Series Name: Better than the Movies #2
Review By Kayleigh
Get ready to fall back in love with Wes and Liz as they navigate heartache and adulthood.
Favourite Quote:
I squinted and stared, unable to believe my eyes as I tried to get a better look. Everything in my body – my breath, my heart, the movement of the blood in my veins – came to a complete and total stop. I was paralyzed, entirely frozen, as I watched him laugh at something the blond guy said.
Dear God, it was Wes.
Wes Bennett was in my apartment.
Goodreads Synopsis:
In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.
For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.
Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.
Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.
Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.
Better than the Movies was one of my top favourite reads of 2021. I adore everything Lynn Painter writes. I think she’s one of the best contemporary YA writers out there right now because she writes her stories with grit, humour, compassion and a realism that really dives into today’s youth’s realities and struggles. However, when I saw that she was publishing a sequel to Better than the Movies, I was…. skeptical. How could she top this beloved book? Well, reader, she did. Nothing Like the Movies is a fabulous sequel that honours the original story but also lets Liz and Wes grow up and explore their life a few years after the first book.
At the very beginning of the book (this isn’t a spoiler; it’s in the synopsis), we discover that Wes and Liz broke up during their first year at university, and Wes, dealing with some traumatic events, breaks Liz’s heart. Nothing like the Movies is, therefore, a second-chance romance that explores how two people can rediscover each other and love who they were while embracing who they’ve become. This book is swoony, emotional, and filled with Lynn’s trademark banter.
I loved going back and spending more time with Liz and Wes. These two are such fabulous characters, and it was great to see them as young adults rather than teens. Liz’s passion and zest for life are still as strong as ever, but we get to experience her actively working toward her dream career while working through school. Wes has had some life-changing experiences, and his path is not what he expected. He’s fighting to rebuild his life and find his balance again. Liz and Wes find each other again, and Liz is not pining over him this time. Wes has to GROVEL and proves that he’s worth a second chance. Nothing like the Movies is filled with an incredible cast of secondary characters, some new and some returning familiar faces, who get on board to help Wes win the girl. You’ll be cheering by the end of the book.
Nothing Like the Movies is one of the best sequels I’ve ever read and I can’t wait to reread it again, and again and again.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
