Breakaway Books

Authored by Christina Lauren; Published May 2024; Romance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️

The Paradise Problem is the perfect beach read. A beautiful setting, a plot that reads like a mishmash of your favorite romantic comedies, a swoon worthy hero—what more could you want?

The Paradise Problem is the story of West and Anna, who got married as students in order to get upgraded housing for cheap, despite the fact that they were never in a relationship. Five years later, they must revive the gag for West’s sister’s wedding in order to ensure West’s siblings’ inheritance, thanks to a bizarre clause in his grandfather’s will. Of course, it is completely outlandish—but it’s also completely fun.

This novel is like cotton candy. No, there’s not much in the way of substance, but you will race through it and enjoy the entire experience. It has strong Crazy Rich Asian vibes, and who doesn’t love getting a look into the absolutely ridiculous lives of the ultra rich? There’s a no-limit makeover, a private island, houses bought at a mere whim. It’s perfect escapism: the life I’ll never have but tons of fun to observe.

But it was more than just fun; little touches throughout the book felt good to connect to. Anna may be the poor girlfriend, but she is not intimidated by the rich family she is thrown into. No, Anna is planted like a tree in her morals, and she never loses herself to the appeal of the life of luxury. Her arguments with West about the limits of money and the weakness of his family’s loyalty felt like a breath of fresh air from a person who knew who she was—I love that kind of heroine in a romance novel. She doesn’t have the money or the power, but she won’t let that cow her. She doesn’t dissolve into jealousy at the ease with which West’s family can breeze through life but continuously remembers how lucky she is to have such a loving father. Anna makes the novel brighter.

The Paradise Problem is exactly the novel you want to pick up for you next vacation, whether it’s a literal beach trip or just a mental break.