I went into the book knowing absolutely nothing about it. Romcoms are usually a safe bet and this one was no exception!

I love a second chance romance - honestly an elite trope for me. So when two high school sweethearts are meeting at a reunion and discovering their feelings again? I love that premise. It started off really strong and I was listening to it really quickly.

Where it lost me a bit was that it felt like a lot of back and forth - bad timing over and over. I think it took 60% for them to both be single at the same time. I wanted a bit more relationship building because their relationship felt rushed because of how long it took them to get together. In their breaks, they weren’t always in communication so it made it hard to grow the relationship.

Overall, this was a nice, easy book to listen to. I loved how it ended at their 20 year reunion and how it touched on real life events like quarantine during COVID and how it put a strain on relationships. It was really well done in that aspect! It didn’t feel like it spanned almost 15 years, which is probably a good thing.

Audiobook narrators were awesome! I don’t think I had ever heard Paige or Tim before but they did such a good job bringing the characters to life! They sounded good together and dual POV books can be hard to find the right combo of narrators. I don’t think I would have enjoyed this as much if I hadn’t listened to it. They did a great job with their character voices, keeping them consistent throughout which I loved. Highly recommend audio for a quick, easy listen!

🌟🌟🌟💫

Pub date: June 04, 2024

I really liked this book! I thought it was modern, refreshing, hilarious, and I liked the diversity with the characters.

It somehow blends really serious situations with humor, showing yes this is hard right now, but we’re one smile away from things being a bit better. I loved Seth. I thought he was so fun and I loved the way he thought and just how chaotic his brain seemed to be, but also how soft he was with the ones he loved, and how well he treated them both emotionally and with his actions!

I also loved Molly, a healthy amount of cynicism is welcome any day in my household. But Molly, she had an unhealthy amount of cynicism, her out look is bleak, her tone is dry, and she’s pretty hilarious. I vibe with her.

The side characters and the voices of the characters were amazing, I haven’t listen to a ton of duel pov/voice audiobooks so this was a cool experience, I think the voices fit how I imagined the characters would talk and overall just enjoyed listening to them!

4/5⭐️

Huge thank you to the author Katelyn Doyle, the voice actors, Christine Lakin, and Tim Paige for their incredible work. Also big thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my free copy of “Just Some Stupid Love Story”

I received this advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If you are a fan of You, Again then this is the perfect book for you. It spans over multiple years and has a MC who has some issues with love, and is told from dual POV. It is steamy, and often funny.

I really wanted more character growth earlier in the book, even more so with how many years it traverses. I was frequently frustrated with Seth and Molly. It also felt repetitive at times.

Initially I really liked this one, but as the story went on it fell flat for me.

Loved this cute debut novel about second chances. Definitely a black cat, golden retriever combo which always speaks to me. I will definitely pick up any future books from this author.

This adorable and delightful debut gave me all the feels. Molly is a romcom writer who is a cynic about anything and everything that has to do with love. Seth is a divorce attorney who is a hopeless romantic and cannot wait to meet his "soulmate." They have a past, but the question is, will they have a future? I loved that the story is told from alternating POVs and Molly and Seth's written correspondence. The audiobook narration was phenomenal! Both narrators did an outstanding job bringing these characters to life, making this novel even more enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Molly, romantic comedy screenwriter living in LA, begrudgingly attends her 15 year high school reunion with her best friends. To her demise she isn't seated with them and is instead placed next to her ex, Seth, whom she dumped at their graduation and hasn't spoken to in 15 years. Seth is now a successful divorce attorney and even though he says he is over Molly, it's quite clear within minutes that he wishes things had gone differently that night. Well much to his surprise after way too many drinks, they spend a steamy night together back at the hotel. Molly doesn't want it to extend any longer than breakfast, Seth however has an idea in the works. They make a bet on the other couples at the parties about who will get married or divorced and to revisit this in 5 years. Now in theory this book sounded great and I should have loved it but I didn't vibe with the characters. Molly was not very like-able and Seth I just wanted to shake and tell him to move on with his life already. Thank you Macmillian Audio and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the premise of this book! I liked the idea of them seeing each other at their reunion and then making a bet as to who would still be together at the next reunion in five years, including themselves. I also enjoyed the banter between our two main characters and had high hopes for some really funny "rom-com" moments between them. That fell a little flat for me. As the story went on I didn't really find much humor in it. I also felt the book went on a little too long and a little too repetitive. Of course the ending was good and what I was hoping for. They definitely did have great chemistry with each other. Nothing too over the top spicy but a couple of good encounters with each other!
I would still totally recommend this book for any romance lovers! And it will definitely give book clubs things to discuss. A great debut novel for sure!

