By Chloe Heuston 
Nothing Like the Movies is a 2024 romantic comedy novel by Lynn Painter, and it’s the sequel to her hit book Better Than the Movies.
In Nothing Like the Movies, we follow Liz Buxbaum again—this time, she’s in a relationship with her once-enemy-turned-boyfriend Wes Bennett, who helped her win over her old crush in the previous book. But things aren’t exactly going how she imagined. After spending her whole life idolizing rom-coms, Liz is starting to realize that real relationships are… a lot more complicated.
The story explores what happens after the “happily ever after” — messy emotions, unmet expectations, and growing pains. Liz has to figure out if love is still love even when it’s not wrapped up in a perfect cinematic moment. It’s cute, funny, angsty, and very meta if you’re a fan of classic rom-com tropes.
Quick Overview
- Author: Lynn Painter
- Release Year: 2024
- Genre: YA Romantic Comedy / Contemporary
- Setting: Omaha → UCLA
- Tropes: Second-chance romance, dual POV, fake dating, rom-com references galore
Plot Summary
Liz Buxbaum thought she had it all figured out. At the end of Better Than the Movies, she got her perfect rom-com ending with Wes Bennett—the boy next door she never expected to fall for. But real life isn’t a Nora Ephron film, and two years later, Liz and Wes are no longer together.
The novel opens on New Year’s Eve in their hometown of Omaha, where Liz and Wes cross paths for the first time since their breakup. The tension is electric, the pain still raw. And then comes the truth: Wes admits he did cheat on her. For Liz, this is devastating—not just because of the betrayal, but because it shatters her belief in storybook romance.
Fast forward to UCLA, where fate throws them back together. Liz is laser-focused on her film internship (and on avoiding Wes). But her boss, the intimidating Lilith, gives her an assignment she can’t refuse: film a documentary on… Wes Bennett.
As Liz interviews Wes, she starts seeing sides of him she hadn’t before. The grief he carries for his late father, the weight of expectations, the quiet guilt. Meanwhile, Wes is desperate to win her back—not with flowers or grand gestures, but by proving he’s grown.
Still, Liz isn’t the same dreamy girl who believed in movie endings. She’s guarded, skeptical, and dealing with her own fears about love and trust. The push-pull dynamic between them is intense, frustrating, and oh-so-satisfying.
In true Lynn Painter fashion, the story is loaded with hilarious moments, awkward encounters, iconic rom-com references, and just enough angst to make your heart ache.
By the final chapters, after one hilariously failed date and a surprisingly romantic fast food-on-the-car-trunk moment, Liz realizes that maybe love doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be real.
Main Events: Chapter-by-Chapter Summary
Chapters 1–5: Sparks and Scars
- Liz is back home in Omaha for winter break, trying to avoid thoughts of Wes.
- They run into each other at a New Year’s Eve party—their first meeting in years.
- Tension crackles; feelings bubble up. Wes finally admits to cheating during their relationship.
- Liz is heartbroken all over again and determined to leave that chapter behind.
Chapters 6–10: Starting Fresh (Or Trying To)
- Back at UCLA, Liz is focused on her film career.
- She’s roommates with Clark, who helps her stay emotionally detached.
- Her internship begins with Lilith, a fierce and demanding boss in the film department.
- Wes shows up on campus—and it turns out he’s not as out of her life as she thought.
Prologue – Chapter 10: The Breakup & Truth Revealed
- Liz and Wes reconnect at a New Year’s Eve party in Omaha after two years of no contact.
- The chemistry is still there—but so is the pain.
- Wes admits he cheated during their relationship, confirming Liz’s worst fear.
- The emotional fallout is raw, and Liz leaves heartbroken all over again.
Chapters 11–18: College, Fake Dating & Lingering Feelings
- Liz and Wes both attend UCLA.
- Liz is now focused on her film career, working under a demanding but respected mentor.
- To keep Wes at arm’s length, Liz pretends to be dating her funny, charming roommate Clark.
- Wes, however, isn’t giving up that easily.
Chapters 19–27: The Interview Project & Emotional Walls Crumble
- Liz is assigned to make a short documentary—and her subject is Wes.
- Forced to spend time together, they open up about their past and current struggles.
- Wes talks about his father’s death, his guilt, and his growth since their breakup.
- Liz softens toward him but still fears getting hurt again.
Chapters 28–33: Conflict, Misunderstandings & Romantic Tension
- Attempts at reconciliation are rocky.
- A romantic night out turns into a disaster when their car breaks down—though it unexpectedly leads to a heartfelt moment.
- Both characters wrestle with vulnerability, forgiveness, and what they want from love.
Chapter 34 – Epilogue: Reconnection & Second Chances
- Liz finally admits she still has feelings for Wes.
- They share a raw, emotional conversation about trust and healing.
- The ending isn’t a big, cinematic moment—it’s quiet, real, and perfect in its own way.
- In the epilogue, they’ve rekindled their relationship, stronger and more honest than before.
Review: Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter
Okay, full disclosure: I didn’t expect Nothing Like the Movies to hit me as hard as it did. I went in thinking I was just getting a cute follow-up to Better Than the Movies—something light and flirty to reunite me with Wes and Liz. But oh my GOD. This book wrecked me in the best way.
A Sequel That Grows With You
If Better Than the Movies was about finding love in unexpected places, Nothing Like the Movies is about what happens after the credits roll—and whether love can survive the messy reality that comes next.
Liz is no longer the rom-com obsessed high schooler dreaming of soundtracks and promposals. She’s in college now, working hard, a little more jaded, and carrying the kind of heartbreak that lingers. And Wes? Still charming and cocky, but now layered with grief, regret, and so much emotional depth. You see them as full people now—not just characters in a love story.
This book feels older, sadder, and somehow sweeter. It’s not glossy. It’s real.
Favorite Moment (I’m Not Okay About It)
There’s a scene where Wes takes Liz on a date to recreate one of her favorite over-the-top romantic movie moments. But, of course, it all goes wrong. The car breaks down, it starts raining, they end up eating fast food on the trunk. It’s a disaster.
And yet… it’s perfect. They laugh, they open up, they sit on that stupid car with greasy fries between them, and it’s the most romantic scene in the whole book. Because it’s not about perfection—it’s about showing up. That moment was everything Liz thought she didn’t want… and it turned out to be exactly what she needed.
I honestly teared up.
Compared to Better Than the Movies
Let’s be clear—I will forever love Better Than the Movies. It was funny, adorable, and gave me major butterflies. But Nothing Like the Movies hit different. It’s deeper. Sadder. More grown-up.
Where BTtM gave me the swoon, NLtM gave me the feels. The emotional payoff of watching Liz and Wes try again—knowing their history, their pain, their growth—was 1000x more satisfying than their first kiss in the original. Because this time, they earned it.
Final Thoughts
This book is for anyone who’s ever wondered if a second chance is worth the risk. It’s messy, funny, angsty, and so full of heart. Lynn Painter didn’t just write a sequel—she gave us a full-blown emotional evolution.
If you loved Better Than the Movies, Nothing Like the Movies will destroy you… and then slowly piece you back together.