Member Reviews
I love a complicated, “I’m so nervous” for the next part of a fake relationship book, don’t you??
Im not going to lie, Anna wasn’t likable to me in the very beginning of this story and I was really worried about overly put together Liam. But it was magical. The chemistry, the feelings and all the funny parts. The authors did a beautiful job making this romance work and I fell hard. If you’re a diehard fan of these authors then I don’t even need to convince you to read this. You know. I hope you love it as much as I did!
Thanks Gallery Books via NetGalley.
The dynamic duo does it again! This was such a good read that I blew through it in a few hours because I couldn’t (and wouldn’t) put it down. I loved both Anna and West. They had amazing chemistry and had such a ROD vibe that I had to root for them. The Weston clan was a perfectly written group with so many issues who I would never want to have dinner with. I think this is their best book yet!
Christina and Lauren did it again! I absolutely loved the romance between Liam and Anna. Their tension and witty, playful banter created plenty of laugh-out-loud moments between the two of them that felt like bliss while reading.
There were several mild but delicious spicy scenes, even a spicy kitchen counter scene, but they don't happen until the second half of the book, which made for a slow burn but was so worth it in the end. I didn't want this story to end. In all honesty, I was intrigued by Liam's dysfunctional family, and in a dream world, this would be a series where we get to see each sibling finding and falling in love with their partners.
Overall, this was a fantastic romance with plenty of tropes, including marriage of convenience, billionaire, fake dating, forced proximity with only one bed, and a dysfunctional but slightly (extremely) dysfunctional family, and I would definitely recommend giving it a go if you need an entertaining summer read.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Christina Lauren for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.
This gave me strong Unhoneymooners vibes, except that West and Anna actually LIKED each other, and West was capital-L Loaded. I've seen a couple reviews that said "Crazy Rich Asians", which OK, why not. The entire vacation was a combination of fantasy and trainwreck, equal parts "it's so beautiful" and "how absolutely wasteful". As a solidly Not Rich person I really empathized with Anna's distaste for the egregious excess, as well as her desire not to sublimate herself to West's family's expectations. I have to say I drew the line at a couple of her other choices (surely I'm not the only person who does not cope with disappointment by getting high and eating my weight in cereal?).
It's a slower burn here than some of the authors' other books but it was worth the weight. The side characters, too, were terrific. I'm glad Ray got the satisfyingly neat and tidy end we all hoped for, even though I suspect that real-life ultra-rich people would be able to weasel out of justice somehow.
Highly recommended to Christina Lauren fans and those looking for a funny, sweet and a little spicy vacation/beach/poolside read.
This fast paced rom-com was a fun read!
I loved the banter between Liam and Anna and how each of the characters had individuality. The Paradise Problem really made me nostalgic for 2000’s rom-com movies!
High recommend. Perfect book to add to your summer TBR!
“When we care about someone, they deserve the benefit of the doubt. We have to consider not only what they did, but also why they did it. Intent matters.”
I’m convinced there will be no greater duo than Christina and Lauren.
I went into this book completely blind and it did not disappoint. At all. In any way. First of all, the narration of this book was perfection, making me laugh throughout its absurdity and also its endearing moments. And boy do they know how to make romance readers swoon at the banter, the mischief, and their ability to weave together some of the best tropes known to the genre!
Anna is like any fun-loving, quirky, embrace-yourself FMC we come across in romance books aimed at embracing oneself and being proud of who we are. But Liam? Liam is a unique specimen. Because the man you mean in the beginning as “West” is not the man I expected to fall for by the end. In fact, watching more and more of his genuine personality shine through as he grew to find ways to enjoy everyday life alongside Anna just made me fall harder for this story.
When I say that Liam’s family is awful, I mean it. But I’ll let them show you their true colors. You don’t need me for that. But when I say Anna and Liam are the epitome of a relationship that brings out the best in one another, I wholeheartedly mean it. And I can’t wait for you to see it for yourself.
Don’t miss out on this one. It’s fun-loving, humorous, quirky, and a well-balanced combination of light-hearted and emotional. It’s one you definitely won’t want to miss in 2024!
Tropes:
- Marriage of convenience
- Fake dating
- Banter + humor
- Billionaire romance
- Opposites attract
- He falls first
- Slow burn
- Destination wedding
- Dual POV
Man this book made me excited for summer! I adored this book! I loved Anna and her personality and wittiness. West/Liam I picture as a major heartthrob (with a horrible family). I loved the spicy parts! The book overall was a major win in my opinion! I love Christina Lauren! Always a go to author for me!
I absolutely LOVED this, it was a perfect little romcom break for me and it was my first introduction to Christina Lauren.
It was a fake marriage trope with some frills and stipulations that lead our MCs on a trip to a beautiful island where they were meant to sell the relationship to those who were maybe doubting its legitimacy.
