This page lists Lynn Painter books in publication order, plus YA, adult romance, series reading paths, and related titles.
Quick Index
- Scope: Lynn Painter novels, series titles, middle grade fiction, and anthology work
- Default Order: Publication order
- Best Starting Point: Better Than the Movies
- Order Matters: Yes for Better Than the Movies and Mr. Wrong Number
- Main Categories: YA romance, adult rom-com, middle grade, anthology short fiction
- Latest Scheduled Release Included: Trust Fall, 2026
Reading Paths
Publication Order
Recommended for first-time readers who want the full catalog sequence.
- Better Than the Movies
- Mr. Wrong Number
- Accidentally Amy
- The Do-Over
- The Love Wager
- Betting on You
- Happily Never After
- Nothing Like the Movies
- The Wish Switch
- Maid for Each Other
- Fake Skating
- First and Forever
- 13 Little Love Stories
- Trust Fall
Publisher listings identify Painter as the author of YA titles including Better Than the Movies, The Do-Over, Betting on You, Nothing Like the Movies, Fake Skating, and Trust Fall, and adult titles including Mr. Wrong Number, The Love Wager, Happily Never After, Accidentally Amy, Maid for Each Other, and First and Forever.
Series Order
Best for direct continuity.
Better Than the Movies
- Better Than the Movies
- Nothing Like the Movies
Mr. Wrong Number
- Mr. Wrong Number
- The Love Wager
Beginner Path
Best for a compact Lynn Painter starter route.
- Better Than the Movies
- The Do-Over
- Mr. Wrong Number
- Betting on You
- Nothing Like the Movies
- Fake Skating
YA-Only Path
Best for teen-romance reading.
- Better Than the Movies
- The Do-Over
- Betting on You
- Nothing Like the Movies
- Fake Skating
- Trust Fall
Adult Rom-Com Path
Best for adult contemporary romance only.
- Mr. Wrong Number
- Accidentally Amy
- The Love Wager
- Happily Never After
- Maid for Each Other
- First and Forever
Publication Order Master List
- Better Than the Movies (2021) – Novel – Better Than the Movies #1, YA romance
- Mr. Wrong Number (2022) – Novel – Mr. Wrong Number #1, adult romance
- Accidentally Amy (2022; Berkley edition 2025) – Novel – Adult romance, standalone
- The Do-Over (2022) – Novel – YA romance, standalone
- The Love Wager (2023) – Novel – Mr. Wrong Number #2, adult romance
- Betting on You (2023) – Novel – YA romance, standalone
- Happily Never After (2024) – Novel – Adult romance, standalone
- Nothing Like the Movies (2024) – Novel – Better Than the Movies #2, YA romance
- The Wish Switch (2025) – Novel – Middle grade fiction, standalone
- Maid for Each Other (2025) – Novel – Adult romance, standalone
- Fake Skating (2025) – Novel – YA romance, standalone
- First and Forever (2026) – Novel – Adult sports romance, standalone
- 13 Little Love Stories (2026) – Anthology – Includes a Lynn Painter story
- Trust Fall (2026) – Novel – YA romance, scheduled
Better Than the Movies was published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2021, The Do-Over in 2022, Betting on You in 2023, Fake Skating in 2025, and Trust Fall is listed for September 29, 2026. Berkley lists Mr. Wrong Number for March 1, 2022, The Love Wager for March 14, 2023, Happily Never After for March 12, 2024, Maid for Each Other for July 15, 2025, and First and Forever for May 12, 2026.
Related Works and Where They Fit
Accidentally Amy
- Accidentally Amy (2022; Berkley edition 2025) – Novel – Adult romance
- Placement: Read after Mr. Wrong Number in publication order.
- Note: The 2025 Berkley edition is a revised, expanded edition of an originally self-published title.
The Wish Switch
- The Wish Switch (2025) – Novel – Middle grade fiction
- Placement: Optional for romance readers. It is separate from the adult and YA rom-com titles.
- Note: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers lists it as a May 13, 2025 release for ages 8 to 12.
13 Little Love Stories
- 13 Little Love Stories (2026) – Anthology – YA romantic short fiction
- Placement: Optional. It is not required before Trust Fall.
- Note: Penguin Random House lists Lynn Painter among the anthology contributors and gives a June 30, 2026 release for the U.S. paperback and ebook.
The Going to the Movies Collection
- The Going to the Movies Collection (2025) – Boxed set – Better Than the Movies duology
- Placement: Collects Better Than the Movies and Nothing Like the Movies.
- Note: This is a boxed set, not a new story entry.
Dependencies & Notes
- Read Better Than the Movies before Nothing Like the Movies due to direct character continuity.
- Read Mr. Wrong Number before The Love Wager for linked adult-romance context.
- The Do-Over, Betting on You, Happily Never After, Maid for Each Other, Fake Skating, First and Forever, and Trust Fall can be treated as standalones.
- The Wish Switch is middle grade and separate from Painter’s YA and adult romance lines.
- 13 Little Love Stories is an anthology appearance, not a Lynn Painter solo novel.
- Accidentally Amy has two major catalog placements: original 2022 publication and revised 2025 Berkley edition.
FAQs
What Lynn Painter book should I read first?
Start with Better Than the Movies. It is her debut novel and the clearest entry point for her YA romance catalog.
Do Lynn Painter books need to be read in order?
Only the linked books need order. Read Better Than the Movies before Nothing Like the Movies, and read Mr. Wrong Number before The Love Wager.
Is Nothing Like the Movies a sequel?
Yes. Nothing Like the Movies is the second Better Than the Movies book.
Is The Love Wager connected to Mr. Wrong Number?
Yes. Treat The Love Wager as the second book in the Mr. Wrong Number adult-romance sequence.
Is The Wish Switch a romance novel?
No. The Wish Switch is a middle grade novel. It is separate from Painter’s adult and YA rom-com catalog.
What is Lynn Painter’s latest book?
The latest released solo novel included here is First and Forever, published in May 2026. The latest scheduled solo novel included here is Trust Fall, listed for September 2026.
Change Log
- Last checked: June 13, 2026
- What changed: Added First and Forever, 13 Little Love Stories, and scheduled Trust Fall placement
- Most recent known release included: Trust Fall, 2026