When I read Better Than the Movies I remember feeling so sad to say goodbye to Liz and Wes. I was thrilled when I saw on Instagram that Lynn Painter was writing more to their story. Lynn Painter never misses, so I loved the book- but I was sad I didn’t get more time with Liz and Wes together. Also, do I see a future story for Ross and Lilith? Just saying…

Lynn Painter's *Nothing Like the Movies* is an absolute gem of a sequel, blending the charm of classic rom-coms with the delightful energy of young adult fiction. The storyline is irresistibly cute, centered around characters who feel so real that it's impossible not to get invested in their journeys. From the banter to their heartfelt moments, every aspect of their lives draws you in, making you root for them from start to finish.

What makes this book stand out is how effortlessly it captures the magic of YA when it’s done right. The narrative is light-hearted yet meaningful, and it’s a reminder of how much fun young adult stories can be. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the genre or just dipping your toes in, *Nothing Like the Movies* will leave you with a smile, proving that sometimes, life—and love—can be just as sweet as the movies.

Dnf. I’m not a big fan of the writing style unfortunately. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc.

"Nothing Like the Movies" by Lynn Painter is a delightful romantic comedy that combines witty banter with heartfelt moments. The story follows a charming yet reluctant protagonist who finds herself caught between the predictable plot of her life and the unpredictable nature of true love. Painter’s engaging writing style and relatable characters make this novel a fun, feel-good read. If you enjoy contemporary romance with a touch of humor and a lot of heart, this book is a perfect choice.

This book was beautifully written but heartbreaking. As much as I enjoyed the story, I really had wished we didn’t have to go through heartbreak season with Wes & Liz. I love the pining and the banter, but the actions of Wes actually tore me up.

Unfortunately this was not for me. I felt this book didn’t need to be written, I was bored throughout most of it and i felt like the plot never really developed into something that made me want to root for them. I liked the writing style and the characters from the previous book but this one felt unnecessary to me.

Nothing Like The Movies

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Lynn Painter
Genre: YA romance
Sequel to Better Than The Movies

Liz and Wes are back!! Sadly they are no longer together 😭. Liz and Wes went to UCLA college together, but after only two weeks, Wes dropped out and moved home due to his dad passing away. This led to the relationship coming to an end. Fast forward two years later, and Wes is finally ready to reenroll in college, and win Liz back. There’s some issues with that though, Liz is no longer the hopeless romantic that Wes knew, and she is in a new relationship. Between navigating new classes, and proving himself on the baseball team once again, Wes is determined to win Liz’s heart back.

I’m not going to lie, usually I’m not a fan of sequels that were made because the fans wanted it. But this one!!! Lynn Painter really threw a curveball by ending their happily ever after story by breaking them up and moving this story to be a second chance at love. This was so well executed, and I love that she let her characters mature and personalities change as we do in real life when we enter adulthood and experience the freedom of college. I was rooting for Wes the whole time, but I also understand my girl Liz is all her reservations. If you liked Better Than The Movies, you must read this sequel!!

I thought the first book of this series was pretty good, so I decided to request this one on NetGalley. Lynn Painter's books can be hit-or-miss for me, but since I liked the first, I thought surely I would like this one. I think my issue with this one is that I don't like when the couples break up and get back together. To me, most of the time, when you break up, there is a reason for it and you should just stay apart. I just don't care for the trope. I think there were parts of the book I liked, but I thought it was way too long and I found myself losing interest. I'll still read Lynn Painter's books, but this one wasn't my favorite.

Lynn Painter does it again! I really enjoyed this sequel; it’s just what I needed. I loved the insight into Liz and Wes’ lives through the dual pov and the hidden details added. Also the Taylor references?!?! Liz and Wes are so back!!

I mean, all I can say is that Lynn has written another book that just made it to my fave reads of the year! 🩷🥹 I love her so much! This book was like coming back home and hanging out with amazing friends!🩷💐

I loved this book. I enjoyed the first book, but I devoured this one. I loved getting to know the new, moody, unromantic Liz, while watching Wes really come back into himself and being a silly little love lover. I loved the friends dynamic, and the groveling, and the humor. But really....Lynn, I have one question, why did THAT have to be Wes's tragedy..? After the first book...couldn't we have used ANY OTHER TRAGEDY?!?!

I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of this on Netgalley. A big thank you to Simon and Schuster for this!

I read the first book and gave it three stars, and then thought "Hey I love Lynn Painter" I'm going to give it a go. Unfortunately, I think that her YA books are too young for me . I couldn't connect to the attitudes or life stages that the two main characters. Wes and Liz connected over music and baseball (highschool at that) and I felt so far removed from that point in my life I felt like I was dragging myself to get to the end. I know I would have read this as a freshman in highschool or college. Going forward, I will stick to Painters adult books.

