Liz Buxbaum is a hopeless romantic who’s had a crush on Michael for years, even after he moved away. Now that Michael is back, she wants more than anything to be noticed by him. But, in order to catch his attention, she must enlist the help of her annoying next-door neighbor, Wes Bennet. Liz and Wes have been pranking each other their whole lives. The two start scheming to get Liz and Michael together in time for prom, but Liz ends up growing closer to Wes instead. It turns out that her chance at a rom-com kind of love might have been right in front of her the whole time.
Better than the Movies was my introduction to Lynn Painter. It was her debut young adult novel, and I truly think it’s one of her best. Marketed as a rom-com about rom-coms, each chapter starts with a quote from a classic romantic comedy. Painter lives up to the romances of the past by creating a nostalgic story filled with swoon-worthy moments between Wes and Liz. It’s the kind of book that you can devour in a day (and I did). I’m not exaggerating when I say that Better than the Movies is the perfect rom-com.
Emilie Hornby has had the worst Valentine’s Day ever. After everything she’s been through, she just wants to spend the night at her grandmother’s and drown her sorrows in ice cream. However, when she wakes up, she’s back at home and it’s Valentine’s Day—again. Stuck in a time loop, she has to repeatedly watch as her boyfriend cheats on her and her life goes up in smoke. She also keeps running into Nick, getting to know him as the days repeat. Eventually, Emilie realizes it’s time to take control of her life, even if she never makes it to February 15.
When you specialize in rom-coms, I feel like it can be easy to write books that all seem the same, but The Do-Over has the unique element of the time loop. While Emilie has to relive the worst day of her life, she ends up finding love with Nick. The only downside is that Nick forgets their moments together every time the loop resets, which creates the most interesting dynamic between the two. As the reader, you watch Emilie and Nick grow closer every day, knowing that it will all be erased in Nick’s head. Somehow, their relationship still feels like it moves forward. Though I enjoyed their romance, I felt like Emilie’s character development was what really stood out about this book. She learns so much about herself and blossoms as a person. Lynn Painter created the perfect mixture of coming-of-age and romance with The Do-Over.
One year ago, Bailey and Charlie met on a plane after Bailey’s parents got divorced. The two didn’t get along, and Bailey was happy to never see him again when she got off that plane. However, when she starts her new job at a hotel-waterpark, Charlie is one of her new coworkers. Now, Charlie and Bailey are starting to enjoy hanging out with each other, even making a bet on whether or not two of their coworkers will get together. On top of this, Bailey is having problems with her mom’s new boyfriend. To help, Charlie starts “fake dating” Bailey to disrupt the couple, but his feelings for her continue to grow. What happens when their fake relationship starts to become reality?
I read Betting on You a few months ago and absolutely loved it. I was hooked from start to finish. When you read a book, there are characters who feel like characters and characters who feel like real people. Charlie and Bailey felt like real people. They had such good chemistry, and changing point of view provided the perfect insight into both of their thoughts and emotions. Both of them learned so much throughout the course of the book as well. It’s always hard to pick a favorite book, but this is my favorite YA Lynn Painter book.
Coming October 1, 2024
In this sequel to Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz have grown apart. Right when they were about to go to UCLA together, tragedy struck, and Wes lost Liz in the fallout. Months later, Wes is in a better place. Now, he’ll do anything he can to make up for breaking Liz’s heart and win her back, but his plans aren’t working. Liz even has a new guy friend she’s been spending time with. Wes refuses to give up as he creates new schemes and clever plans to get Liz back. When his efforts continue to fail, he’s left wondering if he’ll ever succeed.
Nothing Like the Movies is arguably my most anticipated release of 2024. In my experience, a Lynn Painter book is always a great book, and Liz and Wes are two of her best characters. I don’t like the idea that they broke up, but I have a feeling that their hardships will only bring them closer in the end. I can’t wait to dive back into their story in this sequel.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Writer