I’ve never read this author, but I saw the cover, read the plot, and it intrigued me. I really enjoyed this author’s writing style.

The book took me a bit to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed it.

You meet Shay, a 29 year old public radio producer who has worked at her job for almost 10 years. She produces a show that she’s proud of. What she’s not happy with is her coworker, Dominic, who is younger and has a masters degree that he loves to talk about. However, once her show is cancelled, they come up with a new show—The Ex-Talk. The show revolves around Shay and Dominic who are “exes” (even though they never dated).

Obviously, their plans don’t go as they thought later on. But I loved the development. You see Shay and Dominic grow as coworkers and then you see a real romance blossom between them.

Dominic is a sweetheart. Once you get invested in the story you really love his character.

I don’t listen to radio, and a book based around it was definitely unique to read, but I think the author did an amazing job with writing about it.

I think everyone will enjoy this book and I’m excited to see what everyone thinks!

I loved this book. The hate to love romance, the podcast & NPR elements, the face that it was set in the Pacific Northwest. It was adorable. I have read all 3 of Rachel Lynn Soloman's YA books before and loved them so I'm excited to see her foray into the adult romance genre.
Already I can tell this will make it on my favorite romance reads at the end of the year!

The Ex Talk was nothing like what I expected. I read it because it was flooding my Instafeed, but the description and cover did not make me imagine the main characters the way the book did. For that, I'm thankful. This was a really great rom-com. The characters had depth, were solidly good people, which I always like. The romantic tension and the tropes (so many tropes) were all well done. Shay was refreshingly vulnerable with her admitted overzealous 'I love yous' past. Her baggage was understandable and it was sweet to see her process the way she handles her grief and moves in and then through it. Dominic was a great counterpoint and I enjoyed the way Solomon set us up to see their similarities (like consignment sales) and the way they will ultimately compliment each other in their relationship. It made their relationship believable. Great read! I get the hype now.
thanks for the ARC!

This was a delightful romance read, perfect for fans of The Hating Game! I could not put the story down and was captured by Dominic and Shay's banter. I thought the radio element was so well incorporated and it's clear that Solomon knows what she is talking about here. Even with the lighter moments, this book touched on grief and loss in a way that I think was so realistic and well-handled in a romance. I can't wait to see what else this author publishes in the adult romance category in the future.

This was the perfect premise for a book, complimented by the incredibly talented Rachel Lynn Solomon’s writing!

The beginning was a bit slow for me, but it definitely picked up and redeemed itself. The chemistry between these characters feels so natural and jumps off of the pages.

The idea of a fake relationship/enemies to lovers trope, with the added banter through a podcast was so well executed and so fun to read!

Rachel Lynn Solomon's adult debut is nothing short of amazing! Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one bed, we-used-to-date-fake-dating, and a slowww burn. Great tension, excellent banter, tons of behind the scenes info on public radio, and even a misogynistic boss who needs to be taken down a peg or thirty.

Enemies to lovers romance set in the public radio environment (there’s even a pledge drive, you guys!) and it was made more delightful by great character development and laugh-out-loud banter between the main characters. Perfect for fans of Beach Read by Emily Henry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really quick and great read! I enjoyed the back and firth between the characters and them getting to know one another. I was completely engrossed immediately. The main characters flash backs to her dad were so well done.

This book was so fun, and I did not expect it to be so immersed in podcast culture, but it was a very pleasant surprise. The chemistry between the main characters was great -- ALL that witty banter! I found myself smiling more often than not while reading. Will be recommending this one.

This book and I went on a ride together. It didn’t really gel with me at first, but by the end, there was more of it that charmed me and worked for me than that didn’t. I will definitely read more books from this author going forward.

The premise here is that Shay has been a radio producer at a public radio station in Seattle for ten years, and <I>wunderkind</I> Dominic is fresh out of grad school. Their boss talks them into hosting a show where they pretend that they used to date (the station is having money troubles and this would boost donations and get them more listeners). It’s called “The Ex Talk” and it sounds like something I would actually want to listen to. (Solomon clearly knows her podcasts.) But Shay and Dominic barely know each other, and the lie doesn’t sit well with either of them. There are other underlying conflicts in this story but I only have so much room.

First of all, it was delightful to read a book set in the world of public radio and podcasting. As always with books where the characters’ jobs are part of the narrative, I wanted more of the job! Honestly, I may be alone here, but I wanted more of the transcripts to their podcast. I wanted to see them overcome obstacles in their work. I wanted to see what it was like to really be a radio host and producer. But that gripe aside, I thought the setting here was absolutely great and worked really well. I could have done without the sexist boss and the incredibly stressful and stretch-your-disbelief of the premise, but I’m not sure Solomon would have been able to sell the book without the higher stakes concept. (My preferred version of this book would not have involved them lying about previously dating. They would actually have been exes and worked their problems out!)

