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Better Than the Movies #1
Lepiej niż w filmach
Czasem życie ma dla nas gotowy scenariusz. Lepszy niż w filmach.
Liz Buxbaum miłość do romansów i szczęśliwych zakończeń ma we krwi. Dziewczyna już dawno temu oddała swoje serce Michaelowi, który wyjechał, kiedy oboje byli młodsi. Teraz, gdy chłopak wrócił do miasta, Liz zrobi wszystko, żeby znowu ją zauważył. Naprawdę wszystko. Zaprzyjaźni się nawet z Wesem Bennetem – jej sąsiadem i wrogiem z czasów dzieciństwa, z którym z jakiegoś powodu koleguje się Michael.
Tylko że nic nie idzie zgodnie z planem...
Im więcej czasu spędzają razem, tym lepiej zaczynają się dogadywać. Liz jest zaskoczona, że tak bardzo lubi przebywać w towarzystwie Wesa. I będzie musiała przeanalizować to, co dotychczas wiedziała i wyobrażała sobie o miłości.
Czy wychowanej na komediach romantycznych dziewczynie uda się odejść od scenariusza, który zawsze miała w głowie?
Liz Buxbaum miłość do romansów i szczęśliwych zakończeń ma we krwi. Dziewczyna już dawno temu oddała swoje serce Michaelowi, który wyjechał, kiedy oboje byli młodsi. Teraz, gdy chłopak wrócił do miasta, Liz zrobi wszystko, żeby znowu ją zauważył. Naprawdę wszystko. Zaprzyjaźni się nawet z Wesem Bennetem – jej sąsiadem i wrogiem z czasów dzieciństwa, z którym z jakiegoś powodu koleguje się Michael.
Tylko że nic nie idzie zgodnie z planem...
Im więcej czasu spędzają razem, tym lepiej zaczynają się dogadywać. Liz jest zaskoczona, że tak bardzo lubi przebywać w towarzystwie Wesa. I będzie musiała przeanalizować to, co dotychczas wiedziała i wyobrażała sobie o miłości.
Czy wychowanej na komediach romantycznych dziewczynie uda się odejść od scenariusza, który zawsze miała w głowie?
344 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2021
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789085 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111,193 reviews
December 26, 2021
(2.5/5)
To say that I disliked this book would be somewhat of an understatement.
My first problem with this book was that Liz, the main character, was absolutely infuriating. The writing read like it was a not-like-other-grills YA contemporary romance from 2010, which, honestly, except for the year, is exactly what this book is.
Ever since her mother died when she was young, Liz has been obsessed with rom-coms and finding her movie-worthy happily-ever-after. Enter Michael, the neighborhood boy she was (and still is??) in love with when she was literally in kindergarten, and Wes, the infuriating boy-next-door. One of them is going to help her get the other. You know where I'm going with this.
Honestly speaking, it was painful to see Liz adamantly going after Michael even after a) it seemed like fAtE wAs TrYiNg To KeEp ThEm ApArt, and b) his most appealing trait was his SoUtHeRn DrAwL. Like, umm, no thank you? And then there's the fact that Liz hadn't actually seen him or talked to him since elementary school, but was still in love with him.Seriously. Liz is better at romanticizing her life than me when I have six assignments to finish for school and three hours to do them all.
It was even more painful to see how she was slowly isolating herself from everyone around her, except Wes, and how somehow, in some way, most of her problems stemmed from the fact that she never really got any closure from her mother's death. That part might have actually been tragic, but it wasn't addressed very well until the end, and everything else was annoying.
Specifically, all of her gushing over Michael was just not it. I was disgusted and cringing every five minutes, to the point where I had to pause the audiobook and do history homework to attempt to burn the scenes from my mind multiple times. It was not fun, to say the least.
That being said, the audiobook was actually quite good. I think I would have jumped out a window if I was actually reading this book in text format, but somehow, the audiobooks narrator's ability was enough to keep me from taking such drastic methods of escape. The narrator was magically able to keep me at least somewhat interested in the happenings of the book, and their voice is one of the two saving graces of my reading experience.
The only character I could really tolerate was Wes. Poor, poor Wes. I'm going to say it right now: Wes did not deserve everything that Liz made him go through. The dude has been simping after her since they were children, and agrees to help her get another dude just because he likes spending time with her?? Get this man a medal.And maybe a back brace for carrying the entire book on his shoulders.
I won't deny that Wes and Liz's relationship was cute, but at the same time, while it was developed a lot throughout the course of the book, I never felt that we were given the outcome of that development. It was always very two steps forward, three steps back with them.
There were a lot of tropes both used and spoken about in this book, and I felt that they were alright, but nothing too special. The plot in general was actually quite nice, the only thing that really ruined this book for me was Liz's character herself, and her inability to communicate with literally anyone in her life.
Overall, I felt that this book had a lot of potential to actually be a cute and interesting, light-hearted story. Unfortunately for us, the main character makes you want to tear your hair out and then set it on fire, even if her love-interest is the human equivalent of cotton candy. I'll be honest and say that I was expecting more, especially from the MC, but if you're able to ignore that sort of stuff, I'd definitely recommend this as a sweet, quick romance if you're looking for one.
To say that I disliked this book would be somewhat of an understatement.
My first problem with this book was that Liz, the main character, was absolutely infuriating. The writing read like it was a not-like-other-grills YA contemporary romance from 2010, which, honestly, except for the year, is exactly what this book is.
Ever since her mother died when she was young, Liz has been obsessed with rom-coms and finding her movie-worthy happily-ever-after. Enter Michael, the neighborhood boy she was (and still is??) in love with when she was literally in kindergarten, and Wes, the infuriating boy-next-door. One of them is going to help her get the other. You know where I'm going with this.
Honestly speaking, it was painful to see Liz adamantly going after Michael even after a) it seemed like fAtE wAs TrYiNg To KeEp ThEm ApArt, and b) his most appealing trait was his SoUtHeRn DrAwL. Like, umm, no thank you? And then there's the fact that Liz hadn't actually seen him or talked to him since elementary school, but was still in love with him.
It was even more painful to see how she was slowly isolating herself from everyone around her, except Wes, and how somehow, in some way, most of her problems stemmed from the fact that she never really got any closure from her mother's death. That part might have actually been tragic, but it wasn't addressed very well until the end, and everything else was annoying.
Specifically, all of her gushing over Michael was just not it. I was disgusted and cringing every five minutes, to the point where I had to pause the audiobook and do history homework to attempt to burn the scenes from my mind multiple times. It was not fun, to say the least.
That being said, the audiobook was actually quite good. I think I would have jumped out a window if I was actually reading this book in text format, but somehow, the audiobooks narrator's ability was enough to keep me from taking such drastic methods of escape. The narrator was magically able to keep me at least somewhat interested in the happenings of the book, and their voice is one of the two saving graces of my reading experience.
