Oh I just adore the chapter titles and the movie quotes from my favorite rom coms! What a great way to tie in the title. And I’m so invested in the plot! The romance build up/ tension between Wes and Liz is PERFECT. The flashbacks, the current emotions, the big romantic gestures: gahhhh. Just LOVE IT ALL. Was a great read/ listen.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

so sorry this took me so long to write a review for! i soft DNFed it because of the direction of the story. I tried to pick it up again and just could not get into it :( do not like to leave negative reviews but this was not going the way I was hoping! Thank you so much for the ARC copy though I am beyond grateful.

oh how good it was to see wes and liz again!! I truly feel like these two grew up with me and this book was such a fun way to see their story continue to play out (even when it was more sad than fun) just because I was back in their world again

while I don't think that I would have needed a second book, and the fact that they broke up at all absolutely shattered my heart, this book was still lovely and I could not put it down, just like with better than the movies. something about these two characters is so special and I loved getting to see their individual character development in this one beyond just their relationship together. especially with liz, the way she had really found her passion and was thriving in her career, was so cool and powerful to see. and then, of course, the romance!

there might have been some parts of this book that made me want to scream and throw my kindle across the room because I just wanted them to be together but let me tell you...the tension in this book!!! the pining, the small moments and things they notice about each other, the stolen glances and unspoken words, there was just so much good stuff. wes bennett is simply everything and more and I will never get over him, even if he is a scooter-riding college athlete lol. anyway I really enjoyed this book and there were so many swoon-worthy moments!

so did I think this book was needed? no. but did I enjoy it nevertheless and soak in every liz & wes moment? ABSOLUTELY

Wes and Liz are in college. They used to date in high school, and it was better than the movies. Things happened and now they aren´t in each others lives anymore. That is until Wes returns to college and Liz is on a project including his baseball team. Miscommunication, love, grief, anger, hate, sadness, all of the above and even more in this book.

I absolutely loved Better than the movies which is the book before this one. Lynn Painter always has me in my feelings. This is a second chance love story and if you loved better than the movies, please read this and follow Wes and Liz on their journey.

I rated this 4 stars.

Another great novel from Lynn Painter! A quick and easy read that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Nothing Like the Movies” by Lynn Painter is an engaging and heartfelt story that delivers the perfect mix of humor, romance, and relatable emotions. The characters are well-developed, and their chemistry feels authentic, making it easy to root for them. The writing style is witty and conversational, keeping the reader entertained throughout.

I gave the book 4 stars because, while it’s thoroughly enjoyable, a few moments felt predictable, and the pacing dipped slightly in the middle. Overall, it’s a charming read that captures the ups and downs of modern relationships with warmth and humor

I was disappointed with this. I love Lynn Painter but this book just did not hold up to the standards of her previous books. Took too long to get a real connection to the characters again

I was worried this book wouldn’t live up after the first. I had no need to worry. I loved that it wasn’t just book one remixed. It was its own story. And I loved that.

It took me a little reading to get back into the story but once I did, I loved seeing where these characters ended up. You always assume stories will end up with a happy ending but seeing how things change so quickly was interesting to read. Highly recommend reading this if you loved the first!

This book took me a minute to get into, which very likely could be because I was in the trenches with school and kept having to take such long breaks in between reading, but I read the second half of the book on the plane and it was so cute!

They both had so much to work through and it was so fun seeing them living out their dreams and all grown up.

Poor Wes was going through it. He didn’t deserve all of that :(

I was so scared when I heard that this one would be a second chance romance but it wasn’t for any of the reasons that I was expecting. There were definitely some miscommunication and frustrations though, so if that is going to make you hate a book, I might just stick with the first one.

I also loved all of the friends and seeing some of the characters from the first book.

I did like the first book more but this one was still really cute and I’m glad that I read it and got a little glimpse into their future.

Tropes:
- second chance romance
- college romance
- baseball
- miscommunication
- forced proximity
- dual pov
- first person

I think this book will circulate well in libraries. A 14 year old student recommended the first book to me last year. This sequel will not disappoint fans of the first book. Sure they will not love that they broke up, but they’ll enjoy the journey if the story. The split narration was well done and consistent with tones and the first book. The addition of more friends and teammates were well done. The author did well, and I’m sure readers will want a third Wes and Liz book.

I truly love anything that Lynn Painter writes. This was a fantastic sequel and continuation of the story. Whenever I need a light, feel good, rom com, I can always turn to Lynn Painter!

