Behind The Page: Lynn Painter
- Ingrid Rivera
- Mar 25, 2024
- 3 min read
If you are a fan of the typical romantic comedy, you will be a fan of Lynn Painter. Our March Book of the Month, Better Than the Movies, is just one example of her catalog of teen and adult rom-com that speaks to her love for the genre. It's as if the story comes to life before your very eyes as you read. I am one of those readers who have a hard time visualizing what I am reading, but Better Than the Movies has changed that entirely. The story builds on scenes that are so popular in the franchise and which I can pull from movies I have seen to help visualize the scene through Painter's elaborate writing. You know we love a pun here at The Book Hive, so I can't help myself when I say she truly paints a picture.
Picture Perfect Start
Better Than the Movies might be this month's Book of the Month pick, but it is also Painter's debut work.
Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar - and maybe snag him as a prom date - even befriend Wes Bennet. The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in. But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like. |
If there is one thing that Lynn Painter and I may never agree on, it is that frogs have no place in a romance story, not even ones meant to be comedy. It was said when we announced the Book of the Month early on, I am saying it now, and I promise it will come up at least onceint he book review coming this friday. The decapitated lawn gnomes we can let slide. But we ar enot beyond admitting that these fun little tidbits add to the humor and lightheartedness of the novel. Coined as a rom-com about rom-coms, Painter does a magnificent job of really drawing on those beloves cliches that fans of the movies adore and bringign them into her work in a new light.
At Home In The Genre
Lynn Painter is not ashamed to let everyone know of her love for rom-coms and with her talent for bringing the true feelings and emoitons of the genre to life, she is definately right to do so. In an interview with Annabelle Chang from Anabelle's Book Club LA, Painter recounted a story of how oneof her friends attempted---and failed---to make her now husband jealous back when they used to work together by sending her flowers to their job. A move that backfired as her then co-worker just roaster her friend's attempt as her anonymous admirer, although they did ultimately get married. So, maybe it wasn't a scene right out of a rom-com, but it definately has rom-com vibes.
Painter has released other books since her debut, all within the rom-com genre, of course. Better Than the Prom and Better Than Before, both set in Liz & Wes's universe from Better Than the Movies are both out now. The second book in the series, Nothing Like the Movies, is set to be released this coming fall. Outside of their world, Painter has also published other stories such as The Do Over, Mr. Wrong Number, The Love Wager, Betting on You, and Happily Never After, which released earlier this month. Whether written as adult fiction or young adult, all bring the same charm and levity of your favorite rom-com. And as the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Putting The Rom in the Com
ynn Painter has a penchant for tellign a story that feels like a movie. Whether that is due to her love for the movies or her natural talent, the result is a fun and heartwarmign read for her fans. Romantic Comedies hold avery dear place in the lives of many people, regardless of how you experience the genre, but to draw people in and make then enjoy what you'vre written is expenentially more dificult in this genre. If you delve too heavily into tropes and cliches then it'll be too cheesy, but if you don't go far enough, then the story is stiff and stoic. It is one of the hardest genres to nail and having repeated success in it is truly a show of talent.
Connect With the Author
To learn more about Lynn Painter or her novels, you can visit her website lynnpainter.com.
You an also follow the author on her various social media platforms to keep up to date and be the first to hear about her next book.
Facebook: @LAPainterBooks
Gooodreads: Lynn Painter
X (formerly Twitter): @LAPainter
REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE BOOK HIVE AND COME BACK THIS UPCOMING FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024 FOR OUR OFFICIAL REVIEW OF BETTER THAN THE MOVIES.
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