Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter is a sweet high school rom-com that touches your heart from start to finish. In the book, you follow Liz, a high school senior who has been through more than most of her peers. When she was younger, her mother sadly passed away and left behind Liz and her father. One of the things Liz’s mother instilled in Liz was a love of movies, especially rom-coms. This leads to a bit of an obsession, and her appearing odd to most other students. Liz has always dreamed of having her perfect movie-like, "sweep you- off your feet" romance. What she doesn’t expect is having to fake date her neighbor and long-time enemy, Wes, in order to secure what she believes is her fairytale love. She also finds herself caring about Wes more than she thought she would, which complicates things. At the end of the day, Liz must decide what she truly wants her relationship with Wes to be. I give this book five stars because it is a very enjoyable read. Liz is a very easy character to cheer for, and her banter with Wes is very funny. Liz’s relationship with her dad is also special to watch flourish, as well as her relationship with her dad’s girlfriend. Overall, this book will make you swoon, and is the perfect lighthearted romance to add to your collection.