Author: Lynn Painter
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 368
Date of Publication: July 15, 2025
My Rating: Stars
A millionaire and a house cleaner are a match maid in heaven in this sparkling new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, #1 New York Timesbestselling author of Happily Never After.
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?
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?
MY THOUGHTS:
Fake dating can lead to genuine emotions. Abi Mariano and Declan Powell are complete opposites when it comes to finances and lifestyle. Abi is temporarily without a place to stay while an infestation in her apartment is being dealt with. Declan, on the other hand, is facing his own dilemma.
He needs to make a good impression and asks Abi, a professional cleaner at one of his homes, to pretend to be his girlfriend for the weekend. It’s definitely a transactional situation. Declan shows up with Abi, and she gets a temporary place to stay, all for a $40,000 fee that Declan readily agrees to.
This Cinderella story definitely gives the Maid in Manhattan movie vibes. It was a cute story with a guaranteed happy ending. However, Abi and Declan have to get there first. It doesn’t hurt either of them that an unavoidable attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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