Lynn Painter’s Better than the Movies is the perfect read this Valentine’s. Following the relationship between Liz Bauxbaum, an idealist who eats, sleeps and breathes romance movies, and Wes Bennett, her popular neighbour and childhood nemesis, whose help she needs to gain the attention of her childhood crush, Michael. But of course, as Liz and Wes spend more time together, Liz begins to question why she ever disliked him in the first place, and if the “perfect” Michael is perfect for her.
While Liz’s tendency to romanticise her life can make her character flawed and selfish at times, it is also what makes her character painfully relatable: she’s just a girl who wants to find the magic of the movies in real life. Once she realises that real life can be “better than the movies” if she learns to live her life as it is, and not how she feels it should be, she can finally embrace the good in her life – namely, Wes Bennett; the embodiment of yearning, Wes Bennett, is an all too relatable character. Perhaps because he waits a decade before finally confessing his feelings to his crush. The ideal book boyfriend, not only is Wes’ confession speech everything a girl wants to hear and more, but throughout the book, he is simultaneously considerate and painfully charming. The banter between the two characters is light-hearted and witty, and their relationship is enviable.
The embodiment of romantic idealism and perfect blend of humour and romance, Better than the Movies will have you kicking your feet the whole time.