What we get is an adorable push and pull, slowly built romance between two complete opposites with a satisfying conclusion.
There's mystery and family secrets galore as well which kept the pages turning on my end.
This was a win for me!
THE PARADISE PROBLEM BOOK REVIEW🌺🌴🐚
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you’re like me and love @christinalauren you’re gonna want to pick this one up! Buttoned-up grocery store chain heir West and an artist living paycheck to paycheck Anna get married on paper so they can live in family housing at UCLA.
No problem right? Until 3 years later he realized that to receive his hundred million dollar inheritance, he has to be happily married for 5 years. So West gets back in touch with Anna and they make an agreement to pretend they’ve been happily married this whole time and they head off to a tropical private island to attend his sisters wedding… only catch is West’s family is actually the worst group of toxic billionaires ever.
Perfect summer read if you liked their other book THE UNHONEYMOONERS and if you’re looking for:
💕fake dating (marriage) trope
🌴small private island
💰family of billionaires
🌶️a little steam!
Loved how this story came together and Anna with West/Liam! West’s family was actually the worst but I loved the private island and huge fancy wedding setting! Makes me want to take a trip somewhere tropical!
I Think this might be my favorite Christina Lauren book yet. This book was delightful in so many ways, it was hilarious, full of witty banter, charm and of course spice. I laughed so hard throughout this book and didn't want this book to end. Set on a tropical Island this is perfect to read on vacation, at the beach or lounging by the pool!
If you like fake billionaire, dating/marriage of convenience with a dual point of view, then I recommend you read this!
Thank you so much to Gallery Books for the advance copy!
Here it is! Another awesome book by the amazing writing team Christina Lauren!
This book will make you laugh. The female main character, Anna, is hilarious. Amid the laughter there also are some serious family issues. The male main character, Liam, comes from a messed up family.
Can Anna, a free spirited down on her luck artist, and Liam, a buttoned up Stanford professor, convince Liam’s family that they have been a happily married couple for nearly five years? They have twelve days to pull that off as they attend a family wedding on the tropical island of Pulau Jingga in Thailand.
Liam and Anna entered into a marriage of convenience while both were in college at UCLA to live in family housing. After graduation Anna assumed they had divorced. Three years later Liam shows up at her apartment to convince her to pretend to be his loving wife so he can receive his trust fund.
This book is definitely a slow burn, but once it happens - Wow!
Can money buy happiness?
This book has the best epilogue.
“I think the real you is wonderful, exactly the way she is.”
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren is one of a kind! I really enjoyed Liam and Anna and their struggle to find one another from all of the external stresses that are causing them trouble!
Anna is a struggling artist in LA. Recently, having lost her job, she is trying to figure out her next step. When her estranged husband of nearly five years shows up and makes a crazy offer.
Liam is just trying to get to the finish line. Five years is just a few months away, and it means freedom. Except his family, as always, finds a way to hold me him. Or at least interfere.
I absolutely loved the class struggles and the budding relationship between Liam and Anna. Their lessons were well learned and I'm glad they got their HEA!
If you know me at all you know I am trash for HKCS (Hot Kitchen Counter Sex) in my romance reads.
And, after a dry spell in which no books I read included characters screwing health codes in order to screw each other, I finally got my fix with THE PARADISE PROBLEM.
I dare you to read this book and not instantly adore Anna. Funny, quirky, unapologetically real, sweet, and snarky! Anna is romance heroine goals. And Liam (or should I say West?) is all serious, buttoned-up, cinnamon roll hero perfection.
The chemistry between these two is fire, but even better and the epically sweet connection that grows between them. Oh, and the HKCS. Lest we forget.
THE PARADISE PROBLEM is a must read this Summer! It's funny, charming, sexy, and will hit you in the feels.
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R / 2-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: past parent abandonment, parent with cancer, manipulative family relationships
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 3/5 - You will definitely feel some feels.
This is the perfect book for your beach read this summer! The location of the book along with a fake marriage (but was it really) and the whole idea of going to a wedding that had all the bells and whistles a wedding of rich people have makes for a great read.
I love the interactions between the characters and all the emotion that it brings out as I was reading. A book that is this fun to read is one that has to be on my list of books to tell all my reader friends to grab when it comes out.
Thank you NetGalley, Christina Lauren and Gallery Books for the copy of the book The Paradise Problem. This is my personal review.
I think CL really shines in tropical locales. The gorgeous backdrop and sensory descriptions give this one perfect summer reading vibes. And of course the romance is a fantastic and sexy ride. But the heart of this story is Liam’s emotional and familial rollercoaster. Put all that together and it’s a stellar and complete read, with one of the best epilogues I’ve had in recent years.
