A nice contemporary romance debut featuring a Hollywood star and her assistant. It's a SLOW burn of a novel that focuses on the development of a solid, trusting work relationship to a friendship to eventual girlfriend-dom. It thoughtfully navigates the #MeToo movement and addresses racism in Hollywood while meandering through the romance storyline. It's sweet, and there's lots of pining and teasing the growing feelings between these women, so if you love the excitement of anticipation, this is definitely your book!

WHEW, what a dud this was.

honestly it had a fairly decent start and had a few funny lines. but when we got to the 35% mark and I still felt zero chemistry or sexual tension between our main characters I started to worry.

now I understand that slow burn romances are a thing but this was more like a sluggish simmer. we didn’t even get a kiss until 85%. not even a KISS in a ROMANCE. truly what did I read this for?

let me tell you if I wanted to read this for boring and infuriating main characters I got what I wanted. emma, our assistant character, was mad for about 15% of the book because jo, her boss, and her sister were friends. FRIENDS. no jealousy at all, just friends. and she was SO MAD about it!! this is just one example of how the miscommunication trope was used and it honestly wasn’t even spicy to the conflict. it was just annoying.

overall this was immensely boring and flavorless which is a shame because my fellow queer ladies deserve way better. if you want a melodramatic book about show business with a subplot of a bland romance that doesn’t bring anything to the table until the 75%, here ya go. I hope you enjoy.

Unfortunately I just could not get into this book. I tried twice -- the first time I read about 20%, and put it down for about 10 days, and then I picked it up and read another 15%. But at 35% I'm going to call it quits.

I love the premise, but I just found the writing style to be clunky, overly wordy, and sadly not for me.

I want to like this book-I am so happy that main stream publishers are looking to same sex characters and stories-but the age difference and power difference in this book between the characters made me uncomfortable. Yes, I know that it was handled delicately but still-why? Knowing what we know, why have the age difference at all?

I just finished this book, literally just set it aside, and I almost feel like I never even read it. It was like it was a Wikipedia article of a book or movie: scenes slimmed down to summary-size, huge chunks of time and movement passing before my eyes in a blink, page after page after page. I feel like I skimmed this book more than I actually read it, that's how little seems to happen here. Even at the end - when we're building up to that moment that alllll romance novels build up to - there were these summarization-style passages: they had dinner, their conversation became relaxed, they sat on the couch. And fine, we know what they had for dinner, but...why can't we see how their conversation became relaxed? Why can't we see what they talk about as they're falling in love? Isn't that what we're here to read about, those little moments?

Now, fine, there are a few moments like that elsewhere in the book but, to be honest, a lot of them felt summarized too. Or at least it felt like they were talked about way, way more than they were actually shown. (In this way, honestly, the author could not have picked a more perfect title for the book.) There is so much discussion of feelings and the appropriateness of said feelings and why this character is currently feeling this feeling that it felt like a bunch of therapy sessions stacked together. And look, I get wanting to make a point to the reader like, it's okay if you've been in this position, it's okay to have feelings like this...but there comes a point where these therapy-talk conversations strain credulity - especially when they come from side characters who seem to exist purely for the sake of having these conversations.

Which was another thing: the characters here barely felt fleshed out. There are a whole host of characters who exist to seemingly just support or tease the main characters, and yes, their own lives are alluded to, but never enough for them to feel truly real to me. Hell, to be honest, the world in general here is strikingly devoid of detail. There will be instances where we'll get a glimpse at depth and description - Jo's past, what happens to Emma on set - but no sooner will these potentially major plots come into view than they're whisked away into another summarization. And those always felt like such a lost opportunity to me, because there was SO MUCH that could have been delved into here. Jo's backstory alone would've been worth another chapter or three.

I really, really did want to fall in love with these characters, but ultimately, there was simply not enough depth and detail in them or in this world to hold me.

CW under spoiler tags: [off-page parental death from cancer (years before book starts); on-page asthma attack that requires medical attention; on-page sexual harassment and an ensuing #metoo storyline; on-page fight/difficulties with toxic parent (hide spoiler)]

Don't get discouraged by the 3 star rating. SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT is a well-written and polished f/f debut; unfortunately, the execution of the slow burn and the languidness of the relationship development didn't appeal to me. I liked the book, but didn't love it. And that's fine! Not every book is for every reader, and SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT will deservedly receive love and accolades. Read other reviews and an excerpt to figure out if it'll be a good match for your reading preferences.

