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Maid For The Italian
She’s cleaning up his house…
and his reputation!
When maid Georgie finds herself homeless, she seeks refuge in the luxury chalet that she cleans. But its owner, tycoon Alessandro Barbieri, unexpectedly returns, and Georgie is wholly unprepared for her reaction to him…
Alessandro is in Whistler to secure custody of his beloved daughter. His image must be purer than the driven snow outside! Finding an unknown woman in his home is unacceptable, no matter their instant attraction. The only solution? Pretend they’re in love! They just need to remember the clock will strike midnight on their fake relationship…
Perfect for fans
💸 Billionaire
👠 Cinderella
🤭 Fake relationship
and his reputation!
When maid Georgie finds herself homeless, she seeks refuge in the luxury chalet that she cleans. But its owner, tycoon Alessandro Barbieri, unexpectedly returns, and Georgie is wholly unprepared for her reaction to him…
Alessandro is in Whistler to secure custody of his beloved daughter. His image must be purer than the driven snow outside! Finding an unknown woman in his home is unacceptable, no matter their instant attraction. The only solution? Pretend they’re in love! They just need to remember the clock will strike midnight on their fake relationship…
Perfect for fans
💸 Billionaire
👠 Cinderella
🤭 Fake relationship
- GenresHarlequin
195 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2026
About the author
Cathy Williams
1,420 books202 followersCathy Williams, born in Trinidad and Tobago, is a British author who has written romance novels for Mills & Boon since 1990. She lives in Chiswick, London, with her three daughters and continues to craft engaging, heartfelt love stories.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 5, 2025
4.25 stars
I don’t usually read ARCs because I’m too much of a mood reader, but this one caught my eye and I really enjoyed it!
I often go back to category romances when I want something “easy”, and this one was very easy to like. It got the old-timey contemporary feel right, but also felt modern with the banter between the characters.
The plot had shades of classic Harlequin (he’s an Italian billionaire, she cleans his chalet but they have never met, for romance reasons they have to fake a relationship), and played out in a straightforward but satisfying way. I really liked both characters as well, thankfully no overbearing MMCs or doormat FMCs here.
I haven’t read anything else by Cathy Williams but she has a huge catalogue that I will be checking out!
I don’t usually read ARCs because I’m too much of a mood reader, but this one caught my eye and I really enjoyed it!
I often go back to category romances when I want something “easy”, and this one was very easy to like. It got the old-timey contemporary feel right, but also felt modern with the banter between the characters.
The plot had shades of classic Harlequin (he’s an Italian billionaire, she cleans his chalet but they have never met, for romance reasons they have to fake a relationship), and played out in a straightforward but satisfying way. I really liked both characters as well, thankfully no overbearing MMCs or doormat FMCs here.
I haven’t read anything else by Cathy Williams but she has a huge catalogue that I will be checking out!
July 16, 2026
Sometimes I just need the comfort of predictability in a story and when this happens, I know to reach for a Harlequin romance!
The Maid and the Italian was a great quick fix with believable high-stakes and reasons for the conflict. It was thick with romantic tension, classic non-communication and fierce denial of "feelings" for the other. Just an all-around great read!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own, left voluntarily.
The Maid and the Italian was a great quick fix with believable high-stakes and reasons for the conflict. It was thick with romantic tension, classic non-communication and fierce denial of "feelings" for the other. Just an all-around great read!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own, left voluntarily.
October 14, 2026
so damn swoonyyy
November 22, 2025
A cute billionaire romance! Loved the character development and the super fast pacing. Of course a setting in Disneyland could never disappoint!
Perfect for some looking for a quick, sweet and spicy read to lift their mood!
Perfect for some looking for a quick, sweet and spicy read to lift their mood!
January 27, 2026
Maid for the Italian is a very cute story. Tropes are single dad & fake relationship. I really liked the writing style, the storyline, and the characters. It's a quick read, perfect to escape reality for a few hours.
It’s been a while since I read a Harlequin romance novel, but I’m glad the concept is still the same. It’s predictable, but comforting, and that’s the main reason I love these books.
Thank you Harlequin Romance for providing an arc of this book through NetGalley.
It’s been a while since I read a Harlequin romance novel, but I’m glad the concept is still the same. It’s predictable, but comforting, and that’s the main reason I love these books.
Thank you Harlequin Romance for providing an arc of this book through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC.
