{"id":264929,"date":"2025-07-14T18:42:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T18:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/264929\/"},"modified":"2025-07-14T18:42:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T18:42:11","slug":"read-lynn-painters-maid-for-each-other-excerpt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/264929\/","title":{"rendered":"Read Lynn Painter’s \u2018Maid for Each Other\u2019 Excerpt"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is absolutely not a drill! A new Lynn Painter<\/a> novel is on its way and yes, we are absolutely freaking out! The iconic author is back and bringing our Maid in Manhattan dreams come true with her latest novel that will certainly make us laugh and fall for this very unlikely couple who have to prove to everyone that their love story is very real. <\/p>\n

Cosmopolitan has an exclusive look at Lynn Painter’s Maid for Each Other<\/a>, which is set to be released on July 15, 2025. Abi Mariano is a professional cleaner, among other things, as she tries to get her life together. When an infestation in her apartment leads her to stay overnight at a billionaire’s place, she is forced to lie to his parents who see her the next AM and believe her to be his girlfriend. To keep up the ruse, they start a fake relationship. But just how long will it take for them to realize that the sparks between them are very much real? Here’s some more info from our friends at Berkley<\/a>. <\/p>\n

A millionaire and a house cleaner are a match maid in heaven in this sparkling new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Happily Never After.
\"a<\/p>\n

Heather Hall Photography<\/p>\n

<\/strong>

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\u2019t 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\u2019t consider it, but he\u2019s literally never around (she hasn\u2019t even met him). It goes great\u2026until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They\u2019re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they\u2019ve heard all about Abi\u2014not as their son\u2019s maid, but as his girlfriend.<\/p>\n

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, \u201cAbby,\u201d he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn\u2019t actually have a girlfriend\u2014he 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\u2019ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It\u2019s purely business, no pleasure\u2026right?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Ready to find out how their first in-person meeting goes? Check out an exclusive excerpt below as well as a sneak peek to the audiobook! Just make sure to pre-order Maid for Each Other and maybe even pick up some of Lynn’s other reads while you’re at it!<\/p>\n

An Excerpt From Maid for Each Other
By Lynn Painter
Read by Saylor Bell Curda and Teddy Hamilton<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter Threethe millionaire meets his maidAbi<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like your receipt?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d the woman said, grabbing her Lululemon tote bag and heading for the exit of Benny\u2019s Natural Grocers without giving me a second glance.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave a good day,\u201d I yelled before turning to ring up the next customer in line.<\/p>\n

I hated this job, this perfectly easy and mind-numbing job. I\u2019d worked at Benny\u2019s since high school, so it was comfortable, not to mention necessary because it supplied me with my health insurance, but every shift just reminded me that my life was stuck in quicksand that I might never get out of.<\/p>\n

Hence my second go-round of college.<\/p>\n

Hence my need for this job and my three-times-a-week overnight job.<\/p>\n

Hence my propensity for thinking stupid words like hence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi,\u201d I said robotically to the next customer, my mouth on autopilot before I noticed the person in line didn\u2019t have anything on the belt. I raised my eyes to the customer\u2019s face but then\u2014wow.<\/p>\n

I might\u2019ve actually gasped aloud.<\/p>\n

There were a lot of attractive men out there, but this man had to be The One they were inspired by.<\/p>\n

He was tall\u2014like six and a half feet of tall\u2014but no one would call him lanky. They would never. Broad shoulders filled out the impeccably tailored suit and he reminded me of a professional football player when they did the long walk from the bus to the locker room.<\/p>\n

Expensive.<\/p>\n

Built.<\/p>\n

Perfect.<\/p>\n

And not to be messed with.<\/p>\n

His face made that point even more than his impressive physique, actually.<\/p>\n

He had brown eyes\u2014no, green\u2014that were trained on me and absolutely butterfly-inducing with their directness. It was like the man was staring into my soul, I swear to God, and his lips were turned up like he wanted to smile.<\/p>\n

