Books with music are always tricky; the author always seems to choose songs from their own teenaged days instead of current teen bops. This author chose a great mix of popular new songs that modern readers will actually know; not sure how long that modernity will last though. I've definitely seem romcom books about girls obsessed with romcoms before; they tend to be too specific with their references so you can't enjoy the plot of the book unless you also are obsessed with romcoms. This book uses epigraphs to keep the romcom reference consistent throughout the book without them having too much sway over the ability to understand the plot.

I’m a slow reader when it’s not an audiobook, but I flew through YA romcom Better Than the Movies.

Liz is a dreamy lover of romcoms still processing the loss of her mom at an early age. She believes in soulmates and finding her Mr. Darcy or Harry Burns or Joe Fox or (insert any romcom lead here). When childhood crush, Michael comes back to town just before prom, Liz thinks it’s fate. She asks her cute next door enemy Wes to help her get closer to Michael and offers to give him the parking spot in front of their house that they’ve been warring over if he agrees. Wes suggests a fake-dating adjacent arrangement in exchange for forever access to the parking spot. He’ll talk her up to Michael, tell Michael he’s into her to explain why she’s tagging along everywhere, and she can work her magic. I think every reader of romcoms knows exactly how this one is going to end, but the ride was super fun.

Things I loved. Wes. He’s book boyfriend material even though as an adult I shouldn’t be saying that. He goes all in on the plan, including a make over that cracked me up. The movie references were fun and I loved the build up of the relationship. I also thought the fake dating trope made more sense than it does a lot of times in books. I was sold on their plan and why it seemed like a good—scratch that—reasonable—scratch that too—plausible idea. There’s a wonderful scene in a vehicle in the rain that is super swoony.

There were moments when Liz bugged me. She told lies that didn’t seem necessary and generally felt a little clueless. But a certain amount of cluelessness is probably required in any romance. That said, there were a lot of things about her I loved—her unique style, her love of books, her career aspirations—and her dialogue with the love interest was really fun. For me, there was a little too much focus on her mom, but I think another reader would actually love that aspect.

I would recommend this to any lover of YA romcoms. It was a sweet fun book and I didn’t want it to end.
Thank you to @netgally, @simonteen, and @LynnPainterKirkle for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. Pick this one up when it comes out May 4!

Not one for romance but high school romance novels are a weak spot for me. Even though I knew how this was going to turn out it was still an incredibly cute read & definitely had me rooting for the two to get together from the start. I also enjoyed the character growth with her stepmom & realizing it won’t make her mother (who passed away) disappear from her memories.
This is definitely a must read, it’s romance with a mix of family & friendship that anyone can relate to!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book!

5 darling + swoonworthy + witty stars to this fresh and fun debut YA novel by Lynn Painter. Fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before will be absolutely charmed by this sweet love story about love stories. Liz is in her senior year of high school, she's a true romantic. Her love of all things romance was instilled in her by her late mother. She has crush on Michael, her childhood friend who recently moved back into the neighborhood, except he can't seem to see her as anyone but a friend. Liz comes up with a true rom com scheme to win his affection- by pretending to date Wes, her annoyingly cute next door neighbor. Except the more time Wes and Liz spend together...the more Liz develops feelings for him. Liz will have to figure out if her own IRL romance looks like the romance movies she loves...or if it could be better than the movies.

This book was DARLING- full of sweet endearing characters, lots of witty and smart banter, and poignant bittersweet reflections on the themes of blended families, growing up and grief. I thoroughly enjoyed all the romance music, movie and book references and was captivated by how the author explored the tropes of rom coms in general. Highly recommend for a quick, cute, uplifting read!

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster well as Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub day is May 4th!

The book is utterly predictable, just like it sets out to be. It was cute and sweet, and made me remember what it felt like to be a high schooler. Perfect YA romcom!

THIS BOOK!!! It gave me ALL THE FEELS!

I absolutely fell in #love with Liz and Wes! 1. Liz is a #redhead
2. She is obsessed with #romcoms , me too girl!
3. Wes is the boy next door who infuriatingly messes with her on a daily basis.
4. She is in love with the boy who moved away, Michael, who has now shown back up a month before senior prom.

