I loved the banter!! Slow burn was great too. The spice wasn’t quite to my taste—seemed like it could have been more, but the author pulled back from it at the last second. Like the book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be spicy or not.

This was a joy! As far as romcoms go, the CHEMISTRY and WIT stand above most. I love these two main characters, especially their banter. I enjoyed reading the text message back and forth, and I also appreciate that while their chemistry sizzles, they’re still vulnerable in their nerves to move from friendship to more. Also, the “physical challenge” had me laughing out loud… not what you’d think for those who haven’t read the book. Lynn Painter is hilarious, and this light read is perfect for a day on the beach or just a little means to escape for a while.

The characters were cute and the banter was fun. It was a bit repetitive and I feel like it needs to be edited.

Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter delivers a delightful office romance with a lot of charm, The story kicks off with Izzy Shay, in a hurry on her first day at a dream job, taking someone else's PSL at a coffee shop and immediately spilling it on a very handsome man—Blake Phillips, who turns out to be the senior VP at her new company. The initial mix-up is lighthearted, setting the tone for their instant, undeniable chemistry, but things get more complicated when Blake realizes she’s the same “Amy” he met at the coffee shop.

Character Dynamics
Blake’s backstory, with his recent engagement fallout and trust issues, makes him a grumpy but vulnerable character, which contrasts nicely with Izzy’s pushier, determined personality. Their “friends” dynamic quickly escalates, with both characters struggling to deny their feelings due to their professional relationship. Izzy’s persistent, almost overbearing nature speeds up Blake’s falling for her, which makes their quick romantic progression feel natural despite Blake’s initial reservations.

Plot Progression
The core plot revolves around their forbidden romance as employer and employee. After their initial meet-cute, Blake's discovery of Izzy’s real name and the coffee-stealing incident creates some tension.
The story heats up when Blake learns that due to organizational changes, Izzy's team will no longer report to him—freeing them to explore their relationship, but things go south when Blake finds out, too late, that her role is being eliminated in the restructuring, a decision he unknowingly signed off on.

Conflict and Resolution
This twist creates the major conflict in the book. True to form, Izzy reacts strongly, feeling hurt and betrayed when she learns about her job loss. Her hurt stems from a mix of professional and personal betrayal, which makes sense given the history they share at that point.
Fortunately, Blake doesn’t just apologize—he actively works to help her by sending out references to other companies, which results in several job offers for Izzy. This gesture shows his genuine care for her and sets the stage for their reconciliation.

Romantic Tension & Spice
The chemistry between Izzy and Blake is definitely one of the book’s highlights. The “insta-love” aspect works here, thanks to their fun banter and steamy moments. The attraction builds quickly, and the tension of whether they can or can’t be together adds to the overall fun of the story. The spice level is moderate and eventual relationship progression is satisfying.

Final Thoughts
Overall, Accidentally Amy is a charming, fast-paced rom-com that leans into its trope-heavy plot but makes it work with fun character dynamics and lighthearted humor. Izzy’s impulsiveness and Blake’s gruff exterior create an entertaining push-pull dynamic. Although the story is predictable at times, it’s still an enjoyable read for anyone who enjoys office romance with a dash of awkward meet-cutes. T

Rating: 4/5

Absolutely FILLED with playful banter, this low angst rom com gets the chemistry right. I loved how much texting and conversation there was between the characters, which made it easy to see all of the reasons they’re perfect together. There's not much that I didn't like about the story. I do wish that things didn't move quite so quickly, but that's really my only complaint. It's just the kind of lighthearted read that you can binge in one sitting, and it's got so many fun, fall vibes and swoony moments. 

I gave this four stars. I think if you enjoy a light read without wanting too much angst, this is for you. Don’t expect the storyline to blow you away, but the banter is cute and their relationship is fairly well developed (if you ignore the short timeline). There’s also a nice slow-burn element, and some sexy scenes.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced reader copy of this romantic comedy.

I absolutely adored this book!! I kept trying to pace myself so the I wouldn't finish it too fast because I wanted to savor it. I love this author- anything she writes is gold, but this might be one of my favorites! I loved both main characters and really was rooting for them to be together. This book was everything I wanted- no notes!

Such a fun romance! Some parts were a little cringey and predictable but that's what made it so fun to read!

I already loved Accidentally Amy the two times I read Lynn Painter’s self-published versions, so I knew I would love the revised copy. Well, loved isn’t a strong enough word for it.

