It's hard to believe Just Some Stupid Love Story is a debut, because it's so well-written and smartly structured. The premise and opening had me absolutely giggling with glee: Molly is a cynic who writes romantic comedy screenplays for a living, Seth is a die-hard romantic and successful divorce lawyer, and they were high school sweethearts. Everything about the first several chapters - the mildly antagonistic grumpy-sunshine dynamic, a delightfully unsappy re-meet-cute, and a setup involving bets on which of their classmates will still be together in five years - was great.

The rest of the story mostly lived up to the premise of the beginning. Molly and Seth were so different, and both their narrations were so well-written and illuminating of their personalities that it was a joy just to watch them go through life being themselves. The story did occasionally lose momentum - five years is a long time - but I enjoyed the reading experience enough not to mind the slower pace.

True to the romantic comedy form, the final act of the story featured a dramatic breakup. There are two kinds of third-act breakups: those that make you think the characters are stupid, and those that make you think the relationship was doomed. This one was... both. The breakup sequence was wonderfully choreographed and written, as everything in Molly and Seth's lives and personalities came together to pull them apart. But it left me with the sense that Molly lacked self-awareness and Seth lacked sensitivity, and as much as the rest of the story made me want to see them together, the ending convinced me that they were doomed.

4.5 stars for stellar writing, excellent side characters, and amazing leads, with half a star docked for an excessively explosive third-act breakup that made me doubt the happy ending.

I thought this book was really cute! I enjoyed the high school reunion aspect of it all, and how the book talked about other people from Molly and Seth's high school. I thought the dialogue was well written and fun. I feel like maybe something was missing, though I'm not 100% sure what that something is. Sometimes Molly and Seth's high school relationship seemed made up, I couldn't really tell why they were so in love. Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC!

I enjoyed the main characters and their friends. I was a bit hesitant with the reverse grumpy/sunshine (the FMC is the grump here), but watching her and the MMC get together was delightful.

TW: this is set before, during, and after Covid pandemic.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher.

This book was adorable! I was so pleasantly surprised by this story and could not put it down!

Seth was perfection and despite Molly’s frustrating (at times) shortcomings, I was rooting for them the whole way.

Perfect pacing, support characters and story development! I devoured this book and loved every page!

Molly, a screen writer doesn't believe in happily ever after and her high school sweetheart, Seth, a divorce attorney is a hopeless romantic who can't find the right partner. When they both attend their high school reunion, they place bets on which couples will still be together at the next reunion. Only Seth is betting that he will be able to win Molly's heart forever. A second chance romance debut from a promising new author.

When Molly and Seth shared a one-night-stand at their high school reunion, their last thought was that they’d eventually be together at the next. Seth was sure that Molly was his soul mate but she had her doubts so they made a bet. A bet on the relationships that their friends would/wouldn’t be in by the next reunion and whether or not Molly and Seth would be together. As far as Molly was concerned, it was a NO from her.

The two went their separate ways when the reunion ended but they kept running into each other unexpectedly like it was fate bringing them together. They both dated other people and Seth was so sure at one point that he got engaged to someone else but lo and behold, that person wasn’t Molly Marks.

Fast forward a bit and Seth and Molly took their relationship long distance. It was like a dream. They traveled and enjoyed each other’s company and Seth loved seeing Molly in her element in her town. She was an aspiring screenwriter and Seth was a divorce lawyer, an occupation Molly didn’t approve of. She came from a family of divorce and was traumatized with how her father just up and left her and her mother. She thought divorce lawyers were ruining families nationwide. As for Seth and Molly’s relationship, you could tell it was almost too good to be true and sure enough, when Seth romantically and thoughtfully popped the big question, Molly was quick to say no. (Let’s be honest, I was crushed at this point!!! I loved Seth and thought he was so pure and genuine.)

Heartbroken and devastated, Molly and Seth both went their separate ways but would either of them ever come to their senses or was it better off that they break up? Molly was scared to death of marriage and commitment while Seth had dreamy expectations about the wonder of love and soulmates. Be sure to read this captivating, witty and exciting rom-com this summer. Out in store and online June 4th.

I enjoyed the open communication (at times) between the characters, and the bravery in expressing emotions, but as others have commented in their reviews, the on-off status was a little tiresome. I loved the banter and humor of the characters, working through difficult emotions, and I learned a couple new vocab words which I loved! I'm not a fan of using the story itself as part of the plot (i.e., the main character being a writer and writing the story within the story), but I did really like both main characters and I inhaled this book in a day!

A cute second chance/opposites attract romance!

Molly Marks is a rom-com screen writer and is about as cynical as they come. She broke up with her high school boyfriend, Seth Rubenstein, right after high school and hasn't talked to him since...until they run into each other at their 15-year reunion. Seth is a hopeless romantic and has always wondered why Molly ditched him. After a night of drinking and reminiscing, the two hook up, but the situation looks much different in the light of day. Molly and Seth have drastically different opinions about love and make a bet to meet up at their 20-year reunion and track the relationship status of 5 couples they know. Whoever wins will determine whether soul mates and true love do exist. The book follows Molly and Seth over the next 5 years and through plenty of encounters with each other.

