Lynn Painter’s books are always such a delight to read, hence why she’s an auto-read author for me. This book was pure fun from start to finish, packed with her signature banter that never fails to entertain.

Also, every single mention of Abi’s muffins had me *desperately* craving one. I need that recipe ASAP! Lynn Painter has once again delivered a charming, witty, and utterly enjoyable rom-com that I couldn't put down.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Lynn Painter does it again—this had all the normal charm and banter you’d expect in one of her books, with the addition of a little spice! Maid for Each Other was the perfect blend of Maid in Manhattan and Pretty Woman—two of my favorite romcoms. Abi was quirky, sharp, and entertaining, where as Declan was rough around the edges, rich, and broody. I was kicking my feet giggling at some of the cute parts (the book charm, iykyk) and also rooting for them throughout the whole book. Fake dating and forced proximity are two things I'll always enjoy reading, and this was no exception—one of my favorite of hers to date!

read if you like:
💸 millionaire romances
🥰 he falls first (and hard)
✨ fake dating

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book! Maid for Each Other comes out July 3rd!

More like a 3.75 stars!!! This book was super cute and I love the way Lynn Painter does fake dating!! It gave me all the early 2000s romcom vibes which I always love!!

Abi and Declan have such a fun relationship—banter, flirtation, tension—and I really liked seeing them open up to each other more and the way Declan takes care of her?? swoon! They definitely have chemistry and I am a sucker for when the MMC falls first AND harder!!!

I think ultimately this book did feel a little rushed in the end, I feel like Abi and Declan both flipped very quickly and I also would have liked to see how his family reacted to finding out the truth about their relationship and about who Abi really is, because we don’t really get any of that. Overall very fun and sweet, but nothing too special!

4.75⭐️
- fake dating
- forced proximity
- millionaire mmc

What do you do when your apartment is infested and you work as a cleaner in an apartment where rich people aren’t there half the time. Well, for Abi, you sleep in their beds while they’re away like a real life Goldilocks. Only what she doesn’t expect when she wakes up is this tenants parents to be there and think she’s his girlfriend.

Declan is a very busy working on his business. His family had been concerned about him settling down with someone, so he lies about having a girlfriend. Who he coincidentally has named Abby. So when Abi walks into the kitchen and they think she’s his girlfriend and she confirms she’s ’Abby’ his parents tell him they met his ‘girlfriend’ Abby this morning. Declan is obviously confused as there is no Abby. Only to confront this Abby saying he’s going to get her fired. They both need a way out of there situations. They make a deal that Declan won’t get her fired if she helps him with his problem of being his fake girlfriend.

I loved these two. I always love the fake dating trope and this was no exception. Their teasing and banter was so fun. In fake dating books I always love when they’re forced together by the situation in which they realize they have to act as though they like each other only to realize they really do like each other. This would’ve been a 5 star, if the third act breakup didn’t piss me off.
Abi was so cute and spunky. Declan, though seeming grumpy in the beginning, was truly just a softy, down bad mmc.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Maid for Each Other comes out July 3rd, and I definitely recommend picking it up!

Lynn Painter does it again. This book was exactly the comedic relief that I needed. I loved the banter between Declan and Abi. Absolutely adored the Pretty Woman vibes, and I’ll always eat up fake dating.

3.75 stars!
When I first saw this book, I thought, "meh, another billionaire trope". It'll be entertaining if nothing else. The thing is, it WAS entertaining. It was fun. and funny at times. Was it just too much of a coincidence that Abi just happened to have the same name as Abby? Sure. Let's face it though: how else do these stories start? Two people have a dilemma; they can both help each other out, and so they do. You know they will get together in the end so it's about the journey. This journey was cute. The only thing is that when it did end, I wish there was some explanation as to how they got together to their family and friends.

Description
A millionaire and a house cleaner are a match maid in heaven in this sparkling new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Happily Never After.

As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she hasn’t even met him). It goes great…until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend.

Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to become an executive at his company, but he still has his sights set on the next level. When his parents mention that they met his girlfriend, “Abby,” he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure…right?

This was a cute, quick read. My first Lynn Painter book and I've heard so many good things about her. The story was fun, but there wasn't much depth. Not to the story, the characters, or their growth. Still enjoyable.

This book was cute. I requested it based on the description, never having read anything by Painter before. It was okay. It felt overly long, even though the pace was pretty steady. I think I just lacked connection with the characters? I think I would have liked to see more reasoning behind Dex being such a philanthropist? I'm not sure. I can't quite put my finger on what I didn't fully connect with. This may have just been a case of cute book, wrong time for me!

Maid for Each Other follows much of Lynn Painter's storylines. She's great at funny banter between characters, but overall this story felt a little too predictable and compared to her other works, Maid for Each Other doesn't stand out as strongly.

This was so binge-able, I read it in less than 24 hours.

Giving it 4 stars because I haven’t read a book this quickly in a while. It was predictable and cliche, and so many things didn’t make sense and wouldn’t work in the real world, but it was so cute 🥰 the perfect book to get you out of a slow reading slump.