Another reason I would have preferred the book without the lie is that it was really bothersome to me at a core level, and I don’t think it bothered the characters enough. For most of the book, they lie to their audience, an audience who relies on NPR and its affiliates for honest radio and journalism. It just struck a bad note for me right from the start, and made me think less of the characters, who I otherwise really would have liked. It’s also a really hard premise to sell. If this had happened in real life, I never would have trusted either of these people or that radio station with content again. I don’t know how you come back from that, career-wise. And I didn’t really buy how they did, to be honest. I just wanted things to work out for Dominic and Shay. Solomon is great at building their relationship, and they have the most fun banter. They just work really well together, and you want them to work out, enough to overcome the premise, even though it is incredibly unrealistic.

Plus Shay has a small chihuahua rescue dog named Steve Rogers Goldstein.

[3.5 stars, rounded up]

The Ex Talk ended up being a really great take on your classic romcom. I feel like a lot of books have recently been targeted as romcoms, but don’t quite live up to the expectations. Due to their popularity, they get marketed as one, but sort of fall through. The Ex Talk, however, felt like a tried and true romcom.

This story had a diverse cast of characters, but done in such a natural way that it never felt like the author was doing it for brownie points. It was authentic, natural, and I felt, done well. There’s a bi character in this story, and I loved that she was able to be who she was without having to explain it or even mention her sexuality. It was so natural and I absolutely loved that.

I loved the concept of this book. Two coworkers end up creating a radio show and podcast based on them being exes who have remained amicable. The premise of the show is to give relationship advice, and talk about authentic relationships. Only problem? The fact that their relationship, or past relationship, isn’t authentic.

I loved watching Shay and Dominic build their relationship over radio and behind the scenes. I loved how real they were with each other when together. I loved that Dominic wasn’t this alpha character, but a real life dork who wasn’t afraid to open up to Shay. I loved that he communicated with Shay, and how unafraid of being himself he was. This book is so well done that you can’t not fall for the two of them together.

Another point I wanted to touch on was loss of a parent. I feel like it’s almost necessary for romances to have one of the MCs lose a parent. In so many cases though, it’s done as a side plot to enact sympathy for the MC. In this case, I felt as though the author handled it with care, in a way that felt truthful and raw and honest. Shay had lost her dad to an unexpected Cardiac arrest in her senior year of high school. This story hit close to home, as I lost my dad last year to an unexpected cardiac arrest. I truly related to Shay’s grieving, which is not something I often feel. As I said, usually it feels like a second thought when authors throw in a dead parent, but with Shay I could feel the pain and grief and acceptance throughout the book, and I could so strongly relate to her.

There has been a lot of hype for this book in 2020, and I truly believe it will be well received come it’s release date. A lot of people are going to find something to love in this story, and it think that’s all you can hope for!

What a fun take on something I haven't really read much about before. This novel is set around two individuals who work at a public radio station.

I don't typically listen to public radio since I am living in Germany and do not speak German.

I liked how Solomon walks us through much of the radio lingo and still allowed it to feel current. Shay and Dominic are our main characters.

They somehow get finangled into doing a radio show about being Exes even though they have never dated. I enjoy watching the issues that arise with this ruse going down.

There was both humor and vulnerability throughout this novel. I enjoyed that both characters slowly were able to put themselves out there.

There is a fair bit of open door steam and swearing for those who are sensitive to those things.

Overall I loved it. This book had a great pace and real world emotions. Great job Solomon.

Thank you Berkley Pub and Netgalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

First time author for me & I'm glad to say this book was an entertaining read. Snappy dialogue between to diverse characters and a needy & lovable dog. Need I say more.

The unique setting of a radio station & the challenges they face was interesting. Also not being a podcast listener, after reading this book it made me want to find a podcast as entertaining as Shay & Dominic. While the ending was messy, there was no other way for it to realistically end based on the premise of the book.

Fake dating? Tired.

Fake exes? Wired.

Just kidding, they are both equally enchanting tropes but wow, Rachel Lynn Solomon really went for that fake exes one and I was here for it.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Ex-Talk follows Shay Goldstein, who has been a producer at a Seattle public radio station for close to a decade and can’t imagine working somewhere else. Lately her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who manages to sneak in the fact that he just got his master’s degree in journalism in every conversation, causes her to rethink that statement.

When the struggling radio station needs a new concept to stay on the air, Shay proposes The Ex Talk where two exes will deliver relationship advice while unraveling the reasons behind their own breakup. Loving the idea, her producer greenlights the show, but under the condition that Shay and Dominic ‘play’ the supposed couple. Despite their animosity, Shay and Dominic turn out to be the perfect co-hosts. As their listeners get enamoured with the pair, sparks fly between Shay and Dominic and suddenly, the ‘ex’ part of the whole show might need a status update…

This was by far the biggest surprise read of the year for me. I didn’t have any expectations going into The Ex Talk but boy, did it blow me away.

