Just Some Stupid Love Story offers a witty, laugh-out-loud take on love, heartbreak, and second chances. For fans of Emily Henry, this story centers on Molly Marks, a cynical rom-com screenwriter who has sworn off love, and Seth Rubinstein, her high school ex-boyfriend, who is still hopelessly romantic despite being a successful divorce attorney.

Molly, who believes that love is just a gimmick she writes for Hollywood, hasn’t spoken to Seth since she ghosted him on the eve of their high school graduation. Seth, on the other hand, is a true believer in soulmates and has spent the last fifteen years comparing every woman he meets to Molly—the one who got away.

When their paths collide at their high school reunion, fate (and maybe a few too many martinis) forces them to confront their unresolved feelings. After a night of awkward tension and a drunken hookup, they make a bet: the one who can accurately predict the future of five couples by the next reunion has to declare that the other is right about love. The twist? The fifth couple they’re betting on is themselves.

Molly is convinced they’re a tragic love story destined for heartbreak, while Seth is determined to prove that she’ll fall in love with him all over again. As they both navigate life, love, and their complicated past, the real question is: who will win the bet?

Tropes

- Second-Chance Romance
- Enemies to Lovers (with a Twist)
- Rom-Com Elements
- Emotional Growth
- Slow burn
- Covid 19
- Anxiety and Depression
- Angst

Review

It is a sharp and funny exploration of romance through the eyes of a rom-com writer who doesn’t believe in love and a divorce attorney who does. Katelyn Doyle creates relatable, multidimensional characters who navigate their insecurities and past heartbreaks in hilarious and heartfelt ways. The novel’s snappy dialogue, steamy moments, and smart observations about relationships make it a standout in the romance genre.

The chemistry between Molly and Seth is electric, fueled by witty banter and unresolved tension. The high school reunion backdrop adds layers of nostalgia and awkwardness, perfectly setting the stage for their complicated reunion. Readers will be hooked by the back-and-forth between the characters as they compete to see who’s right about love—leading to moments that are both laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly tender.

The narration by Christine Lakin and Tim Paige further enhances the story, bringing the characters’ dynamic personalities to life and adding depth to their emotional journey.

With its mix of humour, heart, and smart commentary on modern love, *Just Some Stupid Love Story* is an entertaining and addictive read for fans of romantic comedies and second-chance love stories. Doyle’s debut proves that sometimes love is worth the gamble—even when it’s the last thing you expect.

Just Some Stupid Love Story pairs almost perfectly with Taylor Swift’s The Bolter

Molly Marks, a rom-com screenwriter from L.A., is flighty. At the first sign of commitment, she will bolt. Seth Rubinstein, a divorce attorney in Chicago, believes in soulmates and pursues love with overeager earnestness. Molly broke Seth’s heart back in high school, and although neither will admit it, they aren’t over it. Sparks fly when they see each other at their 15th high school reunion, and they end up “reconnecting” for old-time’s sake. True to her pattern, Molly considers it a one-night stand, but Seth thinks is the opportunity to change their ending. Can they get on the same page?

“There’s a large, wicked part of me that wants to tell him to keep sending me soft-hearted, paragraph-lenghed texts about how lovely I am. But his sweetness is the clencher. I’m just not nice enough for him. I wish for a moment that I was. That I believed in the logic of rom-coms. That Seth could sore up my faith and sand down my rough edges, and I could brace him with realism until we evolve into each other’s missing piece. But that’s not how it works.”
Molly
“I know in my soul that we love each other in a way that I’ve never experienced and doubt I will ever experience again. Our love wasn’t a romantic comedy. I didn’t expect it to be. All I ever wanted, was her.”
Seth
The good, the bad & the dirty
I enjoyed this second-story romance. Nobody makes you feel like your first love, and it’s probably my favorite trope. I felt for Molly and her hesitation to pursue happiness. And Seth is the perfect rom-com lead–committed, relentless, and full of love without being a golden retriever. I loved the opportunity to be inside their heads and see how they fell in love. Both characters are well-written, and their love story is fun and has a good tempo. I haven’t read many steamy rom-coms, and this one delivered nicely.

However, I resented that Molly was the only one with baggage and issues, while Seth was just perfect. Also, I know COVID-19 has been a huge part of our lives for years, and we all process our collective trauma any way we can, but I don’t want to read about it anymore, not in the spaces I create to let my mind wander worry-free.

Overall, Just Some Stupid Love Story was a solid debut novel by Katelyn Doyle. I was hooked on it, and it left me feeling happy, hopeful and refreshed.

About the audiobook narrators: Christine Lakin and Tim Paige do a wonderful job narrating this dual POV story. I can feel their chemistry even though they don’t interact because they alternate chapters.
This book was provided in exchance for an honest review graphic

"Just Some Stupid Love Story" is a second-chance romance with a very damaged FMC. She's been through a lot in her life, and it's all made her a bit cynical. Add to that the fact that she's a rom-com author who's in it for the money and who is personally jaded about love, and we're not off to a great start.

