A review by kamrynkoble
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

First of all, this is on me—I did not remember that this was YA before I read it. I don’t think I was in the mood for high school drama and I’m sure that affects my enjoyment of it. 

It was cute, but a little too tropie for my tastes (and aware of it. They literally called themselves enemies-to-lovers). There were also too many pop culture references for my taste, and ones that I think will make this seem dated in two years. 

Liz is a teenager, so I’ll try to show her some grace, but she’s a little too “not like other girls” for my preferences. We get it, your prom dress has pockets. 

I did like her arc, and was glad she had some good natural consequences for her behavior as well as satisfying resolution. This was cute, and I’d definitely recommend it to others who like a sweet, tropie high school romance. 
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