Book 1 of 2 in Better Than the Movies
Better Than the Movies
by Lynn Painter
Perfect for fans of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, this “sweet and funny” (Kerry Winfrey, author of Waiting for Tom Hanks) teen rom-com follows a hopelessly romantic teen girl and her cute yet obnoxious neighbor as they scheme to get her noticed by her untouchable crush.
Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar—and maybe snag him as a prom date—even befriend Wes Bennet.
The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.
But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she 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 ideas of what Happily Ever After should look like.
- Spice
- 1/5
- Burn
- Medium
- Pages
- ~384
- Ending
- HEA
HEA means happily ever after: they end up together, for good.
How spicy is Better Than the Movies?
Better Than the Movies is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
- Steam: Glimpses and kisses
- Burn: Medium burn
- Pairing: One man, one woman
- POV: Heroine's POV only
- Ending: Happily ever after
Content warnings
Some readers like to go in blind, so these stay hidden until you tap.
Show 2 content warnings
- Death of a loved one
- Bullying
Our editorial notes, which may be incomplete. If something is a hard limit for you, check the author's own content notes too.
What readers say
Loading reader votes…
Read it? How spicy was it?
Tap a level to vote. Tap it again to take your vote back.
Spot a content warning we missed?
Tick anything the book has. Once a few readers report the same thing, it is added to this book's content warnings (still behind a tap) and to the hard-no filters.
Reader reviews
- Loading reviews…
Reviews and votes are from readers, not us. Community rules.
Tropes & tags
Your next read
If you liked Better Than the Movies
More by Lynn Painter
Better Than the Movies: quick answers
How spicy is Better Than the Movies?
Better Than the Movies is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
Is Better Than the Movies a standalone?
No. Better Than the Movies is book 1 of 2 in Better Than the Movies. It is the place to start. The series is complete.
What tropes are in Better Than the Movies?
Better Than the Movies features enemies to lovers, fake dating, opposites attract. It is a medium burn M/F romance that ends with a happily ever after.
Does Better Than the Movies have content warnings?
Our notes for Better Than the Movies include: death of a loved one, bullying. This list may not be complete; check the author's own content notes if anything is a hard limit for you.
What should I read after Better Than the Movies?
If you loved Better Than the Movies, try The Do-Over by Lynn Painter, The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory. They share its enemies to lovers and fake dating energy at a similar spice level.