The only character I could really tolerate was Wes. Poor, poor Wes. I'm going to say it right now: Wes did not deserve everything that Liz made him go through. The dude has been simping after her since they were children, and agrees to help her get another dude just because he likes spending time with her?? Get this man a medal.
I won't deny that Wes and Liz's relationship was cute, but at the same time, while it was developed a lot throughout the course of the book, I never felt that we were given the outcome of that development. It was always very two steps forward, three steps back with them.
There were a lot of tropes both used and spoken about in this book, and I felt that they were alright, but nothing too special. The plot in general was actually quite nice, the only thing that really ruined this book for me was Liz's character herself, and her inability to communicate with literally anyone in her life.
Overall, I felt that this book had a lot of potential to actually be a cute and interesting, light-hearted story. Unfortunately for us, the main character makes you want to tear your hair out and then set it on fire, even if her love-interest is the human equivalent of cotton candy. I'll be honest and say that I was expecting more, especially from the MC, but if you're able to ignore that sort of stuff, I'd definitely recommend this as a sweet, quick romance if you're looking for one.
January 18, 2025
UPDATE! i finally read the sequel🤩 (01/08/25)
“Enemies-to-lovers—it’s our trope, Buxbaum."
4.9/5 :)
~the actual soundtrack of Wessy and Libby~
A rom-com with rom-com references, fake dating and enemies to lovers, all while the MCs are neighbors and childhood
A certain someone didn’t realize why he was calling her Buxbaum until like halfway through the book… and then they realized that’s her last name…
~cons that I remember~
Unfortunately I think this book just spoiled the entire plot of The Great Gatsby…
Also, I wish the characters could stop thinking "what the hell", please. That phrase can get annoying after a while. Maybe change it up each time or just say something like "why not".
Sometimes I don't understand how Liz thinks because I can't connect with her. But I guess when the supposed 'love of your life' is standing in front of you, it's hard to always act rationally. She might seem a bit 'not like the other girls', but that's part of who she is and I like her for it. She could be a little slow and oblivious sometimes (especially when it comes to her love life…)
~pros that I can think of right now~
I know it'll never happen to me, but the story actually sounds realistic. Some girl who's been unlucky all her life turns out to be not so unlucky after all… *continues to daydream*
When they were stargazing and eating s’mores in his backyard, OMG IT WAS SO CUTE!
I love the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The rom-com references also fit in very nicely,
Helena is my favorite character in here. She's such a cool and chill person, yet she was treated so unfairly for something she can't even change. She seems more like a good friend than a mom. I wish I have a friend like her…
I was really shipping Wessy and Libby so the minor flaws doesn't really affect me. It shows how much I liked this story :)
Recommend to everyone!! Especially fans of Tweet Cute! (not to be that person, but this reminded me of it)
Overall, an amazing rom-com that made me cry and laugh and smile. A cute book with a cute cover. This book is now my favorite rom-com ever. :)
03/12/21
are rom-coms supposed to make you cry? or am i just too emotional while reading…?
i’m genuinely curious 👀
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if only my life were better than the movies...
August 2, 2023
— 5 stars ✰
“she’s not you.“
“what?”
“she. isn’t. you.”
this was my first lynn painter book and i’m honestly shocked to say that i ended up LOVING this book. i mean hello?? i thought i was over highschool romances but she really did an amazing job with this ya novel because istg i couldn’t stop giggling. she really made me feel like a middle-schooler again because i caught myself grinning like an idiot like.. a bunch of times🫡
better than the movies is about liz buxbaum. a seventeen year-old teenager, a hopeless romantic and a daydreamer through and through. when her childhood crush michael returns to their town, she wants to impress him big time. for the betteror worse, it seems like her archenemy next door, wesley bennet, is hitting it off with her beloved crush. with the help of wes, she hopes to win michael over and go to prom with him.. what could go wrong, right?
— liz is a hopeless romantic, everything that happens in her life — she compares it to a movie, a romcom. she seeks that picture perfect love story but sometimes she is chasing something that isn’t really worth it. i had my problems with liz in the beginning, but she definitely grew on me. while i was mad at her for lying to her best friend, i kind of understood where it was coming from and as we follow her through her story, we see her growth and development.
— wes-my-beloved-bennet. i love him, you love him, everyone loves him. charming, witty, funny, athletic. yes, he is all that. liz never really looked at him like that tho, for her he was just the annoying neighbor who teased her. but slowly she notices why everyone loves him and that is the moment we, as a reader, fall in love with him as well. the banter between him and liz was incredibly cute and SO swoon-worthy. the way he remembered all the small details about her, i literally died dead. 💗💕💞🩷
“you look best when you’re you.”
did i mention the tension? god, the tension in this book 😮💨
we really get everything in this book — childhood nemesis, drama, lots and lots of jealousy, friends to lovers but, some more drama. but overall just an amazing comfort read. this is just a book i will get back to when i need something cute to lighten up my mood, make me blush and giggle. maybe even make me scream into my pillow.
wes bennet, I LOVE YOU !
“she’s not you.“
“what?”
“she. isn’t. you.”
this was my first lynn painter book and i’m honestly shocked to say that i ended up LOVING this book. i mean hello?? i thought i was over highschool romances but she really did an amazing job with this ya novel because istg i couldn’t stop giggling. she really made me feel like a middle-schooler again because i caught myself grinning like an idiot like.. a bunch of times🫡
better than the movies is about liz buxbaum. a seventeen year-old teenager, a hopeless romantic and a daydreamer through and through. when her childhood crush michael returns to their town, she wants to impress him big time. for the better
— liz is a hopeless romantic, everything that happens in her life — she compares it to a movie, a romcom. she seeks that picture perfect love story but sometimes she is chasing something that isn’t really worth it. i had my problems with liz in the beginning, but she definitely grew on me. while i was mad at her for lying to her best friend, i kind of understood where it was coming from and as we follow her through her story, we see her growth and development.
— wes-my-beloved-bennet. i love him, you love him, everyone loves him. charming, witty, funny, athletic. yes, he is all that. liz never really looked at him like that tho, for her he was just the annoying neighbor who teased her. but slowly she notices why everyone loves him and that is the moment we, as a reader, fall in love with him as well. the banter between him and liz was incredibly cute and SO swoon-worthy. the way he remembered all the small details about her, i literally died dead. 💗💕💞🩷
“you look best when you’re you.”
did i mention the tension? god, the tension in this book 😮💨
we really get everything in this book — childhood nemesis, drama, lots and lots of jealousy, friends to lovers but, some more drama. but overall just an amazing comfort read. this is just a book i will get back to when i need something cute to lighten up my mood, make me blush and giggle. maybe even make me scream into my pillow.
wes bennet, I LOVE YOU !
August 6, 2023
Liz and I could never be friends…
.
.
