What a fun read! The romance between Shay and Dominik builds beautiful. It integrates a traditional love story with modern flair of social media and a wide array of characters. It tackles love, loss, and professional fear in such heart-twisting ways, I cried while reading it. Beautiful, laugh out loud hilarious, and a love letter to podcasts and radio.

(4.5 Stars) - Sweet office romance in a public radio setting. Shay has worked in Seattle public radio for 10 years always behind the scenes. Dominic is younger, fresh from graduate school with a degree in journalism and wants to be an investigative reporter. I won't say they are opposites or enemies but people with different agendas. When the station manager hears their banter he decides they should host a new relationship show. They pretend they are Ex's giving a hook to the show. As the shows popularity grows so does the attraction.

The characters have real depth. Shay, shared a love a radio with her dad who died during her senior year. Her mom is planning to remarry. Dominic is Korean-American and has only been in one long term relationship that lasted all through college. The side characters, best friends, parents and co-workers are all well thought out and add to the story telling. The public radio details were enriching. Over all a fun contemporary rom-com.

Extra kudos for being diverse and inclusive. I will now think "WWAMWMD" when I have choices and challenges before me. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley, Penguin Random House for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Fun and witty. As a book that focuses on content from radio and features how people would talk on air, this boo's writing nails that aspect perfectly. It's so alive and the writing is just phenomenal to make you feel like the parts that are radio are something you're experiencing as such and not just reading.

Very cute! I loved the premise of this rom-com (although the whole thing was a little far-fetched and...ethically gray, lol), and I thought the banter between the two leads was so delightful (and bonus points for how the author incorporated radio / podcast transcripts, tweets, etc., into the text). The exploration of grief and loneliness, especially, added extra depth to the story. One of those books that leaves you feeling warm inside!

Thank you Rachel Lynn Solomon for writing this absolutely fantastic book! I loved "The Ex Talk" so much. The plot was so fun while also dealing with important topics of grief and love and learning how to redefine oneself. Shay Goldstein was such a loveable character and even so, she's allowed to mess up and make terrible decisions in this book that made her all the more real. And having her be this tough and quirky Jewish protagonist made me so happy. That representation that is present in all of Rachel's books means the world. The love interest, Dominic Yun was also such a fantastic character, and I loved getting to know more about him as the book went on. I absolutely loved him. I also loved the way this book spoke to the power of radio & storytelling and the love and human connection it fosters. I've been a longtime lover of public radio and podcasts (a love, that like Shay's, came from my dad) and I loved seeing that looked at in such a direct way. Overall, I thought this book was a really fun time and I definitely look forward to more of Rachel Lynn Solomon's books!!

I loved this book! It made me smile so much and shed some happy tears throughout reading. Thank you Rachel Lynn Solomon for a story about diversity with Shay being Jewish, Dominic being Korean, Ameena being Indian and Phil being Nigerian. As a Jew, it was so nice to read a love story about a character who is like me and thank you for the mentions throughout of Shay's heritage.

I loved the originality of the premise of the book, Shay and Dominic are public radio co-workers and its more than just the enemies to lovers trope. With their station in trouble, Shay a producer who has always wanted to be a voice on the radio, comes up with an idea of a show about two exes discussing their relationship. With the tension between her and Dominic, it makes perfect sense that people would think they actually dated. Now these enemies have to pretend they are friendly exes and their show becomes a hit. And of course the more time they spend together, the more they start to realize they don't hate each other that much.

Solomon made the struggles that Shay and Dominic had both at work and in their personal lives feel so authentic. As Shay struggled with nearing 30 and struggling with if she was on the right path in her life career-wise, I could completely relate since I've been there before. The honesty that Shay and Dominic shared with each other throughout made it so easy to root for the two of them to get together. I liked that Shay was five years older than Dominic and not afraid to speak her mind about things, she definitely quickly became one of my favorite characters from a book. While I did love the romance in the book, I also really enjoyed the issues it tackled with misogyny in the workplace, grief and loneliness.

The Ex Talk is a fun and fresh take on enemies-to-lovers, office romance that goes beyond these tropes. We have a Korean-American hero, a Jewish heroine, almost all-POC and LGBTQ+ characters, and a subtle but effective tackling of sexism in the workplace.
First up, our main couple Shay and Dominic were adorable together. Shay loved working for public radio because she bonded over it with her dad until before he died. She slowly worked her way up for 10 years until she became a producer of one of the radio shows. Secretly, though, she wanted to be on air. Dominic, meanwhile, recently moved back to Seattle from Chicago after finishing his masters in journalism and he's an immediate favorite of the station manager. He's serious about journalism and was given the opportunity to go on air and break a news four months after being hired. Of course, this fueled Shay's resentment towards him, even when she couldn't deny that he's good.

