Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

From the publisher:

For fans of Emily Henry, a debut about 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 breakup

Molly Marks writes Hollywood rom-coms for a living—which is how she knows “romance” is a racket. The one and only time she was naive enough to fall in love was with her high school boyfriend, Seth—who she ghosted on the eve of graduation and hasn’t seen in fifteen years.

Seth Rubinstein believes in love, the grand, fated kind, despite his job as, well…one of Chicago’s most successful divorce attorneys. Over the last decade, he’s sought “the one” in countless bad dates and rushed relationships. He knows his soulmate is out there. But so far, no one can compare to Molly Marks, the first girl who broke his heart.

When Molly’s friends drag her to Florida for their fifteenth high school reunion, it is poetic justice that she’s forced to sit with Seth. Too many martinis and a drunken hookup later, they decide to make a whoever can predict the fate of five couples before the next reunion must declare that the other is right about true love. The catch? The fifth couple is the two of them.

Molly assures Seth they are a tale of timeless heartbreak. Seth promises she’ll end up hopelessly in love with him. She thinks he’s delusional. He has five years to prove her wrong.

Wickedly funny, sexy, and brimming with laughs and heart like the best romantic comedies, Just Some Stupid Love Story is for everyone who believes in soulmates—even if they would never admit it.

“A flirty, sexy read…Fresh and fun as hell―Katelyn Doyle is absolutely an author to watch.” ―People Magazine

“Refreshing…A joy to read…Much like When Harry Met Sally but with way more angst (and sex). Doyle creates a strong, winning chemistry between Molly and Seth…A smart, slightly meta romance that plays out like the best movies.” ―Kirkus (starred review)

“Doyle, who writes historical romance as Scarlett Peckham (“Society of Sirens” series), pens her first contemporary, a unique, sizzling second-chance rom-com with an HEA that will leave readers cheering.” ―Library Journal

And this is fun – “Featuring bright purple sprayed edges!” on the hardcover edition.

https://amzn.to/4ck9YoZ

This is the author’s first contemporary romance, and as far as I’m concerned, she hit it out of the park. The timeline is occasionally bouncy, but it was done in a way that made it very clear, which is not always accomplished in fiction. The story takes place over five years, with a glimpse back fifteen years earlier when Molly and Seth were inseparable, and in love. But Molly dumps Seth with no explanation and ghosts him for the next fifteen years.

Molly has left Florida for the spoils of California; she has become a screenwriter, writing romcoms and hoping to the the new Nora Ephron. She has some success, but is sort of stuck lately. Her oldest friends convince her to attend their 15 year high school reunion, and she reluctantly agrees. Her doubts about this adventure come home to roost when she ends up sitting next to her ex.

Seth moved to Chicago and became a very successful family lawyer, AKA a divorce lawyer. Molly’s parents had divorced when she was a kid and he knew how devastating that was for her, so she is shocked to learn he is practicing in that area. So we have the woman who writes happily every afters, but who doesn’t believe in them, and the divorce lawyer who actually does.

Seth has dated a lot – he tends to rush his relationships to the next level in hopes of finding his soulmate. It never works out for him, maybe because he believes deep in heart and subconscious that you only get one soulmate, and Molly was his.

Molly and Seth end up having a very hot one night stand during the reunion weekend, and make a bet about the outcome of five couples currently in relationships. They are one of the couples. The next five years are a rollercoaster ride for both of them, and just when I was convinced that there was no way for this couple to ever get together and move forwards. the author takes me there.

This was a bit of an emotional read for me; my parents also divorced when I was a kid, and I still have issues with it. But it was also a fun and funny romcom – I wouldn’t mind seeing this on the big screen! I don’t think I’ve read her historical romances (written by Scarlett Peckham,) but I will be seeking those out.

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JUST SOME STUPID LOVE STORY by Katelyn Doyle. Flatiron Books (June 4, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1250328090. 336p.

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This entry was posted on Friday, July 5th, 2024 at 9:00 AM and is filed under Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.