3.5 stars for me. I'll start with the fact that I absolutely loved the narration. I'm so glad that I got a chance to listen to the audio version of this book! The dual narrators were amazing and really brought the characters to live. I loved how they embodied the characters and the narration was excellent. Definitely narrators that I enjoy listening to!

The premise of this book was also interesting to me - it felt very classic rom com - second chance romance, Hollywood rom com writer + midwest divorce attorney, grumpy x sunshine. And there were elements of the story that I found interesting - the side bets on the relationships, the friend group that each of them had, and the fact that their high school reunions were the anchor points of the story. So much nostalgia - with lots of throwback references to when I was in high school as well - so that was definitely a lot of fun.

I think I struggled a little bit with the connection between the two MCs themselves. On their own, they're two fully developed characters with their own friends, baggage, and lives - living in separate parts of the country and doing their own thing. The ways for them to interact after the initial reconnection at the HS reunion felt almost forced at times. Random emails/phone calls, one super hot text/video exchange (whoo), and a few "happen to be in the same city" type meetings. It felt almost like the foundation for their relationship was based more on what they had in high school the first time than what they were building as adults. And the MMC's golden retriever, all in personality was a little too much for me at times.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read with lots of really fun parts to the story. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

This was… toxic. These characters are toxic, their relationship is toxic. I enjoyed the writing style and pace, but the plot and characters were just not good. The idea was there, high school sweethearts reuniting at their 15 year reunion and having a tiny, then longing for one another for years. But the execution was lacking. I kept hoping there would be character growth, but there was toxicity right up until the last 15 minutes.

I listened to the audiobook. It was okay. The female was good. The male sounded like a robot.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy for my honest review.

Molly, a romance cynic, writes rom coms for a living; Seth, a romantic, is a divorce lawyer - and the only time either was really in love was with each other in high school, until Molly abruptly ended it right before graduation and shattered Seth's heart. The next time either set eyes on each other is at their 15th reunion, stuck next to each other (and chemistry is still very much there). The two spend the night talking and after looking around the room, make bets on which 5 couples will make it or break it before the 20th, and Seth bets on them being together by their 20th. Molly has 5 years to prove to him that there is no such thing as soulmates, and Seth has 5 years to prove her wrong; except that life keeps getting in their way.

I started by listening to this one and I have to say, while it was addicting and really enjoyable (I was invested in the couple almost immediately), I preferred Seth’s character when I read his POV chapters (he just seemed annoying on audio, but really sweet when I read). I liked Molly’s character even though her decisions were often frustrating because the pathology behind them were well explained (but I was still annoyed just because). @greatlyn smartly created plot twists with both characters putting up roadblocks in their relationship and not just having the drooling boy chasing the girl. I stayed up to finish this one (the thought of going to sleep and not knowing what happened was inconceivable to me - and yes, I know it’s a rom com and it’s predictable) and it was my Sunday indulgence. This is a super fun, cute read and I’m glad I had both the audio and the book for my Sunday evening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC to review

Molly is a romcom writer, Seth is a divorce attorney. When the two exes meet again at their high school reunion fifteen years after their breakup, the chemistry is still there. But they are such opposites - can they make it work? I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story! The premise seemed fairly average however the author's writing style was easy to read and flowed well, the audiobook was narrated so well and it was just a fun overall book. Definitely one I'd recommend!

Whoo the spice factor is high with this one! Keep your headphones on when listening to it because it’s definitely not one you want just everyone overhearing. It has kicked the door wide open and screamed “Hey we’re in here !” So know that going in!
Having said that there is more to it than just the spice! Molly writes romcoms for a living and as such doesn’t believe in happily ever after. Seth believes in soul mates, despite his career as one of Chicago’s top divorce attorneys. He’s spent his adult life looking for “the One” ever since his first love, Molly, broke his heart.
Molly hates organized events like weddings and reunions but her besties drag her to her 15th class reunion and she finds herself seated next to Seth after all these years. After a few too many cocktails and they hook up and then make a bet on the fate of five of five of the couples by the time the 20th reuinion comes around. The clincher is that one of the couples is the two of them. Seth is positive they’ll fall madly in love again and Molly assures him there’s no way that can ever happen because it’s not a thing.
This was a perfect beach read/listen and I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my review.

This book is the debut novel by Katelyn Doyle and I really loved it. The story follows high school sweethearts, Molly and Seth on a second chance romance after reconnecting at a class reunion.

My favorite parts were the super relatable worries they both had about relationships, the realistic anxiety representation, and some of my favorite tropes. The only real hang up I had was with the Covid section of the book, though I understand that happened and will likely start showing up in more novels.

