Reviews - Nothing Like the Movies

6.95k reviews for:

I really liked this book. I don’t understand all the bad reviews, this is a realistic story where we can see the amazing maturation of the characters when going to college. I even liked it more than bttm. I’m really gonna miss Liz and Wes ♥️.

mimi_blair's review against another edition

3.75

hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

stephnicole1116's review against another edition

5.0

what’s better than fake dating? enemies to lovers? childhood neighbors? slowburn? kiss in the rain? ALL that but just throw in that they’re a second chance romance now.

TYTYTY simon teen for sending over one of my MOST anticipated reads!! i needed more wes + liz from the second i started better than the movies, so i was eagerly anticipating this release and it was perfect!

you never know how a sequel rom com could go but this nailed the yearning, pining, and drama of a second chance (dramatizing bc wes would say it’s pride & prejudice) and the wholesome, tropey, swoon moments of a rom com.

now i need a new wes + liz book every 5 years or so.

iheartaoifemolloy_06's review against another edition

5.0

funny sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This may be a very, very unpopular opinion-this book was very necessary. It added SO much depth into their story.

The dual point of view made the book so much better, i was sobbing knowing i didn't know every little thing Wes thought in the first book. I don't get why this book gets so much hate.

Wesley Harold Bennett, is really, WOW, i'm in a loss of words. I love him. People say Wes, AND Liz, had their development RUINED in this book, however i have to disagree; and say that, no, they did not. Honestly, i like liz and wes so much more BECAUSE of their developments in this book. We got Wes's backstory, we learned his thoughts, we learned why he did the things he's done, and genuinely, i understand him, and would've done the same as him, had i been in his situation.

Same goes for Lizzie, many fans may disagree with me, and say they miss the old Liz, or that she is a pick me now, but honestly?? WHERE did you even get that from??? she had EVERY right to become "anti-romance" kind of person after what she's went through??? She just hurt too much. i understand where she's coming from; the same way i understand where HE is coming from. At this point it's impossible for people to be empathetic and try understanding others more; EVEN if it's fiction. This book does not deserve the hate it gets.

vriii_1709's review against another edition

5.0

I am absolutely not ready to say goodbye To Libby and Wesly

nowicki_jenna's review against another edition

3.5

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

imme_van_gorp's review against another edition

2.5

Honestly, I don’t think this book should have ever existed. It’s not so much that this book on its own was terrible, but more so that it ruins the magic of the first book.

Not only did I feel like I was reading about two completely different people than the Wes and Liz I had gotten to know and love, but their connection and dynamic was also entirely dissimilar.
I just struggled to reconcile my previous idea of this couple with what I was reading here, and I never really got a satisfying conclusion out of that. They weren’t the same, and that just feels like a major disservice to the original book in which people fell in love with these two.

Moreover, it just feels a little depressing to know that a couple we were all rooting for fell apart so easily and painfully. I never would have thought Wes would be able to hurt Liz so thoroughly, yet it turns out he could, and he did. And for two whole years?? He didn’t miss her enough to get her back during all thay time, but now I’m supposed to believe he is suddenly desperate to be with her again? If his love was truly that insurmountable, he wouldn’t have been able to stay away for so long.
Simply put, these actions seriously made me rethink and question how good of a couple they really were, since they broke up way too soon and with far too much ease.

Lastly, I just kind of hate how much Liz changed because of what happened. She was such a uniquely authentic person, and it just feels wrong for her to become someone entirely new due to a broken heart, no matter how big the hurt must have been. I guess I just expected Liz to have a stronger and more cemented personality than that, so that’s disappointing.