Title: The Paradise Problem by Christine Lauren 🌶🌶🌶🌶

"The Paradise Problem" by Christine Lauren offers readers a deliciously saucy tale filled with unexpected twists and turns. At the heart of the story lies an unlikely love affair that blossoms amidst a tangled web of lies and deception.

Set against the backdrop of a crazy wealthy family and a picturesque paradise, the novel captivates readers from the very first page. As the intricate plot unfolds, readers find themselves rooting for the main characters, hoping they find their happily ever after despite the odds stacked against them.

What makes "The Paradise Problem" truly stand out is its ability to keep readers guessing at every turn. Just when you think you have the story figured out, another layer of complexity is revealed, keeping you hooked until the very end.

The chemistry between the main characters sizzles on the page, adding an extra layer of depth to the story. Their journey is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, as they navigate the challenges thrown their way by the eccentric, yet broken wealthy family.

The novel explores themes of love, family, forgiveness, and redemption, adding depth and richness to the narrative.

Overall, "The Paradise Problem" is a captivating read that will leave readers eagerly turning the pages until the very end. With its saucy plot, engaging characters, and unexpected twists, it's a book that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Another great book by Christina Lauren!! I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical of this one because my favorite CL book is The Unhoneymooners, which is mainly set in Hawaii, and I feel loyal to those characters! But Anna and Liam have a beautiful story that unfolds on a very small, exclusive private island off of Singapore, where they traveled for Liam's sister's wedding. They are married, though it was a marriage in name only five years prior and they haven't seen each other since. Anna agrees to accompany Liam because her financial situation is dire, but they end up having a wonderful time together and falling in love. The dialogue and banter between the characters is laugh out loud hilarious. The relationship develops naturally and their attraction and physical connection are fire! I loved this book and their story.

West and Anna must “fake date” their way through an over the top wedding on a beautiful island. They need to keep this a secret from West’s horrible father in order to get his inheritance. There were so many funny parts in this book and it was easy to love these two characters. It was a great story line leading up to an inevitable ending with just enough spice! I couldn’t put this down and really enjoyed it!

Christina Lauren does it again! When I tell you I squeal- I squealllllll when I get approved for Clo books!! I almost didn’t want to start because I didn’t want it to be over.

The Paraside Problem brings us Anna Green and Liam Weston. They got married purely for the discounted student housing. They don’t know each other well and don’t have any interaction while living together. This was a trope I’d never seen before.

They’re now moved out and moving on with their lives as college is over. But Liam needs Anna’s help. He’s the heir to a very large sum of money as his family owns a huge grocery chain. The kicker is that he had to be married for 5 years. It’s now his sisters wedding & his family is suspicious why they’ve never met his wife. He grovels and bribes Anna (a stranger to him) to come to an island and be his fake wife for 10 days.

Turns out Liam’s family is awful. Anna does her very best but she’s a quirky, feisty, artist (also not the story his family knows). The more Anna watches Liam’s family unravel and show their true colors the more Anna finds the good in Liam. He begins to see her as a person in his corner, which he’s never had before.

The drama in Liam’s family runs so deep. This keeps the reader totally hooked wondering what is going on with this extremely rich family. And of course- we can’t help but fall for Anna & Liam- separately and together. This two unlikely (but already married) pair find their way to each other. Yet they’re from such different lives- is it even possible to make that work?!

I couldn’t put this down. I loved these two and their journey. I did find the fake marriage trope a bit unbelievable. I also didn’t love that these two lived together and never spoke. Knowing Anna that seems kind of unlikely. I know the lost time added a fun element to their story but weird to imagine. But as always- Christina Lauren (the wonderful duo) builds such great romance. 4.5!

GODDAMN!
Is there any other way to start this review?!
CLo proves again that this duo knows what they're doing in the romance department. I had to suspend reality in the first couple of chapters, but after that, it was a wild ride that sucked me in till the last page.
Could it be my favorite of their books? If not, it's definitely in the top three.
I have to mention that the kitchen scene is hands down, 100% the HOTTEST SPICY SCENE they have ever written and maybe my favorite ever.
I said what I said.

Anna Green thought her real divorce from her marriage-of-convenience in college was final. What she didn't realize is that her ex is a grocery chain heir and needed the marriage to inherit from this grandfather. Instead of filing the papers he used the loophole in the contract to continue the lie to his family.