Let me explain:
When I picked up better than the movies, I was expecting a very cliché and predictable YA book with plot lines I had read before. Everything was going great until we got introduced to ✨Lying Liz✨
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have issues when characters lie in books but at some point I think to myself “will this character ever experience consequences and will she learn?”
.
.
Spoiler warning:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
She won’t.
In the beginning I was fine with Liz but over the course of the book she couldn’t stop lying to her best friend. At first she felt bad, but after the first time, she just continued lying with ease.
With every lie, I hated her more and more
I don’t understand why you have to lie about everything. And yes I get the entire “well she was scared to trust her best friend” I GET IT OKAY BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING BUT WHY LIE ABOUT GOING TO A FUCKING PARTY????
Let me put you into her friend’s perspective:
Imagine you ask your best friend if you want to hang out, but she can’t because she has to study.
Then imagine that you find out that she didn’t actually have to study but that she went to a party. How would you feel? Probably not that good.
These are the lies I don’t understand. Liz could have just said she was invited to a party instead of lying because now her best friend feels like absolute shit.
Yet again maybe I am too sensitive because this exact same thing happened to me but wtf.
You don’t have to lie about who you hang out with. I promise it’s fine to hang out with other people just don’t fucking lie.
Yet, I still had hopes for the book. I was anticipating the moments all her lies blew up into her face and that she would have to deal with the consequences.
I was disappointed.
Also my prediction for the future is that ✨Lying Liz✨ will return to the dark side and Wes and her will break up in college.
.
.
.
And those, my fellow readers, are the reasons why Liz and I could never be friends.
Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.
.
.
.
This book gets a whopping 3 stars
(Also for people that that this is bad, it really isn’t. This book was okay but had lots of faults)
.
.
Let me explain:
When I picked up better than the movies, I was expecting a very cliché and predictable YA book with plot lines I had read before. Everything was going great until we got introduced to ✨Lying Liz✨
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have issues when characters lie in books but at some point I think to myself “will this character ever experience consequences and will she learn?”
.
.
Spoiler warning:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
She won’t.
In the beginning I was fine with Liz but over the course of the book she couldn’t stop lying to her best friend. At first she felt bad, but after the first time, she just continued lying with ease.
With every lie, I hated her more and more
I don’t understand why you have to lie about everything. And yes I get the entire “well she was scared to trust her best friend” I GET IT OKAY BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING BUT WHY LIE ABOUT GOING TO A FUCKING PARTY????
Let me put you into her friend’s perspective:
Imagine you ask your best friend if you want to hang out, but she can’t because she has to study.
Then imagine that you find out that she didn’t actually have to study but that she went to a party. How would you feel? Probably not that good.
These are the lies I don’t understand. Liz could have just said she was invited to a party instead of lying because now her best friend feels like absolute shit.
Yet again maybe I am too sensitive because this exact same thing happened to me but wtf.
You don’t have to lie about who you hang out with. I promise it’s fine to hang out with other people just don’t fucking lie.
Yet, I still had hopes for the book. I was anticipating the moments all her lies blew up into her face and that she would have to deal with the consequences.
I was disappointed.
Also my prediction for the future is that ✨Lying Liz✨ will return to the dark side and Wes and her will break up in college.
.
.
.
And those, my fellow readers, are the reasons why Liz and I could never be friends.
Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.
.
.
.
This book gets a whopping 3 stars
(Also for people that that this is bad, it really isn’t. This book was okay but had lots of faults)
June 27, 2024
4/5
Look at me falling in love with YA book, never thought it would happen, but here I am. Better Than the Movies was just utterly adorable and I couldn't put this book down. Even though the plot was predictable, this story gave me so much happiness that I smiled throughout the entire book. When I finished reading, I was sitting in the car waiting for my mom to come back from shopping — which I was supposed to go with her but didn't because of this book — and I literally cried. They were tears of joy, but I CRIED.
Look at me falling in love with YA book, never thought it would happen, but here I am. Better Than the Movies was just utterly adorable and I couldn't put this book down. Even though the plot was predictable, this story gave me so much happiness that I smiled throughout the entire book. When I finished reading, I was sitting in the car waiting for my mom to come back from shopping — which I was supposed to go with her but didn't because of this book — and I literally cried. They were tears of joy, but I CRIED.
"Sometimes we get so tied up in our idea of what we think we want that we miss out on the amazingness of what we could actually have.”
“I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you."
November 16, 2021
as far as YA contemporary books go, this pretty much ticks all the boxes.
i just, however, wanted more. i mean, this is honestly nothing i havent read before. again, a cute and dependable story, but nothing new.
↠ 3.5 stars
- family lessons and growth. check.very reliable, very safe. so if you want something that delivers what it promises, this is it. fans of morgan matson and kasie west, rejoice.
- clashing with best friends and learning to forgive. check.
- making college plans. check.
- prom. check.
- navigating crushes and first loves. check.
i just, however, wanted more. i mean, this is honestly nothing i havent read before. again, a cute and dependable story, but nothing new.
↠ 3.5 stars
April 13, 2022
Ahhh SO GOOD! I'm obsessed. The characters, the plot, the romcom references, the romance. Every aspect was so good and so well written. Once I hit the middle I stayed up super late and read the whole second half of the book in one sitting. What I would give to read this book for the first time again.
January 20, 2023
GOODBYE THIS HAD NO BUSINESS BEING THIS CUTE. it combined all my favorite things: music, playlists, romcoms & romance novels. it had me smiling the entire mf time. wes was an angel and liz was all of us in book character form. i’m still guiddy over it.
“enemies to lovers, it’s our trope buxbaum” <3
“enemies to lovers, it’s our trope buxbaum” <3
July 7, 2023
“she. isn’t. you.” SCREAMING CRYING FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS!!! THIS IS ONE OF THE CUTEST BOOKS IVE EVER READ AND IM CRYING THAT ITS OVER GOODBYE
(first time reading review)
“you look best when you’re you” SCREAMING CRYING FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS X2 i will never get over the cuteness and wholesomenesses that is liz and wes😭🤍
(second time reading review)
(first time reading review)
“you look best when you’re you” SCREAMING CRYING FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS X2 i will never get over the cuteness and wholesomenesses that is liz and wes😭🤍
(second time reading review)
March 2, 2022
Books don’t get better than this 😭
March 4, 2022
THE MC WAS ACTUALLY INSUFFERABLE. SOMEONE PLS TELL HER SHES NOT A VICTIM.
April 5, 2022
It was cute but the writing, humor, dialogue, and pop culture references in this book literally took 5 years off of my life.
August 13, 2022
➳ 5 stars
now i need a neighbor who annoys the hell out of me but has been secretly in love with me since our childhood. is it too much to ask?
now i need a neighbor who annoys the hell out of me but has been secretly in love with me since our childhood. is it too much to ask?
