Set predominately in Jamaica, this is the perfect beach read for anyone who loves a good romance novel.
The Synopsis of What Happens in Paradise
What happens in paradise… stays in paradise!
Hotel guest relations manager Jasmine, also known as a Love Alchemist, adores her job at the exclusive Spanish Love Hotel. She prides herself on helping guests meet their perfect match. But matchmaking is absolutely forbidden between staff. And so Jasmine must resist the attraction she feels every time she’s around delectable sous-chef, Alejandro. The problem is, she knows the feeling is mutual. But she cannot jeopardise her job or break the rules.
Because all her hard work is about to be recognized when she’s asked to set up the new branch of the hotel in Jamaica. With an ocean between her and temptation, Jasmine is ecstatic. This is just the distance she needs to keep her feelings under control. But there is one kink in her plan… Alejandro has been asked to join her. For two whole weeks!
Under the sultry Jamaican sun, keeping it strictly professional becomes impossible when romance is literally all around them! So they agree a (secret) holiday fling may help satisfy their desires and then they can move on. After all, what happens in paradise stays in paradise… right?
More about What Happens in Paradise
For both Jasmine and Alejandro work has become everything; their careers mean more than anything else, so having feelings for a work colleague is completely out of the question. Their boss has made it clear to everyone working at the Love Hotel: no relationships between staff are allowed! If caught, the consequences are huge, and therefore neither of them have ever contemplated exploring whether the other feels the same.
That is until they are forced to work together.
With the promise of promotions, both are asked to travel from Spain to Jamaica for two weeks to help set up a new Love Hotel. Their brief is simple, teach the new team the Love Hotel ways and if they succeed they will be rewarded.
Both are brilliant at their respected jobs, Jasmine as a guest relations manager and Alejandro as a chef, and therefore this shouldn’t be a problem. Afterall, they won’t need to see one another while in Jamaica as they work in different departments. However, on the first day, they are thrown together after the rest of the team are forced to quarantine after testing positive for covid. It means that Jasmine and Alejandro will need to work side-by-side, testing out day trips that may be suitable for their guests romantic dates and trying new menu ideas inspired by their exotic surroundings.
Throughout their trip, we read about them heading off to Dunn’s River Falls, Rick’s Cafe, a reggae dance class and even a day trip to see Jasmine’s grandfather. On each occasion, things heat up, and while, to begin with, they resist the urge to pursue their feelings, eventually their true feelings flood to the surface.
Jasmine and Alejandro then have to balance remaining professional at work while exploring their true feelings for one another. It soon becomes apparently that things will not end well for either of them and they could both loss everything – but what is more important, their careers or love?
My Thoughts on What Happens in Paradise
While not a genre I would normally read without a recommendation, I love the idea of being transported to Jamaica from the comfort of my own armchair, so couldn’t wait to pick up a copy of What Happens in Paradise.
The story was easy to get into and I realised I was flying through the pages. In fact, I read the entire novel in one wintry afternoon. There were moments where I wanted to laugh out loud and others where I inwardly cringed, not because of the writing but because I had become so invested in Jasmine that when something embarrassing happened to her, I really felt for her.
I will also be honest and highlight that I didn’t expect the story to hot up as much as it did and for those that are after a tame romance or a story without any explicit language this may not be for you, but what I would say, is that, the language in particular, was fitting for the age of the characters.
I loved reading about places I have yet to visit and Olivia Spring’s descriptions of each of these locations really brought Jamaica to life for me.
What Happens in Paradise is actually book two in ‘The Love Hotel’ series but can easily be read as a standalone, which I have done. However, I will now be going back to read book one (The Only that Got Away) and can only hope that both Jasmine and Alejandro will be appearing in book three when it is released, and for someone that naturally isn’t drawn to a romcom novel this is a big step in exploring more in this genre.
About Olivia Spring
Olivia Spring is a bestselling self-published author of contemporary women’s fiction and romantic comedies and now writes spicy romance for Boldwood. For more information about any of Olivia’s current or upcoming releases you will find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. She also has a newsletter should you wish to sign up to be the first to hear about her future novels.
Have you read What Happens in Paradise or any of Olivia Spring’s novels. What romance novels would you recommend I pick up next?
I was gifted a copy of this novel as part of a ‘Rachel’s Random Resources‘ book blog tour, but as always, all views are my own.
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