The Accidental Girlfriend is a delightful, trope-filled romance that delivers humor, chemistry, and just the right amount of chaos. If you love fake dating, forced proximity, and opposites-attract dynamics, this book is a must-read!

Abi Mariano is a hardworking cleaner and part-time student who suddenly finds herself in need of temporary housing. With few options, she takes a risk—staying in the empty penthouse she cleans while the owner is out of town. Everything is going smoothly until she’s caught in the kitchen by two unexpected guests: her employer’s parents, who mistakenly believe she’s their son’s girlfriend.

Declan Powell is a career-focused executive who has no time for relationships—so much so that he once invented a fake girlfriend to keep his family off his back. When he learns that his parents have met his supposed girlfriend (who is actually his maid), he sees an opportunity. If Abi agrees to play the role, he’ll make sure she’s taken care of for the duration of their arrangement. It’s strictly business… until their undeniable attraction starts making things a little too real.

This book is full of witty banter, sizzling tension, and heartwarming moments as Abi and Declan navigate their unexpected situation. The charming execution and strong character dynamics make for an entertaining read. If you love rom-coms with fake dating and a dash of chaos, The Accidental Girlfriend will leave you grinning! I loved this book so much and cant wait to buy it !

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Lynn Painter is an auto buy authors; both teen/YA and adult. I was really excited to read this one because the premise sounded delightful. It did not disappoint! I love a good dual point of view story- I like getting to hear the perspectives of the MCs. Abi and Declan are such a delightful pair- their chemistry and banter was so great. I also really liked how their friendship and respect for each other grew and developed. Their meet-cute was hilarious. The supporting characters were a hoot, especially Dex’s parents and Roman. This is the kind of book that I wish I could read for the first time again. Highly recommend!

Another fun romance, Lynn Painter’s Maid for Each Other is a mix of a Cinderella retelling with a fun Robin Hood plot twist! Filled with unforgettably laugh out loud moments (I’m already laughing recalling how Abi tells Declan’s parents and co-workers how they met) and genuinely sweet ones too, romance readers will gobble this one up.

Highly recommended, especially if you enjoy fake-dating, grumpy + sunshine, and Painter’s trademark humor!

Pre-order this one, book friends.

Cute. Quick read from Lynn Painter that was teased at the end of her last book. I didn’t love this one like I did some of her other books, felt like the writing was rushed, and the storyline had holes in it. Nevertheless it was a fun read and I’ll continue to pick up anything Painter writes.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @prhinternational @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for an early copy of Maid for Each Other by @lynnpainterbooks. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: July 15th, 2025

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220155637-maid-for-each-other?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=6SfwVDsbmf&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

Maid for Each Other is a fake-dating romance between working class woman Abi and rich guy/philanthropist Declan. Being a workaholic, Declan has no time to date, and just to have his parents’ concerns over his lack of a dating life go away, he lies about having a girlfriend named Abby. Meanwhile, Abi, a house cleaner who occasionally cleans Declan’s apartment every time he’s out of town, crashes into his apartment while hers is being fumigated. She was planning on sleeping in his apartment incognito, but she gets caught and winds up pretending to be Declan’s girlfriend, Abi come to life.

As always, Lynn Painter is the queen of flirty banter! Declan and Abi’s conversations were hilarious, and their chemistry really shone through. Abi was so very charming, especially with Declan’s family and colleagues, that they really bought into her acting as his fake girlfriend.

Maid for Each Other was a fun and light romance. There’s really not much drama, which was refreshing. I would definitely recommend picking this up when it releases in July for your Lynn Painter romance fix! 😍

Thank you so much Lynn Painter , Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to receive this arc in exchange for my honest opinion .

This was my first Lynn Painter book and I enjoyed it a lot . Abi is a professional cleaner and was found using the clients apartment for sleeping and baking . Declan threatened her job but realized she could benefit him by being his fake gf .

I loved how their relationship developed and how loved Abi was by Declans family . It was super cute and can't wait to read more of Lynn Painters writing !

Oh my gosh, the chemistry, the banter, grumpy x sunshine, billionaire x maid... so delightful. I have read most of Lynn Painter's books, usually preferring her YA but this was so good. It was funny and charming; the drama wasn't too intense which was nice. I do wish it was a bit longer, but still very good. Also loved the couple Psych references

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group.

A sweet, cozy romance that is one of Painter’s sweetest stories. Easy, quick read that I couldn’t put down.

lynn painter never fails to amaze me with her stories and characters, and i love the fact that i can always count on her for that. this book is a gem and one of her best works, i'm truly obsessed.

Lynn hooked me from the get go, as I went on the fabulous ride with these two characters. A Sweet Romance , filled with Painters signature humour makes this a must read for all Romance fans.

