Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter Review

Better Than The Movies is a YA novel I have seen all over social media for a few years now. My knowledge prior to reading was that it's a Young Adult, Rom-Com. Although I'm no longer the demographic for YA novels, sometimes it's nice to read a light-hearted and clean book; especially after reading something a little heavier (which in my case was Babel). I don't enjoy reading Smut, so this sounded like the perfect choice for my mood. 

Genre: Young Adult, Romantic Comedy

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating(ish)

Page Count: 356

Spice Level: 0/5

Synopsis: 

In this rom-com about rom-coms, in the spirit of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, a hopeless romantic teen attempts to secure a happily-ever-after moment with her forever crush, but finds herself reluctantly drawn to the boy next door.

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar - and maybe snag him as a prom date - even befriend Wes Bennet.

The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbour might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not make a potential boyfriend. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must re-examine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like.

My Review:

I had heard great things about this book, and because my previous read was quite heavy, I was craving something light-hearted. This really was such a great book, and definitely one for the hopeless romantics. It was ADORABLE. 

The writing style was very digestible and easy (expected given that it's YA), but it wasn't too childish either. It's a book I think adults can still read and enjoy. This is my debut to Lynn Painter's writing, and a pretty good first impression. She kept me engaged from start to finish. 

The main characters Elizabeth and Wes, were well-crafted and I was able to vividly imagine their interactions. The writer did a fantastic job with the imagery, and the dialogue that accompanied it was meaningful. I liked Liz - I felt like her behaviour was authentic of teenage girls. She didn't always make the most rational choices, but many teenagers don't! She lied about things she didn't really need to, and got herself into drama that could have been easily avoided. I do think this is a generally common thing amongst teenagers, as you're constantly making mistakes and sometimes unable to see the bigger picture or often let your emotions outweigh logic. Even though I didn't agree with some of her actions and decisions, given her age I feel like it made the story relatable and interesting. 

Wes was a cheeky teenage boy who would constantly try to annoy Liz, and his character development was probably my favourite of the two. We start to see how he slowly grows from an immature teenage boy who wants to get a rise out of his neighbour, to learning how to navigate/express his feelings and become a real gentleman who wants Liz to be understood and seen. His humour also made the book even more enjoyable to read.

The plot is simple and not anything original, but still very fun. It gives you everything you'd expect from an enemies to lovers romance novel. I had a great time with it and would recommend if you want something light and sweet. The sequel actually came out this month and I will definitely be picking it up. 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars ★★★★

Have you read Better Than The Movies? If so, what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments.