I was really looking forward to the continuing story of Better Than the Movies, but this story was a little less romcom and a little more serious. We follow Liz and Wes again in their college years, but they're no longer together. This story is follows the two of them as they find their way back to each other while touching on grief of losing someone.

this is not quite as serious as it might sound, because my general and in fact preferred state of being is "in the depths of some sort of active breakdown," but still. i have a flair for the dramatic so i encourage you to take this seriously if at all possible.

the existential crisis is this:

do i actually dislike sequels? or just this one?

listen, nothing like the movies had all the makings of a good time—rom com vibes, a familiar author whose first book i genuinely found sweet and charming, and a premise i was ready to root for. and yet.

first of all, liz. someone who has seen every rom com under the sun—we’re talking from the classics to the netflix originals—would never in a million years fall for the absolute train wreck of a breakup strategy wes pulled. it felt insulting to her as a character and to my suspension of disbelief.

then, there’s wes himself. who... is this man? in the first book, he was sweet, grounded, and endearing, but here, he feels like a completely different person—a “broey,” almost caricature-like version of himself. i know he’s a young guy, but this wasn’t character growth or regression; it was just weird.

and finally, the crux of my frustration: liz’s reaction to wes needing time to grieve his dad. as someone who has also lost a parent, i found it deeply unbelievable that she wouldn’t be more understanding or compassionate. it just didn’t ring true.

the first book was cute, sweet, and self-contained. this one felt... unnecessary. i guess the lesson here is, not every story needs a sequel.

bottom line: i remain in my grinch character arc, but at least this time, i’m not alone.

Absolutely adorable! I loved getting to revisit these characters and experience more of their story. This is perfect for younger readers who enjoy a fun romcom.

Wow! I absolutely loved Better Than the Movies and could read it over and over again. When I heard there was going to be a sequel, I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. Most of the time, sequels come off as cash grabs, where the author tries to capitalize on the success of the first book. But Lynn Painter truly defies this trend. This sequel was phenomenal! It had heartbreak, sweetness, and moments that made me giggle and kick my feet in delight. I particularly appreciated how realistic the storyline was. In many romances, once the characters achieve their happily ever after, readers are left to believe that's how things will be for the rest of their lives. In reality, that’s rarely the case. Everyone experiences ups and downs, and Nothing Like the Movies beautifully illustrates this. It shows that with hard work and love, getting your HEA is possible. This book is perfect for both teens and adults, and I highly recommend the entire series.

Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter is the perfect rom-com read for fans of swoon-worthy moments and heartfelt humor. As the second book in the series, it builds on the charm of its predecessor, which I absolutely loved. Painter's witty dialogue, relatable characters, and the sweet tension between the leads make it an irresistible page-turner. If you're a fan of rom-coms, this one is a delightful mix of laughs, romance, and a bit of unexpected magic. It’s everything you want in a feel-good love story with plenty of heart.

Oh I just adore the chapter titles and the movie quotes from my favorite rom coms! What a great way to tie in the title. And I’m so invested in the plot! The romance build up/ tension between Wes and Liz is PERFECT. The flashbacks, the current emotions, the big romantic gestures: gahhhh. Just LOVE IT ALL. Was a great read/ listen.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

so sorry this took me so long to write a review for! i soft DNFed it because of the direction of the story. I tried to pick it up again and just could not get into it :( do not like to leave negative reviews but this was not going the way I was hoping! Thank you so much for the ARC copy though I am beyond grateful.

oh how good it was to see wes and liz again!! I truly feel like these two grew up with me and this book was such a fun way to see their story continue to play out (even when it was more sad than fun) just because I was back in their world again

while I don't think that I would have needed a second book, and the fact that they broke up at all absolutely shattered my heart, this book was still lovely and I could not put it down, just like with better than the movies. something about these two characters is so special and I loved getting to see their individual character development in this one beyond just their relationship together. especially with liz, the way she had really found her passion and was thriving in her career, was so cool and powerful to see. and then, of course, the romance!

there might have been some parts of this book that made me want to scream and throw my kindle across the room because I just wanted them to be together but let me tell you...the tension in this book!!! the pining, the small moments and things they notice about each other, the stolen glances and unspoken words, there was just so much good stuff. wes bennett is simply everything and more and I will never get over him, even if he is a scooter-riding college athlete lol. anyway I really enjoyed this book and there were so many swoon-worthy moments!

so did I think this book was needed? no. but did I enjoy it nevertheless and soak in every liz & wes moment? ABSOLUTELY

Wes and Liz are in college. They used to date in high school, and it was better than the movies. Things happened and now they aren´t in each others lives anymore. That is until Wes returns to college and Liz is on a project including his baseball team. Miscommunication, love, grief, anger, hate, sadness, all of the above and even more in this book.