July 10, 2022
i give them three months into college max before they break up
August 23, 2022
The star is only for Wes
November 15, 2022
i actually cried? what the hell😭
March 9, 2024
I was not prepared for the amount of tears I would shed reading this. 🥺💛
“She’s not you.”
“What?”
“She’s. Not. You.”
Wes Bennett >>>
“She’s not you.”
“What?”
“She’s. Not. You.”
Wes Bennett >>>
April 10, 2023
this was not better than the movies
January 3, 2024
4.5 stars✨
"Enemies-to-lovers- it's our trope, Buxbaum."
✔️ Enemies to lovers
✔️ Fake dating
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Banter and cheesy vibes
Y'all am so glad I started 2024 reading this book. It's everything I could have asked for. I loved how cliche and cheesy it was. The whole idea of pretending to date someone to get the other guy but falling for your fake date isn't something new yet it was the writing that brought life to this idea.
Liz and Wes had such good banter and chemistry. Their slow burn was worth sticking around. As individuals? I would prefer Wes over Liz. While Liz is a fun fmc, she is kinda too into fantasy world and delusional 😅 Whereas Wes grounded her a bit and he was making me giggle so much. Michael wasn't a bad side character at all but I loved Helena more. Liz's dynamic with Helena brought more depth to Liz, and I appreciated that.
The cheesy rom com quotes were a plus. I would have preferred if the chapters had been a tad shorter, especially chapter six- why was it 60 pages long is beyond me. Also, a thing that icked me was the smoking scene, it's just a "me issue" but wasn't a fan of it.
Other than that, I had an amazing time with it and would totally recommend it, despite some of the things that I wasn't really appreciative of.
~•~•~
Thanks everyone for voting on the poll. Will be kickstarting the new year with this one and hopefully I will love it as much as you all did ❤
"Enemies-to-lovers- it's our trope, Buxbaum."
✔️ Enemies to lovers
✔️ Fake dating
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Banter and cheesy vibes
Y'all am so glad I started 2024 reading this book. It's everything I could have asked for. I loved how cliche and cheesy it was. The whole idea of pretending to date someone to get the other guy but falling for your fake date isn't something new yet it was the writing that brought life to this idea.
Liz and Wes had such good banter and chemistry. Their slow burn was worth sticking around. As individuals? I would prefer Wes over Liz. While Liz is a fun fmc, she is kinda too into fantasy world and delusional 😅 Whereas Wes grounded her a bit and he was making me giggle so much. Michael wasn't a bad side character at all but I loved Helena more. Liz's dynamic with Helena brought more depth to Liz, and I appreciated that.
The cheesy rom com quotes were a plus. I would have preferred if the chapters had been a tad shorter, especially chapter six- why was it 60 pages long is beyond me. Also, a thing that icked me was the smoking scene, it's just a "me issue" but wasn't a fan of it.
Other than that, I had an amazing time with it and would totally recommend it, despite some of the things that I wasn't really appreciative of.
~•~•~
Thanks everyone for voting on the poll. Will be kickstarting the new year with this one and hopefully I will love it as much as you all did ❤
September 25, 2025
I really don't know where to start. This didn't work out for me the way I thought it would because while it was everything i already knew it was going to be, cutesy high school romance and teen drama, the thing i couldn't put my fingers on is what exactly the hype surrounding this book is about?
Don't get me wrong — I can definitely see why everyone loved this but I couldn't help but feel disappointed because this was made out to be the best book yet nothing about it really had me intrigued enough to be wanting to get to the next chapter faster, which normally is the case in every book I read that holds my interest.
No book has ever taken me 3 weeks to complete, this being the only exception plus I'm Not a slow reader either, so that has to say something right? Even after my exams were done, getting back to this book felt like a task, one i wouldn't have taken up willingly had i known beforehand what I was signing up for.
Speaking of the characters, I absolutely loved and adored the mmc Wes but I just couldn't with FMC Liz. She was just way too immature even for a high schooler. Throughout the book she's only spitting unnecessary lies, whining and throwing tantrums about how she's done her friends so wrong and everyone near her yet at the same time she also likes to pretend it's her who's been done wrong with and not the other way around. While I would've still let all that slip bc she's "highschooler" the reason I couldn't is bc the mmc was so mature and understanding to the extent, it made her look all the more dumb and at times her juvenile actions gave me second-hand embarrassment instead of what the author probably thought would be executed as funny.
To make it worse, the entire book is from her pov, and despite that there was neither any character development on her part nor was there any depth to her personality other than her going behind her childhood love and at the same time being in denial of her feelings towards wes, add the always-grieving part too, I do respect that but instead of portraying her as someone who only grieves throughout the book about her late mother whom she lost as a child, i would've rather loved seeing how she heals or copes up with it as well. That aspect was never shown.
It was hard to believe there really was nothing about her personality at all, it was pretty much like she didn't have one even though the entire book was from her pov. I just know as a matter of fact that, had the book been from wes's pov, my ratings would've increased. Lack of depth in characters always takes me out of the story because I always want more of them in order to relate.
Let's not even get started on how underwhelming the ending was. I felt the author dragged this so much by not having liz communicate with wes throughout the book. Because when she finally did in the end they got together in just 2 pages in the last chapter and that was really exasperating.
And while I don't prefer reading books from single pov, I don't mind it in exceptional cases if the author has written it well enough to an extent that the pov of the significant other isn't even required. BUT SADLY, I felt that wasn't the case here. There were many scenes that were written in a way that needed to be addressed from mmc's pov to get an insight. In fact a lot about wes as a person still goes unknown but I cannot really complain about that when a lot about the fmc as a person wasn't shown either in spite of the entire book being from her pov.
Overall I was expecting much more considering how hyped it is. And I know everyone loved this and I'm probably in the minority as I speak but i couldn't help feeling absolutely nothing but relieved when I was done with this.
Don't get me wrong — I can definitely see why everyone loved this but I couldn't help but feel disappointed because this was made out to be the best book yet nothing about it really had me intrigued enough to be wanting to get to the next chapter faster, which normally is the case in every book I read that holds my interest.
No book has ever taken me 3 weeks to complete, this being the only exception plus I'm Not a slow reader either, so that has to say something right? Even after my exams were done, getting back to this book felt like a task, one i wouldn't have taken up willingly had i known beforehand what I was signing up for.
Speaking of the characters, I absolutely loved and adored the mmc Wes but I just couldn't with FMC Liz. She was just way too immature even for a high schooler. Throughout the book she's only spitting unnecessary lies, whining and throwing tantrums about how she's done her friends so wrong and everyone near her yet at the same time she also likes to pretend it's her who's been done wrong with and not the other way around. While I would've still let all that slip bc she's "highschooler" the reason I couldn't is bc the mmc was so mature and understanding to the extent, it made her look all the more dumb and at times her juvenile actions gave me second-hand embarrassment instead of what the author probably thought would be executed as funny.
