When Wes finally decides to go to the New Year’s Party, the last person he expects to see is Libby. And when she accepts a bet to kiss Wes, the last thing he wants to do is break her heart…again.
Things have changed since we encountered Wes and Libby last, back when the future looked so bright and rosy for a couple in love heading off to college together. Wes is back home, having dropped out of UCLA when his dad suddenly passed away from a heart attack. The couple’s breakup is the central focus of this story. It’s nothing like the movies.

I appreciate the honesty and ragged edges that frame the story. I love that both Wes and Libby have communities that they can lean into (eventually, on Wes’ side) for support. This is a book that takes a mature look at what happens to a relationship when bad things happen, how easy it is to hide behind insecurities and misapprehensions, and the pain and relief you feel when you finally come to your senses.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for access to the ARC. Opinions stated herein are my own, and I don’t receive any kind of compensation for my review.

I am so happy to be back in a world with Liz and Wes. I read Better Than the Movies in January (yes I know I was behind the times!) and fell in love with them, and I was so freaking happy to hear Lynn Painter was writing a follow up to their story. I laughed, I cried (many times), and basically just lived in my feels for a good 24 hours. When I say my heart was aching waiting for them to find their way back to each other! Don't get me wrong, Wes and Liz are both flawed characters, but I really do think that's what makes readers fall in love with them! I loved seeing them two years in the future after several hardships, and the moment when they finally see each other again after a couple of years had me grinning from ear to ear! Their journey is not without bumps (obviously- things are NOT hunky dory when we get back with them), but it feels real and complicated, just like life.

I really enjoyed the side characters in this book. We got glimpses of their old friends from back home in Omaha, but also were introduced to some new college friends and teammates that brought the laughs. And is it just me, or did I detect a couple of potential couples when I was reading?! I mean, there were def two, maybe three twosomes I would definitely be SPRINTING to B&N to grab their books if LP chose to write them!

Ok I'm done rambling now, but please please please read these books- they are perfection!!

This was everything I love about a Lynn Painter romcom! I love her writing in every way - but I think she shines best in the YA world. Add this to the top of your TBR!

Second chance romance for Wes & Liz. Lynn chose violence and broke them up their freshman year of college, but Wes is determined to win this new anti-romance Liz back.

Posted on GR & storygraph 9/26 - posting on IG release week

My favorite thing about these books has always been the mention and quotes of some of my favorite movies and songs. This book was so cute. I will always root for Wes and Lib. Not gonna lie though, I felt the sting when Wes broke Libs heart. The fact that that Lib lost the romantic side of her was so sad because it was such a big part of her in Better Than The Movies. Opposite to the last book, Wes had a lot to work through has he mourned the loss of his Dad. During the time apart Lib did a lot of growing and maturing herself, no more pastel and dresses. I loved theirs friends old and new. Gosh, the banter between the baseball team was great. Overall it was a cute book, I’m glad Lib and Wes finally got their HEA.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc in return for my honest review.

Lynn Painter knocked it out of the park with the baseball second chance YA romance. In full transparency, Better Than the Movies was a little young for me, so I was a little nervous about reading this one. The nerves were immediately put to rest in this one. I loved it from top to bottom and was able to really connect with Wes and Liz. This a must read for anyone one who likes sports romances or second chance romances.

I loved better than the movies so I was excited to read more about Liz and Wes. However,, I think this book just fell a little flat for me. I expected it to be a lot more romance focused and instead it was focused more on their personal journeys. That completely took away from it feeling like a romcom. I think overall, a sequel wasn’t really needed. I’m so sad because I really wanted this one to work for me and I hope other people love it.

Loved following Wes and Liz's love story unfold. Laughed, smiled and read this one in one sitting. Super cute story and definitely a worthy sequel to Better than the Movies!

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to Wes & Liz when they went to college, here it is. Unfortunately for them, their college start wasn’t as smooth as we’d hoped. After some major life experiences and changes, Wes & Liz part ways for some time. Nothing Like The Movies starts where they reunite at UCLA and we get to experience Wes desperately trying to win back Liz.

I think BTTM is the YA gold standard, but this book moves them into their new adult life and it was a sweet and emotional journey.

