This is a romance about two rival radio workers (a producer and a star reporter) who find themselves faking a former relationship, and a podcast, to get ahead at work. An interesting premise, but unfortunately their connection felt shallow and not particularly well developed. It was difficult to get a sense of what the characters actually liked about each other. The banter was enjoyable, however.

3.5 stars!

this had a very interesting premise but dragged at times. to be honest i feel like i don’t have many feelings about this book, which isn’t a great thing. i read romance because i want to feel a whole whirlwind of emotions and this was just a little lackluster for me.

i also struggled with how Shay handled the third act conflict. i would still be interested in things that Rachel Lynn Solomon writes though!

If it were practical to change those 5 stars to an infinite number of stars, I would do it in a heartbeat. Because 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘹 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘬 deserves 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬.⁣
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After reading a few “impractical” romances here lately, that of 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐲 and 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜 just makes so much sense. It’s a true breath of fresh air.⁣
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The premise is fantastic, the characters are likable, and I’m kind of really partial to the whole podcast-but, as I host a podcast with my husband! (🎙 @anovelconsole) And when things got steamy, boy did that heat get turned up to the highest levels and had me needing a fan in the best way. 🔥🥵

“I love you. I love you so much. I love your radio voice and your cast-iron skillets and the way you wrapped my dog in a T-shirt when he was scared, and I even love your Beanie Baby collection.”


From this day on, I will read everything that Rachel Lynn Solomon writes.

I loved this book. Shay and Dominic are so cute and amazing, their banter, their chemistry, the way their relationship is portrayed in the book. I am in love.

I started this book thinking that maybe I wasn’t going to enjoy so much (don’t ask me why, I don’t know either), but at the end, I was in love with it.

Shay is strong, she’s brave and resilient. Dom is smart and know what he wants. They are both strong characters and I couldn’t love them more!

I love a good enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers, and The Ex Talk is perfect for those who also enjoy this trope.

This was one of the cutest romances I’ve read this year! I loved the concept, and it made for a really unique plot and exciting romance. The chemistry was great and I really believed the sexual tension. I will be recommending this one!

I absolutely loved the chemistry between Shay and Dominic. This is the perfect enemies to lovers story and I love the Public Radio setting. The Ex-Talk was a delightful read and both of the main characters were very like able. I loved the complexity of this book and liked how realistic and relatable their story was.

The Ex-Talk was a delightful read and both of the main characters were very like able and you couldn’t help but root for them. I loved that this story had a little more depth and complexity to it than some rom-com’s. I especially liked how the conflict was realistic and I could see myself getting angry over the same thing. A lot of times when I read rom-coms I find myself rolling my eyes at the conflict and feeling like it could be solved in a page rather than multiple chapters. That was not the case with this story. I felt the conflict was completely justifiable and Shay had every right to be upset with Dom.

I absolutely loved the chemistry of Shay Dominic. This is the perfect enemies to lovers book and my favorite part of this book was the Public Radio setting. Thank you for the advanced reader copy.

what an average book! mediocre! okay....ish! other words that mean the same thing! i wish i could join the masses of readers who adored The Ex Talk, but it just wasn't enough that set it apart from the other stories i've read.

the premise was not as interesting as i'd originally hoped. maybe bc i don't listen to public radio (the number of times i open spotify in a day is truly absurd), maybe bc most of the on air banter that we saw between dominic and shay were tiny, scripted excerpts of their shows; i felt like there was so much MORE that could have been done with radio set up.

dominic + shay's relationship had a similar issue because while i never actively rooted against them, i was also never fully invested. romance is not a genre that necessarily aims to surprise, but the trajectory of their relationship was very predictable with each beat neatly hit. there was a lack of passion, fire, ZEST between them (with the exception of their sex which was SOLID STUFF and i cannot believe we had to wait so long for it). as soon as the "enemies" to lovers energy fizzled out so did my interest in their happy ending.

i definitely want to give the book props for the interesting conversation it incorporated about grief + love. the show that shay put together with her mom and phil was one of the best scenes and the comparison between shay and her mom's varying forms of grief was a really interesting element.

in the end, this was fine. a "reasonable 2.5" fine. "read it, had a time, but won't really ever think about it again" fine.

This is a great introduction to romance for readers unfamiliar with the genre since it's a blend of women's fiction and romance. Witty banter and lovable characters will delight public radio nerds and contemporary fiction fans alike.

Loved this book! It was a super cute love story, had some steamy parts but also had some nice emotional side stories (i.e. feeling lonely and like it's difficult to make friends once you meet a certain age, dealing with grief) that really added a rich layer to the book. There were also several moments I laughed out loud! I will definitely recommend this book to any contemporary romance readers. I also hope Dominic and Shay's love story can maybe continue in a sequel or be featured in some way in a future book from this author. I'll definitely be checking out her past books and look forward to what's coming next!

