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Quick answer: If you loved Better Than the Movies, try Nothing Like the Movies, The Do-Over, Mr. Wrong Number, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, The Kissing Booth and Tweet Cute. Each one is a sweet, funny teen romance full of rom-com energy and irresistible banter.
Lynn Painter's novel stars Liz Buxbaum, a teen obsessed with rom-coms and still grieving her mother, who shared that love. When her childhood crush returns to town, Liz enlists Wes, her annoying next-door neighbor, to help her win him over. Readers love the movie references, the enemies-to-lovers banter and the surprisingly touching family story. These books share its playful tone and its big romantic payoff.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Setting | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nothing Like the Movies | Lynn Painter | College | readers who want the sequel |
| The Do-Over | Lynn Painter | High school | readers who like time loops |
| Mr. Wrong Number | Lynn Painter | Adult | older readers who want more Painter |
| To All the Boys I've Loved Before | Jenny Han | High school | readers who like fake dating |
| The Kissing Booth | Beth Reekles | High school | readers who like best-friend's-brother plots |
| Tweet Cute | Emma Lord | New York | readers who like online banter |
| Today Tonight Tomorrow | Rachel Lynn Solomon | Seattle | readers who like rivals to lovers |
| Geekerella | Ashley Poston | Convention | readers who want fandom romance |
| Love & Other Words | Christina Lauren | Adult | older readers who want a second chance |
| The Summer of Broken Rules | K.L. Walther | Martha's Vineyard | readers who like summer weddings |
| Anna and the French Kiss | Stephanie Perkins | Paris | readers who want a slow burn |
| The Cheat Sheet | Sarah Adams | Adult | older readers who love friends to lovers |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | older readers who like grief and banter |
| Love, Theoretically | Ali Hazelwood | Adult | older readers who like rom-com science |
| When Dimple Met Rishi | Sandhya Menon | California | readers who like arranged-match comedy |
1. Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter
Liz and Wes reconnect in college after their relationship falls apart.
Best for: readers who want the sequel.
2. The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
A girl keeps reliving a terrible Valentine's Day.
Best for: readers who like time loops.
3. Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter
A woman keeps getting wrong-number texts from a very charming stranger.
Best for: older readers who want more Painter.
4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
A shy girl fake-dates one of the boys who received her secret letters.
Best for: readers who like fake dating.
5. The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles
A girl kisses her best friend's off-limits brother at a charity fair.
Best for: readers who like best-friend's-brother plots.
6. Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
Rival teens feud on Twitter while secretly falling for each other.
Best for: readers who like online banter.
7. Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Two high school rivals spend one wild last day together.
Best for: readers who like rivals to lovers.
8. Geekerella by Ashley Poston
A sci-fi fan enters a cosplay contest in this Cinderella retelling.
Best for: readers who want fandom romance.
9. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
A woman runs into her childhood love after years of silence.
Best for: older readers who want a second chance.
10. The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
A wedding week brings a game of Assassin and a secret flirtation.
Best for: readers who like summer weddings.
11. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
An American teen falls for a charming classmate at a Paris boarding school.
Best for: readers who want a slow burn.
12. The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Two best friends finally have to admit what they feel.
Best for: older readers who love friends to lovers.
13. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival writers swap genres over one summer.
Best for: older readers who like grief and banter.
14. Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
A physicist with a side job as a fake girlfriend falls for a rival.
Best for: older readers who like rom-com science.
15. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Two Indian American teens meet at a coding camp, and only one knows they are set up.
Best for: readers who like arranged-match comedy.
How to Choose
Go right to Nothing Like the Movies if you need more Wes and Liz, and try The Do-Over for Painter's humor with a time-loop hook. If the bickering was what you loved, Today Tonight Tomorrow and Tweet Cute are the best rivals-to-lovers stories here. If you adored the rom-com references and the feel-good tone, To All the Boys I've Loved Before and When Dimple Met Rishi will hit the same spot. If you have started to prefer adult romance, Mr. Wrong Number, Beach Read and The Cheat Sheet carry over the banter but include more mature content. And if Liz's grief surprised you with how much it mattered, Beach Read offers that same mix of sorrow and laughter.
Related: 10 Reasons Why Are Books Better Than Movies · Are eBooks Better Than Printed Books? 10 Reasons to Decide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Better Than the Movies about?
Rom-com lover Liz Buxbaum enlists her annoying neighbor Wes to help her win back her childhood crush.
Is there a sequel to Better Than the Movies?
Yes. Nothing Like the Movies continues the story of Liz and Wes.
What age is Better Than the Movies for?
It is usually recommended for ages 14 and up.
Is Better Than the Movies enemies to lovers?
Yes. Liz and Wes bicker through much of the story before their feelings change.
Is the book sad?
It is mostly funny and light, but Liz's grief for her mother adds some emotional moments.
Is Better Than the Movies clean?
It is fairly mild, with kissing and some teen drinking and language.