I usually didn\u2019t notice mouths on men, to be honest, but the bow on his top lip\u2014or maybe it was the fullness of the bottom\u2014drew my eyes downward as if it were a magnet and my irises were flecked with steel.<\/p>\n

I could picture that mouth speaking French. Or Italian. I forced my eyes back up and offhandedly thought that this well-dressed man could actually be the cover model for any romance novel about mob bosses, racecar drivers, or grumpy billionaires.<\/p>\n

I opened my smitten mouth to say \u201chow can I help you\u201d without drooling when he said in a midnight-rich voice, \u201cHello, Abi with an i.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHi . . . ?\u201d I narrowed my eyes, biting my lip so I didn\u2019t smile like a lovesick schoolgirl as his eyes dipped to my nametag.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t recognize me?\u201d he asked, tilting his head.<\/p>\n

Did I know him? There\u2019s no way I could\u2019ve forgotten that face, right? I tried not to seem too flirty, but Joey Tribbiani\u2019s how you doin\u2019 was totally in my tone when I said, \u201cShould I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would think so, since just this morning you woke up in my bed and told my parents you\u2019re my girlfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Shit.\u201d Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, shit, indeed,\u201d he repeated, his eyes judgmental under slashing dark brows as he watched me like I was a bug he was about to squash.<\/p>\n

My heart started pounding and I was hot everywhere as this man stared me down with pure disdain.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenny,\u201d I yelled, not taking my eyes off the guy\u2019s face. \u201cI need to go on break.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just had a break, Mariano,\u201d I heard from behind me, where Benny was ordering produce at his desk. He\u2019d been hunched over the antiquated computer for hours, rotating between grunting, sighing, and scratching his bald spot, so I knew he wasn\u2019t in the mood for this.<\/p>\n

\u201cMariano,\u201d the man in front of me quietly repeated, as if memorizing that morsel of information.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m taking a break, Benny,\u201d I said through gritted teeth as I turned off my aisle\u2019s light. \u201cWhether you okay it or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

I pulled off my Benny\u2019s apron and gestured for the guy in the suit to follow me as my pulse skyrocketed. I\u2019d been panic-watching the door all morning, expecting the police to show up and arrest me for breaking and entering. It wasn\u2019t until an hour ago, when I ate my lunch at the table beside the big green dumpster, that I foolishly convinced myself no one would ever know it\u2019d been me.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d been stupid enough to allow myself a deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cSwear to God I\u2019m gonna fire you one of these days, Ab,\u201d Benny yelled as I walked away from my register.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not,\u201d I yelled back as I tried not to hyperventilate. \u201cNo one else would put up with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least hurry, will ya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see what I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

I could sense Mr. Suit following behind me as I led him through the back of the store and out the door that led to the alley. Bright sunlight, warm air, and the faint smell of garbage flooded my senses as the door slammed behind us and I turned to face the guy.<\/p>\n

Declan was what the royal couple had called him, right?<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease let me explain. Declan.\u201d<\/p>\n

That made his eyes narrow\u2014oops, should not have used his name\u2014but he didn\u2019t say anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not some sort of criminal, I promise. I work a few overnights for Masterkleen as a maid\u2014I\u2019m actually the maid who cleans your apartment on the nights when you aren\u2019t in town. So even though I was there, I didn\u2019t break and enter or anything like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Good point, Abi.<\/p>\n

I gave him what I hoped was a sweet smile, an expression that would confirm my innocence.<\/p>\n

He frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a key card,\u201d I said, \u201cso it wasn\u2019t like\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou moved into my bedroom.\u201d His voice was calm, but he definitely wasn\u2019t interested in understanding. His scowl made that abundantly clear as he said, \u201cYou baked muffins in my kitchen. I don\u2019t believe that\u2019s part of your job description. I believe that\u2019s called trespassing. Abi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Okay, the mocking way he said my name was straight up insulting and made my teeth hurt.<\/p>\n

