Let me just say that I would be in therapy at least 2x a week if I were either of these people but especially Molly. Her therapist is mentioned entirely too few times for my personal taste because she is being destroyed by her own mind and it is detrimental to my health.

I wanted so desperately for both Seth and Molly to be happy but also to be kind to themselves, and it had me kicking my legs screaming into a pillow that they kept falling into the exact same patterns with each other.

Their chemistry is instant but also so hesitant as they’ve both been hurt by Molly. Seth throws himself directly into the frying pan over and over, and Molly hangs out in the fire with occasional desperate attempts to join him on the cooking surface of her own creation.

They are so good for each other, but the second they’re apart they start collapsing. And I mean long distance but also, like. Seth goes to the grocery store and Molly has an existential crisis, and then Seth fails to read the room because the existential crisis is or about him specifically so he figures it’s fine.

The side characters are what made this for me, though. They not only made Seth and Molly more dimensional but they also had so much draw themselves. Their plots being woven in amidst Seth and Molly’s added so many lawyers of depth and contrast.

Overall I think everyone’s problems would be solved or at least minimized if we *ahem* took care of Molly’s dad (why are you talking to him again!!!!) and (spoiler) Rob. Both of them can eat bees.

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle pairs rom-com writer Molly Marks with divorce lawyer Seth Rubenstein, who meet not so cute at their high school reunion.. The problem is that Molly dumped Seth hard fifteen years before and neither of them has gotten over it. Maybe the real problem is that although Molly writes romantic comedies for a living, she doesn't believe in love or romance and tends to sabotage every relationship she's ever been in. Seth, on the other hand, is a divorce lawyer who believes in happy ever after so much that he turns ever relationship into a love story from start. The two start an unlikely, and often ill-fated relationship that spans five years

While there are some moments of fun banter between the two main characters, and the side characters add depth to the story, the book was, for me, difficult to get through with much enjoyment. .It felt very much like Seth was a masochist and Molly was his favorite dominatrix. this is the couple that if you were around in real life you ask yourself repeatedly why they are together.. By the end of the book, neither of them have actively done any work on the issues that they know they have. . I really wanted them to show up at the 20th reunion with other partners; that in the years since their ill fated attempts at reconciliation they'd gotten therapy, done the work, realized they'd been using one another as a crutch, talked things out like healthy adults., and moved on, while remaining the best of friends. Instead I left the book feeling like their entire marriage is gong to be a repeat of the past five years. Despite excellent writing and a blurb that draws readers in, in the end we are left with Just Some Stupid "Love" Story.

This one was an uneven read for me. Some of it was sparkling and snappy and I liked the MCs most of the time. But there were some pacing issues that I couldn’t wrap my head around, which took away from my enjoyment of the read. And Molly could be a little selfish and Seth could be a little delusional. Plus the third act breakup - a trope I hate even at it’s best - really pushed the bounds of believability here.

Most crucially: I am certainly not a prude and have read my fair share of smut, but there is a sex scene around the halfway mark that truly gasted my flabbers. I am not sure I will ever recover.

Three stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

You will not want to put this down. Such a well written fun read that grabs you from the first page. Great character development that makes your feel like you really know them. Highly recommend.

Thank you, NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and the author, for the chance to read, rate, and review this book. Expected publication June 4, 2024.

Molly and Seth, Seth and Molly.. I loved their chemistry. This was such a fun read for me. I've been deep in thrillers for a while, and this was a nice break. Molly and Seth are complete opposites who have a history that run into each other 15 years later at their high school reunion. After a steamy evening, they place wagers on love and agree to see who wins in 5 years at their next reunion. Everything that happens in between gave me all the feels. Enemies to lovers and back again. Some great steamy scenes in this one! 🌶🌶🌶🌶

3.5 stars

This story is cute and fitting for the title. Molly and Seth dated in high school, she left and broke his heart with no explanation. They meet again at their 15 year high school reunion and are seated at the same table. They bet on the future of 5 couples, including themselves.
The story takes place over the next 5 years, leading up to their 20th reunion. In the five years we get to know Seth and Molly in their separate lives. The character development is good and they are likable characters. Molly has some things she needs to work on herself and at times was frustrating to read about. There is a lot of good raw emotion to devour in this story. I really liked the duel POV from both Molly and Seth and getting to be in both of their minds. Not a fan of the miscommunication trope, but it was written well in this story.
Overall a good read that was easy to enjoy. I would recommend it if you like rom-coms, second chance romance, grumpy/sunshine and duel POV books.

