Review

Liz is an incurable romantic who loves rom-coms and vintage dresses—just like her mum, who died when she was a child. Her mum always said to go for the nice guy, not the charming cad: the Darcy, not the Wickham. And now, Michael Young, the perfect guy, on whom she’d crushed when they were kids, has just moved back to town. It’s fate! Can she get him to ask her to prom? Well, maybe… but she’ll need the help of Michael’s good friend, and her nemesis, Wes — the boy next door. Yes, he’s kind of/totally dreamy, but he’s a total dick, always putting heavy things in her favourite car spot to reserve it for himself. He’s teased her and wrecked her stuff since childhood. But she needs his help. Can fake dating Wes help her to get Michael? And why is the fake dating… so much fun?

*

Okay, so, I think we all know where this is going. And I am more than happy to drive down that road, but I want the journey to be fun. While there is some very good banter in this book, and an excellent kissing scene, I’m afraid that I spent much of the book feeling quite annoyed at the inadequate motivations for characters’ self-sabotaging behaviours. Liz’s stubborn inability to see what the reader can very clearly see becomes pretty wearisome and makes her appear a bit dim, despite the author’s best efforts at psychological justification. Most of the plot complications would completely disappear if people would simply behave or communicate in a relatively normal manner. Liz’s constant ‘It seems like x, but that can’t be true because [weak reason]’ had me gritting my teeth.

There are plenty of good elements here — fun chapter epigraphs, humour, and the prom scene, for example — but I just couldn’t buy Liz’s reactions. Also, the end needed a bit more payoff (see content info if you want to know more and don’t mind a spoiler).

But I am a very picky person, and I think a lot of students would enjoy this romance novel. It has a very cute and playful cover, referencing classic 80s rom-coms, which definitely drew me in. Also, I listened to this on audiobook, and the narrator was very good, so kudos to Jesse Vilinsky.

Age: 13+

> Click here for content information — spoilers, enter at own risk!

One passionate kissing scene (but only one, and not at the end, which is imo not enough reader payoff for all the angst we’ve had to traverse); a few mild sexual innuendos; healthy scattering of s-words & a few f-words; death of mother—victim of a drink driver; ongoing grief; navigating a relationship with a step-mother; underage (aka 17-18 year old) drinking; some drunkenness and vomiting by minor character; minor nose injury and hospital visit; car accident — no injuries; friendship issues; much lying.

*

Painter, L. (2024). Better than the Movies (J. Vilinsky, Narr.) [Audiobook]. Simon & Schuster Audio UK.

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