But I needed to keep my cool.<\/p>\n

I tried again. \u201cI know, but it was only because my apartment building has an infestation\u2014I promise I didn\u2019t bring any critters to your place. See, the property management company\u2014who are total slumlord jackasses, by the way\u2014said I had to find somewhere else to stay for a few days so they can take care of it, but I don\u2019t have anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

My cheeks got hot as soon as I said it because it was so pathetic.<\/p>\n

He stared at me like I was picking food out of my teeth, and any hope of him somehow showing a little empathy for my situation completely dissipated when he said, \u201cHotels are a thing, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t afford a hotel,\u201d I snapped, mortified. I wanted to disappear, but I forged on out of desperation. \u201cBut when I was cleaning your place last night, I thought, who would it hurt? I knew that you were in London for the week\u2014I mean, apparently you came back early but I guess you forgot to tell Masterkleen\u2014so I just thought I could crash for a few hours and no one would be the wiser.\u201d<\/p>\n

His jaw flexed, but he remained quiet. I really wanted to believe he was considering my defense, but he looked like one of those \u00fcber-controlled types who enjoyed keeping his mouth shut so his adversaries could bury themselves with their own words.<\/p>\n

Which meant RIP me, because I was the world\u2019s worst rambler.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m sure you don\u2019t care,\u201d I continued, \u201cbut I\u2019m really good at my job. I\u2019m great at cleaning your apartment\u2014you could eat off the bathroom floor. I mean, not that you would because that\u2019s disgusting, but you genuinely could because I\u2019m just that thorough.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cleared his throat and looked down at his expensive watch, the asshole, and I realized that no matter what I said, I was going to lose my job.<\/p>\n

Oh, God.<\/p>\n

This man was definitely going to fire me.<\/p>\n

And I needed that job so badly.<\/p>\n

There were a lot of jobs out there, but not many as flexible as the one I had with Masterkleen.<\/p>\n

I inhaled through my nose, gritted my teeth, and swallowed my pride, because what other choice did I have? \u201cI know I have no right to ask this, but please don\u2019t tell Masterkleen. I\u2019m begging. I really need this job and literally can\u2019t afford to get fired. Please don\u2019t tell my boss.\u201d<\/p>\n

His dark eyebrows knitted together, and he looked insulted by my request.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I will definitely be telling your boss,\u201d he said without even blinking. \u201cBecause you trespassed in my home.\u201d<\/p>\n

‘Maid for Each Other’ by Lynn Painter<\/p>\n

\"'Maid<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOr,\u201d I countered, grabbing his right arm as I desperately tried to get him to understand, \u201cI fell asleep at my job. That\u2019s not a crime, right?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not interested in your justifications,\u201d he said, looking down at my hand so aggressively that I dropped it. \u201cI just came here to see who the hell had broken into my place and had breakfast with my parents. Now I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease.\u201d My voice cracked and I hated it. \u201cCan\u2019t you just forget it ever happened? Like, just pretend I never stayed there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could,\u201d he said, shaking his head. \u201cBut you have no idea what you\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on.\u201d God, why was he such a hard-ass? \u201cWho did it really hurt, though?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe!\u201d He barked out a mirthless laugh and said, \u201cNow my parents and my colleagues all think Abi is coming to the most important event of my life tonight because Abi told them she was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy can\u2019t you just tell them Abi\u2019s not going?\u201d I paused, frowning. \u201cAnd why did they act like they knew me in the first place?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause they think I have a girlfriend named Abi, for Christ\u2019s sake,\u201d he snapped, his voice full of frustration. \u201cWhat are the odds my maid would have the same damn name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo . . .\u201d I was missing something, something that had nothing to do with my sleepover at his penthouse. \u201cYou don\u2019t actually have a girlfriend named Abi?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not,\u201d he said through gritted teeth, his eyes on the alley just beyond my shoulder, his thoughts no longer on me but on his apparently stressful situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do,\u201d I said, watching him attempt to mentally formulate a plan. \u201cMake her up or something?\u201d<\/p>\n

