Lynn Painter
2
Books ReviewedAsk LuvemBooks about Lynn Painter
- Where should I start?
- Better Than the Movies is the natural starting point — it's her most-reviewed title on Amazon with over 28,000 ratings and a 4.5/5 score, which gives you a reliable signal that it connects with a wide readership. It's also currently trending due to an upcoming adaptation, so it's a timely pick. If you enjoy it, Fake Skating is a solid follow-up in a similar vein.
- What's their writing style?
- Painter writes in a breezy, self-aware voice that leans into romantic comedy conventions rather than subverting them — her books tend to be cozy and plot-driven, with protagonists who are often pop-culture-literate and emotionally earnest. Her dialogue carries most of the charm, and she structures her stories around familiar romantic setups that feel comfortable rather than surprising. Readers who enjoy early Taylor Jenkins Reid or Jenny Han's lighter work often find her a natural fit.
- Books we've reviewed
- LuvemBooks has reviewed two Lynn Painter titles. Better Than the Movies is her breakout YA rom-com built around a movie-obsessed protagonist, holding a 4.5/5 reader rating from over 28,000 Amazon ratings. Fake Skating is a similarly structured YA romance — likely a fake-relationship story set against a skating backdrop — also rated 4.5/5 from nearly 6,000 Amazon ratings.
- How do her books compare?
- Both reviewed titles are YA contemporary romances built around a central trope — Better Than the Movies uses a movie-obsessed protagonist and leans heavily into cinematic rom-com structure, while Fake Skating anchors its romance in a sports setting with what's likely a fake-relationship premise. They carry near-identical reader ratings (4.5/5 each), though Better Than the Movies has a significantly larger reader base on Amazon, suggesting it's had wider reach. Readers who enjoy one will almost certainly enjoy the other — the tone and formula appear consistent across both.
- Why is Better Than the Movies trending?
- Better Than the Movies is currently trending on LuvemBooks because of an adaptation in progress. Adaptations of popular YA romances tend to draw both returning fans and new readers curious to experience the source material before the screen version arrives. With over 28,000 Amazon ratings already behind it, the book has an established fanbase that's likely driving renewed interest.
- Are any books being adapted?
- Yes — Better Than the Movies is currently listed as trending due to an adaptation. Details on format and release are not confirmed on LuvemBooks yet, but it's worth keeping an eye on if you're a fan of the book or interested in YA romance adaptations more broadly.
- What genre does she write?
- Lynn Painter writes young adult contemporary romance — specifically the romantic comedy end of the spectrum. Her books centre on teenage protagonists navigating crushes, rivals, and elaborate romantic setups, with a tone that's light and humour-forward rather than emotionally heavy. If you're looking for something closer to adult romance, her YA titles may skew younger than you expect, but they're widely enjoyed across age groups.
- What should I read after Better Than the Movies?
- If you've finished Better Than the Movies, Fake Skating is the most obvious next step — it's the other Lynn Painter title reviewed on LuvemBooks, holds the same 4.5/5 reader rating, and works in a similar YA rom-com register. Beyond Painter's own catalogue, readers who enjoyed the movie-referencing, trope-aware style might also find Jenny Han's To All the Boys series a comfortable follow-on.
Who is Lynn Painter?
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Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
4.5/5
Fake Skating is a young adult romance novel by Lynn Painter, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on September 30, 2025, that pairs a fake-dating premise with a hockey-loving Minnesota setting, childhood-sweetheart tension, and themes of found family — earning a number one spot on the New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Best Seller list for fifteen of its first twenty-eight weeks on the chart.
Reviewed Apr 12, 2026
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
4.5/5
Lynn Painter's Better Than the Movies is a young adult romance novel that follows Liz Buxbaum, a romcom-obsessed high schooler who enlists her lifelong frenemy and next-door neighbor Wes Bennett to help win her long-term crush Michael — only to find her feelings shifting in an unexpected direction. Originally published by Simon & Schuster in May 2021 and reissued in paperback in July 2022, the novel became a BookTok phenomenon and has spent 40 months on the New York Times Young Adult Paperback Best Seller List as of March 2026. Critics called it a "charming, fluffy concoction" that packs every conceivable romcom trope into one plot, while School critics praised its quippy banter and lovable characters. A sequel, Nothing Like the Movies, was released in 2024, and a Netflix film adaptation was announced in May 2026.
Reviewed Jun 2, 2026
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