Favorite parts:
•texting
•their friend group & college found family
•Wes’s sister (I want a spinoff)
•Helena (I was a fan in BTTM too)
•Wes is obsessed - like good-guy-Justin from JFTS obsessed

and the Wes and Liz enemies-to-lovers rom com of our young hearts, get ready for this roller coaster of emotion. We (the @lynnpainterbooks fan club) asked and she delivered on telling us the extended love(ish) story of a post high school Liz and Wes, and this time from Wes’ pov! My heart you guys. I refuse to reveal any huge plot points but once you start and get your heart a little bruised - you won’t stop until you finish this book in one sitting like I did. Second chance romance anyone?

I’m a huge Lynn Painter fan! I’ve read her entire back list! I loved Better Than the Movies, so I was excited to see there was a sequel coming out. This book was a bit different than her typical writing style, but still made me laugh and cry like usual.

Wes and Liz were so sweet together in BTTM! It was a little hard for me to see what they went through transitioning from high school to college, though it did feel very realistic. It brought back memories of my own relationship trials transitioning from high school to college. Those are hard years and Wes had personal trauma to add to it. Wes will always be a favorite character of mine. Liz is a bit annoying and her communication isn’t the best, but they are so cute together! I loved all of their new college friends, especially Clark!

If Lynn Painter writes it, I will read it! I definitely recommend checking this sequel out, but make sure you read Better Than the Movies first! Now I’m going to go rock out to the soundtrack list included in the book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

This was everything I wanted out of this book and more!!! Still to this day <i> Better Than the Movies </i> is one of my favorite books and is cemented as one of my comfort reads, so, I was a little hesitant to see if this sequel lived up to that, and it absolutely did.

<i> For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.

Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. Wes is determined to make her fall back in love with him.

Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.

Still, Wes won’t give up, going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good </i>

I am gonna say trigger warning for this book, there are mentions of grief and death. I feel like this was portrayed realistically and what they had to go through is the reality and norm for a lot of people in their lives after such an event.

If you love the “Guy falls first” trope, you’ll loveeeee this book!! It was a bit of a slow burn but Wes is undoubtedly head over heels in love with Liz and the things he says and thinks about her…their love continues to be inspirational no matter the circumstance they’re in.

It was so fun going from reading about Liz and Wes in High School to them now in College and seeing how much they’ve grown up, which is apparent throughout the book, but also seeing glimpses of the things that made me fall in love with them. I’m also currently in College so reading about my fav characters in the same time of their life as me was so full circle!!

I did think the truth behind some things were a little dragged out and could’ve been revealed earlier, it felt forgotten throughout the book and then like remembered it was a thing and so she dropped it and revealed things at the end. But it overall tied together and it had me hooked to keep going!!

Overall, I think everyone should 100% read this at anytime of the year! I had such a great time reading this, it was so easy to read and all the rom-com-y vibes you could ever want.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for an E-Copy ARC in exchange for my review

Synopsis: In the follow-up to Better Than the Movies, Liz and Wes face a new set of challenges in college.

Thoughts: I don’t have a ton to say about this one without spoiling anything from book one. It was cute, and I still liked both of the main characters - but some of the magic was lost from book one, and I think they may have been better off staying in their high school bubble. If you loved the first book and need a more mature and deep Liz and Wes in your life, definitely go grab this book next week though.

Read this if you like:
🍿 teen romcoms
🍿 second chance romance
🍿 pop culture references
🍿 miscommunication

this was everything I didn’t know I needed in a sequel. I devoured book 1 last year and it felt so comforting to be back with Wes and Liz. Although at times cheesy (which I feel is the point and this books charm) it was so good. Hearing all that Wes went through and his personal journey to get back to Liz just warmed my heart. His relationship with his sister melted my heart and head me tearing up. Liz growing up and making a life for herself at UCLA without Wes was also so fun to see. Her new circle of friends and their dynamic was great.

The ending though. I was tearing up at the ending of this. Such a beautiful perfect ending for little Liz and Wes Bennet 🥲🥲 I just adore them and ate this up. Such a quick cute story.

