by Jess Shannon
First published 2026
A young artist returns home clutching degrees that mean nothing to potential employers. Desperate for work, she takes a cleaning job at a gallery where she meets Isabella, another aspiring artist. They start a passionate affair despite Isabella's wealth and success standing in stark contrast to the cleaner's circumstances. Isabella lives with her rich boyfriend Paul in luxury the cleaner has never known. When Isabella hires her to clean their shared apartment, the cleaner discovers a world of comfort she never imagined. She begins to settle into these new surroundings, finding herself drawn deeper into Isabella's life. Then Isabella vanishes without explanation. The cleaner faces a choice that will define her future. She can return to her previous existence of unemployment and disappointment, or she can remain in the apartment and assume Isabella's identity. This decision forces her to confront what she truly wants from life, love, and art. The story examines the gap between education and opportunity, the allure of wealth, and the lengths people will go to escape their circumstances.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Isabella's Apartment
Period: Contemporary
224 pages · Hardcover · Scribner