I absolutely loved Better than the movies which is the book before this one. Lynn Painter always has me in my feelings. This is a second chance love story and if you loved better than the movies, please read this and follow Wes and Liz on their journey.

I rated this 4 stars.

Another great novel from Lynn Painter! A quick and easy read that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Nothing Like the Movies” by Lynn Painter is an engaging and heartfelt story that delivers the perfect mix of humor, romance, and relatable emotions. The characters are well-developed, and their chemistry feels authentic, making it easy to root for them. The writing style is witty and conversational, keeping the reader entertained throughout.

I gave the book 4 stars because, while it’s thoroughly enjoyable, a few moments felt predictable, and the pacing dipped slightly in the middle. Overall, it’s a charming read that captures the ups and downs of modern relationships with warmth and humor

I was disappointed with this. I love Lynn Painter but this book just did not hold up to the standards of her previous books. Took too long to get a real connection to the characters again

I was worried this book wouldn’t live up after the first. I had no need to worry. I loved that it wasn’t just book one remixed. It was its own story. And I loved that.

It took me a little reading to get back into the story but once I did, I loved seeing where these characters ended up. You always assume stories will end up with a happy ending but seeing how things change so quickly was interesting to read. Highly recommend reading this if you loved the first!

This book took me a minute to get into, which very likely could be because I was in the trenches with school and kept having to take such long breaks in between reading, but I read the second half of the book on the plane and it was so cute!

They both had so much to work through and it was so fun seeing them living out their dreams and all grown up.

Poor Wes was going through it. He didn’t deserve all of that :(

I was so scared when I heard that this one would be a second chance romance but it wasn’t for any of the reasons that I was expecting. There were definitely some miscommunication and frustrations though, so if that is going to make you hate a book, I might just stick with the first one.

I also loved all of the friends and seeing some of the characters from the first book.

I did like the first book more but this one was still really cute and I’m glad that I read it and got a little glimpse into their future.

Tropes:
- second chance romance
- college romance
- baseball
- miscommunication
- forced proximity
- dual pov
- first person

I think this book will circulate well in libraries. A 14 year old student recommended the first book to me last year. This sequel will not disappoint fans of the first book. Sure they will not love that they broke up, but they’ll enjoy the journey if the story. The split narration was well done and consistent with tones and the first book. The addition of more friends and teammates were well done. The author did well, and I’m sure readers will want a third Wes and Liz book.

I truly love anything that Lynn Painter writes. This was a fantastic sequel and continuation of the story. Whenever I need a light, feel good, rom com, I can always turn to Lynn Painter!

Better Than the Movies is one of my all time favorite YA romances so I was beyond excited for the sequel. Wes and Liz are back after a devastating break up and some pretty major life events. Wes is determined to make Liz fall in love again but their break up left her cold hearted and closed off to love.
For some bonus fun I reread Better Than the Movies first so I could remind myself of Wes and Liz’s history and I still adored it just as much as I remembered. If you haven’t read that one yet, what are you waiting for. Stop reading this review and grab a copy.
Okay now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. Anyone who loves rom coms and grand gestures will adore this second chance romance. Lynn Painter is the queen of witty banter laugh out loud moments. Wes and Liz are truly relationship goals. It’s always a bit nerve wracking to read the sequel to a favorite book but this one exceeded my expectations. The character growth from book 1 to the end of book 2 was incredible and so realistic. They both went through so much and to see where they ended up honestly made me tear up a few times. This book was everything and the cherry on top was the rom com movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I loved this.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Lynn Painter continues to be a highly enjoyable author to submerge into. I really enjoyed the first book that I read by her, "The Do Over", and this was just as fun.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for an advanced copy of Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter.

This is a sequel to Better Than the Movies with Wes and Liz. We fast forward and due to life circumstances they broke up and while Wes knew he broke Liz's heart. But Wes is now back and determined to make Liz fall in love with him again, using rom-com worthy gestures that he knows she loves.

This was cute and a great listen -- thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for the audiobook. I loved the quotes from favorite rom-coms at the beginning of each chapter.

You really need to read Better Than the Movies first -- not sure I needed a sequel though.