Not gonna write a longform review, but here are some brief thoughts:

1) The age gap + boss/employee trope is handled very well. I liked the navigation of consent dynamics, particularly around the problematic aspects of the boss/employee trope. It's generally not something I enjoy, but the thoughtfulness in execution made it wonderful here.

2) I enjoyed the Hollywood setting and I thought the brief #metoo subplot was handled well. I wish that it hadn't disappeared suddenly. In the middle of the book, it seemed like it was going to be this big storyline... it wasn't. It took the spotlight for a few chapters and then quietly went away. It felt like a wasted opportunity, especially because I wanted to learn more about the aftermath and the Cassandra Project. Still, what little there is on page handled the topic with sensitivity and empathy toward the victimized women.

3) Emma is Jewish and Jo is Chinese-American. As I am neither Jewish nor Chinese-American, I am unqualified to assess the rep and will defer to #ownvoices reviewers. From my limited perspective, these are some things I noticed. The only Chinese spoken out loud is the word "Aiyah" (per google: an exclamation of surprise, dismay, and exasperation). There is a scene where Jo speaks in Cantonese with a family member. Jo's ethnicity affects her career and history in Hollywood. Jo's best friend is also Chinese-American and she has a good relationship with her brother; I'm happy that she isn't isolated from her community. Nothing struck me as offensive or problematic (keep in mind that I might have missed something, so this isn't a definitive assessment).

I am disappointed in the packaging of the book. I wish Jo's ethnicity is evident from the cover and blurb. Jo's legal surname Cheung isn't in the blurb (her stage name is Jo Jones). Jo's face isn't showing on the cover, either. It's just the back of the neck. Once you know she's Chinese, the skin color is easier to recognize as not being white. But it's not 100% obvious from just glancing at the cover. I really wish that the blurb/cover art made an effort to center Jo's ethnicity so that it's impossible to miss. I didn't even realize that one of the MCs was Chinese-American until I started reading the book.

4) I enjoy slow-burns and assumed this book would be perfect for me. After I finished reading it, I came to a revelation. I only like slow burns with the following criteria: 1) it can be slow initially, but it needs to heat up intensely once the MCs begin a relationship, 2) it can't be slow for the entire book; I need a romantic confession/being in love for at least 30% of the book, and 3) I don't like slowness when most of the pining/angst happens in one's head and not between the couple.

I'm sure you can see where this is going, right? SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT isn't just a slow burn; it's the slowest burn that I have EVER read. I love slow burns, but this was too slow for the reasons described above! For good reasons (Emma is Jo's assistant), they don't make a romantic declaration of interest for a long time ("long time" being the 92% marker of the book). The first deliberate kiss is at the 85% marker. The first and only on-page sex scene occurs at the very end of the book. These things are all fine, but it took SO LONG to get to the romantic declaration. I was bored/tired by the time we got there. Emma and Jo are adorable together, but I couldn't handle 80% of the book being two different inner monologues of pining/unrequited love on either side.

I would've liked the book more had the romantic confession occurred earlier. Emma and Jo talk about their romantic feelings to OTHER people all the time; it's all they ever muse and pine about. But they rarely talk or address it to EACH OTHER. Most of the action (aka pining) in the book occurs in their heads. I prefer slow-burns where both parties are aware that the other one is interested in them. Here, Emma thinks that Jo has a secret girlfriend until the last quarter of the book. At a certain point, you just want to scream at them to set a proposal date already. It was less of a slow burn and more... slow.

YMMV of course. For all the reasons above, I don't think I am the correct audience for this book. If you're into everything I just described, you'll love SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT and I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute lesbian romance novel, which I do believe the world needs more of. However I found it to be shallow, ordinary, and predictable in terms of the storyline and character development. The author identifying and non-binary I would have liked to see more gender non-conforming characters in the book and more depth to the main characters. Nonetheless , it is a cute easygoing read which can be a good thing. Great beach or pool-side story.

