Well, this was definitely a bit slow going to start off, took me about five tries to actually get past the first couple chapters. The main characters eventually show their lingering chemistry, whether they want to or not. Their repartee was cute for the most part, but this was a bit too elongated for my taste. Give me a medium-slow-burn, please! I might already be biased against second-chance romances, but I also kind of didn’t want them to get together. Maybe it’s just me though! Would definitely be willing to give the author another try but this one didn’t work for me unfortunately :😕

Overall, I really liked this book, this story and the fact that it was a debut!

If I am being critical, I struggled with Molly. Molly was VERRRRRRRRRY unlikeable and if my friend had dated her and been hurt by her, I'd be feral in keeping my friend away from her in the future. Seth deserved better! Yes people are flawed and grow, but she never really showed much growth.

That being said, I loved the second chance element, Seth was an absolute delight, the friendship circles were delightful and I absolutely loved that this started with a high school reunion - something I avoid like the plague, but made for a great book backdrop!

The writing was so well done, the characters were nearly perfect, I just think Molly needed more finessing as our main character, and I loved how this both started and ended.

Molly and Seth dated in high school. Then, Molly leaves town, breaking Seth's heart in the process. Now, at their high school reunion, they begin a five year journey of seeing what they really are to each other.

I liked this one! This was a sweet romcom that had all of the moments that really tugged on my heartstrings. Here's what I loved:

Molly and Seth: These two are the ultimate black cat/golden retriever. Molly is pessimistic and guarded while Seth is optimistic and so open. But together they really worked.

The humor: I loved all of the one-liners. I found myself laughing out loud a few times!

The format: The novel is told in parts, each when Seth and Molly meet back up again one the course of five years. This really set the stage well for their romance.

This book does deal a little with Covid so if that is a trigger, be warned.

All in al, this was a good second chance romcom!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

This was a very enjoyable read. I loved the sarcastic FMC with a marshmallow heart, the colorful and vibrant side characters, pretty much everything. The way that the story spanned so many years made the eventual payoff all the more satisfying.

DNF @ 52%/chapter 21


This has an extremely rough beginning where I was debating quitting at 5%. The FMC is intolerable. Its meant to be a reverse grumpyxsunshine but honestly she's just cruel and not grumpy. She's a screenwriter that doesn't believe in love. (At a glance it's a reverse of The Rom-Commers, but this one goes downhill imo.)

The story spans multiple years across text/email messages/calls of highschool ex's but i dont feel the chemistry. I loved the MMC being a golden retriever, but that's it. PASS.

Just Some Stupid Love Story was such a fun read! I loved this rom-com and how each chapter changed narrators. Having the different voices really helped build the depth of both the fmc and mmc. This was engrossing and I didn't want to put it down. The perfect beach read! I was lucky enough to receive a free ARC copy of this book, but all opinions are my own!

Give me all the rom-coms- especially ones that involve a main character who writes them! Just Some Stupid Love Story is a fun, easy read with a very unique storyline. Katelyn Dole throws in just enough nostalgic references to transport me back to my high school years. Molly & Seth are both such lovable, well-written main characters in this story. This would be the perfect beach read this summer!!

Thank you NetGalley & Flatiron Books for an ARC copy of this book.

3.5⭐️for me.

Read this book if you enjoy:
>Classic rom com nostalgia
>Second chance romance
>Grumpy x sunshine
>Text/email exchanges
>Hollywood rom com writer + Midwest divorce lawyer

The premise of this book was also interesting to me - and there were elements of the story that I really enjoyed - the side bets on the relationships, the friend group that each of them had, and the fact that their high school reunions were the anchor points of the story. So much nostalgia - with lots of throwback references to when I was in high school as well - so that was definitely a lot of fun.

I think I struggled a little bit with the connection between the two MCs themselves. On their own, they're two fully developed characters with their own friends, baggage, and lives - living in separate parts of the country and doing their own thing. The ways for them to interact after the initial reconnection at the HS reunion felt almost forced at times. Random emails/phone calls, one super hot text/video exchange (whoo), and a few "happen to be in the same city" type meetings. It felt almost like the foundation for their relationship was based more on what they had in high school the first time than what they were building as adults. And the MMC's golden retriever, all in personality was a little too much for me at times.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read with lots of really fun parts to the story. Thank you to Netgalley/Macmillan for the eARC!

