A Most Anticipated Book (Publishers Weekly, Paste Magazine, The Nerd Daily, Professional Book Nerds, Culturess, ScreenRant, and more!)
“Wise and satisfying…While there are plenty of stories out there that say love conquers all, this one actually shows how and why. And that’s as surprising as it is satisfying.”
—BookPage
“This is one you should add to your summer reading or beach read list. You will laugh, cry, cringe, and smile throughout the entire story.”
—Chick Lit Central
“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)
“A unique, sizzling second-chance rom-com with an HEA that will leave readers cheering.”
—Library Journal
“Seth’s devotion is sure to win readers over…Doyle’s winking inclusion of typical rom-com tropes adds some fun as Molly and Seth figure out if they’re soul mates…Satisfies in the end.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Doyle perfectly balances first loves and second chances in this stunning debut. Hilarious and heartfelt, Just Some Stupid Love Story is filled with the kind of romcom magic movies are made for, and Molly deserves every impossible, lovely moment.”
—Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics
“I devoured Just Some Stupid Love Story: like its lead characters, this book is both relentlessly clever and unapologetically sweet, a magic-potion mix that kept me reading late into the night...Doyle has created characters that feel as modern and as messily real as the people you know you love.”
—Kate Clayborn, author of Georgie, All Along
“If you’ve ever loved any stupid love story, you’ll love this (perfect, delightful, very smart) stupid love story. Just read it. Now.”
—KJ Dell’Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters
“The second chance romance of my dreams—funny, sexy, and tender all at once.”
—Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care
04/01/2024
Fifteen years ago, Molly ended a long-term relationship with her high school boyfriend Seth after witnessing her parents' messy, painful divorce. Now that she writes rom-com screenplays for a living, she's even more cynical about love. Seth, now a divorce lawyer, is, ironically, the exact opposite—he can't wait to get married. He hasn't had any luck finding a soulmate though and can't seem to forget the girl who broke his heart in high school. At their high school reunion, Seth and Molly are seated at the same table, and the talk turns to the couples around them. Seth proposes a bet. They'll pick out five couples and predict whether or not they'll still be together at the 20th reunion. As the years pass, their hunches seem to be spot on. But what about Seth's prediction that he and Molly will get together? The plot stretches Molly and Seth's rekindled romance out over the years between reunions, following them through missed chances, crossed wires, and one-night stands as readers wonder if their lives will ever sync up. VERDICT 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.—Heather Miller Cover
★ 2024-04-05
Two former high school sweethearts with completely different views on love reconnect at their 15-year reunion.
Molly Marks and Seth Rubenstein were very much in love as teenagers, even though they had vastly different personalities. Molly was cynical and jaded from her parents’ terrible divorce, while Seth was cheerful and believed in soul mates. But, somehow, they worked…until Molly unceremoniously dumped him at the end of high school. The two haven’t talked since, but they end up seated next to each other at their 15th high school reunion, where they discover they’re still attracted to each other—even if Seth is now a divorce lawyer, a job that horrifies Molly. They get drunk on too many cocktails and hook up, but Molly knows it doesn’t mean anything—she may write Hollywood rom-coms for a living, but she knows happily-ever-afters exist only in the movies. Seth, however, thinks Molly’s choice of job means there must be a hidden romantic in there somewhere, and he swears she’ll fall in love with him eventually. He’s so certain, they make a bet: They must predict the romantic fate of five different couples from their school…including each other. As the years pass, Molly and Seth keep reconnecting, much like When Harry Met Sally but with way more angst (and sex). Doyle, who also writes historical romance under the name Scarlett Peckham, creates a strong, winning chemistry between Molly and Seth. Many of their connections happen at different points during the pandemic, which brings in a bit of realism that never feels too heavy. It’s refreshing that Seth is a male romance lead with wide-eyed optimism and a deep desire to start a family, while Molly is the skeptical one who runs from commitment. Even though their would-be romance is thwarted at every turn by other partners, distance, and their own hang-ups, Doyle keeps the story interesting enough—with plenty of zingy dialogue and interesting side characters—that it’s always a joy to read.
A smart, slightly meta romance that plays out like the best movies.
