Short synopsis: Molly runs into her Ex Seth at their 15 year high school reunion, they make a bet about whether romance is fake for their 20 year reunion.

My thoughts: This was a fun debut, the premise was cute and original. A second chance romance with a high school sweetheart. Don’t let think light hearted cover fool you, there is some definite heartache and pining in these pages.

Molly was such a cynic, and I can see why based on her history. I thought it hilarious that she was a screenwriter, for Rom-Coms and definitely does not believe in true love. Seth, is a divorce attorney but can’t wait for his HEA! They both went through a lot of growth throughout the book, and ultimately knew what they wanted in a future partner.

I really struggled with the constant breaking up over nothing, and lack of communication for the majority of the book. And I felt like the spice was a little too spicy for my personal preferences, I was blushing and had to skip past some parts on audio!

The audio was very well done. I felt like the narrators complimented each other very well!

Read if you love:

Opposites attract
Second chance romance
Grumpy sunshine
High school sweethearts
Character growth

Just Some Stupid Love Story deserves to be the beach read of the summer! It is funny and sexy and so emotional… I found it to be so satisfying and gratifying and just really rewarding to read! It takes course over 5 years, between teenage sweethearts Seth and Molly. She’s a cynical rom-com screenwriter who doesn’t believe in love or soul mates, and he’s a divorce lawyer who is a hopeless romantic just waiting for ‘the one’. After she broke up with him before graduation, they haven’t spoken in fifteen years… until the night of their high school class reunion. After “reconnecting” that night, she brushes it off as a one time thing but they make a bet… one of them has to admit the other is right about love and soulmates at their next reunion in five years if one of them can accurately predict the fate of 5 couples. Instead of avoiding each other for the next 5 years, they keep crossing paths and feelings get murky. Seth starts to experience the less fun side of love, while jaded Molly starts to see the positives. But can the once polar opposites get themselves on the same page long enough to make a true go of it? If you love Emily Henry or Rebecca Serle or Alison Rose Greenberg, I highly recommend reading this!

Short synopsis: Molly runs into her Ex Seth at their 15 year high school reunion, they make a bet about whether romance is fake for their 20 year reunion.

My thoughts: This was a fun debut, the premise was cute and original. A second chance romance with a high school sweetheart. Don’t let think light hearted cover fool you, there is some definite heartache and pining in these pages.

Molly was such a cynic, and I can see why based on her history. I thought it hilarious that she was a screenwriter, for Rom-Coms and definitely does not believe in true love. Seth, is a divorce attorney but can’t wait for his HEA! They both went through a lot of growth throughout the book, and ultimately knew what they wanted in a future partner.

I really struggled with the constant breaking up over nothing, and lack of communication for the majority of the book. And I felt like the spice was a little too spicy for my personal preferences, I was blushing and had to skip past some parts!

Read if you love:

- Opposites attract
- Second chance romance
- Grumpy sunshine
- High school sweethearts
- Character growth

I devoured Just Some Stupid Love Story. I loved the plot of this story! I thought the opening bit of the story was clever and unique. It was cute watching Seth and Molly's relationship progress over the years. Seth and Molly's banter and chemistry was chef's kiss. The dual POV's gave me a deeper understanding of where the characters' heads were at. I enjoyed Seth and Molly's characters. Seth had the perfect golden retriever energy. Molly was funny and relatable. I thought the side characters were well developed. Kudos to Doyle and her editors because this book ready smoothly. I will eagerly be awaiting her next book! Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC.

3.75 ⭐️
This is a super cute debut romance novel!! Katelyn’s writing style and descriptiveness about everything felt very mature and I really liked that. And I really love the whole concept of this book. This story is about Molly & Seth and they are former high school sweethearts, she is now a successful romcom screenwriter and he is a divorce attorney, and they haven’t seen each other since they broke up. They both find themselves at their 15 year high school reunion and the seating just chart just so happens to have them sitting at the same table. After they talk for awhile they both realize that he very much believes in love and soulmates and she is the exact opposite, she doesn’t believe in any of that stuff. Essentially they come to this agreement and the make this bet where between the two of them they choose five couples, or people they think will become couples, and they each predict where they think these people will be at their next high school reunion in five years. They’re basically predicting whether or not these couples will stay together or not, and if these other people will form a new relationship in those years leading up to their 20th reunion. The last couple that Seth chooses is him and Molly, and she is certain that they will not be be together and he is very certain of that fact.
Molly and Seth run into each other a handful of times over the next five years. Times where he’s ready for something to happen between them and she’s not, other times where she’s ready and he’s not, and when they’re both ready.
I will say one of the things I didn’t love about this book was how back and forth it felt a lot of the times between Molly and Seth. I understand it to some extent, but it just got to the point where it felt like whiplash. And at their ages it just felt like they should’ve been able to talk things out easier and more often.
Overall though I thought it was a really cute book and again I love the concept of it. I thought it was really cool to be able to see into the minds of both Molly and Seth and to be able to see the way they think towards life, relationships, and themselves after their breakup and after things that have happened in their pasts.
I definitely look forward to reading Katelyn’s future work 📚✨

