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Rules Don’t Apply in Paradise
- Author
- Sophia Karlson
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 30 January 2026
- Run Time
- 11 hours 38 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
'[A] bright, beautiful, and absolutely addictive read.' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
No one said fake dating was going to be easy…
Two weeks ago, Lexi O’Reilly had her perfect job. Today, she’s being fired for seeing something she shouldn’t have. With a social media scandal waiting to drop, all she wants is to disappear until the storm has passed.
Enter Tristan Martinelli, her brother’s best friend and oceanographer. With a deadline looming for his upcoming tv series, Tristan has run out of footage, money, and sponsorships to finish his series. All he wants is to wrap up his life’s work and meet his deadline.
When the perfect job presents itself – a three-month stint at an exclusive private island resort with some of the best-preserved reefs in the world, where Lexi will run the hotel, and Tristan the dive centre – the only snag is that they must be a couple to apply. Despite knowing how she feels about Tristan, they make a deal to fake being engaged to apply for the job. Surely pretending to be in love with the man you’re already in love with should be easy, right?
What to expect when the rules don’t apply…
- Brother’s best friend
- Fake dating
- Forced Proximity
- Remote island location
- Spicy
'This is a five-star romantic escape that checks every box. It is flirty, emotional, spicy, and filled with the kind of warmth that leaves you smiling long after the last page.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I devoured the book in one sitting because I just had to know what happened next.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Need a splash of summer to chase away those cold, gloomy winter days? 🌴✨ Then this is the book you’ll want on your January TBR!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'The end was super unexpected and I was on my toes wanting to know what happened! I couldn't read it fast enough.'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Sophia writes amazing love stories that have you feeling all the emotions and leaves you feeling warm, fuzzy and happy that the characters get their happily ever after.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This was a fun, breezy, read, perfect escapism vibes.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Loved the plot and the storytelling and relatable, likable characters. Loved every single second reading it.'⭐⭐⭐⭐
'What an exciting read, the tension and the banter were perfect!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Sophia Karlson
- Narrator
- Penelope Ann Rose, Roberto Scarlato
- Duration
- 11 hours 38 minutes
- Release Date
- 30 January 2026
- ISBN
- 9780008797881
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Romance: workplace, Romance: fake or pretend relationships, Romance: unintentional or forced proximity, Romance: the rich / famous / powerful, Romance in uniform
Synopsis
'[A] bright, beautiful, and absolutely addictive read.' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ No one said fake dating was going to be easy… Two weeks ago, Lexi O’Reilly had her perfect job. Today, she’s being fired for seeing something she shouldn’t have. With a social media scandal waiting to drop, all she wants is to disappear until the storm has passed. Enter Tristan Martinelli, her brother’s best friend and oceanographer. With a deadline looming for his upcoming tv series, Tristan has run out of footage, money, and sponsorships to finish his series. All he wants is to wrap up his life’s work and meet his deadline. When the perfect job presents itself – a three-month stint at an exclusive private island resort with some of the best-preserved reefs in the world, where Lexi will run the hotel, and Tristan the dive centre – the only snag is that they must be a couple to apply. Despite knowing how she feels about Tristan, they make a deal to fake being engaged to apply for the job. Surely pretending to be in love with the man you’re already in love with should be easy, right? What to expect when the rules don’t apply… Brother’s best friend Fake dating Forced Proximity Remote island location Spicy See why readers love Rules Don't Apply in Paradise 'This is a five-star romantic escape that checks every box. It is flirty, emotional, spicy, and filled with the kind of warmth that leaves you smiling long after the last page.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I devoured the book in one sitting because I just had to know what happened next.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Need a splash of summer to chase away those cold, gloomy winter days? 🌴✨ Then this is the book you’ll want on your January TBR!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The end was super unexpected and I was on my toes wanting to know what happened! I couldn't read it fast enough.'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Sophia writes amazing love stories that have you feeling all the emotions and leaves you feeling warm, fuzzy and happy that the characters get their happily ever after.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This was a fun, breezy, read, perfect escapism vibes.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Loved the plot and the storytelling and relatable, likable characters. Loved every single second reading it.'⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'What an exciting read, the tension and the banter were perfect!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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