We all loved this book, so we are going to check out some other books like Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter.
Better Than the Movies is a story about Liz Buxbaum’s pursuit of her long-time crush, Michael, who recently returned to town.
Determined to win him over, Liz teams up with her frenemy, Wes, who lives next door and always annoyingly takes her parking spot.
Believing that Wes holds the key to getting closer to Michael, Liz begins to question her understanding of love as she finds herself enjoying Wes’s company.
The story explores whether the romantic movies Liz watched have given her a misguided perception of love and how her vision of love changed throughout the book.
It’s one of the cutest rom-com type books, so here are some more books like Better Than the Movies.
List of Books Like Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
- The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stphnaie Perkins
- Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
- The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
- Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther
- Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
- Happy Place by Emily Henry
- The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
The Proposal was written by Jasmine Guillory, published in 2018, and contains 352 pages.
Imagine that you’re at a thrilling Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game, surrounded by cheering fans and the electrifying atmosphere. Suddenly, out of the blue, a jaw-dropping moment occurs.
That’s what happens to Nikole Paterson who finds herself in the spotlight of an unexpected proposal during the game. Can you imagine the shock and panic she must have felt?
Let’s rewind and discover how Nikole ended up in this situation.
She had met a famous actor and started a romantic relationship with him. Five months into their connection, he takes her to the Dodgers game with his friends, which seems like a normal outing, right?
In the middle of all the excitement, he proposes to Nikole, but not in a private, intimate way. Oh no, he puts their proposal up on the big stadium scoreboard for everyone to see!
Unfortunately for the actor, she responds with a resounding “no.” Ouch!
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Nikole finds herself frozen, unsure of what to do next.
But, as fate would have it, a knight in shining armor appears in the form of a stranger named Carlos Ibarra. He steps forward and rescues her from the prying eyes of the camera crew, providing her with a much-needed escape.
As you can probably guess, this embarrassing moment goes viral on social media. Amidst the online chaos, guess who shows up to support Nikole once again?
It’s none other than Carlos Ibarra, the kind stranger who came to her rescue.
Nikole believes that Carlos, being a doctor in Los Angeles, wouldn’t be interested in a serious relationship. So, she decides to make him her rebound, someone to have fun with and help her move on from the proposal disaster.
And let me tell you, their time together is absolutely amazing! They enjoy fantastic meals, have a blast together, and, well, the physical chemistry between them is off the charts!
But as life has taught us, feelings have a sneaky way of creeping in.
Who will catch themselves falling for the other, and who will try to put the brakes on before things get too complicated and intense?
It’s a captivating journey filled with emotions and unexpected twists.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Anna and the French Kiss was brought into the world by the talented writer Stephanie Perkins in 2018. It is about 372 pages, filled with excitement and teenage romance.
The novel revolves around a girl named Anna Oliphant, a high school senior who is enjoying her life to the fullest. She has a wonderful best friend named Bridgette and a potential boyfriend named Toph, whom she is really fond of.
But suddenly, Anna’s happiness is shattered when her dad insists that she attend a boarding school in France called SOAP, which stands for School of America in Paris.
Understandably, Anna is devastated at the thought of leaving her friends behind, especially after sharing an intimate kiss with Toph.
Anna’s true passion lies in watching movies, and her dream is to become a popular film critic. Despite her reluctance, she eventually gives in and embarks on her journey to Paris.
It is during her early days at the new school that she unexpectedly encounters Étienne St. Clair, a charming young man with an enchanting English accent.
Anna believes that Étienne is the perfect guy for her, except for one significant detail—he already has a girlfriend. Nevertheless, Anna herself has someone waiting for her back home, so she tries not to let it bother her.
However, perhaps destiny has something extraordinary in store for them.
As time passes, Anna and Étienne become lab partners, exploring the beautiful city of Paris together, sharing laughter and delicious meals, and gradually developing an amazing friendship.
But after a year of being close in the romantic city of Paris, will their bond lead to something more profound and lasting?
Only time will reveal the secrets hidden within their hearts.
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev is another book like Better Than the Movies. This one was published in 2019, and is 481 pages long.
In Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors, we journey alongside an Indian family, who once reigned as royalty, as they make their way to San Francisco in the United States.
We meet our protagonist, Dr. Trisha Raje, a renowned neurosurgeon who has earned fame in the city. However, despite her brilliance, her own family treats her like an outcast.