This story was pretty cute. Declan makes up a fake girlfriend named Abby. The woman, Abi, that cleans his apartment decides to squat there while he’s away because her place is being fumigated. His parents crash at his apartment, meet Abi and believe they’ve met Declan’s girlfriend. Fake dating ensues. I enjoyed that Declan and Abi both had pretty negative first impressions of each other and throughout have to work through their own preconceived notions of each other.
It was a light, fun read. Their connection was believable and sweet. They each have a really good friend in their corner, which I love in a story.
3.5 stars, rounded up.

Loved this book, I absolutely was so in to this book. I really enjoyed the fake dating aspect of this book. you get all the swoony and enemies to lovers you can get.

Such a fun (and less grungy) version of Pretty Woman--this is my opinion, I'm not sure if it's actually inspired by Pretty Woman. Abi is a lovable student and multi-job working girl who stumbles into a fake dating situation with a hot billionaire. Yes, please! Declan is so genuine for a wealthy person--it's refreshing. They are certainly attracted to each other but they nurture their friendship before anything physical and it's so sweet. The miscommunication was irritating but resolved quickly. The banter wasn't as good as The Love Wager but I smiled often. The term "little shit" will never not be funny. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Thank you Berkley for the advanced copy of Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter.

This was a solid romance with interesting characters that had unmatched chemistry! I love Lynn Painter and had no doubt in her skills to write a great adult romance. She did not disappoint!

Declan and Abi are characters you can’t help but fall in love with! I didn’t want to put this book down!

The Accidental Girlfriend is a delightful, trope-filled romance that delivers humor, chemistry, and just the right amount of chaos. If you love fake dating, forced proximity, and opposites-attract dynamics, this book is a must-read!

Abi Mariano is a hardworking cleaner and part-time student who suddenly finds herself in need of temporary housing. With few options, she takes a risk—staying in the empty penthouse she cleans while the owner is out of town. Everything is going smoothly until she’s caught in the kitchen by two unexpected guests: her employer’s parents, who mistakenly believe she’s their son’s girlfriend.

Declan Powell is a career-focused executive who has no time for relationships—so much so that he once invented a fake girlfriend to keep his family off his back. When he learns that his parents have met his supposed girlfriend (who is actually his maid), he sees an opportunity. If Abi agrees to play the role, he’ll make sure she’s taken care of for the duration of their arrangement. It’s strictly business… until their undeniable attraction starts making things a little too real.

This book is full of witty banter, sizzling tension, and heartwarming moments as Abi and Declan navigate their unexpected situation. The charming execution and strong character dynamics make for an entertaining read. If you love rom-coms with fake dating and a dash of chaos, The Accidental Girlfriend will leave you grinning! I loved this book so much and cant wait to buy it !

This was my first Lynn Painter book and it certainly did not disappoint. I love the fake dating trope and it was done so well in this. The characters were wonderful. I loved the banter between everyone not only the main characters. It was crazy and outrageous but so good!!! I found myself laughing and snorting in public while reading this! I was hooked within the first few chapters. I can't wait to read more by this author!

If you love Cinderella stories, vibes like Maid in Manhattan, Pretty Woman, forced proximity, and witty banter, this one will have you kicking your feet and speed reading to find out what happens! I flew through this one, and like every Lynn Painter book, I absolutely adored it. 10/10 knocked it out of the park with this one!

She’s a maid and he’s a millionaire - and he needs a girlfriend stat. Declan has been telling his closest friends and family that he has a girlfriend but she’s conveniently never come around. When he meets Abi, he asks her to stand in for his longtime fake girlfriend and as you might expect, things get complicated.

I am a Lynn Painter newbie and this is my first. I enjoyed the story - it truly read like a 90s/00s romcom - complete with a millionaire and a sassy female lead. Although the chemistry between the two could be better/brighter, I felt like the banter itself was super clever. Declan rubs against his family’s wealthy confines and Abi is struggling with multiple jobs and little income, and while this seems like a standard trope, Painter does explore it thoughtfully. I think this book is a lovely escape, and I am definitely going to read more Lynn Painter.

4.5 ⭐, .5🌶️- What a cute rom com read! I really enjoyed reading this ARC. I was hooked within the first few chapters. I loved the plot. It's so cute that she is his maid and he's a billionaire, but they have never met. I love the Cinderella Vibes it gave without it being too cheesy. I just was so excited to dive into this romance novel. Lynn Painter was able to give all the emotions that a person would have when they are in a fake dating relationship. I just really enjoyed this book so much and how each MC was really able to give their side of the story. I'm not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope but was thankful that even though there was a touch of it in the story, it didn't pull me away from finishing the story.


Favorite Quote:
“I’m fairly certain no amount of money could tame your brat factor so i appreciate the effort.”


Tropes: Forced Proximity, Fake Dating, Billionaire


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! I've yet to read a book by Lynn Painter that I don't like! I loved the fake dating aspect of this book and although third act break ups aren't my favourite, she did it in a way that worked with the story line and made me fall in love with the characters even more.