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A review by jenbsbooks
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
4.0
I quite enjoyed this; a not really very plausible situation, but the MCs were both likeable and the banter and goings-on kept my interest. Not one I'd feel like I could recommend to most friends/family, as the sex/profanity (x131) was high. Some steamy/spicy scenes.
It's funny, how common the "fake dating" trope is (and here it's beyond even that), yet I've NEVER encountered anyone IRL who has faked dating, or know anyone who knows anyone who has. It's just a fun story set-up. And here, it's an absolute marriage of convenience (for college housing) with the MMC not realizing that this also triggers his personal trust $$ (he hadn't planned on fraudulently tricking that, but accepted it once it was done), the FMC not reading any of the "divorce" paperwork (stating that they wouldn't actually be divorcing for five years!), that neither character, in the prime of their romantic lives, would have met someone else. Compared to all that, that Liam would ask and Anna would be okay with the "fake" display isn't that much of a stretch. And that two people in a fake relationship would come to care about each other isn't that big of a stretch. Not being insanely rich, the whole island wedding, trusts, family business was, if not unbelievable, just beyond my ken regardless. Suspension of disbelief and all that ... this was still enjoyable overall, even though most of the family is truly awful!
Other than the assumption of our two MCs getting together for real, I wasn't really sure where things were going and how it would turn out.
There were references to the shows Succession (and the situation was Succession-ish) and The White Lotus. Both are prime time cable shows and I've seen them both, but I have to wonder if the entire audience of the book is familiar enough with them to warrant their inclusion. If that dates the book, leaves some people feeling like they SHOULD know but don't?
Words I Note: detritus, cerulean, careen, cacophony ... 11 smirks, 2 scowls.
I had this in all three formats. I'd found a nice hardcopy in a LittleFreeLibrary, and then put the audio/Kindle copy on hold. This is a popular new release, so I had a little wait. I went with the audio edition and liked the narration. 1st person/Present tense, alternating between Anna and Liam. Just basic chronological chapters listed in audio/Kindle ... I don't know why they didn't also include the POV in the Table of Contents. I always appreciate that (seeing at a glance how it's set up). It didn't stay one for one, would sometimes stay with Anna for a couple chapters, then Liam, etc.
Title is just okay - not sure it really represents?
It's funny, how common the "fake dating" trope is (and here it's beyond even that), yet I've NEVER encountered anyone IRL who has faked dating, or know anyone who knows anyone who has. It's just a fun story set-up. And here, it's an absolute marriage of convenience (for college housing) with the MMC not realizing that this also triggers his personal trust $$ (he hadn't planned on fraudulently tricking that, but accepted it once it was done), the FMC not reading any of the "divorce" paperwork (stating that they wouldn't actually be divorcing for five years!), that neither character, in the prime of their romantic lives, would have met someone else. Compared to all that, that Liam would ask and Anna would be okay with the "fake" display isn't that much of a stretch. And that two people in a fake relationship would come to care about each other isn't that big of a stretch. Not being insanely rich, the whole island wedding, trusts, family business was, if not unbelievable, just beyond my ken regardless. Suspension of disbelief and all that ... this was still enjoyable overall, even though most of the family is truly awful!
Other than the assumption of our two MCs getting together for real, I wasn't really sure where things were going and how it would turn out.
There were references to the shows Succession (and the situation was Succession-ish) and The White Lotus. Both are prime time cable shows and I've seen them both, but I have to wonder if the entire audience of the book is familiar enough with them to warrant their inclusion. If that dates the book, leaves some people feeling like they SHOULD know but don't?
Words I Note: detritus, cerulean, careen, cacophony ... 11 smirks, 2 scowls.
I had this in all three formats. I'd found a nice hardcopy in a LittleFreeLibrary, and then put the audio/Kindle copy on hold. This is a popular new release, so I had a little wait. I went with the audio edition and liked the narration. 1st person/Present tense, alternating between Anna and Liam. Just basic chronological chapters listed in audio/Kindle ... I don't know why they didn't also include the POV in the Table of Contents. I always appreciate that (seeing at a glance how it's set up). It didn't stay one for one, would sometimes stay with Anna for a couple chapters, then Liam, etc.
Title is just okay - not sure it really represents?