𝟒.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 .𐦍༘⋆
Was this a cash grab to follow the success and praise of “Better Than The Movies”? Maybe
Did I still really enjoy it? Absolutely

Wes and Liz are one of my all time favourite couples when it comes to YA romance.
This book was so well written and I loved that the writing style between BTTM and this one was still the same. They’re still the same lovable characters from the first book. Which is always a huge factor when it comes to books with multiple parts, I think sometimes it’s really easy for authors to lose the quirks that made the characters so loveable.

I will say that this book would have been a lot shorter if they had just communicated clearly from the jump lol. I think during certain parts I was a bit frustrated when Liz wouldn’t just listen to what Wes had to say but I can also completely understand why she would have that hesitancy and I think that makes the characters all the more real, those flaws that sort of piss you off as a third party person. The ending was adorable and it was very in line with the typical Wes and Liz fashion.

Outside of the romance I LOVED that there was still actual plot.
So many times rom-com books focus on the romance of the story that there is no other plot going on so it was really nice to read this and have other things going on in these character’s lives outside of just falling back in love. I loved Wes’s journey back to baseball and university and actually living the life of a normal college aged person. I loved seeing him handle grief, loss and how he overcame it. I loved seeing Liz do what she loves to do and seeing how much she actually enjoys it and it on her way to making a name for herself.

Reviewing this is lowkey tough. I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t love it. It was a cute simple read but something just didn’t hit right. It was like as if something was missing to fully immerse me and make me excited reading this. I had such high hopes too because I did love better than the movies. I would say read this if you love a simple romance but don’t expect like super duper much!

A really cute romance but not nearly as good as the first book ❤️

This book was adorable, I absolutely loved reading Wes’s POV and reading all his attempts to get liz back it was so cute. I was so glad their banter and teasing was still there but I was disappointed that Liz didn’t really had any of her past personality apart from the music obsession, in fact she kinda felt like a different character and at some points I doubted whether they should get back together but the ending was perfect and wrapped it up really well when for most of the book it was quite flat especially when the miscommunication trope got thrown in (which I hate). However, all the Taylor swift references had me giggling throughout the book (if your a folklore girlie your gonna love this book) the romcom defences where on point and the in between reference (I’ve heard zero books talk about Gracie until now) was PERFECT. I don’t usually like the second chance trope but Lynn Painter did it so well I didn’t mind and she offset it with all the perfect snippets of them that it had you hooked through the whole thing. the book it’s self wasn’t needed but I actually really liked how realistic this book was showing that life isn’t always a perfect romance where life goes smoothly, making it stand out from your average romance novel and is definitely worth the read even if you don’t want to cos they break up at the beginning, just trust me it gets a lot better at the end. I’m giving it a four star because I don’t think anything can beat the first one and I didn’t like liz’s lack of maturity or the miscommunication trope but still an AMAZING book! ❤️❤️

I loved Better Than The Movies so was very excited to read the sequel but unfortunately I think the first book should’ve stayed a standalone.

Wes and Liz have broken up and now at college he’s determined to win her back, my issue with the plot is that their break up and lack of communication and they way they both dealt with things seems so wildly out of character for the two characters we’d grown to know and love in the first book.

Issues with the characterisation aside, I did race through this and found the new side characters a great addition - as with all Lynn Painter’s books it was well written and an easy read but sadly I just don’t think this sequel was needed (sorry!)

I am always intrigued by a second chance romance especially when we have already read the original story of them falling in love.
I had mixed feelings about the prior book but overall enjoyed it and recommended it to several friends and this book will be the same for me.
Lynn continues with the great humour and as a Swiftie I loved all the Taylor references but also puts forward a good story of love and growth.
I loved to see how Liz has transformed into a brave and confident young woman compared to the prior book. Wes felt similar but with more life experiences that could have made him loose his charm and humour but didn’t. Lynn balanced well it being a realistic reason for them to split whilst also making us want them back together.

“i am just wes fucking bennet, lib, the guy who can’t remember a single day in his life when he didn’t love you.”

i’ve always loved wes and liz’s story, from the first book to the snippets of their lives during freshman year. there’s a fluffiness in their relationship that rekindled my love for romance. these stories single-handedly pulled me out of a reading slump, just by being utterly adorable. however, this second book is far different from the typical romcom set in their hometown. “nothing like the movies” mostly takes place at ucla, with a new friend group and new challenges for wes and liz. i appreciated how the story focuses on how life can strain a connection, even when you don’t want it to, but have to for the sake of both parties. i thought it was a realistic dilemma for the characters. i also didn’t expect this to work as well as it did without wes’s point of view. i feel like the pining and angst wouldn’t have come through as strongly without the dual perspectives, so kudos to lynn painter for giving us both sides.

there’s a scene in this book that perfectly captures the october vibe, which is fitting since it comes out that month. even though the title is “nothing like the movies,” their reconciliation felt like it was straight out of a movie. it wasn’t poorly done at all—actually, it was hilarious when they’d have these big, dramatic moments, only for someone to suddenly pop in and ruin it. i loved that because it made me feel like i was truly watching a romcom. although the ending is a bit of a cliché for any romance, i didn’t mind at all. these characters are so close to my heart that all i wanted was their happiness, no matter how predictable the outcome.

honestly, i don’t want another sequel for them haha. i’d rather they stay at peace—thank u 😂

rating this 4/5!

many thanks to lynn painter, simon & schuster, and netgalley for this e-copy. all thoughts were mine. this comes out on october 2024!

