Rating: 4.5 stars
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter is an adorable YA rom-com that will leave you feeling lighter and happier. The book follows Liz Buxbaum, a high-schooler who is trying to navigate her final year while dealing with the loss of her mother who passed when she was very young. Her mother was obsessed with rom-coms and so is Liz. When her childhood crush, Michael Young, comes back to her high school for final year, Liz thinks this is her shot at finally having a real-life, swoon-worthy love story. She ropes in her annoying, but incredibly handsome neighbour, Wes Bennett, to help her woo Michael. In true rom-com fashion, Liz learns that love is right under her nose or should I say right across the street from her?
This book is a true delight. It gave me all the rom-com feels! While the book does deal with grief, it does so in a very sensitive way. The two leads, Liz and Wes, have so much chemistry and their banter is top-tier. I usually find that rom-coms spend too much time away from the main leads, but in this one we get chapter after chapter of just Wes and Liz. There are some truly laugh out loud moments as well, I don't think I've laughed that much because of a book in a good while.
The only reason it wasn't a five star for me was that sometimes this book verged into cringey territory. Don't get me wrong, most rom-coms are pretty cringe but I think that having a song reference every other chapter can get a bit much sometimes. I have to say I embraced most of the cringe though, because there are a loooot of references, some I appreciated more than others.
Overall, a delightfully fluffy rom-com that is sure to please anyone looking for a YA rom-com with heart. Bravo Lynn Painter!