Another Insta-Read from the Queens Christina Lauren (and I don’t use the term “queens” lightly). Authors who can have me laughing hard and crying hard have skills!

There are so many memorable parts, but the one that still makes me snicker days after the book is finished is Anna’s realization that rich people don’t have hair which means she is going to have to wax, and not just a little bit. Pure gold.

The entire book is pure gold. Christina Lauren writes in a way that gets better and better. I can’t wait for the next one.

I love this duo of writers and the fun escape reads they always deliver. This one was no different. Set in a beautiful private island location, the main characters try to prove that their marriage of convenience is real in order to get the inheritance and a much needed pay off for pretending to be a wife.
I loved the Pretty Woman comaprisons to Liam's proposal for a marriage of convenience. Anna was such a dynamic character I feel in love with her personality from the start. The book contains marriage of convenience, opposites attract, complex family issues, dual pov, slow burn, 🔥🔥🔥🔥 , and laugh out loud moments.
Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery Books, for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren is a fun, sexy, beachy read.

Nearly five years ago Anna and Liam enter into a marriage of convenience to gain access to family student housing. After they finish their degrees, they go their separate ways never expecting to see each other again.

Fast forward to the present- Liam is on Anna’s doorstep telling her that not only was the divorce never finalized, but he also needs her to be his date to his sister’s wedding and to pretend that they have been happily married this whole time. Turns out Liam is the heir to a supermarket fortune, but the trust only pays out if he stays married for five whole years, and his family is beginning to question why they have never met Anna. Anna, recently fired from her job and struggling to pay her father’s medical bills agrees to play the part for a handsome sum.

Fake relationship is one of my favorite romcom tropes because you get to see the characters falling for each other so clearly. I loved this book!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher, the author(s), and to Netgalley.

I enjoyed <i>The Paradise Problem </i> so much. I think I've read almost all of Christina Lauren's books and this one is now one of my favorites (<i>Love and Other Words</i> still holds the top spot). I think with this one in particular you can really see their growth as writers. They're still firmly in the romance genre but I feel like their writing has become more nuanced and thoughtful, and that the characters have more depth than some of their earlier writing. The characters in this one are more complex and they don't really fall into the same traps that we see in a lot of romance novels. I cannot wait for their next book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of this book.

I have loved every Christina Lauren book I have read, and this one is no exception! I've already recommended it to several people. Even though the chemistry between the two leads is obvious and you know where it is going, the journey to getting there was an enjoyable one! Side characters add to the story and let you peek behind the curtain to a world few will ever see.

This was so much fun! I really enjoyed the characters (we know I love a professor esp. of anthropology), and I felt like the setup for their marriage of convenience was believable and feasible—if unlikely. I normally don't like billionaire romances because I am very much an "eat the rich" individual, but I liked this one because both of our main characters were at least somewhat radical and felt some type of way about wealth disparity and how much wealth is too much, as well as being generally good people which billionaires typically are not on account of "you can't get that wealthy without exploiting people".

Anna especially was a great perspective character. She is struggling financially trying to become a full-time artist while also supporting her dad who is sick and needs care and medical treatment, and she never loses her frugality—even going so far as trying to keep the tag on a dress she bought (with Liam's card) for the wedding festivities so that she could return it when she got home. Though she enjoys some of the things money gets her like fancy spa treatments, she also remains down to earth and frequently discusses how no one needs as much money as the Westons have. She's a very relatable character which makes her so easy to root for.

I felt like Liam and Anna had a lot of chemistry and the spice scenes were well-written. The tension building up to them getting together was juicy, and the way their relationship developed felt very natural and satisfying to read.

I think my favorite Christina Lauren is still The Unhoneymooners, but The Paradise Problem is just barely in second place.

The Paradise Problem
by Christina Lauren
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
When I see the name Christina Lauren I know it is a must read for me! Grab it as soon as possible!!
Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance!
This was such a fun book and I enjoyed every minute. *Fake dating
*Marriage of convenience
*Complex family dynamics
*Opposites attract
*Second chance at love
*Slow burn
*Beachy read set in a tropical location
*Dual POV
I recommend this for rom-com lovers.
5 stars

Can Christina Lauren write a bad book?! No, in my opinion! I’ve always enjoyed their books but the last few years, I’ve really loved them!

I’m not sure what it is about their romcoms, but they make me so damn happy. Can my review just be “read this, cause vibes”? 🤔😂

In The Paradise Problem they took on a common trope - marriage of convenience - and somehow wrote an entirely unique story. And it’s filled with the laughs and steamy romance I’ve come to expect from this amazing duo.

After I read The True Love Experiment, I was recommending it to eeeeveryone (still am, actually 😅) and I know I’ll be doing the same for this one! This one pubs May 14th, so do yourself a favor and preorder now!

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Pub date: May 14th

I’ve enjoyed books from this author in the past and I was excited for this release. I love a good marriage of convenience + fake relationship and this one had its moments! Overall, I didn’t love it but I liked it.

It really gives 90's rom com vibes and had some funny scenes, but I just had trouble connecting with the plot and the characters. The side characters + surrounding plot wasn’t anything new and seemed a bit like reusing story lines and tropes.

This would be an easy beach read for your vacation this summer!

