#20 [2025/CBR17] The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

CBR17Bingo: Green (for the green cover)

By now I've read a number of books by Christina Lauren*, and they've been a little hit or miss for me. But it hasn't stopped me from continuing to read their novels--always hoping for the best. The Paradise Problem (2024) wasn't my absolute favorite book from them, but it's up there and I had a good time.

When Anna Green was pre-med in college, she was desperate for housing. A friend of hers hooked her up with Liam "West" Weston. If they got married, they could live in subsidized student, married housing, which would help them both. It was all in name only, the two had opposite schedules, and they barely saw each other. When Liam moved on after graduating, Anna did not think much about the marriage or Liam.

But four years later, Liam gets back in touch--and Anna happens to be at a new low. She decided to pursue art rather than go to medical school. She's just been fired by the gross, teenage son of her bosses at the corner convenience store, and she's desperate for money. Liam tells Anna that they never actually got divorced (he didn't hide this, Anna was just remarkably unobservant and never looks at paper work). Now Liam's younger sister is getting married on a remote, exotic private island. His family thinks he's actually married to Anna, and she has to come to the wedding to keep up appearances. Most importantly, Liam is the heir to a giant supermarket franchise, but his grandfather put in this will that Liam can't get his inheritance until he's been married for five years. Thus, the two need to go to the festivities on the island and make it look like they're a real couple. Anna doesn't have much of a choice, and she agrees.

One of the most fun parts of this book was the wish fulfillment of getting all the clothes and pampering that was necessary to join insanely rich people on an amazing vacation. And then Anna gets to go on that vacation. It doesn't hurt that Anna and Liam--when they actually spend time together--are intensely attracted to each other. They can't deny each other for long.

There were other parts to the story, including how Anna fits in with a bunch of rich snobs, Liam's history with his family, as well as the growing relationship between Anna and Liam. Maybe the premise is a little crazy if you think about it for too long, but I really had fun with this one. Recommended.

*Christina Lauren are the two first names of two writers who write together.