Published in 2021, Better Than the Movies is a sweet romantic comedy by Lynn Painter that captures the high-stakes, first-time energy of teenage romance. The novel centers around Liz Buxbaum, a high school senior who is absolutely obsessed with romantic comedies. When Liz was a little girl, she and her mom would watch all the classics together (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Notting Hill, Sleepless in Seattle, you name it), and when her mom passed away, Liz kept that shared love alive. Now, prom is just around the corner, and as much as Liz loves the idea of going with her girlfriends, she wishes she had a leading man for this last, iconic high school experience. In a movie-like turn of events, her childhood crush—the dreamy Michael Young—moves back to town, setting her heart aflutter. The only problem is, he still sees her as the little girl who would cry during hide-and-seek, not as a viable love interest. Plus, he’s spending a lot of time with Wes Bennett, Liz’s next-door neighbor and arch nemesis. Nothing if not determined, Liz hatches a plan with Wes (using her prime neighborhood parking spot as a bribe) to convince Michael that she’s more prom date than playdate. However, spending so much time with Wes proves more complicated than Liz anticipated, and she starts to wonder if she has accidentally created a rom com love triangle of her very own…
Now that summer is in full swing, I’m craving books that are light and fun, and Better Than the Movies fits that description perfectly. Painter creates an atmosphere fizzing with energy and brimming with high school nostalgia, and the book consistently left a smile on my face. Although the novel is a little predictable—Painter uses a mix of the fake-relationship trope and the enemies-to-lovers trope, impeccably—that’s part of the joy of a romantic comedy for me, and I relished the charming conventionality of it all. Plus, the characters bring enough zest in their interactions to keep the novel fresh; Liz and Wes are constantly engaged in hilarious, flirty, teenager-y banter, and Wes’s sweet gestures towards Liz feel especially nuanced and creative. For anyone skeptical of the YA label, this novel definitely strikes a more mature chord than most high school romances, and I found it just as compelling as any adult rom com. Better Than the Movies is an utter delight—I absolutely loved it.
I’d recommend this book to…
- Anyone who loves a high school fake-relationship love triangle… it’s similar in theme to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
- Anyone who’s craving some sweet, summery charm… it’s similar in tone to When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord
- Anyone looking for a nuanced, self-aware romantic comedy… it’s similar in style to Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