Charming story about Georgie, a ski instructor for kids, who works a second job as a cleaner for a billionaire who owns a chalet in Whistler. When her roommate, Alison, comes down with chickenpox, which Georgie has never had, Georgie decides to illegally stay in the empty home she cleans to avoid getting sick. Trying to save money for her move back to London, Georgie does her best to keep the house as clean as possible, so she won’t lose this job. Unfortunately, the owner of the chalet, Alessandro, his ex wife Sofia, and two lawyers show up, to finalize divorce paperwork - specifically regarding custody of their six year old daughter, Flora. Georgie’s sudden appearance in his chalet throws a wrench in Alessandro’s carefully crafted plans to nail down a firm custody agreement with his bitter ex, as Georgie is quickly mistaken as being Alessandro’s new girlfriend. Alessandro plays along, and takes a very flustered Georgie to another room in the home where he then blackmails her into playing along with his ruse or else he’ll have to call the cops and have her arrested for trespassing. Georgie explains her situation, and Alessandro assures her he doesn’t care about the reason that she’s there, just as long as she’ll play along with him for the night to ensure he gets what he needs from his ex wife. Georgie, left with no alternative, agrees. The next morning, however, Georgie is asked once again to play along for another 10 days while he takes his daughter, Flora, to Disney. Sofia, the ex wife is trying to prove a point that Alessandro is a terrible role model and won’t be dating Georgie long; Alessandro agrees to let Georgie come along on the trip with Flora to prove his seriousness in their relationship. Georgie agrees to Alessandro’s fake relationship plan and his very generous offer of paying her a lump sum, plus her missed working wages, and ensures she will not be fired as his cleaner after the 10 days are up. Armed with a long list of rules from Alessandro, the main rule being - Remembering this all is fake - Georgie prepares herself to do just that. Still upset and heartbroken from her own failed last relationship, she’s sure she’ll never fall for this cold and callous man. But during the trip, she sees a new side to Alessandro. Alessandro is drawn to Georgie and her no nonsense and honest approach at life. He finds her refreshing after being around women who constantly tell him what he wants to hear. The two agree to a no strings attached fling while on their vacation, but quickly realize that they can’t ignore their feelings - and their feelings are anything but fake!!!
I loved the characters! The hot and cold back and forth gave me a bit of whiplash - I just wanted the characters to be honest with each other and communicate their feelings! It took some time, but the ending was good, if a tad rushed! The book had a lot of charm, humor, and wit, which I really enjoyed!
Charming story about Georgie, a ski instructor for kids, who works a second job as a cleaner for a billionaire who owns a chalet in Whistler. When her roommate, Alison, comes down with chickenpox, which Georgie has never had, Georgie decides to illegally stay in the empty home she cleans to avoid getting sick. Trying to save money for her move back to London, Georgie does her best to keep the house as clean as possible, so she won’t lose this job. Unfortunately, the owner of the chalet, Alessandro, his ex wife Sofia, and two lawyers show up, to finalize divorce paperwork - specifically regarding custody of their six year old daughter, Flora. Georgie’s sudden appearance in his chalet throws a wrench in Alessandro’s carefully crafted plans to nail down a firm custody agreement with his bitter ex, as Georgie is quickly mistaken as being Alessandro’s new girlfriend. Alessandro plays along, and takes a very flustered Georgie to another room in the home where he then blackmails her into playing along with his ruse or else he’ll have to call the cops and have her arrested for trespassing. Georgie explains her situation, and Alessandro assures her he doesn’t care about the reason that she’s there, just as long as she’ll play along with him for the night to ensure he gets what he needs from his ex wife. Georgie, left with no alternative, agrees. The next morning, however, Georgie is asked once again to play along for another 10 days while he takes his daughter, Flora, to Disney. Sofia, the ex wife is trying to prove a point that Alessandro is a terrible role model and won’t be dating Georgie long; Alessandro agrees to let Georgie come along on the trip with Flora to prove his seriousness in their relationship. Georgie agrees to Alessandro’s fake relationship plan and his very generous offer of paying her a lump sum, plus her missed working wages, and ensures she will not be fired as his cleaner after the 10 days are up. Armed with a long list of rules from Alessandro, the main rule being - Remembering this all is fake - Georgie prepares herself to do just that. Still upset and heartbroken from her own failed last relationship, she’s sure she’ll never fall for this cold and callous man. But during the trip, she sees a new side to Alessandro. Alessandro is drawn to Georgie and her no nonsense and honest approach at life. He finds her refreshing after being around women who constantly tell him what he wants to hear. The two agree to a no strings attached fling while on their vacation, but quickly realize that they can’t ignore their feelings - and their feelings are anything but fake!!!
