Monday, November 1, 2021

Book Review: Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

Title: Better Than the Movies
Author: Lynn Painter
Genre: Romance; Young Adult
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Liz Buxbaum has always known that Wes Bennett was not boyfriend material. You would think that her next-door neighbor would be a prince candidate for her romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only proven himself to be a pain in the butt, ever since they were little. Wes was the kid who put a frog in her Barbie Dreamhouse, the monster who hid a lawn gnome's severed head in her little homemade neighborhood book exchange.

Flash forward ten years from the Great Gnome Decapitation. It's Liz's senior year, a time meant to be rife with milestones perfect for any big screen, and she needs Wes's help. See, Liz's forever crush, Michael, has just moved back to town, and—horribly, annoyingly—he's hitting it off with Wes. Meaning that if Liz wants Michael to finally notice her, and hopefully be her prom date, she needs Wes. He's her in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz her magical prom moment, she's shocked to discover that she actually likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love—and rethink her own perception of what Happily Ever After should really look like.

 

Rating


Hello Fellow Readers,
 
This was a very cute book, while not quite a fake dating trope (my favorite trope), there still a plan that involves something to that effect with a little enemies to lovers thrown in. One of the things I liked about this book that Painter did really well was incorporate a little but of that Rom com magic that you see in movies, and I could actually see this becoming a movie in the future. I love the incorporating of movie quotes at the start of the chapter and Liz's ability to pick a song for the moment which makes sense considering what she wants to go to school for.
 
As for Liz and Wes, at first I didn't know if I would like them. To be honest, I'm not much of a fan of the whole enemies to lovers trope but it was rather quickly that Liz and Wes became friendly and their arguing (which I can become annoyed at) became friendly bickering. Liz was quirky, but I didn't like that she tried to change herself to make Michael like her. Wes was pretty likable, after the first initial introduction of him and I loved the end of it. I do like that Liz had a slow realization of her feelings for Wes, but of course they had to make it a bit complicated so they couldn't get together right away.

Overall, if you like Rom Coms, this is for you.

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