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

This was an enjoyable read from this author combo. They can sometimes be hit or miss. The first 75% of the book flew by. The last quarter was a bit of a slog. There characters were enjoyable, especially the banter between the male and female protagonists. I enjoyed how the epilogue summed up the happenings of the characters in a succinct, but emotional and real way. There was some extreme toxic behavior by some characters that seemed a little far-fetched and stretched credulity. Overall, though, library patrons should enjoy this book.

This book was AMAZING. It could be a movie so easily. I loved the two main characters. I was so sad when I finished the book. I need more Liam and Anna! I could not put this book down. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the chance to read it early.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the chance to read this book early and review it.

**Quick Thoughts:**

READ IT. JUST READ IT. READ IT AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

**No Spoilers Plot:**

A fake marriage is tested when family inheritances come into the picture. Anna and Liam are married just on paper to be eligible for university family housing, but almost 5 years later and no contact with Anna, Liam realizes there is a loophole in the family trust leading them to attend his sister’s wedding on a private island together and attempt to fool everyone into thinking they’re in love. But what if they aren’t fooling anyone? Including themselves!!!! 😈

**My Feelings:**

This book procrastinated work projects, cancelled plans, missed bed times, and I was totally fine with it. The banter! The flirting! The steamy bits! Those were enough to make me obsessed with this book, but the support, emotional connection, and genuine love between Anna and Liam sealed it for me as a new favorite. I squealed. I swooned. I contemplated being straight again if it meant finding a Liam. This is Christina Lauren at their best. READ IT!!!!!

Every book Christina Lauren puts out is better than the last! I don't know how this duo does it, but their reads are fantastic. Loved The Paradise Problem - a definite five-star read.

Great quick read, enjoyed the dynamic trope between the two main characters! Thank you for allowing me to read and review this ARC!

This was my first Christina Lauren novel and what a banger! I loved the lush and lavish island setting, the smart and respectful way Anna and Liam interacted with each other, the over-the-top evil narcissist, and of course, the spice.

(Actual: 4.5⭐, rounded up) OMG YASSSS. I am so, so grateful to have been approved for this book - Christina Lauren was one of the first to become an "auto-buy" author for me, and I look forward to every new release they have. This book was, to me, CLo at some of their finest. It was fluffy and a bit silly at times, yes, but also filled with so much heart; the banter, as with all CLo books, was also ACES— and! The spice!! Love to see it. With rare and few exceptions, I always find the characters CLo creates to be well-layered and relatable; Anna & West (Liam) are no exceptions. They, along with the ensemble cast of secondary characters, all feel like real people, with fully realized & unique traits, emotions and internal/external conflicts they must each work through (both together and apart, as individuals) that are all still very much grounded in reality. Finally, a quick shout-out to the SETTING and VIBES of this book - if you've watched The White Lotus, Crazy Rich Asians, or even Succession to be honest, I think you'd enjoy this book. Also, I am a straight ADDICT for second chance romances— I've always enjoyed them, but lately I've just been on a roll of amazing ones, TPP obviously now included into that mix. I'd definitely recommend this to all CLo fans and romcom enthusiasts for sure!

I loved this book! I loved Anna & Liam, especially Anna, so much respect for her! I did want to tell you there is a typo. On page 252 of 296 it says, "When we get back to California, I'll bring you to my place. We'll sit down and I'll tell you everything. But, right now, I just need figure out what happens next." It should say, But, right now I just need TO figure out what happens next. hope this helps!

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

There are a few pretty big plot holes so you do need to suspend reality to really enjoy this one as an easy light rom com! But it is a fun read to throw in your bag to bring on the beach this summer!

A few things I really loved about this book-There are very few rom-coms out there that actually make me laugh and this had me smiling and giggling in places!
-Dual POVs and alternating chapters - this worked really well to see both of their thoughts on the same issue without it feeling repetitive
-Excellent banter and fun chemistry
-The relationship between Anna and her dad was so heartwarming compared to the difficult family dynamics of the Westons.

A few things that missed the mark a bit for me
-The main character is very reminiscent to Hazel from Josh and Hazel; it just seemed like a very similar character. She was meant to be spacey but her lack of recognition of West was not convincing.
-The reason why they even entered a fake marriage seemed to be close but not fully fleshed out
-The family drama and the plot holes surrounding this piece
-This version of dysfunctional rich people with all the trusts and inheritances just didn't really work super well for me

Recommend if you enjoy:
-Marriage of convenience-Fake dating
-Fun banter
-Family drama-The show Succession
-Crazy Rich Asians and Pretty Woman
-Opposites attract
-Tropical settings

Christina Lauren does it again with yet another cute, funny, rom-com. I won't lie, I had a pretty good idea of how Anna and Liam would end up after the first few chapters, but that didn't take away from how much I enjoyed reading this one. We have the classic fake-dating troupe so Liam can unlock his trust fund paired with plenty of other fun details in there - trying to trick family on a vacation, shared hotel bed, witty comebacks...you name it! This one had just the right amount of spice without it feeling random or forced. I see this one being a big hit in the Booktok world upon release, and I can't wait to see what else Lauren has up her sleeve. Thanks so much for the ARC!

What a great book! I loved the characters; I loved their back-and-forth conversations and the tropes! I found myself giggling and smiling through most of the book! Fantastic read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery books for the advanced reader copy of this novel,

If you are a Christina Lauren fan, this dynamic author duo will not disappoint. I loved this novel.

Not only do you have a couple fake dating their way through attending a family member's destination wedding, but you also have a really interesting sibling dynamic that reminded me a little bit of the show Succession. Lots of tension.

This novel isn't too terribly graphic in nature so I think it's perfectly acceptable for young adult readers.

I don’t love the pretend couple trope, but as I do generally love Christina Lauren, of course I gave it a try and it was well worth it. A truly enjoyable read.

The main characters of Anna and West are easy to fall in love with. I adore Anna’s zaniness and West’s uptight style, creating great chemistry and sassy banter.

The family drama is a lot. It makes the novel a more complex story about the self discovery that happens in our twenties and how influenced we are by our families.

In the beginning, I had high hopes for this story. It had all the trappings of a great rom com. I have read two of Christina Lauren’s YA novels and enjoyed them both. Love and Other Words was also a great read. This books sadly fell flat for me. There was just simply too much going on.

Things that were going on:

- Marriage of convenience for student housing
- Contrived decades old inheritance clauses
- Dysfunctional rich people
- Acting out a fake marriage at a 10 day wedding on a private tropical island
- So, so, so much more

I think this would be a fun beach read. Readers who love modern rom come will probably love this. The totally unbelievable premise just went a little too far for me. I would recommend this to the right person in the right situation but I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone!!