Trisha’s family abides by three key principles: distrust outsiders, avoid actions that may harm her brother’s political standing, and never defy the family’s wishes.
Unintentionally, Trisha has broken all three rules at some point in her life. Now, she is determined to make amends and regain their trust.
Enter DJ Caine, a skilled chef with a difficult past. He views Trisha as arrogant and pre-judges her without truly knowing her. Initially, he wants nothing to do with her. However, everything changes when DJ realizes that Trisha might be the only neurosurgeon in the entire city capable of saving his sister’s life.
Will these two individuals manage to put aside their differences and work together to save an innocent life?
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
The Spanish Love Deception is a book by Elena Armas. She published this book in 2021, and has 487 pages.
In The Spanish Love Deception, we follow Catalina Martín on her exciting mission to find a date for her sister’s wedding. The catch?
She needs an American boyfriend because she fibbed and told everyone that she’s in a relationship with an American guy to avoid questions about her single status.
What started as a harmless little lie quickly spirals out of control when she discovers that everyone is eager to meet her American beau at the wedding.
Now, Catalina faces a huge challenge. Finding an American boyfriend in Spain is no piece of cake, especially with just four weeks left until the big day.
As the wedding draws nearer, Catalina becomes desperate.
Unexpectedly, her annoying and patronizing colleague, who happens to be American, steps forward and offers to be her fake date for the wedding. Catalina can’t help but roll her eyes at the suggestion.
However, with the wedding fast approaching, she finds herself in no position to refuse the offer.
And as she spends more time with her colleague in the real world, Catalina begins to question her initial judgment of him.
Will this fake wedding date turn out to be more than just a charade?
The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther
Next up is The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther. The book came out in 2021 and spans 384 pages!
I discovered this gem of a book thanks to a recommendation by Haley Pham in one of her YouTube videos. Trust me, it’s the perfect read for a lazy summer day when you’re in the mood for something captivating.
The story revolves around Meredith Fox, who, every year, goes on a family vacation to a place called Martha’s Vineyard.
Sadly, Meredith’s sister passed away a year and a half ago, and since then, she hasn’t felt like herself. It’s like she closed herself off from everyone in her life.
However, Meredith believes that this year’s trip could be her chance to break free from her shell and rediscover who she truly is.
Why? Well, there’s going to be a grand wedding during the vacation, which means her entire extended family will be there. Unfortunately, Meredith finds herself without a date as she recently went through a breakup.
But despite these setbacks, she decides to participate in a thrilling family game called “assassin.” Her goal is to win in honor of her sister’s memory.
Along the way, she unexpectedly forms an alliance with a charming groomsman, and naturally, it becomes a distraction for her.
As the game progresses, Meredith realizes she’s not only losing control of the game but also her own heart.
It’s a sweet and romantic adventure that will keep you hooked from start to finish!
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
Love and Other Words is a novel written by Christina Lauren, published in 2018, and is about 432 pages long.
The book follows Macy Sorensen, who has ambitiously been living the same day over and over again. She wakes up, goes to work as a pediatrics resident, plans her wedding to the perfect man, and repeats. It will be a great life.
Until a wrench gets thrown into her plans. She runs into the first love of her life, Elliot Petropoulos. This is a man Macy thought she would never have to live without. He was there after her mother’s death, and the connection had only gotten stronger.
The book goes back and forth between the past and present day.
We see Macy and Elliot as teenagers in San Francisco spending their summer together reading books, and sharing their pain and happiness. And once they become adults, they are like total strangers to each other.
What happened to break their seemingly perfect friendship? Something must have gone completely wrong for these two to lose touch.
Will these two overcome their past indifferences in order to make up?
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Happy Place was written by Emily Henry, published in 2023, and contains 385 pages.
The story revolves around Harriet and Wyn, a couple so perfectly matched that people often compare them to the iconic duo of peanut butter and jelly.
But here’s the twist: five months ago, they unexpectedly called it quits without ever explaining why. They kept this secret from their friends, and it still remains undisclosed.
And every year for the past ten years, their group of friends has gathered for a special annual getaway. They are going to spend a cozy cottage in scenic Maine as their retreat.
The catch? Harriet and Wyn find themselves assigned to the same room, unbeknownst to their friends who are unaware of their breakup.
Instead of savoring fine wine, indulging in delicious seafood, and basking in the warm coastal sun, our protagonists are now trapped in a web of lies, pretending that everything between them is hunky-dory.
