The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren Published by Gallery Books on May 14, 2024
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Genres: Romance, Romantic Comedy
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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.
Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.
Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.
Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.
But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.
Good riddance to my reading slump! The Paradise Problem is a sweet, laugh-out-loud, wholly addictive delight that kept me up all night.
What started out as a short term marriage of convenience between two strangers back in college turns complicated when Liam reaches out to Anna three years later. She is shocked to discover that they are still married, and he needs her help. Anna is now a starving artist, and Liam is a professor/heir to a grocery empire. With his inheritance on the line, Liam asks her to pretend to be “really” married for his family’s sake during his sister’s wedding festivities on a tropical island. After that, they can divorce and resume their separate lives.
Anna is an unfiltered riot. I relished the chapters from her point of view because her internal thoughts had me bursting into laughter. I also appreciated how genuine and kind she is. Liam is a sweetheart, the only member of his family not driven to excess.
I enjoyed every moment spent in paradise almost as if I was really there. The glamor, the peek into the lives of the super wealthy, and Liam’s funny family members drew me in, and his toxic father kept things interesting. There are plenty of tender moments as well. Liam and Anna’s progression from strangers to friends to lovers is perfectly paced. Their chemistry is ridiculously hot.
If The Paradise Problem isn’t on your beach read or vacation book list then you need to rectify that ASAP.
Recommended for fans of:
Beach reads
All-inclusive resorts
Tropical islands
Lifestyles of the wealthy
I received a complimentary copy to voluntarily read. Opinions expressed are my own.
About Christina Lauren
Yes, there are two of us! Lauren (on the left) and Christina (on the right).
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced fourteen New York Times bestselling novels. They are published in over 30 languages, have received multiple starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal, been selected as one of NPR’s Top 100 Swoon-Worthy Romances, and won both the Seal of Excellence award and Book of the Year from RT Magazine.
Lauren Billings (but everyone calls her Lo) has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and before she made writing her full-time job, would spend her days doing nerdy research-type things wearing a lab coat and goggles. She is silly Mommy to two littles, wife to one mountain biking homebrewing scientist, bestie to a shoe-stealer, and an unabashed lover of YA and romance.
Christina Hobbs (but you’ll always hear Lo call her PQ) used to spend her days in a junior high counseling office surrounded by teenagers. These days you’ll probably find her on tumblr. She is married and absolutely not old enough to be the mom of a 16 year old (right??), thinks she’s the luckiest person in the world to write books with her best friend, and is an unapologetic lover of boy bands and glitter. She also likes to steal Lo’s shoes.
Great review! I loved this one too. Anna is a riot, I agree, and I loved the two of them together. 🙂
Lovely review! I haven’t keep up with Christina Lauren’s books tbh