Perfect for you if you like:
Dual pov
Marriage of convenience
There’s only one bed
Faking it
Tense family relationships
Top 1% wealth + drama

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The Paradise Problem follows Anna and Liam. Anna is broke and out of a job. When her ex-husband Liam shows up at her door, he offers to pay Anna to pretend to be his wife for his sister's destination wedding. Anna and Liam got married in college as a way to get on-campus housing but they never had a romantic relationship. They have not seen each other in three years, and Anna thought that they had long divorced. Turns out, they were still married on paper, and grocery chain heir Liam needs to stay married for five years in order to receive his inheritance. The two travel to a remote island full of riches, and Liam must face his broken family while realizing his true feelings for Anna.

This one will be fun for fans of Christina Lauren. With an outrageous plot and a quirky female main character, The Paradise Problem continues to follow the formula that works best for the writing pair. I enjoyed this one a lot more than previous Christina Lauren books, but it is not my favorite by the pair. I found Anna a bit too quirky in the beginning, however I did grow to like her by the end of the novel. In addition to this, I found Liam's family a bit two-dimensional. Liam's dad is a huge negative force in his life, but he read off as quite cartoonish. I also struggled to feel the chemistry between Anna and Liam. All of the pieces were there, but something about their relationship just never clicked for me.

I did really enjoy the setting and the discussion of having money versus having happiness. I had a lot of fun reading The Paradise Problem, and I appreciated how effortless the reading experience was. It was very easy to dive in and will make such a fun beach read for Christina Lauren fans!

I received this as an advanced reader copy from net Galley I am a big fan of Christina Lauren they always surprise me with their stories, and this one did not disappoint. The characters were well developed, and the storyline was great. This book had me hooked until the end. I really enjoyed it.

As per usual, I thoroughly enjoyed Christina Lauren’s newest novel. Anna was such a loveable character and so well written. I also loved Liam and the way the two interacted. Some of the plot twists towards the end were really great because while I was expecting a happily ever after, I wasn’t sure how it would play out. Definitely will recommend!

This is my second novel by this team. When Anna and Liam shared a place in college, it was all a front. They had to be married for student housing. They barely saw each other and mad a pact to get married and divorce in a couple of years and they would both move on with their lives.

Flash forward 5 years and Liam is reaching out to Anna because he has not been straight with her or her family. He must convince her to play the role of a loving wife at his sister’s wedding.

This novel was so fun! Steamy scenes, family drama, and fun banter. I need to find more of this duos novels. I have been in a rom-com mood lately.

I really enjoyed this one as I do enjoy most Christina Lauren books (with a few exceptions). The one thing Christina Lauren does REALLY well is creating characters--especially male characters--who have issues but are not problematic enough not to love them and root for them. This one had one of my favorite tropes of the genre, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I loved the characters and the setting--even the characters I loved to hate. Once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down and finished it in just a few sittings.

Christina Lauren does it again! I think this one will be really well received!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions of this one!

Dive into a delightful whirlwind of romance from the amazing duo Christina Lauren. This novel offers an unexpected love story blooming amidst a web of secrets and hidden truths.

Lauren's captivating plot will hook you from the very first page and keep you guessing through all of the twist and turns until the very last page.

As the story unfolds, you'll find yourself cheering for the protagonists, hoping they overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their happily ever after.

The undeniable chemistry between the main characters practically leaps off the page. Their journey is a rollercoaster of emotions, as they navigate the challenges thrown at them by a dysfunctional wealthy family.

This was such a delightful read and I couldn't put it down. I loved Anna and Liam's journey and of course the spice that Christina Lauren does so well!!

omg my first ever christina lauren book and i LOVED IT. The tension between west and anna was actually crazy and had me hooked. the marrige of convenience trope was really new to me and i loved every minute of it. look forward to more CL books in the future.

I could NOT put this down. Liam is every girl's dream, and the banter between him and Anna is just golden. I typically steer away from dual POVs but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I loved the evolution of Liam and Anna's relationship and how it progressed so naturally.

Christina Lauren titles are always a blast to read and this was no exception. The story was humorous, sweet, had a bit of drama and some spice. I loved it and I know our patrons will as well. I'll be adding a few copies to our collection for sure.

This is a classic Christina Lauren rom com. This book has it all and the dynamic between the two main characters is unmatched. With White Lotus vibes, the book follows Anna and West's fake marriage as he needs his "wife" to be present at his side for a family wedding. The hitch is that the wedding is at a luxury resort on a private island with no escape for 10 days. The book follows the family's drama, focusing on a truly awful father, while Anna and West's relationship begins to seem real.

I loved this book. The perfect beach read!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

Classic Christina Lauren fun with their usual charm and flare, this one is an absolute blast. Anna & Liam’s antics will have you cackling and swooning in equal measure. The clever banter and the marriage of convenience turned majorly inconvenient turned “please come to my sister’s million dollar island wedding with me and pretend to be my wife bc my family thinks we’re Actually married” will immediately hook readers, but they’ll stay for the endearingly chaotic Anna and the steadily devoted Liam as they learn to love and lean on each other against all odds. Collaborators with benefits indeed, god bless and good night.

4.5⭐️ highly recommend for romcom lovers and readers of all kinds

**thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC**