Thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC of The Paradise Problem in exchange for my honest review. I am a huge fan of Christina Lauren and couldn't wait to read their latest book! I was gripped from the cover and description. This book is Pretty Woman meets White Lotus with a marriage of convenience and destination wedding twist. I read a lot of 2 perspective novels and Christina Lauren is so good at differentiating the voices with the different POVs. Liam and Anna were both intriguing characters, layered, dimensional. The writing was sharp and funny. The scenery was lush and I felt like I was there with them- at that luxury private island resort. The third act problem was honest and believable and not at all contrived. It was great to see how the characters supported one another, matured together, and respected one another. And there were some amazing spicy scenes. A definite must read!

Another Christina Lauren win for me! I love Anna and Liam, they're fake but not fake marriage, their chemistry and the lush, dreamy setting where their story takes place. A love story in paradise, some major family drama, and parallels to Pretty Woman are a recipe for a great book!

I think we'll be hearing a lot about this one.

If you are a fan of this fab duo, you won't be disappointed! The Paradise Problem has all the ingredients of a great rom-com... the banter, drama, spice, romance, a dysfunctional family, and a private oasis. The banter between Anna (starving artist) and Liam (rich professor) is sensational. I really enjoyed seeing how, despite being from two different worlds, their strong connection, from the start, helps them grow as a couple and as individuals.

What struggling artist, with medical bills and student loans, wouldn't want to find a rich man (willing to pay any amount) to invite her to a private island for almost two weeks!? I highly recommend this book, if you're looking for something fluffy, charming, provocative, and funny.

Pub Date: May 14, 2024

Thank you to the authors, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for my advanced e-book.

In their college days, Anna and Liam (West) get married to get reduced student housing--a ploy that both is fine with since they lead totally separate lives. At the end of school, West takes off and Anna goes on her own way.

Fast forward 5 years, Anna's taking care of a sick dad and West shows up--needing a favor and willing to pay for Anna's help. The two jet set off to a secluded island for West's sister's wedding and embark on a ploy to trick West's family into believing their marriage has been the stuff of dreams for the past 5 years. Family secrets emerge, misconceptions are righted, and strength is found in unexpected allies.

Characters were well written and likable. Pacing worked for the story. A few standard rom-com tropes thrown in for good measure. It was an enjoyable read, even with knowing where 95% of the story was heading from the first chapter.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it)

I'll tell my students about: language, drugs, alcohol, sex, trauma/mental abuse

**Thank you to NetGalley & Gallery Books for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

3.5 stars. This is a nice, easy contemporary romance following down on her luck, Anna, and billionaire in hiding, West, in a fake marriage scenario on a lush, private island. The first couple of chapters are a bit rough as Anna acts so immature but that abruptly changes as the story progresses. While it tied up a bit too neatly, I still really liked this one.

I’ve never been more excited for an ARC. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books!

If you know me, you know Christina Lauren is my favorite author(s) so when I got approved for this book, I squealed with excitement! The premise for this book is so perfect for a classic romcom! A marriage of convenience in college turns to a family vacation to prove their marriage is real to keep the MMC’s inheritance.

Anna and Liam meet in college and got married to move into family only housing. They lived together for 2 years while hardly seeing each other. Two and a half years later, Liam shows up at Anna’s door asking her to come with him to his sisters wedding because his family is wondering why they have never meet his wife, only Anna didn’t realize they were still married! He needs her to come on this lavish and crazy week on a private island and pretend they have been happily married because if they keep up the ruse, after 5 years of marriage his trust/inheritance gets passed to him.

Anna is a struggling artist who just got fired from her job at a gas station when Liam shows up, he offers to pay her to come and keep up the lie. Liam has a crazy family with ton of drama and has spent the past few years distancing himself from his family. Will they be able to keep up the act in front of his family?

Early on in this book, you think, these two should not end up together, they are from such opposite worlds, they don’t have a ton in common, and they don’t know each other well… y’all don’t doubt a CLo book! Anna and Liam of course have great chemistry but what I love most about them, is the support these two had for each other! They may not seem like a good fit at first but I beg you to stick it out. The family drama, the crazy rich person antics, and the connection with Liam and Anna put this book to the top of Christina Lauren’s collection! More than anything I love a CLo epilogue where we see multiple points of the future and not just one scene. We get a complete picture of where the characters end up and makes such a satisfying conclusion!

