I’m so disappointed. I was so excited for this book but it was so flat. People have said it is a slow burn, but for me it was just slow. And I didn’t feel any chemistry at all. I really wanted to like this but I just couldn't. In the end this book was sadly not a good fit for me.

This was a great LGBTQ adult fiction book! The romance and attraction is something that neither Jo and Emma expect after they attend an award show. Them dealing with these feelings that begin to form is something interesting and especially since their sexual preferences are something that is not so present at the beginning, at least more with Jo to a degree. Very fun, very cute. Great book about love and attraction.

Full of humor and paparazzi, Something to Talk About is a fun lighthearted romance novel. After a picture taken at an awards ceremony gets misconstrued, former child star and current producer, Jo, and her assistant, Emma, have to fight off rumors that their relationship is something other than professional.

The character dynamics in this are very cute, particularly if you like pairings with height differences, bubbly versus stoic, and the “we can’t be together because I’m your boss” kind of stories. Although, this didn’t end up being as up my alley as I expected, it was still an enjoyable read and I found that I loved all the time spent on friendships and family.

Even if it wasn’t for me, I know it will definitely be exactly what someone else is looking for, so I still gave it 4 stars. And also because I demand more hilarious pining f/f romances with happy endings!!

Something to Talk About is a rather sweet F/F romance, set in the world of film and TV making. It's also a boss-secretary romance, of sorts - Jo is the famous director, and Emma is her PA. The power imbalance (there is also a significant age difference) are handled with sensitivity, and I liked the way the story showed this from a few different angles. The film industry centres around image and reputation and in many ways the *appearance* of having a relationship with her boss is more damaging to Emma than any internal power dynamics between them. (It helps that, like any good PA, Emma manages her boss as much as her boss manages Emma.)

There was a lot to like here. I especially liked the way the diverse backgrounds of the two heroines was handled. Emma is Jewish, though not particularly observant, and Jo is Asian-American, and this isn't the focus of the book, but their cultural backgrounds are just casually part of the scenery, and this really worked for me. I don't think I've read a book before where the heroine celebrates Hannukah or goes to talk to her rabbi after an unpleasant incident and it's not a big THING, it's just something that happens off-stage and is mentioned in passing because it's part of her life, but not something remarkable.

Speaking of unpleasant incidents, there was also a pretty good attempt made to address the issue of sexual harrassment in the film industry. I'm in two minds about this - the book is such a sweet, gentle sort of book that the sexual harrassment kind of came out of the blue and was rather a shock. It felt as though the author figured she couldn't write a Hollywood sort of book without addressing it, rather than it needing, organically, to be there.

There is also a lot of pining in this book. If you like a really, really slow burn, you will enjoy this. If, on the other hand, you like books where characters actually say what they are thinking out loud rather than brooding and misunderstanding each other for much of the book, you are going to get frustrated. I'm afraid I'm rather in the latter category - some pining is fine, but after the third or fourth time they almost got it together and then retreated I started getting a bit irritated.

On balance, this book didn't quite work for me, but I can see it working for others, and there were enough interesting touches that I will be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

I was excited to read a female/female romance, but I was a bit disappointed in this one. I think the slow burn was just a bit too slow for me. The workplace situation between Jo and Emma was interesting and set up some good potential conflict and some solid will they or won't they, but I found some of their interactions at work kind of awkward and cringe-inducing. I liked where this ended up, and I thought both characters were well-developed and interesting, but I usually like my slow burn to be... a little faster.

**ARC from NetGalley**

Cute lesbian love story. You don't see too many of those. The main character denied that their attraction was legitimate through most of the story. Both had best friends that convinced them they were valid. They also showed a good example of a boss believing their employee when the employee reports sexual harassment. The perpetrator was dealt with satisfactorily as well. Overall, lovely book and story.

This #ownvoices debut romance is a classic story of a workplace romance except it's queer and it also tackles issues of sexual harassment, racism, and the me too movement. It's dual POV and one of them is a Chinese American woman which was so fabulous to see. Plus a whole part of her character is that Jo is unafraid to speak out, even when it will cost her. I also want to mention that Emma is bisexual and Jewish and I loved the way her family, specifically her relationship with her sister, was woven into Something to Talk About.

Tackling issues of sexism and racism in Hollywood, Something to Talk About delivers more than romance. These moments gave Something to Talk About a sense of realism especially as women have been encouraged to tell their stories. Both Jo and Emma are particularly fierce and I loved the build up to their feelings - not to mention how they consider the implications of their relationship. Something to Talk Aboutis fast paced and the romance is entirely precious.

This may be the cutest romance book that I have ever read. I was completely invested in the story from page one as I immediately fell in love with both Emma and Jo. As they navigate the complicated relationship of boss and assistant and then rumours start popping up that they are dating their relationship grows and evolves. And then they both secretly realize, maybe there is something more there.

But they are boss and assistant, they are over a decade apart in age, and they are in a very visible field of work where there are always people watching. Then other problems start to arise and maybe they shouldn't be having these feelings at all and should just stick to their work relationship and nothing else.

I laughed, I was tense, I was sad, and I was overjoyed. This book was so sweet, so real, and was an absolute joy to read.

