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Better Than the Movies
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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 neighbor 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 a potential boyfriend make. 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 reexamine everything she thought she knew about love--and rethink her own ideas of what Happily Ever After should look like.
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BooksNBowls
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

An ode to rom-coms— adorable, cheesy, and cute. Made me think of watching rom-coms with my own mother growing up. I get the hype. 4/5

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BooksNBowls
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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September‘s forecast. Gonna be another great month!

KateReadsYA The bone valley sounds soooo good. I love a male mc who has to be the responsible one. You know the love story is gonna be amazing. 3mo
BooksNBowls @KateReadsYA yeah, that one stood out to me! I‘ll let you know 😉 3mo
33 likes2 comments
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Jeanelle
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
Pickpick

I am entirely obsessed with this book. Wes is the perfect compliment to Liz and their banter is simply amazing. I genuinely didn‘t this book would live up to the hype I‘d heard about it but it truly truly did.

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Sci.Cricketts
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Mehso-so

It was a cute YA read. Definitely had great Rom-Com references. I think it was a little over hyped up. Cute quick read though.

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Sarahreadstoomuch
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

As a hardcore sucker for rom-com movies, this hit all the right tropes. I mean notes 😂❤️

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OriginalCyn620
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

I love all the movie references on the cover, and there are many more throughout the book - each chapter begins with a quote from a romcom. And yes, it‘s predictable, but most romcoms are. This one was sweet, like a mix of Pretty in Pink, 10 Things, and Bridget Jones all rolled into one!

#bookspinbingo - free space
#readaway2024
#tbrtarot - has a dedication to mom (it also has a dedication to the author‘s deceased father…hope it still counts)

DieAReader 🥳Great 9mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 9mo
41 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BeeMagical
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Book 2📚 4.5⭐️

Sleep chihuahua and the perfect rom-com book!

This one hits on all the tropes! And although super predictable (as most rom-coms are) it was incredibly adorable!

Could easily be turned into a movie 🎥

I loved all the quotes from beloved movies.

It‘s got the vibes of Bridget Jones, 10 things I hate about you, Pretty in Pink… ❤️

LoverOfLearning Love love love! 5 stars 10mo
BeeMagical @LoverOfLearning it was SO cute!! 10mo
32 likes1 stack add2 comments
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samantharoberts
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Have been loving these quick, light-hearted reads lately. Of course the storyline was predictable, but still couldn‘t put it down. 💛

34 likes1 stack add
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ellaanderson100
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
Pickpick

Really loved the enemies to lovers/fake dating trope. Just really long chapters

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Ravenpuff
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Liz‘s forever crush, Michael, moves back home. She asks her boy-next-door Wes to help her in being Michael‘s date for prom. The more time they hang out, the less she imagines Michael as her prom date.

This book was ok. It was a bit overhyped. I liked the plot, writing, & ending. Also, their chemistry was cute & there were visible character arcs. I just didn‘t like the non-communication between all of the characters. It annoyed me throughout.

Michreader3 I read this book a while ago and really liked it. I feel the non-communication between the characters makes it realistic for a young love story. But I do get where it can be annoying, because it stretched out for a while. 14mo
10 likes1 comment
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juleskr02
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
Pickpick

i think this book is just perfect. and i was totally meant to read it as someone who cries over rom coms and romance. the structure of the writing and the plot was indeed, better than the movies.

Michreader3 I love love love this book!! Was every bit as funny as it was sweet 14mo
juleskr02 @Michreader3 completely agree! it‘s my second favorite rom com book! 14mo
4 likes2 comments
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juleskr02
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter

“A girl will never forget the first boy she likes.”
—He‘s Just Not That into You

“But she‘ll also never forget the first boy she hates.”
—Liz Buxbaum

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juleskr02
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter

“Be brave enough to go big...”

-Helena, page 329

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juleskr02
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter

“It seemed to me that because of things like car accidents and lost lives, life and death and broken hearts, we should grab every moment and absolutely devour the good parts.”

-Liz, page 258

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juleskr02
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter

“Music made everything better.”

-Liz, page 132

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BookishGirl06
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Pickpick

This was pretty good. Maybe a little predictable but In a good way.

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TheSpineView
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Movie: Valley Girl

Susanita I love that movie. 1y
TheLudicReader I love Valley Girl so much. 1y
See All 7 Comments
Ruthiella Young Nicholas Cage. How I loved him. ❤️ 1y
Klou Fantastic choice! 1y
58 likes7 comments
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booksaremyfavorite
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

A quick fun read. I loved how the relationship between Liz and Wes evolved. Recommend

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Kris10H
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Book #43
4.5/5
I did not realize this was a YA novel until I was already getting into it. This book was an adorably predictable rom-com, and totally swoon-worthy if you're into that sort of thing 😉

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Graciouswarriorprincess
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Book 78/100 of the year.

