This was the perfect sequel to Better than the Movies. It lives up to the hype and I enjoyed reading it so much!

Another story about Wes and Liz, what can I say? Was this book absolutely necessary? Probably not, but did I want to read it? Absolutely!!! I love all the stories that Lynn Painter has written about them. I was hooked when I read Better Than the Movies and all the other short stories that she has posted about them. . Is Wes a complete simp when it comes to Liz? Definitely, and I ate it all up. His love and devotion when it comes to Liz is the stuff of movies. When I read that there was going to be a sequel, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. When I read that Wes and Liz break up, I needed to know what happened and needed to know if they get back together? Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to find out.

While I was really excited for Nothing Like the Movies, I was also pretty scared. Liz and Wes not being a couple anymore? That's just something I couldn't imagine! I'm not going to go into too much detail, because I do think this is one you need to read without knowing too much, but it's worth the read. Lynn Painter hit me in all the feels, and even had me in tears, but she put me back together again before the end of the book.

Liz and Wes were so in love with each other, but when tragedy strikes, Wes is left to deal with a lot. You really just want to hug him, but also shake him, because he went through so much alone. Liz was hurt of course and closed herself off from everything that had to do with love. Dual POV helped a lot in this book, because both sides of the story are really needed. It was so great seeing both Liz and Wes grow as people and think about what they wanted. I will say, a lot could've been solved if Liz and Wes sat down and talked, but I feel like both had a lot of growing to do themselves. It was really interesting reading about that while they tried to find their way back to each other.

Nothing Like the Movies had me feeling all of the emotions. I think this is the first time I've actually teared up while reading a Lynn Painter book. The grand gestures, learning to deal with loss, following your dreams, and growing up were all parts of this story. Also, we had some amazing side characters in this story. I'd love a book about Clark or Sarah. They were a lot of fun to read about.

All in all, Lynn Painter did not disappoint with this sequel to one of my favorite books. She's definitely proven herself to be one of my all time favorite authors.

My review will also be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on October 10th.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Nothing like the Movies is book two of a series by Lynn Painter. This story is the continuation of Wes and Liz’s epic romcom about two people who have gone their separate ways after tragedy only to find themselves in the same place again. This is a sweet, sometimes heartbreaking, book about childhood enemies turned loves who break up and they wonder why life is “ Nothing like the Movies”.

Another winner from Lynn Painter! I loved the follow up to Wes & Liz’s relationship from Better than the Movies. It was refreshing to read about the reality that relationships sometimes have to endure in order to continue that happily ever after.

I loved this book more than the first one. It was so good. The reunion and the banter! It was such a cute love story. I like the documentary aspect of the book. It gave me all the feels! Definitely a must read!! Wes and Lizs love story is so cute. I need more!

Lynn writes it then I’m reading it! I love her fun style. And Wes & Liz are my favorite couple. Better Than the Movies is young adult romance perfection and this sequel lived up to my expectations! I devoured it. I love the college versions of Wes & Liz. My heart ached for Wes but his hardships made me adore him even more for what & how he went through them. I enjoyed the campus setting and college baseball & documentary perspective. It had me giggling, tearing up, my belly swooping and smiling like crazy. Reading it is like watching a movie (especially with the built in soundtrack!). So grab some popcorn and enjoy. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖:
✧ College romance
✧ Movie quotes
✧ Second chance romance
✧ Dual POV
✧ Grand gestures
✧ Song references
✧ Banter…oh, the banter
✧ College baseball
✧ Betting on You cameos

Thank you Simon and Schuster, NetGalley and Lynn Schaffer for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

4.5/5
this was one of my most anticipated books, and it did not disappoint! I loved getting to see these characters again, the plot was fantastic, and it was so emotional. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who liked the first one!

I am a huge fan of Better than the Movies, it was one of my favorite reads from 2022. Naturally, I was really excited for this book following Wes and Liz through college and having a second chance at love after Wes' dad passes. I think my disappointment in this book this comes down to feeling like a sequel wasn't totally needed here.

I felt like the biggest disservice to this book is that Lynn in my opinion, completely lost the spirit of who Wes and Liz are as characters from the first book. I can understand that losing Wes and spending time apart while she was in college at UCLA made Liz a bit more cynical, but I felt like Liz's general optimism, obsession with love, and overall delusion made her so endearing and I was sad to see that changed so much. I think a better approach here would've been a character arc where Liz slowly regains her faith in love again and gets back to her true self while falling back in love with Wes!! But instead, we completely abandoned basically the core of her personality. I also felt like the voice of Wes' character was lost too, while we didn't get his POV in Better Than the Movies, there was still a sweetness and boyish charm that did not exist in this book.

Wes' trauma from losing his dad was the main driver of this book and this trauma didn't quite feel like it was well fleshed out or handled thoughtfully. I feel like it was a missed opportunity for Liz to not add any sort of solace or comfort to Wes during his hard time. I definitely missed the banter and wit I have come to know and love from Lynn Painter's writing in this one.

Unfortunately not my favorite but I will definitely continue to pick up Lynn's books in the future and I will always recommend Better Than the Movies.

So fun. However much I would have loved the epilogue of Better Than the Movies to continue with a light and happy college romance for Liz and Wes, this was great.

I loved that Liz was able to pursue her dreams, and become an expert in the field. Her internship, her job, etc.

Do i think an 18 year old freshman would be invited to Jack Antanoff’s house? No. Was it cheesy in parts? Yes. Did I love it? Also yes.

