This was one of my most anticipated reads EVER, not just for the year, and oh boy did it not disappoint. This continuation of Wes and Liz’s story of friendship, grief, family, and romance left me giggling at times, sobbing at times, and altogether a heaping mess in the best way possible. Lynn Painter is a friends to lovers to strangers to lovers powerhouse. I could not have asked for a better continuation of Wes and Liz’s story!

There so many things wrong with this sequel but some of the ones that strand out or me the most: pacing was very slow, the main characters barely spent time together, the story was going in circles and nothing was happening and it felt completely different from the first book. I was excited for this one since I enjoyed "Better than the Movies" but this sadly wasn't able to compare to it.

Review posted on Goodreads 8/15/24.
Reviews on IG/TikTok will be posted September 2024 tbd.

When Lynn Painter dedicates this book to the WesLiz love lovers, you can really tell she kept the fans of Better Than the Movies at the forefront of her mind. And what I mean is that it has tons of swiftie references (I never thought I'd see a Breathe mention.. like ever), more quotes from iconic rom-com films, and the recognition that in between by Gracie Abrams is the unofficial official song for Wes and Liz (I'm MOST excited about this).

If you're a fan of Wes and Liz and want their personalities, banter, and love story preserved in a glass case, I wouldn't read Nothing Like the Movies. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. The book takes place 2 years after the events of BTTM and they are... changed, to put it lightly. I personally have no problems with it and enjoyed reading their story 2.0, but again, if you LOVED them for who they are, you have been warned.

With that being said, I don't believe people should get back together or even try after breaking up (just my opinion!!), and I don't know if I can make an exception for Wes and Liz. Given the need for a complete story, I thought Lynn Painter did a great job outlining the circumstances of their breakup, without overdoing the story or adding unnecessary fluff.

And although this book didn't make me giggle and kick my feet up the way BTTM did, I did enjoy reading it to see Wes and Liz all grown up. It's a sweet conclusion to their story!

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so good! To be honest, I read Better Than The Movies a little while ago, so it's not so clear in my mind, but I still really enjoyed this book. Honestly, this would work on its own, I think. Wes's story was really good, it was nice to see a college path that wasn't so straightforward, and it was good to see how trauma can affect someone and how they can overcome it. Liz's character is fun and funny and headstrong, she was fun to read about. The two of them together was great, their shared hurt was palpable and their connection was undeniable. I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to patrons, both teen and adult. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC!

I LOVE this book, and getting to see a story about Wes & Liz again made me the happiest. I love that we got to see so much more of Wes and his baseball journey too! I think Wes as a whole might have been my favorite thing about reading this novel! I loved all his little efforts with Liz and with his baseball career and ugh, I did not think I could love him more. Liz was not my favorite character this time, and I think it was mostly because she always talked about not being "little Liz" anymore. Although, once you read the reasons as to why she is acting like that, it makes so much sense! But, I do wish they got together sooner so we had more of their ups to read about. But overall this book was so beautiful and I continue to be obsessed with the world of Liz and Wes. Beyond excited to purchase a physical copy in October. :)

Wes and Liv had dated in high school and then moved together out to California to attend UCLA. Wes’ father dies and he is needed at home so he quits college and his girlfriend too!
Two years later Wes gets a second chance, at college and pitching for UCLA baseball. Now he just needs to get Liz back.
A great little inspiration story about how life can get in the way of your dreams. I loved it despite not knowing it was a sequel (for sure going to read the first one). So easy to just fall in the love with the main characters and route for the team. I look forward to reading more of this author.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Simonteen for the arc!!! This book was amazing! It was such an amazing sequel to Better Than the Movies and I loved having Liz and Wes back for more of their story. This book was so amazing and it was definitely a tear jerker. At first I was scared of reading this book because BTTM was perfect as it was (as a standalone) but after reading this, I was honestly so thankful to read more of what happened in the later years of Liz and Wes' relationship together even after going through a break. Whether they went through some hardships etc, they always found their way back to each other in the end. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who read Better Than the Movies because it is the sequel!

