THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE A ROM COM!!

I enjoyed every single aspect of this book, from the characters, to their quirks, to their amazingly named cats. This was one of those books where you grab a sweet treat, a cozy blanket and you read this book for the whole night. It honestly didn't even feel as though I was reading, this was just a movie in my mind.

From the moment "Amy" crashed into Mr. Chest, I was hooked. The chemistry between them was hilarious and tense, but gradually shifted too adorable as the book progressed. I found myself panicked over how certain things would happen, just to laugh hysterically the next minute. I loved that they couldn't get together right away, and we got to see their relationship gradually grow. Then the conflict that arose was so realistic and troubling, I couldn't find a way that it was going to work!

The characters themselves were an absolute joy, I LOVED THEM SO MUCH!! Izzy is just me at the end of the day. I related to her so much and found so much of myself in her. Then for Blake, his character had a lot of personas through the story, but he is just a sweetie at the end of the day. Their relationship was so heartwarming due to both their humour, banter and the love they had for each other.

I have to end with this. NAMING YOUR CAT THE DARKLING AND HAVING A BEN BARNES REFERENCE. HECK YEAH!!

What a funny premise this one was. she takes a starbucks drink that isn’t hers and then meets a really hot guy who turns out to be her boss. this was a wild ride but i loved it.

On the first day of her new job, Izzy grabs a Starbucks drink meant for someone else and then promptly spills said drink down the front of a hot guy's shirt, only said hot guy ends up being her new boss's boss, Blake. The two find that there is definitely chemistry between them, but their company has strict rules that would forbid them from dating. They agree to be friends and set rules for their friendship to make sure they don't cross any lines. But can things stay that way?

Was this book well-written? Eh. Did it have some cringe-worthy moments? Absolutely (I could NOT stand her calling him Chest). Did I still enjoy the overall reading experience? A resounding yes. It's a great book for those times where you don't want to think but want something to take you out of the real world or it can be a great palate cleanser between books with heavier topics.

Overall: 3.75/5 rounded up
Spice: 1.5/3

Top Pick!

“I’d finally found what seemed like the perfect job, with a company that was considered to be the best place to work in the entire freaking world, and I’d totally blown myself up. I’d somehow managed to lie and insult a vice president on my very first day. As if that weren’t enough of an aww-shit sandwich, I was so profoundly disappointed in AVP Blake’s awful character arc that I could cry. He’d started of the day like some dashing hero in a rom-com, attractive and charming and filled with promise, but then, in an instant, he’d shown himself to be a pompous, arrogant, judgmental jerk. A jerk who would most likely be firing me the following day.”

It’s twelve days into 2025, and I think I’ve just read my favorite book of the year, which is high praise. I have been waiting to read a book like this for so long. I feel like I’ve been starving for some actual chemistry that jumps off the page, and that is what Blake and Izzie have in spades.

Their initial meet-cute is perfect and right out of a romance book, but then it takes a turn for the worst when Blake learns that Izzie may have told a lie, which he has a zero-tolerance policy. Throw in the fact that she is now his direct subordinate, she is totally off limits. Unfortunately, these two are like magnets constantly being pulled into each other’s orbit.

The reader gets to watch their silly antics on how they circumvent the office rules and how they become each other’s person. I adored how they were able to show each other the most authentic versions of themselves and how organically they fell in love. It’s like watching the beginnings of a real relationship.

They would Facetime constantly, stay awake on the phone until they fell asleep, wanted to talk to each other every second of every day. It’s like Lynn Painter went into my brain and found out that I wanted a man who was obsessed with his heroine when she created Blake. He is down bad for Izzie, and that made this book everything. I honestly have nothing negative to say about this book at all. No notes. It’s perfection.

If you’re a fan of authors like Sarah Adams and Christina Lauren, then I would definitely pick this up.

~ Michelle

A sweet, humorous rom-com where a woman has a “meet cute” with a man in a Starbucks after spilling her coffee on him. It turns out, he’s her new boss at her brand new job. It’s entertaining watching them try to stuff the chemistry they have for each other into a friendship since his ethics for work prevent him from starting something more. Overall, a sweet, quick read of a rom-com.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC!