Well, this book was exactly what I needed right now with all the uncertainty in the world. Queer, heartwarming, hopeful, and there is BAKING!!

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT is as promised: a wlw romcom set in the deep dark wilds of Hollywood. Having been an assistant myself, I'm familiar with the power dynamics when coming up in the industry, and this book covers it pretty well. Ok, to the romance part: I love a slow burn. The slower the better. I like to form an attachment to the characters before they realize they are into one another, and this book is right on the slow-burn money. Other things I appreciated: consent-positive, sexual harassment, gender politics--all handled respectfully. Aside from a couple of very small things (personally, I prefer less eye rolling and name usage, and also, 40 isn't that old...) this book is a solid 4.5 that I didn't want to put down. Can't wait to shout about it on my Instagram!

Okay this book was soooo fun!!! I had a few issues with it, but I think I'll settle for a 3.5⭐ rating!!

PROS :
• f/f romaaaance!! Need I say more? YES. Because one of them is middle aged and one is in her mid twenties and I LOVE how this normalizes age differences in relationships 🎉🎉🎉
• I really appreciated how queer rep was represented and defended in this book, as well as how sexual harassment in the film industry was dealt with. The reaction from the confident was IMPECCABLE
• Loved loved loved how a powerful, rich woman uses her money and influence to help other women who don't have her ressources
• Badass babes uplifting each other
• Intricate, diverse relationships with their friends and family
• The SMUT at the end!! I needed MOREEEE
• I loved the ABSENCE of "oh, this is my first time with another woman, bla bla bla". No. They were both very established in their sexuality
• Very diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds

CONS :
• At one point I was aggravated by what felt like a childish spat and it lasted for WAAAAAY too long. This happened a few times throughout the book
• I felt like the two POVs could sometimes be confusing. The way they were formulated, sometimes I really couldn't tell who's POV I was reading 🙈
• Slow burn romance, which is difficult for me because I love it hard and FAST (😏🤣🤣) and I was getting impatient lol.

Despite the cons, I can't believe this is an actual debut novel!!!!! 💪

When Hollywood renaissance woman Jo Jones attends an awards ceremony with her beloved assistant, Emma Kaplan, rumors spark that the two must be dating-- and those sparks ignite a flame that neither of them are willing to admit. Trying to skirt around the rumors becomes difficult for them both, but the chemistry is undeniable. Something to Talk About is a very slow-burn, will-they-won’t-they romance between two sapphic women that many folks will find endearingly relatable, an ongoing dance of “does she like me that way, or is she just being nice?” that so many of us experience in our love lives.

Differently queer women? Check. Comeuppance for toxic masculinity? Check. Kissing? Check.

This is a very charming story about two women who work in Hollywood and must confront their feelings for each other after tabloids speculate about the nature of their relationship. I appreciated how respectful they were of each other the whole way.

This book gave me butterflies. Every fake dating au I have ever needed and wanted. I want to live in this book, with these characters.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it turns out I liked it but didn't love it. I'm SO HERE for more f/f romance, and I always have fun with things set in Hollywood, so I was prepared to really love this. I mean, the two main characters go to an awards show together, and yes I want to read that, yes yes yes. But there were some issues for me.

The first thing is that no one is kidding about this being a slow burn. The amount of angst spent on thinking about things that almost happened but didn't made me lose patience a bit. At some point it actually reads sort of immature to me for a book about adults. I hate to say that.

The second issue intersects with the first. The tension is mostly external-- it's a boss and a subordinate, so the tension is in the power imbalance. That combined with the slow burn means there just has to be a lot of plot about undoing a power imbalance, and yes, GREAT, but I guess I just want to read a book where people are together more than they are handwringing about how to be together.

The weirdest thing for me was that this has a sexual harassment plotline. It's real, we all know it, but it was really left hanging, and I kind of felt like I was more traumatized by it than the characters themselves seemed to be? Which is certainly possible. I just wasn't expecting it in a book with a lot of "romcom" trappings and the resolution left me really unsatisfied.

Still, I am always a sucker for a story line that involves a person finally recognizing want they want in life and verbalizing it and going for it and getting support. It just always makes me happy!

*** Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. ***

What a wonderful story! I loved the character development between Jo and Emma. This story was had humor, sadness, anger, basically all the feels you want in your romance novels. The chemistry between these 2 women was electric. The author knows how to build the sexual tension in the best kind of way. I'd recommend this title to anyone who enjoys and good love story.

Boss/employee romances are tricky because of the power dynamic, and this one does a very good job of navigating that. Told in alternating viewpoints, the love story told is a sweet slow burn that will be an excellent addition to contemporary romance collections-both for personal and public libraries.

There is a lot to talk about in "Something to Talk About"...

Emma Kaplan is the assistant for Hollywood's powerhouse, Jo Jones. Former child star turned producer and writer, Jo is strong, confident, and a total boss. When Jo invites Emma to join her for an awards ceremony, a photographer captures the two of them sharing a laugh... and the entire world presumes they are dating. They are not. Why would you even think that? But as the rumors continue to swirl, both Jo and Emma are realizing that those gossipy tabloid rumors may have some truth: that they do have feelings for each other. Not that they can or will act on them. Right?

A lovely f/f slow-burn romance, Wilsner's fantastic debut has bright heroines full of depth and liveliness, handles real issues seamlessly, and will have you eagerly turning the pages, screaming at Jo and Emma to just kiss already! Also really love all the details about working in Hollywood, to include the glamour, the mundane, and the ugly.

Seriously, you should be talking about this! It is the queer f/f romance you’ve been looking for. Thank you so much to @berkleypub for sending an advanced copy my way last week (and netgalley e-copy this week!).

Jo, a famous Chinese-American Hollywood writer, and Emma, her Jewish assistant, are photographed looking cozy on the red carpet, and rumors start to fly. As Jo is wrapping up her work on a successful TV series and starts to work on the script for a James Bond-type movie, the two women get closer, and the paparazzi continues to read into their every move. How will that impact Emma’s move to a new position and Jo’s first foray into movies? Do they actually have feelings for each other or have rumors just gotten out of control?

I finished reading this book at 1:30am the day after I received it, so clearly I loved it a whole lot. 😂 It is a slow-burn queer romance featuring two strong-willed, ambitious women. As a post-#metoo office romance, the power dynamics of their relationship were handled extremely well. Jo was very very careful not to abuse her position of power. Throughout the book, they both lifted each other up and made each other better. There were some miscommunication plot points as they were each silently figuring out their feelings for each other, but these didn’t feel over the top or dragged out. This whole book was a romp.

It took me a little while to get into this book but once I did I was glad I stuck with it. Jo is a child actor and a writer for a hit TV series. She has been slated to write for the new Agent Silver movies, but it hasn't been announced yet just rumors. She invited her personal assistant to the SAG awards with her in order to serve as a buffer. While on the red carpet the reports start asking about Agent Silver so Emma steps in and says something funny to Jo and the picture that is taken says 1000 words or 1000 wrong words and now the world thinks they are dating.

I'm a sucker for a slow burn and anything about movie stars, so this was the perfect combination. I'll definitely be looking for more titles by this author.

I loved this book so, so much. It was such a slow burn it was excruciating, but oh boy was it worth it.

Emma and Jo were both such great, strong characters in their own rights. Jo is so admirable for what she's gone through as a woman of color in Hollywood, and how she stood up for the racism she faced in the show she was on as a child. Emma is so bright and strong and I loved how she stood up for herself throughout the book.
I also loved the friendships in the book. Emma and Avery, and Jo and Evelyn had the most fantastic friendships I've seen in a long time. The support between these women was just so wonderful.

The romance here was sooooo slow burn. There is a miscommunication-type trope throughout much of the book, but I think it is justified given the further plot of the book. I really liked how Jo and Emma would get close to finally admitting their feelings to each other, but then they'd pull back for reasons. They were so respectful of each other always, and the consent between them was amazing. There wasn't a lot of physical affection between Jo and Emma, but the little there was...it was so good.

Overall, I loved this book so, so much. I think the tease and slow burn got to be a little too much eventually, and their first kiss was a little confusing/too vaguely written. But, this was the wlw romance book I've been waiting for, and I want everyone to read it when it comes out!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my review!*