I loved the characters! The hot and cold back and forth gave me a bit of whiplash - I just wanted the characters to be honest with each other and communicate their feelings! It took some time, but the ending was good, if a tad rushed! The book had a lot of charm, humor, and wit, which I really enjoyed!
August 31, 2026
In real life when you go to your Swiss chalet sorry Canadian house in the mountains, to iron out your divorce with your wife, and you find an intruder lurking in your house, you catch hold of them and call the police and throw them out after perhaps beating them a bit.
But in romanceland .. when you find an intruder lurking in your house, you kiss them and tell them to pretend they’re an item with you and then you sleep in your bedroom with them. AN INTRUDER. MIGHT BE A PSYCHOPATH. YOU DON’T KNOW THEM FROM EVE. BUT YOU SLEEP WITH THEM IN THE SAME ROOM.
THEN…. You give them a job…. Your fake girl friend.
Frankly this wasn’t the usual Cathy Williams. Apart from the snow. She really does love being snowed up around Christmas.
I didn’t like the hero getting flu trope. The moment he started coughing at the airport I said - uh oh.. here we go.
Any way he fell sick with flu. He recovered miraculously in two days. After taking some mysterious pills the heroine handed to him.
There was no sponging and no sleeping with heroine when he was in a fever induced trance.
There were some Disney rides and then the hero propositioned the heroine though normally he went for voluptuous women but beggars can’t be choosers.
Somehow I did not feel anything at all while reading this. No emotions. No angst. No joy.
They slept with each other. Then hero decided he was in love. He proposed to heroine when she went to dust his house.
The end.
Maybe it was my mood which was off. The book was plateaued at one level from start to finish.
I found it weird that the hero landed up at the house before first informing caretaking agency. There were no provisions. No one ate anything. The lawyers. The wife. The hero. The heroine.
Why go to a snowbound place to sign divorce papers. Makes no sense.
I just didn’t buy any of it. Didn’t get who hero or heroine were.
I liked how the hero called his little girl my flower and adored her.
Guess I was off
Wait. As another reviewer says - the constant refrain of Hans kissing another woman and winking at heroine whom he was boinking to pass the time was aggravating.
The sex between hero and heroine was underwhelming I think.
Frankly they were both thoroughly boring people when they shouldn’t have been.. not one reference to their real characters through any scene.
Rather it was like a baby sitting manual with hero falling ill in between.
But in romanceland .. when you find an intruder lurking in your house, you kiss them and tell them to pretend they’re an item with you and then you sleep in your bedroom with them. AN INTRUDER. MIGHT BE A PSYCHOPATH. YOU DON’T KNOW THEM FROM EVE. BUT YOU SLEEP WITH THEM IN THE SAME ROOM.
THEN…. You give them a job…. Your fake girl friend.
Frankly this wasn’t the usual Cathy Williams. Apart from the snow. She really does love being snowed up around Christmas.
I didn’t like the hero getting flu trope. The moment he started coughing at the airport I said - uh oh.. here we go.
Any way he fell sick with flu. He recovered miraculously in two days. After taking some mysterious pills the heroine handed to him.
There was no sponging and no sleeping with heroine when he was in a fever induced trance.
There were some Disney rides and then the hero propositioned the heroine though normally he went for voluptuous women but beggars can’t be choosers.
Somehow I did not feel anything at all while reading this. No emotions. No angst. No joy.
They slept with each other. Then hero decided he was in love. He proposed to heroine when she went to dust his house.
The end.
Maybe it was my mood which was off. The book was plateaued at one level from start to finish.
I found it weird that the hero landed up at the house before first informing caretaking agency. There were no provisions. No one ate anything. The lawyers. The wife. The hero. The heroine.
Why go to a snowbound place to sign divorce papers. Makes no sense.
I just didn’t buy any of it. Didn’t get who hero or heroine were.
I liked how the hero called his little girl my flower and adored her.
Guess I was off
Wait. As another reviewer says - the constant refrain of Hans kissing another woman and winking at heroine whom he was boinking to pass the time was aggravating.
The sex between hero and heroine was underwhelming I think.
Frankly they were both thoroughly boring people when they shouldn’t have been.. not one reference to their real characters through any scene.
Rather it was like a baby sitting manual with hero falling ill in between.
