Thank you so much, Netgalley, for providing me with this arc!

Sadly, this book fell even flatter than the other Lynn Painter disappointments.. The writing didn't even feel like Painters after a while, I also believe that this was a totally unnecessary sequel to a perfectly good book. I understand being a fan girl and wanting to incorporate your interests into your job, but the amount of Taylor Swift quotes that were thrown in here at rando made me genuinely contemplate DNFing. It was giving me nothing but expecting me to praise it for how much nothing I got.

I think I won't be continuing with any of Lynn Painter's other works because I truly cannot express how much of a let down every single one has been. I wish I understood the hype.

I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to review this book. I was so excited to learn that the story with Liz and Wes was going to continue. I enjoyed this book a lot. However it did not awe me as much as the first one did. I feel like parts of it could have been shortened and Liz aggravated me that it took her for Wes getting hurt to finally realize she wanted to be with him. Not that Wes was perfect by any means but I feel like it took her too long to come around. It was heartbreaking to learn what Wes went through when his dad died. Definitely glad I got to read this though, Lynn always delivers!

I loved the first book in the series, so of course I had to give this one a priority read! I loved how the story unfolded and how Wes and Libby stayed in each others orbit throughout! Cute story, and a good follow up!

I honestly didn’t think I could love this book more than Better Than the Movies, but Lynn Painter proved me wrong. Nothing Like the Movies was everything I wanted and more.

Liz’s character shift was so realistic. After her heartbreak, it makes sense that she’d be more guarded and cynical about love. Some might not like how much she’s changed, but I actually appreciated how human and real it felt. It made me root for her even more.

Then there’s Wes—Wes Bennett—he stole my heart all over again. He’s been through a lot, but he doesn’t give up, especially when it comes to Liz. His persistence, humor, and how deeply he cares about her just melted me. I loved getting more of his perspective and seeing him fight for their second chance.

The slow burn in this book is everything. The tension between Liz and Wes was palpable, and I loved the way their relationship built up slowly through stolen glances and heartfelt moments. The new friend group added such a fun dynamic, and I’m still obsessed with all the music and pop culture references (Taylor Swift? The Greatest Showman? YES, PLEASE).

Of course, it wasn’t perfect—Liz’s occasional behavior felt a bit off, and Wes’s thoughts sometimes leaned more physical than I expected, but those were small things in an otherwise beautiful, emotional journey.

This book is real. The characters stumble, they hurt each other, but they also grow and learn. It felt so true to life, and that’s why I loved it. I’m so glad I took the journey with Liz and Wes again. Lynn Painter truly nailed this one.

Highly recommend if you love second-chance romances with depth, heart, and all the feels. I’m already sad it’s over!

Nothing Like the Movies is a much more serious story (definitely not a rom-com) compared to its predecessor. As much as I love Wes and Liz, the protagonists, I didn’t feel this sequel was truly necessary. With its unnecessary conflicts and a few cringey one-liners, I kind of wish I had left this one on the shelf.

I loved this book! Wes and Liz were high school sweethearts whose relationship ended abruptly after tragedy struck Wes's life. Two years later they're reuniting and Wes is determined to fix what happened between them. Getting to revisit Wes & Liz after all this time felt like coming home! Although it broke my heart to soo Liz lose her rosy outlook on love, it was all worth it watching her soften back up when Wes comes back into her life. The growth they both experienced in this book was so lovely, and I thought the book was absolutely wonderful.

I love Lynn Painter so much and as far as I can say, she can do no wrong. I loved this second book in the series. It was SO cute.

A forgettable sequel to the bestselling romance.

Wes and Liz are back in Painter's sequel to her hit Better Than the Movies, but this time they're in college, reaching for new dreams beyond high school. While Liz works her way up the industry ladder by interning for a big time sports producer, Wes is trying to make a comeback on the baseball field after dropping out of UCLA after the passing of his father. Him and Liz aren't together anymore, so it's Wes' mission to win her back no matter what.

While the author had the opportunity to explore deeper themes than the first novel like grief, PTSD, and mental health, the story fails to deliver anything satisfying, focusing more on the second go 'round of the original romance. Despite some promising scenes from Wes' point of view as he carries guilt over his relationship with his late father, most of this plotline is dropped halfway through the story in favor of exploring his cheesy romantic pursuits of Liz instead. Fans of the original book may still swoon over the couple's passionate moments and eventual happy ending, but the story feels somewhat unnecessary, and at its worst, a troubling depiction of managing mental health for young people.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for this ARC.