In Nothing Like the Movies, Lynn Painter takes us back into the lives of Wes and Liz, who first won our hearts in Just Like the Movies. This sequel follows their journey as they start college at UCLA, a place filled with promise and love—until tragedy strikes, shattering their world. Wes, facing the daunting task of restarting college and his baseball career, is equally determined to win back Liz, the girl he can't imagine living without.

Painter excels at creating characters that feel like old friends. Reuniting with Wes and Liz was a joy, and it's especially gratifying to watch Liz come into her own. Her growth, though accompanied by heartbreak, makes her all the more relatable. Wes's determination, both in sports and love, adds a layer of depth to his character, making their story one of resilience and hope.

The supporting cast in this novel is just as engaging, adding richness and dimension to the story. Painter's signature touch—her seamless incorporation of music and movies—continues to enhance the reading experience, making the world she builds feel vibrant and lived-in.

Nothing Like the Movies is a heartfelt continuation of a love story that explores the challenges of growing up, the pain of loss, and the enduring power of love. Fans of the first book will find this sequel both satisfying and emotionally resonant.

📖: Nothing Like the Movies
✍️: Lynn Painter
📚 Publisher: Simon & Schuster
🗓 Pub date: October 1, 2024
Genre: YA Rom Com
Format: Kindle eARC
Pages: 445
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Gaahhh.. I was super happy to go back into the world of Liz and Wes! I think we always hold a special place for the first book of a series, but this sequel did not disappoint. We get to see Liz and Wes in college - more mature in certain aspects but still being young ones at the same time. There was drama, there were sad moments and there were funny ones as well. I LOVED getting Wes' POV!
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“There was never anyone else for me but you.”
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Thank you Lynn Painter, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC!

I loved reading about the college version of Liz and Wes. I was obsessed with the first book and loved that I was able to enter this world again. The writing style of this book just made it so easy to read and everything flowed together.

This was SUCH a cute read! To be honest, I didn't read the prequel before reading this, but still really enjoyed it! There were some gaps, but I was able to make enough inferences to put everything together. This one takes place two years after the first book when Wes and Lynn broke up. Wes is dying to have her back but Liz isn't so sure and is keeping her distance. Their college adventures brought me back to my own experiences and I enjoyed the dual POV. That being said, don't let the cutesy background shy you away - it does a great job at tackling tough topics like grief, identity, and growing up that makes it easy to connect to.

I think this was a really relatable story that reminds us that sometimes people come into our lives for a season, some never leave, and some need some time and distance so we can find our way back to each other. Lots of fun rom-com references, witty banter, and lovable character development that make for a great read. Thanks for the ARC!

I loved their banter back and forth. I found the female character Liz to be kind of whiny but I understand that was also part of her heartbreak. I think I was hoping for a little more, but it was enjoyable!

this book was so good and it was so fun to be back in the world of liz and wes again! there were so many moments when i didnt want to put the book down. it was fun to grow with liz and wes and learn where theyre at now that theyre at UCLA and what their lives had turned into while they were gone. ive seen people complain about how easy it could have been for them to communicate but they both went through a lot and its not easy to deal with your whole life flipping upside down! this was amazing and i throughly enjoyed it!!

I had such a good time reading this sequel!! I enjoyed the college perspective, I felt closer to the characters with them being older. The whole time I was reading I felt completely immersed in their world! OBSESSED WITH ALL THE ROMCOM MOVIE QUOTES AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CHAPTER!! So heartfelt. People who are hung up on their exes are going to eat this UP!

Details:

The beginning jumped really quickly into the bulk of the story. I feel like there could’ve been more dialogue as to why the storyline started on such a different course than how the first book left off. You do uncover why… but it left me a bit confused in the earlier parts of the book.

There were so many new characters introduced. CLARK!! The best!! I would love to see more of his story. I really enjoyed the side characters, I feel like they were tastefully written within the storyline.

The entirety of the book was a bit long until the last 85% where I feel like we FLEW. I understand why, but I naturally slowed down in the middle sections. I would’ve loved to relish in the last parts a bit more.

I am so glad I got to get an advanced copy of this book and can’t wait to see how well it does once it hits the shelves!

3.5 ⭐️ this was a highly anticipated read and it just did not give me the same feeling I got when I read better than the movies.

This takes place two years after BTTM, where Wes and Liz are broken up. First I will say that I did enjoy the beginning but overtime I just started getting very annoyed. This book is miscommunication haters worst nightmare. Coming from someone who LOVES second chance, I just couldn’t deal with the whiplash Liz was giving me.

I did love that this book was dual pov. There are some emotional moments with grief and felt that story line was great. There were scenes that had me laughing and I did shed some tears. I just didn’t love this as much as I was hoping.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy!