Maid for Each Other is my second Lynn Painter book and I must say that I have become one of her number one fans. This was a hysterical, romantic, sexy, fun book! I truly could not stop laughing and blushing the entire time I read it.

Maid for Each Other follows Abi, a grad student who works two jobs to cover student fees and Dex, a billionaire who was raised in privilege. Abi’s apartment is getting fumigated due to pests, so she thought to crash at an apartment she cleans via her housekeeping job. The owner is scheduled to be traveling, so what harm could it possibly cause? WOMP WOMP, she wakes up to an older couple who is convinced she is their son’s girlfriend who they have yet to meet! This spirals into Dex tracking her down, a fake dating scheme, forced proximity, one bed, and a tension that could cut you like a knife.

I loved the conflict resolution in this book! A+ on that front. What I do have questions on, and I could’ve potentially missed this, is did Abi and Dex ever come clean to his colleagues and parents about fake dating Abi? About how Abi is not this fake character they drew up together for the week?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Normally I love Lynn Painter books. This one just didn't do it for me. It was missing the sharp banter I've come to associate with her writing. The end felt like Pretty Woman. Overall, it just didn't do anything for me.

Lynn Painter does it again with another light-hearted romcom that has readers kicking their feet and rooting for the characters throughout the whole story!

This boss/maid trope mixed with fake dating started with such a unique meet-cute that showed off the FMC's personality and had me loving her from the first second. With that, I absolutely loved being able to peel back the layers of our MMC (Declan) as the story went on and learn more about him at the same time as Abi (the FMC) learned.

The banter between Abi and Declan had me laughing out loud the whole time which made them falling in love truly so believable. Even with the miscommunication trope that happened towards the end of the book, it felt more on the realistic side so it didn't frustrate me as much as the miscommunication trope usually does!

Overall, this is a wonderful romcom that would be a perfect light-hearted read or palette cleanser that I would recommend to all!

Maid for Each Other was such a fun romp of a read! Abi is a MFA student who has multiple jobs to stay afloat (and afford her asthma treatments), including a few nights a week as a housecleaner for high-end clients. One of them? Millionaire Declan, who needs a fake girlfriend to make him seem serious and settled to his company’s family-minded CEO. It’s a match made in romcom perfection!

I really enjoyed their slow-ish burn as these two got to know each other and the slow reveal about important parts of their lives, personalities, and quirks. There’s great banter and it’s light on the spice, but so much yearning and chemistry! I recommend it to romcom fans of opposites attract and fake dating.
I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I can’t believe this is my first book by Lynn Painter. And I am already craving to read more. The writing was addictive and the chemistry between the characters was electric, making the book impossible to put down. I didn’t want it to end!!!

Abi had to vacate her apartment for a week due to an infestation. With no money to stay at a hotel, she decided to stay at her client Declan’s condo (in his bed, without his knowledge), since he happened to be out of town for work anyway.

The following day, as she was leaving the condo, Abi unexpectedly ran into Declan’s parents. They assumed she was their son’s girlfriend, having previously been told by Declan that his girlfriend’s name was Abby. In reality, Declan didn’t have a girlfriend at all.

Wanting to escape the awkward situation as quickly as possible, Abi didn’t bother to correct his parents.

Declan’s parents told everyone he would be bringing his girlfriend to the upcoming company party. To save face, Declan struck a deal with Abi to pretend to be his girlfriend and accompany him to the event.

The fake dating and strangers to lovers tropes paired so well in this book! Declan had never even met Abi before since she only cleaned his place whenever he was away for work.

I absolutely loved Abi. She was funny, strategic, feisty, and rich in her own way. Declan was furious when he discovered that she had been staying at his house without his knowledge, but somehow, she convinced him to see reason and even paid her $40,000 to agree to be his fake girlfriend. I was thoroughly entertained!

What To Expect:
• Rom Com
• Millionaire Romance
• Fake Dating
• Grumpy x Sunshine


Thank you to the author and Berkley Publishing for an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

So I've been having a bit of a hit or miss streak with Lynn Painter. Sometimes her books are stellar and I can't get enough, and sometimes I find them so cringe that it's hard for me to get through them. This book definitely falls somewhere in between, but leaning more towards the good.

This feels essentially like a Cinderella/Pretty Woman combination. The FMC is a maid and the MMC is a business tycoon who is an EVP at one of the most prominent business ventures in this particular universe. She cleans his apartment when he's out of town, and he doesn't know she exists, until she's accidentally caught by his parents staying over in his place after cleaning while her apartment is being fumigated. Instead of getting her fired for this breach of conduct, he proposes that she act as his stand-in girlfriend for his company's shareholders retreat because as is turns out, she shares the name of his made-up girlfriend used to get people off his back.

While there is a suspension of disbelief necessary for romcoms, I think this one felt a little far-fetched, so I struggled a lot to get into the story. Personally, I felt that Declan (the MMC) was really being too nice to someone who was a stranger who had slept in his bed unbeknownst to him. There was a level of insta-love in this story that felt a bit inauthentic, especially since Declan was paying Abi to basically play a part at these events. And while he knew the truth, there is no mention of what happened when the rest of the family found out that they had been deceived by this plan. So it felt just a little too wrapped up for my tastes.

That being said, I loved the overall dynamic between Abi and Declan. Abi is a bit of a loose cannon and takes great pride in not taking any crap from Declan and his family. Declan needs to loosen up and have a life outside of work, so having someone like Abi come in and shake up his foundation probably is what lands this in an "insta-love" category of romcoms. The banter between the two of them is great, and I love how they take turns in riling the other up in the best ways possible.

It's a fun story and I enjoyed it thoroughly. There are just a few areas that didn't jive with my tastes.

4.75 stars!!!

lynn painter writes the most fun romcoms!! like are you kidding? i read this book in a day & had the BEST time !!!! abi & declan build the sweetest friendship that they literally cannot stop from turning into something more & i was squealing !!!!!! i loved this book so much!!! fake dating + millionaire romance 💘

if you're looking for a romcom that will have you unable to stop smiling & swooning from how hot & amazing the mmc is, PLEASE read this book!! i cannot explain to you how easy it is to enjoy abi & declan's story !!! the way they flirt with each other???? hellooooo i'm obsessed !!!!!!

also there's a little sneak peek to lynn's next adult romance at the end & I AM SO READY FOR IT !!!!!

thank you Berkley Pub & Berkley Romance for the arc & finished copy! this is my honest review.

A fantastic call back to early 2000s romcoms and I ate it up!!! I will read anything Lynn Painter writes.

One thing about me is I love a romcom set in my hometown! Lynn my girl you have done it again with another banger. It’s hilarious, heartwarming, just the right amount of steam, and a quick read! The rom com queen persists! ♥️

4⭐️ one of the things I love about Lynn Painter’s books is how easy they are to devour & this book was no exception.

I love fake dating and this one surely did not disappoint!! I normally avoid billionaire romances but this one was fun & the MMC was so likable.

One thing I didn’t care for was that the excessive cursing & F words … just not my personal cup of tea.

This was an advanced read copy I received through Netgalley so it’s not going to be officially published until July 15, 2025! But this is my honest review!

Add this book to your to read list, I promise you won’t regret it! & then let me know what you thought!

#books #bookstagram #booktok #bookrating #library #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookrecs#bookcommunity #booklovers #booksofinstagram #bookish #fivestarbooks #romancebook #kindlebooks
#kindleunlimited

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for supplying me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Painter is always good for some fun romance with a bit of a third act twist. And of course this one did not disappoint. With the Pretty Woman theme, I was ready for some fun!
Abi Mariano is just getting by. She works two jobs and goes to school all so she can graduate and work her dream job as a professor teaching fiction. When her apartment becomes infested and she must vacate, she decides staying at the billionaire's she cleans while he's away is a great idea. She doesn't think she will get caught, or get wrapped up in a fake dating scheme that keeps her off the hook from him calling the police. But what Abi, and Declan Powell don't expect is to find attraction and even possibly something more.
I really enjoyed watching the relationship between these two grow. I loved their sarcastic banter which brought a ton of humor to the pages. But there were also emotional times when they each needed to hear each other. I liked the balance Painter brought to their relationship with the serious side still showing through.
Abi is your typical girl who just can't seem to make ends meat but wants so badly to live the life or her dreams. She squeaks by between her cleaning job and her job at the grocery store. And she has her opinion of the rich: they all just throw money away. Declan seems like that typical rich guy, until she starts to get to know him and realizes there is more to him than just his money.
Declan is really more than his money. He enjoys being wealthy but wants to give back. This is a huge secret throughout the book which doesn't present itself until the end. While I loved what Painter thought up, I wish there was more of it than just him talking about it and never telling us until the end. While the big reveal was nice, the build up for me was lacking.
The romance was typical of a rom-com where opposites attract. But I didn't feel a huge amount of chemistry with these two. Painter tells us all about it on the page, but the emotion was lacking and I would have rather it be shown to me.
The pacing of the book is done well. I was definitely kept entertained and wanted to get to the heart of things so I could see what the big secret was all about.
Overall, another fun story from Painter with sweet and touching moments plus a whole lot of comedy! I will continue to pick up her books just for the fact I know she'll keep me entertained.