I just finished reading Nothing Like the Movies and wow! Emotional and swoony and so wesliz - I adored this book!

Better than the Movies is one of my favorite rom-coms, so I was SO excited when I received an ARC for Nothing Like the Movies! I was also really nervous....especially because BTTM was perfect as a standalone and now that there was a sequel - I had pretty high expectations.
But I adored this book! All the teasing and banter, how it was equal parts Wes's POV, seeing how much the two had changed and grown but were still the same characters (and seeing little peeks of romance lover Little Liz coming through). And the emotions! I wasn't prepared for how emotional this book would be, the grief and guilt Wes was dealing with, how they both still had so many feelings for the other, how much Wes loved Liz <3

All in all, this book is the perfect pairing of humor and emotion and romance, and the perfect sequel to Better Than the Movies!

5/5 stars. I was so invested in this entire book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Painter, and Simon and Schuster for an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This sequel to Better Than The Movies publishes Oct. 1st!

And my honest review is that I LOVED this story. I was so obsessed with Better Than The Movies, and I was so nervous for me personally that this book was not going to live up to the first... However, I loved this sequel. It made me laugh, cry, and have so many butterflies.

It has been a true JOY to love and read these characters. Liz & Wes truly just make my heart SWOON. Their banter, in classic Lynn Painter fashion, was on a whole new level in this story. I was giggling like a little girl the entire time. But then we explored the themes of grief and we spend so much more time with Wes as he is walking through hard things. Gosh, my heart broke for Wes. I felt his pain and sorrow. To see his character grow and expand into a man from a boy in the first book was just so amazing.

Liz, man she is not little Liz anymore! I will say her character frustrated me the most in this story because she's just stubborn... but I cannot blame her because she is still just as amazing.

I love this world. I love these characters. I am so HONORED to have read this story before it is released to the public.

LIZ & WES FOREVER!!!

Wes and Liz were childhood neighbors turned high school sweethearts, who headed off to UCLA together for freshman year. Unfortunately, their perfect relationship cracked when Wes’s dad passed away, forcing him to drop out of college, move home and take care of his mom and sister. Wes even stopped playing baseball--what got him scholarships to college and what was his whole life before--but baseball was his connection with his dad and he just couldn’t face it.
Fast forward two years later, and Wes has been given a second chance at just about everything--college, Liz, and baseball--but will he be able to convince Liz that he’s back for good this time? Highly recommended for rom-com fans.

What a wonderful five star read! I am a ride or die for Lynn Painter. I’m not going to lie, the stark difference of where Liz and Wes are at in life at the beginning of this book was a little jarring, but I loved how real this book was. I felt like it was able to show grief, loss, love, and guilt in a way that was not too heavy. I loved watching Wes and Liz navigate their lives as now adults and overcoming challenges. Honestly I loved this book so much. I would love to see a spin off series of this book for some of the side characters and maybe even one for Wes and Liz children? I would 100000% read any of those!

Where to even begin. I just finished Nothing Like the Movies a few minutes ago. I got the email that I had received the netgalley a few days ago, and I was so thrilled. I adored Better than the Movies-it was one of my favorite books of 2023, so I was stoked to have the chance to read the second book. I devoured it in a single day, and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Wes broke my heart with his story, and Painter does an excellent job of teasing you with little bits of it at a time in a way that keeps you so hooked from page 1. Liz was still her silly charming self, but she has grown. She has some grit and ambition and angst hiding away Little Liz's romantic personality. Wes really wore his heart on his sleeve for this one, and his declarations of love for Liz were some of the most heartwarming I have read in a long time. Also the epilogue with the jersey???? I am SCREAMING!!!!!!!!!!! I will never shut up about Wes and Liz. Well done, Lynn Painter. 5 freaking stars. (Instagram review to come on pub day once I buy my physical copy!)