Lynn Painter is such a delightful author, and I’ve loved every book of hers I’ve read! It all started with Mr. Wrong Number, and now, years later, we’re back with Accidentally Amy! I’m absolutely obsessed with the dual first-person POV in this book, especially after reading third-person narratives from her in the past.

I adored Izzy and Blake, this book is the perfect cozy fall read, and I’m so glad I had the chance to cozy up with it again in winter. I loved the fun little touches like the cats, the billboard games, and how Blake falls for Izzy so quickly. Izzy’s personality is a blast and made the whole story even more enjoyable.

This book is what started my love for workplace romances!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter is an adorable and humorous book following a meet cute at a Starbucks after the female main character, Izzy takes a pumpkin spice latte that is not hers. When I first read that this was initially written as a serial romcom for the authors newsletter subscribers, I could definitely see what would make readers want to anxiously read the next chapter, and I’m really glad that it was made into a physical book. At times, I did feel like the banter between Blake and Izzy was a bit juvenile. I also didn’t feel like there was much character development between the two main characters, which is why I didn’t rate it higher. But as with any romance book, I loved the dual POVs! I also thought the billboard game that they play in the book reminded me a lot of true American from the show “New Girl” and it made me laugh. This book was not my favorite book by Lynn painter, but I still enjoyed it regardless.

I absolutely loved this one! From the start, I loved Izzy (FMC). She's quirky, fun, awkward and relatable. The meet cute and accidentally Amy bit truly made me giggle throughout the story. Literally LOVED Blake. This truly had me rooting for them the entire time! I loved how the ending played out. Cute, funny and spicy bits! Great all around!!

I love Lynn Painter! She never disappoints! The story made me giggle. It was a fast read for me. Light, easy a perfect winter (I hate winter) read. It just made me happy! Isabella Shay made me smile. I very much enjoyed it!

I love Lynn Painter's writing so much, and as a result I was so incredibly excited to read this beautiful book!

I'm sorry to say though that this was just not the book for me - I kept trying to read it and after 2 1/2 weeks of dread when it came to reading, and just an out and out lack of joy when it came to picking this read up on my kindle, I made the painful choice to DNF this book at 40%. I tried so hard but just couldn't do it anymore.

That being said - what did work for me was Lynn Painter's writing style in general - I love the way that she writes, it's like magic on a page. Blake is a really cute MMC.

But, there was far more that I didn't like - the cringe-worthy dialogue, the FMC in general, the sex scenes, the horrid nickname Mr. Chest - like, ewww.

Thanks to NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝘼𝙢𝙮
by Lynn Painter
352 pages
published January 14, 2025
(readers saying this is a repub with bonus content)

Isabella Shay is late for her first day, so when the barista calls for Amy 3 times, Isabella takes Amy’s PSL, then runs right into Mr. Chest- who turns out to be her boss, Blake. Blake is not so happy about Izzy’s little white lie, and soon, sparks fly. Isabella is determined to win Blake over, and Blake finds himself realizing his new coworker is not as deceitful as he first thought. Their chemistry brings them together and they decide to be friends. When Blake is suddenly not Izzy’s boss, will he take a chance and allow their relationship to be more?

This was a fast read on a cold day. Sometimes the banter was mildly annoying, but it improved as their relationship grew. Read this - it is a sweet, light and fun romance. It has some spice, but it is not detailed, just enough steam to be a great romance. Perfect romance to warm me up on a winter’s day.

Thank you @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my review.

QOTD: What are your plans this weekend?

I’m trying Zumba Tone today, ice fishing & there’s an important football game tomorrow- Go Bills!

#romancebooks #romance #accidentallyamy #recommendedreading #currentlyreading #bookstagram #amreading #newreads #arcread #arcreading

I was excited to read the trad pub version. Lynn Painter continues to be a beloved author and this one is going to be loved by her fans.

I love Lynn Painter, and was excited for this premise, but it really didn't work for me! I can't put my finger on it, but it seemed very immature for an adult romance novel. The dialogue and behavior of the characters seemed much younger than they were supposed to be, and this wasn't my favorite of Painter's. Still love her though!