This book was entertaining, but I got a bit of whiplash between the constant 'wanting to be together' and 'it's not the right time'. I think some content in the middle of the book could have been left out, but overall an enjoyable story.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fun! Fun! A really good rom com. I was entertained and read this book quickly. The writing was great and I thought the characters were developed well. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

loved this romance about friends that have a second chance at romance. Loved that they bet on true love and their friends. It all happens at their 15 year reunion. loved the romance and her friends.Loved this romance about friends to lovers and 2nd chance at love. Love that they make a bet about friends relationships and being their soulmates. Loved the friends

At the beginning of the book, I really liked the characters. The author did a great job of giving the characters a personality. As the book went on, the characters began to make choices that really frustrated me. There were a lot of scenarios that were right person, wrong time and I kept asking when they were finally going to communicate effectively. Because of this, the book fell a little flat to me. There were parts that I liked, but I feel like the characters went through a lot of situations that frustrated me as a reader.

Just Some Stupid Love Story follows Molly and Seth, former high school sweethearts, as they reconnect 15 years later.
For me, the book felt like it dragged somewhat and was a little too long. I think part of that may have been because their bouts of friendship/not speaking/attempts at reconciliation are drawn out over five years. At some point it just became tiresome. While the banter between the two main characters can be entertaining at times, it’s clear they don’t have a healthy connection with each other (romantic or otherwise).
This is the first book I’ve read from Katelyn Doyle, and while this one wasn’t really for me, I would give another book by her a try.

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

Publishing June 4, 2024

Molly is a rom-com screenwriter who is quite cynical about love in her real life. Her high school ex-boyfriend, Seth, is a divorce lawyer, who is a true golden retriever and is lookin for his HEA. . They reunite at their fifteen-year high school reunion and make a bet on five couples to see whose idea of love will prove true, planning to crown a winner in another five years at their twentieth-year reunion.

I liked this book, and I really wanted to love, but just could not get there.

The Good: This book was so smartly written! Full of millennial nods. Witty and did indeed remind me of Emily Henry. I laughed out loud multiple times. Its an opposites attract, second-chance romance and I thought that part was done well. It was a quick read. Theres not a ton of spice, but the spicy scenes were done well.

The Bad: I just didn't believe the romance. I don't know if we didn't get enough backstory, or if there was just not enough time to develop, but I was not feeling the connection to the extent we were supposed to.

Definitely pick up this book if you are looking for a quick and witty read, just don't except anything live-changing.

This was my first book by Katelyn Doyle and I did like it. For me, it is a solid 4 stars. She did great with character development, and conversations between the characters. Sometimes this is had to get across in a meaningful way. There were some obvious tropes, and phrase, but, isn't that all kind of what we're hoping for in the end?

This was a cute story! It’s the first I’ve read by Katelyn Doyle, and I was pulled in from the start. Just a good comedic romance with snappy dialog and great chemistry between the MCs. Molly’s issues were frustrating at times but worth it for the HEA. 4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

FOUR STARS! ****

This was my first book by Katelyn Doyle and I really enjoyed it. The writing was good; conversations between characters flowed and felt natural. I really liked the growth that both characters seemed to have. Parts of the storyline were very obvious and done before (I got SITC flashbacks with the "don't ever get married" part) but it didn't take away my enjoyment of this story.

I don't know what it is, but lately, I have been loving romances that involve a screenwriter. Totally random, I know, but I feel like I've read several of these books lately. This fact alone may lead you to think I would grow tiresome of the same storyline, but nope! Just Some Stupid Love Story felt fresh and unique even though I've read multiple versions of the story basically back to back. I loved that it was told over the course of 5 years, yet it didn't feel like we were missing big important details. The MMC wasn't my favorite MMC I've ever read, but that was my only complaint. I loved this book. Highly recommend!

Full review to come closer to pub date.

OH MY GOD YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. But don’t start it too late in the day because you’ll end up going to bed at three am and then lying there for an hour thinking about it before you actually fall asleep and then neglecting all the things you’re supposed to do when you wake up to finish it. And definitely don’t start it without Kleenex within reach. And for sure don’t start it if you’re not ready to feel every single emotion a human is capable of feeling in such quick succession you will feel like a wrung out sponge at the end. And absolutely do not start it if you’re committed to being cynical about love because this will blow that possibility out of the water. Just read it. Immediately.

I loved the premise of this story. But a few things fell flat for me. The timeframe felt just a bit too long. While things were happening, I wanted more romance. They were only actually together for a few months the second time, before they stayed together for good? I found it hard to keep track of how much time had passed. Molly had a therapist but never seemed to make any progress? I just wish there was more obvious growth sooner in her character. Seth’s voice felt really feminine or maybe just too similar to Molly’s? I noticed it seemed like he kept saying “fun” or “yum.” I just searched “yum” and I guess it was only four times, whoops. He also felt naive at points, like he really didn’t talk to Molly about moving or engagement before?

‘She’s a rom-com screenwriter who doesn’t believe in love… He’s a divorce lawyer who is a hopeless romantic… They did not work out in the past…but will they now?’

Oh, let me tell you about this gem of a book! It's like a whirlwind of emotions wrapped in a hilarious package. Picture this: snappy dialogue that'll have you snorting with laughter, steamy scenes that'll make you reach for the nearest fan, and a dash of yearning and heartbreak that'll tug at your heartstrings until you're left a puddle of emotions. It's rom-com gold, folks! "Just Some Stupid Love Story" by Katelyn Doyle isn't just a read, it's an experience. After devouring this masterpiece, I'm itching for more of Doyle's magic.

What to Love:
- Second Chance Romance
- Dual POV
- Sizzling Chemistry
- Friendship, Growth, Forgiveness, and Love