Thank you NetGalley, Flat Iron books, and Katelyn for allowing me to read and review this ARC 🫶🏻

My review is posted on here, StoryGraph, TikTok, and Instagram

So, I don’t like second chance romances that often but this one worked for me. He’s ready to settle down while she’s sort of a mess. The wager between the two got me and I had to see how it played out after the 5 years. Both characters were well fleshed out and even though she was annoying as heck I still ate it up. A cute beach read I’d recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. I think it mostly because the FMC was terrible in my opinion.
Seth wasn’t super ideal at first either but he actually had growth in this book. He recognized his issues and he addressed them. He worked on himself. I can’t say the same for Molly. The first half of this book was pretty good. I was into it. Eventually though, I got tired of the fmc continuing to be a walking red flag. If I were Seth I don’t think I’d ever be able to trust her. Especially after only a month since she broke up with him. I get that she had actual trauma and it messed with her head but that doesn’t mean she didn’t treat Seth terribly. Over and over again.

With all that said, it was an okay book. There were some cute moments. The friend groups were nice. There’s a lot of examples of toxic relationships but also some nice relationships too. I liked the writing style. I just didn’t completely love the storyline. I’d be happy to read a different book by this author in the future though.

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle delivers a delightful rom-com rollercoaster ride! Doyle crafts characters with depth and humor, making you root for Molly and Seth from the very starr. Their banter crackles with chemistry, and the plot twists keep you guessing until the very end. It's a refreshing take on love, packed with wit and heart. Doyle effortlessly captures the essence of modern romance, proving that sometimes, love is just a bet away. Don't miss this five-star gem!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC.

This story follows Molly and Seth who were high school sweethearts. Molly dumped Seth ruthlessly the night of graduation, and they don’t talk again until they bump into each other at their 15 year high school reunion. The book takes place over 5 years as their paths cross and they try to figure out how to make their relationship work.

I liked the reverse grumpy/sunshine aspect and I thought Molly was deliciously bitchy. I understood her hang ups with relationships and her daddy issues, and I liked that she was so cynical about love. It was a fun comparison to Seth who loved love and was just aching to find his soul mate. He even comes on way too strong the way a lot of women do in romance novels. I liked the meta way romance was talked about since Molly writes romance screen plays, and the different tropes that their friends fell into. The setting of a high school reunion was very entertaining, and even had me feeling nostalgic since I’m nearing my own 15 year high school reunion. I think that some flashbacks to their high school relationship would have been helpful in this case because despite all the years they pined for each other, I didn’t feel the chemistry and I think their relationship hinged too much on the nostalgia of a first love. I also think I didn’t really feel that magic between them because the plot meandered too much and it dragged through the middle. There are long passages describing something that had no bearing in the main plot and it had my attention drifting. Also, these two broke up too many times that by the end I was exhausted. It wasn’t even in a angsty type of way that I usually enjoy, it was just two people who couldn’t get their shit together and it slightly drive me crazy.

While I appreciated what this author was trying to do in terms of turning tropes on their head and narrative format, I just don’t think this book was for me. It could definitely work for someone that enjoys second chance romance with two very flawed but relatable characters.

This was a cute, quick read that I blew through skipping back and forth between print and the audiobook. Doyle did a great job of writing a plot that takes place over five years and makes it feel extremely organized and concise. What worked less was the “I know I’m going to break your heart” nonsense that is never my thing. Like, Molly, girl, get it together - you’re too old for this! While there were things in her backstory to make it somewhat believable, it took me out of the story a bit.

This black cat (Molly) x golden retriever (Seth) second chance story was a great summer read! She's a Nora Ephron-esque screenwriter (or is trying to be) and he's a divorce attorney, so their respective personalities are pretty funny when compared to their jobs. The basic premise for this one is: high school sweethearts who broke up when she dumped him as they graduated from high school reconnect at their 15-year high school reunion and make a bet. They pick five couples and each decide if the couple will be together or not by the time of their 20th reunion. The fifth couple is themselves.