To make it worse, the entire book is from her pov, and despite that there was neither any character development on her part nor was there any depth to her personality other than her going behind her childhood love and at the same time being in denial of her feelings towards wes, add the always-grieving part too, I do respect that but instead of portraying her as someone who only grieves throughout the book about her late mother whom she lost as a child, i would've rather loved seeing how she heals or copes up with it as well. That aspect was never shown.
It was hard to believe there really was nothing about her personality at all, it was pretty much like she didn't have one even though the entire book was from her pov. I just know as a matter of fact that, had the book been from wes's pov, my ratings would've increased. Lack of depth in characters always takes me out of the story because I always want more of them in order to relate.
Let's not even get started on how underwhelming the ending was. I felt the author dragged this so much by not having liz communicate with wes throughout the book. Because when she finally did in the end they got together in just 2 pages in the last chapter and that was really exasperating.
And while I don't prefer reading books from single pov, I don't mind it in exceptional cases if the author has written it well enough to an extent that the pov of the significant other isn't even required. BUT SADLY, I felt that wasn't the case here. There were many scenes that were written in a way that needed to be addressed from mmc's pov to get an insight. In fact a lot about wes as a person still goes unknown but I cannot really complain about that when a lot about the fmc as a person wasn't shown either in spite of the entire book being from her pov.
Overall I was expecting much more considering how hyped it is. And I know everyone loved this and I'm probably in the minority as I speak but i couldn't help feeling absolutely nothing but relieved when I was done with this.
July 17, 2024
This book, guys, why did I wait so long to start this book?
The rom com movie references felt like such a nostalgic hug and ode to rom coms It genuinely felt like I transported back to being a teenager reading this with the way it had me smiling and laughing like a fool besides reliving some teenage angst and awkwardness I felt then. Each chapter began with a quote from all the rom coms I grew up on as a kid and believe they were integrated seamlessly into each chapter. This was super cute, somewhat cheesy yet fluffy but very much like a love letter to rom coms which was also obvious from the animations on the cover
4.5 stars
To me, this particular YA book was portrayed incredibly realistic with certain scenarios and I was somewhat nervous to read this given mixed reviews but I’m glad I took a chance on it
WES BENNETT. The famous Wes I’ve been hearing about for months didn’t disappoint. Where was he when I was 17?? I’m well into my 20s but life then would’ve been less stressful trying to understand boys lol he was so attentive, caring, funny & charming. I swooned, I was grinning, and I’d very much like an adult Wes my age thank you. His attention to detail and care, the maturity he exemplifies, seeing Liz for who she was, effortlessly just knows how to divert a negative into a positive when she’s having a bad moment/day, calls her out on her bs and is low key a rom com lover!? I could go on but ultimately he was too adorable for words and such a book bf
Liz was.. a teenager and a hopeless romantic like some of us. I adored her love for music and the playlists and her love for rom coms and how it solidified the bond she had with her mom as it reminded me of mines in doing so. But, I do have to mention being annoyed with her during certain points. delusional (aren’t we all) & oblivious at times with pent up teenage angst is how I’d describe her and while it bothered me at times—I understood her. Her unresolved grief and fear of things changing molded her into how she was which isn’t an excuse but I get it. Thankfully she was self aware enough to acknowledge how wrong her words and actions were and worked to change that bc she could be so petty. When she wasn’t doing the most, her delusions had me cracking up bc I somehow related to them years ago lmao. I also tried to put myself in her shoes and remember being horrible at communicating my feelings at her age so I hope the character development shown is expanded on further in the sequel
“Do you realize we could’ve been doing this for years if you weren’t such a pain in the ass?”
wesliz- all the teasing on Wes’ end, the phone call scene, the late night talks in his backyard, the car scene (I screamed here) and confessing their feelings was the sweetest. They weren’t remotely close to enemies to lovers but who really is lol I overall found them adorable together and I wish Liz realized that sooner. idk if they’re gonna last going to college but I cannot wait for more of them and can’t help but hope they do so don’t mind me if you seeing me reading all the extra chapters as I simply want more of Wes and his pov 🤭 anyways this was fun! and what I needed & I’m hoping this is one day adapted as a movie since it read like one
some quotes
“Enemies-to-lovers- it's our trope, Buxbaum.”
“The universe likes Wes better.”
“Wow. That dress is so Liz Buxbaum.”
“Buy the dress Liz, I’m begging you” after she sends him a picture of her prom dress 🥹
“She's not you." “What?" “She. Isn't. You” I’ve seen this quote so much and now I get it 😩
“I could say these unfiltered things to him because he didn’t care. Wes Bennett knew what a mess I was underneath it all, and there was a little bit of joy in knowing he saw the real me. Freedom.”
“I wouldn’t run through a train station for Michael. But I would do it for Wes. Holy shit.”
“I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you.”
-
In need of a rom com that’s cute and cliche? and that’ll make me feel like a teenager again lol I’m excited to meet the famous Wes
The rom com movie references felt like such a nostalgic hug and ode to rom coms It genuinely felt like I transported back to being a teenager reading this with the way it had me smiling and laughing like a fool besides reliving some teenage angst and awkwardness I felt then. Each chapter began with a quote from all the rom coms I grew up on as a kid and believe they were integrated seamlessly into each chapter. This was super cute, somewhat cheesy yet fluffy but very much like a love letter to rom coms which was also obvious from the animations on the cover
4.5 stars
To me, this particular YA book was portrayed incredibly realistic with certain scenarios and I was somewhat nervous to read this given mixed reviews but I’m glad I took a chance on it
WES BENNETT. The famous Wes I’ve been hearing about for months didn’t disappoint. Where was he when I was 17?? I’m well into my 20s but life then would’ve been less stressful trying to understand boys lol he was so attentive, caring, funny & charming. I swooned, I was grinning, and I’d very much like an adult Wes my age thank you. His attention to detail and care, the maturity he exemplifies, seeing Liz for who she was, effortlessly just knows how to divert a negative into a positive when she’s having a bad moment/day, calls her out on her bs and is low key a rom com lover!? I could go on but ultimately he was too adorable for words and such a book bf
Liz was.. a teenager and a hopeless romantic like some of us. I adored her love for music and the playlists and her love for rom coms and how it solidified the bond she had with her mom as it reminded me of mines in doing so. But, I do have to mention being annoyed with her during certain points. delusional (aren’t we all) & oblivious at times with pent up teenage angst is how I’d describe her and while it bothered me at times—I understood her. Her unresolved grief and fear of things changing molded her into how she was which isn’t an excuse but I get it. Thankfully she was self aware enough to acknowledge how wrong her words and actions were and worked to change that bc she could be so petty. When she wasn’t doing the most, her delusions had me cracking up bc I somehow related to them years ago lmao. I also tried to put myself in her shoes and remember being horrible at communicating my feelings at her age so I hope the character development shown is expanded on further in the sequel
“Do you realize we could’ve been doing this for years if you weren’t such a pain in the ass?”
wesliz- all the teasing on Wes’ end, the phone call scene, the late night talks in his backyard, the car scene (I screamed here) and confessing their feelings was the sweetest. They weren’t remotely close to enemies to lovers but who really is lol I overall found them adorable together and I wish Liz realized that sooner. idk if they’re gonna last going to college but I cannot wait for more of them and can’t help but hope they do so don’t mind me if you seeing me reading all the extra chapters as I simply want more of Wes and his pov 🤭 anyways this was fun! and what I needed & I’m hoping this is one day adapted as a movie since it read like one
some quotes
“Enemies-to-lovers- it's our trope, Buxbaum.”
