Lynn Painter on her newest YA rom-com, Betting On You
"There is no serotonin for me quite like the slow burn of romance, paired with the fun cringe of a romcom."
To celebrate the release of her adorable new When Harry Met Sally inspired YA rom-com, Betting On You, we had the pleasure of chatting with Lynn Painter about everything from dream movie castings to upcoming projects and more.
Hi Lynn! It so great to chat to you today to celebrate the release of your newest YA rom-com, Betting On You. For readers who might not yet know much about it, how would you best describe it to them in five words?
Fake dating, Banter, Cats, Kissing, Grumpy/sunshine (that was too many words, I know)
Can you tell us a little about your inspirations behind the story?
Nora Ephron’s When Harry Met Sally has always been one of my favorite romcoms because I LOVE the way the characters can’t stand each other, yet come to appreciate their differences. Betting on You is my YA spin on this rom-com classic, but with a sprinkling of fake dating and kissing practice.
You have such an incredibly talent for writing romances that are not only a joy to read but pull on each and every heart string. What is it about writing in the romance/rom-com genre you love so much?
Gahhh – thank you so much!!!! I’ve always consumed romance, both on-screen and in books. There is no serotonin for me quite like the slow burn of romance, paired with the fun cringe of a romcom. It’s all I want to read, all I want to write!
View this post on Instagram
All of your books, both adult and YA, star such wonderful and lovable heroines. Is there one you found harder to write or one you relate to the most?
Emilie, in The Do-Over, was harder for me to write because she’s a meticulous list-maker and Type A perfectionist – my polar opposite. I related most to Olivia, the protagonist in Mr. Wrong Number, because she’s a sketchball klutz who lives more on vibes than actual planning.
Somewhat jumping off that, is there a couple from any of your books you found yourself rooting for the most?
Today I’m going to say Wes and Liz from Better Than The Movies, because I’m currently writing the sequel so OF COURSE I’m rooting for them as I click toward the ending!!
All of your books have major rom-com movie energy but if any of them were to be adapted to screen, do you have a dream casting for any of your characters?
Haha – I am NOT going to answer this because readers have very specific fancasts and I don’t want to upset them. I WILL say that I would like Nick (The Do-Over) to be played by Jess Mariano in 2002. 😉
Finally, are you currently working on anything new and if so, is there anything you can share with us about it?
I’m currently working on Nothing Like The Movies, the sequel to Better Than The Movies. Wes and Liz are both in college and…well, still Wessing and Lizzing. (more to follow – coming in Fall 2024!)
Get your copy of Betting On You by Lynn Painter here.