When Shay and Dominic were tapped to fake being exes, that's when they slowly realized they might not actually hate each other. Of course, feelings developed, which was inconvenient since their show hinges on them being fake exes. Add this conundrum to their past relationship hangups and we have a pretty good amount of angst and conflict.

From the start, Shay and Dominic had amazing banter and you could just tell that beneath the animosity is their attraction to each other. Their awkwardness around each other when they started to become friends was also really cute to witness, especially when they accidentally venture into some pretty intense flirting.

Through all these, you have the looming problem of their radio show possibly imploding, Shay not being listened to if she wasn't backed up by Dominic, and a bit of family and friends drama in their private lives. I felt the author managed to balance these topics well and the plot was flowing nicely. My only complaint is with the sec scenes, which read very stilted to me. Having read hundreds of romance books, I think I'm a good judge of whether intimacy was written well or not and those scenes here just weren't. Otherwise, this is an overall fun book with great characters, good storytelling, and a satisfying conclusion.

This review feels very boring, but I promise the book isn't lol.

I'll probably be rereading this one eventually. I loved the romantic leads and the unique premise. A whole new twist on enemies-to-lovers! As a public radio / podcast fan, i really enjoyed the setting as well. If you liked the Lake Bell film In A World..., I think you'll probably enjoy this story.


"Review based on a pre-pub provided by NetGalley"

I could not put the book down. It takes the enemies to lovers trope but adds a fun twist with them pretending to be exes on public radio. There are some very steamy scenes which I was not fully expecting after reading her previous young adult books, but there is nothing young about these pages. Love the banter between Shay and Dominic, both as colleagues who kind of hate each other as well as when they turn into friends. They feel so real and I would definitely love to hear a podcast by these two. It's not just the two main characters that make the book so fantastic either; there is a full cast of fully realized side characters from other radio show employees to family and friends. I highly recommend this book to all people who want to read a feel good romcom to start off 2021.

A super cute and pretty streamy enemies to lovers, office romance with a little fake relationship romance book.

I was expecting a little more with this book. I really did love the plot but I felt like it was a little predictable in a boring way. I was just expecting a little more!

I felt like the characters were relatable but there wasn’t much personality to them. Even though I wasn’t head over heels for this one I still highly recommend the read because I do know people have LOVED this one.

I absolutely loved the Ex Talk concept for a podcast and I think it would be so fun to listen to something like that in real life. I also could totally related to the WWAMWMD (you’ll have to read to find out about this one).

As a fan of Rachel Lynn Solomon's other new release, Today Tonight Tomorrow, I couldn't wait to read The Ex Talk. Add an enemies-to-lovers plot line about two public radio hosts who pose as exes for a new show? GIMME. Solomon totally delivers on the book's complicated, hilarious premise. Shay and Dominic have this clever chemistry that infuses all of their dialogue with life, and Solomon totally nails the passion trap of working in public radio for a sexist boss inside a scarce job market. I also related to Shay's late-twenties feeling of isolation and confusion as she realizes she isn't quite sure what she's doing with her life while everyone around her figures it out. Aside from one unnecessary joke about STDs, this is also a great depiction of safer sex practices and the necessity of direct communication in relationships. One of my favorite contemporary romances that I can't recommend highly enough.

Shay Goldstein has worked at Pacific Public Radio in Seattle for nearly a decade. Her late father sparked her devotion to radio programming and her connection to that job consoles her as she continues to grieve his loss.

Dominic Yun is fresh out of journalism grad school (his mentioning of his master’s degree turns into a running gag) and wants to be known as a serious news reporter.

When PPR needs some fresh ideas to stay afloat, Shay pitches the idea of a relationship show where two exes talk and give advice on air. Little does she realize her boss thinks the office enemies, Shay and Dominic, would be the ideal hosts.

The show, based upon a lie, quickly gains widespread attention. Then, with close proximity, they begin to fall for each other. Will their listeners accept the “exes” getting together for real this time?

Setting the story in Seattle and within the world of public radio and podcasting is fresh and interesting.