Thank you, Berkley, for the arc!

This was so so cute!! I really enjoy the way that Lynn Painter writes and this was a very sweet romance! I am rating it 3.5 stars!!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of Maid For Each Other.
"You are stunning... For a felon" such cute banter in this book and the banter hooks me!

Genre: Rom Com
Descriptors: Fake dating, Billionaire, Banter
Point of View: Alternating between the 2 main characters.
Spice: a bit
Standalone: Yes
Would I recommend? Yes

3 stars,

I am so conflicted! I have loved all of the Lynn Painter books I have read up until now, and while "Maid for Each Other" does have some good stuff about it, overall, I was not entirely impressed or sold on this billionaire man/poor woman, fake dating, forced proximity, dual POV, "Pretty Woman" re-do. Lynn Painter's signature writing style is on full display here. I love her easy-flowing narratives, quick-witted banter, sense of humor, and epistolary writing style. I am in my "eat the rich" era right now, as many romance readers are, so believe me when I say I don't want to simp for the billionaire class (as the youths say), but I feel like I have to defend Declan a little bit off the top. Abi was such a jerk to him for much of the book based on her preexisting biases! She made snap judgments about him, and trust me when I say I HATE THAT I AM SAYING THIS. I do not want to give billionaires props for anything (which is MY OWN preexisting bias, I know, but go with me here). *Of course* Declan had to have two places to live, *of course* he had to have custom-made cars, *of course* he had to be dripped out is custom-made suits, *~it's all part of the look of being rich.~* Don't make me roll my eyes any harder than I already am! Poor little billionaire can't find anyone to date... give me a break. And Abi, she works paycheck to paycheck but seemingly has a ton of free time on her hands, or at least a lot of leeway during her day?? I don't know, it just feels a little rushed storytelling-wise! That being said, Abi and Declan do have some good banter with one another, and there is quite a bit of physical chemistry between the two of them once the story starts going. Unfortunately, apart from that, I didn't get super invested in their *romantic* chemistry even as they were "falling for one another." The execution of their romance felt a little stale, and frankly, their personalities as a whole felt a little one-note. He's rich, she's smart, that's it, not a whole lot else going on there. It almost feels like this didn't really need to be a dual POV book because you don't truly get a sense of Declan by the end of it. This book is not spicy, so know that going into it, if that sort of thing matters to you. I am still a huge Lynn Painter fan, but this was not entirely it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Painter, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

When an infestation forces Abi out of her apartment, she has no other choice but to stay at the penthouse she cleans. It should have been an easy in and out no one would know with the owner being gone for the week. Only for Declan’s parents to show up and to mistake her for his nonexistent girlfriend. Now, she’s pretending to be his girlfriend in exchange for financial aid. But before long they find themselves no longer pretending.

It was a cute read but parts just fell flat. It left much to be desired so I’m giving it 3 stars.

Lynn Painter has done it again. This actually might be one of my favorite books of hers to date! She nails the forced proximity/one bed trope every. time. and her ability to write lighthearted but gripping romances is unmatched!

This book follows Abi and Declan. Abi is your stereotypical frazzled, broke, whirlwind of a female main character and I loved her. She works two jobs to pay her way through grad school, one of which is cleaning the apartment of billionaire workaholic Declan. While he's out of town she stays at his apartment because her own is being fumigated, and her parents walk in on her. But - surprise! It turns out Declan has been lying to his family and colleagues about a fake girlfriend, so Abi assumes the role of his fake girlfriend for just one weekend... which quickly turns into longer.

I love love loved Abi and Declan's romance. Declan was broody but weirdly hilarious (in the beginning, he calls her honey a few times in the most condescending/mocking way and it was perfection). Declan was understandably very alarmed when he found out Abi had been living in his house, so I liked that their relationship started from a point of genuine distaste, and the fake girlfriend trope was done out of sheer and reluctant necessity. Declan is also so generous (perhaps unrealistically so...) but seriously, the things he does for her?? The diamond necklace?? Everyone deserves a Declan. I think any romance reader will adore this book as much as I did!

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC!!

Was this book 'maid' for me? Nope. I thought the romance was contrived, the characters one note and not interesting, and the relationship was ridiculous.

For someone living paycheck to paycheck, Abi seems to have a lot of life flexibility. I don't live paycheck to paycheck and I can't make my schedule bend to my will because...that's ridiculous? Not real life? And Declan, aka Brainiac Richie Rich with a Heart of Gold (spare me, please), believes a complete stranger/cleaning lady is the answer to all his prayers based on little more than an acrimonious meeting wherein he discovers she's squatting in his apartment is....EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS AND COME ON AND REALLY LYNN?

Look, I like light and frothy romance novels. I liked Pretty Woman. And Cinderella. And fairy tales in general. But this? This is wishful thinking to the point of insanity. Nothing about this story rings true. At all.

