The Paradise Problem

Published in 2024 and written by Christina Lauren, The Paradise Problem is a romantic comedy that follows Anna Green and Liam “West” Weston as they find themselves thrust together by circumstance nearly five years after marrying for convenience. To preserve Liam’s inheritance, they must now maintain the façade of their marriage throughout the family-related chaos of a destination wedding on a private island, where true feelings begin to emerge. Lauren juxtaposes Anna’s paycheck-to-paycheck life with the luxuries of the Weston family’s generational wealth. As Anna struggles as an aspiring artist and works to pay for her father’s medical expenses, the narrative explores the impact of wealth on relationships and critiques the conflicting dynamics of The Tension Between Romantic and Familial Loyalty.

This guide refers to the 2024 Gallery Books hardcover edition.

Content Warning: Both the source text and this guide contain descriptions of neglect, and emotional and physical abuse.

Plot Summary

The novel alternates between the first-person perspectives of Anna Green and Liam Weston, who married years ago to qualify for family housing; at the time, he was a graduate student and she was an undergrad. When Liam moved out two years later, Anna assumed that they were divorced; however, almost five years after their wedding, Liam arrives on her doorstep and reveals that they are still married and must remain married for another five months so that he can inherit nearly $100 million.