Featuring an additional 10k words, dual POVs, first person narrative, and more steamy banter, Accidentally Amy 2.0 is Painter at her best. Izzy and Blake are the romcom leads from every girlies’ dreams, and the cast of characters surrounding them flesh out their lives in perfect, hilarious joy. (Especially the three cats.)

Make sure to check out Accidentally Amy in print this January! Fans of Emily Henry, Ashley Poston, Ali Hazelwood, Abby Jimenez, Fallon Ballard, and Beth O’Leary will adore this latest adult romance from the incomparable romance Queen Lynn Painter.

Loved this one by Lynn Painter! I’m from Omaha so I loved all of the Omaha references. Such a great small town romance!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Accidentally Amy is a cute but very cringey workplace romcom about Izzy and her boss Blake. I liked that this book was fast paced and sometimes the banter was good. But this book was just so cringey.
Izzy calls Blake “Mr. Chest” to his face multiple times. Izzy makes terrible, odd jokes repeatedly. Cringey things just kept happening over and over again and it really pulled me out of the story.

Despite these issues, I did enjoy the romance. I feel like Izzy and Blake had a lot of chemistry, but Izzy’s cringiness and pick me attitude can be a bit much.

A sweet fall romance! I love romances with both POVs!! Witty, cute, fun... Lynn Painter can write a fun romance for sure!

4 stars
Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter is such a fun, feel-good read! The story kicks off with Izzy accidentally taking someone else’s coffee order, which leads to her meeting Blake. Their banter and chemistry are immediate, and you can’t help but love how their dynamic develops throughout the book.

Izzy is super relatable—quirky, sweet, and a little awkward in the best way. Blake is your classic grump who turns out to be way softer than he seems. Their accidental run-in quickly turns into something more, with plenty of swoon-worthy and laugh-out-loud moments along the way.

The side characters add to the fun, too, and the overall vibe of the book just makes you smile. It’s light, easy to read, and perfect for when you need something cute and heartwarming. If you love mistaken identity and grumpy/sunshine tropes, you’ll really enjoy this one!

Tropes:

Mistaken identity
Grumpy/sunshine
Workplace romance
Forced proximity

I'm going to be honest, one of the fastest I have ever read a book. It was everything I needed it to be and grabbed at your heart strings. It was sometimes predictable but still surprising and I loved it.

I really loved this book. I loved the banter between Mr. Chest and Starbucks Amy. I didn’t love how the inevitable third act breakup panned out but the act of redemption Blake played with trying to help Izzy get another job was really gold. Can’t wait to get my hands onto this hard copy to add to my Lynn Painter collection!

If you are in search of a fantastic romance novel that will have you laughing out loud, swooning, and thoroughly entertained from beginning to end, then "Accidentally Amy" is an absolute must-read! The characters are incredibly relatable and so darn endearing, drawing you into their world from the very first page. This heartwarming meet-cute romcom, skillfully crafted by the talented author Lynn Painter, is a true gem that will leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling long after you've finished reading.

I really love Lynn Painter’s romcoms! I’m always looking forward to what she has in store for us next! This was the perfect meet cute mix up! Just perfect for the happy ending spicy stories we’re all after

Oh spicy goodness! Loved reading the updated and published version of this! It’s cleaned up nicely and such a fun short read!

I’m a fan of Lynn’s writing, overall. And I know this is an ARC, so final edits have possibly not occurred yet. I’ve also read this was a story that was sent out in bits and pieces and has been reworked into its current edition. Ok, I needed to get that out of the way first. It felt like it needed a whole read-through before publishing. I liked Blake and Izzy for each other. I thought Izzy was quirky, but fun and sweet. Blake clearly adores her. I enjoyed their banter and conversation. But that was sort of the whole story. The rest of their lives weren’t really fleshed out at all. I kept waiting for more backstory or personal depth. It was like an outline of a story, but the nitty gritty details weren’t included. There were some timeline and detail issues that definitely felt like it was a series of chapters loosely tossed together. Liked the concept, but the execution was a miss for me.
Overall 2.5 stars.

Re-read September 6,2024: just as good as the original if not better with Blake POVs!

I loved the quirky humor, the hilarious cousins abs brothers, and all the pining and swooning!

My only beef is I remember a date that involved pumpkins in the original story and it was cut from this one - unless my memory is off.

Lynn, why?! Regardless she’s the reigning queen of the rom com

This was a my first Lynn Painter book and it was adorable.
The only thing that irritated me was his character. He wouldn’t let things so and when he finally does he was perfect. He drove me crazy! I loved her though!