Left: Cover of Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter. Right: Cover art of Nothing Like The Movies by Lynn Painter
(Simon & Schuster)

The perfect book for rom-com movie lovers is getting a sequel!

Nothing like a good romance novel to begin cuffing season with, right? And Lynn Painter’s highly anticipated sequel to her New York Times Bestseller Better Than the Movies, titled Nothing Like the Movies, is arriving just in time for some cozy reading.

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If you’re a sucker for romances (like yours truly), then you’ve probably devoured Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter, author of several books in the genre such as The Do-Over, Mr. Wrong Number, Betting On You, Accidentally Amy, and more. What makes Better Than the Movies such a delightful read is that it is a rom-com inspired by your favorite romantic comedy movies, and its protagonist, Liz Buxbaun, is a rom-com nerd.

Each chapter begins with dialogues quoted from iconic romantic comedies like Bridget Jones’ Diary, When Harry Met Sally, 500 Days of Summer, Pretty Woman, You’ve Got Mail, Notting Hill, 10 Things I Hate About You, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and more. There are plenty of rom-com moments and well-known tropes woven into the plot—like Liz being jealous when she sees Wes with another girl. And Wes helping Liz get the guy of her dreams even when he loves her, because they made a deal.

Add to that her love interest, Wesley Bennett, who is like the rom-com man of your dreams, and the enemies-to-lovers trope that Liz and Wes’ relationship follows, and you’ve got a book that’s difficult to not love. At the end of the book, there’s even a playlist of songs that feature on the soundtracks of the above-mentioned rom-coms.

Readers have been gushing over the book since its release in 2021. And it sure looks like the author too can’t get over her adorable characters’ love story because Painter has dropped a couple of bonus chapters such as certain scenes from Wes’s POV and another few giving us a glimpse of Wes and Liz’s College Road Trip!

But what is one book and a few bonus chapters for romance-hungry girlies like us? The book has been read and the chapters gobbled, and we obviously want more. Well. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait much longer because Lynn Painter is giving us a sequel!

What is Nothing Like The Movies about?

Liz and Wes are great together, but while the movies end with a happily ever after, real life is not that easy or smooth sailing. There are going to be road bumps even for a couple as compatible and perfect as these two. And that’s exactly what Nothing Like The Movies will be exploring.

According to the official synopsis, it appears tragedy strikes Wes, which causes some friction between him and Liz, right before they are both set to begin college at UCLA. And brace yourselves, it looks like the two might be breaking up over this.

But hey, they do end up in the same university. And once Wes feels better, he wants Liz back, employing the most rom-com hero tropes to win her back. But it’s not going to be easy, especially because there seems to be someone else in the picture for Liz now! Wes is still trying but the more Liz resists, the more he starts to wonder if he’s fighting a losing battle.

Okay, to quote Ayo Edebiri, I am simply too seated!

When is Nothing Like the Movies expected to hit the shelves?

Nothing Like the Movies will be available to purchase on October 1, 2024, with the pre-order option already active. It’s perfect for fall, when all you want to do is grab a pumpkin spice latte or a hot chocolate, curl up in your bed or your favorite armchair in your reading book, and just lose yourself in a good romance book!


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Jinal Bhatt
Jinal Bhatt (She/Her) is a staff writer for The Mary Sue. An editor, writer, film and culture critic with 7+ years of experience, she writes primarily about entertainment, pop culture trends, and women in film, but she’s got range. Jinal is the former Associate Editor for Hauterrfly, and Senior Features Writer for Mashable India. When not working, she’s fangirling over her favourite films and shows, gushing over fictional men, cruising through her neverending watchlist, trying to finish that book on her bedside, and fighting relentless urges to rewatch Supernatural.