Read this if you like:
•grumpy sunshine
•fake dating
•millionaires

In typical Lynn Painter fashion, you will be laughing out loud from the beginning. I love when absurd plot lines somehow come believable [& also swoonworthy]. Abi works part time for a maid service cleaning rich peoples places when they’re out of town. So when her current apartment gets fumigated and she needs to be out for a week, she decides to just not leave one of the apartments she cleans… what’s the harm? Well the owners parents walk in and she gets busted. Thank you Berkley for eARC

Star Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ( EASYYY) because sometimes you just need a comfort rom-com that does exactly what it promises)

Picture this: If you blended Pretty Woman, Maid in Manhattan, and a touch of The Proposal with Lynn Painter’s signature wit and warmth, you'd get Maid for Each Other. While this took me a while to get around to -- college senior with a lottt going on at the moment-- (As shown by the state I started and finally marked it as finished LOL) when I finally sat down to read this, I was grinning the whole time like I was the one being fake-dated by a millionaire and making and baking them things.🥲💕

Abi Mariano is a breath of fresh rom-com air tbh. I can kind of see myself in her, but not really because we live totally different lives but a girl can dream right? She's a maid-slash-barista-slash-student who's too scrappy for her own good. When a building-wide bug infestation kicks her out of her apartment, she "temporarily borrows" the penthouse she cleans. No big deal right because the guy's never there… until his parents walk in on her muffins and her bathrobe HA. Cue: mistaken identity, fake dating offer, and a $40K student loan payoff that SHE negotiated because he was desperate?! Girl, I would’ve said yes to less.

Enter: Declan Powell(myman myman). He's tall, broody, successful, and in desperate need of a fake girlfriend to save face with his family and company board. He’s so stiff and structured at first, but watching this man unravel over Abi’s chaotic charm was chef’s kiss. He falls first, and he falls hard.

Tropes:
🧹 Maid x Millionaire
💼 Fake Dating (obviously, the best trope)
🌞 Grumpy x Sunshine
🏙️ Forced Proximity
💏 Strangers to Lovers
🛏️ Only One Bed (!!)
👀 Dual POV
🎁 Swoon-worthy grand gesture
💖 Flirty banter that lives rent-free in my head

🔥 Spice Level: 2.5/5
We’re talking slow burn with payoff. However Lynn mostly does YA so this is I think the most spicy book I've read from her. It's not spicy per se but it's placed tastefully if that makes sense. It's a mostly closed-door romance with a couple open-door scenes toward the end. I would say this one's more about the tension and tenderness than steam every chapter which honestly made those moments that much sweeter. Now I have only read maybe one or two of Lynn's book including this one.

Favorite Bits:
Abi being unbothered, chaotic, and charming even in the middle of a fake relationship with a CEO
The softest shift when Declan starts looking at her differently
Their New York day date?? Literal perfection
That grand gesture. If you know, you know. My heart 😭

Ok its time..
🎯 Final Thoughts:
This book isn’t reinventing the wheel and honestly, I think that’s the point. It’s comforting, familiar, cozy, and exactly what I needed. Abi and Declan are the kind of opposites who bring out the best in each other. And while Declan could’ve used a little more fleshing out, he still made me swoon with how gone he was for Abi.

If you're craving a fun, quick, flirty fake-dating rom-com with just the right touch of heart, this one’s for you. I would recommend this to people who like to read Emily Henry, Ali Hazelwood.

Emoji vibes this book gives me: (Yes I'm starting a new section to my reviews, deal with it xoxo)
📖💼✨🧁🏙️🫶🏻🛏️💋🎁

Finally, BIG THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU to Berkley & NetGalley for the ARC; and thank you Lynn Painter for once again giving me the serotonin I didn’t know I needed 🥹
**all reviews, thoughts, and comments are my own and I was provided this arc free of charge in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions)

Abi decides to crash at one of the upscale apartments she cleans when her own place is being fumigated because she knows the billionaire tenant is out of town. So when his parents show up the next day and act excited to meet her she’s both surprised and spooked.

Declan is flabbergasted when his parents say they finally met his very fake girlfriend in his apartment. When she turns out to be his cleaning lady, he hatches a wild plan to convince his family, coworkers and more importantly his bosses that they are the real deal. His employer won’t take a young bachelor seriously but a soon to be family man with a charming girlfriend? That’s a totally different story. But once he convinces Abi to go along with it, he’s surprised to find himself less interested in fake girlfriend Abi and more attracted to the girl behind the cleaning gloves.

No one makes me snort laugh while reading quite like Lynn Painter. Her banter always lands and I find myself smiling like a fool throughout. I’m a guy falls first and harder stan and even more so when he’s not even vaguely looking for love.

The fake dating forced proximity goodness really gave a chance for the tension to ratchet up and when it did it was absolutely worth the wait. I’m not the world’s biggest fan of miscommunication tropes but I definitely feel it had its place in the story. Also please tell me I’m not the only one thinking Roman deserves his own HEA right?