I liked Better than the Movies but the sequel really knocked that one out of the park! I loved both of the characters and their development as well as the slow burn reconnection.

I'm going to be honest, I was very scared to read this book. Wes and Liz are a top tier couple, so when I found out they were broken up in this book, I was sad and had lower expectations for it. But after finishing Nothing Like the Movies, I can confidently say Lynn Painter has hit it out of the park (no pun intended, ha) once again. Was my heart broken for 90% of the book? Yes. But was it put back together in the last 10%? Absolutely. I found this book to be so beautifully realistic as to what people would actually feel like in real life if they had to go through what Wes and Liz have had to go through. These characters have grown and changed, but who doesn't grow and change after graduating high school and going to college? Especially after grief and heartbreak. I loved getting to see these characters more, I loved their banter, their wit, and all the cutesy moments along the way. I will read anything and everything that Lynn Painter writes.

As a resident Wes and Liz apologist, I was so excited to receive this arc and get thrown back into their story. I love a great second-chance romance, so to see them both rediscover their love for each other was something I ate up immediately. This story grabs you from the beginning and you find yourself falling fast into the story until - wait. It's over? That fast? I just started?

I enjoyed myself immensely while reading this but I felt as though the plot picks up far too fast and the book ends far too quickly. I wanted more, and it felt like that's what kept me from giving the book a full 5 stars. I also then had to consider if I felt even happy with the way Liz and Wes's story played out following Better Than the Movies. It just didn't feel very true to their characters, it had that almost "New Moon" effect where I was irritated by their breakup, and the miscommunication of this book is insane and almost hindered my enjoyment.

So with that I caution, this book is a fun fast read, and if you enjoy messy relationships, you'll love it. If you loved the quaint sweetness of Better Than the Movies, you might want to skip this one. I really appreciated Painter's idea that relationships grow and change, especially between high school sweethearts, but I do wish the characters hadn't lost some of their spark in the process. 3.5/5 Rounded Up to 4.

Gotta love a good second chance romance!
I loved Will’s character development and Lynne Painter sure knows how to write a golden retriever MMC. The addition of the playlists at the end is brilliant. Make sure you read Better Than The Movies before picking this one up!

It breaks my heart knowing that Wes and Liz broke up before their relationship really started. This book takes place 2 years after their break up. Liz has been at UCLA for those 2 years and Wes is finally starting his freshman year. Now they are discovering how much they’ve changed but also that no matter what they still know each deep down. I loved all the little references from book 1 and the fact that we got Wes’s pov. There were so many times I just wanted to go through the pages and give Wes a hug! I also understood why Liz felt the way she did but I just wanted her to forgive Wes. And shout out Clark because he was my favorite side character 🫶🏼


Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to arc read this book!

Gotta love a good second chance romance! Especially when it's Wes feeling all the feels! Loved his story and his character development.
Also obsessing over Wes and Liz's soundtrack at the end of the book. So clever and cute!
Highly recommend reading Better than the Movies before reading Nothing Like the Movies.

Thank you so much to Netgally for providing me with an ARC for Nothing Like The Movies!

I would like to start out by saying that this book was so much fun! To jump back into this amazing world that Lynn Painter has created was so nostalgic. Seeing both Wes and Liz apply different songs to their emotions and life events was absolutely amazing! (Also can we mention Wes literally saying ‘in between’ is their couple anthem! Huge TikTok win lol)

The only small problem that I felt with this book is that it almost felt like a forced sequel. Sometimes a book ends and it does not feel like the story needs to be continued and this is one of those books. Was I glad to see more of these characters? Of course I was! That’s being said I still did not feel like the plot of this book moved forward their story line a ton!

The character of Wes definitely felt like he was a fully developed character with a planned plot and effort put into writing him. Liz however was an incredibly stale and immature version of her previous self. I felt like for every ounce of character progression Wes had Liz had character regression which was disappointing.

Overall I did find this a fun book to read! I found myself giggling and kicking my feet at certain scenes, and even thinking about the book and characters throughout my everyday l would still definitely recommend this book to fans of ‘Better Than the Movies’ but they should keep in mind that it does have an entirely different feel to the story.