3.75 stars
I ate this book up. The fmc, Abi, is a maid/masters student/and grocery store worker. She’s trying to make it out of the trenches essentially. One of the apartments she was cleaning belonged to billionaire Declan Powell. They come to a fake dating agreement, and Declan slowly defrosts as he gets to know Abi.

I really enjoyed the slow build up of friendship between the two. She’s was winning over all of his friends and family with her charming personality.
I felt like some parts of this were a little slow. I think the chemistry and tension in the “smut” scenes was missing.

Overall I do recommend giving this a try if you’d like a charming and cutesy read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter is a sweet and engaging fake-dating romance. While the trope has been done plenty of times, Abi and Declan’s chemistry, along with a strong supporting cast, keeps the story moving at a quick pace. It’s a great choice for summer reading, especially for romance fans who enjoy something light, character-driven, and full of heart. I will recommend to readers who want something fun for a trip to the pool or the beach. I look forward to what is next from Lynn Painter.

a classic lynn painter fake dating romance with a loveable curly-haired redhead fmc and a tall mmc who’s so down bad for her!! this book was adorable 💕💕

thank you to berkley publishing group and netgalley for the advanced readers copy!!

What a cute story!! This was a cheesy, feel-good read that had me giggling at the silliness and sweetness of Abi and Declan. When Abi spends the night at one of her client's houses while he is out of town, she doesn't expect to wake up and meet his whole family... interestingly enough, Declan had created a fake girlfriend named Abby to keep his meddling parents off his back. What starts as a fake date turns into something so real these two can't deny their feelings.

This book is the perfect pick me up read!!

I've loved many of Lynn Painter's books so I was down to review this one. And, at first, I was charmed. Maid for Each Other begins when Abi decides to stay in an apartment that she's cleaning while her apartment is being fumigated for bugs. The owner, Declan, is out of town so she thinks no one will notice, but his parents show up and--it's a rom com-- think she is his girlfriend. But, although I enjoyed it, I didn't love it quite as much as I love Painter's other works.

It turns out Declan has been pretending he has a girlfriend named Abby so his parents will quit pressuring him to find a girlfriend. When he sees how happy his parents are about meeting Abi, he asks her if she will go with him to a cocktail party for work and pretend to be his girlfriend. When they are at the party, everyone loves her (and Declan thinks she’s pretty great too) so he asks her if she will pretend a little longer. Declan comes from a wealthy family and is a successful executive at an investment company. He’s got a big shareholders' event coming up the following weekend and he’s in line for a big promotion at work. He thinks fake dating Abi might help him clinch it.

Abi is struggling to get by, working several jobs and going to school and is not excited about being his fake date. It makes her uncomfortable to be around wealthy people with mansions and fancy cars, while she sees so many other people struggling to get by. But she has a lot of school loans to pay off so when Declan offers to pay her to be there with him, she decides to go for it.

It's fun when a glam crew shows up to do her hair and clothes. She impresses everyone at the event and has fun teasing Declan by telling fake stories about romantic things she says he’s done - everyone laughed (including me). The two begin to see each other and, as they do, their fake relationship becomes real.

One of the things that was awkward in the second half of the story was Abi’s dislike of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It felt like this cast a shadow over her and Declan’s romance. But I still enjoyed this romcom full of witty banter, spicy times and funny situations. Declan was a sweet book boyfriend who came through with the perfect grand gesture in the end to win Abi.

It’s no secret that Lynn Painter is one of my favorite authors and while I had some quibbles with this story, it ended up winning me over with its entertaining situations and playful romance. It gets a qualified recommendation from me.

What happens when a maid gets caught sleeping in a billionaire's apartment? Fake dating obviously. This was a great romcom with a fun and light premise and interesting plot line! It was very easy to get into and the characters were easy to care about. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters and their friends. I did feel that the descriptions of the characters got slightly repetitive (repeated adjectives etc) closer to the end, and it did feel slightly like she let go of her values just because he was a good person, so her original critique of billionaires felt less meaningful. Aside from that, this is a very light and fun quick read if you are looking for a romance!

This book was PERFECTION!!! Oh my gosh, I absolutely loved it! Lynn Painter knows how to write a romance! I love a fake dating trope and this one did not disappoint! I highly recommend it!

well. i can't say i'm surprised, after what isabel has told me about lynn painter's recents.

lynn painter always does a great job at making her books bingeable, something to be consumed instead of savored. except i always end up consuming it so fast, that it gives me indigestion. but you know what was faster than the time i spent reading it? the romance in this. you’re telling our main couple says the big L word after two weeks of meeting each other? i am all for unrealistic romances and tales that sweep us off our feet and whatnot. but come on, guys. lynn painter has better romances (i think?) than this! her ya works are always so much better; i felt this in mr. wrong number too, her only other adult work i’ve read. for both, the premise was good, but the execution fell so flat. the characters? i wouldn’t even be able to get you started, because they only had one personality trait, not gonna lie. everything about this was so weak and underdeveloped, like flour, eggs, and milk thrown into a pan and tossed in the oven without being mixed and expecting a cake to just appear out of thin air.

my expectations weren’t high, but i felt like this was even lower than the bar i had set for it. i apologize, berkley publishing and netgalley, but i swear i thought i would like it. i didn’t expect to not like it as much as i did.

maybe next time, lynn painter.

