Self-growth
Business & Career
Success
Communication
Healing
Relationships
Psychology
Happiness
Do you remember that warm sensation of a perfect romance that played out like your favorite film after finishing Lynn Painter's bestseller? Well, there's a way to bring it back with a list of books like 'Better Than the Movies'!
Emma Lord's 'Tweet Cute,' Kasie West's 'P.S. I Like You,' and other BookTok recs capture the same magical mix of humor, heart-melting "happily-ever-after" tropes, and Hollywood-worthy moments. And yes, they're impossible to put down, too!
Need a personal guide to get through the literary landscape? Headway will give you a helping hand! The app offers nonfiction bestsellers in a bite-sized format, so you can easily choose which story to plunge into next.
Download the Headway app today and get the key ideas from top books on love, relationships, self-growth, and more in 15 minutes a day!
Quick list: Five books like 'Better Than the Movies'
Can't decide where to start? Here are five books that readers absolutely love:
'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' by Jenny Han: The ultimate fake dating romance.
'Tweet Cute' by Emma Lord: Social media rivals heat up real fast.
'The Love Hypothesis' by Ali Hazelwood: Fake dating with serious chemistry.
'One True Loves' by Elise Bryant: A love triangle that actually makes sense
'Book Lovers' by Emily Henry: Two bookworms find each other.
Keep reading for the full list of book recs!
★★★★★ 172K+ reviews
Empower yourself with the best insights and ideas!
Get the #1 most downloaded daily growth app.
Start nowWhat's your ideal romance trope? A quick quiz
Before we continue, let's figure out which romance story is perfect for you. Pick the option that sounds most appealing:
Ready to reset your approach to love? Download Headway and find tips on reigniting and rebuilding your relationships.
📘 Rebuild meaningful relationships with Headway.
Top 13 romance books like 'Better Than the Movies'
Here are the 13 books that deliver the same romantic magic, humor, and heart as 'Better Than the Movies.' Each one is organized by the romance tropes that make them so addictive.
Fake dating favorites: When pretend becomes real
1. 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' by Jenny Han
Lara Jean writes secret love letters to five boys she's never meant to send. But they get mailed out anyway. When one of those boys, Peter, suggests they fake-date to make his ex-girlfriend jealous, Lara Jean agrees. What happens next will make your heart race.
Key themes:
Characters thrown into a fake relationship that becomes genuinely romantic.
Sweet high-school humor mixed with real emotional growth.
Family relationships that matter as much as romance.
Why rom-com fans will love it: Just like 'Better Than the Movies,' this book has the perfect balance of awkward moments and genuine feelings. You'll laugh on one page and swoon the next.
2. 'Tweet Cute' by Emma Lord
Pepper and Jack are rivals on social media. During the day, they compete in their schools' friend groups. Online, they're enemies.
But when they're matched on an anonymous chat app, they start opening up to each other. And they have no idea who the other person really is.
Key themes:
Social media misunderstandings that feel realistiс.
The thrill of discovering your enemy might actually be perfect.
Modern romance with texting and online connections.
Why rom-com fans will love it: This book captures that same "wait, is this really happening?" energy from 'Better Than the Movies.' The romance builds naturally, and the humor feels fresh.
3. 'The Love Hypothesis' by Ali Hazelwood
In this adult romance, Olive is a grad student who gets caught telling a lie about having a boyfriend. So she asks a handsome stranger to fake date her for one evening. What was supposed to be one night turns into months of pretending — while real feelings develop underneath all the pretense.
Key themes:
Fake dating that becomes genuinely romantic.
Characters learning to be honest about their feelings.
The vulnerability of wanting someone to want you back.
Why rom-com fans will love it: Like 'Better Than the Movies,' this story plays with the tension between what's real and what's pretend. You'll find yourself rooting for two people who seem perfect together.
Headway's summary of 'Unglued' can help you understand how to manage the big emotions that romantic stories stir up — and how to handle feelings in your own life.
4. 'P.S. I Like You' by Kasie West
Bored in chemistry class, Lily scribbles a few lines of her favorite song on her desk. The next day, someone had written the next lines back. The two become anonymous pen pals, swapping notes and secrets, and Lily starts falling for a boy she can't identify.
Things get tangled once she realizes he already knows her private thoughts, while she still has no idea who he is.
Key themes:
Anonymous communication that leads to a real connection.
The risk of being honest with someone you don't know.
Chemistry that carries from the page into real life.
Why rom-com fans will love it: This book has that same "I didn't expect to fall for you" vibe that makes 'Better Than the Movies' so special. Falling for a mystery pen pal has never been this fun to read.
Enemies to lovers: When tension turns to passion
5. 'Nothing Like The Movies' by Lynn Painter
This is the sequel to 'Better Than the Movies,' and it picks up with the same couple, Liz and Wes. They fell for each other in high school, but after a family tragedy pulled Wes away from college, he ended things and left Liz heartbroken.
Two years later, they end up at the same university, where Wes is determined to win her back. Liz keeps her guard up, even inventing a boyfriend to hold him off, but the pull between them never really goes away.
Key themes:
A second chance for two people who already share a history.
Guarding your heart after it's been broken once.
How old feelings resurface no matter how hard you try to bury them.
Why rom-com fans will love it: Also by Lynn Painter, author of 'Better Than the Movies,' this book has the same heart and humor. It gets how romance keeps finding you even when you've decided you're done with it.
6. 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' by Jenny Han
Belly has been going to the same beach house every summer for her whole life. But this summer, everything changes. The two boys she's always known suddenly see her differently, and she has to choose between a safe, familiar love and something new and terrifying.
Key themes:
Summer romance that feels transformative.
Coming of age and growing into yourself.
Love triangles that actually feel genuine.
Why rom-com fans will love it: Like 'Better Than the Movies,' this book nails that feeling of summer romance — the intensity, uncertainty, and the sense that something important is happening. You'll be transported right to that beach.
To learn more about self-discovery and personal growth in romantic relationships, check out Headway's summary of 'Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It' — a guide that helps you understand your own worth before diving into romance.
7. 'The Summer of Broken Rules' by K.L. Walther
Meredith Fox returns to her family's Martha's Vineyard home for her cousin's wedding, her first trip back since her sister Claire died. To honor Claire, the family brings back their tradition of a week-long game of Assassin, played right through the wedding festivities.
Meredith throws herself into the game as a distraction, then finds herself falling for one of the groomsmen, Wit, which complicates both her strategy and her heart.
Key themes:
Love and grief unfold side by side.
A summer that becomes a turning point.
Learning to open up again after loss.
Why rom-com fans will love it: This book has that same big-cast, everyone-in-one-place energy as 'Better Than the Movies.' You'll care about the whole family and root hard for Meredith to find her way back to happiness.
Romantic adventures that feel like movies
8. 'One True Loves' by Elise Bryant
After a rocky end to senior year, Lenore Bennett sets off on a Mediterranean cruise with her family, with no expectation of a summer romance. Then she keeps running into Alex Lee, a charming golden boy with his whole life mapped out, and everything about him gets under her skin.
As their families push them together across stop after stop in Europe, the friction between them slowly turns into something Lenore didn't see coming.
Key themes:
Clashing with the last person you expected to fall for.
Figuring out what you actually want from your future.
What true love looks like when it arrives on its own terms.
Why rom-com fans will love it: This one doesn't pretend romance is tidy. It leans into the awkward, uncertain, real parts of falling for someone, and makes you want the two leads to figure it out.
9. 'Book Lovers' by Emily Henry
In this adult romance, literary agent Nora and book editor Charlie are rivals who keep crossing paths in the publishing world, and never warmly. Then Nora's sister talks her into a month away in a small town, where Charlie turns out to be everywhere she looks. The more they're forced together, the more their sparring starts to feel like something else entirely.
Key themes:
Rivals who discover unexpected chemistry.
A romance built on two sharp minds meeting their match.
How humor and wit can cover for real feelings.
Why rom-com fans will love it: Like 'Better Than the Movies,' this book is all about two people who simply get each other. The banter is quick, the chemistry is hard to deny, and the ending will have you happy-crying.
10. 'Love and Other Words' by Christina Lauren
In this adult romance, Macy and Elliot were childhood best friends and first loves before one painful falling out pulled them apart. Years later, they reconnect by chance, with all the unresolved history still sitting between them. Can they find their way back to each other?
Key themes:
Reconnecting with a first love.
Forgiveness and letting go of old hurt.
A relationship worth fighting for.
Why rom-com fans will love it: This book shows that love sometimes requires us to be brave enough to try again.
To explore more about healing past relationships and moving forward, read Headway's guide to 'Forgiveness' — understanding forgiveness can help you appreciate the deeper themes in these romantic stories.
11. 'Betting on You' by Lynn Painter
Bailey first meets Charlie on the flight to her new town after her parents' divorce, and they rub each other the wrong way from the start, especially once they get into it over whether guys and girls can ever really just be friends.
