Better Than the Movies

I picked up BETTER THAN THE MOVIES and flew threw it in just a few hours, enjoying every page-turning minute. There is a comfort in this book, of the characters who I want to imagine as my best friends, of the quirkiness of Liz's family, of the old-fashioned close-knit neighborhood setting. And of COURSE it harkens back to all of Liz's favorite movies, with RomCom references everyone will recognize. My heart ached, but it also sang for joy, and grew three sizes during the big, romantic climax. And did I mention it is TRULY hilarious? I loved every page of this book, and cannot wait for more from Lynn Painter. YA RomComs had always been my genre of choice, and BETTER THAN THE MOVIES has reminded me just why. There is something so special in the way that Lynn Painter writes. There is an energy in every sentence, whether it's leading to a joke, a bout of quick banter, or a heart-wrenching emotional beat. She understands the humor, the embarrassment, the awkwardness, and the hope, of being a teenager, and also highlights the very best bits of those years that often go forgotten once we grow up and move on--late night fast-food runs, shopping with your best friend, crappy retail jobs, watching movies in a crowded living room, and the very first keg parties that are never as glamorous as you expect. Liz is a heroine to root for. After her mother her passed away, and left her legacy of RomCom movie DVDs, Liz is obsessed with finding her perfect Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan ending of her high school career. She is confident in her own originality, her funky clothes, and affinity for movie soundtracks, but she can't be put into a box, either. She has relatable flaws and fears that feel so real, you can imagine having sit beside this girl in English Lit. When she sets off on her quest to make her childhood friend, Michael, fall in love with her, you just can't help but hope she gets her big, grand gesture kiss and happily ever after. Wes, the boy-next-door who is constantly stealing her favorite parking spot, is a jock and yet flips the stereotypical "popular boy" character on its head. He's a clown, but remains charming and tender. When he promises to help Liz get close to her crush, the two are thrown together for an unforgettable senior year. At the risk of being cheesy, I just want to say that this book... really is... BETTER THAN THE MOVIES. ;)

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!

*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!

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.

Better Than the Movies was one of those books that was utterly predictable but wholly entertaining. There were times that Lynn Painter made me laugh out loud and other times she made me feel compassion for her characters. I liked our main characters a lot and the side characters added some fun. I enjoyed the way Painter used texted conversations to enhance her storytelling. I did feel a little annoyed with Liz at times when she was so oblivious to what was there right in front of her. Painter wrote the scenes where Liz is put in an awkward position so well that I often felt just as awkward and wanted to hide for Liz. I was a bit upset by what I thought was too much swearing. I don't think it was necessary to have that much, especially for a YA book. I heard that the second book wasn't as good, but I can't stop thinking about these characters so I'll probably read book two just so I can be with them a little longer

As an adult reader trying out my first YA book, I wanted to understand the hype around Better Than the Movies, especially since so many book influencers and Goodreads reviewers rave about it. Taking that into consideration, here’s my honest take. The book was a bit slow and repetitive at times. The female main character constantly remembering her mom who passed away, and the male main character repeatedly mentioning how weird she was as a child, goes on and on throughout the story. It wasn’t unbearable, but it definitely made some sections feel dragged out. That said, I didn’t struggle to finish it. I wasn’t deeply invested, but I also never felt the urge to DNF, which counts for something. It’s an okay read, but definitely not as amazing or hype-worthy as everyone makes it sound — at least from an adult’s perspective stepping into YA for the first time. I’m giving it 3.0 stars because I managed to finish it and found some enjoyable parts, but overall, nothing truly special stood out to me. I’m open to trying more YA books and might come back to revise this review once I read more from the genre.

My second book by Lunn Painter and I loved it although I enjoyed Betting On You more. The relationship between Liz and Wes is sweet and the book was well paced. Love this author!

Such a cute book! It’s a little cringy at the start, but as you read, it gets really sweet!