3.5 stars
A slow-moving Hollywood-set f/f "romance" that was very sweet and modern. I enjoyed the characters (although the diversity felt a bit forced and definitely unexplored), the #MeToo storyline, the sweet encounters between the two characters, and the eventual hook-up. However, since 95% of the book they have a boss/employee relationship, it made it hard to not feel a little ooky about them moving into an equal romance in the last 5%. It didn't feel believable, either, just sort of awkward and weird. I think the romance should have started earlier to overcome that, so the reader could have spent more time with them as a couple. A lot to like here, in any case.

Jo Jones is a former child star turned wildly successful Hollywood writer and showrunner. Emma Kaplan is her younger and extremely competent assistant. When Jo invites Emma to come with her to the SAG awards in order to deflect conversation about a huge new career opportunity, they are photographed laughing together on the red carpet. This event sparks widely reported rumors of a romance between the pair. From there, we get to witness the slowest of slow-burn romances. I may have yelled, “Kiss already!!!” at some point, but it was an ultimately satisfying romance between the two main characters that kept me up late to finish the book.

In addition to the main romance, I loved how well-developed the supporting characters, especially Emma’s sister Avery, were. They had personalities and needs and lives outside of driving the plot along. I also liked that the author spent some time on issues such as power dynamics and sexual harassment in a way that made total sense to the story that was already unfolding.

My only real complaint is that after sticking with the story through the whole slow-burn, I felt like the book ended fairly abruptly. I just wanted to keep reading about Jo and Emma, their relationship, their careers, their friends and family, and their futures.

2.5-3? Full RTC

But that slow burn was PAINFUL and reminds me why I actually hate them. This story was well written and thoughtful but so much miscommunication made me stabby at times.

There's slow build and then there's slooooooow buiiiiiiiiild. There's simmer and then there's slog, and sadly, this turned into a slog for me, despite overall being a quick read.

I understand that being LGBTQ in the entertainment industry can be quite the challenge--even when out and proud in the 21st century. Wanting more privacy and guarding one's actions--definitely because of tabloids looking for a story, any story, to slap across a front page--is totally understandable. But a 41-year old TV-soon-Movie showrunner and her late 20-something assistant sounding completely like girls in high school was frustrating. There's never-ending angst over an accidental kiss and then a near kiss, the second not even occurring till maybe 70% in. Most of the book felt like certain actions should've happened 25% earlier. Because of this, the bigger moments are rushed and cut corners because they don't happen till the last 95% of the book. By that point, it was like I just didn't care because I wasn't feeling it, had never felt it. I wasn't looking for anything salacious, just something that was on par with the plot and pacing of some of the hetero-normative romance novels out there. This book pulled too many punches.

Something to Talk About has been on my radar for months now, and I was giddy with excitement when I received an advanced copy. This book met all my expectations and then some, with its adorable characters, great banter, and the way it dealt with some harder topics. But, though the tension and writing style kept me reading and interested, I definitely got a little frustrated at the amount of time it took for anything real to happen between the main couple.

The book follows Jo, a star writer in Hollywood, and Emma her twenty something assistant as they deal with the gossiping media calling them a couple. Unlike many of the romances I've picked up recently, the main characters in this drama filled novel didn't give me a spark right away. Their dynamic felt a little off to me, mostly because... well, I didn't really like Jo's character in the beginning. Luckily this didn't last, and after a few chapters I was completely invested in Jo and Emma's relationship. I think what put me off at first was the first two chapters being in Emma's point of view instead of switching back and forth between the two characters constantly. Once I got a feel for Jo's personality, it was easier to accept her sort of standoffish character style.

As this was the slowest of slow burns, I was surprised by how quickly I flew through this book. It only took me a day (and staying up till 3 in the morning) to get to the last page. It was something of an effortless page turner, with drama and interesting character dynamics keeping me going. There are many books that I feel have unnecessary or boring parts, but this certainly wasn't that type of book. Every scene seemed important to the story and or character development, and instead of a day to day slog the book skips ahead often, letting the reader understand the passage of time without having to actually read about it. And I for one, appreciated that.

Probably the thing I liked most about this book was how it covered some hot topics. Age gaps in relationships, inter-office relationships, homophobia in families, sexual harassment, all while including a diverse cast. Even so, I never felt like this book was particularly heavy. I think the only part of this book that left me cringing a little, was the boss / employee relationship between Jo and Emma. The lack of communication between them at times was odd. And while, yes, it lead to some good dramatic instances, Emma ignoring her BOSS at times, didn't seem entirely realistic.

Apart from some weird communication issues and the slowest burn of any book I have ever read, Something To Talk About was definitely swoon worthy. I look forward to any future Meryl Wilsner books and plan to push this cute F/F romance on anyone who will listen.

I loved this slow burn f/f romance, and I hope we start to see more mainstream f/f romance in the world.

Jo is a child star turned writer / producer of an award winning TV show. Emma is her younger, eager assistant. Jo takes Emma to an awards event, and an intimate moment captured on the Red Carpet starts a rumor that the two are dating. But they aren't. Yet.

