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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
3 and a half stars. to wes— i’m so sorry i wasn’t your writer. this book would have been less miserable if there wasn’t song lyrics in the narrative and the lynn painter was trying to keep up with the gen z slang, honestly it was annoying. it felt like it was written to appease a certain group of people. other than the nitpicking, i think it was also well rounded. wes’ story didn’t get the appreciation it deserved. he is a wonderful character.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
medium-paced
Lynn Painter has done it again with another witty, charming rom-com that had me hooked from the very first chapter. Nothing Like the Movies delivers everything you’d expect from her writing—humor, banter, and swoony romance—but also dives deeper into emotions and growth that made this story shine.
The characters felt relatable, flawed in the best way, and their chemistry was undeniable. I especially loved how Painter captured the messy, complicated feelings of love and life without losing that fun, rom-com sparkle. The pop culture references and laugh-out-loud moments kept things light, while the heartfelt parts gave the story real depth.
It wasn’t a perfect read—there were a couple of slower parts—but overall, it was such an enjoyable ride. Painter’s ability to balance humor and heart is what makes her books stand out, and this one is no exception.
If you love romance with a mix of sass, vulnerability, and the perfect amount of “movie magic,” Nothing Like the Movies is definitely worth picking up.
The characters felt relatable, flawed in the best way, and their chemistry was undeniable. I especially loved how Painter captured the messy, complicated feelings of love and life without losing that fun, rom-com sparkle. The pop culture references and laugh-out-loud moments kept things light, while the heartfelt parts gave the story real depth.
It wasn’t a perfect read—there were a couple of slower parts—but overall, it was such an enjoyable ride. Painter’s ability to balance humor and heart is what makes her books stand out, and this one is no exception.
If you love romance with a mix of sass, vulnerability, and the perfect amount of “movie magic,” Nothing Like the Movies is definitely worth picking up.
I didn’t get lost in this one like the first. She seemed kind of petty and unforgiving. He seemed obsessed. Basically neither of them had grown enough to sell the story. The ending was pretty cringe. I don’t think we really needed this book for these characters.
I had a lot of fun with this book. A down-to-the-bone romcom.
I truly enjoyed the plot and character arcs. It had plenty of cliché, tropey moments, but I think that fit the story and its characters well. The book did a great job exploring different responses to grief and heartbreak. The pacing was solid and the rollout was well handled. I think the love story between Liz and Wes is one of my favorite young adult ones out there.
However, the book lost me when it came to the writing style. I just couldn’t get past it. The inner monologues, with the constant song references, felt unrealistic. No one thinks like that, not even Gen Z.
I truly enjoyed the plot and character arcs. It had plenty of cliché, tropey moments, but I think that fit the story and its characters well. The book did a great job exploring different responses to grief and heartbreak. The pacing was solid and the rollout was well handled. I think the love story between Liz and Wes is one of my favorite young adult ones out there.
However, the book lost me when it came to the writing style. I just couldn’t get past it. The inner monologues, with the constant song references, felt unrealistic. No one thinks like that, not even Gen Z.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
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
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loved 90% of it, loved the pop references, the song quotes and the dynamic between the characters. It was fun having them back, even though they changed a lot from book 1 which was interesting and enjoyable for some of them! (I kind of miss book 1 Liz though)
Could have been a 4 stars but sadly I found the last 2-3 chapters a bit cringe…
Still loved it !
Could have been a 4 stars but sadly I found the last 2-3 chapters a bit cringe…
Still loved it !
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced