Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle delivers a delightful rom-com rollercoaster ride! Doyle crafts characters with depth and humor, making you root for Molly and Seth from the very starr. Their banter crackles with chemistry, and the plot twists keep you guessing until the very end. It's a refreshing take on love, packed with wit and heart. Doyle effortlessly captures the essence of modern romance, proving that sometimes, love is just a bet away. Don't miss this five-star gem!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC.

This story follows Molly and Seth who were high school sweethearts. Molly dumped Seth ruthlessly the night of graduation, and they don’t talk again until they bump into each other at their 15 year high school reunion. The book takes place over 5 years as their paths cross and they try to figure out how to make their relationship work.

I liked the reverse grumpy/sunshine aspect and I thought Molly was deliciously bitchy. I understood her hang ups with relationships and her daddy issues, and I liked that she was so cynical about love. It was a fun comparison to Seth who loved love and was just aching to find his soul mate. He even comes on way too strong the way a lot of women do in romance novels. I liked the meta way romance was talked about since Molly writes romance screen plays, and the different tropes that their friends fell into. The setting of a high school reunion was very entertaining, and even had me feeling nostalgic since I’m nearing my own 15 year high school reunion. I think that some flashbacks to their high school relationship would have been helpful in this case because despite all the years they pined for each other, I didn’t feel the chemistry and I think their relationship hinged too much on the nostalgia of a first love. I also think I didn’t really feel that magic between them because the plot meandered too much and it dragged through the middle. There are long passages describing something that had no bearing in the main plot and it had my attention drifting. Also, these two broke up too many times that by the end I was exhausted. It wasn’t even in a angsty type of way that I usually enjoy, it was just two people who couldn’t get their shit together and it slightly drive me crazy.

While I appreciated what this author was trying to do in terms of turning tropes on their head and narrative format, I just don’t think this book was for me. It could definitely work for someone that enjoys second chance romance with two very flawed but relatable characters.

This was a cute, quick read that I blew through skipping back and forth between print and the audiobook. Doyle did a great job of writing a plot that takes place over five years and makes it feel extremely organized and concise. What worked less was the “I know I’m going to break your heart” nonsense that is never my thing. Like, Molly, girl, get it together - you’re too old for this! While there were things in her backstory to make it somewhat believable, it took me out of the story a bit.

This black cat (Molly) x golden retriever (Seth) second chance story was a great summer read! She's a Nora Ephron-esque screenwriter (or is trying to be) and he's a divorce attorney, so their respective personalities are pretty funny when compared to their jobs. The basic premise for this one is: high school sweethearts who broke up when she dumped him as they graduated from high school reconnect at their 15-year high school reunion and make a bet. They pick five couples and each decide if the couple will be together or not by the time of their 20th reunion. The fifth couple is themselves.

This is a dual POV book that brought in so many tropes and so many romance novel/movie beats and I honestly loved that. I had a hard time with how cruel Molly could be to Seth, but I think the author did a good job giving enough of her background to understand how she had become so jaded. I will say that I expected this to be a rom-com, and it felt more like a straight romance to me. There were several hard issues dealt with throughout the course of the novel, and I was light on laughs. That said, I did like both POVs and I did want them to work it out, and I thought the friends and families were all fantastic side characters.

The banter and steam were both great. I normally go for full open door romances, and for me this was more of a "cracked door," but this certainly had enough spice for me to love it (no full sex scenes, but a surprising amount of dirty talk and one very descriptive mutual masturbation situation). I feel like a lot of reviewers have said this was too much spice, and it's certainly not an Amish romance, but it felt very reasonable to me and I wouldn't have minded more. For context though: I'm mostly reading hockey romances right now so my spice meter may be on the fritz?

Warnings: the five years this book covers includes the pandemic, and it does play a role in the book. Some romance novels have skipped that lately, but this one doesn't, so if that's uncomfortable for you this may not be a good fit.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and definitely suggest it for anyone looking for a summer read with a little substance and a lot of heart.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the chance to read and review!

Molly Marks writes scripts for romantic comedies but lives her life as though soul mates do not exist. Seth Rubenstein ardently believes in true love despite his career practicing family law. When the two high school sweethearts reconnect at their fifteenth reunion after a breakup that ruined them both, however, sparks begin to fly. In the aftermath, the two strike a bargain predicting the likelihood of the survival of five couples, to be settled in five years’ time. As the years pass, the two experience more of the world and of each other, and only time will tell what the outcome of their upcoming reunion will be.

This charming romantic comedy does not follow the traditional pattern of similar stories. While there are steamy romantic scenes and a slow-burn romance that will please readers as it unfolds, much of the storytelling revolves around the protagonists’ feelings and emotions as they each attempt to discover what it is they want. The narrative is told through several parts and in alternating perspectives between Molly and Seth, allowing for the passage of time while granting readers insight into each character’s motivations. Additionally, the use of text messages and email communications amplify the fact that much of the interaction takes place over long distances.

Carefully crafted, this narrative effectively presents Molly and Seth in unique ways, and the witty and playful banter among them and their friends is accessible and believable. Strong language is used throughout the book at choice moments, and relationships among the characters are endearing despite their adherence to familiar tropes of this genre. Occasionally, the fourth wall is broken and the characters speak directly to the reader, which permits the reader to feel even more invested in the outcome of the novel. Best suited to mature readers, this is a delightful summer romp that is difficult to put down. It is a positive addition to adult fiction library collections.

She's a rom-com writer who believes romance is a scam. He's a divorce lawyer who wears his heart on his sleeve as he awaits his soul mate. Fifteen years after Molly broke Seth's heart, they are reunited and make a bet. If she wins, Seth will have to admit soul mates do not exist, but if he wins, Molly has to accept that they do. Will love triumph all?

This book was fantastic! It was funny and witty and hit all the right notes for me. I loved the way Molly and Seth played off each other. Their banter was top notch and fun to observe, but I also was really hoping that their relationship would take off.

They were high school sweethearts, and Molly left Seth in pieces when she walked away. But now they are older, both have grown in so many ways, YET, Molly still distrusted her heart. The damage done by her father abandoning her as a kid still kept Molly from putting herself out there and giving love a chance.

With the universe continuing to put Molly and Seth in each other's orbits, they begin to reconnect as friends. There are a LOT of ups and downs with distance and poor timing playing a role, but their feelings never waned, and neither did my desire to see them together.

Surprisingly, I think this book has convinced me of the value of the third act breakup because I was a wreck! I find it amazing that authors can still do this to me when I know I am reading a genre romance. I know how it will end, but still, the tears were flowing. To me, this is proof of how invested I was in this relationship.

Just a heads up, this story begins in the past and part of it takes place during Covid. It was pretty gentle, and I am still not sure how I feel about Covid in books, but it was ok. Doyle filled this book with so much humor and fabulous characters that it kept me from recalling my own feelings about the virus.

Overall, I adored this book! The characters were vibrate, the dialog was snappy, the friendships were strong, and the premise was interesting. I simply had a wonderful time spending the years with this couple as I waited for them to finally find their forever together.

I had such high hopes for this debut. Unfortunately it fell flat for me. It’s a second chance summer romance, and while I often enjoy that trope, that wasn’t the case here. I honestly struggled to care about the characters, or to find them interesting, and the spice level and language made me cringe. I had to skim a number of parts.

It does have it’s moments, but overall this book was just not my cup of tea. These are my own personal opinions and others might enjoy this one. I do not like to have to write a negative review. I try my best to respect an author's work and efforts. Most of the time I will DNF the book before it gets to that point. Unfortunately I felt like I had to continue because it I’d committed to the arc.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron books for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating may have been higher had the book been shorter. The story takes place over multiple years pre covid through covid then post covid its too much. This book is also very explicit which I wasn't expecting.


****************I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion. ***************

A cynic with major daddy issues who is afraid of relationships and her high school boyfriend, a golden retriever who loves love make a bet at their 15 year high school reunion on the fate of five relationships including theirs and where they will be at their 20th reunion. The book plays out over the next five years as their relationship ebbs and flows.

What I liked: The bet made for a really interesting plot point! Following all the characters through five years of history was interesting. The characters were well drawn. I liked all the side characters as well.

What I didn’t like: The FMC was very frustrating. I realize her teen trauma and the way her father treated her had really messed her up. But it felt like she needed a better therapist. Even in the end it didn’t seem like she had really worked through the root of her issues. Likewise, the MMC never really figured out the source of his problems.

Additionally, I almost DNFd at 27% because there was a detailed, multi-chapter scene of a National League Championship Series baseball game between two teams that didn’t make it that far in the playoffs that year. If you’re going to set your book in a particular time and place, you should make the history line up with reality.

So for me this was a mixed bag. I liked some of it. I didn’t like other parts of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for my review copy of this book.

REVIEW: Just Some Stupid Love Story ⭐⭐⭐

Just Some Stupid Love Story was so fun, cute, and romantic. Our main characters, Seth and Molly, were high school sweethearts who broke up right before college. At their high school reunion, they catch up and discuss whether there is such a thing as a soulmate or not. Seth, a love-obsessed divorce lawyer, thinks there are and Molly, the cynical rom-com writer, thinks not. They decide to make a bet on five couples to see who will still be together in five years to prove their point. The fifth couple, Seth chose Molly and himself.

This story has such a fun premise and a great take on second-chance romance. Just Some Stupid Love Story is told in a dual POV, which helps you learn more about the characters. Each point of view in the audiobook is a different narrator, and they are both excellent. I also really appreciated the turn on the grumpy sunshine trope. Seth and Molly are great examples of opposite attraction, with Seth being the romantic who jumps into relationships fast, while Molly is more cynical about romance and afraid she will ruin any commitment.

Seth and Molly had great chemistry. They just gave off the relationship vibes that make you want to root for them. Just Some Stupid Love Story had some spicier parts, including some dirty talk and even videoing themselves. Additionally, I really liked how strong the supporting characters were. Molly’s best friends, Alyssa and Dez, were deeply involved throughout the story.

The only thing that was a bit difficult at times was the stretched-out timeline of the story and some slow progression. It was hard to see if they would connect because sometimes it was almost a year before they would talk to one another.

Overall, I really love Just a Stupid Love story. The characters, the story, and the dual POV really brought it to life for me. I especially liked the narrators in the audiobook, who brought the characters to life.

Thank you, Netgalley, Flatiron Books, and Macmillan Audio, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

#bookreview #bookrecommendations #arcread #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookish #romancereader #booksofinstagram #audiobook

Such a fun and cute rom-com! I loved the growing relationship between an ex high school couple. We meet them at their high school reunion, where their banter and flirtation begin. They remain in touch over the years, after making bets about other couples at their reunion. It’s a story of missed romance, as the two can’t ever seem to be on the same page. I loved the alternating perspective, between Molly and Seth. It flowed smoothly in audio and e copy. I also loved learning what was going on through both of their minds throughout the story. They were fun individually and together. I also loved out the supporting family and friends were important and awesome characters as well. A fun escape from reality and great beach read for the summer.

Thank for NetGalley for my advanced reader and audio copies.

Read if you like:
🥈 Second Chance Romances
💕 First Love
🎰 Bets
🤣 Banter
🌥️ Grumpy x Sunshine

If you like opposites attract meets grumpy x sunshine meets second chances and a dash of enemies to lovers you will really enjoy this debut!

For me, the pacing was a bit off and jumped around a bit too much which pulled me away from the development of the rekindling of the romance. It was also hard for me to believe that the two had been dating for all of high school and never lost their virginity and then the FMC went off to have some meaningless hookups. For me this just didn’t feel like it worked fully, especially with them hooking up pretty quickly after reconnecting.

I did love the female grump as I felt that was well done and always have a soft spot for a grump FMC character.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my ARC & ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book is my JAM. I could not love it more. I would scream about it from every rooftop in all caps, but I am worried my enthusiasm might freak you out.

