This book was so funny, insane sweet, grossly underrated, and lived up to the hype for those that gave it a chance. I remember seeing a few people talk about this book on Instagram but didn’t think anything of it. Mr. Wrong Number was on my TBR stack and once I read it, I fell in love with her writing and wanted to read every adult fiction book she ever wrote! Turns out she had only written two at the time (as she normally writes young adult fiction). Mr. Wrong Number was the second book and – you guessed it – Accidentally Amy was her first. I can’t even describe how much I adored this book and the characters. From Iz’s word vomit, to Blake’s commitment to honest and ethics, to even Josh and his crew, Accidentally Amy grabs your attention from the moment it starts and leaves you with a comforting sigh and a sense of satisfaction when it ends.

There are many things Isabella Shay will do for a Pumpkin Spice Latte, run across town in three inch heels, nearly be late for work on her first day, but steal? Well technically it is not stealing if she already paid for the drink, right? And it would be an injustice to just leave PSL patiently waiting on the counter as the Barista calls out the owner’s name with no takers. Out of options and convinced nothing bad could possibly happen, Izzy claims Amy’s coffee with seconds to get out the door, only to successfully spill said coffee all over the most beautiful chest, I mean man she has ever had the pleasure of scolding. Completely mortified and now officially late, Izzy attempts to rectify the situation that quickly turns flirtatious. Determined to not be fired on her first day, she leaves the stranger behind…only to run into him again leaving the gym (this must be fate), and again at her office – as her boss (the universe officially hates her). The situation goes from bad to worse when her replacement introduces her as Izzy, not Amy (she had planned on explaining that later!) Muttering the ill-fated words “let me explain”, Iz is convinced she is about to be fired when her story is met with a scowl instead of a smile. No problem, she can fix this! What starts as an onslaught of text messages to apologize turns into an unorthodox friendship between her and the AVP of her company. Determined to remain friends and despite their insane chemistry, Iz creates a set of rules that will keep their newfound friendship above board, as long as they are never…EVER alone!

Lynn Painter is a whimsical genius. I can’t scream loud enough how much I love her writing and relatable humor. She just gets it and knows how to write characters that you can relate to (or desperately want to be friends with). There were two TV shows that popped up when reading this book. The game triggered the New Girl (while the game was not the same – it reminded me of Ugly American) and Iz’s “gawwwd” exclamation reminded me of Grace Adler from Will and Grace. While she may not have had any intention of referencing those to pop culture classics and I made be forcing a connection, it did make the book even more enjoyable for me.

I loved Blake’s character! There were no games, power movements, or second guessing. He was such a shoot from the hip kind of guy and it was so refreshing. There was no room for miscommunication because he believed in honesty so wholeheartedly. He was so accepting of everyone and everything that you couldn’t help but fall in love with him (and his secret cat lady habits). Izzy was such a ridiculous breathe of fresh air as a female main character. She knew who she was and she owned it. She didn’t hide her personality and wasn’t embarrassed about any aspects of her life. She was just so genuine! The two of them together brought out the best (and most hilarious) parts of each other. Their text banter had me cracking up! I enjoyed how they were convinced they could be friends and while that was doomed from the beginning, it did build an amazing foundation – allowing them to jump most hurdles that people normally dance around during the “get to know you phase”. 

I can’t forget the cousin! Josh was perfect sparkling icing on top of the insanity cupcake! His crazy game and kookie crew heightened the playful atmosphere of the book. I barked so loudly with laughter during the billboard game that I startled myself!

Although it in no way impacted the overall story, there are a decent amount of grammatical errors, duplicate words, and misspelled words in the book. For someone with a nuisance about that kind of thing, it may be off putting but trust me, power through! It’s worth it.

The electricity between these two characters will leave your hair standing in edge. Just a kiss shared between these two characters can set a page on fire. When they finally get together, yeah there is no forgetting that fantasy coming to life. The best part is that they never forgot the fun, openness, and sheer comfort that they shared with each other. That is what made these parts even hotter. 

While this book (in my opinion) didn’t have any profound statements, message, or takeaways – it did, indirectly, ask the age old question of how much are we willing to stick to our rules, values, and beliefs when plagued by crisis? I have to applaud Blake’s self control but do wonder how long he could have kept being Iz’s friend, knowing how he felt about her. If nothing ever changed and he was always her boss, would he have stuck to his ethics? Could he have seen her move on with someone else?

I am so happy I stumbled upon Lynn Painter! I can’t wait to read more by her and have already bought her third book – The Love Wager. Looking forward to watching her continuously skyrocket to the top of bestseller list for years to come.