This book was SO cute!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book, especially when I found out that Wes and Liz are broken up. However, Lynn Painter executed this second chance romance perfectly!! The book starts 2 years after Better Than The Movies. Liz is doing really at UCLA, and Wes has just returned back to school, determined to carry on with his life and get a second chance with Liz.

I adored how much Liz has changed and grown into a strong, cool and confident woman. And Wes's POV had me shedding some tears, he is still the same sweet and funny boy, even after all is has been through!

As a huge Swiftie, I was absolutely living for the Taylor Swift references. I still don't think this book quite beat NLTM for me, but I still loved it and read it SO quickly! This series is the sweetest easy read romance series. I highlighted recommend that you pick this up when it is released in October!


Tropes-
🤍Second Chance Romance
🤍College Romance
🤍Slow Burn
🤍Cheesy Banter

I adored better than the movies and the feel good vibe that book gave so couldn’t wait to see wes and liz’s story go further in the next book.

Although i was happy to see more of them and we got to see there life progress, new friends and characters introduced with a lot of banter between the new friendship group i have to admit the vibe was definitely a lot different to the first

it did touch on a lot more serious topics and liz has changed a lot from the free, happy, romance girl she was in the first book - although she still puts music to every scene in her life which i love!!

The book starts where wes and liz have unfortunately split up after an amazing summer due to wes having to move back home after a family incident. This broke liz’s heart and she hasn’t been the same since.

2 years pass and once wes has sorted himself out he is on a mission to win her back

i have to admit i did think more of the book would be about this but it only hit about 70% of the way in.

When it did get to that part though i loved it.

It was nice to see life go on, have some realism in there but i did want more of the feel good vibes in book one.

3.5🌟

Just when I thought my WesLiz heart was complete, it was shattered when I realised Better Than The Movies was after they’d broken up - BUT everyone deserves a second chance, right?

Usually, I’m not a fan of this trope - but I ATE this up and left no crumbs. This is the most perfect second chance college romance and honestly, Lynn Painter you are a genius. The angst, the tension, the hurt - honestly I just can’t fault it at all, I was just giggling and kicking my feet throughout most of the book. I’ll probably never shut up about these characters - if anyone needs me I’ll be listening to their soundtrack 2.0 version on repeat.

Diving back into this world was effortless and getting to know the grown-up Wes and Liz was so much fun. Thank you for not only giving Wes and Liz a second chance, but for giving us as readers a second chance to love them.

Thank you Simon and Schuster UK Children's and NetGalley for giving me this ARC to review.

Our high-school sweethearts, Liz and Wes are back again with a college twist that will want you rooting for that perfect rom-com ending.

Liz and Wes thought that the future was theirs for the taking as they set their sights on UCLA together, but when tragedy strikes their lives and their relationship are turned upside down and torn apart. Fast forward two years and Wes is back in a healthier place, but the only thing missing is his one true love Liz. Liz is finally mending her broken heart and has everything going for her to make all her future career dreams come true, so when Wes falls back into Liz's life... it is not the welcoming reunion he had in mind.

Still, Wes will not give in and pulls out all the big romantic gestures he knows to win over Liz's affection. But when he truly realises how much has changed since the two years they spent apart, Wes begins to question whether Liz will ever be his again...

I'm not usually a YA lover, but something about Liz and Wes' has me eating out the palm of Lynn Painter's hand for the second time. You are gripped right from the get go to see if this well-loved pair reunite, and this second book in the series will elicit all of the emotions as you follow Liz and Wes through their tumultuous reunion. Schedule a girls-night in, light some candles and grab a relaxing face mask and your favourite bookish snacks to read Nothing Like the Movies so it can give you all the rom-com feels we've been begging for since Better Than the Movies.

I was really excited to return to Liz and Wes' story and I enjoyed the book. I, perhaps, felt they spent a tiny bit too much time apart and wanted the romance to kick back in again a little earlier. Still, super cute.

I knew I was going to struggle with this book. 'Better Than The Movies' was the perfect comfort read between two childhood frenemies. Seeing them two years later broken up after the death of Wes' father was like a shot to the heart.

And yet.

It felt so realistic and heartbreaking. 'Better Than The Movies' was that perfect romcom experience whereas 'Nothing Like the Movies' brings you back down to earth and shows you the devastation that grief can cause. Wes and Liz are soulmates and yet, life just keeps getting in the way.

My only frustration was that if these characters had literally had one conversation early on, this book could have been 100 pages shorter! I would loved to have seen more happy moments between the two characters.

While this didn't hit the same as the first book, I enjoyed it nonetheless. Lynn Painter is an auto-buy author for me.

