Maybe I didn’t care for this book because Sophie and Max, the two main protagonists whose love story I’d be reading, were objectors at weddings. No, that wasn’t it. I actually kind of liked their meet-cute, and how Sophie really got into helping out someone who needed out of their relationship at the wedding, kind of like how Max helped her. Maybe I didn’t care for it that much because Sophie argued a little too sternly over how she didn’t believe in love, even though she had this great guy who was obviously interested in her, and who she had amazing chemistry with? Maybe I also didn’t care for how long it took for Sophie to take those I hate love blinders off? Maybe it was because Max let Sophie keep up that barrier between them, again despite their great chemistry?

I don’t know exactly what bothered me, but for some reason, for the very first time in my experience, as a Lynn Painter fan, I didn’t care for one of her books. At first I did. I thought it started off different and cute, but Sophie and Max were too jaded about love. Both of them fought so hard against having these feelings for each other that I kind of gave up on them. Well, I did finish the book, but it was really hard to finish a book that I lost my “like” for. You know what I mean, when you push yourself to just finish the book already. That was me with Happily Never After. I just really didn’t care for it. That’s the thing though, just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t! ❤️❤️❣️

*There was still some great dialogue that I’ve come to expect from this author so it wasn’t a total losss.

Click this link to purchase this book! Happily Never After

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you should purchase this book through the above link, I’ll receive a small stipend.

When professional cleaner, Abi Mariano’s house had an infestation and she needed a place to stay, she chose to stay a client’s home when they were out of town. When she woke up the next day to his parents in the kitchen they might have gotten the misconception that she was his girlfriend Abby, a girlfriend Declan made up. When Dex goes searching for his “girlfriend” he finds her at her second job ringing up groceries at the local grocer. Instead of filing charges he proposes a bargain that she pretend to be his girlfriend for a work event and she can continue to stay at his house while her’s is getting fumigated. What start off as an innocent fake dating plot turns into real-life feelings that Abi and Dex aren’t sure that they want to go away.

Lynn Painter has such a great style of writing. Her dialog is always easy and fun and her characters well-thought out and likable. While I didn’t love Abi’s reasons for staying in Dex’s house, I did love how she was clever and sassed her way into staying there for the whole week with his permission. Similarly I didn’t love Dex’s lack of care for how much money he had but I loved that he had an ulterior motive for why he thought that way, which the author delivered by the end of the story. These two were well paired and their romance was an enjoyable bit of fun.

Abi’s dislike for the uber-wealthy stems from never having enough money herself. While she never really shows Dex her true self until 2/3rds of the book is finished, the reader sees each character clearly allowing us to overlook some of their faults. Abi’s resolve to change her circumstances through education and hard work makes her worthy of the reader’s esteem. Similarly to Dex’s easy going nature and charm allow us to see him as a worthy partner for her even though he keeps trying to throw money at her to solve all their problems. It’s a fantasy world and these two are lucky enough to be inhabiting this romance novel and the author has made the fantasy believable.

If you’re looking for a fun book that will have you chuckling, I think this one is a perfect fit! I need to make sure I’ve read all of this author’s previous novels. This is the second one I’ve read recently and the second one I’m recommending.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Maid for Each Other

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchased this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

Hallie Piper is working the bar at a wedding when a cute guy, Jack, requests a beer and they strike up a brief conversation. That one moment leads to his date accusing him of cheating and a broken relationship. Back at the bar, Jack and Hallie start drinking, ending up together for the evening. Hallie wakes up the next morning and after sneaking out of his room, turns over a new leaf. She joins a dating app and starts looking for “the one”. What she finds is Jack, on the same dating app. They strike up a conversation and a bargain. The first one who finds love wins the wager. What they quickly realize is that they may have already found that person.

After reading ‘The Wrong Number’ by this same author, I knew that this novel would be rom-com at its best… and I wasn’t wrong! Hallie was such a unique character. She had this easy-going personality that oozed friendly charm. Her chemistry with Jack was so smooth. Their clever conversations and growing friendship was fun to read and I couldn’t wait until that moment when that heat that they had that one night returned for their forever future. I thought Jack was kind of a unique character too because you don’t usually see a ‘hero’ in a romance novel who is desperate to be a couple. It was an interesting perspective and personality quirk that easy breezy Hallie helped him overcome. They were a fun, cute couple!

The plot was entertaining to read and the fun dialog kept it move forward fairly quickly, a formula that is my particular favorite because I can read the novel in a day or over a weekend. If you are in the mood to read an easy breezy rom-com, this would be a good pick!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Love Wager

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.