This story was simply too contrived to enjoy. If anything, it was "maid" to be forgotten shortly after you finish reading it.

We are big, big, big fans of Lynn Painter; whether she is writing YA romance or adult romances, Lynn just knows what her readers want. This book is fabulous, funny, witty, and just everything I wanted it to be. Like all of Lynn's other books, this book is just a light, fun read and bursting with witty Gilmore Girls-like banter. Lynn's books, including this one, tend not to deal with any tough or heavy issues, and there aren't a whole heck of a lot (if any) super serious moments. Now, I am not saying there isn't any depth to her books because there is. What I am saying is that if you are looking for a pick-me-up read that is sure to charm your socks off and put a smile on your face, then pick up any of Lynn's books.

What makes this book so special? First is the slightly banana pants plot. I love it when a story is a little bonkers because it usually means I am in for a good time with lots of laughter. Abi is temporarily homeless and decides to spend the night in one of the apartments she cleans, knowing that the owner (Dex) is out of town. But of course, her carefully laid plan is thrown out the door when Dex's parents pop over to his apartment the next morning and assume Abi is Dex's mysterious girlfriend. After some fabulous witty banter and haggling, Dex and Abi decide to strike a deal and pretend to be dating for the weekend. The plot is delightfully ridiculous and so much fun. Abi and Dex are from two different worlds. Abi is a poor university grad student, and Dex has more money than Abi could ever imagine. The dynamic between two characters that are so different is always entertaining, and when you add in Lynn's witty banter and her tendency to put her characters in humorous situations, it always makes for a fabulous read. One of the things that I like about this book is that even though things move fast between Abi and Dex, Lynn makes it so these two characters become friends before moving to that romantic relationship sphere. That friendship allowed these two to get to know each other on a more personal level before diving into bed with each other.

Abi is that fun, quirky heroine, which is pretty typical for a Lynn book. She is chatty, witty, and just a lot of fun to be around. She definitely keeps Dex on his toes, which I found absolutely delightful. There is nothing better than when a hero's world is turned upside down because of the heroine. Abi has a strong dislike for the super-rich and has a hard time not being too judgmental towards Dex and the other ultra-rich people she meets. Abi's prejudiced attitude towards the ultrarich world becomes this hurdle that makes having a romantic relationship with Dex difficult. She chooses to only believe that he is a rich man who doesn't see the true value of anything. Dex is a fabulous book boyfriend. When we first meet him, he comes across as this rigid workaholic who doesn't like anyone else disrupting his plans to work his way up the corporate ladder. But as the story progresses, you start to peel back those layers and learn that there is more to this man than meets the eye. He's got layers and depth.

The romance is delicious and everything I hoped it would be. The chemistry between Abi and Dex is addictive, and I found myself craving scenes where they interacted with each other. One of the things that always stands out for me when it comes to a Lynn Painter book is the fast, witty banter between the two MCs. It definitely has that Gilmore Girls vibe to it, and in this case, it felt very Lorelai and Luke bantery. The fake dating parts of this book were fun and well done. Yes, the set-up for the fake dating scenario is slightly ridiculous, but that's ok because this isn't meant to be a serious book. This is a dual POV story, which I loved because I enjoy watching a character's inner struggle when they are trying to deal with or deny those growing feelings that seem to keep on popping. There is some miscommunication that crops up near the end of the book that causes the third act to break up, but to be fair, the miscommunication comes about because of the actions of a secondary character. Once Dex realizes what has happened, he works quickly to clear up the miscommunication.

Maid for Each Other is bursting with fun shenanigans, swoony romances, and witty banter that will put a smile on your face.

When I requested this book from Netgalley (thanks for the review copy) I didn’t realize quite how “eat the rich” I was going to be feeling. But it’s 2025 and I don’t think I’m likely to get less peckish as the year goes on so. Let’s do this!

Honestly, for a billionaire, Declan isn’t that bad! I am *confused* as to how he got that status with a job that isn’t all that important but if I knew how billionaires became billionaires outside of inheritance, I wouldn’t still be paying off my credit card. Declan wasn’t dismissive of other jobs and did seem to realize the very real advantages his money gave him.

This is the only nice thing I can say about him, though, because he’s basically a non-person in the book. I can’t believe there were this many POV chapters and I still struggle to think of a thing about him other than “rich” and “thinks Abi is smart and funny” - these are good qualities but do not a character make.

But the romance is sweet, and this is a really fast read. I’d recommend it to someone who wants to get a little wine drunk with a book in a bath. Just don’t put bubbles in a jacuzzi!

Really enjoyed this book. Lynn Painter's command of dialogue is excellent--witty, fun, real. The premise of a fake dating, rich vs poor, a maid out of place seemed like it would be too predictable, but Painter takes time to develop the two main characters beyond the typical rom-com tropes. They are actually quite compatible! Very funny, good amount of spice and romance... very enjoyable!

Cute book. The premise was solid. It was cringy at times but the cemetery was good and the couple over all was cute.