I received an advanced copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Nothing Like the Movies - Lynn Painter

The perfect sequel to Better than the Movies!

“I’ve loved you, and I’ve missed you, and I’ve hated you and regretted you, but I’ve never forgiven or forgotten you.”

I was sceptical because I felt that the prequel was great as a standalone but Liz and Wes’s story definitely required more development and this book gives it to us in the best way possible.

The plot - including the breakup - seemed slightly unnecessary but the more I read, the more of Wes’s character and actions make sense.

The story follows Liz as she begins to find herself at college, finding her passion and a great group of friends that support her without questions asked. However, a spanner is thrown into the works after her high school sweetheart ends his college hiatus to continue his baseball career.

Wes’s trauma and grief means that he dealt with his relationship (and ending of) with Liz poorly, and as determined as he is to make up for his mistakes and win her back, Liz is not as forgiving.

I loved the idea that the time apart means they have to get to know each other all over again. However, I wasn’t a fan of Liz as much as I was in the prequel. I’m all for girl power, independence and knowing what you want, but she’s pretty harsh towards Wes and his good intentions throughout.

Wes broke my heart a million times over. Granted, he messed up. But as his character realises his mistakes and works on himself, juggling grief and pining after the love of his life, I was internally SCREAMING at Liz to forgive him. But no, she makes him work for it and the miscommunication trope had me feeling more anger than heart-warming hope.

The tables have well and truly turned. Liz was the hopeless, movie-loving romantic in Better than the Movies. But Wes keeping his 12:13 alarm and keeping track of how many they’ve missed together? UGH MY HEART.

Such a rollercoaster. Nothing Like the Movies had me feeling empowered one minute, crying the next. It broke my heart and simultaneously stitched it back together again.

This would have been a 5 star read if it wasn’t for the miscommunication (a trope I really struggle with), and Liz’s attitude towards Wes. However, the way that managing a relationship whilst dealing with the hardships and grief that Wes was experiencing was done perfectly.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in return for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book, however I will always love the first book so much and nothing can compare to it, im not sure that there should have been a second book although it was nice to read about these characters again.

5 / 5 🎀📄🎵⚾️

Huge appreciation to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy of this book!!

Ok, I will admit I was at first a little skeptical to the concept of this book because what do you mean Liz and Wes break up but starting this book, I knew it was kind of meant to happen. They were in high school and the circumstances that occur make sense.

And this book was perfect, it was quintessentially Liz and Wes but make it second chance . It was a pocket of sunshine. With the perfect UCLA setting. The forced proximity through her internship/job and him on the baseball team. It was Lynn Painter doing what she does best and that's writing YA romcoms that warm your heart. It's filled with niche references to music and some very well known ones, but it's the way they aren't just thrown in to the story but deeply have a purpose and that's the lore of Liz and Wes. Let me tell you, this book had me giggling, kicking my feet and swooning the entire time and when there was a goddamn 'In Between' Reference and it was from WES' POV, I almost screamed out loud. Because an unreleased Gracie song that is probably my favourite and is just so Ms. Swift coded, I'm so down just wish I could have listened to it.

Nonetheless, I completely adored this book and all that it was. It truly exceeded my expectations so if you are a little iffy on this book but loved Wes and Liz, I highly encourage you to give this a chance when it comes out in October because it might just surprise you!!

We are following Liz and Wes, who were neighbours growing up. They used to be together but something happened that made Wes break up with Liz. Two years later, they both attend UCLA and Liz is forced to spend time with him thanks to an internship she got with a renowned documentary producer.

Wow, this book was incredible. If you have read Better than the movies a while ago and don’t remember a thing, you can definitely read this one. The story will come back to you.

Now, it is a second chance romance. It is not usually a trope that I like but with these two characters, I did not mind. Liz has such an amazing personality, I love her.
The banter in this book is next level, and I appreciated the multiple references to movies and songs (like Taylor Swift for example!)

Having a dual point of view in a romance is always a bonus as we get to see both perspectives and know their feelings towards each other.

I had also forgotten about Helena and her dad. It was so nice to have them in the book.

3.5 rounded down to 3 (because of goodreads’ and netgalley’s rating system).
This review is going to be a little bit different from what I thought it was going to be. To be completely transparent, I thought I was going to love it. Better than the movies was a 5star read back when I read it, so I did not think this one could be lower than a 4star read. Yes, my tastes have changed, but I felt like I was still going to love this one.
At first, it felt really nice to be back in this little world, and the new cast of characters made me laugh a couple of times. The first half of the book, basically, was very enjoyable and I had a good time reading it. But for some reasons, it felt a bit flat after the halfway mark. At the end of the first book, I thought Liz was annoying and she started being annoying again — and more annoying than before. I’ve never truly connected with her and understood her feelings and actions the way I understood Wes. I’ve always preferred Wes, maybe because we’re more alike. To me, Liz lacked maturity and was too self-centered. At some point, I started telling myself that Wes deserved better than her.
I would also like to say that even though I did overall enjoyed the book, I do not think this sequel was necessary. I would still recommend it if you loved Better than the movies, but I do not believe this sequel is needed, in a way.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.