I was lucky enough to read this book as an ARC with thanks to Simon and Schuster and Lynn Painter

This book is written as a dual POV and follows Wes and Liz as they embark on their second chance at romance together

I really enjoyed the setting of this novel being on a college campus and loved seeing the contrast of Liz's well settled college life compared to Wes' life as he began (well recommenced) his college journey. I loved where Liz was at in her life and thought the addition of Lillith was amazing as it brought themes of career planning and progression to the story.

I thought the themes of trauma and healing were really well handled and explained. I enjoyed hearing about both Wes' ups and downs of grieving for his father and how he overcame his demons (well his father's voice in his head) as the story progressed.

The first 50% of this book was a lot slower than the second half and honestly my rating improved SOOOOO much towards the end of the book because OMG it was good! Whilst slower at the start I think this was really important for context and character building and enabled a faster paced second half of the book.

Overall a great read! Definitely get your hands on this one!

✨ ARC REVIEW - Nothing Like The Movies - @lynnpainterbooks ✨

Release date - October 2nd
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What to expect
⚾️ second chance romance
🎧 humour and banter
⚾️ fake relationship
🎧 taylor swift references
⚾️dual pov
🎧lovers to strangers, to friends to lovers

Having fallen in love with “Better than the Movies” last year, it instantly became one of my favorite books. Naturally, when “Nothing Like the Movies” was announced, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness about revisiting Wes and Liz’s world. I feared their story might change and disrupt the perfection it already held. But Lynn Painter delivered the perfect rom-com sequel.

“Nothing Like the Movies” picks up with Wes and Liz navigating life after breaking up following Wes’ unexpected loss of his father. Lynn Painter flawlessly continues their journey, seamlessly drawing readers back into the world she masterfully created. The banter remains as sharp as ever, and while the characters have evolved, their core essence remains unchanged. The novel is adorned with delightful movie quotes and music references, and I found myself wholeheartedly rooting for Wes and Liz to find their way back to each other.

If you adore rom-coms, these books are an absolute must-read. Lynn Painter excels at whisking readers away into the perfect rom-com movie experience through her writing.

I’m incredibly grateful to have had the chance to read this early, and without spoiling too much for those eagerly awaiting it, I can confidently say you won’t be disappointed. 💜💛🩵