Stars: 4.5

Thank you to @simonteen for the #gifted copy of this book.

Thoughts: First of all, I enjoyed this one as well... Not quite as much as the first one but I loved being in Wes and Liz's world yet again. This book completely broke my heart at the beginning, especially after loving their road trip bonus chapter. I am so glad we had Wes's POV this time around because it helped me to see what was going through his mind and gave me the hope I needed for the two of them. Lynn's play on fake dating in this book was such a fun twist to the traditional trope. Wes's determination to get back to UCLA coupled with his sister's support brought tears to my eyes for all he had to overcome. As usual, the banter was top-notch in this book, especially for all that happened between Wes and Liz throughout this book. Ahhh I just love Wes and all his swoony ways... Don't miss this one!

Jesse Vilinksy and Charlie Bushnell did such a wonderful job bringing this story to life. It was so hard for me to press pause while listening because I just wanted to keep going. If you love audiobooks, this is a good one.

Read if you love:
Second Chance Romance
Rom Com Movies
Swoony Moments
College Baseball

I absolutely fell in love with Wes and Liz in the first book, Better Than the Movies and some of the subsequent mini prequels and novellas we've gotten since then.. Wes Bennett is top tier for me. Now what absolutely broke my heart is the tragedy that had to occur that split up our two love lovers. And as much as everyone hated it, that IS life. Things happen outside of our control which can cause immediate and catastrophic consequences... or some things (or people) change little by little over time. They grow apart, evolve, and move on. Wes, finally able to move on with his freshman year of college, is ready for things to go back to the way they should be. With Liz in his arms and all the movie references to boot. But Liz isn't giving in very easily.

It's difficult to watch your favorite fictional characters go through heartbreak and real world consequences... when the real world is what we're trying to escape in the first place and seek out all the feeling good chemicals. This book made you feel EVERYTHING ELSE first.
Although I am a huge fan of Painter's writing and characters, I didn't necessarily love the direction this book went and everything our lovers had to go through to get there. I would have been just as content with BTTM as a standalone with all the other novellas and connecting books about other couples.

Is this as good as the first one? No. But I loved that book so much I don’t think anything will be.

I hate that Wes & Liz missed out on two years of their life together but at the same time it felt real. They both felt older in this which I liked because nothing bugs me more than a book set sophomore year and above but they act like high school students.

Lynn Painter is a master writer when it comes to YA romance! I was so excited to spend time with Liz and Wes - especially to have the opportunity to see them adjust their relationship and expectations with what college was bringing to the table. It was a wonderful continuation of the story and brought all the feels!

What a fun read! Silly me put off reading this recent release. I love love love Better than the Movies when I read it back when it first published, and I did a reread via audio to get myself back into the Wes and Liz universe before diving into this sequel. I love that the author basically succumbed to reader pressure to write this sequel because many of us loved the characters and their story that much!
Each chapter begins with a quote from a beloved movie, from Pretty Woman to Runaway Bride to Crazy, Sexy, Love to La La Land. I looked forward to the start of each chapter to see what movie would be quoted next, and then I kept reading because I couldn’t put this one down, binging it in one afternoon/evening. This series is YA, but I hope that won’t limit readers from giving them a try because the characters and storyline are really well developed.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy, as well as Libro.fm for a free audio copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I do think you should read Better Than the Movies before reading this one to fully enjoy the characters. And don’t be silly like me - pick these up to read sooner than later!

I enjoy the characters in the story.. I hope there is a follow up because I really enjoyed this series.

I love that this book followed them to college and showed how much they’ve grown. Liz is so different than who she was in high school and seeing Wes have to adapt to the new *her* was a good plot point. I also loved all their college friends - they all seemed like so much fun lol.

The story follows Josie, a hopeless romantic who believes in the magic of movie love. When she meets David, a cynical and pragmatic guy, their contrasting personalities spark a unique and captivating dynamic. Painter expertly balances the lighthearted humor with genuine emotion, creating a story that is both funny and touching.

The characters are well-developed and endearing. Josie's unwavering optimism and David's guarded heart make for a compelling pairing. The supporting cast adds depth and humor to the story, creating a vibrant and realistic world.

While the plot is predictable at times, it's the execution that makes "Nothing Like the Movies" stand out. Painter's witty writing style and clever dialogue keep the reader engaged, and the romantic tension is palpable.

Overall, "Nothing Like the Movies" is a charming and enjoyable read that will leave you smiling. It's a perfect choice for fans of romantic comedies who are looking for a fresh and heartwarming story.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my ARC!

In Nothing Like the Movies, Lynn Painter brings readers back to the beloved world of Liz and Wes, this time delving into the complexities and growing pains of young adulthood. After their fairytale romance in Better Than the Movies, life has taken a dramatic turn. The story picks up with Wes, still reeling from a painful breakup with Liz and determined to win her back. However, it quickly becomes clear that the "happily ever after" of the first book has been replaced with real-world challenges: grief, unresolved emotions, and a painful distance that neither character expected.

Wes’s efforts to rekindle his romance with Liz are both heartfelt and awkward, creating a series of rom-com-worthy situations. The plot captures the reality that while people change over time, the bond they share can sometimes transcend those changes. Although Wes’s determination and Liz’s cynicism sometimes clash, their chemistry is undeniable. Painter portrays their growth with honesty, highlighting both characters’ attempts to navigate a complicated landscape of love, friendship, and self-discovery.

While fans of Better Than the Movies may find the tone shift jarring, the novel ultimately rewards readers with Painter’s signature mix of humor and emotional insight. Side characters like Liz’s roommates and Wes’s baseball teammates add warmth and comedic relief, supporting the protagonists through their ups and downs.

This book may not offer the same lighthearted joy of its predecessor, but it reflects the messiness and resilience that often accompany real relationships. Nothing Like the Movies is a must-read for fans who want to see Liz and Wes tackle love in a more nuanced, mature way.

In Nothing Like the Movies, tragedy strikes after Liz and Wes start their freshman year at UCLA. Wes's dad dies of a heart attack, and he must go back to Nebraska to support his mom and sister, leaving Liz behind. Deciding she is better off without him, Wes breaks up with her and begins to work on getting his life back together. Fast forward two years and Wes is back playing baseball at UCLA, but Liz wants nothing to do with him. Unfortunately, her internship with a production company has her focusing on the baseball team, throwing them together constantly. She enlists the help of her camera man Clark to pretend to be her boyfriend, but Wes will not give up on getting her back. Each chapter begins with a quote from a popular romcom and an extensive playlist of romantic songs is woven throughout the narrative.

I gave this book 4.5 stars! I will admit it did take me a little bit to get into, but overall, I really enjoyed the story. I loved seeing baseball as a big part of this book, (as someone who normally doesn't take interest in sports romances) and I also loved all the UCLA references as it is a school I hope to attend one day. I loved how obsessed Wes was and how he was absolutely delusional about Liz and still gave it his all, including hurting his ankle just to try and impress her. Chapter 38 was perfection, and I loved how the whole story wrapped up, besides the way my heart dropped when Wes collapsed on the field. This book was so good, and I stand by the fact that Lynn Painter never disappoints.

A great sequel! I really enjoyed the first book but I liked the sequel even more! Lynn Painter does it again! Lots of demand for this book in my library. Lynn, keep writing books!

I don’t have enough words to express my love for this book. I didn’t know how Lynn Painter was going to make a sequel to a book that ended in a happily ever after(how could one ever doubt it?!), but she pulled it off in the best way.

This sequel is absolutely perfect in every single way. I love these two and I could read 800 more books about them and their love.

If you’re a fan of second chance romance - this book will be your dream come true. Everything I love in that trope was there.

What I didn’t expect reading this was to be choked up numerous times. This one is emotional and raw, and you are right in there with the characters and all of their vulnerabilities.