If you enjoy a feel good story that will give you all the nostalgic warm butterfly feelings you get from of some of your favorite 90s/2000s romcom movies and you love a boy obsessed in denial trope with a relatable and lovable fmc then make this your next summer read.

4.5 Stars

My first leap into the world of Lynn Painter's words and I am hooked. The premise was adorable - a maid is caught sleeping over in a millionaire's apartment. Under the circumstances she feels obligated to agree to be his fake girlfriend for his company events. Despite their reluctance and obvious personality differences, sparks fly and it's game on for romance. In the wrong hands, this story could have fallen flatter than a pancake. The witty banter, the feisty FMC, misconceptions gone wrong, and the yearning, oh the yearning... I was smitten. Abi was a well developed character who has a lot of pride, gumption, and although she was cautious with her heart, deep down she knew her worth and wouldn't settle for less. Declan was like an onion... that first layer was certainly a potent one, his commanding personality hits you in your face. However, once you start peeling back the layers, you begin to see who he really is and discover he's more than meets the eye. It's not hard for the reader to fall in love with both of them. This story moved at a quick pace and I couldn't put it down. My only critique is that I'm sad that it ended... perhaps a follow-up story about Roman?

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for a review copy, all opinions are my own.

𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝚁𝚘𝚖-𝙲𝚘𝚖

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
I looove Lynn Painter so i’m always so excited to pick up a new book from her. With a title and a cover so cute, how could i say no??

Thank you @berkleyromance for my e-ARC and @prhaudio for the ALC, which i read in tandem. It comes out on 7/15/25!

The narrators for the audiobook were awesome, giving such zest and comedic delivery that I binged it in a matter of days. Highly recommend the audio!

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝:
When Abi finds her apartment infested, she comes with a plan to sleep at one of the houses that she cleans while he’s out of town. It goes great, until his parents arrive and mistake her as their son Declan’s girlfriend. Little did Abi know, that Declan has been pretending to coincidentally have a non existent girlfriend named “Abby”. As a billionaire being asked many times if he is in a relationship, he proposes that Abi pretend to date him to get them off his back, while providing whatever it is that she needs while her apartment is being fixed.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This book was sooo cute! It starts off in such a fun and hilarious way, that I was just so enamored. The whole plot was giving Maid In Manhattan meets Pretty Woman. The billionaire + fake dating was *chef’s kiss*. And if you’re not sold just yet, let the flirty banter be the icing on the cake. Lynn Painter’s banters are second to none, so Abi and Declan was just perfection! They were absolutely adorable that they just blurred the fine lines between what’s real and what’s not. I swooned, i laughed and I gasped at the little mini twist that had me melting too. This perfect rom com will just sweep you off of your feet, so go get ready for another cutesy Lynn Painter romcom!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘍𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘐𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘯, 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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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?
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Lynn Painter has perfected a formula that just works for me. Fake dating? Yes, please. She does it better than almost anyone out there. And this book is no exception. It's the kind of book you read when you are looking for an escape, and it's the perfect kind of book for that. There were some deeper moments, sure, but there was also plenty of banter, and there was quite a lot of zing. Dex and Abi had plenty of chemistry, but their burn was slow enough that you get to enjoy the build up. This was the perfect read for a beach vacation or a long plane ride or just a lazy Saturday afternoon when you want to treat yourself to fun romcom with a little something extra. I am already looking forward to Painter's next book!

I absolutely loved everything about this book, from the initial meet cute disaster (hilarious!!) to the HEA!!

This is one of the best fake dating books I've ever read (and I've read a lot of them!) The chemistry and the romance between Abi and Declan was so perfect! Their text banter was so fun, it had me giggling and swooning!

Declan is A+ book boyfriend material, he's so sweet and so romantic and just so everything I want in a romcom MMC!!😍 And Abi was quirky and hilarious, but also a hard worker, hustling so she could have a happier life.

I love Lynn Painter's writing style, her sense of humour matches mine perfectly, and her books never fail to make me laugh out loud!

This was such a fun, fast-paced rom-com. It has just the right amount of chaos! Abi is immediately lovable. She’s resourceful, sarcastic, and genuinely so entertaining. I loved being in her head during her POV. I was totally on her side from the start, constantly thinking “as she should!” Her dynamic with Declan is hot and hilarious. The fake dating setup is totally ridiculous, but it REALLY works for them. They’re both so funny and smart, and I really loved their banter. I smiled through so much of this and had a genuinely good time reading it.

This book was fun, cute, and had some funny moments. Who would’ve thought Declan lying to his family would turn into such a sweet love story? I loved both main characters. They’re so different, but in the best way — they’re truly meant for each other.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the gifted eARC for my honest review.