If there’s one thing I love, it’s a messy-as-hell second-chance romance with tons of wry banter. And y’all: Katelyn Doyle’s Just Some Stupid Love Story DELIVERS.

The book follows Molly Marks, a Hollywood screenwriter who doesn’t believe in love, though she writes romcoms and Seth Rubenstein, a divorce attorney who wholeheartedly believes in soulmates and is desperate to find his. They were high school sweethearts until she broke his heart, and when they see each other for the first time in 15 years at a reunion, they make bets about couples, including themselves, and have five years to see who wins.

As the story unfolds over the next five years, we experience the ups and downs of Molly’s and Seth’s lives, as well as the fates of the other couples in their bet. As the characters change and grow, this book will tug on your emotions, making you laugh uproariously before gut-punching you in surprising ways.

Molly is a character that is 100% going in my hall of fave FMCs, and one that I maybe over-identify with (writer, cynical, bad at feelings) but I loved her journey of learning to open up and see vulnerability as a kind of bravery. And Seth is the kind of sunshiney MMC that you can’t help but cheer on – and then swoon over when all of a sudden things start to heat up and a whole new side of him comes out.😏

I’m terrible at being effusive, but omg I loved this so much. SO MUCH. Like, it was a I-devoured-it-in-one-sitting-because-I-physically-could-not-stop-reading kind of situation.

And honestly? I won’t be surprised if this is my favorite contemporary romance of the year.

Just Some Stupid Love story NEEDS to be on your summer 2024 reading list!

Molly Marks, a rom-com screen writer and pessimist when it comes to love, runs into her high school ex, Seth Rubenstein, at their 15 year class reunion. Unlike Molly, Seth believes in the idea of soul mates and end game style love, even after he and Molly's rough and unexpected breakup and the end of high school. But he's determined to change her mind, so they make a bet. Who of the 5 couples they know will be together at the 20 year reunion? And will they be one of them?

Katelyn Doyle writes a wonderful plot that was unlike any romance I've read before. Her main and side character development was fantastic. What sets it apart from other romance books is the angst of the characters and their trials both together and apart. Doyle shows their relationship in the broader context of the pains of their past, their family and their friends. This book is not all roses and happy faces. It felt REAL. But it's also funny, witty, and has a HEA!

If Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry are your vibe, then Just Some Stupid Love Story will be too. I read this in one day and it would be fantastic for your next pool day or beach vacation.

Molly and Seth were high school sweethearts until she broke his heart before he could get a chance to break hers. When they unexpectedly reunite at their 15 year high school reunion, they set off a series of connections over the coming years.

This one really wasn’t for me. Molly was incredibly unlikeable and I had a really hard time wanting her to end up with Seth. He was too open hearted and loving for her, and the way she treated him throughout was terrible. I also wasn’t a fan of the role the pandemic played or the multiple side characters involved in cheating and toxic relationships.

You may like this if you enjoy second chance romance where one character has grown up a lot and the other still has a lot of growing up to do!

Just Some Stupid Love Story tells the story of Molly, a jaded rom com screenwriter, and Seth, a divorce attorney who loves romance. They were high school sweethearts who went their separate ways, but end up reconnecting an a high school reunion.

I have a soft spot for second chance romances and I love rom coms so I jumped at the chance to read Just Some Stupid Love Story early. But now that I’ve finished it, I have some mixed feelings.

It just felt like a long read, or at least longer than the page count indicates. And in some places, the pacing wasn’t the best – it sometimes felt like it was just dragging on and on. There was a point where I felt the book embodied its title of being just a stupid love story and honestly considered DNFing around the 25% mark. Full disclaimer, I did hit a bit of a reading slump while reading this, but regardless, it normally doesn’t take me two whole months to finish reading a rom com…

But to be fair, I don’t really think Just Some Stupid Love Story is a true rom com. Were there parts that made me smile and laugh? Yes! But I personally don’t think it was as light hearted or fun as most romantic comedies are. And once I got through that first quarter, I actually really enjoyed the rest of the novel. For perspective, it took me from February 15 to April 13 to read through 28% of the novel. I read the rest of the 72% in one day.