A year later, she walks into a summer job at a hotel waterpark and finds Charlie working there too. To settle their old argument, they bet on whether two flirty coworkers will end up together, and while they're busy watching everyone else, their own feelings start to catch up with them.
Key themes:
A bet that turns into something real.
Taking a risk on someone you swore you couldn't stand.
How humor can hide real vulnerability.
Why rom-com fans will love it: Also written by Lynn Painter, this book has that same playful, sweet energy as 'Better Than the Movies.' The banter lands, and watching two guarded people finally open up is a lot of fun to read.
12. 'The Do-Over' by Lynn Painter
Emilie has her perfect Valentine's Day all mapped out, and then it falls apart from every angle. The strange part comes when she wakes up and has to live the same terrible day again, and again, stuck in a loop she can't break.
As the repeats pile up, she watches her boyfriend cheat on her on a loop, keeps colliding with a prickly classmate named Nick, and slowly starts to see her life and what she really wants more clearly.
Key themes:
A time loop that forces real self-reflection.
How your choices matter more than you think.
Finding the courage to be honest about your feelings.
Why rom-com fans will love it: This unique premise combines romance with real emotional stakes. Like 'Better Than the Movies,' it reminds us that love requires bravery.
To dive deeper into the psychology of how we handle emotions and relationships, check out Headway's summary of 'Reboot' —a powerful guide to resetting your mindset so you can approach relationships healthier.
📘 Embrace second chances with Headway.
13. 'I Hope This Doesn't Find You' by Ann Liang
Sadie Wen looks perfect on paper: school captain, top of her class, unfailingly polite. Her secret is that she pours every frustration into email drafts she never sends, and the harshest ones are aimed at her rival co-captain, Julius Gong.
Then the drafts go out to the entire school. With her spotless image in pieces, Sadie is thrown together with Julius, and the boy she's spent years competing against starts to look like something other than an enemy.
Key themes:
Rivalry that slowly turns into something more.
Facing the mess when your private thoughts go public.
Growing up and becoming who you're meant to be.
Why rom-com fans will love it: Like 'Better Than the Movies,' this book understands that the best romances often start with genuine friendship and connection. The emotional journey is just as important as the romance.
Want to understand more about what makes relationships work? Explore Headway's summary of 'Modern Romance' — a fascinating look at how dating and love have changed in our modern world, and what that means for finding real connection.
Try Headway as your personal shortcut to global bestsellers
All these books like 'Better Than the Movies' prove that messy, complicated feelings are part of love. So, if you want to go into detail on what builds close emotional ties in your favorite romantic stories, explore Headway summaries on healthy relationships, intimacy, friendship, and communication to learn from the top experts.
The Headway app gives you access to summaries of your favorite books, helping you explore more stories without sacrificing your time. With smart notifications, offline reading, and a beautiful design, it makes book exploration feel like a daily habit instead of a chore.
Download Headway today and start your journey toward personal growth, self-discovery, and becoming the person you want to be!
Frequently asked questions about books like 'Better Than the Movies'
What is the book 'Better Than the Movies' about?
Liz loves classic romance movies and believes real life should work the same way. When she embarks on a fake romance with her swoonworthy next-door neighbor to impress a crush, she realizes love is different in real life. Along the way, she learns that real love is messier, funnier, and often better than the movies.
What makes 'Better Than the Movies' so popular?
This book captures the feeling of cinematic romance — the kind where everything feels slightly dramatic and perfectly timed. It has humor, heart, and characters you genuinely care about. For instance, Lara Jean's journey from movie fantasy to real love resonates with readers who've felt that same confusion about what romance should look like.
Are all these books YA romance?
Most of them are! They're written for teen readers, but honestly, adults love them too. The emotions are real regardless of age, and the romance feels genuine rather than cheesy. These books appeal to anyone who believes in the power of connection and second chances. This list does also include a few adult rom-coms as noted.
Which book should I read if I loved the fake dating trope in 'Better Than the Movies'?
'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' and 'The Love Hypothesis' are your best bets. Both have that same satisfying journey from fake to real. You'll feel the same excitement watching characters realize their pretend feelings aren't pretend at all.
Do I need to read these books in any particular order?
Nope! Each book stands completely on its own. You can jump in anywhere. Some readers like to read them by trope (start with all the fake dating ones), while others prefer to mix it up. Choose whatever sounds most appealing in the moment.
Are these books good for readers who don't usually like romance?
Sure! These books cover so much more than romance. They feature themes of friendship, family, self-discovery, and the idea of growth as a person. The romantic aspect is at the center of the story, but it’s more about how the characters become better people because of their friendships/relationships.
