This sweet rom com was so good!

The man was so sincere and wholesome and the woman was so damaged. She keeps sabotaging her own happiness due to her belief that she doesn’t deserve love or happiness; it’s brutal to witness. Her redemption arc reminds me a little bit of Nesta’s from Sarah J. Maas’ ACOTAR series, where I can’t stand her at first, but she grows on you.

The ending of this book is so completely satisfying, HEA lovers will rejoice when they finish it.

I will recommend this to patrons who like Katherine Center, Emily Henry, and Lucy Score. A fantastic debut novel!

What happens when a hopeless romantic divorce attorney reunites with his cynical romcom-writing-screenwriter ex/first love at their fifteen-year high school reunion? Well, it’s a romance, so what do you think will happen? I love a second-chance romance, and this one was a lot of fun. This was a great debut with witty dialog and fun banter told through alternating perspectives. This story will have you betting on love - great for fans of Christina Lauren, Tessa Bailey, and Sally Thorne.

WARNING: Do not listen to this audiobook on speaker unless you are alone!

This book is great! I love how relatable Mollys characteristics are! And I need to know more about “the salad”.

Really sweet romance of two old high school sweethearts— solid 4 stars from me! I probably would have gave this more stars, but I found the main female character, Molly, unlikeable. She started off strong in my book, but I soon found her ways of sabotaging herself frustrating. I listened to the audio version of this book which I really enjoyed. The narrators were great, especially since it was a separate male and female narration (You may even recognize the female narrator for some of your favorite rom coms!)

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!v

This book should be at the top of everyone's summer TBR. Who doesn't love a grumpy/sunshine/Second chance romance trope? While there were times when the female main character annoyed me, over all it was a good book. Perfect poolside read! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced preview.

This was just not the book for me. I really disliked the FMC. It’s meant to be a reverse grumpy sunshine but honestly she's just cruel and not grumpy. I loved Seth’s heart he was a great cinnamon roll MMC. The jokes were crass and the spice was somehow too specific without going deep enough to the emotional side. Not my cup of tea.

I really loved this one! I was very well written, funny, with witty dialogue and very well developed characters. The narrators did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. Molly is so broken from her past and Seth is so optimistic! The author made these characters really work for their happily ever after. I 100% agree that Emily Henry fans will love this story! It also reminded me of Katherine Center books too! I believe this book is the author’s rom com debut but she’s written under a different name. I can’t wait to read more rom coms from her in the future. Fun summer read! Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this wonderful book!

This book was so cute!! It had the typical ex to lovers (again) trope, but the author gave it a different twist. I really connected with Seth and his hopeless romantic view, but also loved Molly and her quirky personality. It was also easy to fall in love with all of the supporting characters and their own melodrama stories woven into the novel. This is going to be a summer MUST read this year!

I really struggled to get into this book. I didn’t connect with the fmc. I felt like she was annoying at times and I generally didn’t care for her. I did grow to love the mmc and liked that he saw things about himself that he needed to work on and did it. Thankfully I had the audio because otherwise I probably would have DNF’d this one.

2⭐

I wanted to like this more than I did but I just didn't connect with the characters and I honestly didn't feel like our characters would have been good for one another in a romantic way. I really did not like the sex scenes in this book. Idk if it was the writing that made them feel awkward or just the lack of chemistry between the characters but it was an instant glance when they popped up. I also found out I really hate contemporary romances that include covid in it. I wasn't a huge fan with how the book handled the topic of divorce. I won't get into it too much since it is the majority of the plot point of the book tbh.

narration was fantastic, loved both the narrators a lot!


Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

🎧Just Some Stupid Love Story🎧
Katelyn Doyle

Molly is a rom com screen writer and her high school ex, Seth, is a divorce attorney who does believe in love. The two see each other again at their 15 year high school reunion and have a passionate fling. They make a bet to see which of the 5 couples they pick will still be together by the next reunion, in 5 years. The catch is one of the couples is them. Seth has 5 years to prove to her that soulmates exist and to win her over again. I loved that we got to see the good and bad in their relationship over the years and the other relationships that they had. I loved being able to follow their love story and see it develop.