This was everything I wanted and more. While some things upset me at first, I would read 600 pages of Wes and Liz just doing homework. I love them so much

Thank you netgalley for this ARC!
4.5 stars… I really enjoyed reading about these characters and how their story continued in this sequel. I felt that their growth made sense, especially knowing how it feels to want to be a new person when you go away to college. I liked how Wes was super head over heels in love throughout the book, a nice switch up from the first book.
I felt that the ending just was a bit rushed, but other than that I really enjoyed it!

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an advanced reader copy via NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Just in time for cozy fall reading, “Nothing Like The Movies” sets off fast paced and familiar, seamlessly connecting “Better Than The Movies” with its sequel. We catch up with Liz and Wes separated by two years, a family tragedy and half a country. But just as Liz is watching her dream life unfold before her eyes, Wes has his own plans to reinsert himself back into the picture…This book is full of swoon worthy moments and the unmatched tension between two people who are meant to be together but life got in the way. Loads of “will they or won’t they moments” and cozy pop culture references from “Gilmore Girls” to Taylor Swift. I enjoyed this even more than the first book. The character development is phenomenal, the transition from high school to college has a “grow with the characters” feel. Wes has become one of my favorite MMC’s! This is the perfect rom-com to add to your Fall TBR.

Big thanks to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for the ARC! I’m obsessed with Wes and Liz—Lynn Painter really brought them back with a bang in this sequel! This book made me laugh, cry, and feel all the emotions in between. Liz is a little different now—more serious, but still lovable—and Wes? Total heartbreaker in the best way. Their chemistry and banter? *Chef’s kiss*. The side characters, especially Clark, were a blast, and the story was full of all the pining and yearning I love. The ending had me on the edge of my seat, and I’m still recovering. Can’t get enough of this series!

The way Wes loves Liz is the way I feel about this book. 

First, thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early. I was really shocked when I saw my request approved. Was it a mistake? I don’t care, I read this book so fast, so no takebacks! 

Ugh, what an excellent sequel to a beloved book. It could have gone all wrong, but it didn’t, it was perfect. I’m seriously about to start a Lynn Painter fan club. 

College is such a special time for change and growth. I was excited to see how Lynn used that with Wes and Liz. Everything felt very grounded and real. It started with growth from Wes and Liz, but Lynn continued it throughout the rest of the book. In life, you are always growing. 

I’m always skeptical of books that claim something “tragic” happens but what Wes went through broke my heart. I just wanted to hug him the whole book. At some points, it was difficult to know everything Wes went through, but it was inspiring to see him work through his hardship and fight for what he wants growing into a great young man. 

Honestly, I’m such a sucker for a second-chance romance. 

I loved the college crew! It made me miss my undergrad days studying in an old library, parties, and college sports. I used to study in the back of the old TCU library basement and I can't lie that’s where I pictured Liz and Wes studying. 

TCU’s campus made, lots of appearances in my mind, it's my main frame of reference for a college campus (sorry not sorry).

The book had angst, tension, and love. Can't forget about the trademark banter.
I was just so giddy reading this book.

Wow, another great book by Lynn Painter! This book was cute, emotional yet still funny. I loved the first book and the characters so I was so excited to read this second book. This book also had Taylor Swift references which i absolutely loved. Wes is one of my all time favorite book characters, he is literal boyfriend goals.

This was just as good as the first! I had so much fun revisiting Liz and Wes and watching them fall back? Into love. Did we need this book? No. Was it worth reading? YES.

I'll admit I was skeptical going into this, but Lynn Painter did it again (and THEN some!). In Nothing Like the Movies, she somehow pulled off believable angst between Wes and Liz, creating the breakup we never saw coming—AND shows us how they're still meant for each other, and will fight for each other to the end. The new setup gave us the same enemies to lovers vibes, a fun callback to fake dating shenanigans to incite jealousy, and rich themes of family, friendship, and college reinvention. Somehow, this sequel made their love story even swoonier and even stronger. A masterpiece and a marvel!

A strong 4 1/2 stars! Man I love Lynn Painter's YA work!! NOTHING LIKE THE MOVIES gave us what BETTER THAN THE MOVIES didn't: Wes's point of view! And it was well worth the wait. Watching Will battle with his internal demons and seeing how he struggled with letting Liz go was heartbreaking.

The story starts three years after BTTM, and we learn that tragedy befall Wes's family, which caused him to leave UCLA and Liz. After months of struggle, she got on with her life, but ended up changing her personality and clothing as a way to protect herself from ever thinking back to how things were during that amazing summer with Wes.

Wes fights his way back to UCLA, and now that baseball is going well, he wants to also try to win Liz back. But she isn't interested. She's terrified of being hurt again, and can't forgive him for their past.

The story was a joy to read. All of Wes's usual quips—that made BTTM so enjoyable—are present. And the push and pull between Wes and Liz is ::chef's kiss.:: It's also a quick read with a fast-moving plot.

The only complaint I had: I would have liked to have seen an additional epilogue showing where Liz and Wes were after they got back together. Something maybe further into the future.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves quirky heroines and sarcastic heroes, and second chance romances. Lynn Painter really is the queen of YA romance. This was such a delightful read. Thank you for the chance to read an advance copy!

If you liked Better than the Movies, then you’ll enjoy this sequel. It starts with Wes and Liz broken up over miscommunication - the start of any good romcom. The whole book Wes tries to win Liz back. Painter does what she does so well in the first book, which is that slow burn closed-door romance. I binged this read and you should too!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC.