I loved the first book and this was such a sweet extension of their story. I couldn’t put this book down. I love these characters and I was rooting for them all along. This book has great tension and a lot of funny moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The title may be Nothing Like the Movies, but this book is EVERYTHING!

From the title alone I figured not all was well with WesLiz, but was I expecting that curveball?? Absolutely not. Cue being crushed and VERY tempted to throw my phone across the room and curse our beloved Lynn Painter’s very name.

However, nothing safe is worth the drive, and I deeply appreciate how palpable and tangible every moment turned out to be. Wes is everything. Every. Single. Thing.

This book was a great follow-up to the first book. It was full of emotion and heartbreak, and it was so entertaining to read. The reason why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 was because the author brought up too much about Liz’s mixed feelings and it clogged up the book. Other then that, the book was great to read and was one that I couldn’t put down.

I am... underwhelmed? I was REALLY excited for this because I LOVED Better Than the Movies.

Wes and Liz head to college! And shortly after... break up. A few weeks into their first year, Wes finds out that his dad passed away. After the funeral, he chooses to stay back in Nebraska to help his sister and mom. Liz stays at school. Out of nowhere, Wes breaks up with Liz. Fast forward 2 years, Wes decides its time he goes back to UCLA, if his coaches let him play again. Liz is crushing life and has an amazing internship with a documentarian. Her job is to create a "Hard Knocks" style documentary about the UCLA baseball team. Wes gets to UCLA and is waiting for an organic moment to run into Liz, which comes in a way he wasn't expecting. What will Liz do when she knows he's back on campus?

Like I said, I was underwhelmed and just feeling meh about it. There were some scenes and some lines that I really enjoyed, but the back and forth of Liz and Wes was not my favorite. It was honestly darker than I was expecting. Painter had talked about losing a parent young in BTTM, but this talked more about the trauma of it all. IDK I just wanted to finish it and get it over with.

I also feel like his sister was NEVER mentioned in BTTM??? I didn't even realize he had one?? Also she kept saying they were driving "cross country" and IDK I think of cross country as completely across the country to the west coast lol.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Again, this was so good! I am glad that Lynn Painter gave us more Wes and Liz. I cant say too much or I will spoil the story, so Ill leave it simple. This is a must when it is released.

This was a wonderful close to their story. It was interesting to see their lives into college. It was sad to see Wes go through hard times, but I was glad that he overcame those struggles (don't want to give any spoilers).

Liz is depicted as a strong determined woman who knows what she wants and I love that. I am glad that she has a dream and goal to aspire to.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC of this beautifully written story!

Nothing Like the Movies is the follow up novel to author, Lynn Painter's, Better Than the Movies. This sequel follows Wes and and Liz who are now in college. I was super excited to receive the advanced copy of this book, so thank you Net Galley for the opportunity! I really enjoyed the first book in this series and being introduced to Liz and Wes and their sweet friendship, turned romance. However, Nothing Like the Movies has a lot of angst. It is not a light rom/com as expected but an almost heavy novel about family hardships, heartbreak and hurt. I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn't what I expected. As a high school librarian I always search for books that I think will be hook our students on reading. This one is a bit heavy and the language will definitely prevent me from being able to add it to our collection. For those that want to try out the novel, I highly recommend reading the series in order to keep up with the characters and their development.

Nothing Like the Movies wasn't quite as magical as Better Than the Movies, but it was definitely an enjoyable experience. It was great to see our two love lovers have grown up and dealt with some tough stuff. I especially liked that we got to know more about Wes. I will happily suggest this to students who are looking for another rom-com along with the first in the series.

I can’t believe Liz and Wes are not together in the beginning. I wanted to cry. Needless to say, it fell short for me and I normally eat all of Painters books! It was still such a good read though.

I was so incredibly disappointed by this book. Despite my reservations about sequels to romances (we already got the HEA, what more could we need?), I went into this book with excitement and optimism. After all, RLS just wrote a sequel to *her* incredibly popular YA romcom, and it was amazing! So what could go wrong with Painter's capitalization on her book's extreme popularity?

For starters, I really don't think Painter can successfully write in a teenage voice. This was a gripe I had with "Better Than the Movies," all of the characters talk really disjointedly and a bit like what I imagine teenagers in the 1950s attempting to employ gen-z slang would talk like; but, it really comes across terribly in this book. Where "Better Than the Movies" redeemed itself with occasional moments of cute banter and a swoony male lead, "Nothing Like the Movies" has really no redeeming qualities. The book is pitched as Wes doing everything possible to win Liz back, but all he does is whine and pine wishing he hadn't broken her heart so that he could still be with her. DO SOMETHING, MAN! DON'T JUST STAND THERE! Painter says the Wes is mastermind-ing a la Taylor Swift, so I went into this novel expecting hijinks and grand gestures––not depression and a stagnant plot.

Honestly nothing really happens in this book. By the half-way point I really wanted to just give up. I was bored, and I could already sense that the climax of the third act would be a tearful declaration of love (we already know these characters love each other, that was the whole point of the first book) and cue the HEA (which again feels unnecessary, given that was the whole point of the first book). You might be thinking, okay maybe the book was falsely advertised, but at least we're going to get angst. Well, reader, you would be wrong. There is absolutely zero tension or true conflict in this novel Everything could have been solved with a conversation on page one. Yes, the entire novel hinges on a miscommunication that ISN'T EVEN THAT DEEP.

The most interesting part of this book is Liz's growth as a character, and Painter hardly even focuses on it! In fact, she treats it like a temporary mask that is immediately removed once Wes and her are reunited. One point I will give in her favor is that Painter exemplifies the ways in which we can grow apart and maybe grow back together. Wes and Liz got together at a major turning point in their lives, it stands to reason that they are not the same people at 20/21 as they were at 18; but that doesn't mean they can't love the new versions of themselves.

This is a generous 3/5 stars because I hold love for the characters I met in "Better Than the Movies," but honestly it feels like Painter could have done better with this one.

⭐️ 4.5/5

I absolutely ADORED this book. When I initially read Better Than the Movies, I fell in love with Wes and Liz's story and was absolutely ecstatic to be able to delve more into their journey. Romance books (especially sequels) don't always have to be happy all the time. They can be about acceptance, growth, anger, forgiveness, and everything in between and how long can be shown through each of these phases. That is exactly what this book delves into. How two people can come together, fall apart, and come back together once again.

This entire plot felt so believable and that is exactly what I love about Lynn Painter's books. The characters interact with each other with real emotion, which helps to really understand the actions of each person the book follows.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing this in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Simon and Schuster for the Digital ARC on NetGalley, you made my dreams come true!!
Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter was everything I could’ve hoped for in a sequel. Initially, I was nervous reading this book. After reading the synopsis, I was so concerned about the fact that my favorite fictional couple wasn’t together. How could Liz move on like that? And then I read it.
I didn’t think Lynn could top how I initially felt about Wes and Liz, but she certainly did. For starters, Wes Bennett was groveling over her- which was amazing in every way. Both characters had me screaming like I do at romantic comedies when the characters get into a fight over miscommunication. The character development was Steve Harrington level development (and in case you don’t watch Stranger Things, that’s high praise. He was terrible in season 1 and is now one of the most beloved characters in the show.) Although, I would’ve loved to see more with Sarah and Clark… (Lynn, if you’re seeing this, am I misreading the vibes? I feel like you should do a book about them👀)
Lynn Painter’s books just scratch a part of my brain that fuels me to keep reading because they make me happy. I didn’t want to put this down EVER and I was heartbroken when it was over. The love I have for these books is unlike anything else. When Nothing Like the Movies comes out in October, RUN to the bookstores, don’t walk.

After I read Better Than the Movies, I was obsessed with Wes and Liz! They were absolutely precious, and I loved their sweet high school relationship.

Nothing Like the Movies has all the laugh out loud moments and pop culture references that we loved from the first book. However in this book, Wes and Liz have grown up and have unfortunately, grown apart. Wes and Liz have started to face some of life’s challenges, resulting in their break up. But Wes will stop at nothing to get Liz back!

Better Than the Movies was light and happy, but Nothing Like the Movies was a lot more real and vulnerable. It was more mature. Lynn gave us all the things we loved about Wes and Liz in BTTM but with many more layers! We meet new side characters (LOVED me some Clark!!), delve deeper into familial relationships, grow from life’s challenges, and explore college life.

This is a sequel that really exceeded my expectations, and I’m excited for you to read it!

Wow! I’m always apprehensive about sequels, but this was great! I typically rate LP books around 3-4⭐️ — I usually like them but they often feel a little silly or something is off in them for me. This sequel felt more adult and mature compared to many of her other novels. The plot is definitely heavier and has some tear-inducing moments, which I think added depth. I really enjoyed reading Liz & Wes’s next steps!

4.5⭐️

Sweet story - I enjoyed reading both perspectives throughout the story. There was a detail I wish was circled back to but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Oh my gosh I’m crying. This exceeded all of my expectations. Better Than the Movies was one of my favorite books in 2022 (it is perfect) and Nothing Like the Movies hit just as hard. These characters are so comforting and it feels like home when I read Lynn’s books!!!

I found this book to be a lot more realistic than the first one. The plot has so much depth & it’s filled with grief, healing, growth. The angst and yearning was EVERYTHING TO ME. I loved reading about Wes and Liz relearning & reconnecting with each other (honestly gave me You Deserve Each Other vibes). I was swooning!!! Wes is perfect!!! Liz is perfect!!! This is the perfect follow up!!!!!!!

Massive thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy.

It was very cute and made me swoon very much. I read the first book and loved it and although I didn’t want them to break up, the storyline was great and entertaining. The ending seemed a little rushed but nonetheless was glad to seem Wes and Liz made up and back together. The writing as always has kept me interest and on my toes, no boring parts. Would very much recommended reading the second part.

I want to preface this by saying I did not think Better Than The Movies needed a sequel because it was so perfect by itself. However, I loved Wes and Liz soooo much that I would’ve read anything else about them.

Nothing Like The Movies made me laugh and broke my heart, all while keeping me glued to the book. I was devastated for Wes and equally angry for Liz.

Second chance romances are not my favorite to read but if I had to read one, it was going to be this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC!

I received an advanced copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Simon & Schuster. I was so excited to hear that Lynn Painter wrote a sequel to Better Than the Movies. This book is realistic, yet incredibly funny and romantic. It would be perfect for high school and up to read, and I give it ALL the stars. ⭐️ ✨

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s and Netgalley for this free E-Arc in exchange for an honest review

Full review will be posted on Goodreads closer to the book's onsale date, per publisher request

Actual rating: 4.25

I’m going to be honest, when I saw this was available for request on Netgalley, my decision to request it was entirely selfish. I devoured BTTM two weeks ago (late to the game ik ik) and all its extra content and was so excited for more. That said, this book did not disappoint.

We pick up 2 years after BTTM where, shocker, Liz and Wes have broken up and haven’t spoken in two years. Now I was hesitant going into this based on the premise, but I also went in with an open mind. It was so fascinating to see what true heartbreak does to someone like Liz, our little love lover. The way so much of her personality in BTTM was built around idealized love and then she changes when her heart is broken is so real. I especially loved the contradiction of Wes’ idea of Liz and who she actually was.

Aw, Wes. He was so cute in this book. His cheeky arrogance was quite charming, and his relationship with Liz was, as always, top tier. I liked how he continued to woo her, and once some things settled into place (iykyk), he never once doubted that they’d end up together. It was cute, it was sweet, I was kicking my feet.

Now, my biggest issues with this book was the pacing. It felt a little all over the place. Some minor spoilers ensue because truly I’m not sure how to talk around them. Liz basically hates Wes for 60%+ of this book, so it relied a lot on Wes’ pov and his hope for them to carry the story through. That, and the fact that Liz pretended to date Clark to add an extra obstacle meant that not much happened for the first half. It was still fun though, seeing how these characters we love have changed, and the way in which the narrative forced them together was clever.

The slow front half, however, means that the back half felt very fast. Liz made a lot of very quick decisions in the last 15% or so that gave me a bit of whiplash. I wanted a bit more of Wes actually wooing Liz, rather than 1 date and 1 party and they’re back together once she’s single again. I think all my issues could’ve been solved if we hadn’t had Liz pretend to date Clark (who I do love!) because all it does it make Wes’ inner monologue all jealousy and slow down the plot for the first half.

All that said, this was still incredibly sweet. Lynn Painter knows how to write characters that feel like your friends, and knows how to tug on your heartstrings just right. While this didn’t have the necessarily compulsive nature and butterflies of BTTM, it’s still a great story in its own right, and I recommend you give it a try.

Better than the movies is one of my favorite books, so I was so excited to read Nothing like the movies and it did NOT disappoint! I loved getting to see Wes' pov in this book along with his more complex character arc. Both characters learning about each other and growing in college is something I really connected with.