I liked both Shay and Dominic. Their backgrounds were compelling. For a sexy romance there is also depth with issues like racism in our communities and sexism in the workplace, for example. Also Shay and her bestie Ameena created a fun idea for a life strategy, WWAMWMD. (What would a mediocre white man do?)

The Ex Talk, a sexy and fun workplace enemies to lovers story with drama and heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review..

Well, that was entertaining!

Shay Goldstein has worked in the same Seattle public radio station for 10yrs. Not only is she good at her job as a producer, but she also grew up loving all things radio. At 29yrs old, she's still grieving the loss of her dad, living alone in a too-big and most-of-the-time-empty house, with her mom about to re-marry and her best friend about to leave her for a job out of town. In short, she feels utterly lonely and is currently on a hiatus from dating apps because she tends to always be the person who 1. gets attached easily, and 2. says I love you first. Her job is basically all she's got going great, until Dominic Yun.

Dominic Yun who, at the age of 24, is newly-hired at the station Shay works in, and is making incredible progress with the crew and already talking like he knows everything about being a reporter. That last fact pisses off Shay like no other. And so the hating game begins.

But when the studio looks for a brand new concept for a new show that'll attract more attention, Shay pitches "The Ex Talk", where two exes will deliver relationship advice on the air, while also figuring out what went wrong in their relationship. Once the show got the go signal, Shay takes this as an opportunity to finally be able to host her own show. Problem is, she has to co-host it with arrogant Dominic and they have to pretend they're exes with a failed relationship that they never even had.

Like I said, this was such a fun and engaging read. The characters' chemistry was better-than-average and the banters were successful in all counts. Other things that I liked:

-Shay adopted a dog and slowly learns how it is to be a dog mom
-The feminism
-The height and age differences
-The podcast episodes (all of them)
-The many relatable situations + unexpected friendships

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC!

This was so sweet and lovely! I loved the focus on public radio--I really know nothing about that so I found it super interesting. There was also definitely chemistry between the two leads. There was this one almost-kiss scene near the beginning that HAD ME like wow.
I'm giving it three stars though just because I had a little difficulty connecting with the main character. Something about her I just didn't like, and also all the grand gesture stuff at the end was a little to sappy/cliche for me. But I don't think this will necessarily be a problem for other readers.
As always, Rachel Lynn Soloman kills it and this was just super fun.

I was totally smitten with THE EX TALK, a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a public radio station. Shay Goldstein has been a producer at the local public radio station for her entire career; Dominic Yun is the new rising star, fresh from receiving a masters degree in journalism. Dominic infuriates Shay with his arrogant leaning against doorways and his distracting forearms. When the flagging station needs a creative jolt, Shay has a zany idea: a radio show featuring a former couple who discuss their relationship origin story and its demise to listeners, and offers relationship advice to the masses. The catch? Shay and Dominic are tapped to star in this new show, aptly called "The Ex Talk". Their on air chemistry and smoldering banter takes their audience by storm. But problems arise as the show rises in popularity. Readers will love to watch the lines blur between white lie and reality in this story that is full of heart and humor.

OMG! I loved this story SO much. Incredible banter, so much heart and a fantastic swoony hero. Highly recommend.

I had to stop reading The Ex Talk shortly after the two main characters launched their show. I found the details of public radio and podcasting too inaccurate to ignore, which is disappointing considering the author used to work in radio/audio. I also found the characters of color to be shoehorned for the sake of diversity, which meant they also displayed unrealistic cultural traits. As a person of color who works in audio and media, I could not suspend my imagination enough to overlook so many inaccuracies. Luckily, I left before the characters had their “dating and race” show, but even just reading them discuss the subject left me cringing and full of dread.

*Spoiler free, 4.5 stars*

I will read anything Rachel Lynn Solomon writes. She swept me off my feet with her YAs, so when her debut romance was announced, I was ecstatic to read it. It didn't even really matter what it was about, it was Rachel Lynn Solomon, so I was going to read it. But, it also sounded fantastic. Shay has to co-host a public radio show with her coworker, Dominic, who she does not like. She also has to pretend to have dated him. It's enemies-to-lovers and faking dating with a twist! Trigger warnings: loss of a parent, social anxiety

I am very happy that I now get to love Solomon's romances along with her YAs. It's double the love now.

One of the reasons I fell in love with these books in the first place was because of Solomon's writing. It's changed since her first two books, but not in a bad way! It's still one of the reasons that I fall head over heels for her books. It's crisp, and creates the most vivid picture. At the same time, it's written in a way that makes the book easy to fly through.

I have to admit. I'm not really into public radio, or even podcasts, pretty much at all. I know, that makes it weird that I was so eager to read this book, but it actually turned into one of my favorite parts of it. It was fascinating to see how public radio works and what it's all about. I also loved how fiercely Shay loved it. It takes up so much of her that it has an emotional toll on her. It's a huge part of her character and even character development, and it was done really, really well.

Speaking of Shay, I really, really liked her. She was funny and weird and just all around cute. She's trying to grapple with the fact that she's 29 and is expected to be an adult, and is expected to feel like an adult when she feels like anything but. She also feels like she has to have everything figured out and she is so far from that. She also gets attached so easily, which is something I totally got haha. All of that put together created a really great character with a really great story to tell.

I also really liked Dominic! He's a bit upright, but funny at the same time. He struggles with making friends and he wants to do hard hitting research. He's basically the opposite of Shay in so many aspects, but they are also incredibly similar in other ways!

The relationships in this book were top notch. The romantic ones, the friendships, and the familial ones. Across the board, all of them were incredibly well done. Of course, the romantic one was hilarious, sexy, funny, serious, adorable, and all around incredible. The friendships were more complicated. Sometimes they crumble and sometimes friends are in the least expected places. The familial ones brought an air of pain and deep emotion to the book that I felt added more depth and turned the book into something special. They are about grief and finding new happiness and just loving each other.

All in all, The Ex Talk was a really fantastic debut romance. It has a weird little dog, a love interest who loves cast iron skillets, Beanie babies, cluelessness, and sex in a sound booth. And that's just the tip of the ice berg!

The Ex Talk is a novel for public radio nerds, podcast fans, old school radio junkies, and romance readers who enjoy Northwest Settings. I fall into all those categories, including having actually worked in public radio before transitioning to podcasts. Though I had some issues with a couple of plot points in the novel, Solomon does a great job capturing the radio environment, the producer/talent relationship, and the development of a radio show. It's a fun, fresh setting that the author makes the most of. The main characters, Shay and Dominic, create and host a new radio show about exes who remain friends-- the only problem is that they aren't really exes. That plot bit strains believability in the super-earnest world of Public radio, but the rest of the story zips along. 4 stars for romance fans.

Ok so the plot of Rachel Lynn Solomon’s The Ex Talk is pretty different from the movie While You Were Sleeping. But also I was reminded of that goodness because:

✅enemies to lovers

✅ heroine is tied so strongly to memories of her father

✅ heroine’s life is in a state of suspension

✅ the approachability of the narration. Remember how good Sandra Bullock’s voiceover is? It’s so home-y.

✅ deception plot

The Ex Talk gave me some good feelings.

Shay Goldstein grew up loving public radio & when her boss gives her the chance to be a host she jumps on it even though she’ll be required to (1) host with her enemy, Dominic Yun & (2) lie to viewers that she & Dominic dated briefly.

Their program The Ex Talk is largely about relationships that have ended & she & Dominic will use their fake dating turned fake break-up as part of the show’s premise.

Dominic is more reluctant to do the show but caves in the end.

What could possibly go wrong? Especially when the two start realizing that the other isn’t so bad after all.

I love how straight-up of a beta hero Dominic is. How they’re both imperfect; he’s occasionally annoying & she’s realistically at times self-absorbed & not always sugar sweet. The steam. The deep convos—I felt like this couple really got to know each other. The age gap—Shay’s the oldest. How many times he says the wrong thing & then apologizes. The meditations on grief & Shay’s moving conclusions about it.

But I’ve gotta say, the overall deception plot bothered me. Probably because I’m wary about those in general; probably because there’s so much lying in & related to US politics right now that I’m a little sick of it tbh. But also, I just really don’t want people associated with the news to lie—even though Dominic & Shay’s show was more of a human interest-related show it seems to cross some not-so-small ethical lines for me.

The Ex Talk is fun, it’s sensitive, it’s authentic. It wrestles with grief & honesty & loneliness & also portrays petty fights over the best sound booth. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED it is a breath of FRESH AIR (get it?!).


4.5 ⭐️. (Might be a little high--I waffled a little--but I’m feeling what I’m feeling this morning.) The Ex Talk releases on 01/26/21. Thanks to the author for my free copy which I won in a giveaway. All opinions provided my own.