I loved the first half of this book. The banter was great and Shay was fun. Then once the whole radio show started up and their romance began playing out I found myself getting bored with the book and struggled to finish it.

This is a book I'm glad I read for the patrons, but isn't one I would have read for myself. I like the contrast between the two main characters, and even though it falls into some tropes, who doesn't want a trope in a romance novel?

Oh la la - this was such a fun, STEAMY, fast paced and fantastic rom com!

This is one of those books where you fall into the story from the first chapter and the pages just fly by because the writing is so immersive!

I really enjoyed the characters and the enemies to lovers trope. There was a bit of an age gap as well - I usually don't like that trope but it worked for this story!

The ending is what dropped it to a 4 star for me since it has been done many times before and felt too stale and predictable.

Overall, this is a great read but be warned about the explicit scenes!

Was not able to read before the publish date, my library has purchased several copies of this book and it seems to be doing well.

Shay has been a producer for her Seattle public radio station for over a decade. She lives for her job. She's behind the scenes even if she would love to be on-air. But when she finds out that there will be cuts, she pitches a new program where two exes talk through what went wrong. Her boss wants her to be the on-air talent, but she doesn't have an ex. In steps, Dominic, the new wonderchild at the station who Shay cannot stand and a plan is born. This is a great fake dating story with just the right amount of tension. You won't want to put it down!

I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers books and The Ex Talk is no exception. I loved the witty banter, I loved the relationship between the older woman and the male love interest. This was definitely a fun read.
Thank you to the publisher and NeGalley.

This book was a great story with plenty of frustrating moments by way of sexual tension, misogyny, and witty banter. I have read a lot of enemies to lovers, but I haven’t read one set in the radio world. Solomon shows readers that the truth will always come out in the end... and oh, did it. In an industry where the public places you on a pedestal, Dominic and Shay have to come to terms with their lives being under a microscope as they pose as exes. It is truly a great, light read for anyone who loves a nice enemies to lovers tale. PS. The masochistic boss in this book left me wanting to fight on Shay’s behalf. How could he treat her that way and then screw her over!?!?

This one was a surprise! I actually really loved The Ex Talk, in spite of the premise I wasn’t too crazy about. An enemies-to-lovers has a real draw for me (even if most of their dislike was made up)!

Shay’s whole life revolves around public radio. After losing her dad, who was obsessed with radio and turned their quiet lives into a show, she goes into public radio to tell stories about humans and life. Ten years later, she’s still producing the same afternoon show, Puget Sounds, wishing she was a host. Everything is right with the world: except her special hatred for her coworker, Dominic, whose fresh out of his masters program and thinks he knows everything.

When public radio’s slow death threatens all their jobs, Shay suggests they try a new show: The Ex Talk. Exes come on the air to talk about how their relationship imploded, hosted by exes. Shay and Dominic’s manager leaps on it, suggesting the pair pose as exes and host the show together, despite having never dated…and it’s all downhill, sparks flying from there.

I didn’t think I would like this one, to be truthful. It rode around in my car so long that the emails started coming from the library (yes, the library I work at) pleading with me to bring it back. But finally, I started it, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. I tore through half of it in an evening, and the rest it of it every moment I could over the next few days. I loved Solomon’s writing and sweet representation of her characters. It was a breath of fresh air.

I felt that Shay was really well developed as a character: her experiences with her dad dying, her relationship with her mom, her changing friendship, and her struggle to truly “grow up” were both relatable and very well written. I feel like Shay’s the kind of gal I’d be friends with in real life. She overworks, she thinks pets will fix her problems, and she has a strong dislike for people who waive their master’s degrees around. Dominic, on the other hand, was not as developed, but I think that derives from only having Shay’s perspective. We’re in her head, while Dominic we only get from her interpretation of him. Honestly, though, they’re the most complete people I’ve read in a romance in a while, and I liked that there was more at play here than their love story. Family drama and reckoning with their loneliness as a result of their jobs and lifestyle was a great cultural tie in that I think we all need to read sometimes.

The one thing about this book I wasn’t *really* digging was all the radio talk. Felt like a lot. I’m not a podcast person, and podcasts play a pretty big role in this book. I actually feel like I missed some character development I would’ve picked up on if I knew more about the subject matter. It was still unique, cute, and definitely latches onto a trend of the moment though, and I didn’t mind it!

All in all, a great read I would recommend. The romance is just too cute, and the storyline too fun. A copy of The Ex Talk was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (For clarification, I received the ARC but ended up reading my library’s paperback copy). Check it out!!

HOLY CRAP BATMAN! THIS BOOK! WOW! WORDS ARE HARD RIGHT NOW!!

First off it's hilarious, the chemistry is off the charts. The banter is life goals and yall the drama and pretends dating and love story equals swoon until you pass out!

BEST BOOK OF 2021

READ THIS BOOK! BUY THIS BOOK! MARRY THIS BOOK!