I was SO lucky to get to read an ARC of this book.

Before reading this book I was so worried that my expectations were going to be too high because of how much I ADORED Better Than The Movies. I am happy to say that this book did not disappoint. I am writing this with tears in my eyes after just putting the book down because that last page… god. I honestly kept looking for reasons to give this book anything less than 5 stars because I thought I was just being DRAMATIC for loving it so much… but truly it is a big fat 5 star read for me. I love Wes and Liz, and this book hit me in all the feels.


“just know that no matter what you decide, and no matter what happens, I will feel this way about you for the rest of my life”

Lynn Painter’s *Nothing Like the Movies* is a charming blend of humor and romance. With a witty, endearing protagonist and sparkling chemistry between the leads, this novel offers a delightful escape back into the world she made us love the first time! Painter’s engaging writing and clever nods to Hollywood make this book a must-read for fans of romantic comedies and great music. It's a perfect blend of heart and humor that will keep you entertained and smiling from start to finish.

LYNN. PAINTER. DOES. NOT. MISS. WITH. YA. ROM-COMS.

Buckle up everyone, because Lynn throws us some curveballs (excuse the baseball puns ⚾️).
We’re following our favs, Wes and Liz, in this beautiful and heart-wrenching sequel to Better Than the Movies. But life and circumstance has torn these two apart, for 2 WHOLE YEARS?! Luckily, it seems the universe also ships Bennet and Buxbaum like the rest of us, so they’re brought back together (maybe forced back together, like two polarizing magnets).
What follows is a journey of grief, anger, sadness, the lowest of lows - but also, new friendships, laughter, healing, second chances. If there’s one thing Lynn Painter does spectacularly, it’s making you feel the entire spectrum of emotions while reading her books. I loved the added complexity of grief, loss of a loved one, and coming of age in BTTM, and it was just MORE in this one. More grown up, more to process, more to identify with. I’ll definitely be coming back to this beautiful duology. ❤️

Thank you x million to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for this incredible ARC!

Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter is a wonderful standalone romance. (IMO, since I haven't read Better Than the Movies). Liz and Wes, former lovers who have changed greatly since their relationship ended, meet again at UCLA. Wes wants to win Liz back with a big gesture, showing he’s grown and that their love deserves another chance.

The characters are well-drawn and relatable, and Painter’s writing mixes humor with emotional depth. The story is a sweet exploration of how love can evolve and how people can change. It’s a great read for anyone who enjoys a heartfelt romance with a touch of drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read Nothing Like the Movies!

I absolutely adored this book! It was so fun to revisit Wes and Liz’s story and those one was just as sweet and fun!

The start is emotional as is their story throughout but I so enjoyed each of the characters growth and love as they are growing up!!

I’m speechless.

I didn’t know what to expect going into a book knowing that Liz and Wes weren’t together. Liz has been at college trying to move on and focus on the future, Wes has been trying to build his life back up after a devastating loss. Yet, they are still Liz and Wes no matter how hard they fight it. Watching their story unfold and seeing Wes be unashamed of how much he still loves her was everything. I laughed, I cried, I yelled at them, I was speechless.

Lynn Painter knows how to write banter and sarcasm and a teasing love story that is everything I could have ever wanted in a book. This was the perfect way for their story to play out, from high school kids to the way they grew up apart and were reunited at UCLA. I knew this book was going to be good after falling in love with Better Than the Movies and Painter did not disappoint. 5 stars. Easily.

While I loved that the story continued, the first book was just perfection. This was a little slow to start, but as I kept reading I enjoyed it!

This didn't quite live up to "Better Than the Movies" for me. I was interested in the story of Wes and Liz finding their way back to each other after significant changes, but the writing felt more "adult" to me than "young adult". I love the inclusion of all the songs and I liked the way it was a reversal of the first book in that Wes was chasing Liz more in this one.