I'm a lover of all things Lynn Painter and Accidentally Amy is a prime example of why I love her so much. This book has one of the best meet-cutes I've read recently and I love the "taboo" of taking a latte that doesn't belong to you which in turns changes the direction of Izzy's life when she not only steps up to take "Amy's" latte, (let's face it if Amy didn't step up after 3 calls of her name, the latte is fair game IMO!), she inadvertently meets her new boss without even knowing it.

I love Blake so much. He's not the type of man that accepts lying but his instant connection with Izzy seems to outweigh his ire at their initial meeting. This man is totally swoonworthy and I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. Izzy is a girl after my own heart with her quirkiness and a little awkwardness but that doesn't seem to deter Blake. In fact he fell in love with her because she's not the typical woman he would normally fall for..

This is another winner for me by Ms. Painter and I loved this book from beginning to end!

“Amy” felt very annoying 😩🤧 just from the beginning haha. But it’s a cute story. Wish it were shorter though? Some parts lost me - I just didn’t care. She was very bland and hard to tolerate at times. Wishy washy at times too. At times it felt like we lost the plot of the work romance?

He was cute and sweet and loved his cats. I mean a man with special needs cats?! UGH HELLO. LOVE. he really made the story happen. 😂💜 That’s whom the 3 stars are for. 😂😂🫂

This book was incredible! So, so romantic, funny, and full of heart. I was giggling and kicking my feet--no lie. This one's on par for me with her book The Love Wager which is truly one of my favorite adult romcoms. I wish I could have a new book from her every single month! What am I supposed to do until her next one is out???

This book is too adorable and is the fun/fluffy read you need this summer. Starting a new job, Isabella Shay thought she would stop at a coffee shop for a pick-me-up PSL. She didn’t realize that the line after she paid was insane and would make her super late for her first day. Grabbing an unclaimed PSL, Isabella runs into a handsome man. Running off without giving her name to him, he assumes her name is Amy based on the cup she was holding. This is such a cute, cheesy, romantic comedy novel.

Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
.
Painter’s books are so much fun! I’m not going to lie I was a little nervous about reading this book because I assumed there would be some miscommunication, and that is a big no for me in a book, but I can assure you that is not the case!
.
Isabella is typically an honest person but on her first day of work she is running late. As she’s waiting impatiently for her psl at Starbucks she finally does something uncharacteristic for her. When a psl for Amy doesn’t get picked up she grabs it. Karma quickly comes back to get her when she spills said drink on a handsome man. Of course, handsome man just so happens to be her new boss.
.
Painter always creates the perfect witty banter and heart warming side characters. Plus the made up game the group of friends play is straight up hilarious. I binged this one in a day!
.

When I received this ARC, I felt like I remembered this title and cover. After realizing that this is a new edit of a previous story and getting over this non-déjà vu, I wholeheartedly embraced these long lost fictional friends, Izzy, newly hired HR specialist who, in running late to her first day on the job, spills her pilfered (there’s a story there, of course) PSL on Blake, gorgeous VP whose spectacular pectorals she feels up in attempting to blot said latte, earning him the nickname “Mr. Chest.” Their particular oops-I-spUilled-my-caffeinated-beverage meet cute gets a twist when Blake gives Izzy her own nickname: Amy. Not a nickname, as such, in that Blake assumes that’s her name given that it's what’s scrawled on her Starbucks’ cup. Izzy-not-Amy has not really stolen someone else’s drink since she’s already paid for the exact same order. She’s also not not stolen it, however, as Amy, whomever she may be will be out her own PSL fix. At best, it’s a little white lie. At worst, it’s the basis for a misunderstanding that’s blown waaaaay out of proportion, but, as we come to find out in Blake’s new backstory, one that’s at least a little bit justified.

If sparks flew between Izzy and Blake at Starbucks, a veritable inferno ignites between the two when they meet, mere minutes later, in an elevator at Izzy’s new place of employment. IRL, elevators are the work of the devil. In romance, however, they’re an aphrodisiac that incite the two inevitably gorgeous riders to fling themselves on the emergency stop button before flinging themselves on one another.

Though they don’t quite get to consummate this relationship during their elevator encounter, which both interpret as fated, the two feel pretty darn good about where they’re headed despite the fact that they’re still Amy and Mr. Chest and haven’t exchanged, ya know, real names. Minor details in matters of lust. The brakes are thrown on pretty darn quickly, however, when Izzy’s introduced to her boss’s boss, thus (obviously) her boss, AVP Blake Phillips, heretofore Mr. Chest. Impossible workplace romance aside, the real hurdle comes in Blake’s immediately cold response to finding out that “Amy” is actually Isabella Shay. The reason for his arctic disposition?

She lied. Not only that but she’s a thief! Won’t someone think of actual Amy who, sans PSL, is the clear victim of Izzy’s fib. If you, like Izzy, me, and pretty much anyone who thinks that Blake’s completely overreacting to Izzy’s grand theft coffee, are taken aback by how much he’s making a mountain out of the proverbial fall-centric molehill, get in line. AVP Blake Phillips is no longer Mr. Chest. He’s a downright dick. But, as it turns out, he’s a dick with a reason for demanding honesty out of himself and everyone else in his life. So, still a dick but one with a relatively convincing backstory. This is one of the new additions to Painter’s revision of her original story, which was apparently self-published as opposed to this trad one. And it works. In fact, all of the fleshing out of Blake’s backstory - the family he’s given and other tidbits - are, in the words of many a romance hero, everything I never knew I wanted. The characters and their relationship seem much more realized here - because they are - and I love them even more this go around.

Moving along, Izzy acts childish in response to Blake’s overt dickishness and worries she’ll lose her new job, which she not only needs but actually loves. Much to her, but probably more to our relief, Blake won’t fire her. But, he also won’t act on their insta-chemistry because HE. HAS. A. MORAL. CODE. Thus, we’re stuck with that age-old problem: how do the hot and clearly made-for-each-other couple act on their feelings without actually acting on their feelings. Answer: they come up with rules. Blake and Izzy can’t talk outside of work but “Mr.Chest” and “Starbucks Amy” can. While their texts are adorable, it’s not enough for the reader or characters - especially when Izzy finds out that Blake is a bona fide cat daddy who cares for two special needs rescue kitties (swoon!), whom he pretends not to be obsessed with even as he’s making their dinner from scratch.

Thus, loopholes are found and a delightful cast of secondary characters - again, more realized (or invented) here than they were in the previous publishing - is drawn into the mix. Most delightful, for my money, is their game of Billboard Assholes, where there are no winners only less-bad losers. After Blake white-knights Izzy, literally saving her from freezing along the shoulder of the highway as she’s trudging home in a storm, in the dark, (all uphill, of course), they partner together in the game and, after one particular physical challenge, end up giving in to the inevitable. After a watershed kiss (Painter can write the fuck out of a good kiss scene) that changes everything but nothing (THEY. STILL. CAN’T. DATE.), Blake and Izzy spend the rest of the novel navigating their work relationship, sexual chemistry, and, my favorite, burgeoning best friendship.

I’m a fan of pretty much everything Lynn Painter writes, YA or adult, and she’s perfected the ideal book boyfriend, mostly because her characters truly have fun together and are legitimately the other’s favorite person. It’s both the Platonic ideal of friendship and soulmates at once, and who doesn’t want that?

Yet, as Shakespeare mused, the course of HEAs never did run smooth. After the requisite misunderstanding and breakup, Blake and Izzy do indeed get their HEA and, in so doing, become better for it in that our MMC realizes the drawbacks of rigidly adhering to a moral code that harms more than it helps. Plus, we’re treated to a bonus round of Billboard Assholes that has the requisite heat while reading sweet (but not too sweet) to end our tale.

All told, Painter’s new edit is like retouching that back tattoo you got at a music festival in your teens. It was cool in the first place but you kind of forgot about it over the years. Now, however, it’s more vibrant and even better than before.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the eARC.

I loved Accidentally Amy as an indie, so when I saw it picked up by Berkley to be republished with some mild changes and additions, I wanted it so badly.

And upon reread, I loved it just as much. It brought me the same amount of joy. Witty banter, desperate longing between the main characters, pet names like “dumbass,” an adorable cat dad, and fun side characters.

Accidentally Amy is lighthearted and low angst, and I was smiling the whole time. It’s just so fun and happy. Blake is this cinnamon roll that falls hard for Izzy, who is a bit kooky but devoted to Blake. So glad I got the opportunity to reread this adorable story.