As Molly Marks accidentally meets up with her high school boyfriend, Seth Rubenstein, at their 15-year reunion, we're treated to the fact that these two both still carry a torch for the other. The question soon becomes, does their one-night stand at the reunion mean something more?

Over the next five years, just as one begins to think it might, the other starts a new relationship. So these two miss the boat multiple times before they finally are both single and both willing to give their relationship another try.

But as is Molly's character, any time things start to get serious, she sabotages things in order to protect herself. After a while, it just plain got to be frustrating. So, while this was a good enough story, it wasn't a great one for me.

Thank you to Katelyn Doyle, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Solidly written as a debut. It was really fine. Cute and original premise, but I Could not get behind Molly as a FMC. I get she has history and damage, but the author didn’t do a great job of making her work out her stuff. Therapy, baby. Always therapy.

I started out pretty excited about this but after a while it felt like it was dragging on for way too long.

I didn’t love that for certain parts of this book both of the main characters were in relationships with other people, and those relationships were described in great detail.

Like no offense, but if I’m reading romance book, I have zero interest in reading about other relationships that the main characters have been in.

The narrators for this audiobook were both really great.

I received an ALC of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio in exchange for a review.

Molly is a rom-com author and is very cynical about love stories in general. She and a guy, Seth, hook up at their 15th high school reunion. At that time, they make bests about couples that will/won't last the test of time.

Filled with sexual tension and fun, you enjoy the relationship (or not) between Seth and Molly and see how the other couples play out simultaneously.

Fun, decently predictable, a little slow to get going to but fun in the end.

3.5 stars, rounded up because the narrators did a great job.

There was a lot to like about this and a lot that left me frustrated. So we'll start with the good.
-I liked the idea of the reverse grumpy/sunshine. And having the grump be a romance writer and the sunshine be a divorce attorney is clever and amusing.
-Seth was such a sweetheart. He was just so joyful 99% of the time. I cracked up at the first POV shift from Molly's crankiness to Seth's spirited exuberance at a school reunion.
-There were some challenged to gender roles that I appreciated. Seth wanting children, getting attached quickly, openly crying, etc. were all interesting personality traits for an MMC in a romance.
-I loved the friendships with the side characters.

So, now for the not-so-good:
-Molly! Molly was a beast. I'm sorry, but she was maybe the worst.
-It was really hard to root for a couple where one person was so adamantly against it. It's one thing when both people are resisting it (enemies-to-lovers is still my favorite trope), but this was like watching Molly repeatedly kick a sweet puppy who just wants belly rubs.
-If we're going to do an interesting take on gender roles, then we need to acknowledge that Molly's behavior borders on emotional abuse. Even the cover, in retrospect, rubs me the wrong way. That she's chucking something that hits him in the face is not a good look.
-Also, this wasn't really slow burn (which I love), so much as a really long period of time where they were apart and mostly fine? I think it's hard to maintain momentum over a five year period.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I think this book is a perfect read/listen for this summer. It’s cute, full of banter, and also made me feel a lot of things I wasn’t prepared for.

I am going to say something that is going to shock some of my friends.. But the second chance trope may be growing on me. Do I think any of my actual exes deserve a second chance?! No, never, not while I am still breathing.. But in this story I think it made sense.

The snark between the two MCs was amazing. She spoke to her ex the same way I probably would .. but without the thoughts in the back of my head about entertaining them again.

Seth… Seth.. Not only was he funny af by messing with her in the beginning but he was a sweet baby angel throughout.

I loved the bet the two characters made. I honestly just enjoyed it all!!!

Y’all i cannot even lie, I love a high school reunion re-meet cute plot point! It’s just really so elite and the main reason I’m currently loving this book!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the ALC review copy and @flatiron_books for the eARC review copy!!!

#justsomestupidlovestory #katelyndoyle #flatironbooks #macmillanaudio #MacAudio2024 #thatbookbetchhh

This summer rom-com is HOT 🥵. There's lots of red flags with these two but the second chance story just works! Add in the banter and witty humor it had me hooked seeing just how this was going to play out! These high school sweethearts definitely have to overcome some obstacles and the twists that were added in were great. I also loved their friend group -except Rob, not a fan! Lol I totally enjoyed going on the ride with them and the dual narrators did a fantastic job. One you wanna grab and binge before summer ends!

THIS BOOK HAD EVERYTHING! It was second chance romance, it had an adorable hero, it had a heroine who was relatable in her flaws. It was amazing! It felt like watching a classic romcom, full of near-misses and misunderstandings, just like what life often brings.

I loved both Molly and Seth! They were both flawed but they acknowledged their flaws. Seth was really adorable! I loved his hopeless romantic outlook on life and while I’m not sure if he should have kept hope for Molly for so many years, it was really sweet! I also really loved Molly! Her dismissal of Seth and then her gradual realization of her feelings for Seth was realistic, frustrating, and so incredibly relatable! It was also refreshing, how much she loved him in spite of her “black cat” attitude, which is not how a lot of romance books portray characters like her. She had so much emotion that she kept hidden from the world. The scene of her crying in the car (iykyk) almost made me break down because I could really feel the emotion.

