4.5 STARS! I absolutely loved this audiobook. Reading the description you have a good idea of what to expect. What I wasn't expecting was top tier banter and realistic problems. There were moments of frustration yet with the background I could understand their actions. I, also, appreciated that you could see that the issues were being worked on. The FMC being the grump and the MMC being the sunshine is one of my all time favorite tropes. I honestly couldn't put this down and finished it in one day. With great narrators and a fun and interesting storyline I found myself smiling throughout.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley, but this did not affect my review.

Hollywood rom-com writer Molly is cynical when it comes to true love. At her high school reunion, she hooks up with former sweetheart Seth, a hopeless romantic. They make a bet: predict the fate of five couples over the next five years, including themselves. Can Seth prove Molly wrong and rekindle their love?

What a brilliant debut! This is one of the best books I’ve read all year. I laughed until I couldn’t breathe. Molly and Seth are wonderful—so different and yet perfect together. Molly is smart and sharp, while Seth is a darling cinnamon roll. The novel is fun and heartbreaking and incredibly satisfying.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The yearning and chemistry between Molly Marks and Seth Rubinstein is the best thing I’ve read in 2024. I’m not typically one to enjoy second chance romances. I’m especially not one to root for a couple who clearly cannot stay together after trying a few times. BUT Molly Marks and Seth are the exception. This romcom was perfect. When I read “for fans of Emily Henry” is the book blurb, I thought there’s no way, I am the number one Emily Henry fan. Turns out I am now the newest Katelyn Doyle fan. The way Katelyn wrote each scenario where these two characters ended up in the same place for a decade and had the perfect amount of angst, wanting, fighting, loving, arguing, lust, but also holding such a high respect for each other, was absolutely perfect! There definitely is some spice in here but it just makes this book even better. I loved how covid time period was also in this story line. It truly is something the whole world can relate to and it did make these characters feel that much more real. UGGHHH I loved every second of this long time coming love story. If you can’t tell by now, I can ramble on forever and highly recommend this book. It is the perfect love beach read for anyone, but specifically a young professional women who can relate to having her shit together, can stand the current dating scene, tired of going to weddings, and who is convinced they will never find there soul mate. (I may or may not be speaking from experience)…

I received the audio book from NetGalley. The dual narration by Christine Lakin and Tim Paige was great! I was literally laughing out loud!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an arc of Just Some Stupid Love Story!

I was able to read this Ebook, but the audiobook made the book even more enjoyable. I love the narrators that they chose for the characters and it really connected me with the book. I definitely can see this one being super popular!

This was okay! I usually like second-chance romances but couldn't really get into this one. I felt for Molly dealing with her absent father and could see how that played into her experience in her own relationships. Otherwise I've just been enjoying other romances more lately!

Marked as DNF on 5/3/24 @ 8% | I tried to get into this twice but I just couldn’t handle either main character. The FMC was so dead set on being miserable and the MMC was so like an actual golden retriever in human form. I get the author was trying to go grumpy x sunshine but it was wayyyyy too extreme so much so that I couldn’t handle either one.

I didn’t get the timeline and how they were at their 15th high school reunion and were making references to things that didn’t quite line up.

So I really didn’t like this at all and decided to DNF so I went to look up reviews.
1 - this takes place some years in the past and apparently has many covid references and it’s a sort of the book. Nah. Hard pass. But that’s probably why some of the references didn’t line up.
2 - reviews said it was fairly spicy and eh, not for me
3 - I just plain didn’t want these two to end up together unless they changed, which it doesn’t sound like they really did at all

Can we just stop writing books where the MCs hate love? Molly was so anti love and she write romcom movies. Har har har this has also been the plot of like 4 romcoms recently. I’ve had enough. I’m also so over enemies to lovers where they don’t believe in love and are actively angry. This worked for other people but it was definitely not gonna work for me.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the chance to read this one. Sorry it wasn’t for me! I actually really do love Christine Lakin and was sad not to continue her narration.

This is my first time reading Katelyn Doyle’s work and I can honestly say I really enjoyed it! The voice for the FMC was perfect and I loved the way Molly was written. I found it very easy to relate to her character especially when thinking about my younger self. The irony of a rom-com screen writer who doesn’t believe in fairytale endings was simply hilarious. It was refreshing to read a romance where the MMC was a hopeless romantic.

The baseball game scenes were cute and fun. Chapter 38 was absolutely heartbreaking, the voice actors really put their emotions into that one! “If you ever find yourself hosting an event that requires renting a white tent…” just trust me, remember this quote from the first sentence and love every bit of this 5 year ride you’re about to go on.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katelyn Doyle, and Macmillan Audio books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, light, witty, and entertaining grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract Rom-Com. If those are your trope, check this book out!
Molly and Seth, high school sweethearts are thrown back together at a family reunion. She's sarcastic and guarded, he's outgoing and friendly. Turns out the flame that lit in high school never truly went out. Can they make a long-distance relationship even work? Fighting distance and trauma from Molly's childhood adds a realistic touch to this story.

Thanks to #NetGalley, and one of my faves - Macmillan Audio - for early access to the audiobook, Just Some Stupid Love Story, written by Katelyn Doyle in exchange for an honest review. The story was enjoyable, and the narrators, Christine Lakin and Tim Paige, did a great job!

I LOVED this book.

Dual POV, second (and third?) chances, a love cynic + a hopeless romantic, a 5-year timeline.

I like that the grumpy/sunshine dynamic actually had the male lead as the lighter character. Seth was really lovable and my heart broke for him multiple times throughout the story.

I also think Molly was written well and even though her daddy-issues were a bit over the top IMO I thought she was a likable character.

Even though this takes places over 5 years the pacing worked really well. This book had just the right amount of everything that you want in a rom-com!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for this gifted ALC!

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
This book started off strong with Molly and Seth reconnecting at their high school reunion. There was good banter, and I just saw a great second chance romance in their future. The story then went over the next 5 years and followed all of their chance meetings and reconnection. IT was emotional, funny, and had me rooting for them and frustrated at the same time. Overall I really liked the book but the journey there was a little rough at times.

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸
Christine Lakin and Tim Paige were great as Molly and Seth. Both portrayed the characters emotions well and really took on the role of the characters. I listened at 1.5x speed and everything was easy to understand. I definitely recommend the audio for this one!

This book just wasn't for me and that's ok - I didn't like anything about the main male character and that made it difficult for me to get into the story. I only listened to about 15% of it and didn't care to continue.

I do want to thank MacMillan Audio for an early listening copy! You guys rock!

3.5 stars

Molly spends her life writing Hollywood rom-coms, but she doesn’t actually believe in love or soulmates. Seth was her high school sweetheart and is a divorce attorney, who believes in love and grand gestures. The unlikely pair reunites at their high school reunion and makes a bet - whoever can predict the fate of five other couples has to say the other person is right about true love. Plot twist - the fifth couple is Molly and Seth!

This was a cute read overall, perfect for summer. The premise is fun and it was well written with humor and laughs sprinkled throughout. I liked Seth’s character. He was sweet and romantic, but almost desperate in his pining for love at times. Molly’s character was emotionally unavailable and harsh at times which made her less likable. I do think this one was drawn out a little too long and I wish there was a bit more chemistry between Seth and Molly. Their relationship is not a healthy one, and I feel like the reasons they broke up weren’t actually addressed. I did enjoy the banter between the pair and really enjoyed the ending.

I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Christine Lakin and Tim Paige. I loved that the dual narration allowed each character to have their own distinct voice and emotions. Christine’s narration was fantastic. The way she embodied Molly’s character was great, and I think it actually made me like her character more than I would have if I had read the physical book. I didn’t feel the narration for Seth fit his character as much, but it was still well done overall.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

Just Some Stupid Love Story is a second-chance romance story that mostly missed the mark for me. Molly and Seth dated in high school and then had a drunken hookup at their high school reunion. At the reunion, they make a bet about couples they see and who will make it. I was intrigued initially with the story but the more we followed Molly the less I cared about the story.

To put it simply, Molly just sucks. She broke Seth's heart in high school and then just continues to do, feel, and say crappy things. For example, she bumps into Seth at a baseball game and makes Seth spend over 400 dollars on merchandise that she doesn’t even want. At another point in the story, an engagement is broken up and her first feeling is happiness. She is just a hard character to root for,

Seth on the other hand is too nice. I know opposites attract and all that cliche stuff but when someone sucks you don’t want them with someone who deserves to be happy. Throughout the entire story, Molly shows us over and over that she is just not good enough for Seth.

If you like second-chance romances then maybe this is for you but you have been warned that Molly sucks.

If you loved The Rom-Commers, you will enjoy this debut novel! Second chance romance, cinnamon roll MMC, she is grumpy and he is sunshine. He believes in happily ever after and she doesn’t. I couldn’t put this book down once I started. Molly and Seth dated in high school, Molly broke up with Seth at graduation and they spark up their friendship again at their 15 year reunion. Their friendship is full of sexual tension and comedy. They are adorable together and once they admit their feelings for each other again, the spice is spicy. Seth helps Molly navigate some of her past trauma and the ending was very sweet. I definitely recommend.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, the author- Katelyn Doyle, and Macmillan Audio for allowing me the pleasure of listening to this ARC of Just Some Stupid Love Story.

The audio narration was really well done. Especially the voice for Seth, the narrator really brought out his goofy personality and it made the listening experience that much better. Bravo.

Overall, I will give Just Some Stupid Love Story 3.50 stars that I would like to round up to 4 because I was hooked start to finish and that deserves some extra credit even if there were a few things I would critique.

The story follows Molly Marks and Seth Rubinstein, high school sweethearts who no longer communicate because Molly broke Seths heart. Alternating between each of the POVs it's obvious why it didn't work out. Molly has daddy issues that root very deep which results in self-sabotaging everything good in the life because she doesn't trust anyone. Seth is a hopeless romantic. He believes in soulmates and love at first sight. He thinks the answer to true happiness is finding "the one", get married, have kids, and live happily ever after.

High school reunion 2018 : Molly and Seth find themselves at the same table at their high school reunion. They are not excited to say the least; however, it's clear that the sexual tension is palpable. Obviously, they end the night in a hotel room making up for lost time. The next morning, Molly is full of regret, and Seth is well.. ordering room service and once again pining for her love.. but he plays it off well. Awkward.

In an effort to lessen the awkwardness, Seth suggests they play a little game, that will extend over the next 5 years, a little lengthy IMO, but nonetheless, Molly agrees. What are the terms?? 5 years and 5 couples : will they stay together, or will they break up? Whoever has the most predictions correct has to admit the other one is right about their love POV. Molly: love is dead and romance is fake or Seth: soulmates exist and there is one out there for everyone.

The concept seems simple enough, except, Seth places the two of the into the wager... as a couple. Seth bets in their favor and Molly disagrees, emphatically. They exchange emails and go their separate ways as they navigate the next 5 years mostly separate with a few chance encounters. Can Seth convince Molly that they've been soulmates all along or will she ruin him on love for good?

I would absolutely recommend this book. It was very wholesome, and it made my heart smile. Personally, I found the long drawn out 5 year bet to be a little tedious. Repetitive. I would have loved have seen the author follow the characters over 2 or 3 years. My guess is because the plot was based on the high school reunion aspect and lesser time wouldn't have made sense; however, it would have still worked with a "fast forward however many years chapter". I feel like this book could have had so much more potential if the substance was there. Did I still enjoy this book? Yes, very much. At times, I was bored and found myself looking to see how much longer was left because it was so drawn out over 2018-2023. I think that is the only complaint I have. The plot idea was great, but the execution was a bit too lengthy for me to give 5 stars. Notice how I didn't mention how Molly writes rom-coms? That's because that plot line was dead until the last few chapters.

It’s witty, heartfelt, and utterly charming. Molly and Seth’s unlikely romance made me laugh and gave me hope that love can bloom in the most unexpected places. The high school reunion was described exactly as I remember my own. This book is a cozy blanket on a rainy day—comforting, warm, and just what you need when the world feels a bit too much. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves a good rom-com, as well as for those who like their love stories with a side of wit and wisdom.

Felling mixed emotions on this one.
I enjoyed the plot of second chance romance. Highschool sweethearts Molly and Seth reconnect at their 15-year school reunion They decide to make a playful bet about 5 couples they believe will be together in 5 years at their 20-year school reunion (themselves included). The premise is cute and playful, but I felt like the story just drug on.
What I didn't love is this is my third or fourth book involving a Romcom screenwriter who doesn't believe in love. The whole time I just felt like I had already read this when I hadn't. The storyline just felt redundant in that aspect.

I received an audiobook of this book. I enjoyed the female narrator. She was lovely and successful in achieving the appropriate emotions and responses from me. The male narrator however just did not fit. That made it a little more difficult to get through.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
PUBDATE: June 4th, 2024

The premise of this second Chance romance really had me intrigued but ultimately this one did not connect with me. I found it to drag as the story takes place over five years and the main characters constantly had the same issues over and over with little growth. I also didn’t buy them as a couple. Other than their sexual chemistry, they didn’t seem to have a lot in common and had very different outlooks on love and being in a relationship.

Just Some Stupid Love Story has a really fun premise of a couple reunited at their high school reunion entering a bet about the future of five couples, including themselves. The issue? While they still have lingering feelings for each other, Seth rushes into relationships too fast and Molly is a cynic about love thanks to her deadbeat (famous author) father.

The book follows Seth and Molly, with alternating POVs, over the next five years. While I do appreciate a second chance love story, this story became repetitive as Seth and Molly continued to have the same issues and the same conversations. However I thought that Christine Lakin and Tim Paige did a great job narrating the audiobook; I love getting an audiobook with separate narrators for the male and female main characters.

This, unfortunately, did not work for me at all. I found the main character to be just plain mean - not grumpy of a grumpy sunshine trope. I also wasn't sold on the chemistry between the characters. When it comes to a second chance romance, I am a pretty hard sell because the author has to convince me that the characters are worth getting back together, and I don't think that was accomplished here. I was hoping they would become friends and then find the person that they had chemistry with, which is what I don't think should happen when I'm reading a romance. I know this book is already getting a lot of love, and I'm so glad it is. It just wasn't for me.
The only thing that kept me engaged at all was the narration. I feel like the dual narration helped capture this story in a way that lots of audio readers are going to love.