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A review by snipinfool
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
challenging
emotional
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Anna and West married to qualify for married student housing at UCLA. The marriage was in name only and as soon as they both graduated, West gave Anna papers to sign for their divorce. Almost five years later, Anna was working as an artist and was struggling to make ends meet. She hoped she would find some bit of success and sell some of her paintings before she had to find a career that paid her bills.
West had a difficult relationship with his family because he had not gone into the family business. He was happy teaching economics and cultural anthropology at Stanford. When his mother called to fill him in on the travel plans for his sister’s wedding, she made sure West knew that he was expected to bring Anna as well. The family felt it was time they finally met his wife since they had been married almost five years. West had let them think they were still together. He had to contact her to see if she would be willing to go to the wedding and pose as his wife. Anna didn’t know it yet, but West never filed the divorce papers. He had his reasons and hoped Anna would understand why and agree to go to the wedding.
This was a fun twist on a "Pretty Woman" type of storyline. As roommates, West and Anna rarely saw each other, so they were barely friends. Each had to take a crash course on the other’s likes and dislikes and Anna had to be filled in on how to navigate the choppy waters surrounding West’s family. West’s family was quite horrible, but I loved Anna’s best friend and her father. They offered all of the love and support Anna needed. West and Anna’s romance was a bit insta-lovey, but it worked ok with this plot. Christina Lauren continues to write main characters I love. I closed the book at the end with a smile on my face thinking about their happily ever after.
West had a difficult relationship with his family because he had not gone into the family business. He was happy teaching economics and cultural anthropology at Stanford. When his mother called to fill him in on the travel plans for his sister’s wedding, she made sure West knew that he was expected to bring Anna as well. The family felt it was time they finally met his wife since they had been married almost five years. West had let them think they were still together. He had to contact her to see if she would be willing to go to the wedding and pose as his wife. Anna didn’t know it yet, but West never filed the divorce papers. He had his reasons and hoped Anna would understand why and agree to go to the wedding.
This was a fun twist on a "Pretty Woman" type of storyline. As roommates, West and Anna rarely saw each other, so they were barely friends. Each had to take a crash course on the other’s likes and dislikes and Anna had to be filled in on how to navigate the choppy waters surrounding West’s family. West’s family was quite horrible, but I loved Anna’s best friend and her father. They offered all of the love and support Anna needed. West and Anna’s romance was a bit insta-lovey, but it worked ok with this plot. Christina Lauren continues to write main characters I love. I closed the book at the end with a smile on my face thinking about their happily ever after.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Classism
Moderate: Cancer, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Sexual harassment