I am a real sucker for a Romance with a difficult heroine and a golden retriever love interest. Molly has been seriously damaged by her parents' divorce, and her asshole of a father. It's partially because of that, and her fear that she will be left, that she is a bolter in relationships. She and Seth have such a sweet and lovely romance in high school, and she bolts. She is lucky enough to find love again with Seth, and he is SO GOOD to her, and they try so hard, but bolting is what she does. In between all of this bolting, there is some sexual tension and banter that is WORLD CLASS. Seriously, Katelyn Doyle can writer herself a RomCom. Like, there is nothing missing here. There is sexy talk, and sexy sex, and sexy meal-prep. There are very adorable dates, and so much try-hard trying on Seth's part. There's also a lot of very serious and deep stuff here about families and friendships. And if you love nostalgia, this book is the one for you. It takes pining to a whole new level.

The third act breakup is heart-wrenching, I am not going to lie. Even though I knew it was going to happen, it really shook me. I want better for Molly--I want her to do better. Seth is perfect. I love him and will defend him to the ends of the Earth. You know how it ends because RomCom, and the ending is really earned. It is cinematic.

I hope this is enough to convince you to read this book. It's not sappy even though it could be. It's not always easy because Molly is messy, and I freakin' love Katelyn Doyle for writing this character. It's everything that I could want in a book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading a highly touted romance novel (from a different author) that I absolutely did NOT love, I needed this book to make me believe in rom coms again.

Hilarious, heartwarming and gut-wrenching all at the same time, this is the quintessential rom-com and I devoured it from beginning to end. It highlights the ups and downs of falling in love from both a traumatized pessimistic view and a crushingly optimistic one. The on again-off again angst is palpable, taking my emotions on a rollercoaster ride that I wanted to both keep riding and get off simultaneously. I love the banter between Molly and Seth…she is so sarcastic and his good natured clap backs are fantastic. It's been a while since a rom com has gutted me like this and put me back together again and I loved every minute of it.

I liked this way more than I thought I would. But I was also shouting multiple times for these two to communicate properly 👏

The book is pitched as for fans of Emily Henry and I'm of the mind to agree. I'd say it's a bit People We Meet on Vacation x Happy Place in terms of vibes.

Molly and Seth are high school exes. Due to insecurity and unresolved personal trauma, Molly dumped Seth out of fear of losing him as they entered a new chapter of their lives.

They meet again fifteen years later at the high school reunion and it becomes obvious they have never fully gotten over each other. The two wind up getting drunk and hooking up. Their long, rollercoaster of a reunion starts from there with a series of bets.

I can imagine people not liking it because so many problems could be solved with more open and honest communication. Personally, the chemistry is what sold me on this book. Because despite Seth and Molly's numerous issues, I truly believed they loved each other.

Now is this the sort of relationship I would root for in real life? Probably not, as a friend, I can't imagine not just sitting my friend down at one point or another and being like 'You two need to figure your shit out'. Relationship drama should not span twenty years.

Nevertheless, I was entertained and looked forward to each chapter following these knuckleheads through the years.

Second chance romance is my weakness in contemporary romance. So is the grumpy/sunshine, and opposites attract tropes, which is why as soon as I read the blurb, I couldn’t help but hit that request button. Just Some Stupid Love Story introduces high school sweethearts, who reconnect after attending a high school reunion and falling into bed. The next morning doesn’t immediately bring them together, but they make a bet about relationships and which of their friends will still be together by the next reunion.

Molly Marks writes Hollywood romantic comedies, but she doesn’t believe in lasting love. Her high school boyfriend, Seth Rubinstein, believes in soulmates, and a forever kind of love, despite being a divorce attorney. Their teenage romance ran hot and heavy, until Molly broke it off suddenly right before college. The reunion brings them together again, and their friendship and feelings for each other are rekindled. This book takes place over several years so there are a lot of ups and downs. Dating other people, always coming back to each other. There was almost a When Harry Met Sally feel as they navigated the relationship over the years.