Three years have passed and Liam is so close to not having to deal with his family any longer. He just needs one last favor from Anna, but asking her to attend the family wedding on a private island may be asking more than she can deal with at the moment. When they parted ways Anna was pre-med, but now Anna is a full-time artist and nothing like the picture Liam has painted of the woman he married.

If Liam and Anna can survive his family and each other, they may just find they have more reasons to stay together than apart.

Christina Lauren always blends humor, love and just enough conflict to create the perfect book and The Paradise Problem is no exception.

Let's start with our heroine. Anna Green is perfection. From the first pages, you'll be rooting for this pink haired, hilarious artist. I wish I could be her friend irl.

There's so much to love about Liam Weston. He takes such care to make sure Anna is comfortable throughout their tumultuous vacation with his powerful and vengeful family.

The development of their relationship was my favorite part of their story. They are two mature adults who are each dealing with diffi ult situations. They deal with conflict through clear communciation. I found this to be a breath of fresh air compared to other romances where there might be miscommunication or immaturity to the relationship.

The plot was a little complex at times with the inheritance and clauses, but Christina Lauren pull it all together at the end for the perfect ending. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I've read one other Christina Lauren book and I remember liking it and thinking that it was a bit juvenile. This one hit all the tropes and was just a lot of fun. Some good steamy romance and just a slightly far-fetched plot line.

The Paradise Problem is the first Christina Lauren novel I have read, but it won’t be the last! The seamless writing between the duo authors is enchanting. This novel has the right amount of spice and relaxation to be the perfect summer vacation must read. Two people who have a marriage of convenience having to try to prove their legitimacy in the most stressful situation with a great location and views. This book sucked me in from the first chapter and kept me wanting more.

I was overdue for a Christina Lauren romance! This one definitely delivered.

I found the opposites attract trope to be quite endearing — Anna’s free-spirited personality clashed with Liam’s perfectionist, people-pleasing traits but I loved every second of it.

Given that the majority of this book took place in one week on a private island setting, I thought there was enough plot and character development to keep me entertained throughout the story. Although, I will say I could’ve gone without the extensive epilogue.

Another aspect about this book that I wanted to point out is that there was a lot of discussion on finances and wealth. I thought some of the conversations revolving around money were a bit repetitive, but I thought everything came full circle in the end.

I recommend this book if you are looking for a classic CL romance that will bring a little heat 🔥 to your winter!

This was a fun romp, similar to the Unhoneymooners, which I loved. The family drama was really interesting. I wanted a little more of the simple intimacies between the two main characters (not like just physical attraction), but overall very much enjoyed this one.

A cute romance, and for once one where the conflict didn’t feel forced. The setting was magical, characters believable and plot well-paced. A few good, spicy scenes.

I really enjoyed this book! I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley.

Anna and Liam were such fun characters. I found myself laughing throughout the book. Anna is so quirky and fun while Liam is more composed and level headed. The pacing was great and made for a quick read. This was such a great change of pace for me from my current reads. If you are looking for a romance read with a Succession element to it, this is your book! I’ve always loved Christina Lauren books, and thrilled that this book solidified that.

Tropes:
👥Forced proximity
☯️Opposites Attract
💍Married to a stranger
🏝️Paradise!
💔Third act breakup

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Succession meets fake dating/marriage: Anna West is a quirky artist firmly living in the lower middle class and Liam Weston is a privileged heir who is on the outs with his grocery chain-owning family. They meet and marry under the guise of more affordable college housing and although they eventually go their separate ways, a muddy inheritance clause makes Liam come knocking at her door and he invites her to his sister’s wedding on a private island.

This is probably my favorite Christina Lauren book so far. It feels polished and I loved the deep dive into toxic wealthy family dynamics. The characters are all well-defined (except for Liam, for some reason he was a little hazier than others,) and I really enjoyed Anna. I felt like I knew her, she was relatable, honest, weird and sloppy, and like many of us - borderline poor - if not actually so. The commentary on the wealth divide was poignant. The authors did a good job of letting this huge topic exist in the background of what is essentially a beach read, but it was really perfect how they addressed it and let it drive the story forward. Also, the steam was pretty steamy but well-placed. Loved this book!

I always enjoy Christina Lauren books, but I absolutely loved The Paradise Problem, and it is getting added to my favorite list of their books!

The Paradise Problem is a unique spin on the marriage of convenience trope. Five years earlier, Anna and Liam got married without even knowing each other to solve their housing dilema at college. Anna was an undergrad who couldn't afford to live anywhere else, and Liam, as a doctoral student, had access to family housing, but needed to be married to live there. Liam's brother Jake was a friend of Anna's, and arranged for them to quickly get married to solve their problem, and in their two years, living together, the two barely interacted. Now, as Anna learns they are still married, Liam needs her to pretend to be happily married so they can fool his family in to not learning the truth at his sister's wedding.

Like all Christina Lauren books, this one had the best banter between Anna and Liam that had me laughing throughout reading. I liked that you get both Anna and Liam's perspective throughout the book, and my heart broke for Liam at some many times with the way his family treated him. I loved watching Anna and Liam really get to know each other as they spent time together leading up to the wedding and how they genuinely fell for each other, and there is even some spice mixed in! The cast of secondary characters, while some you will want to hate, others were great

This will be the perfect summer romcom and I can't recommend it enough!

Christina Lauren does it again. I love every book they write. The Paradise Problem starts with Anna going through a rough time but old time “acquaintance” West swoops in to save her financial woes. She just needs to fly and off to paradise for a week and be convincing. Falling in love is not the plan. But as any good romance goes, that’s the plan, but not the action.
I loved this book for the simple easy escape. I read it in the dead of winter, wishing I was on a tropical island. It’s an easy read, but great character build and plot.

Enjoyed this story. Could predict how the end would be, but it had a lot of “meat” to make it not predictable. Would recommend.

Another fantastic book the author duo Christina Lauren. I loved the tropical setting of the story and many of the tropes like the one-bed trope and fake dating. The ending felt slightly fast paced, but overall I enjoyed Anna and Liam's story.

Pretty Woman meets Succession in this deliciously playful and sexy fake relationship romance. It would make a great movie, but it was an equally entertaining read – filled with moments that made me laugh and a few that made me fan myself. I loved our slightly outrageous, pink-haired heroine, who does a fantastic job of keeping the buttoned-up hero on his toes. When they entered into a marriage of convenience in college, neither could’ve anticipated that they’d have to act like a happy couple while enduring a decadent yet tedious tropical wedding. As opposite as they come, I loved the fish out of water element and how our heroine keeps things grounded, providing a surprisingly steady source of support for the hero. He was also an unexpected delight, and I loved watching him reveal new sides of himself. Their banter and chemistry leapt off the page. Together, they made this a fun, fresh, and fiery read. I loved it!

The story follows Anna (25), a woman whose life is falling apart around her. Her career seems to be going nowhere and she’s drowning in bills, so the surprise reappearance of her “ex-husband” is a shock to the system. Nearly five years ago, Anna married West because he needed to secure an inheritance and she needed cheap housing, so the two near-strangers made a deal that benefited them both. Anna hasn’t thought of West (31) since they signed “divorce papers” three years ago, and she soon realizes that she probably should’ve looked at the paperwork better. Turns out, they’ve been married this whole time, and Anna doesn’t even know the guy’s actual first name. That’s how little they know about each other. Even worse? Their deception is on the verge of coming out, and West – or Liam, actually – needs Anna to accompany him to a family wedding and act like they’ve been married this whole time.

It’s such a fun premise, and I loved the idea of a marriage of convenience gone awry. Anna was (platonic) friends with Liam’s brother in college, and that’s really the only thing they have in common. They could not be more different, and it’s clear that they never took the time to learn anything about each other… which could prove disastrous for their current situation. It’s a play on Pretty Woman in that Anna is being paid to look like a woman who would be married into such a wealthy family, and it’s got a Succession-like feel because of the dynamics within Liam’s family. The combination of the two was insanely compelling, and this writing duo puts their own fresh spin on things. I loved the way Anna and Liam became a team, growing closer because of the forced proximity on a tropical vacation. There’s also a great “there’s only one bed” situation and an undercurrent of slow-building sexual tension. These two were so good together once they got past the initial hurdles, and I was engaged the whole way through. Another very solid read from this writing duo, and easily one of my new favorites from them.

If you love books by Christina Lauren, this one will be no different. An engrossing story that was made even better by the picture perfect setting this story made me dream of visiting a tropical island overseas. The family dynamics were startling and kept me turning the page! I really felt for the main characters and enjoyed the ending. Thank you for this advanced copy!