April 9, 2026
Reviewed at Happily Ever After Romance
Maid for the Italian is a standalone title that gives us a rather delightful romance between Georgie, who has a side job cleaning the chalets, and Alessandro, who owns one of those chalets… and is in a vicious battle with his ex-wife over custody of their daughter, Flora. Because of “reasons” (and they were legitimate ones), Georgie has been staying in the chalet that Alessandro owns, yes, illegally, without previous permission. Georgie’s presence in his home is about to give his ex all the ammunition she needs to block Alessandro from gaining custody of his daughter. He’s not about to let that happen, and pretty much on the spot, makes a “fake” relationship deal with Georgie… now all she has to do is pretend to be in love, and not fall for him for real.
I had such fun with Maid for the Italian. I mean, really, how can one not have fun when a Disney vacation is involved, right? Georgie and Alessandro sparked sexual tensions from the start, and that didn’t die down; it only led to an intense, emotional romance that captured my imagination and kept me flipping pages. Their romance is well-written, passionate, and gave me all the “feels” I could possibly ask for. If that sounds like your kind of romance, then you’d enjoy Georgie and Alessandro’s story.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Maid for the Italian is a standalone title that gives us a rather delightful romance between Georgie, who has a side job cleaning the chalets, and Alessandro, who owns one of those chalets… and is in a vicious battle with his ex-wife over custody of their daughter, Flora. Because of “reasons” (and they were legitimate ones), Georgie has been staying in the chalet that Alessandro owns, yes, illegally, without previous permission. Georgie’s presence in his home is about to give his ex all the ammunition she needs to block Alessandro from gaining custody of his daughter. He’s not about to let that happen, and pretty much on the spot, makes a “fake” relationship deal with Georgie… now all she has to do is pretend to be in love, and not fall for him for real.
I had such fun with Maid for the Italian. I mean, really, how can one not have fun when a Disney vacation is involved, right? Georgie and Alessandro sparked sexual tensions from the start, and that didn’t die down; it only led to an intense, emotional romance that captured my imagination and kept me flipping pages. Their romance is well-written, passionate, and gave me all the “feels” I could possibly ask for. If that sounds like your kind of romance, then you’d enjoy Georgie and Alessandro’s story.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
November 1, 2025
ARC received via NetGalley.
I know there are some readers who can be disparaging about Mills & Boon (Harlequin) romances but I’m definitely not one of them. What I love about them, and the same reason I really enjoyed Maid for the Italian, is that they never fail to deliver on sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine.
George is an easily likeable heroine. She’s got insecurities because of her dyslexia and being relegated to the tomboy role by comparison to her two sisters but she’s found her vocation teaching children to ski and play sports. It was lovely to read about how she brought Alessandro’s quiet daughter, Flora out of her shell.
Alessandro might be incredibly rich but I admired how determined he was to be the best father to Flora. I could understand given his father’s abandonment of the family when he was a baby why he was reticent to fall in love. I like how he could be both alpha and yet always remained respectful towards George even ringing the doorbell to his own house.
Despite their vastly different circumstances, I completely believed in Georgie and Alessandro’s feelings and how they brought out the best in each other.
I know there are some readers who can be disparaging about Mills & Boon (Harlequin) romances but I’m definitely not one of them. What I love about them, and the same reason I really enjoyed Maid for the Italian, is that they never fail to deliver on sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine.
George is an easily likeable heroine. She’s got insecurities because of her dyslexia and being relegated to the tomboy role by comparison to her two sisters but she’s found her vocation teaching children to ski and play sports. It was lovely to read about how she brought Alessandro’s quiet daughter, Flora out of her shell.
Alessandro might be incredibly rich but I admired how determined he was to be the best father to Flora. I could understand given his father’s abandonment of the family when he was a baby why he was reticent to fall in love. I like how he could be both alpha and yet always remained respectful towards George even ringing the doorbell to his own house.
Despite their vastly different circumstances, I completely believed in Georgie and Alessandro’s feelings and how they brought out the best in each other.
February 2, 2026
Maid for the Italian is well-written story. This was my first story from this author. I enjoyed the fake dating trope.
Georgie has two jobs. She works with kids as a ski instructor and also cleans the house of a billionaire. Her roommate gets sick so she decides to stay in the house until it is safe to return home. While she is there Alessandro, the house owner, comes with his ex wife and lawyers to go over custody of their daughter. Unfortunately everyone believes Georgie is Alessandro's girlfriend. He then persuades her to play along with him. Alessandro offers to pay her a large amount of money to do so. While away on a trip together with his daughter, Georgie sees a different side to him and begins to fall for him.
I loved Georgie's character and how she interacted with Alessandro's daughter. I loved the chemistry between her and Alessandro. I look forward to more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy for an honest review.
