Liz Buxbaum is heading into her senior year of high school single. With no prom date, as if that weren’t enough, she is experiencing her “high school lasts” without her mom. Liz’s mom died in a car accident when Liz was in fifth grade and they shared a love for romcoms. Liz had always daydreamed about her own love story that was supposed to magically appear in high school. When senior prom rolls around, love is in the air for everyone except Liz. That is, until her childhood crush, Michael, moves back to their hometown for senior year. Liz believes she is destined for Michael and constructs a plan for him to be her prom date. Things unravel when an unintentional friendship interferes with her plans with Michael. Liz questions if she is going for the “right guy.” True feelings are unveiled before prom, and Liz ends up where she least expected!   

Better than the Movies is definitely better than the movies. The tie between Liz’s love life and what she thinks her mom would want her to do causes the reader to ponder, “What should Liz do?” Better Than the Movies is a long book that might make the reader wait a bit too long for the ending. Despite that, I would recommend it to all romcom lovers! This book is also a part of West’s Read for a Lifetime program, so check it out!