Explore
Certainly! “The Paradise Problem” by Christina Lauren is a delightful romance novel that follows Anna Green and Liam “West” Weston. Here’s a summary:
Anna thought she’d married Liam for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. They both believed they’d signed divorce papers after graduation, but it turns out the divorce wasn’t final. Now, years later, Anna is a struggling artist, and West is a Stanford professor and heir to a major grocery chain. When a massive inheritance is at stake, they must fake their relationship during a family vacation on a private island.
Main Character
Certainly! In “The Paradise Problem” by Christina Lauren, the main characters are:
- Anna Green: A chronically broke art school dropout drowning in debt from her father’s cancer treatments. She marries Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA.
- Liam “West” Weston: The disillusioned heir to a massive grocery empire. He wants nothing to do with the corporate world his domineering father rules. Liam is interested in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance, but there’s a catch—he won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years.
Plot
Certainly! “The Paradise Problem” by Christina Lauren follows Anna Green and Liam “West” Weston. Here’s the plot:
Anna thought she’d married Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. They both believed they’d signed divorce papers after graduation, but it turns out the divorce wasn’t final. Now, years later, Anna is a struggling artist, and West is a Stanford professor and heir to a major grocery chain. When a massive inheritance is at stake, they must fake their relationship during a family vacation on a private island.
In the presence of his family, Liam’s fears shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam must ask himself if the price tag on their flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.
Feel free to explore this delightful romance and discover how Anna and West navigate their tangled past and uncertain future!
Setting
Theme
Certainly! “The Paradise Problem” by Christina Lauren deftly balances being a delicious escapist chicklit with more substantive reflections on the ways the pursuit of wealth can pervert and damage souls, no matter how ostensibly good-hearted. While on one level it’s undeniably swoony and hilarious, underneath there’s a razor-sharp satirical edge slicing away at the American elite and how obscene wealth can tragically distort and deform people’s values1. Join Anna and Liam on a journey of hilarious misadventures, sizzling chemistry, and thought-provoking reflections in this satirical take on love and excess.
Conclusion
Certainly! In the imaginative ending of “The Paradise Problem,” Anna and Liam “West” Weston find themselves on the private island, surrounded by lush greenery and the sound of waves crashing against the shore. Their fake relationship has turned into something more—a genuine connection that defies their initial intentions.
As the sun sets, casting a warm glow over the beach, Anna and West share secrets they’ve never told anyone else. Anna reveals her passion for painting, and West admits that he’s always felt like an outsider in his wealthy family. They laugh, cry, and discover that they’re both searching for something deeper—a sense of identity and purpose beyond societal expectations.
In a moment of vulnerability, Anna confesses that she never wanted to be an artist; she wanted to be a marine biologist. West encourages her to pursue her true passion, assuring her that he’ll stand by her side. And in return, Anna helps West realize that he doesn’t need to conform to his family’s expectations—he can forge his own path.
As they walk along the shoreline, hand in hand, Anna and West decide to face their families together. They’ll tell the truth about their past, their feelings, and their hopes for the future. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll find paradise not in a tropical island, but in each other’s arms.
And so, against the backdrop of a breathtaking sunset, Anna and West embrace their newfound love, ready to rewrite their story—one that’s filled with authenticity, self-discovery, and the promise of forever.
