A review by readwatchcrochet
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

fast-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

“Besides, what’s more fun than a story that starts with a fake relationship?”

📚 enemies to lovers
📚 match maker to lover
📚 clean romance 
📚 boy next door

🚫 clean romance

For lovers of romcoms, this one is for you. There were many sweet moments in what I found to be a fast paced story. 

“What was I doing - trying to live-action my own, personal version of She’s All That? To be honest, though, the part of me that loved makeover rom-come was a tiny bit intrigued”. 

Wasn’t a fan of such long chapters but I can forgive that because they obviously have great taste in movies with continuous references to classic romcoms and great movie soundtracks (which I don’t think get spoken about enough). (On my reread, I didn’t notice this as much). 

“Of course Wes Bennet is a rom-com snob. I would expect no less”

Each chapter starts with a quote from a romcom, which is usually relevant to the contents of the chapter. They also referenced throughout as the main character is obsessed and likes to link life to scenes in romcom. 

“She. Isn’t. You.”

There were so many cute little scenes (Wes reading over her shoulder, watching movies together). There are a few times wish Liz was a bit more transparent with her feelings, but suppose that is what creates tension & this is YA. 

“For the record, it all started with a bet”
“As all good things do”


References to Rom-coms
If you’d like a good list of movies you should watch, here are all the references to popular culture in the book.
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Notting Hill
The Ugly Truth *
Love Actually
Friends *
The Other Mrs
Sweet Home Alabama
Miss Congeniality *
She’s All That *
10 Things I Hate About You
The Wedding Date
Pride and Prejudice*
Pretty in Pink
Pretty Women
When Harry Met Sally*
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Kate & Leopold
You’ve Got Mail
Two Weeks Notice
27 Dresses
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
The Notebook
My Best Friends Wedding
Someone Like You
500 Days of Summer
Gone with the Wind
He’s Just Not That Into You

Additional mentions
The Sandlot
Long Shot
Hamilton
Remember the Titans *
The Great Gatsby
Gilmore Girls
Back to the Future
Superbad
Scott Pilgrim v the World
Gone Girl
The Hangover
American Pie
Bridgerton