As another lover of #yaromcom , Liz- you understand me. And I understand you.

This will be a good one to look out for!!

Inspired by her late mother’s love for romcoms, Liz attempts to make her entire life one. She has cute vintage dresses, a cat named Mr. Fitzpervert, and is always curating the perfect movie soundtrack for every moment of her life. What’s missing? Mr. Right, of course.

When Michael, her childhood crush, returns to town, Liz knows he is the one. With no way of getting him to notice her, she enlists Wes, her next-door neighbor and parking spot thief, to help her out. For the first time, however, Liz is starting to see Wes as not the “bad boy” that she could never be interested in—he’s funny, kind, and seems to actually understand her. Can their story turn from enemies to lovers?

This is a very cute YA romance. It’s light, fast, and definitely a page-turner. The characters feel fresh and pretty realistic for teenagers, and it follows the typical YA romance structure. You know where it’s going, but I have no complaints about that! Romcom lovers will love seeing the many references and quotes along the way, and I loved having actual songs listed throughout.

There isn’t anything mind-blowing with this story, so don’t expect that. It does read like the many other YA books out there, which is why I’m giving it a solid 4 stars and not higher. I would have liked to see any kind of representation—it’s pretty much 100% white well-adjusted characters. I look forward to seeing more from Lynn Painter in the future!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to the publisher for this arc!

4.5 Stars

Liz has pretty much accepted that the meet-cute and HEA of her rom-com dreams just aren't going to happen in high school. She'll go to prom with her best friend, Joss, and hope that she finds the perfect love story when she gets to college. But then her childhood crush, Michael, moves back to town, and Liz decides on one last-ditch effort to get the guy. She can't do it alone, however, so she enlists the help of her next-door neighbor and sometimes nemesis, Wes. He'll talk her up to Michael, help her orchestrate run-ins and hangouts, and even give her fashion tips. In exchange, if Michael ends up asking Liz to prom, Wes gets the parking spot they've been fighting over all year. But the more time she spends with Wes, the less Liz actually thinks about Michael. It turns out that verbally sparring with Wes is actually more fun than annoying, and he's the only one she can actually just be herself with. What if the perfect guy has been right next door all along?

This book was so delightful. Enchanting, to use the word Liz ascribes to her mom --and that Kathleen Kelly used for hers in You've Got Mail. I loved every second of it. Basically, if you're a fan of romantic comedies and have seen almost all of them (like I have), this is the book for you. A lot of them are referenced throughout and somehow Painter managed to use just the right ones at various moments. This makes the story feel a little familiar, but not like they're being ripped off at all. Think of how many times you've seen 16 Candles, She's All That or Notting Hill, and that comfort of knowing that it's all going to work out ok even as you watch the characters go through the ups and downs of actually making it to that happy ending. This is that feeling in book form. You know from the beginning Liz belongs with Wes. But it was a heck of a lot of fun going along as SHE finally figures it out.

There's banter, there's teasing, there's sarcasm, and there are inside jokes. Liz and Wes give each other a lot of crap, and it's so much fun. But there are also more serious moments here and there, as Liz processes her grief over her mother's death and fights letting her stepmother (Helena, who might just win the book for being so awesome) get too close. The writing is pitch-perfect and relatable, and there are swoony bits that just seem like they NEED to be on a screen at some point. A CW show, a movie starring teens I've never heard of, I don't even care. It's funny, it's charming, it's HAPPY, and good grief, don't we all need that in our lives right now?

I rarely give ratings higher than 4 stars to books that don't hit me with a deep meaning or important message...but I kind of decided that this one does have that, just not one that gets enough credit. This is a book that puts a smile on your face, to the point where you immediately want to go back and read it again just to get another shot of that sunshine in your life. It's not going to change the world, maybe, and it probably isn't going to teach you something you don't already know. But man, it is ENCHANTING, and there's a lot to be said for that.