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LoverOfLearning
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Pickpick

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book.

I devoured this audiobook and was visibly grinning and laughing outloud the whole time.

A cute, lighthearted read that came at a perfect time.

6 / 5 stars. Would read again

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Ava.Okubo
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Liz Buxbaum is in her senior year. The perfect time for the cheesy milestones. As Liz's old crush, Michael, moves back, she knows she should take the shot. Liz entices Wes (frenemy) to help her with Michael. But while spending so much time together, Liz and Wes start to develop feelings. This causes Liz to rethink what love actually is. If you like rom-com books, you'll like this. The POV is 1st person b/c Liz narrates using “I“ or “we“ pronouns.

MissYaremcio Nicely done Ava! It looks like a good rom-com 6/6 2y
LoverOfLearning Well welcome to Litsy!! 2y
4 likes2 comments
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Read4life
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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This one isn‘t in the database, but it‘s a novella in the tagged book series. Super quick read. Second chance love. I read it for #52BookClub2023 #Anauthorwiththesamenameasyou
#BookSpinBingo #MarchMadness #BirthdayPixieReadathon

49 likes7 comments
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Kennedyy.kay
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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I‘m loving this so much already!!💔

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CaramelLunacy
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Liz Buxbaum is quirky and lives her life as if she's living in one of the beloved romcoms she shared with her mother. So when her childhood crush moves back to town, it seems just the thing to enlist the hot enemy next door's help to get him to notice her All Grown Up...
Trope-tastic and funny, I grinned at the banter between Liz and Wes. Plus the crush reads romance! No Daniel Cleavers here.

Pic is romcoms referenced in the book.

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Lunarstar27
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

#betterthanthemovies #lynnpainter #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #bookstagram #booktok #bookaddict #bookreview Liz is obsessed with rom coms Wes is the annoying boy next door Enemies to lovers Great book now I want to watch Bridget jones lol book was well written

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CoffeeNBooks
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Liz Buxbaum loves rom-coms, and thinks her love life should happen accordingly. It's her senior year, prom season is approaching, and the rom-com tropes take an unexpected turn.
#YA #RomCom #LitsyLoveReads

StayCurious This sounds great! 2y
85 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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CoffeeNBooks
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Sitting outside enjoying the pre-hurricane cool weather and breeze, worrying about and sending positive vibes to friends and family south of us where I grew up who are in Hurricane Ian's path.

Leftcoastzen Sending hope that it‘s not as bad as predicted. 2y
64 likes1 stack add1 comment
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CoffeeNBooks
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Saturday morning #coffeeandabook ☕️📚

EvieBee 😍😍 2y
83 likes1 comment
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bree.v08
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

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sabrinaaluvssreadingg
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter

“Your wrong about Alex, she isn't flawless,“ - “She's not you,“ -Wes

pg. 340

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sabrinaaluvssreadingg
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

This book had me hooked to from the first chapter to the last word! I got a little teary at a part too (at prom ifykyk).Overall a good book and deserves the hype!! + THEY HAD A PLAYLIST. The editing companies need to make it mandatory at this point- My heart also ACHES when listening to the playlist and thinking about them!! I feel empty without them. They are my comfort characters:(( 5 stars

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JoyBlue
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

This YA romance is mostly cute and snarky. Read my full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#better-than-the-movies

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themonaisa
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

🥰 cute cute cute! There‘s probably one chapter of enemies and the rest was such a nice friendship that grew into something greater. Wes was the perfect guy. I loved how Liz would acknowledge it over and over and then be like “BUT NOT FOR ME.” Same girl 🤡
Overall, super adorable & easy to binge! Cue Paradise by Bazzi

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MaggieCarr
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved this book way more than I expected to, as a fan of rom-coms movies (and books) this YA childhood friends to enemies to lovers/fake dating trope worked so great with movie and character references and spot-on banter.

33 likes2 stack adds
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TheAromaofBooks
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

In some ways, this felt like a YA story written for adult audiences, if that makes sense. Not in a bad way, but the MC's mother has died several years before the story opens, so the MC stays close to her memories through the movies and music they shared - which is more from my generation than the current batch of YA readers. But maybe I'm wrong and YA audiences these days are way into 90s romcoms and are familiar with Beastie Boys and Radiohead? ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) This was another soft pick for me. It was a nice story but at times a little too into movie/music references for my taste. There is also a scene that involves someone throwing up and I really have trouble with vomit in general, so multiple pages involving color, texture, temperature, etc. was TOO MUCH 😳 A fun little read, but one I'm glad I checked out of the library.