Just Some Stupid Love Story really revolves around Molly and her self discovery, more than the actual romance. And I absolutely enjoyed peeling back the layers of her history and her journey to leave it behind her. Seth serves as a great juxtaposition – he’s so fun and nerdy that it balances out some of Molly’s more dreary moments.

In conclusion, Just Some Stupid Love Story is not just some stupid love story, but in fact a cute love second chance romance full of self discovery bogged down by poor pacing.

The miscommunication trope annoys the crap out of me. But gosh does it make for a page turner... if that's your thing. The spice is 1.5. It happens but is not detailed, just noted. The angst is from page 1 to "the end." I wanted to strangle Molly and I wanted Seth to move on. But I also wanted them to figure their crap out. Beach read for sure (I'm at the beach now reading it!) but find something fun afterwards because you will need it!

I had higher hopes for this book but the main female lead, Molly, is barely likable and problematic throughout the book. Seth, the male lead, has carried a torch for Molly since they first dated in high school, but I have no idea why he was so in love with her or why he took all of her baggage. And her one friend Dezzie, was incredibly infuriating when she says something to Molly fully knowing that Molly will retreat to her old ways as an immediate reaction. There were some funny moments in the book but Molly and Seth needed to not default to their old habits so quickly for this love story to be more believable.

A very enjoyable and cute book of opposites attracting, very different opposites. John is very much into birding (bird watching) and his friend Chris sets him up with a partner for a serious birding competition. Celeste thinks Chris wants her to be John’s romantic partner. He loves her exuberance and she loves his quiet manner. Their relationship grows but as fake lovers because she is not ready for anything after her divorce and is looking to find herself. John had a bad breakup and he is fine with the no relationship. But, chemistry is huge with them and benefits start to happen even with a set timeline. Will they be able to overcome their insecurities or will the timeline hold?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just Some Stupid Love Story comes out on Tuesday 6/4 and this is definitely going to be on the summer lists!!

Molly and Seth were high school sweethearts until Molly ghosts Seth right after they graduate. At their high school reunion, when they learn Molly writes scripts for rom-coms and Seth is a divorce attorney, they make a bet: five couples they know…do they make it? They’re one of the 5, and it’s a race to their next reunion to see who will win. Are soulmates real or fiction?

This was so fun and cute, Seth was just so damn cute. Their banter was right on par and their chemistry was exactly what you want as a reader. Molly was a super self sabotager, which made some parts eye-rolly and frustrating - but as a whole…this is definitely a book you’ll want to grab for the beach this summer!

As an added exciting plus - the edges are sprayed purple!!! SO cute!💜

Thanks to Flatiron Books and Katelyn Doyle for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love a second chance romance, base it during the summer and it should be something I love! Unfortunately, this fell flat for me. I love a second chance romance but this didn’t seem realistic and I feel the main characters would have been better off not together.

I had issues with the pacing and found myself putting off continuing to read because I was bored at time. I think the premise was smart but poorly executed.

I definitely think someone will like this but unfortunately I didn’t. I did enjoy the writing so I would read another book by this author!

3.5 stars!

I have mixed feelings on this one. The beginning hooked me. The entire bet the two MCs make with each other was fun and I loved the time skips. There were just some decisions that the MCs made that didn't fit within their character development. Also, this is my personal preference but I wasn't a fan when the pandemic became the main setting of the book after the halfway point. I just prefer not to relive that time in the fictional works I read. But I loved the writing and in general thought this was a fun rom-com debut! I would definitely read Katelyn's next book!

So. Fun. I can't wait to post this review on my bookstagram. Such a fun rom com. I love the second chance romance plot and setting was fun. Seth and Molly's chemistry and steamy interactions are the icing on the cake. I did laugh out loud and found the writing to make it a perfect light read. Can't wait for my friends to read it so we and swoon together! I will post review on release date!

I went back and forth with this book. The hero, Seth, is very appealing. He’s like an overly affectionate dog who just wants to fall in love and have a family. He’s funny, sexy, and kind. Molly is not all that appealing. She has adopted this hard-bitten persona of a cynic who has no faith in love. Scarred by her parents’ ugly divorce, she doesn’t believe she’s capable of being happy in love so she self-sabotages relationships. That’s what she did with Seth when they were high-school sweethearts and you know she’s going to do it again when they meet up at their 15-year class reunion.