It takes the majority of the book for both of them to realize that they are into each other, and the vast majority for them to act on it. Personally I love slow burn romance, and I think the tension is built perfectly. When something finally happens, it's amazing. Readers will enjoy the glamorous glimpse into Hollywood life, and the hint of The Devil Wears Prada vibes.

Adored this! A pretty light read, but so much heart and a dreamy sapphic office romance to brighten up my weekend!

I was really excited to get an ARC of this book because I'm all about supporting diversity in romance and this book is both a F/F romance and features Jewish and Chinese American main characters.
I have to say this book started out really slow for me. It took a while for it to really catch my attention but by the end I found that I really enjoyed the book. This is definitely a slow burn of a book, there was a lot of back and forth and quite a long time before the characters would even admit to themselves that there was an attraction. The slow pace of the relationship did get kind of frustrating but I understand why the author chose it and in the end it made the story more believable. I loved that the author didn't just do a magical "all the problems disappear and boom happy ending." The author actually had the character's face their problems and find real solutions that made me feel like Jo and Emma's relationship could really work.
I really liked that so much time was spent on Jo and Emma's work relationship because it allowed us to see how their feelings for each other came to be and I found myself really invested in their relationship. I also really enjoyed the interactions of the main characters with their friends and family. The author tackled some very tough issues and I was very impressed with the way she handled things that could be potentially problematic such as power imbalances in romantic relationships.
Overall I really enjoyed the book. My only criticisms would be that it could have moved a bit quicker and I would have like to see more actual expressions of romance in a romance novel. I learned that this is the first LGBTQ book published by this company and I hope it's the first of many.

It's hard to believe Something to Talk About is a debut novel. It was smart, witty, well-crafted, and extremely enjoyable. As a queer reader, I was incredibly happy to receive this ARC. There are more and more sapphic orientated books being released, but the trend seems to be that the books that receive the most attention are largely YA books, so it was nice to find a sapphic book written for adults that seemed different from the cookie-cutter romance plot. The characters are likable. The supporting cast is (mostly) actually supportive. It had clever banter and enjoyable dialogue. I think this will be a quick read for many people. I hope it becomes as popular as it deserves!

I'm giving this three stars because I loved the overall premise and the unique plot. I'm all for a slow-burn romance, but I struggled to connect with both Jo and Emma. I love that Berkley has published a lesbian romance, and especially with an interracial couple, but it just didn't have any spark for me. There was some good dialogue and it definitely stressed the power of paparazzi and social media, but I never found myself buying into the romance between Jo and Emma and by the time they finally kissed (at around the 85% mark), I found myself not really caring. This just wasn't a good fit for me, but I've seen plenty of positive reviews so give it a try, if for no other reason because it's different than everything else out there!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Probably more of a 3.5 but definitely not what I’d call a favorite.

CW: talk of racism and sexism in Hollywood, sexual harassment at workplace, verbally abusive and homophobic parent

It’s either my bad luck or maybe I’m just not in the right mood that I’ve not really enjoyed the last three books I’ve read. And I’m quite sad this book is also getting relegated to that list. I was very excited to read a mainstream f/f romance and the Hollywood setting fascinated me, but unfortunately I was a bit bored.

My problem with this book is that I don’t have a lot of complaints. The writing is easy to read, the Hollywood setting feels both realistic as well as like a fantasy that we would love to explore, and the characters are sweet and likable. There is also a small #metoo plot line as well as talk about racism in the industry, which is a good addition to the story to make it feel more deep, but ultimately it wasn’t that significant in the larger picture. I also really enjoyed the depiction of friendship and sibling relationships in the story. And I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the MCs is Chinese-American while the other is Jewish, because none of these aspects were highlighted anywhere in the book promotions.

But ultimately where the book faltered for me was the execution of the romance. It’s always tricky when it’s a boss/employee romance and I thought the author did an excellent job addressing the power imbalance. But due to this aspect, we get a slow burn romance which is way too slow for my taste. While the romantic feelings Jo and Emma had for each other was quite evident to us, there is not a lot of interaction between them and it felt to me like half the story was told just through internal monologues. I can handle angst and also a bit of miscommunication as the conflict, but both the characters just assumed things about the other and took a long time to have actual conversations. I think I just like it when characters get together a bit earlier than the end of the book.

To conclude, I probably had wrong expectations from the book (again.. duh 🙄) and that’s why I feel a bit let down. But I will still say that this was a sweet and enjoyable book with some lovely characters. And if you are a fan of very slow burn romances, then this would be the perfect choice for you. There is a lot more pining and less of talking here and if that sounds appealing, do check it out. Maybe you’ll find your next favorite romance.

I wanted to love this book, I really did. It had all the makings of great slow burn lesbian romance. Forbidden romance between boss and employee? My literal cup of tea. For some reason this one rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know if it is the age difference, which never fully sits right with me, or that the characters weren't fleshed out enough. I personally didn't feel attached to them in any way and the romance felt forced to me. I wanted more spark. It felt very rushed in some parts and incredibly slow in others. Overall it's a good book, there's nothing that i hated about it but I don't think i'll be going back for more.