#MtTBR
(edited) 2y
Bookzombie Wow, multiple pages and temperature! That seems a bit much. 2y
Mollyanna That sounds like over the top! As a sympathetic vomiter that could be problematic for me 🤢 2y
See All 15 Comments
TheAromaofBooks @Bookzombie @Mollyanna - She gets thrown up ON at a party, so it's several pages of her cleaning up and I couldn't DEAL! 2y
Mollyanna Oh goodness. I‘d have to skip those pages… 2y
KathyWheeler Multiple pages on vomit? Ugh! I have such trouble with vomiting that my husband was always the one to clean up after our kids when they got sick. The few times I had to, I inadvertently added to the mess. I couldn‘t read pages about it. 2y
willaful That's a total cliche now, the author who writes young adults who are all somehow into 90s romcoms and music. 😂 Though I guess if this isn't intentionally YA, we can't get too annoyed about it?

Amusingly, while my own young adult has been unable to go to college for the past few years, we've been giving her a crash course in pop culture, including many a 80-90s classic, like “Heathers.“ Last night's movie was, in fact, “Edward Scissorhands.“
2y
willaful cont. I wouldn't say she *prefers* them to the movies of her own generation. Or our music either. (My husband has also been giving her a crash course in that. We really should arrange some kind of transfer credit for her. 😂 ) 2y
TheAromaofBooks @willaful - I remember the first time I watched Edward Scissorhands - it was with my brother and his best friend and we were all together at a house where I was housesitting. The house was kind of isolated and I was going to be there ALL ALONE after they left (I was probably 19ish) and on their way out they said, “Remember! He can unlock doors with his HANDS!!“ And then they laughed fiendishly leaving me alone with a half-blind dog and a chestful⬇ 2y
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) of terror! Then they had the nerve to come back around 2am and scratch at the bedroom windows. I didn't think I was going to ever recover! 😂 2y
alisiakae Eww! I have emetophobia (fear of vomiting) and just your description made me gag. 🥴 I definitely couldn‘t read that! @KathyWheeler I‘ve always been lucky that my hubby has not been on call during the rare instances our daughter got a stomach virus. 2y
alisiakae As for the movies though, my daughter LOVES certain 90s ones. Edward Scissorhands, Mean Girls, Heathers, Legally Blonde, etc. She‘s currently obsessed with Friends. 2y
TheAromaofBooks @4thhouseontheleft - I didn't even know emetophobia was a thing!! Sorry I made you uncomfortable! 😬 When I was thinking about this book later regarding the movies/music, I did realize that when I was a teen in the 90s I was way into books and music my parents had liked when they were my age, so maybe teens would connect with this story in that way. 2y
willaful ACK! I would have been a total mess! I would *still* be a total mess! Though I don't think I would be afraid of Edward. I wouldn't let him close to me, though -- what the heck were they thinking?! He even accidentally hurts *himself*! 2y
willaful I also really liked my mom's books and music, but I think that's kind of unusual. The typical teens wants to separate themselves, or so I've heard. Mine sure doesn't. 😂 (She is far from typical, however!) 2y
72 likes1 stack add15 comments
blurb
BookBelle84
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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I am loving the high school fake relationships and enemies to lovers tropes. The cute romcom references add to the feel good stories.

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BookNightOwl
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

Better than the movies by Lynn Painter was everything I love about books. It was sweet, funny, hate to love and much more. I loved how this book had me laughing out loud and the audiobook was fantastic. A+

39 likes2 stack adds
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Arvena
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

#20in4 @Andrew65

Such an amazing rom-com! Cute, adorable, smart and funny romance. One of the swooniest YA stories :) Loved this book - highly recommend!

Andrew65 Sounds great👏👏👏 3y
CaramelLunacy This looks so cute 3y
67 likes7 stack adds2 comments
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Lovesbooks87
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

I absolutely LOVED this YA rom-com! I loved how at the beginning of each chapter it had a quote from a popular rom-com movie. It also had some of the cute moments that happen in rom-coms! I loved Liz and Wes and how they went from enemies to lovers! Will totally read anything this author writes!
#bookspinbingo

45 likes1 stack add
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kimmypete1
Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter
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Pickpick

More emotional than I thought, loved the banter between Liz and Wes so much. Leftover #bookspin from March.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
23 likes4 stack adds1 comment