They don’t want to spoil the week-long gathering for their friends, especially since it’s the last time they’ll all share the cottage before it goes up for sale.
It’s a precarious situation, and we can only imagine the rollercoaster ride that lies ahead for them.
Brace yourselves, folks—it’s bound to be one captivating and intriguing week.
The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
What better to add to a list of books like Better Than the Movies than another Lynn Painter book. The Do-Over was published in 2022, and it is 304 pages long.
Emilie Hornby is having the absolute worst Valentine’s Day ever.
She planned to confess her love to her boyfriend, but instead, she catches him kissing another girl. Adding to her misery, she accidentally crashes her car into her frenemy, Nick, whom she can never seem to avoid.
Feeling completely down after this disastrous day, all Emilie wants is to seek solace at her grandma’s house, indulging in some ice cream. Exhausted, she dozes off in her grandma’s cozy abode.
However, when she wakes up, she finds herself back in her own bed the next day. What on earth?!
To her astonishment, everything seems eerily familiar. It’s Valentine’s Day all over again!
Her dad says the exact same thing, she crashes her car once more, and she witnesses her boyfriend betraying her once again. And the cycle repeats itself day after day.
Emilie starts questioning why life has chosen to torment her in this peculiar way. But then, a moment of revelation strikes her. Instead of wallowing in despair, she decides to embrace this bizarre time loop and make the most of it.
Now, Emilie embarks on an extraordinary journey, determined to unlock the secret to breaking the spell that’s trapping her on Valentine’s Day. She experiments with different approaches, pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone.
Will she need to discover hidden truths, conquer personal fears, or perhaps find a deeper meaning to her experiences?
If you love her, we wrote an entire post all about the books that Lynn Painter wrote.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
The Unhoneymooners was written by Christina Lauren, and published in 2019. This book is 416 pages long.
Imagine being Olive Torres, the unluckiest twin in the world. From the moment she was born, misfortune seemed to follow her everywhere. Just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, she lost her job.
Now, let’s talk about Olive’s twin sister, Ami. Unlike Olive, Ami was the epitome of luck. She had a knack for winning contests and had managed to raise enough money to pay for her dream wedding. Olive couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy, though she was genuinely happy for her sister’s success.
But here’s where things take an unexpected turn. On the wedding day, disaster strikes. Everyone, except Olive and a guy named Ethan Thomas, falls ill with food poisoning. As a result, Ami and her new husband can’t go on their honeymoon, which they had already paid for and couldn’t get a refund on.
And guess who gets the golden opportunity to go instead? Olive. Yes, the same Olive who has never had luck on her side. There’s just one catch – she has to go with Ethan, her sworn rival and nemesis.
So off they go to the beautiful island of Maui, forced to spend ten whole days together. Can you imagine the tension? But they strike a deal to keep the peace and avoid ruining each other’s time. After all, they have to pretend to be newlyweds because they bump into Olive’s new boss, and things get complicated.
As the days pass, something strange begins to happen. Olive discovers that pretending to be Ethan’s wife isn’t so bad after all. In fact, she starts to enjoy their time together. They start to bond, getting closer and closer with each passing day.
And just when you think you know what will happen next…
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Last of the books like Better Than the Movies is The Summer I Turned Pretty, which was written by Jenny Han, published in 2009. And contains 304 pages.
In The Summer I Turned Pretty we meet Isabel, also known as Belly, and her unforgettable summers at Cousins Beach. This amazing book follows Belly’s life during those special times she spends with her mom, brother, her mom’s best friend, and their sons.
Belly’s heart dances with joy during the summer season. Throughout the long winter months, she eagerly counts down the days until she can return to Cousins Beach. It’s her escape from the ordinary, her chance to break free and be herself, and most importantly, it’s the time she gets to spend with Jeremiah and Conrad.
Jeremiah and Conrad have always been there for Belly, like her own brothers. But they’re more than that to her; they’re also the boys who make her heart flutter. She’s grown up with them and cherishes the moments they share at the beach house.
However, as this particular summer unfolds, Belly senses a change in the air. Something is different between her and the boys. Strange and unfamiliar emotions start to stir within her, and she must navigate her way through this newfound complexity.
Prepare to be swept away by Jenny Han’s beautiful and vivid storytelling. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a relatable story of growing up, full of excitement and challenges.
This book will keep you hooked from the first page to the last, making it the perfect companion for your beach adventures.