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.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.

Meh, it was cute. Maybe I expected a little more when I sat down to read this, but it felt predictable. I wanted to LOVE it, since it had all the possibilities to give us "pretty woman" vibes (my fav movie every)
Now, if you are just looking for a cutie, reliable book to read- this is definitely for you. If you are looking for something deep, that makes you feel on a visceral level- no.
A very quick read- good romance!
Rounding up to a 3⭐️

Sometimes, the title says it all . . . for better or worse. Here we are, back again in Omaha, Lynn Painter's hometown and well-trod setting of most of her fiction, with her newest set of lovers, Abi Mariano, maid / grocery clerk / MFA candidate, and Declan (Dex) Powell, millionaire moonlighting as a modern day Robin Hood.

I’ve unabashedly fallen for all of Painter’s MMCs, even those (maybe especially those?) in her YA offerings, and Dex isn’t without his charm. He’s definitely not my favorite of her book boyfriends. He’s more not not my favorite. I feel that way about Maid for Each Other on the whole. It’s fun, has those moments of the ridiculous where I laugh out loud, makes me long for a really good kiss (which, IMHO, is the most Lynn Painter thing of all), and I really like that the main characters actually like each other and are each other’s most fun and favoritest people ever. However, there’s something in this story, which feature a fish-out-of-water couple and all the best tropes - we’re talking enemies-to-friends-to-fake-dating-to-maybe-real-dating-to-one-bed-only-to-lovers-because (as the title says) soulmates stuff here - that doesn’t have that Lynn Painter spark that I’ve come to expect.

Maybe it’s because this book read like an amalgamation of so many of her previous works - how Abi’s down-to-earth struggling realness clashing with Declan’s gorgeous, powerful, seeming soullessness reminded me of Mr. Wrong Number. Or the fake dating (here playing out in a very transactional manner, as Abi’s getting 40K to pay off her student loans for one weekend playing Dex’s fictional girlfriend, who, as FATE would have it, he named Abby) that had shades of The Love Wager. There were other little callbacks - how Dex would call Abi rather than text her at just the right moment (very Accidentally Amy) - that spoke to Painter’s growing catalog of adult protagonists. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate these, it’s that I couldn’t help but compare Abi and Dex to her previous couples and, while I wholeheartedly rooted for them throughout, didn’t fall under their spell in the same way I have for the rest. A large part of this definitely came with the last line. As I tell my students when they want to forgo writing conclusions, last lines (like first lines) are important. And this one left an aftertaste in my mouth.

After a whirlwind romance in which we see both parties struggling to define their “ship” - Abi because she’s scared that Dex will grow bored with her and leave her by the wayside because the man drops literal thousands of dollars on things that mean nothing to him and Declan because he’s not looking for any type of relationship, especially one outside of his small and elite circle - there’s the inevitable dark moment that causes the breakup of whatever type of ship this was. And, surprising to no reader, it’s a Pretty Woman moment (I’ve got to give credit to Painter, she forewent the obvious callout to this inspiration until the penultimate moments of the text when Abi’s best friend draws attention to it) when Roman, Dex’s best friend and partner in charitable giving, unthinkingly invites, or rather, propositions, Abi to pretend to be his girlfriend at an upcoming wedding. We cringe for him, especially as Abi and Dex have given in to their made-for-each-other chemistry and slept together, and her and, by default, ourselves. It’s . . . not good. Even if we saw it coming from the first deal that Abi and Dex made in their heretofore transactional relationship.