The extended timeline felt almost too long. I enjoyed their love story and watching them work through their issues that have kept them apart for so long, but I kind of wished it was over a shorter time period. I kept having to go back and check the year and date before each chapter to see where they were in the time jumps. There is a HEA, and I liked the angsty last several chapters and resolution.

I can honestly say that I was just as invested in the secondary couples’ relationships as with the main characters. The bet kept them at the forefront of my mind throughout the book, and I wondered along with Molly and Seth who would make it and who would end up with a new partner.

While I had some issues with the long timeline, I did enjoy this read. I’ll definitely be looking forward for more from this author in the future.

"But you know what? I think you both stayed a little bit in love with each other all those years. And that's why you fell so hard again. In fact, I think he's the only boy you've ever loved."

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I was intrigued by the plot, as I am a sucker for romance writer MCs and love the irony of them falling for their opposites (in this case, a divorce lawyer). In an adorable twist, Molly is the cynic and Seth is the hopeless romantic.

I love a story that spans a long time period, and getting to see the ways in which the characters grow apart and back together. Think People We Meet on Vacation, but with more breakups.

Seth and Molly’s banter and genuine affection for each other, even when they haven’t spoken in a year, is so sweet. It makes you believe that “soulmates are real” 😉

3.5 rounded up

The MCs Seth and Molly dated throughout HS, however broke up at graduation. They see each other again 15 years later at their HS reunion and the book covers the 5 years after their reconnection.

The time jumps in this book I enjoyed, they reminded me of the first part in When Harry Met Sally, they felt natural and I liked checking back in with the characters as the years moved on and seeing what they were up to. I did not really feel the connection much between the love interests, however. Maybe flashbacks of them dating in HS would have solidified their connection for me, but as it was it was just two people who used to be together popping back into each other’s lives yearly. I wasn’t dying for them to get back together.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, it was well written and I liked reading it. Seth as a MMC is a delight. He is a wonderful golden retriever who just wants love and I just wanted him to be happy. Molly was pretty brutal to him at times and she didn't have the character growth I would have hoped for to make the HEA believable though, I felt Seth deserved better.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I love a good second chance romance book. The characters must fit together and not a lot of talk that doesn’t add to the story.
Seth and Molly needed to connect and have more chemistry more for me to really care if they ended up together and happy. For me as I was reading, I just did not feel the connection between the two. I wanted to feel emotion and then I could cheer and hope all would turn out for them.
With all that said this book fell flat for me and when I was at the end it was a book that I read to fill time but never got engrossed in the story.
I do have to say the title of the book was very fitting.
Thank you NetGalley, Katelyn Doyle and Flatiron Books for the ARC of the book Just Some Stupid Love Story. This is my personal review.

What do you get when you put together an LA rom-com screenwriter and a Chicago divorce attorney? You get the uproariously funny “Just Another Stupid Love Story”!

Molly and Seth were high school sweethearts until Molly broke Seth’s heart and broke up with him graduation night. Fast forward to their 15-year high school reunion where they find themselves seated at the same table. A few too many craft cocktails later the two end up spending a hot and steamy night in a hotel room and agreeing to meet at their next class reunion to settle a bet about the success of five couples’ relationships with them being the fifth couple. Seth, a starry-eyed romantic, believes in trying to make divorces as amicable as possible and Molly, the queen of cynicism and doubt, thinks soul mates are pure bull and doesn’t believe in true love. Molly tries convincing Seth that they are just another typical casualty of her lack of belief in “forever love” and that he’s delusional.

During the ensuing 5 years they experience the Covid-19 pandemic, seeing or talking to each other sporadically, Seth falling in love with another attorney, and Molly dating a series of men. What ensues is a sexy, steamy roller coaster relationship between enemies to lover’s romance.

For those readers of a certain age, Molly and Seth remind me of the old sit-com The Odd Couple! If you enjoy a fun, funny, steamy, LOL rom com, this book is for you.