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a beach read because the setting is literally a private tropical island.

I’ve read a handful of books by Christina Lauren, but this was hands down one of my favorites. Anna and West’s relationship was so sweet and lovable. The fake dating to actual dating pipeline worked out perfectly, and the drama of the family added to the story. So much fun!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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.

📍 Read if you like:
• Fake Marriage
• Opposites Attract
• One-Bed Trope
• Forced Proximity
• Family Drama

I’m a huge fan of this duo - Christina Lauren have written some incredible romances. I was so excited to pick this up, and the cover is stunning!

This was such a fun fake marriage romance, I was pulled in immediately with these characters. The banter in this was on a whole other level, I absolutely loved the way this story went. Also, the proximity of this being set on a private tropical island? Incredible.

I honestly am considering picking this book up in the summer again because it was such a fun read. I loved the tension in this and the angst between the characters - and some spice mixed in!

Anna and Liam are in a fake marriage situation, both for reasons that would benefit them. I loved the way these characters were portrayed and developed. I was giggling throughout the book, these authors know how to write some hilarious scenes.

I honestly really enjoy following rich characters in books. The dysfunctional family in this one was exceptional, I loved how insane everything got at this wedding in paradise.

I was also delighted by the past and present in this, it was interesting seeing how the chemistry between the two grew throughout the book. Both personalities in this had me completely intrigued, especially Liam’s character.

This was such a successful story with a twist on the fake marriage trope, I absolutely loved the way this book headed and how it was written. The setting was phenomenal and the characters had me hooked. I always love a romantic story with some humor, so The Paradise Problem is one you’ll want to be on the lookout for when it releases.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Gallery Books for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Bullying, Sexual Content, Classism, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional Abuse

Always a fan of Christina Lauren. Immediate buy author and one I recommend often to others looking for just the right thing. This one was cute and an easy read. Just what you would expect.

Positives:
Likeable characters
A gorgeous, tropical setting
A unique twist on the fake dating troupe
There were times I laughed out loud
Beautiful cover

Negatives:
Some of the subtopics were heavy handed at times

It probably wan't my favorite CL novel, but I liked it enough and will continue to read and enjoy her novels. A great novel to escape with on a beach.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Okay so this book is such a fun read. You can never go wrong with a fake relationship, a gorgeous island retreat, and the stunning handsome Liam.

I loved having the dual perspectives told in the book through Anna and Liam. Anna is such a fun, vibrant character that you can’t help wanting to be friends with.
And Liam became such a stud the more the story continued.

Overall, super fun read and had the right amount of spice.

LOVE! There is something about a Christina Lauren book that just grabs you from the beginning and doesn’t let go. I loved that the family drama of the book felt real. The dialogue in the family fights actually felt like they came from real life arguments. Both the main characters were a perfect mix of rigid and free spirit that made them seem like a perfect match. Many times romance books are cheesy, but Lauren does a great job leaving the reader with an important moral dilemma to contemplate. Couldn’t recommend enough! The only bad part is that it’s over and I have to wait for their next novel!

CL is is back (how do they publish at such breakneck speed?!), and I think this is my third-favorite of their vast oeuvre, behind The Unhoneymooners and The Soulmate Equation. This one sort of marries elements of those two, with characters somewhat resembling those in Soulmate (socially awkward loner male who is mega-wealthy, but also a secret do-gooder + flighty/hot mess female who needs money), a similar financial set up, and a vacation paradise a la Unhoneymooners. My biggest gripes with the book were that (1) Anna can be frustratingly holier-than-thou regarding the wealth and social status differential, and that (2) it's hard to believe that the two of them were married and living together during college, but developed basically zero relationship or history during that time. I feel like the book would've been stronger had the characters had more of a point of view on one another coming into the whole arrangement-- i.e. was there ever a connection? Were they enemies? Did Anna have an unrequited crush on Liam, or vice versa?
Aside from that nitpicking, this is the perfect vacation read, with its lush setting, fun banter, and plenty of steamy scenes.

Christina Lauren can do no wrong in my eyes! I loved The Paradise Problem. I was the biggest cheerleader for Liam "West" Weston and Anna Green. The fake relationship and one bed trope is always a winner!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What a beautiful story between a fake married couple. The slow burn just about killed me, but it was worth the wait. And that awful father is what nightmares are made of. He made my own awful parent look like a Saint.

