I enjoyed this book so much! I'm so appreciative of the advanced copy.

I thought the characters were really cute and fun in this one, and I enjoyed the book from start to finish. I highly recommend!

Rating: 4⭐️

This. Was. So. Cute.

Unhoneymooners but better. I loved that the FMC as a bit lackadaisical. The MMC wasn't there to save her, but just there for her. She ends up savig him. Omg so cute 10/10 recommend.

In The Paradise Problem, Christina Lauren delivers a delightful, opposites-attract romance packed with charm, humor, and a dash of luxury. Anna Green and Liam “West” Weston start off in a marriage of convenience, tying the knot as college students to gain access to affordable housing. Three years after their supposed divorce, West learns they’re still legally wed, complicating his inheritance as he must remain married for five years to secure his fortune. This revelation forces them to pose as a happily married couple, plunging Anna into West’s wealthy, complex family dynamics at a high-profile destination wedding.

This book had some real charm, with its lively banter, island setting, and the classic "marriage of convenience" trope that Christina Lauren does so well. Anna’s character, with her “hot mess” appeal and her fierce loyalty to her family, was endearing and added a lot of fun to the story. The contrast between Anna’s free spirit and Liam’s privileged family brought out some memorable, funny moments. Despite the clever premise, the overall story felt a bit predictable, and at times, the plot slowed down. While the chemistry between Anna and Liam was definitely there, it sometimes felt overshadowed by the family drama. This novel was a light, enjoyable read and a nice addition to the Christina Lauren catalog, even if it didn’t entirely blow me away.

Loved this book! Funny and witty and sexy! It's a perfect summer romance. I feel so glad to have read it, as the last two publications from this team were not my favorite but this was a great story and worth the read.

3.5*
Fake romance is a common trope but for years there is no romance, just a signed marriage document. Anna Green and Liam Weston both need student housing at UCLA. They join in a marriage of convenience to allow them to stay in a building designated for couples. Divorce is a given, following graduation.

Over the time that they cohabitate, they barely interact and don’t really know anything about their spouse. But long after school is over, Liam’s very wealthy grandfather dies, leaving a stipulation in his will that states that Liam cannot inherit until he’s been happily married for 5 years. Suddenly, Liam, or West as everyone calls him, needs to bring his wife to a family wedding to prove she exists, since no one has met the elusive woman.

Anna is uncultured, peppers her speech with profanity and is a free spirit while Liam is controlled and consumed with his work as a professor. She is under the illusion that her college marriage from a number of years ago was terminated and she’s shocked to learn that she’s still Liam’s wife. Now this man she doesn’t even know needs her to pretend to be a loving wife. The pair are vastly different people and pulling off the fake loving couple will be a tremendous challenge. Complicating things is Liam’s father who's domineering and controlling and his one brother who’s especially skeptical and looking for any sign of marital rift.

Though the story has its own take on fake relationships, it has the typical tensions of pretending to care for someone where no romance exists. One can’t help but enjoy Liam’s position of being at the mercy of Anna; she clearly has the upper hand. As the story progresses, so does the growing understanding of who their spouse really is.

Some of the scenes are quite sizzling. Anna is very sexy and of course, Liam is super hot. But there’s more to them than just physical attractiveness. They have personal commitments and goals that they will not forego and which could be either deal breakers or potential assets.

What could go wrong when money is on the line and petty jealousy attempts to stir up trouble? Readers are treated to a rollicking destination wedding on an exotic island with two strangers pretending to be in love. Neither Anna nor Liam are totally comfortable with the expectations Liam’s family brings to the event. He will not be coerced by his family and she won’t be intimidated by their opulent wealth and privilege. But can the two of them pull off the elaborate hoax or will they get ensnared in their own plot.

Liam and Anna are likeable, attractive and smart. They make an entertaining duo that shouldn’t work, but with familiarity, sharp wits and a dose of chemistry, they begin to create their own formula. Romance lovers will find this a nice take on a popular trope.

Thank you to Lauren Carr at Gallery Books and NetGalley for a gifted eARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

1. 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - I have to ponder the thought that no one has ever asked me to spend an exorbitant amount of money to go to a remote tropical island to spend a week in a state of opulence. Can anyone help me figure out how to make this happen?

2. 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 - Maybe the timeless saying that money can’t buy happiness is correct. Liam’s family is almost all vile and Anna’s dad is the epitome of what fatherhood looks like. However, things do have a way of turning around. And I couldn’t help but get some Humpty Dumpty vibes as things started to crumble!

