Is Better Than the Movies Worth Reading?
by Lynn Painter
Ada’s Score
Lynn Painter's beloved YA rom-com follows hopeless romantic Liz, who schemes to land her childhood crush Michael — only to realize her exasperating neighbor Wes might be the real thing. Painter leans joyfully into rom-com tropes, with movie-quote chapter headers and banter that crackles with genuine wit. The enemies-to-lovers chemistry is the standout, though the central love triangle resolves predictably and Michael never becomes a credible threat. It's an irresistibly charming, feel-good read that earns every swoon for its target audience.
Young Adult Spotlight“Pure rom-com joy — the banter genuinely sparkles and Wes is a swoon. The love triangle never really had any suspense, but who cares.”
When the Script Gets Rewritten
Painter writes a heroine who has planned her whole love story like a rom-com, and the fun is watching the annoying boy next door wreck the entire screenplay. It's playful and self-aware, threaded with references that fans of the genre will adore. A bright, comforting read for when you want something that knows exactly what it is and does it well.
Ada Brief
AI reading intelligence“Pure rom-com joy — the banter genuinely sparkles and Wes is a swoon. The love triangle never really had any suspense, but who cares.”
When the Script Gets Rewritten
Painter writes a heroine who has planned her whole love story like a rom-com, and the fun is watching the annoying boy next door wreck the entire screenplay. It's playful and self-aware, threaded with references that fans of the genre will adore. A bright, comforting read for when you want something that knows exactly what it is and does it well.
Ada’s reservations
The love triangle lacks real tension because Michael is never written as a credible rival — the outcome is obvious from the first chapter, so the book coasts on charm rather than uncertainty.
Ada’s score reflects both strengths and reservations.
Book Details
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Audio and Blackstone Publishing
- Published
- January 1, 2021
- Pages
- 368
- Language
- English
Get This Book
Affiliate linksISBN: 9781665990301
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Ada’s Score
4.3
Ada’s editorial score — not an aggregate of reader reviews.
Common Questions About Better Than the Movies
- Is Better Than the Movies worth reading?
- Pure rom-com joy — the banter genuinely sparkles and Wes is a swoon. The love triangle never really had any suspense, but who cares. Ada rates it 4.3 out of 5.
- What are the main weaknesses of Better Than the Movies?
- The love triangle lacks real tension because Michael is never written as a credible rival — the outcome is obvious from the first chapter, so the book coasts on charm rather than uncertainty.
- How many pages is Better Than the Movies?
- Better Than the Movies is 368 pages long — around 7–8 hours at an average reading pace.
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