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.
Better Than the Movies Review
Pure rom-com joy — the banter genuinely sparkles and Wes is a swoon. The love triangle never really had any suspense, but who cares.
Rating: 4.3 / 5
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
- ISBN-13
- 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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