Georgie has two jobs. She works with kids as a ski instructor and also cleans the house of a billionaire. Her roommate gets sick so she decides to stay in the house until it is safe to return home. While she is there Alessandro, the house owner, comes with his ex wife and lawyers to go over custody of their daughter. Unfortunately everyone believes Georgie is Alessandro's girlfriend. He then persuades her to play along with him. Alessandro offers to pay her a large amount of money to do so. While away on a trip together with his daughter, Georgie sees a different side to him and begins to fall for him.
I loved Georgie's character and how she interacted with Alessandro's daughter. I loved the chemistry between her and Alessandro. I look forward to more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy for an honest review.
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May 7, 2026The story doesn’t seem that bad, although the plot feels a bit cliché to me. But I wouldn’t even mind reading it. The problem with these kinds of novels for me is that they’re often just a pretty fairytale. And there are people who get that, and others who take it at face value and try to recreate that fairytale in real life. Even though I think a lot of people have heard about online dating risks and dating scams in general. Of course, no one can forbid people from meeting online, but if you decide to try your luck, I’d recommend this site for profile verification. Trust is trust, but having a backup doesn’t hurt. And just be careful. A lot of foreigners aren’t really who they claim to be on dating sites.
August 23, 2026
This is a typical romance from Harlequin about a billionaire marrying to fulfill a family obligation. As the title indicates, he picks one of the maids who cleans the home when the family is away. Alessandro is seeking custody of his daughter and when his soon to be ex finds Georgie living there she thinks she has all she needs to punish him. Georgie's roommate has the measles and she moves because she never had them as a child. A happy ending for all.
November 29, 2025
quick read, kinda cheesy but satisfactory, definitely. a little bit generic at times but the chemistry is there and sizzling. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.
February 16, 2026
Just as trashy as you were hoping lol
Did Not Finish
May 25, 2026 Spanish Versión 🔎 Antes De Medianoche - Cathy Williams
February 6, 2026
Heroine constant reference to her previous ex-boyfriend who broke her heart. Some comparison reference made in the sex scene between the hero and the heroine ex boyfriend Hans. For heroine she was happy the hero did not roll over after sex and called it a day, and from the hero commenting how he did not feel like hitting the bathroom right after and also calling it a day. Not sure of heroine’s sexual history but at least Hans did provide heroine with orgasms. 😀. the book the same old repertoire, her Hans broke her heart and hero not trusting women after he is ex…. Than within short period of time hero decided he is in love with the heroine goes back to her, proposes and they live happily ever after? 🥱
February 25, 2026
This is a charming, fast-paced romance built on a classic forced-proximity and fake-relationship setup that delivers plenty of humor, heart, and emotional tension.
Georgie is an instantly likable heroine—a hardworking ski instructor juggling two jobs while saving for a fresh start in London. Her decision to hide out in the empty Whistler chalet she cleans sets off a deliciously awkward chain of events when billionaire owner Alessandro arrives unexpectedly with his ex-wife and lawyers in tow. Mistaken identity quickly turns into a fake-girlfriend arrangement, raising the stakes as Georgie becomes an unwilling but essential part of Alessandro’s custody negotiations.
The chemistry between Georgie and Alessandro crackles, fueled by sharp banter and a push-pull dynamic that keeps the pages turning. Alessandro’s cold, controlled exterior contrasts nicely with Georgie’s honesty and no-nonsense warmth, and watching him soften—especially through his relationship with his daughter, Flora—is deeply satisfying.
While the emotional back-and-forth can feel intense and the ending slightly rushed, the story more than makes up for it with wit, charm, and engaging characters. Maid for the Italian is an entertaining, feel-good romance that delivers exactly what it promises.
Georgie is an instantly likable heroine—a hardworking ski instructor juggling two jobs while saving for a fresh start in London. Her decision to hide out in the empty Whistler chalet she cleans sets off a deliciously awkward chain of events when billionaire owner Alessandro arrives unexpectedly with his ex-wife and lawyers in tow. Mistaken identity quickly turns into a fake-girlfriend arrangement, raising the stakes as Georgie becomes an unwilling but essential part of Alessandro’s custody negotiations.
The chemistry between Georgie and Alessandro crackles, fueled by sharp banter and a push-pull dynamic that keeps the pages turning. Alessandro’s cold, controlled exterior contrasts nicely with Georgie’s honesty and no-nonsense warmth, and watching him soften—especially through his relationship with his daughter, Flora—is deeply satisfying.
While the emotional back-and-forth can feel intense and the ending slightly rushed, the story more than makes up for it with wit, charm, and engaging characters. Maid for the Italian is an entertaining, feel-good romance that delivers exactly what it promises.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews