Better Than the Movies

*The Hardcover book itself came in amazing condition* Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter – Honest Review by a 17-Year-Old This book was incredibly sweet, packed with humor, and perfect for any rom-com or YA book lover! It had so many moments that made me blush, giggle, and kick my feet. Characters – 10/10 Every character was memorable, engaging, and added something special to the story. The side characters were well-developed without taking away from the main leads, and their personalities were distinct enough to be lovable. The main characters had beautifully paced development, with backstories that added depth without feeling overwhelming. I’ve read the book twice now, and each time, I appreciate how naturally the characters evolve throughout the story. Their growth never feels rushed, but it also doesn’t drag—it’s just right. Book Pacing – 8.5/10 With only 18 chapters, the pacing can feel varied—some chapters feel longer, while others fly by. There weren’t any unnecessary filler chapters, which I appreciated, and the story kept me engaged. That said, there were a few moments where I was just eager to know what would happen next! (Maybe that was just my excitement, though.) The ending was satisfying and well-executed. Romance – 9.5/10 SPOILER WARNING For a YA rom-com, the romance was adorable! The playful banter and teasing made the chemistry between the leads feel natural and heartwarming. I found myself smiling nonstop at the sweet, innocent moments. There’s no spice or explicit content—just a passionate kiss, but it’s not overly detailed. The romance felt age-appropriate, lighthearted, and fun, making it a great read for fans of wholesome love stories. Humor – 10/10 This book was genuinely funny! The humor felt natural, and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times. The banter between characters was witty and charming, and it never felt forced. If you enjoy rom-coms with playful humor, you’ll love this. Emotional Depth – 9/10 While this book is lighthearted, it still has emotional moments that hit just right. The character growth, family relationships, and underlying themes of love and self-discovery added depth without making the story feel heavy. It balanced the emotions beautifully, making certain scenes even more impactful. Language – 6.5/10 There is some cursing and a few suggestive jokes, but nothing extreme. It’s the kind of language you’d overhear in a high school hallway, at a basketball game, or in Walmart—noticeable but not excessive. If you’re sensitive to language, it’s something to be aware of, but it didn’t personally bother me. Overall Enjoyment – 10/10 This book was an absolute delight! It had everything I love in a rom-com—great characters, sweet romance, humor, and just enough emotional depth to keep things meaningful. It’s the kind of book that leaves you smiling long after you’ve finished it. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA romances!

i thought this book was good and i loved the mmc. he was sweet, charming, and his witty banter was lowkey the best part. i was a little disappointed with the ending of the book however. it felt like this big lead up with a rather anticlimactic ending (probably because she was planning for a sequel which i haven’t read, and probably won’t based on reviews.) i also felt like there wasn’t enough romance for me, there were only two “big” scenes throughout the whole book, and i would’ve loved more from them. all that said i did enjoy the book and i finished it in less than a day. i would still recommend!

Huuuuge shout out to Ms. Painter for finally breaking my DNF streak! And with a killer 5 star story to boot! It is first person POV through only Liz's eyes (hallelujah!!!! for single POV), clean with a good bit of swearing. "Enemies-to-lovers--it's our trope, Buxbaum. I loved pretty much every single thing about this book. It was captivating, it was enchanting, it was absolutely everything you want in a YA rom com. It wasn't cheesy. It wasn't unrealistic. It wasn't cringey or over the top. This book has throwbacks and mentions of all your favorite Rom Com movies, complete with a soundtrack at the end of the book of all the songs mentioned. I thought it was going to be formulaic with trying to recreate romance tropes, but it was not. The romance talk, the tropes, the movies referenced, were all integrated into the book seamlessly and flawlessly. Liz was a fantastic FMC because she was confident and secure in her oddities. She actually liked her quirks. Wes was a great MMC because he was normal. He wasn't too-good-to-be-true as a high school boy. He wasn't super arrogant, over the top flirty. But he was so good. The author captured teenagers (and their parents!) so perfectly that I felt like I could've been listening to a story from one of my high schoolers. It was refreshing and wonderful to read teenagers that actually sounded like teenagers--complete with slang and lingo that normally sounds really awkward and out of place to me, but here worked and sounded like it made sense. I read a review that complained that Wes was just a standard YA MMC, and I guess he was. He wasn't crazy douchey. He wasn't weirdly awkward. He wasn't super arrogant. He was normal. He was realistic. And it was adorable. As much as it made me tear up, I loved watching Liz's relationship with Helena develop. What a tough and sensitive subject matter to tackle, and Ms. Painter did it so beautifully. I hate how much Liz lied to Joss, but a lot of it was understandable. EXCEPT the Wes stuff. A girl who is utterly and completely obsessed with all things romance doesn't *want* to spill her guts about her new crush to her best friend?? I get that it would've been messy and complicated given her quest to get Michael and she's already lied a bunch about that, but it still just felt . . . weird. However, I love that author didn't just have Joss roll over. The resolution on that conflict was done really well. Again, very realistically and great for the reader. I went into this book thinking that she was going to set up different tropes for her and Michael to go through to get him. I honestly thought it was going to read a little more formulaic in that sense--and I was totally fine with that--and I was very pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong. The Rom Com stuff was woven effortlessly and seamlessly into the story in a way that didn't feel disjointed like I thought it was going to. It wasn't over the top. It wasn't on every page, shoved in your face, THIS IS THE PLAN. Again, it just felt more realistic, and I loved that. My only complaint would be that I felt like the timeline didn't match up to real life for things like the basketball team still being in the playoffs (Feb maybe March) but it was also close to Prom (typically an April/May thing); baseball season had only just begun but we're prepping for Prom; Michael left his TX school senior year with less than a month left but then I think he's enrolled at their school? And I thought I remembered Prom being 2 weeks away but she hadn't bought her dress? (And does that mean everything happens over the course of just 2 weeks because it felt like there were more days covered than that.) This story was developed perfectly, paced to perfection, and written impeccably. And it just felt incredibly real. Even all of the teen lingo that was snuck in throughout the story--it just worked. Pick it up. This is one of those "cannot put down. One more chapter" kind of books. I cannot wait to reread this one. It's perfect for teen and adult alike. It's perfect for a romance lover or not. It it just perfect. Guys. This book made my stomach swoop like I was in high school crushing on the boy next door. I used to get this feeling when reading all the time when I was younger. When it disappeared, I figured I'd read too much romance, figured out the formula, grown too old to believe in fairytales... I don't know. But this book gave me that actual, physical feeling, and because of that, it is my duty to pass it along to you reading this review. And it is most definitely better than the movies.

I absolutely loved this book. It gave me all the feels and made me giggle like a schoolgirl. It was so stinking cute! It also felt like I was watching a rom-com when I was reading it, which I’m a sucker for! The famous lines from popular rom-coms at the beginning of each chapter were brilliant! It really set the mood for each chapter. I enjoyed the plot immensely. It’s another enemies to lovers romance book. The part of the plot where neighbors, who’ve known each other for years, team up and plan to have a fake relationship in the hope of winning the heart of someone else, and end up falling for each other in the process, reminded me of the 90s rom-com ‘Drive Me Crazy’, which I absolutely loved! Other than Liz’s poor communication skills, she was a very likable FMC. She’s a hopeless romantic, very optimistic and unapologetically herself. Her bubbly personality jumped off the page. It was super cute! Like Liz, I was absolutely smitten by Wes’s attentiveness and thoughtfulness. I also enjoyed their banter, it was infectious. If you like me, enjoy a good rom-com then I’d definitely advise you to give this book a read.

Rating: 4.5 stars If you love rom-coms and playlists you need to read this book. It was so much fun to read. It brought back a lot of 90s nostalgic feelings that are associated with teen rom-coms during that era (i.e. She's All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, Drive Me Crazy, Pretty Woman, You've Got Mail, etc ). There were so many things I loved about this book. I loved the movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter, the banter and chemistry between our main characters, the enemy-to-lover-fake dating-make over trope, and the playlist the main character makes for each big moments in her life. Although, this book was more of a fun, lighthearted read, I also thought the author did an amazing job at writing about the grief of losing a parent and how one eventually moves on and heal from the grief. I did have mixed feelings about our main character Liz. Her idea of romance was a little too much at times and she was kind of insufferable whenever she was around her "crush" Michael. I mean if you start to become a different person (and not even a good person) just to catch the attention of your crush, is it really worth it? However, the ending though was definitely worthy of a true rom-com ending. Overall I had fun reading/listening to this book. I am currently listening to The Soundtrack of Wes and Liz . Soooo cute! Definitely recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. The story is sweet, entertaining, and easy to get into. The characters are relatable, and the mix of romance, humor, and emotions keeps the pages interesting. It’s a great choice for anyone who enjoys a lighthearted and feel-good story. A fun read that I would recommend.

This is the first book in a series. The second book of the series is Nothing Like The Movies. The storyline is Liz is obsessed with rom-com books and movies because of her childhood memories with her mom, who passed away. It’s her senior year of high school and she’s trying so hard to overcome milestones without her mom present and still have a romantic experience at prom. The boy she crushed over in grade school is back in town and she’ll do anything to experience the happy ending with him by her side. 🩷 I rate this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️. The plot was very predictable from the beginning. There wasn’t enough plot twists to keep me guessing what will come next. However, I did save this novel for my daughter to enjoy reading when she’s in high school. Maybe young adult readers would enjoy this book more than me. I don’t plan on reading the second book of the series, mainly because I have so many more books I want to read this summer and this first book didn’t have a cliffhanger at the end.

I ADORED this book. I am a total sucker for the rom com genre and this book had me smiling and giggling the whole way through. Each character is built well and some give you little twists you didn’t expect. The stereotypical “super hot but in the way” girl turns out different than expected, AND THERES SO MANY TROPES. I am desperately in love with this book. RELEASE THE MOVIE NOOOWWW thanks 😁

Nou mijn kleindochter was erg blij met haar cadeau dan ben je als opa natuurlijk blij dat het cadeau in goede aarde valt.

I love this book with all my heart

Its a great book and very good writing, the story itself is interesting but also trying to understand the actual characters is interesting (maybe its just me lmao) But it's genuinely a great book. This is the book that got me into reading again, definitely not boring!!

Literally the best book ever

Cute and sweet. Nice light reading and references to many much-loved Rom-coms.