This is a dual POV book that brought in so many tropes and so many romance novel/movie beats and I honestly loved that. I had a hard time with how cruel Molly could be to Seth, but I think the author did a good job giving enough of her background to understand how she had become so jaded. I will say that I expected this to be a rom-com, and it felt more like a straight romance to me. There were several hard issues dealt with throughout the course of the novel, and I was light on laughs. That said, I did like both POVs and I did want them to work it out, and I thought the friends and families were all fantastic side characters.

The banter and steam were both great. I normally go for full open door romances, and for me this was more of a "cracked door," but this certainly had enough spice for me to love it (no full sex scenes, but a surprising amount of dirty talk and one very descriptive mutual masturbation situation). I feel like a lot of reviewers have said this was too much spice, and it's certainly not an Amish romance, but it felt very reasonable to me and I wouldn't have minded more. For context though: I'm mostly reading hockey romances right now so my spice meter may be on the fritz?

Warnings: the five years this book covers includes the pandemic, and it does play a role in the book. Some romance novels have skipped that lately, but this one doesn't, so if that's uncomfortable for you this may not be a good fit.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and definitely suggest it for anyone looking for a summer read with a little substance and a lot of heart.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the chance to read and review!

Molly Marks writes scripts for romantic comedies but lives her life as though soul mates do not exist. Seth Rubenstein ardently believes in true love despite his career practicing family law. When the two high school sweethearts reconnect at their fifteenth reunion after a breakup that ruined them both, however, sparks begin to fly. In the aftermath, the two strike a bargain predicting the likelihood of the survival of five couples, to be settled in five years’ time. As the years pass, the two experience more of the world and of each other, and only time will tell what the outcome of their upcoming reunion will be.

This charming romantic comedy does not follow the traditional pattern of similar stories. While there are steamy romantic scenes and a slow-burn romance that will please readers as it unfolds, much of the storytelling revolves around the protagonists’ feelings and emotions as they each attempt to discover what it is they want. The narrative is told through several parts and in alternating perspectives between Molly and Seth, allowing for the passage of time while granting readers insight into each character’s motivations. Additionally, the use of text messages and email communications amplify the fact that much of the interaction takes place over long distances.

Carefully crafted, this narrative effectively presents Molly and Seth in unique ways, and the witty and playful banter among them and their friends is accessible and believable. Strong language is used throughout the book at choice moments, and relationships among the characters are endearing despite their adherence to familiar tropes of this genre. Occasionally, the fourth wall is broken and the characters speak directly to the reader, which permits the reader to feel even more invested in the outcome of the novel. Best suited to mature readers, this is a delightful summer romp that is difficult to put down. It is a positive addition to adult fiction library collections.

She's a rom-com writer who believes 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. Their banter was top notch and fun to observe, 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.

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 feelings never waned, and neither did my desire to see them together.

Surprisingly, 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. To me, this is proof of how invested I was 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 not 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, and the premise was interesting. I simply had a wonderful time spending the years with this couple as I waited for them to finally find their forever together.

I had such high hopes for this debut. Unfortunately it fell flat for me. It’s a second chance summer romance, and while I often enjoy that trope, that wasn’t the case here. I honestly struggled to care about the characters, or to find them interesting, and the spice level and language made me cringe. I had to skim a number of parts.

It does have it’s moments, but overall this book was just not my cup of tea. These are my own personal opinions and others might enjoy this one. I do not like to have to write a negative review. I try my best to respect an author's work and efforts. Most of the time I will DNF the book before it gets to that point. Unfortunately I felt like I had to continue because it I’d committed to the arc.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron books for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating may have been higher had the book been shorter. The story takes place over multiple years pre covid through covid then post covid its too much. This book is also very explicit which I wasn't expecting.


****************I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion. ***************

A cynic with major daddy issues who is afraid of relationships and her high school boyfriend, a golden retriever who loves love make a bet at their 15 year high school reunion on the fate of five relationships including theirs and where they will be at their 20th reunion. The book plays out over the next five years as their relationship ebbs and flows.

What I liked: The bet made for a really interesting plot point! Following all the characters through five years of history was interesting. The characters were well drawn. I liked all the side characters as well.

What I didn’t like: The FMC was very frustrating. I realize her teen trauma and the way her father treated her had really messed her up. But it felt like she needed a better therapist. Even in the end it didn’t seem like she had really worked through the root of her issues. Likewise, the MMC never really figured out the source of his problems.

Additionally, I almost DNFd at 27% because there was a detailed, multi-chapter scene of a National League Championship Series baseball game between two teams that didn’t make it that far in the playoffs that year. If you’re going to set your book in a particular time and place, you should make the history line up with reality.

