Better Than the Movies: Age Rating, Spice & Parent Guide

If your teen has picked up a copy of Better Than the Movies—or is asking you to—this one’s worth reading first. Lynn Painter’s YA romance has landed on bestseller lists and plenty of “clean read” recommendation lists, but the actual content might surprise you. I dug into parent-focused review sites and content ratings so you can decide whether this book fits your household, no guesswork required.

Author: Lynn Painter · Genre: Young Adult Romance · Publication Date: May 4, 2021 · Publisher: Simon & Schuster · Sequel: Nothing Like the Movies

These details come from publisher listings and parent-focused review platforms, revealing where sources agree and where they diverge on content assessment.

Does Better Than the Movies have any spice?

This is where things get tricky. The book lacks explicit sex scenes, but it’s not quite the “clean read” some recommend it as. According to Rated Reads (a book review site with detailed content analysis), the book includes intense kissing, hands wandering under clothing, and frequent references to sex—even though no actual scenes occur.

Spice level definitions in YA romance

YA romance exists on a spectrum. Some readers consider any kissing beyond a quick peck to be “spicy,” while others reserve that label for explicit content. Rated Reads classifies this book’s sexual content as “High” given the overall context, even without sex scenes.

Reviewer opinions on spicy scenes

Reviewer Cathy Carmode Lim notes: “I will definitely join others who recommend Better Than the Movies as a really fun YA romance. However, I can attest that while it does not have any ‘sex scenes,’ it does include intense kissing and some references to sex.” She adds that the book gets recommended by “no-spice” accounts who apparently meant only “no actual spicy scenes,” not that the romantic content is mild.

On The StoryGraph, one user rates the spice level as 2 out of 10, describing it as a “clean romance” with only two kisses near the end—but this is just one reader’s assessment.

The implication: if your teen strictly avoids anything beyond a brief peck, this book may not fit that threshold despite its “clean romance” reputation.

Is Better Than the Movies appropriate for 13-year-olds?

Age recommendations for YA romance aren’t one-size-fits-all. Scholastic markets the book for ages 13-18 (grades 7-9), while Plugged In suggests 12 and up. Your call depends on what you’re comfortable with.

Parent reviews from Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media doesn’t have a dedicated entry for this title, but Plugged In—a Christian parent-focused review platform—covers it extensively. They note harsh language including the f-word, s-word, and misuses of God’s name, and they flag drunken teen behavior at a party.

Plugged In content breakdown

The Plugged In reviewer describes it as a “cute rom-com story” but cautions on language and teen drinking. They recommend it for ages 12 and up, praising themes of friendship, communication, and wise romantic choices.

What this means: for a mature 13-year-old who’s comfortable with mild swearing and underage drinking references, this may work. For younger or more sensitive readers, wait.

Is there a book 2 of Better Than the Movies?

Yes. Scholastic lists the sequel as Nothing Like the Movies. The follow-up is now available in print and audiobook formats.

Sequel title and details

Nothing Like the Movies continues the series, though specific plot details vary by source. If your teen devours the first book, the second is ready and waiting.

Series overview

• Book 1: Better Than the Movies (2021)
• Book 2: Nothing Like the Movies (available now)
• Formats: print and audiobook

The catch: content warnings for the sequel may be similar. If the first book’s profanity and kissing content gave you pause, check reviews before the second.

What is the age rating for Better Than the Movies?

YA doesn’t have an official MPAA equivalent, so ratings vary. Scholastic (the publisher and retailer) puts it at 13-18, while Plugged In goes a year lower at 12 and up. Goodreads community discussions include readers who consider it fine for “mature 11-year-olds” as YA, but those are community opinions—not official ratings.

Official and community ratings

Rated Reads classifies the book’s overall content rating as “High” due to profanity and sexual content despite no sex scenes. This is more conservative than Scholastic’s marketing.

Content warnings summary

Per Busy Moms Read Too (a mom-focused content review blog), warnings include:

• Moderate profanity (10 strong-language uses, 90 moderate, 30 mild, 130 deity misuses)
• Underage drinking at a party
• Brief cigar smoking by teens
• Mild violence (car accidents referenced)
• Grief over past parental death
• Religious profanity

No prejudices or explicit content appear in the warnings, but the language count is significant.

Why this matters: the “High” rating from Rated Reads versus “12+” from Plugged In shows how differently adults assess YA content. What’s fine for one family may not be for another.

What is the Better Than the Movies series in order?

Publication order is straightforward: Better Than the Movies came first (May 2021), and Nothing Like the Movies followed. Both are available from major retailers in print and audiobook.

Book 1 summary

The first book follows 18-year-old Liz Buxbaum, a high school senior who reconnects with her next-door neighbor Wes Bennet. It uses an enemies-to-lovers trope and centers on prom preparation, with themes of examining romantic expectations beyond rom-com fantasies.

Book 2 plot without spoilers

Specific plot details for Nothing Like the Movies aren’t fully compiled across review sites, but the series continues the YA romance tone with similar character dynamics. The StoryGraph notes the series uses the enemies-to-lovers trope well.

The trade-off: book 2 is available now, so your teen may want to binge both. Budget for that possibility if they’re into the series. If your teen is into the series, consider that book 2 is available now, so they may want to binge both, and you can När kommer säsong 3 av Summer I Huset for more information.

These specifications come from publisher records and detailed content analyses.

For parents who’ve decided this book fits their values, the choice is straightforward: grab the print copy for bedroom reading or the audiobook for road trips. For those still uncertain, waiting until your teen is 14 or older—and starting a conversation about what “clean romance” actually means—may be the better call.