I really loved Better Than the Movies and I enjoyed revisiting these characters and seeing them at college. This was a much more serious book with more adult themes, which were handled well. There is a side storyline about a documentary filmmaker that served mostly as a plot device that is never really resolved, but otherwise this was a good read, though something of a letdown after the first book.

Love love love Lynn Painter titles. This is a great example of a middle grade novel. It hits the sweet spot of middle school. It is mature enough to not be babyish, but not so mature that families would feel uncomfortable.

So utterly adorable. Obsessed with Wes and Liz. I had a ridiculous smile pestered on my face every time they would interact. This one was just as cute as the first!

Was this book necessary after the perfection of Better Than The Movies? Probably not. Did it still have me giggling and kicking my feet? Pretty much the whole time yeah!

I feel like the pacing of finding out what happened in the past to make Wes and Liz break up was really nice. It wasn’t given immediately off the bat, but we also had some build up before we really found out the start of what was going on. Watching them reconnect was so sweet and I love them. That’s all.

So good! Loved hearing all of the backstory on the characters (especially our male main character). Didn't think it could be better than book one (it wasn't, but it was a close second). Great job making me fall in love with both characters all over again.

This book was a cute romcom it was lighthearted and I really enjoyed it. The whole time I'm just rooting for the boy to get the girl back. I'm not usually one for time jumps but I think this story played out very well as a sequel. Lynn Painter does a very good job at filling in the gaps throughout the story and not just dumping it on us or leave it out completely. I would definitely recommend this book and the first one to someone looking to read a cute romance.

I did not enjoy this one as much as the first. While it was fun to see how the character's stories continued, it felt like a long and painful process of watching it play out. I do appreciate the honest representation of really hard things that DO impact relationships and processing. My heart ached for the characters which made it poignant, but hard to read at times.

As someone who isn’t usually drawn to romance novels, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed *Nothing Like the Movies*. Lynn Painter has this incredible ability to make her stories feel relatable and real, even to readers like me who don’t typically gravitate toward love stories. Her writing style is so easygoing and fresh that it feels like a conversation with a friend rather than reading a book.

One of the standout things about this book is how Painter captures life's awkward, messy, and often hilarious moments. The characters are charmingly imperfect, and the dialogue is genuinely funny without feeling forced. There's a warmth to the storytelling that kept me engaged, even if the plot leaned into classic rom-com tropes.

Overall, if you’re looking for a light, feel-good read with genuine laughs and heart, this book is a solid choice. It might not surpass the first installment, but Lynn Painter’s talent for blending humor and romance makes it worth picking up—especially if you need a break from heavier reads.

I read this book to get more of Liz and Wes from Painter's Better Than the Movies because I loved that book for myself and my YA crowd. This book was quite the ride as we find out that Wes has broken up with Izzy and left school after his father's death for reasons that take a while to get around to. When Wes returns to school, he's determined to get Izzy back, though she's found her niche with new friends, especially her producing partner and roommate, and is still feeling burned. The book is at times sad and frustrating, but overall hopeful. I have recommended both books to patrons young and old. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Young Readers and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 stars! I was so happy to revisit our main characters from Just Like the Movies. I enjoyed seeing their growth and how they had changed over the intervening years in the narrative. My students and I loved the first book and I will definitely recommend that they pick up the 2nd one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I loved Better Than the Movies so much so I was definitely looking forward to this book! And it did not disappoint. I loved being able to read about Liz and Wes again <3. The banter between them was everything and more. The flirting, the angst, the pining. It was all done so well. I didn't love the break up between Liz and Wes. It felt a little forced and didn't really feel like something Wes would do after bttm but I understand it was necessary for this book to happen. And it definitely paved the way for some groveling from Wes. Overall, it was nice to read about these characters again in an older, more mature way and their story was just as enjoyable as it was the first time around.

The story picks up in college, months after Wes broke Liz’s heart right before they were supposed to start their new chapter together. Now, he’s determined to win her back, using every over-the-top rom-com move in the book. But Liz? She’s done. Or at least, she wants to be.

Here’s the thing: I totally get that Wes and Liz are older, that tragedy and time have changed them, but it almost felt like I was reading about completely different people. The lighthearted, swoony magic from the first book is replaced with miscommunication, angst, and frustration. Instead of fun banter, we get a lot of misery, and while I love a well-done second-chance romance, I wish there had been more growth and emotional depth to balance it out.

That said, Lynn Painter’s writing is as engaging as ever. The pacing kept me hooked, and even though I struggled with the character dynamics, I still wanted to see how things played out. If you go into this expecting a more mature, emotionally heavier continuation of Liz and Wes’s story, you might enjoy it more than I did. But if you’re hoping for the same feel-good, rom-com magic as Better Than the Movies, this might not quite hit the mark.