I found the audiobook narration easy to listen to. It was dual POV and both narrators did an amazing job. It made me LOL! It surprised me with the spicy scenes. It also has me rooting for this couple! The only thing I want more is to listen to more of this author’s books.


Pick this up if you love
*second chance romance
*grumpy vs sunshine
*high school sweethearts

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the free ALC in exchange for my own opinions.

#MacAudio2024

A fun, spicy opposites attract, reverse grumpy x sunshine, second chance romance. I enjoyed the banter and overall storyline. A dual POV, too which is always a winner!

I have no doubt this will be named a must read book of the summer. I really enjoyed it, but did dock one star because A) the Covid content was excessive- I lived through it once. I really don’t enjoy reliving the quarantine life in my spare time. And B) the first 75% kept me engaged but the last 25% or so absolutely dragged. I also enjoyed the narrators! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC! Publication date June 4, 2024.

This RomCom is hitting the shelves just in time for some fun summer reading! Throw Just Some Stupid Love Story in your pool/beach bag if you enjoy your RomCom mixed with:
💞 bad timing
💞 grumpy/sunshine
💞 slow burn
💞 second chance

This one is told with a dual narrative, alternating between Molly (who doesn’t believe in true love) and Seth (who is a hopeless romantic) after they reconnect at their high school reunion and place a wager over the existence of soulmates. We follow them over the course of five years to see if either will end up changing their mind, and - ultimately - who will win the bet.

Just Some Stupid Love Story has the best elements of a romantic comedy - I found both characters immensely likable, the story was engaging, and - while the book was full of laughs - it also had heartfelt moments, too. I listened to the audiobook; the two narrators made for easy listening as the perspectives alternated throughout the story.

Many thanks to @macmillan.audio for giving me early access to listen to this one, what a terrific start to my summer reading!

Just Some Stupid Love Story

By Katelyn Doyle- debut

Publication 6-4-24, Read 5-30-24

Format: eBook and audiobook

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC & ALC 🧡! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions are mine alone.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½

🏃🏾‍♀️Run Time: 10:31

🗣️Narrators: Christine Lakin & Tim Paige

The narrators voices fit the characters with standouts Molly, Seth, and Alyssa for pregnancy humor. Their voices were the most distinct, but I could easily tell the difference between all the characters. The reading style brought the story to life and the pacing flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly. The narrator paused and announced every time a new chapter came. The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio. My recommendation is to read the audiobook because you can adjust the speed, skip parts easily (if desired), and feel the characters' emotions more vividly.

The Plot: Molly Marks and Seth Rubinstein get drunk and have a one night stand at their high school reunion fifteen years after their breakup. They make a bet to meet in 5 years at their 20th reunion picking which five friend couples stay together.; proving that soulmates exists.

Molly (LA rom-com screenwriter who doesn't believe in love) + Seth (a divorce attorney in Chicago and hopeless romantic)

✔ Contemporary Romance
✔Adult/Women's Fic
✔ LGBTQIA+ rep
✔ 2nd chance romance
✔ 33 year old h & H
✔ OP drama
✔ 2 POVs H&h
✔ HEA


Thoughts:

- I loved how Molly and Seth communicated via email and text over the years.

- If I were one of the couples, I would feel a little offended, even though they were right. Marian and Marcus didn't date in high school for a reason, Alyssa and Ryland were the most solid. I felt the crack in Dezzie and Rob's marriage because have much in common. Gloria and Emily were sweet together, and Jon and Alastair couldn't last with Jon pining for their friend Kevin.

- Molly and Seth emotional wreck each other, Molly leaves Seth truly heartbroken because she doesn't care for Seth as much as he does for her.

- I was triggered by Molly and her father Roger's relationship. He was a true narcissist, serial cheater, and just hurt people. I was so glad Molly finally said her peace- once you do, you sleep better at night, trust me..