Molly is a screenwriter for rom-coms, so she’s very aware of the path that romantic stories take and she seems dedicated to acting out that pattern. So we all know that they’re going to fall in love and then she’s going to panic and stomp all over their relationship, making both of them miserable. It all feels very predictable. If Molly were a more likable character, maybe the story would have been more enjoyable. I just felt sorry for the very admirable Seth and impatient for Molly to wake up and change her self-destructive life patterns.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I LOVED this book! Every element - the screenplay, the grand gestures, the bet, the characters - worked for me! It was fun and sexy and I was rooting for this steamy second chance romance from the start. I will definitely be recommending it to everyone I know!

Molly Marks and Seth Rubenstein are teenage sweethearts when Molly breaks his heart at graduation. Fast forward to their 15th reunion when these two reconnect, sparks fly and a wager is made.
Told in alternating chapters by Molly and Seth, here we see all of their emotional baggage and histories.
Molly, quite damaged is often frustrating in this second chances romance which will culminate at the 20th year reunion. Sparking banter and a lot of spice makes for an enjoyable story. Thank you to netgalley and Flatiron Books

Molly and Seth dated all through high school, until the night before graduation when she got too scared and dumped him. After fifteen years of no communication they are seated at the same table of their reunion. She's now a rom-com screenwriter (who doesn't believe in soulmates) and he's a divorce lawyer (who wholeheartedly believes in soulmates). Their competitive nature leads to a bet about five couples soulmatedness, and whether they would be together in five years. Seth decides to include he and Molly as one of the couples! Throughout the next five years their paths cross and we find out how well their predictions pan out. Who will win? And was Seth right about them?
Overall I enjoyed it. The ending seemed a bit of a stretch for me. There were two very forgiving people in this story! I did enjoy that the characters weren't young 20s, but 33-38ish. While it was a romance there was only one super spicy scene. 🫣
It is scheduled to be published on Tuesday, 4 June, so check it out then!
Thanks to @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
#NetGalley #JustSomeStupidLoveStory

It delivers...

A movie worthy rom-com with the classic tropes of grumpy/sunshine, second chance, opposites. Seth is a charismatic divorce attorney who is a romantic. He is actively searching hard for his soul mate, throwing himself headfirst into each new relationship and moving things along at warp speed. He believes in and is looking for true love. He's nice and funny and sweet. He loves class reunions (really? Who actually likes them?) and everything Molly doesn't like.

Molly Marks is everything Seth is not. She's grumpy, brittle, the class B, often cruel and cutting. She hates reunions, doesn't believe in true love, although she does write about them as a famous screenwriter. She writes kissing movies.

At their fifteenth high school reunion in Florida, they make a bet. About soul mates and couples. Set in 2018, then over the course of five years, they have to see who is right at their twentieth high school reunion. So who will be right? Do soul mates exist?

A fresh take that moves along at a swift clip. I really enjoyed Seth. I was looking forward to reading this book and it delivers.
Recommend.
Recommend.

JUST SOME STUPID LOVE STORY – Katelyn Doyle
Flatiron Books
ISBN: 978-1250-328090-0
June 4, 2024
Romantic Comedy

Florida & California – Present Day

It’s the 15th anniversary of the Palm Bay class reunion. Romantic comedy screenwriter Molly Marks doesn’t want to be there but her two best girlfriends cajoled her into coming. She is hoping that she can just hide as much as she can, but after the party committee sets up people at various tables, it’s Molly’s bad luck to be at the same table as her high school sweetheart, Seth Rubinstein. Things are awkward at first because Molly ruthlessly dumped him after they graduated because she didn’t think a long-distance relationship would work. After a bit of hesitation (and encouragement from classmates), Molly and Seth are soon chatting away—and end up spending the night together having sex. Meanwhile, as part of their discussions, they predict who at their class reunion will end up romantically with. In five years, they will get together at the 20th reunion and compare notes. But the catch is that they are one of the couples they bet on. Molly doesn’t believe in true love, while Seth is hopeful of finding “the one.” Will they, perhaps, end up together?