“The universe likes Wes better.”
“Wow. That dress is so Liz Buxbaum.”
“Buy the dress Liz, I’m begging you” after she sends him a picture of her prom dress 🥹
“She's not you." “What?" “She. Isn't. You” I’ve seen this quote so much and now I get it 😩
“I could say these unfiltered things to him because he didn’t care. Wes Bennett knew what a mess I was underneath it all, and there was a little bit of joy in knowing he saw the real me. Freedom.”
“I wouldn’t run through a train station for Michael. But I would do it for Wes. Holy shit.”
“I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you.”
-
In need of a rom com that’s cute and cliche? and that’ll make me feel like a teenager again lol I’m excited to meet the famous Wes
August 17, 2024
Marriage is scary because what if he's not Wes Bennett.
July 7, 2023
Maybe straight people aren’t so bad.
October 16, 2023
eat poo 😜😜😜
September 15, 2023
Urgent question ⁉️ WHERE CAN I FIND A WES?? (asking for a friend)
After reading this, I got myself every single book Lynn Painter has ever written. I think that says a lot about how much I loved this book.
I’m a fan of romance books (how Wes would say it, I’m a love lover) in theory, but in reality, they rarely satisfy my needs. So, you don’t have to trust my other reviews that much, but my reviews of romance books… I CHOOSE MY 5 STAR READS CAREFULLY IN THAT GENRE.
This is considered a YA romance, characters are in their final year of high school, the events are set a few days before prom (15 if I’m correct). It’s very clean, our main couple shares a kiss or two. BUT, your needs will be satisfied. It’s all cute all fluff, the banter between Liz and Wes is written so well. The book is extremely funny, had me highlighting these little corny jokes (I laughed at them).
Everything is told from the perspective of our main girl, Liz. She’s a lover of old romantic movies, which is a trait she got from her late mother. She rewatches her romcoms almost every day to sort of keep the memory of her mother. So, before every chapter, there’s a quote from one of those movies I used to obsessively watch when I was younger. Chapters were kinda long, ngl, I think the totality of this book (almost 400 pages) has less than 20 chapters (keep in mind that the last 2 were very short) + epilogue. Aside from these long chapters, there’s not a single thing I found uninteresting or dragging or cringe in this book. Reading some of the reviews for this book, I stumbled upon Liz hate. BUT I can’t really see why, to me, she was so adorable and relatable. Some of her weird behavior is easily justified by the situation she found herself in, the grief she’s going through. Both our love interests, Wes and Michael (a love triangle, not really, just read it), were very loveable. MICHAEL LOVES BRIDGERTON BOOKS, C’MON! INSTANT HEART EYES FOR THAT BOY. And Wes has everything else. He’s funny, he’s supportive (that’s his best trait), he’s humble about his achievements, truly a superior male protagonist. BOOK BOYFRIEND OF THE WEEK! Even though Liz makes that joke a couple of times throughout the book, I still wouldn’t call this the enemies-to-lovers trope. There was this tiny fight around THE parking SPOT in the beginning, but it wasn’t that serious (especially considering the explanation we got at the very end of the book). So every little bad thing Wes has potentially done was for the banter, but definitely nothing major, this man is a WALKING GREEN FLAG (can’t believe I’m saying that).
Yeah, they couldn’t stay friends tho, never beating those allegations!!! 💕
After reading this, I got myself every single book Lynn Painter has ever written. I think that says a lot about how much I loved this book.
I’m a fan of romance books (how Wes would say it, I’m a love lover) in theory, but in reality, they rarely satisfy my needs. So, you don’t have to trust my other reviews that much, but my reviews of romance books… I CHOOSE MY 5 STAR READS CAREFULLY IN THAT GENRE.
This is considered a YA romance, characters are in their final year of high school, the events are set a few days before prom (15 if I’m correct). It’s very clean, our main couple shares a kiss or two. BUT, your needs will be satisfied. It’s all cute all fluff, the banter between Liz and Wes is written so well. The book is extremely funny, had me highlighting these little corny jokes (I laughed at them).
Everything is told from the perspective of our main girl, Liz. She’s a lover of old romantic movies, which is a trait she got from her late mother. She rewatches her romcoms almost every day to sort of keep the memory of her mother. So, before every chapter, there’s a quote from one of those movies I used to obsessively watch when I was younger. Chapters were kinda long, ngl, I think the totality of this book (almost 400 pages) has less than 20 chapters (keep in mind that the last 2 were very short) + epilogue. Aside from these long chapters, there’s not a single thing I found uninteresting or dragging or cringe in this book. Reading some of the reviews for this book, I stumbled upon Liz hate. BUT I can’t really see why, to me, she was so adorable and relatable. Some of her weird behavior is easily justified by the situation she found herself in, the grief she’s going through. Both our love interests, Wes and Michael (a love triangle, not really, just read it), were very loveable. MICHAEL LOVES BRIDGERTON BOOKS, C’MON! INSTANT HEART EYES FOR THAT BOY. And Wes has everything else. He’s funny, he’s supportive (that’s his best trait), he’s humble about his achievements, truly a superior male protagonist. BOOK BOYFRIEND OF THE WEEK! Even though Liz makes that joke a couple of times throughout the book, I still wouldn’t call this the enemies-to-lovers trope. There was this tiny fight around THE parking SPOT in the beginning, but it wasn’t that serious (especially considering the explanation we got at the very end of the book). So every little bad thing Wes has potentially done was for the banter, but definitely nothing major, this man is a WALKING GREEN FLAG (can’t believe I’m saying that).
Yeah, they couldn’t stay friends tho, never beating those allegations!!! 💕
September 17, 2023
do you guys ever just go wes 😍 bennett 😍 or is it just me?
March 24, 2023
2nd Read
I love this book sm and I think it got me out of a reading/mental slump and I'm so grateful. This was the first book I've ever annotated and it was pretty great, I just need more and better supplies.
(edit: it didn't get me out of my slump, i'm still sick of everything so that's fun. but i still love the book <3)
I will forever be jealous of Wes and Liz's love as I curl up into a ball and cry myself to sleep while listening to The Soundtrack of Wes and Liz
<><><><><><><><><><><>
“Enemies-to-lovers—it’s our trope, Buxbaum.”