Trigger Warnings : Self-doubt & Insecurities, parental neglect/abandonment,

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle
Narrated by Christine Lakin; Tim Paige

Thank you so much Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, + NetGalley for the free audiobook. #MacAudio2024

Blurb:
A rom-com screenwriter who doesn’t believe in love and a divorce attorney who does, forced together at their high school reunion fifteen years after their break up.

✨My thoughts:
So happy this book is part of the summer reading challenge for BookSparks because I don’t know if I would have gotten to it so fast and that would have been a shame! This story does not disappoint. The audiobook does not disappoint! The banter is top tier and I love the spice. Yes, it’s a little spicy, yes, it’s witty and YES, you will feel all of the things. Molly and Seth are the perfect, relatable, and realistic lobsters! I’m going to need to get myself a finished copy when It’s out, to cherish and reread. I’m telling you, if you’re not crying, you’ll be swooning, making this the perfect read of the summer and you will not want to miss it! Just Some Stupid Love Story is out 6/4/24!

Happy reading 📖

Has:
⁃ second chance
⁃ Grumpy x sunshine
⁃ Spice
⁃ High school sweethearts

I absolutely loved this novel!

Molly Marks, a Hollywood rom-com writer, and Seth Rubinstein, a divorce attorney, find themselves reunited after fifteen years at their high school reunion.

With wit and charm, the author navigates their journey, blending humour with heartfelt moments. As Molly and Seth navigate their bet and their own feelings, readers are treated to a story that is both entertaining and touching, ultimately reminding us that love is anything but predictable.

This was a fantastic romance! Molly and Seth were absolutely perfect together. The only problem that they seemed to have was getting the timing right. Molly and Seth were high school sweethearts until she broke up with him and didn’t look back. They cross paths again at their 15-year high school reunion and discover they are still drawn to one another. I had a great time watching Molly and Seth find their way to a happily ever after.

I loved the characters in this book. Molly doesn’t really believe in love even though she works as a rom-com screenwriter. Her parents’ divorce was terrible and has left her with a tainted view of love (and divorce lawyers). Seth wants nothing more than to find his one true love. He jumps from one relationship to the next hoping to find the person he can spend his life with despite working as a divorce lawyer. When the pair spend time together, it is obvious that they are meant to be.

I thought that Christine Lakin and Tim Paige did a great job with the story’s narration. They added just the right amount of emotion to their reading to bring the characters to life. I thought they did a great job with the various characters’ voices and believe that their voices complimented each other’s nicely. I am certain that their performances only added to my enjoyment of this delightful romance.

I would recommend this book to others. Molly and Seth were great characters and I felt they both grew as characters throughout this novel. The thread of humor worked into the story was a nice touch that added a lot to the story. I was seriously impressed by this debut novel and can’t wait to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and Flatiron Books.

I was so invested in the relationships of all the side characters. I felt like I needed to grab some popcorn!

I thought the reunion bet was a really great way to set up the story, and I enjoyed that it popped in and out of the two characters’ lives over five years rather than starting at the end and showing us flashbacks. This book is second chance with a twist (or third or fourth chance?)
This was a really engaging audiobook, and I was sucked right into the story. Some of the pacing/transitions were a bit jarring but overall this was a really fun listen!

I’ve never been to a school reunion, but this made me want to go just to see who’s still together!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.

This was everything I was hoping it would be. It's funny and filled with joy. Reminded me a little bit of Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez.

If you love a man down bad, this book is for you! Seth was a great male lead. I really liked his character and thought he was written really well. His yearning to be loved with certainly resonate with a lot of readers. I also really liked Molly. She was tough on the outside but a marshmallow on the inside. Molly & Seth really complimented each other and made reading this book feel like it happened in the blink of an eye. The right person, wrong time trope was done extremely well too. My heart was ripped from its chest and I waited on bated breath for them to reconnect. I think the story was well written and will capture a lot of hearts.

The audiobook was enjoyable too! I really liked the narrator.