Molly, a romance cynic, writes rom coms for a living; Seth, a romantic, is a divorce lawyer - and the only time either was really in love was with each other in high school, until Molly abruptly ended it right before graduation and shattered Seth's heart. The next time either set eyes on each other is at their 15th reunion, stuck next to each other (and chemistry is still very much there). The two spend the night talking and after looking around the room, make bets on which 5 couples will make it or break it before the 20th, and Seth bets on them being together by their 20th. Molly has 5 years to prove to him that there is no such thing as soulmates, and Seth has 5 years to prove her wrong; except that life keeps getting in their way.

I started by listening to this one and I have to say, while it was addicting and really enjoyable (I was invested in the couple almost immediately), I preferred Seth’s character when I read his POV chapters (he just seemed annoying on audio, but really sweet when I read). I liked Molly’s character even though her decisions were often frustrating because the pathology behind them were well explained (but I was still annoyed just because). @greatlyn smartly created plot twists with both characters putting up roadblocks in their relationship and not just having the drooling boy chasing the girl. I stayed up to finish this one (the thought of going to sleep and not knowing what happened was inconceivable to me - and yes, I know it’s a rom com and it’s predictable) and it was my Sunday indulgence. This is a super fun, cute read and I’m glad I had both the audio and the book for my Sunday evening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC to review

If I could give this 3.5 stars, I would.

I think this was a very interesting take on a black cat/cinammon roll type of dynamic. Molly is a very cynical character, very affected by her traumas and notably, self-sabotages her relationships. Seth is a hopeless romantic, constantly looking for the one, even at the cost of his happiness. The book was very honest. They both had their flaws, hurt each other over and over, and even the happy ending feels like it should come with an asterisk that they will both get couple's therapy. The banter in this book is fantastic.

However, the book's honesty is also the downfall. I read romance mainly to escape. So maybe bringing in all these faults made the characters human in a way that made me uncomfortable and brought me back to reality. The angst was mainly them hurting each other. It left me feeling melancholy. Ultimately, I applaud the frankness but I can also step back and say that this wasn't for me. I recommend it to Emily Henry fans or fans of Past Lives. Similar vibes.

This second chance romance is entertaining and spicy. The banter between our two main character is witty and humorous. The chemistry and character growth is spot on. I found myself rooting for the characters the whole time, while riding on an emotional roller coaster. This is one romance not to miss!

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Katelyn Doyle, and Flatiron Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows cynical Molly, who writes rom-com scripts for a living, and Seth, a divorce attorney who wears his heart on his sleeve. Seeing each other for the first time in fifteen years at their high school reunion, these two former high school sweethearts decide to make a bet over the fate of five couples, and whether they will still be together by their next reunion, to prove if true love is real.

I enjoyed the character growth that takes place throughout the story, especially with Molly. I felt with her backstory, it made sense that her growth journey wasn’t linear, and it was more realistic that she didn’t magically heal just because she fell in love. I really liked the dual POV since Seth and Molly were such opposites. I felt like the five year time frame made the story drag a little at times, but over all it was still very much an enjoyable read.

4.5 stars rounded to 5.

Summary
Don't you love a book that’s truly just a pleasure to read? Where even though you know how it will end (or maybe because of it!), you enjoy the characters and the universe so much that picking it up is a treat? This debut from Katelyn Doyle is one of those books – make sure she’s on your radar because she’s going to be a star.

Just Some Stupid Love Song is an opposites attract, second chance rom-com featuring Seth, a hopelessly romantic divorce attorney, and Molly, a rom-com screenwriter who doesn’t believe in soulmates. Oh, and they’re exes. At their fifteenth high school reunion, they make a bet – whoever can predict the outcome of five relationships before their twentieth reunion has to admit that the other is right about romance. We watch them over the next five years – getting to know each other again, helping their friends navigate challenges and celebrate triumphs, and working through the baggage that shaped their views on romance and their interactions with each other. It gives strong When Harry Met Sally vibes with the jumps in time, their “will they/won't they” moments, and their “never the right time” situationship – I mean this as the highest compliment. If you liked When Harry Met Sally, you’ll enjoy this for sure.

CAWPILE:

Characters (4/5)
Molly and Seth are opposites attract to the extreme and they each embody the opposite gender stereotypes we often see in rom coms. She’s a romance screenwriter who doesn’t believe in soulmates. He’s a divorce attorney and a hopeless romantic. This book is a romcom so you know it's going to end with a HEA, but I loved watching them get there. They both have a lot of baggage that have shaped their perspectives on romance and true love and they have to work through their own issues to be able to see the other’s point of view. And they do. And watching them get there and find what they need in each other is really a treat.

Atmosphere/Setting (4.5/5)
The setting changes every time we time jump, depending on whose POV we’re reading and what that character is doing. Molly lives in LA and the author nails it - sprawling city, pool-party level heat in the summer... The exact opposite of Seth’s home in Chicago. We also spend time on the gulf coast of Florida, New York City, the northwoods of Wisconsin, and Joshua Tree. As the narrative progresses through leaps in time every few chapters, the changing settings effectively distinguish each block of time.

Writing (4/5)
Generally well done. The dialogue is natural - not too colloquial or too formal.

Plot (4.5/5)
Love love love! The story takes place over a 5 year span with periodic jumps in time. It gives strong “When Harry Met Sally” vibes with the jumps in time, will they/won’t they, right person/wrong time, etc. The five year period spans 2018 to 2023, so you see Molly and Seth handle the pandemic and watch it impact their relationships. It’s well executed and feels authentic.

Intrigue (5/5)
I didn’t want to put it down because I enjoyed the characters so much. I just completely lost myself in the book, in the best way.

Logic (5/5)
No notes

Enjoyment (5/5)
I can't believe this is a debut, I just enjoyed the heck out of it

2.5 stars. I would have rated this book higher but ultimately it just felt too long. I have a hard time believing they’ll stay together in the long run because of how often they broke up in the book. I understand her past makes Molly run but, really, Seth deserved better. Thank you for the ARC but it just wasn’t my favorite!

I was really interested by the summary of Just Some Stupid Love Story and the book was a quick read. Although it was a fast read, it was extremely predictable. Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the Arc in exchange for an honest review. Just Some Stupid Love Story is expected to be published on June 4, 2024

Not just some stupid love story. I love love and this book was so lovely. Great read thank you net galley

At their fifteen year high school reunion, old high school sweethearts Molly and Sean make a bet. Out of their friends, which couple will stay together or break up in the next five years? The catch is, they are one of the couples. Seth is looking for his soulmate, and Molly is a reluctant romance screenwriter, child of divorce and definitely doesn’t believe in soulmates. We follow them for the next five years through chance encounters and long distance meetings, all in the search for true love.

The premise of this book really seemed like a fun summer romcom but it fell short for me. I did not connect with the characters and I did not believe they had any chemistry. The book was easy enough to follow, there is a lot (A LOT) of dialogue, emails, text messages, but besides a few explicit sexual encounters, not a lot of romance substance.

Important to mention, this is happening over the course of five years and falling right in the middle of the Covid pandemic. There are a lot of references to this time period and a third act breakup. I was disappointed in the lack of character development, Molly didn’t show any growth especially with the passage of time, there needed to be a therapy plot in this so badly, for the daddy issues to start. She admits to Seth that she’s an emotionally stunted person but does absolutely nothing to get help.

The audiobook was performed by Christine Lakin and Tim Paige, jumping between the two POVs. I thought Christine’s delivery was better than Tim’s, unfortunately I just didn’t care for the story and ended up listening on the fastest speed just to finish quicker. The excessive emails and text messages were getting tedious to listen to, but I did like the characters’ banter for the most part.

While this didn’t resonate with me, it may with others as a lighthearted spicy read at the beach or pool.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies to review.

Will they, won't they... repeat. There are so many parts of this book that are so relatable that it's hard to even lump in it with your standard rom-com. There were a few slower parts for me BUT I'm glad I pushed through because they all tied together in the end. Go ahead and toss this one in your pool bag.

I have rather mixed feelings about “Just Some Stupid Love Story” by Katelyn Doyle. On one hand, I really liked the premise - a bet made by Seth and Molly about five couples from a class reunion on whether they’d be together or not in five years (in time for the next class reunion). Over the next five years, the reader follows Seth and Molly during their lives - from boy/girl friends to jobs, their family gatherings, their emails/communications, and the like. However, at times it felt a bit forced and draggy. Additionally this book’s main trope is one I really dislike - miscommunication and little to no character growth over time. I think the writing was interesting but this book was a bit too sunshine/grumpy and predictable at times … or at least for my mood right now. I think if one likes quick reads with a rom-com vibe where there’s a bit of steam, this might be a beach read book to pick up.

This is my first Doyle book and I am now a fan. Just Some Stupid Love Story is well written, witty and unpredictable while still staying true to the genre. The cast of characters is fleshed out enough to expand the community of the main characters in a believable way. I definitely recommend this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️