Better than the movies – lynn painter
Content Notes:
Published/Pages: 2021/367
POV: Single – Heroine
Trope: Enemies to Lovers, Fake Relationship
Goodreads Bookshelves: contemporary romance, enemies to lovers, fake relationship, favorites, high school romance, rom com
Happily Ever After: Yes
Steam Level: Sweet
Swearing: Mild
Trigger Warnings: Alcohol, Blood, Car Accident, Death, Grief, Hospitalization
My Rating:
Book Description: Liz Buxbaum has always known that Wes Bennett was not boyfriend material. You would think that her next-door neighbor would be a prince candidate for her romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only proven himself to be a pain in the butt, ever since they were little. Wes was the kid who put a frog in her Barbie Dreamhouse, the monster who hid a lawn gnome’s severed head in her little homemade neighborhood book exchange. Flash forward ten years from the Great Gnome Decapitation. It’s Liz’s senior year, a time meant to be rife with milestones perfect for any big screen, and she needs Wes’s help. See, Liz’s forever crush, Michael, has just moved back to town, and—horribly, annoyingly—he’s hitting it off with Wes. Meaning that if Liz wants Michael to finally notice her, and hopefully be her prom date, she needs Wes. He’s her in. But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she actually 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 perception of what Happily Ever After should really look like.
My Goodreads Review (No Spoilers)
My Review (w/spoilers):
To start with, this has to be my favorite contemporary romance novel of all time. I say contemporary romance because my favorite novel is Pride & Prejudice. Mr. Darcy spoke to my soul and no book boyfriend has been able to compare to him thus far. I know Mrs. Painter mentioned that she chose the last names of Lizzy and Wes because she looked to her bookshelf and chose the names of the authors on the books. BUT, when Lizzy eventually marries Wes, her name will be Elizabeth Bennett… As in the main character from Pride & Prejudice. Another reason this is one of my favorite romance novels. But seriously… I loved it so much that I read the entire thing in a day, and then read it all over again the following day. THEN I downloaded the Audible version so I could listen to it while I worked. Haha #obsessed
The relationship between Wes and Lizzy, is just too cute. I love their love-hate relationship and the banter they share. I had a smile on my face the entire time I read the book. There are so many quotable moments. I love when she goes to his house to make the deal with him and she tells his mom that he stole the spot while she was parallel parking “Oh my God, you told my mom on me?” haha, so great. Their banter is just gold. I love that he was the only one to call her Libby like her mom, and he said she could call him Wessy.
It’s very clear from the beginning that Wes likes Lizzy. Pre-deal he does the whole, hair pulling on the play ground thing, but after, you can see how much he cares. He pays attention to the little things, like her love of music, buys her white chucks, takes care of her after she gets vomited on, and took her to his secret area behind his house. Just so many swoon worthy moments.
I really liked that Mrs. Painter also included quotes from popular rom-com movies at the beginning of each chapter. It set the vibe for the entire chapter, it was something I hadn’t experienced with a book before.
Because Liz is obsessed with movie soundtracks, music ended up being a huge part of the story, and Mrs. Painter also did a great job at capturing certain moments with specific songs.
The second time I read the book, every time a song was mentioned, I would read that part with the song playing in the background. It was another new experience, and made it even more romantic. Finding the music was made easier because Mrs. Painter included The Soundtrack of Wes and Liz in the back of the back.
“A girl never forgets the first boy she liked.”
“But she also never forgets the first boy she hated.” -Liz
One of my favorite lines from Lizzy was “There’s always time for lipstick… On the off chance (so very off chance) my McDreamy was in the building, I wanted a good mouth.” I 1000% agree, there is always time for lipstick. ALWAYS.
This book is proof that you don’t need to have sex in a book to give the goosebumps and feels. When they go to see the movie at Michael’s house and have an intense moment watching a thriller movie – SWOON. It’s hard not to swoon when she compares their hand touching as “a Mr.-Darcy-hand-flex-from-the-best-version-of-Pride-&-Prejudice moment”. This moment of course with the even more swoon-worthy moment: the car kiss – “Nuh-Uh” and the yelling in the rain. Perfection. Mrs. Painter does such a great job at capturing the rom com vibe. And I am 100% here for it!
I legit cried a bit when they argued in front of her house and he told her she needed to start living her life not the one she thought her mom would want. I agree with what he said, but it was very sad – “God, don’t cry, Liz. He swallowed and looked panicked. “I just don’t want you to miss out on the good stuff.” Such a good book boyfriend.
I loved that she had a feisty cat named Fitzpervert. So funny. And I really liked her best friend Joss. I know there was tension through the entire book because Lizzy felt the absence of her mom and all those great milestones just didn’t seem great without her. Understandable. My best friend cried the day she graduated high school because she felt that loss. So I understand. I think that if Lizzy would just have explained this to Joss, she would have understood and not put so much pressure on her.
After the Prom, when Lizzy finally came to the conclusion that Wes was her HEA and sets everything up on his porch and secret area. Oh man, I was so excited! Until I heard Alex’s voice. Liz’s reaction is relatable and something I would totally do. I was laughing so hard. The crawling on the floor, getting caught, her rambling about a penny and the leaving to go to McDonald’s. I felt all that. haha
The entirety of chapter eighteen was just golden perfection. “Because I was wrong, Wes. You are the good stuff.” – “She. Isn’t. You… Enemies-to-lovers-it’s our trope Buxbaum”
Would I read this book for a third time? Um… YES. Obviously.
*2025 Update: I read it again. It was just a wonderful as the first time. SWOON.*
Read the Sequel: Nothing Like the Movies
Diary of a bookworm 
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