Any book written by CLo will always be a one sitting page turner!! (ok maybe two sittings because life!) I fall in love with the characters every time, the plot is *chefs kiss* & i never giggle more! Absolutely loved this book! Their love was so tender and understanding...but also steamy! 5 star read!

I'm a big fan of Christina Lauren. I've read everything they write and they're typically an auto-buy for me. And while I eventually liked this book just as much as their others, I admit to struggling a bit in the first third of the book.

This book is based around a fake dating trope mixed in with some Cinderella vibes and soap-opera worthy family drama. Our main couple got married in college in order to score married couples housing... despite not actually being in a relationship. They lived as roommates until graduation, when our female MC, Anna, thought she signed some divorce papers and the fake couple went on their merry ways. Flash forward a few years and Anna is a struggling artist, drowning in her father's medical bills and waiting for her big break. Then her former fake husband, Liam "West" Weston, walks back into her life needing a favor. Turns out, they didn't actually divorce all those years ago. They're still married, and West has been telling his family all sorts of lies about Anna and their marriage to keep them off his back. Because his family is both filthy rich and just terrible human beings. In order to secure his inheritance, West just needs to keep the marriage lie up a little bit longer... and that means Anna needs to accompany him to his sister's destination wedding and convince the family that they are an old married couple.

Before I get into what I liked about the book, I need to say why I struggled for the first third. And it was Liam/West. His actions felt very... shady, as though he was taking advantage of Anna. They never had a conversation about staying married, and it doesn't look like he was going to pay Anna under the initial plan, despite using her to get his inheritance. And while he does offer to pay Anna when she has to attend the wedding, it is a paltry sum compared to what he stands to gain. So yes, I didn't like our male MC at first.

He won me over, however. Anna never needed to. She was unapologetically her throughout the book, in a way that reminded me of one of my fav Christina Lauren books Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. West's ability to draw boundaries around his family, and his admission that he had been through therapy, brought me to his side. Their romance was rather typical for this trope, but still great.

I made the biggest mistake when i read this book-- I started it at 10PM. The next thing I knew it was after midnight and i only had a little bit left. I could not put it down. It was such a cute, fun, book and I loved the dual perspectives. I truly just wanted to drift away to the island and experience the wedding myself.

Christina Lauren's writing made me feel like I was there and experiencing the joy and anguish of every minute. I was at the edge of my seat trying to figure out the complex family dynamics and plot twists that would be coming.

For anyone who loves a good Rom-Com, this is a must read!

This might be my favorite Christina Lauren to date. I was entirely bought in on their relationship due to the immense amount of love, respect, and admiration shown by the characters throughout the entire book and it was just a very satisfying read. Steamy, fun, sweet, and entirely consumable!

Christina Lauren is one of my favorite authors, so I was extremely excited to read this one. If you're looking for a quick, easy summer read that is great for your next beach vacation, this is it. Although it's not my favorite CL book I've ever read (not sure how anything can beat Love and Other Words), it is enjoyable.

However, there are a few things that I didn't love that are bringing my rating down a bit. I enjoyed the FMC and MMC characters, but I had a hard time believing their relationship together. Anna is quirky, artsy, and doesn't take life too seriously. Liam, on the other hand, is serious, focused, and dedicated to work. Opposites attract, right? Typically yes. There were moments when I loved their banter and the way they balanced each other out. But there were other times when I had a hard time seeing them actually interested in each other beyond a physical relationship.

I also struggled with the writing at times. It felt very conversational (as if someone was speaking to you in person - using slang, making jokes, etc.) in one moment and then a bit more formal (aka more in line with what you would typically find in romance books) at other points. As someone who has read Love and Other Words, which is an extremely heartwarming yet heartbreaking story, it was hard to wrap my head around. One minute, I didn't want to put it down, and the next, I found it difficult to be truly interested in the story. If the tone had stayed a bit more formal the entire time, I probably would have raised it to a 4-star. I do think this is just personal preference, though. Overall, I don't regret reading it and will continue to read CL's work!

3.5 stars // one of my more favorite CL books. As always a super easy surface level read and a fun marriage of convenience / fake dating. Chemistry was palpable and the MCs were very likeable. Simply good.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review