**Thank you for NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!**

Truth be told... I am a sucker for a classic rom com. Other than the occasional slasher thriller, or Star Wars, they’re about the only movies I will watch. Which is why I was super excited to read this book. It was a quick read, perfect for spring break, that I know any YA fan or high schooler will love. I know my high school self would have swooned over the whole thing, and I can see this becoming a Netflix film in a few years. It was a bit predictable and contained some of my favorite themes in YA- enemies to lovers, boy next door, makeover to get the guy but the guy who makes you over is really the guy- but for a high schooler or teen who is new to exploring the genre it’s a good one. I also enjoyed the sub plot with her growing closer to her step mom. Thanks NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Better Than the Movies was a fun and emotional look at teenage crushes and finding yourself. Liz's old crush has returned to town and she's determined to snag him with the help of longtime annoying neighbor Wes. While it's obvious where things are going the journey is beyond wonderful.

There are plenty of laughs, but BTtM is more than just a rom-com. Liz is going through her senior year without her mom (she passed away). She's really struggling to have these major milestones without her. I thought Painter did a wonderful job with this part of the story, showing that Liz is still grieving and working through things, and how Wes helps her along the way.

Liz and Wes are super cute together, especially when they are "fighting". Lots of good banter and laughs between them, they're impossible not to like.

Highly recommend for anyone who loves a fun rom-com!

This was such a cute book! I felt like I was in fangirl heaven the whole time. The whole story was adorable and entertaining and I had a blast reading it.
Liz Buxbaum is a high school senior who loves imagining her life playing out like a movie. She inherited her love of rom-coms and movie soundtracks from her late mother, who had her watching all the classics from a young age. So when Liz’s childhood crush returns to town, she is desperate to get him to notice her and hopefully score him as a prom date in the only way she knows how. She sets up an elaborate scheme with the assistance of her next door nemesis, Wes, to help her get Michael’s attention. They go through a series of movie rom-com-esque incidents that definitely grab Michael’s attention, but by prom Liz isn’t so sure which guy’s attention she’s trying to get anymore and she’s feeling more lost than ever without her mom.
Better Than the Movies was honestly so relatable just based on its content alone. There were sooo many references to things that I know and love from Taylor Swift to the hot tub scene in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie to Brigerton to all of the classic rom-coms. There was also a lot of discussion around tropes and those typical rom-com themes and it was refreshing to see them actually talked about in a book that was using a lot of those devices itself.
As far as tropes go, this had a mix of enemies to lovers with a little bit of fake dating going on which are my two favorite tropes of all time. I liked seeing them combined and they were used in a way that totally made sense with the characters’ backstories.
There were definitely predictable parts but it was still so fun and entertaining. The characters were funny and the romance was swoony. There were a lot of touching moments as well, with a lot of talk about grief and opening yourself up to new people and experiences while still holding on to old memories.
This was such a well-written story with characters you can’t help but fall for right from the beginning!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Your regular rom-com of girl seeking to get the glamorous guy while missing the next door boy who has loved her all the time for who she is, not what she could be. Throw in a lot of movie and music trivia and it's a good story. Teen girls will feel right at home with all the trouble with the relationships. Senior year is always the best, right?

I gave this book to my 14 year old daughter & she gave it two thumbs up. Will look for more by this author .

A cute rom com, coming of age novel. Perfect for YA category (and older readers, too!) The references to popular rom-coms was a fun addition. If you're a fan of this genre then this book is for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In Better than the Movies, Liz Buxbaum’s senior year is not going quite like she thought it might. She knows that she promised her best friend, Joss, that she would go to Senior Prom with the group, but she had secretly been hoping to have a date. On top of not having a date, she is struggling with her grief over her mom not being at all of the Senior events that a mom should be at. She knows that it has been years since her mother passed away, but the milestones are bringing her grief back front and center.
Enter, Michael, then boy she had a crush on all through childhood (and who her mother had also thought was a nice young man) who has recently moved back to town. Liz is desperate to get Michael to ask her to Prom, but the only problem is she doesn’t seem to move in the same circles as him. Willing to try anything, Liz approaches her next door neighbor, and parking spot nemesis, Wes to strike a bargain to get him to help her out. Problem is, the more Wes helps her, the more she wonders if Michael is really the true love she always dreamed he would be.
Because of the heavier language ,teen drinking, and teen smoking, I won’t be able to add this one to my middle school collection. However, I did like the author’s approach to dealing with grief and tackling the topic that even though it may be years since someone has died grief can be just as real and hard to deal with especially when facing events that the loved one would have been involved in.

If you love rom-coms, read this. READ. IT.

All the references to rom-coms and the quotes from them on each chapter, the fact that Liz works at a bookstore, the male protagonists, just all of it!

What Liz thinks she wants, and what actually makes her happy are two different things. Her struggle to figure that out and also to decide if she should change (her style, etc) or remain true to herself and embrace the "weirdness" made this story very relatable for me and I loved it.

10/10 will read again!

I read this in a day - it was adorable, fun, and sent great homages to the romantic comedy classes. I felt like the voices - especially Wes was honest and real. I enjoyed the overall "DUFF" (the movie not the book) feel and how it dealt with grief and moving on. All around a wonderful read.

I adored this swoon-tastic enemies to lovers and neighbors young adult romance. It had romantic comedy movie references and soundtracks sprinkled throughout and Wes is just fabulous.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an advanced copy of this book.

“Better Than the Movies” follows Liz Buxbaum, a girl who inherited a deep love of rom coms from her mother, who died when she was ten. When her childhood crush moves back to town, she sees it as her opportunity to finally have a love story like the ones she obsesses over, as well as score a prom date. In order to get his attention, she enlists the help of her next door neighbor and enemy, Wes.

Liz and Wes have known each other since they were little, but they’ve never gotten along. They’re always pulling pranks on each other and are currently engaging in a war over the parking spot in front of their houses.

I loved watching the relationship develop between Liz and Wes. They formed such a fun friendship that led to the sweetest romance and you could really see how much Wes cared about her.

Liz was such an excellent main character. She had such a clear voice and her interests truly seeped through the pages. I loved the descriptions of her outfits, and the scene where Wes takes her shopping was so adorable.

There were so many references in this book that I absolutely loved. All the quotes from iconic romcoms made we want to go watch all of them. Liz also loves creating soundtracks, and there were many modern songs featured in the book. There were also references to Hamilton, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and Bridgerton (I screamed when I read that).

If you like romcoms, enemies to lovers, and fake dating, then you should definitely check out this book.

Such a cute, swoon-worthy read! I loved all of the rom-com references (especially the quotes at the beginning of each chapter; I thought those were very fitting), and I fell for all of the characters. This book reminds me of Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon and The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, both of which I really liked, so of course, I loved this book from the first page.

Better Than the Movies follows Liz, who tries to get with her childhood crush, Michael, after he moves back into town. However, the only way she can think of to get Michael to notice her is to work with Wes, the annoying boy next door. But, the more time she spends with Wes, the more Liz realizes he's not the obnoxious neighbor she thought he was.

This book has an enemies to allies to lovers romance, fake dating, the boy-next-door trope, and a little bit of a love square. I was smiling the entire time while I was reading, and I think I fell a little bit (or a lot) in love with Wes. He's your classic sarcastic, slightly dark and brooding love interest who's also thoughtful, understanding, and loyal. He's so unbelievably romantic it kind of hurts. And yes, I adore him just like I adore McNair from Today Tonight Tomorrow. Currently wishing for one of my own.

I really liked Liz as a narrator because although she has that "not like other girls" quality about her, she learns to embrace her teenage years by the end of the novel and I found her very relatable. She reminds me of a combination of Rowan from Today Tonight Tomorrow and Lara Jean from To All the Boys I Loved Before, who are two of my favorite main characters. I think Liz and I deal with our emotions in a similar way, and I found it interesting to see her development, specifically regarding her grief and how that affected her relationships with the people around her. I also really enjoyed seeing her realize that even if someone is perfect on paper, they might not be right for you.

My only criticism would be that it is reminiscent of other YA contemporaries and thus kind of predictable, but I didn't mind it that much because I still connected to the characters and was engaged throughout the story. Overall, I definitely recommend Better Than the Movies!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.