I also enjoyed the side characters and their storylines. I loved how the side stories of the four other couples were important to Seth and Molly’s love story, both in positive and negative ways. The scenes with Seth’s nephews made me laugh SO MUCH! I do have to add that I would totally be like Seth’s brother if one of my siblings had a relationship like his with Molly…

I also loved the narrators! They really brought this story to life and I loved both of their voices! Tim Paige (whose voice I’ve already loved from other books) has such a distinctive style that I can only think of Seth in that voice and that makes Seth feel like a real person!

Overall, this is a book everyone needs to read! Since this is Katelyn Doyle’s debut, I am so incredibly excited to read her future books! If you love books like People We Meet On Vacation, Every Summer After, or Beach Read, READ THIS BOOK, or you love movies like When Harry Met Sally, READ THIS BOOK!!

This was a very enjoyable book! The narrator was amazing and it made the book fly. The romance and banter was amazing!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Enjoyable romance, with realistic feeling characters. I loved the two MC's banter and watching them struggle through life. The narrators did great.

This was a highly entertaining romantic comedy by a debut author which I will certainly be looking out for. The story starts out at a 15 year high school reunion and takes places over the course of several years. Molly and Seth dated in high school but she broke his heart when she walked out on him on prom night and proceeded to ghost him. They meet again 15 years later at the reunion, her a successful rom com writer for Hollywood and he a divorce lawyer. He is the optimistic one who believes in true love and soulmates and she is the grumpy one who doesn't let her heart get too invested. Despite her profession, she doesn't believe love and soulmates actually exist. But when Seth comes back into her life, she begins to see things differently. As fate kept bringing the two together over the years I enjoyed seeing her character grow and evolve and finally realize that maybe she can give love a chance.
Seth and Molly had terrific chemistry that just jumped off the page. Their witty banter was fun and fresh, and had me laughing and smiling along. No doubt they were an unlikely pairing, but that is what made this such a fun story.
I listed to this as an audiobook and I enjoyed the narration. The story and characters were really brought to life. I really enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this audio ALC.

Christine Lakin and Tim Paige were great.

The story was fun until the pandemic was mentioned in it and I had to quit.

Gosh, I was so excited for this one! The plot itself was good. I loved the tropes but holy steamy right out of the gate! No buildup whatsoever? I questioned why I was reading this book and truthfully sped through it just to read the very predictable ending.

What a great debut! The description compares the author to Emily Henry which I think is spot on. This is funny and genuine and emotional and real.

Seth and Molly have not seen each other for 15 years when Molly broke his heart right before their high school graduation. But sparks fly at their reunion and the two reconnect. Cue a few years of talking then not talking, dating other people, and just overall bad timing for the would be couple. I loved these two from the start. Their chemistry was palpable right from the beginning!

TBH I don’t enjoy the whole ‘right person wrong time’ thing in books especially when it happens repeatedly like it does in this story. An example of this is “One Day in December” by Josie Silver. I just get impatient and feel personally offended each time they are THIS close to making it work but something goes wrong. Like how can you go so long without talking???? However I think their eventual romance made up for it.

The couple’s problems felt real and relatable.The two are crazy for each other but Molly is scared and has some trauma from her parents messy divorce and Seth is maybe too idealistic and eager to find love wherever he can. We get a lot of back story and complex supporting characters and buildup to major events. I could sympathize with Molly and her anxiety and reluctance to be vulnerable, but also in Seth’s sorrow for his repeatedly failed relationships.

Second chance romance, grumpy sunshine (but the female is the grumpy one!!), soul mates? You decide on the last one.

This was very well written and I can’t wait to see what else Katelyn Doyle has up her sleeve!

This was entertaining but I just couldn’t relate to it. I wanted to shake the characters a few times out of frustration. I liked it, but didn’t love it. i listened to it on audio and the narrators did a great job. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book's a fun twist on the classic rom-com formula, throwing together a cynical Hollywood screenwriter and a hopeless romantic divorce lawyer who used to be high school sweethearts. When they bump into each other at their reunion, they make a boozy bet about predicting couples' fates – including their own. It's a witty, sexy romp that plays with all the tropes it's poking fun at, perfect for anyone who loves to hate (or hates to love) a good love story.

I really wanted to love Just Some Stupid Love Story, but I found myself struggling with it. The premise had me hooked—a rom-com screenwriter and a divorce attorney reunited at their high school reunion fifteen years after their breakup. It had all the makings of a great story.

Molly Marks, who writes rom-coms but is a cynic about real love, is dragged to her high school reunion in Florida, where she faces her past with Seth Rubinstein. Seth, on the other hand, is a hopeless romantic and successful divorce attorney who’s never quite gotten over Molly. They end up making a bet about the future of five couples, including themselves, with the stakes being a declaration of who’s right about true love.

While the witty banter and steamy moments were engaging, the second-chance romance left me wanting more. The fact that neither character seemed to evolve much made it hard for me to fully connect with their journey. Seth’s persistence and Molly’s skepticism were fun to read about, but the lack of significant personal growth made the resolution feel a bit hollow.

Even though it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, the humor and heart were definitely present.