JUST SOME STUPID LOVE STORY is told from both Molly's and Seth’s point of view. Neither is currently involved with anyone, and Molly still smarts from her father’s abandonment when he divorced her mother. Seth is a high-powered family attorney, which Molly thinks is funny because of her feelings about marriage and divorce. It’s clear to readers that they still have a thing for each other. At first, they text back and forth little things, like updating what is going on with their circle of former classmates they bet on. Seth even gets engaged but it is soon over when he realizes that the woman isn’t right for him. Then they meet up in Los Angeles at a baseball game by accident. It starts them talking and both realize without telling the other that they are still interested in each other. Will it lead to a romance between them? Despite their hang-ups about love and marriage, is it destined in the stars that they are made for each other?

A cute, fun tale that centers around a reunited couple who really aren’t reunited, JUST SOME STUPID LOVE STORY takes place over several years, including the Covid years when people were locked down. Molly and Seth are never far from each other’s thoughts. It is like the class reunion reset things for them and now they just have to see what they mean to each other. You will laugh and cry as they navigate their lives during these years. How will it turn out? You will need to find the answer by picking up a copy of JUST SOME STUPID LOVE STORY. You won’t be sorry.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

I love second chance, it’s my favorite trope, and so I immediately thought I’d like this book. This is a reverse grumpyXsunshine but the FMC (Molly) was just plain mean and rude, and the MMC (Seth) was cringy from the start. He is supposed to be a happy, bubbly guy, but he just seems pathetic to me, he worships the ground Molly walks on and why? Because they dated 15 years ago? They broke up and now met each other again at their high schools 15th year reunion, she supposedly hates him (for whatever reason), but they end up in bed that same night. Figures. What starts is a sort of friendship? If you can even call it that, over the next five years, mostly over text/emails. They get together and breakup THREE times. I don’t get why these FMCs are just insufferable in every book I’ve read lately, it’s not cute, or quirky, she was extremely toxic to him, and he just took it and I still couldn’t tell you why. We go through COVID during this five year span which through me in for a loop. We don’t see any growth whatsoever from the FMC and we are TOLD (as it’s a constant in this book - tell instead of show) that the MMC takes this year to heal from being a serial monogamist but then, when they finally get back together again he proposes…. AFTER 5 months? The whole dynamic between them what’s weird, I did not feel a connection, or any chemistry. I was invested in the side characters more and I wanted to DNF so many times. The two stars is because the spice caught me off guard, although there’s quite a couple of scenes, via phone/text and whatever, the ones in person are fade to black. Anyways, I’m just disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Giving this one a low 3 stars (maybe even 2.5?) — I had high hopes, and unfortunately didn't get as much as I wanted out of it! I had fun reading it, but the characters were both unbearable and unbelievably bad for each other. These are people that will probably break up again if it were real life.

Molly and Seth met in high school and dated up until they were 18, when Molly broke up with and ghosted Seth (for not a very good reason). Now, 36 years old (36!!!!!), she CONTINUES to "break up" with Seth and is a flighty, self-proclaimed "bolter." There's zero real character development from her, and I don't believe that she's actually transformed at the end of the book.

For Seth, he's completely obsessed with the idea of finding a soulmate and getting married and having his happily ever after that he love bombs everyone that looks at him twice. Minutes after he and Molly reconnect, it's "babe" this and "my woman" that and "I love you." What?? I was getting the ick big time from him at some points – he was so 0 to 100 that it blew my mind.

The spice in this book was also confusing! When Molly/Seth are intimate again for the first time, it's really low-key, so I was shocked and my eyes were like popping out of my head when I got to the next spice scene, which was so much more explicit it felt like a different book lol. I guess in line with the characters, there wasn't that much consistency.

So we've got two unbearable leads and a messy plot line, but this book was still fun to read, if only to be shocked and repulsed by their behavior. Not the love story I wanted, but I guess that was kind of in the name.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a big miss for me. I had a lot higher expectations but I really didn’t enjoy this. I thought both MC’s were kinda insufferable. I debated DNF-ing it a few times but I was kind of interested to see how the ending played out and was more invested in a lot of the side characters.

There were also a lot of text messages/emails that felt a little long and some weren’t really relevant to the plot. And the way the different sections were split up often didn’t make a lot of sense for me timeline-wise.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.