I look forward to reading more by Katelyn Doyle, this was an awesome novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Just Some Stupid Love Story is a cute second chance romance focusing on Molly, a love cynic who writes screen play rom coms and Seth, a love story believer who is also a divorce attorney. They meet up at a 10 year reunion and make bets on 5 couples, deciding to meet back at the next reunion to see who is right.The narrators did a great job on the characters for this book.
The into did come off a little strong personality wise on both of these characters however as the book progressed I was able to become invested in their personalities and perspectives. It did get a bit long in the middle while the characters worked through their issues, however it ended strong and the author did a great job of wrapping up the book in a satisfying conclusion.

I was so excited to listen to this one when I found out it was dual POV with two narrators! Unfortunately, I did not like the male narrator for this at all. I don’t know if it was just his narration or the MMC himself, but I was immediately turned off by him and it was hard to shake that initial impression. It seemed like the writing was weaker for the male POV chapters and some of the language was cringey.

The romance itself was fine but never fully grabbed me. I usually enjoy contemporary romances that have a Hollywood/movie-biz spin but I didn’t really enjoy this one. Bummer!

This book was truly a delight! Seth and Molly, who were together in high school, meet up at their 15-year reunion. He is a family law attorney, read, divorce lawyer, but a big-hearted one who is in it for reasons that are almost altruistic. She is a Hollywood screenwriter who writes romcoms, which is ironic because not only does she not believe in love or soulmates, but she broke Seth’s heart all those years ago.

Both of these two have issues that have prevented them from finding lasting relationships. He moves too quickly, anxious to get settled down and have a family, and scares women off. She is deeply scarred from her parents’ divorce when she was a teenager and has her guard up to the point of self-sabotage.

The title of this book probably tips you off that these two are going to give things a go, but it is no easy ride. Occasionally, it is a very frustrating ride, to the point that you occasionally lose some goodwill for characters you largely like, especially Molly, who’s been through a lot of therapy but is still clinging to comforting old patterns that will remind her she doesn’t deserve good things, regardless of who she hurts in the process. All of this because her dad, a well-known creator of a big movie franchise, abandoned her and her mom when she was young and has barely bothered being in her life since. Come on, girl; accept some happiness for a change. This guy is a damn golden retriever who has loved you all his life.

I really liked the grand gesture ending, which rang true. These characters largely range true to me throughout, and this book was often laugh-out-loud funny. The main characters were surrounded with a supporting cast who were supportive and everything you would want for them. I believe this is a debut and I look forward to more from this author. Also, I listened to the audiobook, but the physical book has purple sprayed edges and is ridiculously beautiful. I am 90% likely to buy it, both to share because I really enjoyed this one, and because it is just that pretty, with a hilarious cover that really captures the spirit of the characters.

This comes out on June 4. Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillanAudio and #KatelynDoyle for the advance listen!

Ooo I’ve listened to a number of audio books by Tim Paige and I’ve also heard another book Narrated by Christine Lakin and they’re both great! I love their ton and how they portray the characters so I was excited about this audio book and I was not disappointed!

I also don’t always love time lapse books, but this one was fast forwarding and not rewinding which was very refreshing! And it actually made the book more interesting and intriguing for me too.

The relationship between Seth and Molly span literal decades! And don’t get scared off, because there are some very good reasons, some wrong place and wrong time and some very emotional baggage that all humans have…

I loved the reverse grumpy sunshine troupe too!

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸:
☀️She’s Grumpy/ He’s Sunshine
☀️Second chance
☀️Soul mates
☀️Long Distance Relationship
☀️Mutual Pining
☀️Dual POV

I received an advance listening copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Pretty cute read. I enjoyed a grumpy female MC and sunshine male MC. I also liked hearing descriptions of various California locations as a California girlie. It was just a tad long to keep my full attention, but overall enjoyed!

3.75 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC.

If you enjoy the second chance love story then Just Some Stupid Love Story is for you. A quick read with some cute banter. The lead female, Molly, is a little annoying, but the male, Seth, makes up for it. It isn't often that the reader feels more for the male in the story, but that is the case here.
3.5-4 stars if I could pick.

Thank you NetGalley, Katelyn Doyle, and Macmillan Audio for granting me access to this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

First, the narrators, Christine Lakin and Tim Paige were great!
While the book/audio was rather long, and sort of dragged at times, I highly enjoyed this story!
Molly broke Seth's heart when she broke up with him in high school, right before they were about to head off to college. Chicago-based divorce lawyer Seth thinks soulmates exist. Ironically, Molly is a romantic comedy scriptwriter in Los Angeles, but she constantly appears to ruin her personal relationships. They unexpectedly cross paths at their 15th high school reunion, and a spark is rekindled. Over the next few months, they flirt at times, with Seth even becoming engaged to another person. But will they be together at their 20th high school reunion like Seth said?

If you enjoy spice, grumpy-sunshine with the fmc being the grump, and second chance romances, this is for you!