So often the sequels cannot hold a flame to the original but in this case, I loved the sequel just as much if not more. Wes and Liz are two of my favorite characters with their witty banter and love for lyrics. While most of it is a love story, other themes include troubled family dynamics, fake relationships, and navigating new friendships. Make sure to read ‘Better than the Movies’ first but then grab this one for a sweet, fun ride.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lynn Painter and Simon & Schuster for giving me the privilege to read this novel. It is one that I will be recommending again and again as this series has quickly become one of my top YA Romance reads.

I was so sad and confused when I found out at the beginning of this book that Wes and Liz had broken up soon after the events of Better Than the Movies. The way Wes let Liz go and went incommunicado didn't make sense to me since they seemed to be close enough to talk through their feelings. What do you (Lynn Painter) mean that Wes just shut down and shut Liz out, causing them to break up? So much of the tension in this book could have been prevented if Wes just tried to have an honest conversation with Liz about what went wrong with him, because he tried to win her back without talking through those issues, leaving her feeling very confused about his wishy-washiness. Ultimately, I still enjoyed seeing Wes work hard to get back into Liz's good graces, and this was a cute and happy story. You need to have a high corniness tolerance to deal with some of the writing in this book, like the characters calling each other by their last names, constantly thinking about how hot the other one is, and making references to pop culture. Overall, very enjoyable and I am a fan of Lynn Painter's banter-y voice!

As an avid fan of Lynn Painter's writing, having devoured her complete works and regarding her as a must-read author, I was surprised to find Nothing Like the Movies somewhat disappointing. The dialogue sometimes came across as excessively immature, granted the Young Adult genre and teenage characters. Moreover, the book's pacing felt drawn out. Although it didn't rank among my favorites, I valued the reading experience and eagerly anticipate Painter's future publications.

I love Lynn Painter and this one doesn't disappoint! Nothing Like the Movies took me back to my college years. I loved Liz and Wes' second chance romance and revisiting characters from Better than the Movies.


Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed Better Than the Movies so much , that I immediately knew I had to read the sequel. This duology is a love letter to the romance movies we all grew up watching, fit into a sweet, funny, and heartbreaking novel. Great pick for teen readers.

Prepare to be swept off your feet by Nothing Like The Movies by Lynn Painter—a dazzling, heartfelt journey that will have you reminiscing about your own college days and the complexities of young love! This enchanting story follows the magnetic connection between Wes and Liz, two characters who will steal your heart and make you root for them every step of the way.

As they navigate the challenges of long-distance romance, you'll be captivated by their struggles and triumphs. Liz's transformation from a girl searching for her perfect "meet cute" to a strong, self-assured woman is not just remarkable—it's downright inspiring. Her character development is a masterclass in growth, and you will find yourself cheering her on as she discovers her true self amidst the chaos of love.

But it’s not just Liz and Wes who shine in this narrative; the vibrant supporting cast of characters enriches Liz's life in ways that will resonate with you long after you turn the last page. Each character adds depth, warmth, and a sprinkle of humor, making this a richly woven tapestry of friendship and romance.

With its witty dialogue, relatable themes, and the kind of unforgettable chemistry that leaps off the page, Nothing Like The Movies is a story that demands to be experienced. It’s a celebration of love, self-discovery, and the magic that happens when you embrace life’s unpredictability.

Don’t just take my word for it—this book is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of love and the beauty of finding oneself. And seriously, can we get a movie adaptation? Because I need more Wes and Liz in my life! Grab your copy OCTOBER 1st, and prepare for a journey that will leave you laughing, crying, and utterly enchanted!

I ate up the first 100 pages of this book - the drama! The rest of the book was a bit slower for me. This book concentrated a lot more on sports, it was more centric around baseball.

I loved the continuation of Wes and Liz’s love story. It felt like real life and relatable, when life kicks you down and you come back stronger. I also liked the collage aspect of their lives verses the first one when they were in high school.

Overall, a great fall read!

*ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and truthful review.

