Love letters, fake dating and a Netflix phenomenon… so I had to get on board
Estimated Reading Time 4min
When To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before hit Netflix, it quickly became one of the platform’s biggest romantic comedies. It spawned two sequels, launched plenty of internet crushes, and introduced a whole new audience to Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky. Naturally, I had to find out whether the book or the movie did the story better.
As always, spoilers ahead.
The Movie Made the Characters More Likeable
This is a complaint I seem to make in almost every book-versus-movie comparison, but this time it went the opposite direction. The movie improved the characters. A lot of the characters in the book felt more cynical, sarcastic, and difficult to like than their movie counterparts. Margot was probably the biggest example. In the movie, she came across as responsible and protective, with a genuine love for her sisters underneath it all.
In the book? She was just mean. I understood that she was trying to fill a parental role, but she lacked much of the warmth that made her work in the film. The same thing happened with Lara Jean’s friend Chris. Movie Chris is rebellious in a fun, slightly snarky way. Book Chris takes that much further, regularly skipping school and making questionable decisions. Even Peter wasn’t quite as charming in the novel. He wasn’t unlikeable, but he definitely wasn’t the Peter Kavinsky that became a fan favourite on screen.
Some of the Small Changes Actually Worked
One thing I appreciated was how the movie handled some of the setup. By including more backstory before Margot leaves for college, the film gave the family dynamics a little more context right from the start. There were also plenty of smaller changes. For example, in the book, Peter is the one who suggests the hand-in-pocket idea. It’s a tiny detail, but it gives him an extra layer of sweetness that I really liked. These little adjustments didn’t dramatically change the story, but they helped shape how I viewed the characters.
The Book Foreshadows Later Events
One thing I noticed while reading was how much groundwork the first book lays for the rest of the series. There are references to places and characters that don’t become important until later books, including the retirement home where Lara Jean eventually volunteers and reconnects with John Ambrose. The movie doesn’t include any of this setup. It’s not necessarily a problem, but it was interesting to see how much was already being established behind the scenes.
Josh’s Role Was Surprisingly Different
Josh remains much more involved in the family’s life in the book. Even after Margot leaves for college and everything becomes awkward, he continues coming over for dinner and spending time with the family. In the movie, he mostly fades into the background after the initial conflict.
Honestly, I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this change. On one hand, he’s been part of their lives for years, so it makes sense that those relationships wouldn’t instantly disappear. On the other hand, it definitely created a strange dynamic.
Kitty Was Much Younger
Another major difference was Kitty. In the movie, she feels only a few years younger than Lara Jean and often steals scenes with her confidence and sass. In the book, she’s significantly younger. And it shows. She feels much more like a child.
Because of that, the family dynamic changes. People treat her differently, and some of her actions feel more like childish mistakes than calculated mischief. Personally, I preferred the movie version. An older Kitty brought a lot more energy to the story and made the sisterly interactions more entertaining.
The Letters Were Much Harsher
One of the most surprising differences involved the letters themselves. In the movie, they feel like private love letters that were never meant to be sent. In the book, they read much more like goodbye letters. Lara Jean isn’t simply expressing her feelings. She’s actively trying to move on. Some of the things she writes are surprisingly harsh. She lists flaws and annoyances in an effort to convince herself she no longer has feelings for these boys.
When Peter later references some of those comments, I couldn’t help thinking that reading those letters would have been genuinely painful. This was one change I actually preferred in the movie. The softer approach felt more believable and less unnecessarily hurtful.
The Ending Changed Everything
The biggest difference between the book and movie comes at the end. The movie gives us the classic romantic-comedy ending. Lara Jean and Peter get together. Everyone is happy. Roll credits. The book does something very different. It ends with them broken up. Lara Jean begins writing another letter, setting up the sequel P.S. I Still Love You. Now, I understand why this was done. The series continues.
But it felt a little manufactured. Instead of feeling like a natural ending, it felt like the book was intentionally creating drama to make readers pick up the next installment. Knowing there was another book made it fairly obvious they would eventually find their way back to each other. For me, the movie’s ending worked much better.
Book vs Movie: Which Was Better?
This is one of the rare occasions where I preferred the movie. The book was enjoyable, and it provided additional context for several moments that only receive a brief mention on screen. But overall, the film improved the characters, streamlined some of the weaker elements, and delivered an ending that felt more satisfying. That’s not something I say very often in these comparisons. Usually, the book wins. This time, however, the movie takes it. And honestly? It wasn’t even particularly close.
Have you read To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and watched the movie? Which version did you prefer?
See You in The Adventures!
Christy Grace
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