The cringe factor only increases when Declan, post whatever-ship break-up, finds Abi’s notebook and reads her character description for a short story that features a character who just so happens to look just like him (and, oh yeah, conveniently has the same name) but acts like a true out-of-touch billionaire villain. Since it’s a rom-com, and a Lynn Painter one at that, there is a happy ending in store but the speed with which Dex forgives her and, ultimately, she him, was a little too neat and tidy (maid puns!). It, like the last line (I know, I didn’t forget about that. I’m taking the scenic route), is a little too Hallmark for me. Something I’ve never accused this author of before. Do I believe that Abi and Dex are meant to be? Yes. Do I want them to live their best, most funnest lives together? Roger that. Did I puke a little in my mouth when Declan, in THE LAST LINE, corrects fiance Abi that their initial deal didn’t (almost) cost him 40k but rather his “whole entire heart”? Yuck, and yes.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m recommending this book to all my bookish besties. (Honestly, I don’t think Lynn Painter could do wrong by me.) The nods to Jane Austen still make me swoon, the possibility that opposites do indeed attract and smooth out each other’s rough edges (forgive the analogy as science isn’t my strong suit), the wackadoo gifts that show that the MMC really sees the FMC (here in the form of a bouquet made of asthma inhalers), and Painter’s requisite feline furball (“Little Dexxie”, whom I need more of) are worth the price of admission. So, while it’s potentially cheesy to think your one could be out there, waiting for you where you least expect it, I’m happy to hope and go along for the ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an early ebook copy of Lynn Painter's new book! While I do think Painter might be better at YA romances than adult romances, this was a fairly standard (not that smutty) read, which I found to be enjoyable. The ply centers around Abi, a grad student who works part time as a maid, and Declan, an incredibly rich man whose apartment she cleans when he is out of town. When Abi's apartment has an infestation, she decides that it wouldn't hurt to stay overnight at Dex's place, but that quickly is revealed to not be a great idea. After Declan finds out, he and Abi strike up a deal for her to play his fake girlfriend for a series of events, and naturally, they catch feelings along the way. Overall, this was a fine read, but it didn't super stand out to me compared to some other romances currently on the market. The characters were fun and the relationship was sweet, if albeit unrealistic. A great, quick read.

he yearning, the pining, the fake dating, the slow burn, the passionate kisses: all good reasons to read this book! I loved every minute of it!
I have to admit I'm a sucker for fake-dating romances. Lynn Painter once again creates a story that has my entire heart tripping over itself. Chef's kiss on this one.
When Declan wants his family and colleagues off his back, he invents a girlfriend named Abby.
When Abi's appartment has an infestation and she doesn't have the money to stay at a hotel, she decides to stay in the appartment she's cleaning and wash the bed the next day. No harm no foul right? Little did she know she'd wake up to the owner's parents thinking she's his girlfriend the day.
The story unravels from here with Declan asking her to play along for the weekend, and Abi agreeing.
But Abi knows the hot billionaire could never be friends with someone like her, let alone return her feelings. But as she discovers he is not as cold and unfeeling as she thought, she can't help herself falling in love with him.

High tension, flirtatious bickering, and hilarious banter? Sign me up.

This book was an adorable read for those who enjoy slow burn and humorous romance. Watching both characters navigate the complicated feelings they develop and slowly come to terms with them was a charming experience and one that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a simultaneously lighthearted and emotional book. Both Abi and Declan were easy to adore, making the dual-POV even more exciting. It was incredibly easy to imagine this book like it were a movie in my head due to the liveliness of the book, which made it even more enchanting.

I'm incredibly glad I picked up this book and cannot wait to recommend it to friends and customers when its published!

Lynn Painter's Maid for Each Other was such a fun read! Declan, the super busy EVP, and Abi, the housekeeper, end up working together in ways they definitely didn't see coming. On the surface, they seem totally different, but like they always say, opposites definitely attract.
The slow-burn romance is honestly so cute there's no insta-love, just two people taking the time to figure each other out and realizing they have more in common than they expected. The chemistry is definitely there, but it's those little moments that really made me root for them as a couple.
The pacing is on point too it never feels rushed. The side characters are great because they add depth without stealing the spotlight from Declan and Abi. If you’re in the mood for a rom-com that's light but still has some emotional depth, Maid for Each Other is definitely worth reading. It’s sweet, funny, and surprisingly touching, making it perfect for fans of slow-burn romance.

⚠️I was gifted an ALC- ARC courtesy of Berkeley Publishing and this is my honest opinion.