AND ENEMIES TO LOVERS IS MY FAVORITE TROPE, WHAT A PERFECT MATCH.
This is one of my comfort reads now, it was so freaking adorable and fluffy 🥰 I now want to go and rewatch rom-coms all day
Also, I made it my mission to finish this book in July, and I DID. I feel very accomplished now.
This book was basically everything I wanted: A book about rom-coms (there were quotes from rom-coms at the beginning of each chapter !!), an ENEMIES TO LOVERS, FAKE DATING, sooo much denial, and drama, drama, DRAMA.
Liz is relatable in the sense that she's just trying to live life and garner the courage to ask out her life long crush and also she LOVES listening to music, something I relate to on a spiritual level. Also, you bet that I'm gonna be making a playlist of the Wes and Liz playlist shown in the back of the book. And she also loves rom-coms and SO DO I.
“I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you.”
Now. Wes. I loved him so much, and he had me screeching MULTIPLE different times. He's the bad boy next door but he's also so sweet and kind, and not really a bad boy at all, it's just that he's portrayed that way because Liz despised him. I love him so much and I want him for myself.
I also really loved the family connections in this. Liz had a slightly rocky relationship with her step-mom Helena, but I love that they were able to connect, and talk, and really get the chance to learn more about each other.
The friendships in this were also GOLD. Joss seems like a great friend, and I can understand her frustrations when Liz was being a neglectful and sucky friend. Wes's friends were also really nice and sweet to Liz.
Now, it was pretty chill through the book, but near the end, the drama just came pouring in and then I was reminded: Rom-coms are filled to the brim with drama. That's why I love them, besides the cute romances and cliche tropes that I just so happen to love.
Also, Wes's 'big hands' were mentioned a lot. I mean, I don't mind but it was a little repetitive, if we're gonna get nit-picky.
Liz's internal denial of her feelings was hilarious, and it just had me shouting at the book, telling her to just kiss him already!
Also, I screamed at that moment in Wes's car.
This book was also funny too: a lot of the lines made me laugh, and though it could be cheesy, cringey, and cliche, isn't that what you want out of a rom-com?
I loved Wes from the beginning, and while Michael seemed like a great guy, Wes was just better.
I will definitely be rereading this when I am either sad or want something cute, or just want to reread this.
5 stars
“She’s not you.”
“What?”
“She. Isn’t. You.”
😭😭 This scene killed me and brought me back to life at the same time.
<><><><><><><><><><>
I'm going to listen to the Wes and Liz playlist in the back of the book on repeat and no one can stop me
Rt
I love this book sm and I think it got me out of a reading/mental slump and I'm so grateful. This was the first book I've ever annotated and it was pretty great, I just need more and better supplies.
(edit: it didn't get me out of my slump, i'm still sick of everything so that's fun. but i still love the book <3)
I will forever be jealous of Wes and Liz's love as I curl up into a ball and cry myself to sleep while listening to The Soundtrack of Wes and Liz
<><><><><><><><><><><>
“Enemies-to-lovers—it’s our trope, Buxbaum.”
AND ENEMIES TO LOVERS IS MY FAVORITE TROPE, WHAT A PERFECT MATCH.
This is one of my comfort reads now, it was so freaking adorable and fluffy 🥰 I now want to go and rewatch rom-coms all day
Also, I made it my mission to finish this book in July, and I DID. I feel very accomplished now.
This book was basically everything I wanted: A book about rom-coms (there were quotes from rom-coms at the beginning of each chapter !!), an ENEMIES TO LOVERS, FAKE DATING, sooo much denial, and drama, drama, DRAMA.
Liz is relatable in the sense that she's just trying to live life and garner the courage to ask out her life long crush and also she LOVES listening to music, something I relate to on a spiritual level. Also, you bet that I'm gonna be making a playlist of the Wes and Liz playlist shown in the back of the book. And she also loves rom-coms and SO DO I.
“I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you.”
Now. Wes. I loved him so much, and he had me screeching MULTIPLE different times. He's the bad boy next door but he's also so sweet and kind, and not really a bad boy at all, it's just that he's portrayed that way because Liz despised him. I love him so much and I want him for myself.
I also really loved the family connections in this. Liz had a slightly rocky relationship with her step-mom Helena, but I love that they were able to connect, and talk, and really get the chance to learn more about each other.
The friendships in this were also GOLD. Joss seems like a great friend, and I can understand her frustrations when Liz was being a neglectful and sucky friend. Wes's friends were also really nice and sweet to Liz.
Now, it was pretty chill through the book, but near the end, the drama just came pouring in and then I was reminded: Rom-coms are filled to the brim with drama. That's why I love them, besides the cute romances and cliche tropes that I just so happen to love.
Also, Wes's 'big hands' were mentioned a lot. I mean, I don't mind but it was a little repetitive, if we're gonna get nit-picky.
Liz's internal denial of her feelings was hilarious, and it just had me shouting at the book, telling her to just kiss him already!
Also, I screamed at that moment in Wes's car.
This book was also funny too: a lot of the lines made me laugh, and though it could be cheesy, cringey, and cliche, isn't that what you want out of a rom-com?
I loved Wes from the beginning, and while Michael seemed like a great guy, Wes was just better.
I will definitely be rereading this when I am either sad or want something cute, or just want to reread this.
5 stars
“She’s not you.”
“What?”
“She. Isn’t. You.”
😭😭 This scene killed me and brought me back to life at the same time.
<><><><><><><><><><>
I'm going to listen to the Wes and Liz playlist in the back of the book on repeat and no one can stop me
Rt
July 1, 2024
⋆˚✿˖°
"She's not you."
"What?"
"She. Isn't. You." ⋆˚✿˖°
Just finished this after binge reading the last 150 pages and now idk what to do with my devastatingly single life. I have a feeling I'm going to spend the rest of my days waiting for my own Wes Bennett who's never going to show up. *peers across the street to the house that's on sale*
I'm dramatic, I know. I can't help it.
Also, did I mention that I freaking LOVED this book??? It was everything I expected it to be (and my expectations were high)
Better than the Movies is adorable, funny, entertaining, and had me furiously reading until the last sentence. The writing style for contemporary romances can be crap (*cough* the summer I turned pretty *cough*) but Lynn Painter's writing is actually so well done!! The story never felt cheesy or forced, it all just flowed together so well.
AND THE CHARACTERS ARE SO CUTEEE. I loved Liz, and I loved how she was 'different', but not in the cliche way. It really felt like she had her own personality, not a copy and paste from every other cliche main character. AND WES. I mean, come on! He was the best part of the book fr. Like... do I need to say more? 🤭
And I'm SO glad I bought a physical copy because I'm obsessed with the movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Lynn Painter is a genius, really. This book is just unbeatable.
