When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”
During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.
The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.
And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.
When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”
During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.
The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.
And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.
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8 books in catalog
Contemporary romantic comedy fiction gained a prominent voice with the release of the 2021 young adult novel Better Than the Movies, which achieved widespread popularity on BookTok and established a devoted readership. Lynn Painter emerged through this debut as a #1 New York Times bestselling author specializing in humorous, trope-filled romances across young adult, adult, and middle-grade demographics.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Lynn Painter eventually settled in Nebraska, living in the Omaha and Springfield areas with her husband and five children. Before turning to full-time fiction writing, she worked as a facilities coordinator for a heavy equipment dealer and wrote a biweekly parenting column for the Omaha World-Herald. Her literary career took off in May 2021 with the publication of her debut young adult novel Better Than the Movies through Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, represented by literary agent Kim Lionetti of Bookends Literary Agency. Following its success, Painter transitioned to full-time writing, expanding her catalog into adult romantic comedies such as Mr. Wrong Number and children's fiction such as The Wish Switch.
Painter's novels heavily draw upon the tropes and structural beats of classic cinematic romantic comedies, combining fast-paced dialogue, witty banter, and emotional vulnerability. Her stories frequently explore themes of second-chance romance, fake dating, identity growth, and chaotic family dynamics. Emphasizing escapism and lighthearted humor, she crafts narrative arcs centered on young adults and adults navigating complex relationships while paying homage to popular rom-com tropes.
8 books in catalog
Contemporary romantic comedy fiction gained a prominent voice with the release of the 2021 young adult novel Better Than the Movies, which achieved widespread popularity on BookTok and established a devoted readership. Lynn Painter emerged through this debut as a #1 New York Times bestselling author specializing in humorous, trope-filled romances across young adult, adult, and middle-grade demographics.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Lynn Painter eventually settled in Nebraska, living in the Omaha and Springfield areas with her husband and five children. Before turning to full-time fiction writing, she worked as a facilities coordinator for a heavy equipment dealer and wrote a biweekly parenting column for the Omaha World-Herald. Her literary career took off in May 2021 with the publication of her debut young adult novel Better Than the Movies through Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, represented by literary agent Kim Lionetti of Bookends Literary Agency. Following its success, Painter transitioned to full-time writing, expanding her catalog into adult romantic comedies such as Mr. Wrong Number and children's fiction such as The Wish Switch.
Painter's novels heavily draw upon the tropes and structural beats of classic cinematic romantic comedies, combining fast-paced dialogue, witty banter, and emotional vulnerability. Her stories frequently explore themes of second-chance romance, fake dating, identity growth, and chaotic family dynamics. Emphasizing escapism and lighthearted humor, she crafts narrative arcs centered on young adults and adults navigating complex relationships while paying homage to popular rom-com tropes.