Better Than the Movies is one of my all time favorite YA romances so I was beyond excited for the sequel. Wes and Liz are back after a devastating break up and some pretty major life events. Wes is determined to make Liz fall in love again but their break up left her cold hearted and closed off to love.
For some bonus fun I reread Better Than the Movies first so I could remind myself of Wes and Liz’s history and I still adored it just as much as I remembered. If you haven’t read that one yet, what are you waiting for. Stop reading this review and grab a copy.
Okay now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. Anyone who loves rom coms and grand gestures will adore this second chance romance. Lynn Painter is the queen of witty banter laugh out loud moments. Wes and Liz are truly relationship goals. It’s always a bit nerve wracking to read the sequel to a favorite book but this one exceeded my expectations. The character growth from book 1 to the end of book 2 was incredible and so realistic. They both went through so much and to see where they ended up honestly made me tear up a few times. This book was everything and the cherry on top was the rom com movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I loved this.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Lynn Painter continues to be a highly enjoyable author to submerge into. I really enjoyed the first book that I read by her, "The Do Over", and this was just as fun.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for an advanced copy of Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter.

This is a sequel to Better Than the Movies with Wes and Liz. We fast forward and due to life circumstances they broke up and while Wes knew he broke Liz's heart. But Wes is now back and determined to make Liz fall in love with him again, using rom-com worthy gestures that he knows she loves.

This was cute and a great listen -- thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for the audiobook. I loved the quotes from favorite rom-coms at the beginning of each chapter.

You really need to read Better Than the Movies first -- not sure I needed a sequel though.

2.75 ⭐️ it took me agessss to finish this book. i can’t pinpoint what i didn’t love about it, maybe the immature college setting, excessive swearing, the use of the word God maybe 100x, the pacing, or what. I did enjoy the last ~20% of the book but the 80% leading up to it just wasn’t worth it. I would’ve loved to see them together longer than the last 2% of the book and felt everything could’ve been avoided with a simple conversation. I understand why everything happened but with the love we left off with in the first book I would’ve expected them to handle things differently in this book. I still enjoy Lynn Painters writing but I think this specific book was not for me.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Probably because better than the movies is literal perfection and nothing can top it. I had very high expectations for this book, so maybe that’s also why 🤣

*Nothing Like the Movies* is an amazing sequel! It was so much fun to see all the characters back again and to watch how they’ve grown since the first book. The way they interact feels real and keeps things exciting—there’s humor, drama, and lots of moments that made me smile.

The story has a great mix of funny and heartfelt scenes, with a few surprises that kept me reading nonstop. If you liked the first book, you’ll love this one. It has everything that made the first story great, and I was so excited read and find out what was next for the characters. Definitely a 5-star read!

A book about writing books? Sign me up. This book was swoony, a little spicy, and was all wrapped up in the perfect happy ending. I loved the journey that Aspen found herself taking as she went to the Outer Banks, making new friends and discovering why she was working so hard to achieve a best seller status. This one is heartwarming and hilarious worth picking up for sure!

Lynn Painter proves lightning can strike twice in "Nothing Like the Movies," a sequel that defies the usual pitfalls of revisiting beloved characters. This time, we follow Wes and Liz into their college years, where Painter masterfully navigates the delicate balance between nostalgia and growth.

What sets this book apart is how authentically it captures the bittersweet nature of growing up. While some authors struggle to age their characters convincingly, Painter transforms her protagonists from the sweetly earnest high schoolers we knew into more complex college students, complete with the added layers that come with increased independence and life experience.

The second-chance romance framework provides a perfect vehicle for exploring how relationships evolve when people do. Painter's signature wit remains sharp as ever, but it's tempered with moments of genuine emotional depth that reflect the characters' maturity. The pacing keeps readers invested without unnecessarily prolonging the central conflict, a refreshing choice that shows respect for both the characters and the audience.

For fans of the original story, returning to these characters might initially feel like a risk—after all, we left them in such a perfect place. However, Painter justifies the return journey by showing us new facets of these familiar faces. Even readers new to these characters will find plenty to love, though the full emotional impact definitely hits harder for those who've followed their story from the beginning.

While the college setting creates a slightly different tone from its predecessor, the heart of what makes a Lynn Painter romance work remains intact: genuine characters, snappy dialogue, and moments that make you both laugh and feel deeply. This book cements Painter's ability to craft stories that resonate across different stages of life while maintaining their authentic charm.

Whether you're a returning fan or new to Painter's work, "Nothing Like the Movies" offers a compelling reminder that sometimes the best stories don't end with happily ever after—they show us what happens next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.