This book made my heart happy. If you haven't already, please do yourself a favor and read this book. It's a gem 🥺
⋆˚✿˖° "Enemies-to-lovers; it's our trope, Buxbuam." ⋆˚✿˖°
"What?"
"She. Isn't. You." ⋆˚✿˖°
Just finished this after binge reading the last 150 pages and now idk what to do with my devastatingly single life. I have a feeling I'm going to spend the rest of my days waiting for my own Wes Bennett who's never going to show up. *peers across the street to the house that's on sale*
I'm dramatic, I know. I can't help it.
Also, did I mention that I freaking LOVED this book??? It was everything I expected it to be (and my expectations were high)
Better than the Movies is adorable, funny, entertaining, and had me furiously reading until the last sentence. The writing style for contemporary romances can be crap (*cough* the summer I turned pretty *cough*) but Lynn Painter's writing is actually so well done!! The story never felt cheesy or forced, it all just flowed together so well.
AND THE CHARACTERS ARE SO CUTEEE. I loved Liz, and I loved how she was 'different', but not in the cliche way. It really felt like she had her own personality, not a copy and paste from every other cliche main character. AND WES. I mean, come on! He was the best part of the book fr. Like... do I need to say more? 🤭
And I'm SO glad I bought a physical copy because I'm obsessed with the movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Lynn Painter is a genius, really. This book is just unbeatable.
This book made my heart happy. If you haven't already, please do yourself a favor and read this book. It's a gem 🥺
⋆˚✿˖° "Enemies-to-lovers; it's our trope, Buxbuam." ⋆˚✿˖°
December 18, 2021
I'm out really early on this one. A couple chapters in and I just can't. Liz is naïve to the point of idiocy. She's a senior in high school, so seventeen/eighteen, but she comes across as years younger. Like, she's expecting anything in real life to be like in the romcoms she loves? Really? And I don't mean simply that she's romantic or sees things too rosy because that'd be actually possible. I mean that she literally thinks she just had a meet cute and insists on referring to it as such, using it to fantasize that the relationship is inevitable—they had the meet cute so obviously, the romance is a go!
But her background doesn't really gel, either. She's in a feud with Wes over a parking space and he's using things too heavy for her to lift to hold his space. Like an engine block. And big-truck tires. Things every teen boy has access to, obviously, so no need to explain how he has these things lying around. And while its just barely possible that a mother (Liz's) would watch endless romcoms with her prepubescent daughter (no mention of dad. Anywhere. In these first chapters, I can't even tell if she has a resident dad), I can't quite see the whole mean-girl scenario as anything but authorial air-dreaming.
I don't remember her name, so let's call her Malificent. So Liz hates Mal because they had assigned seating in the lunch cafeteria (really?) in fifth grade and Mal's mom always sent home-baked treats and a note of love and support that she signed with, gasp, hearts and stuff! And Mal read those notes out loud to the other kids and that made Liz sad because her mom had just died. And I'm all, um, can I get a fact check here, please? I mean, a) a mom that does this every single day has too much time on her hands and b) an eleven year-old who reads this to her classmates every day isn't so much an eleven year-old as she is an aberration we should study for purposes of science. Have you met eleven year-olds? Or observed them with their peer groups? Oh, and what a completely insensitive jerk Mal is for sharing her loving home life with her friends. I mean, hate that girl! Such a jerk! We should definitely hate her for the next seven years even though every other indication is that she is nice to others and has lots of friends. Liz isn't even thinking about bad things Mal has done to her. She's all "Mal sometimes looks at me funny".
Also, Wes is a jerk.
So anyway, I found Liz uninteresting and that gave me lots of time to pick holes in everything else. And seriously, where is her dad? Sigh. This is one star though I'll admit this is lots of little nits I'm picking. I like my YA to be at least a little bit possible, but I can see that if you engage with Liz it'd be totally different. I just didn't and that made everything else stand out in bad ways.
But her background doesn't really gel, either. She's in a feud with Wes over a parking space and he's using things too heavy for her to lift to hold his space. Like an engine block. And big-truck tires. Things every teen boy has access to, obviously, so no need to explain how he has these things lying around. And while its just barely possible that a mother (Liz's) would watch endless romcoms with her prepubescent daughter (no mention of dad. Anywhere. In these first chapters, I can't even tell if she has a resident dad), I can't quite see the whole mean-girl scenario as anything but authorial air-dreaming.
I don't remember her name, so let's call her Malificent. So Liz hates Mal because they had assigned seating in the lunch cafeteria (really?) in fifth grade and Mal's mom always sent home-baked treats and a note of love and support that she signed with, gasp, hearts and stuff! And Mal read those notes out loud to the other kids and that made Liz sad because her mom had just died. And I'm all, um, can I get a fact check here, please? I mean, a) a mom that does this every single day has too much time on her hands and b) an eleven year-old who reads this to her classmates every day isn't so much an eleven year-old as she is an aberration we should study for purposes of science. Have you met eleven year-olds? Or observed them with their peer groups? Oh, and what a completely insensitive jerk Mal is for sharing her loving home life with her friends. I mean, hate that girl! Such a jerk! We should definitely hate her for the next seven years even though every other indication is that she is nice to others and has lots of friends. Liz isn't even thinking about bad things Mal has done to her. She's all "Mal sometimes looks at me funny".
Also, Wes is a jerk.
So anyway, I found Liz uninteresting and that gave me lots of time to pick holes in everything else. And seriously, where is her dad? Sigh. This is one star though I'll admit this is lots of little nits I'm picking. I like my YA to be at least a little bit possible, but I can see that if you engage with Liz it'd be totally different. I just didn't and that made everything else stand out in bad ways.
November 30, 2022
– 4.5 stars
it feels illegal to simp for a 18 yrs old and i’m pretty sure the police is 5 seconds away from knocking on my door, but Wes Bennett is perfect and this new obsession with Wes & Liz hit me came out of nowhere who allowed them to be so cute 😭🤚
nahh but why am i such a whore for the heroine pining for another man while the Hero helps getting her crush’s attention while secretly pining for her for years … the teenage angst in this one it’s so good 😩🤌
lizwes officially own the childhood-frenemies-to-lovers trope now and might be my new favorite young adult contemporary romance, cuz it was just the cutest! ♡
it feels illegal to simp for a 18 yrs old and i’m pretty sure the police is 5 seconds away from knocking on my door, but Wes Bennett is perfect and this new obsession with Wes & Liz hit me came out of nowhere who allowed them to be so cute 😭🤚
nahh but why am i such a whore for the heroine pining for another man while the Hero helps getting her crush’s attention while secretly pining for her for years … the teenage angst in this one it’s so good 😩🤌
"I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you.
lizwes officially own the childhood-frenemies-to-lovers trope now and might be my new favorite young adult contemporary romance, cuz it was just the cutest! ♡
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