A sweet Rom-Com
Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies is a modern romantic comedy book full of wit, heart, and enthusiastic love for all things classic rom-com books need. The cast of charming characters, the relatable high school environment, makes the book treat on friendship, love, and finding one’s self in most unexpected manners. This young adult novel holds just the right balance of laugh-out-loud jokes and heart-moving moments to qualify as a must-read for those who read for a well-told love story.
The plot
A senior and an odd girl in school, Liz Buxbaum has an obsession with a rom-com story. Therefore she wants to live her version of fairy-tale love just like there would have been: perfectly, at first meet-cute; then, at prom memorable. She’s been in love with her neighbor crush that moved away since childhood. His name is Michael. When Michael moves back to town, Liz sees her chance to finally make her fantasy come true. There’s just one problem: she needs the help of her annoying next-door neighbor, Wes Bennett.
Love-hate friendship
Wes and Liz have a classic love-hate relationship. He’s the bane of her existence, always teasing her and getting on her nerves. But he also just so happens to be friends with Michael, and Liz realizes that befriending Wes might very well be the best chance for winning her crush. In the midst of setting up the perfect, rom-com moments in her life, Liz works her way closer to Wes until she gets to meet the kind and amusing Michael. Before long, Liz starts to wonder if the perfect guy for her might not be the one she’s been chasing all along.
Relatable characters
Painter’s writing is sharp and witty. Liz is an incredibly relatable character-with her insecurities, awkward moments, and big dreams. But added to that is another layer: her love of romantic comedies, and how artfully this book threads into the narrative its references to such iconic rom-coms as When Harry Met Sally and 10 Things I Hate About You. This will at times can be nostalgic and make the whole tale relevant to a high school setting.
An unexpected romance
The relationship between Liz and Wes is the heart of the novel, and their bickering is the cutest. Their chemistry builds naturally throughout the story, from playful rivalry to true friendship and then to something more. Painter does a great job of showing how their relationship evolves to make the reader root for them to end up together.
Displayed themes
I also think another strong point of the book is its focus on Liz’s personal growth. Yes, the romance is there, front and center, but it covers her grief over her late mother, a complicated relationship with a stepmother, and the struggle to come into her own. It’s these emotional moments that add a depth to the story, making it not just a light romance. From the innermost workings of Liz’s mind to her most awkward attempts at creating those perfect rom-com moments, Painter’s humor shines through. Meanwhile, the novel does not hold back from heart-string pulled moments that pull a reader in with their emotion. That perfect balance between humor and heart is really what makes Better Than the Movies standout.
Final thoughts
All in all, Better Than the Movies is an appealing, amusing, and touching read that will satisfy the fans of romantic comedies and all those who enjoy coming-of-age stories. I’m not the biggest reader but this book had me hooked. With its relatable characters, witty writing, and heartwarming romance, it falls into the category of feel-good books that will keep their readers smiling long after they have finished reading the book. Lynn Painter has created a story which is not only better than the movies but also better than most books in this genre. I give Better Than The Movies 5 stars.