A little more detail… It’s a marriage of convenience trope with excellent and surprising layers! It should be a fantastical and outrageous situation but somehow it all makes sense and seems plausible. Anna and Liam get great character build individually and then together their chemistry, banter, and antics jump off the page. It’s funny, heartfelt, bit of fish-out-of-water, and then increasing depth of family drama and trauma. And, of course, steamy island sex. There is a ton packed into this story and with great pacing to boot.
There were just a couple areas that I wanted a smidge more from … but that’s getting nitpicky. Overall I loved it and highly recommend.
Romance is not normally my go-to genre but when it's done just right, there is nothing better. This book was exactly that. I have really enjoyed Christina Lauren's work in the past but this one takes the cake for me. If you liked the Honeymooners, this is right up your alley.
It had me laughing out loud, grinning, and kicking my feet at points throughout the story. The plot, while unlikely, was unique and really enjoyable. The characters are messy and real which I always appreciate.
Anna Green and Liam Weston got married in college to secure student housing but turns out they never actually got divorced because Liam is from a family of millionaires and can only inherit his trust if he stays married for five years. Luckily, their five year anniversary is just around the corner, Unluckily, people in his family are starting to doubt the validity of the marriage, meaning he would have to forfeit the trust. To prove it's real, Anna joins Liam as his fake wife on a family vacation to his sister's wedding. Yes, it is as chaotic and messy as you think it will be.
This book will have you wishing you were on vacation, so grab a drink, this book, and kick back this summer for an enjoyable experience.
This is truly a perfect summer read! With incredibly funny characters and a smart engaging plot this book was a delight. Anna is a bit of a mess especially in the beginning but I love how kind, determined, funny and loyal she was. I was a bit iffy about Liam in the beginning but he’s character growth was amazing and I couldn’t help but rooting for him. I really liked that even though this was a “millionaire” romance Anna’s and Liam’s perspective kept it realistic. The romance was fun, steamy and sweet all at once.
If you have any vacations planned this year wait until then to reas this book for maximum paradise vibes!
reading THE PARADISE PROBLEM in paradise hits different 🌴🙌🏼🥰 pro tip: save this one for a tropical vaca or beach binge!
⭐️ rating: 4.5 stars
genre: romance
#️⃣ pages: 352
✍🏼 same author of: LOVE & OTHER WORDS, THE SOULMATE EQUATION, THE UNHONEYMOONERS and more
🥳 pub day: 5/14
#gifted by @gallerybooks @leoprny
read if you like: THE UNHONEYMOONERS, CRAZY RICH ASIANS, fake dating tropes, tropical vacations, the rich & famous, toxic families, great settings to escape into
this gave me major THE UNHONEYMOONERS vibes 🌴 i’ve has this book on my shelf for 5 months and saved it to read it poolside in Hawaii… and i’m SO glad i did 👏🏼 this setting was such a vibe and i truly felt like i was a part of the book reading it there. i feel like sometimes liking or disliking a book has to do with your personal mindset and location and this was probably that for me—it matched so well and i never wanted to put it down. i’ve seen some meh reviews for this but i really enjoyed it. even though they were problematic, i love reading about rich families and how they live. typically fake dating tropes are my #1 romance trope enemy (it seems to be the top trope this year…as seen in FUNNY STORY & JUST FOR THE SUMMER), but it was executed so well here! there was some good steam and i think Liam will be everyone’s new book bf 🫶🏼
THE PARADISE PROBLEM follows Anna and West. she’s broke and unemployed and he’s a professor and heir to a major grocery chain. they got fake married years back and thought the divorce was final—but it wasn’t. now there’s a huge inheritance on the line if they can’t stick it out for a few more months and prove to his family they’re madly in love while on a family vaca on a private island. simple, right?
this is a perf summer book binge on the beach or vaca! the chemistry between the two MCs was top notch 🔥🥵 the toxic family dynamic will be hit or miss for people but it gave some good tension and gave CRAZY RICH ASIAN vibes for me. plus, it proved even more how Liam is just the best 🥹 and the ending was adorable.
TLDR—pre-order it, go in blind, enjoy the ride and have fun with it. i sure did 🥰🌴
Christina Lauren doesn’t disappoint, and the Paradise Problem was no exception! Anna Green and Liam “West” Weston got married in college to secure student housing. Anna thought they got divorced two years later, only she failed to read the documents Liam sent her. Now, just months from the five-year marriage that will secure his inheritance, Liam needs his “wife” to attend his sister’s wedding (in literal paradise) with him. This was a fun marriage of convenience rom-com. I loved both quirky Anna and reserved Liam, and it was fun watching them work through their Paradise Problem. This will be a great summer read.
This was such a fun read from Christina Lauren! It reminded me of The White Lotus tv show with all of the extravagant parties and expensive....well everything.
The romance was adorable & very well done! A great summer read for sure!