A very sweet but slow-moving romance between a Chinese American actress turned screenwriter and her Jewish American assistant. Wilsner is constantly aware of the power dynamics implied by the set-up and they take their time to make sure that both the characters and the reader are reassured that everything is completely consensual. I really appreciate that, but be aware going in that it means a truly agonizing amount of mutual pining is required to set up the HEA. It's quite light on sex (I think there's only the one scene, and it happens after feelings have been declared) and you don't get any romantic resolution until something like 9/10 of the way through the book. There's a subplot about the #MeToo movement (Emma, the assistant, is sexually harassed by a director she idolized; as soon as she explains the situation to her boss, Jo immediately supports her both verbally and with practical action) but no rape, for anyone who needs trigger warnings. Despite the cover copy, this is NOT a fake dating for the tabloids story, which if I'm honest I was a little disappointed by. The actual plot is perfectly engaging but it's not the tropey garbage I was expecting! I did enjoy how prominent friends and family are throughout the book, especially Emma's sister and Jo's best friend, who have consistent characterization rather than just showing up whenever a convenient sounding board is required. Definitely recommended to anyone looking for a lesbian romance you can dig your teeth into.

A sweet romance about a Hollywood director and her assistant, and their journey to find love. This was an EXTREMELY slow burn romance -- most of the book is spent in their feelings, dancing around each other until things align. It's full to the brim with representation, and it's certainly written for the modern age. The writing itself is easy; it's sweet and straight to the point.

I'm always happy to read a good wlw romance, but this one tested my limits; there's a lot of... nothing. Conflicts are brief and wrapped up quickly and often without a lot of issues, making it repetitive as new conflicts are entered into the plot.

Definitely a sweet read, and I'm glad to have read it. It could use another round of tightening up, but I think it will be well-loved among plenty of people!

I thought this was super cute! Lord knows we need more wlw romcoms in mainstream fiction and I'm very glad this exists. I did think there would be more of a Fake Dating plot, though looking at the blurb again I guess that was me making an assumption about the plot rather than the book not delivering on a promise. This is a fun romcom and I would definitely recommend it to romance readers looking for f/f romance.

4.5 stars

Within a chapter or two I knew that I loved the writing. The smart and crisp style was what made it such an easy read for me, but the banter was what had me smiling and chuckling. It didn’t hurt that I was easily captivated and enchanted, thanks to an original plot, and lots of wonderful characters.

Here are the few things you should know about Something To Talk About:

The novel is the epitome of a SLOW BURN romance comparable to Mariana Zapata.

The story is fabulously romantic, sweet, and has lots of tension between the two main characters.

Something to Talk About is full of amazing female characters.

And it doesn’t read at all like debut novel.

AND it’s set in and about Hollywood – enough said.


I adored the book, and read it in just two sittings. I wasn’t even bothered by the back and forth, and the missed opportunities, because it felt right, especially in context with Hollywood. The author also touched on a very timely subject, in a very sensitive way, which I appreciated.

I probably enjoyed the relationship between Jo and Emma the most, but I adored the support that both received from friends, siblings and Emma’s family. In short, the book was uplifting, had a feel good vibe, and was definitely swoony.

For a debut novel it was almost perfection. Jo and Emma’s internal monologues sometimes took over, but overall I didn’t mind too much. The author’s style of writing was what I enjoyed the most. I easily connected with both of the characters, that’s not an easy thing to do. And finding a new author for my never ending tbr was just the cherry on top. Because that’s actually my top most goal each year. Find new favorite authors. And I definitely did that with Meryl Wilsner.

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner follows Jo a powerhouse writer for Hollywood's hottest TV show and Emma her assistant. The two are caught in a photo laughing together that sparks a rumor. Are they dating? Are they more than work partners. What follows is a cute story of two women who are more in common than they think.

Okay so here is what I thought. This is great queer literature. This may be the most realistic romance novel I have read that incorporates the workplace to an extreme degree. If you want to read a novel where the workplace is a central figure of the story and has a discussion of sexual harassment, Hollywood industry standards, and the absurdity of the press, this is your jam.

For queer literature I am giving this four stars. But if I was judging this just as a romance novel I would have to give it three stars. It hurts to do that but I do have some concessions with the flow of the romance.

The author is a #ownvoices and we desperately need more diverse voices in romance fiction.

I was just frustrated reading this book. They don't kiss until 86 percent of the way through the book. I was screaming at them the entire time to just smosh their faces together all ready. The first 10 percent of the book had me intrigued. I loved watching them get ready to go to the awards ceremony together. There was definite zings felt. But then the rest of the book goes into an in depth detail of their work. I like a little more fantasy in romance I guess? But the romance felt real. This could be a real couple and how they fell in love. In real life finding your soulmate is a slow process with false starts.

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

I am so happy that this book exists. It is absolutely no secret that the F/F subgenre of adult romance is severely underrepresented, and having this book with this stunning cover and intriguing premise will surely find readers who have been looking for more representation, and that is only a great thing. But I sadly wasn't as blown away as I had hoped I would be. The writing here just felt a bit stiff, the dialogue stilted. And the blurb had given me a different idea about the type of romance we would be getting, which was a slight disappointment. I think these criticisms are certainly personal, though, and I feel sure this book will find its audience who will fall for it.