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

"Just Some Stupid Love Story" is a rollercoaster of emotions that combines humor, romance, and self-discovery. While Seth's romantic gestures might border on excessive and Molly's commitment struggles may feel overwhelming, the quirkiness of the characters and the bet-driven plot make this love story an entertaining and worthwhile read.

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75

This was cute, and also kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation to see how the main two characters would end up together. There was some cringy dialogue, but ultimately this was a heartwarming story of how sometimes you meet your person and you can't fight that. The divorce lawyer career path was an interesting touch and I think it added some depth; so did the sometimes childish way that our FMC would react to things. I was a little surprised there wasn't any therapy featured in the book, as I think it would've helped the FMC the first time she bolted. Third act was interesting — but I do like that the obvious solution wasn't necessarily what the author went with. Overall pretty charming book, but I don't think it will stay with me.

Can we talk about the spice, though? Because it was crazy to me that the hottest scene of the whole book was the video/sexting scene!!! I got to that point and was like, ok yes let's do this. And then every other sex scene was essentially fade to black?! That made no sense. I almost didn't believe the spark and heat between them until they sent videos to each other.

Just Some Stupid Love Story is a quick-paced, silly, second chance romance! While there are moments of great banter and light-hearted interactions between Molly and Seth, they do dive deeper into their respective insecurities and issues. I liked the attempt to make these characters well rounded and have some depth to them. However, even with these aspects, the book was quick and munchy (my favorite way to say it was just a little rom-com to breeze my way through and not think too much about). I would have enjoyed being able to be more attached to these characters and their lives. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read this ARC!

This is the first time I have read anything from this author, but it won't be my last. It says something that I started and finished the book in one sitting. As in, I couldn't stop reading because I needed to know how (not if; this is a romance, after all!) it happened. How the undeniable generational trauma resolved itself, how 2 such clearly human humans were going to push through their issues, and how love would ultimately win the day. All of those questions were answered, and I was over the moon at the humanity on display. Such a great story, full stop.

I found the book to be a bit of a slow-starter but in the end, I was glad I stuck with it. The main characters fill out their "black cat meets golden retriever" roles nicely and the third act comes together with a proper grand gesture. This will easily join titles from Emily Henry and Annabel Monaghan poolside this coming summer.

I’m not usually the biggest fan of the second chance trope, but this is a good option for those with the same feelings. It takes place over several years with all the miscommunication one could ever need. This book was great though, nothing too heavy so quick easy pleasant read!

I think the blurb, "for fans of Emily Henry" kinda ruined this a bit for me. Or, I absolutely love Emily Henry, so saying it's for fans of Emily Henry sets my expectations really high, and this was not comparable to Emily Henry's writing/ plots and characters.

I did enjoy that this was dual POV. I really think we need this in all romance books. I need to know what both characters are thinking throughout the story. I also enjoyed both characters arcs as individuals and as a couple. I was rooting for Seth the entire time, and I absolutely adore second chance romances and high school sweethearts!

I did have to skim some sections as there were parts that I felt dragged on/ got a bit boring.

As a debut, its a solid 3 stars, but please don't compare yourself to Emily Henry with a debut novel.

In this debut novel for fans of Emily Henry, Molly Marks, a Hollywood rom-com screenwriter who's skeptical about love, reunites with her high school sweetheart, Seth Rubenstein, a Chicago divorce attorney and hopeless romantic, fifteen years after their breakup. Molly, a west coast writer with a strong disbelief in romance, had ghosted Seth on graduation night and avoided high school reunions until her friends persuaded her to attend the 15th one.

Molly, known for bolting and ghosting when relationships get "too good," considers romance a racket. Seth, still haunted by Molly's breakup, excels in his career but tends to get serious too soon in relationships, always comparing others to Molly.

Their 15th reunion sparks a change. Molly and Seth make a bet, predicting the fate of five couples before their 20th reunion to settle their differing views on love. Katelyn Doyle skillfully weaves the plot, offering an enjoyable and revealing experience through the alternating perspectives of Molly and Seth. "Just Some Stupid Love Story " isn't just another love story—it's a captivating exploration. Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for this opportunity.

Seth and Molly were high school sweethearts and she breaks up with him right before college. They don’t see or talk to each other for 15 years until, at last, they meet again at their 15-year graduation reunion. Even though she is a rom-com writer, she does not believe in happy-ever-afters, but Seth does, even though he is a divorce attorney. Their relationship develops and grows over the following 5 years, which the author tells from both Seth’s and Molly’s POV. I found the story entertaining but I felt like it dragged too much to get to the end. I also wish there had been more insight into their future together.
This was a 3-star book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron books for the ARC.

Just Some Stupid Love Story is a fairly realistic enemies to lovers rom com that sucks you in! At their 15 year high school reunion, Molly and Seth bet on the future of five couples, the last being themselves.

This is my first book from Katelyn Doyle, and I will definitely be reading more from her. The way she wrote the chemistry between Molly and Seth was r ally enjoyable to read. There's a great balance between seriousness, comedy, and witty banter. There were a few steamy scenes, but they were perfectly balanced with the rest of the story.

If you enjoy a more realistic enemies to lovers trope, this is a great pick!

I adored this book and cannot wait for Doyle to write more! I was able to read an early copy via NetGalley for which I'm extremely grateful. This book has everything a good romcom movie does & the FMC is a romcom screenwriter. I don't like rehashing the storyline in my reviews as you most likely have already read the synopsis & don't need me to retell you about it. The story takes you on the journey of 2nd chance love between 2 high school sweethearts & facing down your fears later in life. It is very much in the same tone as Emily Henry & Kate Clayborn but with spice, explicit sex scenes do happen so if you're not into that you should avoid those chapters. If you love 2nd chance romances where the guy falls first & is more emotional this book won't let you down.

This was a very cute rom-com. I loved all of Seth and Molly’s banter. Seth is the ultimate cinnamon roll guy! I thought Molly was kind of annoying at times, I just wanted to yell at her to give Seth a real chance. But I loved her big grand gesture at the end

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this book!

As most romances go we know the ending close to the beginning, but in this book I actually didn’t mind it so much. I enjoyed the interactions between the two characters and their interactions with the other non-primary characters. I also liked that the pacing didn’t feel rushed and that the relationship developed over the span of multiple years and tied back to their past dating in high school.

The only things I wasn’t a fan of was that we didn’t get more insight into more of the peripheral relationships (they felt fairly one dimensional and I think could have been developed more) and that the reason she originally broke up with him and didn’t talk to him for 15 years was never fully flushed out. 15 years is a long time to not reach out to someone you have strong residual feelings for.

Overall for romance I think it’s a strong 4/5.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to Net Galley & Flatiron Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

First off, Never have I flown through an arc like this; this book made me excited to read in a way I haven't felt in a very long time. The plot, the cover, the characters, and the years of history made this book what it was. Seth and Molly are perfect; the tropes are absolutely amazing in this, and I am obsessed with this book and cannot wait to rave about it once it gets published. The friendship dynamics also gave me a little fuel from my Happy Place hangover. This book had me tearing up, screaming into a pillow in frustration, kicking my feet over the chemistry, and flipping through the pages eagerly.

I recommend this book to people who love Emily Henry, Sethmer (Seth is Seth Cohen), banter, second-chance romance, and people who are scared to love. My only qualm with this book is the third-act breakup, but it is about a rom-com writer, after all... I really hope this book has a sequel because I do not want to leave this world...