His intense gaze snapped back to me and I regretted the question immediately. His voice was dangerously quiet when he asked, \u201cHave you ever been arrested, Abi Mariano?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not!\u201d My cheeks were hot even though I deserved the inquiry.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo if I ran a background check, you would\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCall the authorities on you for stalking? Yes,\u201d I said in a near yell, frustrated he was treating me like a criminal after I\u2019d explained the situation. Not everyone had piles of money for hotel stays or multiple residences, damn it, and it stung that my tiny questionable decision made him behave as if I\u2019d stolen the family jewels.<\/p>\n

But then he smiled at me.<\/p>\n

He smiled and whoa\u2014it was something.<\/p>\n

That grin packed a punch, sexy and dirty from the slide of his lips to the squint of his very green eyes. Declan\u2019s voice was silky smooth when he stepped closer, so he was towering over me. \u201cBut you can\u2019t do that because you\u2019ve been trespassing, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop playing with me.\u201d I swallowed hard and crossed my arms. \u201cWhat are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still working it out,\u201d he replied as his eyes went down to my chest. \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

His eyebrows went down and he gestured to my shirt with his chin. \u201cYour shirt. I don\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course you don\u2019t. The custom T-shirt shop behind my apartment had a clearance rack where all their mistakes were 80 percent off, so my wardrobe was full of tops that were off-center, riddled with misspellings, or downright stupid.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t care when I could get a shirt for two bucks, but I\u2019m sure that wouldn\u2019t make sense to someone like him. I raised my chin and said, \u201cWhat exactly don\u2019t you get?\u201d<\/p>\n

The shirt\u2014my favorite shirt, actually\u2014had a picture of a squirrel wearing underpants. The letters above it read HAMILTON WON CHIP and the letters below it read Working for Underwear. I couldn\u2019t even fathom what the attempt had been, but it made me smile every time I pulled it out of the dryer.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it mean something?\u201d he asked, seeming irritated that he didn\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n

I made a face like he was an idiot for being confused and said, \u201cObviously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have time for this today.\u201d Those green eyes moved all over my face before he said, \u201cI\u2019ll be in touch. Answer my call.\u201d<\/p>\n

And then he just turned and started walking away from me like a freaking king who had no more time for peasant interaction. I wanted to throw a rock at his perfect suit as he strode toward the parking lot in gorgeous leather shoes that surely cost more than my car.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do? What does \u2018I\u2019ll be in touch\u2019 mean?\u201d I yelled, wanting to chase after him and force him to put me out of my misery. \u201cYou don\u2019t even have my number.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get it from Carl,\u201d he yelled, not even looking back at me.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho the hell is Carl?\u201d I said to myself, frustration filling every molecule in my body. I didn\u2019t need this; I had enough problems, for the love of God.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy doorman,\u201d he replied, apparently in possession of both supersonic hearing and privileged arrogance. \u201cAccording to him, you two are thick as thieves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Damn it, Carl.<\/p>\n

I sighed and watched him disappear, my stomach sinking with dread as I wondered how long I had before the millionaire jerk destroyed my life.<\/p>\n

Excerpted from MAID FOR EACH OTHER<\/a> by Lynn Painter, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright \u00a9 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

Audio excerpted with permission of Penguin Random House Audio from <\/strong>MAID FOR EACH OTHER<\/a> by Lynn Painter, excerpt read by Saylor Bell Curda. \u00a9 Lynn Painter \u2117 2025 Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.<\/strong>
<\/p>\n

Maid for Each Other, by Lynn Painter will be released on July 15, 2025. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice:<\/p>\n

AMAZON<\/a> AUDIBLE<\/a> BARNES & NOBLE<\/a> BOOKS-A-MILLION<\/a> BOOKSHOP<\/a> APPLE BOOKS<\/a> KOBO<\/a> LIBRO.FM<\/a> TARGET<\/a> WALMART<\/a> POWELL’S BOOKS<\/a> HUDSON BOOKSELLERS<\/a> GOOGLE PLAY<\/a><\/strong> EBOOKS.COM<\/a><\/strong>
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