I love a good second-chance romance and this book is just such a good example of it. Especially for two people who have known each other for so much of their lives and then falling in love and having to reconcile the changes? Just absolutely chef's kiss for me. Especially from someone that loved the first book so much.

Just Like the Movies
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lynn Painter

How could this possibly be my first Lynn Painter book? It certainly won’t be my last that’s for sure. This books with its references to movies and music all had me invested in the story even more.

This book has Wes and Liz (or Lib) who were childhood friends turned sweethearts but after Wes’ father passed away, Wes had to take on the responsibilities of home and had to leave UCLA and his baseball career and sadly, decided to leave Lib also as he didn’t want her to lose herself while he spiraled down this path.

Fast forward two years and Wes comes back to his baseball career as a freshman at UCLA again and Lib after seeing him is determined not to give him the time of day. But, with so many obstacles but also reminders how long can Lib steer clear of Wes.

This movies was truly a slow burn and there were times when I was just like alright already let’s get on with it. But the slow burn made the rest of the journey that much more enjoyable.

I loved the references as I mentioned to movies and music which made the storyline that much more interesting as well as the group of characters that were Wes’ teammates and friends and Liz’ tribe. While this was a sweet, clean romance the way the feelings of love, grief, longing were all so clearly portrayed in Lynn’s words. I could almost picture the story playing out right in front of me.

This won’t be my last Lynn Painter book that is for sure. I’ll be reading her backlist and anxiously waiting for her next book!

This is one of those sequels that was just as good as the first book. The story picks up a few months after Liz and Wes go off to UCLA together. There was a tragedy in Wes' life and he is left to deal with the mess, which unfortunately causes him to loose Liz in the process. But now that he is back at UCLA, he is determined to get Liz back, except she's not the same Liz he once knew.

The story between Wes and Liz is a rollercoaster of emotions in the best way. It had Lynn Painter's usual rom-com aspect while also having that serious/more emotional element to it. The book made me feel like I was back in college. I believe Lynn Painter really captured what it is like to be a freshman/sophomore figuring out what you want out of life while also dealing with your own personal challenges. I also loved that it was dual POV because I got to understand Wes even more than in the first book.

Overall, I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you're looking for a fun but also emotional read, pick this one up! Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital ARC.

4.25 ✨

“I exist to exist alongside you.”

Okay, okay.

I LOVE me some Wes Bennet. 🥹🫶🏻

I am not here to tell you this was a perfect book. This was so messy. It was frustrating. There was so much miscommunication. There was an (annoyingly) excessive amount of cussing in it.
Like WHHYYY are we putting the “f-word” in almost every page? Yuck. And this is classified as YA!?
Yes.
I felt all the things. BUT.

Wes and Liz truly seem like real people to me at this point. I adored watching them grow up in Better than the Movies, but this? This was a whole new perspective. They’re in college now, and you’re getting a heavier, more rugged scene.

They have both seen and been through a lot of things that just made them both, simply, bitter.
I could feel their chemistry and tension from page 1, and I continued to root for them despite all odds.

I will die on the hill that this was a beautiful story. An extremely messy story. But, such a good one. 😭🥺

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Publishing for sending this my way. 🧡

Easiest five stars ever. I cried and laughed so many times throughout this book, it was so heartwarming seeing both Liz and Wes rekindling their relationship. I felt so many different emotions while reading this and I won’t go into specifics because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I am so grateful to read Lynn’s words. Her stories are so magical and sweet and the right amount of serious and relatable.
I truly see myself in all of her characters, but especially Wes and Liz.
Sequels aren’t always a smart idea, but Lynn Painter knocked it out of the park! I had no doubts that I would adore this book, but looking back, I had no idea how much it would mean to me.
Sometimes you just need a cheesy and relatable YA book and sometimes that YA book becomes your favorite story to come back to. And sometimes, dear reader, the author continues their story in a way that is so perfect — it’s better than the movies.

this was a hell of an emotional rollercoaster oh my goodness, i went straight into this after finishing BTTM and it did not disappoint 🤭

i went into this a little scared knowing that liz and wes had broken up but man did lynn do a wonderful job at showing their growth and the slow burn of them falling back into one another 🥹

wes bennett the man/book bf that you are my goodness 😭

✨The Highlights✨

- Second Chance Romance

- College Shenanigans

- Baseball Vibes (Wes in action? Yes, please.)

- Witty banter

- A rom-com love letter (Cue the big gestures!)

📖 Dual POV



✨The Feels✨

Wes Bennett. What more can I say? This man has me absolutely melting—sexy, sweet, and dead set on winning Liz back with the grandest of rom-com-worthy gestures. And believe me, he goes ALL OUT. Saying I’m obsessed with these characters would be an understatement. ‘Better Than the Movies’ is hands down one of my favorite YA romances, and my hopes for the sequel were through the roof. But damn, did Lynn Painter deliver! This book has everything: sharp banter, laugh-out-loud mishaps (poor Wes), heart-wrenching moments, swoon-worthy declarations of love, and all the butterflies and tension I could hope for. Honestly, Wes and Liz own my heart. I need this series on screen ASAP. I’m begging!



✨The Spoiler-Free Details✨

It’s been two years since Wes and Liz broke up, and now we’re thrown into the chaos of them both at UCLA. Liz is trying to move on, but Wes just can’t let her go. *Butterflies, swoons, and major heart-tugging moments ahead*.

*Review to be posted to instagram shortly*

I’ve been waiting and waiting for this story and was happy when I received approval for this story on NetGalley!

(Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster publishing, and Lynn Painter for an advanced reader copy of this book!)

I SWOONED over BTTM and it’s still my favorite of the two but I really enjoyed this one as well.

If you were a huge fan of BTTM this one will take you on a roller coaster of emotions. I found myself not wanting to stop reading the book because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

Things I loved about the book:
- seeing the growth of the characters
- dual pov
- loved the baseball aspect of the book

There are things that I wished were more fleshed out but I chalked those criticisms up to them being 20 and
reading through the lens of them being 20 felt very reasonable for the way they were handling their emotions, but I wanted more! Though I was happy with the way they communicated with each other and how those scenes panned out. I would have liked to see more of how Wes was mentally and emotionally healthy to come back cause that boy went through it!

Overall the pining, the angst, and romantic gestures were still so precious and cute, and maybe I’m biased but I will literally read anything Lynn Painter writes, especially about these two!

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC. I read the first book, “better than the movies” and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book takes place after Wes and Liz start going to college and Wes’s father passes away. West decides to break up with Liz and then later on he decides he wants to win her back. Liz pretends to fake date and will stop at nothing to get her back. I enjoyed the second chance, romance, trope, the slowburn romance and the fake dating. I really enjoyed the side characters. I thought they were fun and they gave a lot to the story. I think that the characters Liz and Wes were better developed in the first book and I thought Liz’s character wasn’t as authentic as she was in the first. I think that it shows how people deal with grief and love and relationships and having to grow up. I will definitely continue to read more from this author.

Fake Dating
Miscommunication
Second Chance Romance

I devoured this! So cute. Was definitely ready for more Liz and Wes!

Parts of this book made me smile, parts of it made me emotional, and parts of it annoyed me. While the characters to their core are the same, they changed quite a bit from the first book. I went in thinking it would be a romcom and it had the rom but not the com.

Lynn Painter writes another book perfect for the YA audience and I cannot wait to add this one to my 8th grade class library! I enjoy these books just as much as my students and love being able to talk about them after.

As someone that loved Liz and Wes in Better than the Movies, I was super excited to learn that we were getting more in this sequel.

It comes at a price though because this is a second chance romance that has Wes trying to win back Liz.

We get to see Wes and how he deals with grief. We meet new characters that are funny and just really enjoyable to read and of course, some really great banter.

What I didn’t enjoy is that this did not feel the same as BTTM- it just didn’t have the same chemistry between our main characters. We had some good moments but they came too late in the book and something that was really missing was Liz. She isn’t the hopeless romantic we loved in book 1 and I felt that loss while reading.

Overall this was a cute book with some really sweet moments and fun banter.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this eArc!