Christina Lauren crafts, yet another, fun and steamy romance novel. Anna Green is a free-spirited and struggling artist and Liam Weston; a no-nonsense straight-laced heir to a grocery chain. Married in college for subsidized family housing, years later they are complete strangers and Anna thinks she signed the divorce papers long ago. However, Liam stands to inherit a massive fortune from his grandfather's will with the condition that he be married for five years. With a big family event coming up Liam can't avoid having to introduce his family to his "wife"- a wife he hasn't personally seen in years. What follows is a laugh-out-loud, nerve-wrecking sequence of events and two people who realize they might just enjoy being married to one another.

A fun read for those who enjoy opposites attract, sunshine grumpy, and fake relationship tropes. While I enjoyed the Pretty Woman-esque feel of the novel at one point the greed and gluttony of the Weston's came off a little much for me at the end. Overall, it was a feel-good, light-hearted romance by Christina Lauren and would make for a great beach read!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy! Christina Lauren has delivered yet again- fun, quirky characters and banter than had me laughing out loud! I loved being swept away to the gorgeous scenery of this book- it was a perfect read to brighten a bland January. The plot brought a rollercoaster of emotions and I ate up every bit!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6219215743

The Paradise Problem ARC Review
Author: Christina Lauren
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I freaking love Christina Lauren 💗 I was extremely excited when I got approved on Netgalley for the ARC of The Paradise Problem.

This was so good and reminded me of The Unhoneymooners with the tropical setting but was much more exotic.

Liam “West” and Anna were such an enjoyable couple to read about. The setting of a remote island near Singapore was a dream 🤩 I loved the vivid descriptions and the whole vibe of the book.

This is probably in my top 3 Christina Lauren books now. I loved it so much and highly recommend it for a fun summer read!

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An autobiy author for me. A lush tropical setting and characters that are so well-developed. You don't want to put this novel down. These two are the queens of romance.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @gallerybooks for an early copy of The Paradise Problem by @christinalauren. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: May 14th, 2024

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199797582-the-paradise-problem?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=piYI9l2pOI&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

The Paradise Problem is the very first book that I’m going to add to my top reads for this year. It has everything I love about the fake-dating-a-billionaire trope – the eccentric yet kindhearted female lead who’s struggling to make ends meet, the very serious, intelligent, and mysterious male lead who comes from a very rich and complicated family, the ruse taking place at a very extravagant wedding, and the family drama. (I think I just basically described a typical Filipino TV series with the family drama lol).

I loved the main characters, especially Anna. She’s a delight and a very fun character. I was laughing for most of the book because she really has no filter and just says what she’s thinking at the moment, and I find that I’m drawn to her character because of how honest she seems. She is truly a breath of fresh air for Liam, who initially seems uptight at first with his upbringing and background but is worn down by Anna. With all the drama his family has, especially with his father Ray (I seriously have not read any other character as manipulative and cruel as he is), Anna is what Liam needs, someone who genuinely cares about him and has always been honest and upfront with him. And even though the majority of the book takes place during such a short timeframe, Anna and Liam’s chemistry and banter are perfect and naturally paced. I swooned and laughed so much with their banter honestly.

Despite having a predictable storyline, I loved and enjoyed every single moment in this book, especially the most satisfying ending for Ray. 😈 lol he’s annoying af 😅

Christina Lauren does (do? the grammar is weird here) not disappoint. I thought a lot about why I feel this way as I read this book and I think the thing that they always do best is the heroine. She is always relatable, likable, and somehow different from all the others before her. Anna is no exception. She is down to earth and quirky, but not in a way that becomes grating or irritating. Their heroines always seem like someone I’d want to hang out with. West was likable too, but not quite as likable as other heroes they’ve written. (I.e. Josh from Josh and Hazel). The ending was tied up a little too neatly for me, but I let that go because it was a comforting one. Oh and the setting made me feel like I was on vacation. As Liz Lemon would say- I want to go to there. All in all, a pleasure to read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

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.