So for me this was a mixed bag. I liked some of it. I didn’t like other parts of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for my review copy of this book.

REVIEW: Just Some Stupid Love Story ⭐⭐⭐

Just Some Stupid Love Story was so fun, cute, and romantic. Our main characters, Seth and Molly, were high school sweethearts who broke up right before college. At their high school reunion, they catch up and discuss whether there is such a thing as a soulmate or not. Seth, a love-obsessed divorce lawyer, thinks there are and Molly, the cynical rom-com writer, thinks not. They decide to make a bet on five couples to see who will still be together in five years to prove their point. The fifth couple, Seth chose Molly and himself.

This story has such a fun premise and a great take on second-chance romance. Just Some Stupid Love Story is told in a dual POV, which helps you learn more about the characters. Each point of view in the audiobook is a different narrator, and they are both excellent. I also really appreciated the turn on the grumpy sunshine trope. Seth and Molly are great examples of opposite attraction, with Seth being the romantic who jumps into relationships fast, while Molly is more cynical about romance and afraid she will ruin any commitment.

Seth and Molly had great chemistry. They just gave off the relationship vibes that make you want to root for them. Just Some Stupid Love Story had some spicier parts, including some dirty talk and even videoing themselves. Additionally, I really liked how strong the supporting characters were. Molly’s best friends, Alyssa and Dez, were deeply involved throughout the story.

The only thing that was a bit difficult at times was the stretched-out timeline of the story and some slow progression. It was hard to see if they would connect because sometimes it was almost a year before they would talk to one another.

Overall, I really love Just a Stupid Love story. The characters, the story, and the dual POV really brought it to life for me. I especially liked the narrators in the audiobook, who brought the characters to life.

Thank you, Netgalley, Flatiron Books, and Macmillan Audio, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

#bookreview #bookrecommendations #arcread #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookish #romancereader #booksofinstagram #audiobook

Such a fun and cute rom-com! I loved the growing relationship between an ex high school couple. We meet them at their high school reunion, where their banter and flirtation begin. They remain in touch over the years, after making bets about other couples at their reunion. It’s a story of missed romance, as the two can’t ever seem to be on the same page. I loved the alternating perspective, between Molly and Seth. It flowed smoothly in audio and e copy. I also loved learning what was going on through both of their minds throughout the story. They were fun individually and together. I also loved out the supporting family and friends were important and awesome characters as well. A fun escape from reality and great beach read for the summer.

Thank for NetGalley for my advanced reader and audio copies.

Read if you like:
🥈 Second Chance Romances
💕 First Love
🎰 Bets
🤣 Banter
🌥️ Grumpy x Sunshine

If you like opposites attract meets grumpy x sunshine meets second chances and a dash of enemies to lovers you will really enjoy this debut!

For me, the pacing was a bit off and jumped around a bit too much which pulled me away from the development of the rekindling of the romance. It was also hard for me to believe that the two had been dating for all of high school and never lost their virginity and then the FMC went off to have some meaningless hookups. For me this just didn’t feel like it worked fully, especially with them hooking up pretty quickly after reconnecting.

I did love the female grump as I felt that was well done and always have a soft spot for a grump FMC character.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my ARC & ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book is my JAM. I could not love it more. I would scream about it from every rooftop in all caps, but I am worried my enthusiasm might freak you out.

I am a real sucker for a Romance with a difficult heroine and a golden retriever love interest. Molly has been seriously damaged by her parents' divorce, and her asshole of a father. It's partially because of that, and her fear that she will be left, that she is a bolter in relationships. She and Seth have such a sweet and lovely romance in high school, and she bolts. She is lucky enough to find love again with Seth, and he is SO GOOD to her, and they try so hard, but bolting is what she does. In between all of this bolting, there is some sexual tension and banter that is WORLD CLASS. Seriously, Katelyn Doyle can writer herself a RomCom. Like, there is nothing missing here. There is sexy talk, and sexy sex, and sexy meal-prep. There are very adorable dates, and so much try-hard trying on Seth's part. There's also a lot of very serious and deep stuff here about families and friendships. And if you love nostalgia, this book is the one for you. It takes pining to a whole new level.

The third act breakup is heart-wrenching, I am not going to lie. Even though I knew it was going to happen, it really shook me. I want better for Molly--I want her to do better. Seth is perfect. I love him and will defend him to the ends of the Earth. You know how it ends because RomCom, and the ending is really earned. It is cinematic.

I hope this is enough to convince you to read this book. It's not sappy even though it could be. It's not always easy because Molly is messy, and I freakin' love Katelyn Doyle for writing this character. It's everything that I could want in a book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.