5 Stars** Review up on Boundless Book Reviews.
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