Anna thought she was marrying Liam (aka West) for access to subsidized housing while studying at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers after graduation caps were tossed and they both split up on their different paths. Three years later, Anna is living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. West is also one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate but has little interest in working for the corporation his family has built. He does want his inheritance though, and there’s a catch. West can’t obtain his inheritance until he’s happily married for five years. Pressure is mounting from his family to meet this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to Anna, the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his parents. 

THE PARADISE PROBLEM starts off with a huge helping of Christina Lauren’s characteristic humor which had me giggling from the outset, making for an excellent start. 

Liam and Anna are from two very different backgrounds and make an unlikely pairing to obtain subsidized housing while attending UCLA. I love a marriage of convenience, but what I love more is a fake dating/marriage trope, which we get here in spades. I loved the rapport Liam and Anna share and the way their bond develops over the course of the novel. I thought the Paradise problems and family drama that occur were well-developed and made for great tension. 

There are some well-placed and well-written spicy scenes, but I could live forever without hearing or reading male anatomy referred to as their “Goddamn” – this was so cringey. 

I adored the setting in paradise on a tropical island, making this a perfect read for the summer or the beach.

The ending is so sweet and makes for an excellent finish to Liam and Anna’s story.