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. I never thought I would see such a book being published and marketed by a big publisher and yet here we are. This isn't a creepy or disrespectful romance. This is an exceptional romance that just happens to feature two women. The plot and conflict is so well executed and our characters are well fleshed out. I couldn't put this one down and I was dying for these two to realize their feelings for each other and act on them. There's also a beautiful look and conversation around age gaps in relationships as well as power dynamics and how those affect things. This was a swoon-worthy romance with thoughtful conversations. I want everyone to pick this one up and adore it the way I did.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Jo is a Shonda Rhimes-style show runner about to make the leap into writing for a major movie franchise and to avoid talking about it, she decides to take her assistant with her to the SAG Awards as a buffer. Emma intuitively knows Jo’s needs and genuinely wants to protect and support her, so she agrees but is overwhelmed by the red carpet experience. As a result, an awkward moment is caught by the Paparazzi and the tabloids link them as a couple. Jo’s never commented about her love life and neither woman is out to the other, but a slow (slow) burn romance starts to simmer as they deal with the fallout. This is a fun, smart story with an inside Hollywood twist—complete with an on point #metoo discussion. I also appreciated the inclusion of both women’s heritage—Emma’s through her families Jewish traditions and the nod to Jo’s Chinese roots.

I enjoyed the characters, Emma and Jo, I just felt like the plot was a little weak. I thought the blurb hinted that this would be more of a fake dating plot, which I was excited for, but alas it did not happen. I'm still glad we're starting to get more lesbian romances out there!

Sweet and funny, romantic and fun, an interesting inside-Hollywood story. Very enjoyable, I am recommending it to my friends as well as to the library for purchase

(I don't do negative reviews, but NetGalley pushed me for 100 words. Great cover, great scenario ... the characters' motivations and actions just seem more inauthentic than are needed to make the plot/relationship unfold in a satisfying way.)

This was such a fun debut. I loved the Hollywood insights, which isn't anything I typically care about, but the author did a great job balancing the glamour with all the bits going on behind the scenes. I especially appreciated how racism and sexism in the industry were presented realistically without changing the tone of the story overall. And of course, Jo and Emma's relationship was fantastic. There were times I wanted them to move faster because they were so great together and the UST was ridiculous, but it was all worth it in the end.

This book was beautifully written and I adored seeing the internal struggle of going with the flow with their feelings or staying professional and not risking that relationship. I also loved watching the effects of questioning rumors opposed to if they are true feelings. I loved this book!

Jo Jones is a no nonsense Hollywood writer. Emma is her life saving assistant. When rumors start swirling that this is more of a romance than a business partnership things start getting interesting. Sweet, funny, thought provoking...definitely read this book!

This book is a delicious bite of sweetness and spicy romance and I loved it. Jo and Emma are unaware of their attraction until Hollywood award show paparazzi spot it and make it Something to Talk About. Jo is Emma’s boss on a TV series and she takes ever so long to figure out she has a crush. Jo is sure there is no way to have a relationship within the boss/employee dynamic. Emma, also struggling, knows her mind much sooner but keeps getting mixed signals from her boss. The main and even supporting characters are well drawn, real and just a hoot! The plot builds slowly for an explosive end but has twists, turns and reveals enough to add more interest.
I really appreciated the sensitive way sexual harassment in the workplace, especially in Hollywood, is dealt with. Jo should struggle with the implications of the power dynamic as she is the boss. I thought it fitting that they not come together until both have finished the common job and moved on to the next.

What a fun, infuriating, endearing slow burn! This book will have you rooting for love from page one and will keep you hooked while you wait and wait AND WAIT. Rewrite the lyrics because according to Wilsner, the waiting is the best part.

When Jo Jones is seen laughing with her assistant at the SAG Awards, rumors that they are dating spread, but Jo hasn't publicly commented on her love life in 30 years and she's not about to start now. Curiously, as they deal with the fallout, Emma and Jo begin to realize their feelings aren't quite so platonic.

Something to Talk About is a very sweet and slow burning romance. While a star/assistant relationship could easily be manipulative, great care is taken to make certain that this is not the case. In fact, this is a stumbling block for the couple -- they worry greatly (so, so much) about optics and consent.

Emma's Jewish family--particularly her sister--is lovely to see represented on the page. By the end there are family bets on when Emma and Jo will get together. Jo taking down racism and sexism in Hollywood, too, is cathartic in a time where it feels like there are so few consequences.

At times the romance felt a little too slow burn, but the story was always fun, and always queer, and thus enjoyable.

While sweet, and a definitely appreciated addition to the genre, this was just too dull and simple for me. The writing had its moments but was mostly stiff and formulaic. One of those cases where I'm happy it exists - but I couldn't make myself care enough to get to the end.

A very sweet, slow-burn queer romance that explores quite a few really interesting dynamics. Not only do we have an employer/employee relationship that is hyperaware of power imbalances and how this affects consent, but there is also a discussion of the #MeToo movement, racism, sexuality, and fame. The relationship between Emma and Jo was cute, endearing, and of course sometimes frustrating (as comes with the territory of a slow-burn romance), but the social commentary at large is what really made this one shine for me. 5 out of 5 shining stars. Meryl Wilsner is definitely going to be someone I keep on the lookout for in the future.

OH.MY.GOD. OBESSED WITH THE BOOK
1. Loved the chemistry between Jo and Emma
2. Loved the way Wilsner handled the power imbalance
3. The Cassandra project was topical AF
4. I just loved it!

Only thing was I was practically ready to throw my kindle towards the end waiting for these women finally get down to business. I am just too impatient for slow burns but I so enjoyed their journey and watching them fall in love.