Maid for Each Other features Abi, grad student and maid and Declan, billionaire with a heart of gold. When Abi needs to crash somewhere when her apartment is being fumigated, she decides to Goldilocks it up at Declan’s empty penthouse. She is inevitably caught, but mistaken for his made up girlfriend, also conveniently named Abby.

This was okay. I love Lynn Painter’s writing style, it’s always charming, but it felt like this was missing something that made it lack a bit of shine. Abi was pretty delightful and kooky, charming Declan and everyone in Declan’s life so easily.

Declan was fine, but maybe a little flat? I feel like I know nothing about about him and I’m not sure what Abi fell for besides being a very generous dude. And like, this is not the time in society for billionaires unfortunately. (But that one might be on me)

The pace in this was very quick, but it also felt like there was no time for any emotions to get too big and messy. Everything was neat and tidy and wrapped with a bow.

Overall, totally fine but not a standout from a very excellent author, for me.

Lynn Painter is hands down one of my favorite authors. This book is excellent work, no exceptions. I read the book in one day, when I was only supposed to read “ a few pages”. You get fully immersed in the plot, her characters are so lovable and you absolutely need to “know what happens”! I need her books to become movies! She used Taylor Swift and Gilmore Girls references that immediately makes me think she and I could be besties. I hope she never stops writing.

(Thank you to Netgalley & Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc)

The way I devoured this in less than 24 hours means once again, Lynn Painter NEVER misses !!!!! So much fun, it had all the banter and charm I could ever want in a romcom. WHEN HE BOUGHT HER A PLANE TICKET TO COME TO NYC FOR THE DAY…. YEAHHHHHH

okay this was really good! i would say about 3.75 stars. it definitely took me some time to be invested in the storyline - i wasn't too attached to the characters. i really enjoyed the romance and their banter though!! thank you netgalley for the arc!!

This book! Definitely my favorite non-YA Lynn Painter book thus far. This was so much more than I expected and the book I needed after Onyx Storm! Ali and Declan were such bold and fun MCs who encounter all the tropes I love - enemies to lovers, fake dating, one bed...definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good romcom with great banter and great MCs. My first 5 star read of the year for the witty banter, 5k scene (reread three times) and plot which was so original yet fit so many common tropes!

Lynn Painter fans will EAT this one up! It's silly and funny in all of the right places, the grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract were everything! Plus a dash of the ... is he a billionaire or just riiiiiich, idk but that was fun too!

Every Lynn Painter book feels like a love letter to those early 2000's vibe romcoms that I adore (plus many others too of course)

Super easy to get into and a great way to spend a weekend.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for my ARC!

3.75/5

STARS
Ladies and gents, we have a 5 STAR BOOK! Wahoo!

I love a book that gets right after it, and Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter did JUST that. The real story begins on the very first page, and the plot takes no time to thicken right up… just the way I like it!

Abi is quirky yet head-strong, funny, and confident. Declan is a grumpy, misunderstood, yet swoon-worthy male main character. One is filthy rich. The other isn’t rich at all and has to work super hard for everything she has.

I absolutely loved the witty banter, the Pretty Woman and Maid in Manhattan vibes, the hilarious plot with a few unexpected twists that kept me engaged, and the overall absolute JOY this book filled my heart with!

Check this one out if you love strangers to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, grumpy-sunshine, and ONE BED! Do I think this book is realistic? Probably not. Did that bother me?! Not one bit! Let a girl dream!

SPICE
Lynn’s adult romances have all the tension and tummy swirls you’d ever need, plus a little heat! I’d consider this light on the spice, but I was totally and completely satisfied with it by the time it *finally* arrived! This is not closed door but not fully open either. Mild, but fab.

HAPPY ENDING
YES! The ending was PERFECTION! I thought the pacing was very well done in this book. The ending felt right!

FINAL THOUGHTS
I have read Lynn’s entire catalog, and Maid for Each Other officially cements itself as my VERY FAVORITE! I can’t wait for all my friends to get a chance to read this one!

Thank you to Lynn Painter, NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing for this Advanced Reader Copy!

Lynn painter is queen of sweet romance! The emotions and heart she puts into her stories get me every single time! These characters and their banter was spot on! I was swooning and giggling with ALL the emotions. Another 5 star ⭐️

This is such a fun and quick easy read. I love the Pretty Woman vibes and the characters. I love how fun and laid back Abi is and as a current grad student, I relate hard to her struggles. The banter is also great. I am a big fan of Lynn Painter and this book is no exception!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up.

This was a super quick escape read with lots of Pretty Woman vibes (minus the whole prostitution thing). Rich guy, poor girl trope along with the fake dating trope make for a fun time. I basically read it in a day and there were was great tension, but the spice was kept to a 1. Lynn Painter doesn't disappoint!

I adore Lynn Painter and any thing she writes. It took me a few chapters to get into this, but once I did I was hooked! I really liked the chemistry between the characters and was rooting for them to get together. I will definitely be buying a copy for my bookshelf and recommending to my friends!

OMG!!! All the feels, this was such a cute and fun read.
The ending was not only adorable and so sweet but i was laughing through most of the book too. There is so much more i want to say but i wont give any spoilers, just read the book you will love it!