It’s also so damn sweet and left me swooning, giggling and kicking my feet out in pure joy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Infinity stars)

I was introduced to this author by one of my students, and I LOVED Better Than the Movies. This book was a great follow up. On e of my favorite parts about this story was not even the main love story, but the stories of all the side characters. I could read book after book about all of the side characters in this novel. I also loved that a lot of this book felt really realistic. There was real tension, and it was not just a happily ever after from the beginning. It deals with college romance in a very real way, and I loved the banter between the characters. I also loved that the characters had changed from the last book- it really shows how people change as they grow up. Loved this book!

This was a cute book about second chances. If you love YA romance you simply have to read Painter’s young adult titles. It was missing the mark after the first, and took me wayyyy too long to finish because it just wasn't hooking me.

Read if you like:
- Rom-coms
- Dual POV
- Family dynamics
- Best friend groups
- Pop culture and T. Swift references
- Quirky MCs
- Heartfelt moments
- Reuniting with loved characters

I’m hooked on this author/series! This sequel did not disappoint! I loved the tension between these two in the first book, and boy does that tension continue! Add in another love interest and more funny banter, this is a total winner. Loved it!

I was so excited when I saw this book announced and even more excited when I was approved for an early copy. Unfortunately, I think these characters were better off with just one book. I am a Wes stan, he was my favorite part of Better Than The Movies - but I don't recognize this Wes at all.

4.5 ⭐️! Did this book have to exist? No. Did i love it anyways? Yes. My heart literally felt like it had been squeezed by the end of this book. I do think this book makes their relationship deeper and it was really beautiful.

I read this book about a full month ago, and I've been letting it marinate in my head to really figure out my thoughts, and I will say, it's gotten a little better with time for me.

I think my major problem with this book was my expectations going in. I loved the romance and meant-to-be-ness of Better Than the Movies, and so I was expecting much different things from this book, especially in that I was expecting to go into this story quickly, I thought it would take place maybe a couple of months after the events of Better Than, and that is not the case. This takes place four years later, and in those four years, a lot of resentment and anger has built up between these characters.

I didn't reread Better Than the Movies in preparation for this book, and that was a good decision on my part. Going from the happy ending to the devastation of Nothing Like the Movies would have made me instantly DNF. In my mind, for the first half of this book it's the opposite of a love story. And I had a pretty big issue with that.

Besides that being a major issue for me, I also had some mild issues with the pacing. From the first page, Wes wants to win Liz back, but he doesn't actually do anything to try and accomplish that goal until a good 70% through the book. It's not even that he's attempting and gets shot down until that one scene about 50% in where they finally connect emotionally, it's that he literally stares at her and pines for her from a distance whining about how he wants to get her back, and then 3/4 through the book he finally starts to try to reach her with things that he knows about her. (To very varying success) I know that he was being "respectful" because he thought she had a boyfriend, but I'm sorry, as a woman, having an ex show up, and just be kind of weird around you to the point when you fake a relationship because you don't want to deal with it... that's a problem for me.

It ends with forgiveness and a rekindled romance, which I understand, but with the amount of resentment that Liz had built up over 4 years, it happened way too easily.

Now that I've complained, let me speak about the things that I did like about this book.

Firstly, Liz is still amazing. From the head in the clouds 18 year old to the kind of cynical 22 year old, she is still just amazing. I loved seeing how she has grown and seeing her really succeed in her life. She deserves nothing less.

And, by far, the best thing about this book, were the side character friendships! The baseball team rallying around Wes and Liz equally. The support in the hijinks that Wes pulls. Their friendship is just so wholesome and so fun and i just love them. Same thing with Liz's roommates. Including the fake boyfriend who was so down for anything, so observant and just ready to step back the moment that he felt it was in Liz's best interests.

Finally, I'll leave with a comparison. Earlier this year I read Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon, which similarly to Nothing Like the Movies, follows a couple established in a previous book as the happy ever after is not a clear as it was at the end of the first book. I rated it similarly to Nothing Like the Movies for really different reasons, but I will say if you enjoyed Better Than, and Nothing Like the Movies, I would go and read Today, Tonight, Tomorrow and Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon, because they are similar and different.

Interesting plot, good character development, great romantic buildup and a happy ending. Lovely read. Thank you, Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, for giving me the ARC in exchange for my honest review