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!

She's a rom-com writer who believe 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. They banter was top notch, 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.

But 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 feeling waned, and neither did my desire to see them together. And, 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. I was way too invested 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 now 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, the premise was interesting. I simply had a wonderful time spending the years with this couple as I waiting for them to finally find their forever together.

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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Just Some Stupid Love Story" by Katelyn Doyle is a delightful and witty romantic comedy that combines the glamour of Hollywood rom-coms with the heartache of real-life love stories. The novel revolves around Molly Marks, a screenwriter who crafts romantic comedies for a living yet holds a deep cynicism toward love. On the other end of the spectrum is Seth Rubinstein, a successful divorce attorney who, despite his line of work, maintains a steadfast belief in soulmates and true love.

Doyle cleverly brings these two contrasting characters together through a high school reunion, where past emotions are stirred, and unresolved questions resurface. The history between Molly and Seth is palpable, with a teenage romance that ended in heartbreak when Molly ghosted Seth on the eve of graduation, leaving him without closure for fifteen years. This history adds depth to their reunion, creating a sense of unfinished business that drives the narrative.

The drunken hookup and subsequent bet to predict the fate of five couples create a playful and intriguing premise that guides the story. The dynamics between Molly and Seth are both humorous and heartfelt, as they navigate the complexities of their past while forging a new path forward. The wager to determine who's right about true love offers a unique twist, adding stakes to their evolving relationship.

Doyle's writing style is sharp, engaging, and filled with humor, capturing the banter and chemistry between Molly and Seth. The characters are well-developed, each with their own vulnerabilities and quirks that make them relatable and endearing. The author expertly balances comedy with emotional moments, creating a story that resonates on multiple levels.

"Just Some Stupid Love Story" explores themes of forgiveness, second chances, and the idea that love often surprises us when we least expect it. As Molly and Seth grapple with their feelings for each other, readers are taken on a journey of self-discovery and the power of opening one's heart to the possibility of love.

Overall, "Just Some Stupid Love Story" is a captivating and entertaining romantic comedy that will appeal to fans of witty banter, endearing characters, and stories about finding love in unexpected places. Doyle's blend of humor, heart, and romance makes this a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good laugh and a heartwarming love story.

This book!!!!!

I was so invested immediately. Seth and Molly are former high school sweethearts who run into each other at their 15 year reunion, and their spark is still alive. Many wonderful, heartbreaking, and sexy things occur in the following years after they make a bet about their potential to go to their 20th reunion as dates.

This book has top-tier dialogue that feels like Emily Henry (I’m sure everyone will be making that comparison). I found myself itching to turn to my kindle in any free moments over the past few days to get in a chapter or two.

Truly loved it. Such a perfect way to kick off my summer reading.

Smooth-moving and filled with banter – but also loaded with heartbreak and psychological complexity - Just Some Stupid Love Story is your traditional dramedy with a few twists. It’s a lovely ride with a punchy sense of humor but it suffers from some third act issues. That doesn’t make it a bad read; it’s just not an extraordinary one.

Molly Marks is, perhaps, the most cynical writer of romcoms in the history of the universe. Her relationships are non-starters thanks to her father’s inability to truly love fracturing her belief in romance. She stopped believing in true love a long time ago, and to some degree that’s her high school sweetheart Seth Rubenstein’s fault.

Seth, meanwhile, is a huge romantic in spite of being a divorce attorney. The two of them were utterly heartbroken in different ways when Molly broke up with him just after graduation, but he’s moved on. But the rift in their friendship never healed and their fifteen year high school reunion is the first time these former lovers have laid eyes on each other in years.

A drunken kiss leads to a terribly awkward hookup, and now Seth and Molly are stuck with feelings and emotions and romantic desires they thought were long past them. They try to stay friends with a bet between them – each of them wagers upon the success or failure of five couples they know, the last being themselves. The person who correctly guesses the largest number of correct outcomes before the next reunion will have the benefit of having the other person admit the other is right – either Molly’s belief that love isn’t real or Seth’s that it is. But five years is a very long time…

There are a couple of problems here, but at least Doyle is very realistic about Molly’s mental health and how her baggage has intervened in her life. The relationships the two analyze build fairly realistically through those five years, and every twist of fate is determined by the couples' personalities. They’re worth rooting for, if you can get past Seth’s over-optimism and Molly’s over-negativity.

The last third of the book is where things break down a bit. Molly definitely needs to face her commitment issues, but why on earth does Seth think that his actions are a good idea? Why does he even attempt to do THAT when he knows how freaked out Molly gets about… well, I’ll leave it to the reader to discover.

And yet I truly enjoyed Just Some Stupid Love Story. It combines romance with reality in a way that generally works and makes it worth the read.

have yet to experience my own high school reunion but living through Molly Marks’ 15-year reunion was a delightful kickoff to this book! For a lady who writes rom-coms, she sure manages to land herself into the almost too perfect to be chance encounter with her high school boyfriend, Seth Rubinstein. They are complete opposites with a history of a bad breakup but it takes no time for their chemistry to be rekindled at the reunion. A playful bet challenges their differing perspectives on love and relationships with a fun and witty delivery. This second-chance rom com will have even the biggest cynic rooting for Molly and Seth.


Review is on Goodreads and will be on instagram ahead of the publication date!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Molly Marks and Seth Rubenstein are complete opposites. Although Molly writes rom-coms for a living, her philosophy of romance is much farther than the happily-ever-after. Seth Rubenstein is a hopeless romantic even though he is a divorce attorney. These two dated in high school and no matter how many times either of them dated other people in the last 15 years, nothing compares to each other.

Molly and Seth meet at their 15-year high school reunion and are forced to sit together. They hookup after many drinks together, but make a bet that a certain fate of five couples, including themselves, will occur in the next five years. Whoever is right will win the bet. Molly is a cynic, but Seth is determined to change her mind and prove her wrong that they will end up together.

This was a cute contemporary romance. It included many of the different romance tropes, like second-chance romance and strangers to enemies to lovers, that meshed well together. I have to admit though. It was a slightly predictable story, but it was okay. This book was a warm security blanket that piqued my interest throughout it. I was hanging on to Molly and Seth's fate until the end of the story.

This book will be released on June 4, 2024, just in time for summer and beach vacations. This is most certainly a beach read that readers of contemporary romance will want to pick up!

Katelyn Doyle has written a fun rom-com for her debut release. Just a Stupid Love Story is a story of two high school sweethearts that just have poor timing when it comes to their relationship.

Molly Marks reluctantly attends her high school fifteen year reunion which she runs in to Seth. High school sweethearts, Molly breaks up with Seth at the end of their senior year which breaks Seth's heart. There is instant chemistry once again between the two which results in a five year journey for the couple.

It was nice to see a rom-com/beach read address some relationship patterns that likely account for the problems in the past.

The only disappointing thing is one scene in this book. It was so over the top and unnecessary. I would have given a higher rating if it wasn't for that one scene.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you MacMillan for the audio review copy and to Flatiron for the ebook review copy (free copies). Just Some Stupid Love Story is one of those books that should be a big win for me, I love romcoms and I am all good with second chance themes and all of the tropes but there was not a lot in this story that worked for me. Strong premise, I loved that the FMC was dark and edgy but a romcom writer (I actually liked her a lot) but the MMC was so flat, one dimensional, and even for a "sunshine"vs grumpy"... this was over the top sunshine at the expense of having an interesting nuanced male character (and his fiance... the way she was written and described made me annoyed, so unrealistic and unrelatable). I think some of my dislike for the MMC was possibly also the narration style, solid performance but the tone just didn't work either.

I felt the plot bounced around a lot, event to event without ever giving me a sense as to why the two MCs liked each other, I didn't get a sense of their chemistry but more spent a lot of time in their heads and messages about their feelings but never really the why. And then the phone sex just landed in my car speakers and it felt awkward and not sexy at all to me.

This is for me a romcomc that is missing the rom part.

I laughed, I cried...I was completely sucked into this story. This is simply an enjoyable book and what more could I ask for?