3. 𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐭 - Liam’s mother. She’s the one. Is that much lavishness really worth being with such a pile of shit who will destroy one of your children with the blink of an eye? Grow a backbone and do something. Who cares if you divorce - you’d still have millions?

4. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 - This kept ringing in my ears…why can’t they just start the five year cycle over and get married for real this time. It’s not like they all can’t wait for the inheritance. However, we may not have gotten to the real issue at hand had that happened!

5. 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 - I lost count of how many laugh-out-loud moments Anna created throughout this book. She sits on a list of one of the funniest and most lovable characters I’ve ever met in a book!

🌺 The Paradise Problem - Christina Lauren

5 ⭐️ - Well, my only fault here is that I let this one sit for way too long without being read. I adored and devoured this one. I quite literally couldn’t get enough of these characters, their growth, the luxurious setting, and love (spice, too).

I enjoyed this book a lot. All of Christina Lauren's books are so enjoyable. They have such a way to make you feel like you know the characters and that you are in the setting.

Another huge hit for me from Christina Lauren. I love their writing style and this book drew me in quickly. I look forward to their books each spring/summer because they have never let me down!

This was a fun vacation rom-com read. Christina Lauren writes funny stories with characters you generally root for. I wasn't the biggest fan of the FMC in this story, but in the end, I found myself rooting for both main characters and their relationship.

I loved this book! It had me laughing out loud. The characters were so lovable. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to Gallery Books for the eARC.

4.5 stars.

I usually can’t stand “hot mess” heroines. But I loved Anna. Her hot mess-ness was less about not having her life together and more about doing all she could to support her dad and that just makes her entirely too wholesome to not love.

Liam’s family felt a lot like the show Succession, where everyone hates everyone and the siblings undermine each other. And Anna is thrown into the mix as Liam’s wife—a fake wife to get an inheritance who now has to enter the belly of the beast at a destination wedding.

The chemistry was hot and I loved the progression of their relationship: a reluctant team to lovers to more. But while the two together are very lusty, I loved the interactions of Anna and Liam’s niblings the most. Anna truly was just a great character with a wonderful soul.

Such a fun and entertaining read, Christina Lauren just has the magical RomCom touch.

Lauren does a great job creating a fun character. Anna is messy but lovable. She’s relatable because her family comes first and she is also trying to pursue a dream. She’s not ready to give up everything in order to just survive. I love how she allows Ana to be incredulous about the riches of Liam’s family. It has a little cliché that Liam’ s father, who is a business mogul turns into an egocentric jerk to every body, including his family.

Absolute perfection. That's all this review needs because it was just SO GOOD. I love Christina Lauren's writing and her characters more than most. Even though the tropes in this book weren't my favourite and I'm pretty over the fake dating plots, this book blew me away and will receive a top notch review for the year.

Dare I say this is now my favourite Christina Lauren book!

Christina Lauren have done it again! I love their books and this one is no different. Liam’s family is the worst but Blair was definitely super entertaining. The family reminded me a lot of the Le Domas’s from Ready or Not 😂 There were plenty of fake marriage shenanigans and I loved how Anna brought out Liam’s fun side and brought some heart and levity to this ridiculous family.

I was able to read an ebook arc of this thanks to NetGalley. A fun romance. Great read. Would read more by this author.

I adored this Christina Lauren book! Super cute premise & i loved the ending. Very predictable, but a perfect beach/vacation read!

Let’s just start with Christina Lauren is the Queen of heartfelt romcoms. I laughed out loud more times that I can remember while reading this one. The banter between the MCs was fantastic. I loved the whole storyline, the inheritance but the catch you have to be married for 5 years first.. surprise.. it was so much fun to read I couldn’t put it down.

Christina Lauren's books always remind me of the feeling of watching an early 2000s romcom - there's always a balance of heart and humor and vibes that just hits right. At this point I've read nearly all of their books - and The Paradise Problem is a firm top 5 book for me! I particularly loved Anna as a character - she was messy, delightful and relatable. I loved the opposites attract vibes - on paper Liam and Anna didn't make a lot of sense - but as the story went on it was clear how perfect they were for each other.

OH MY GOD! This was SOOOOO fun. I will admit that it was not at all what I thought it would be (the cover maybe was misleading to me? not sure). I adored every second of it. I feel like Christina Lauren's talent for banter mixed with heartwarming moments is one of my favorite parts of their books, and this one delivered. This is a summer romance book at its finest.