Shay Goldstein was such a relatable character. Closing in on the end of her twenties, Shay still doesn’t know what she wants from life, often feeling like a kid waiting for an adult to tell her what to do. I loved the nuanced commentary Solomon sprinkled into this story as there are a lot of expectations to be ‘settled’ by the end of your twenties, to know your purpose instead of still figuring it out. It was such a relatable struggle to watch Shay, who has bought a house and can check that off her list, realise that she doesn’t feel at home in it. Ostensibly, she has everything one is supposed to have: a house, a stable job, friends. But there is an emptiness in it for Shay and I bet a lot of twenty-somethings will be able to relate because I sure did.

Dominic, equally, was such a joy to read about. Fresh out of college, I love how he thinks he’s got it all figured out only to realise that the theory you learned in your studies isn’t always applicable in the real world. It was a sobering experience to follow his journey and see him rethink his understanding of what journalism entails. Here, Solomon also discusses the integrity and importance of authenticity in journalism and I loved how Dominic had to rethink his entire belief system when confronted with the conundrum of keeping his job and lying to the audience, or being taken off the air entirely.

Now, let’s talk about the romance because it was both sizzling and sweet. Shay and Dominic had undeniable chemistry. Their banter and their barbs worked so well and morphed almost seamlessly into flirting that made me swoon. Besides the rivals-to-lovers trope, there’s also a small appearance of the ‘there’s only one bed’ trope which made me grin like a Cheshire cat. Honestly, those two were born to be together.

Beyond the sexy times, this was also a very introspective novel with two people falling in love despite their reservations. Shay deals with a lot of baggage, always having been the first to say I love you in relationships only to be dumped right afterward. Meanwhile, Dominic has only had one long-term relationship and is still smarting over the loss of his vision of the ‘perfect’ future. Solomon put so much love in the pages of this novel and my heart went out for Shay and Dominic, which saw me basically oscillated between “just kiss already” and singing “I Was Made for Loving You” while devouring this story in one sitting.

I also really enjoyed Shay’s commentary on the age difference between millennials and Gen Z feeling like a century sometimes. Even though there are only a few years between Dominic and Shay, you can tell that they grew up differently with one of the examples Solomon uses is how Shay used to catch Buffy episodes on the TV (with commercial breaks and long waiting periods between episodes) and Dominic having binged the series on Netflix. It made me so nostalgic for the old days. Sure, I’m happy that we have advanced technology, but Shay feeling like a dinosaur when making a reference she’s not sure Dominic, who’s five years younger, will get? So damn relatable.

The only thing about this book that I didn’t really vibe with was the ending. Everything of course has to fall apart for it to come back together, but some choices (no spoilers) and miscommunications were out of character considering certain stances they take during the novel. But really, that’s a minor complaint in a novel that was unputdownable.

What I loved most about this book was the love letter it was to radio. A lot of things we used to do daily without thinking about it, like listening to the radio, have been replaced by podcasts or TikToks. And while I love those two things, I just really enjoyed rediscovering my love for radio while reading The Ex Talk. There’s a certain mix of nostalgia and reverence for radio in this book that I think will resonate with any reader who’s ever gotten used to listening to the same old radio morning shows before heading to work.

A well-rounded romcom with flawed and mesmerising characters that will steal your heart, The Ex Talk will leave you nostalgic for radio shows and delivers the enemies-to-fake-exes-to-lovers trope you never knew you needed!

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio.

When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts.

As we meet Shay and Dominic we get to meet them in their job and as we get to know them they are lying to everyone and this book has a pretty slow build as far as romance goes. I really liked Dominic and Shay and their story but the ins and outs of the radio business made parts of their story hard to get into. Overall, it was a really enjoyable story and Rachel Lynn Solomon remains a favorite for me!

🎙 - Hey there all you cool cats and kittens. This is FerryGoodBooks coming to you live on the ferry Yakima with a 2021 book you do not want to miss out on….

When I used to drive to work I lived for NPR. I loved listening to Terry Gross’ interviews and laughed uncontrollably on the weekends to “Wait, Wait. Don't Tell Me!” I could listen to Steve Inskeep talk sweet nothings into my ear all day and don’t even get me started on my love for Tiny Desk Concerts.

Rachel, I don’t know how you did it, well I do know… you have a natural and raw talent to make a story come to life. There’s something magical about the way this author writes her stories. Her characters are charming and charismatic with complexities that make them feel human and relatable. This author has a way to write stories where you can see yourself in her characters. They have mannerisms or thoughts the reader finds within themselves with little quirks that make them human rather than fictitious characters you read on a page. There were so many moments while reading this that I thought, I have done the exact same things she has done or been in the exact same mind space when it comes to “adulting” or love. There’s a human connection that other authors have tried to replicate but have failed, but to this author it comes naturally.

As the reader, you are empathetic towards Shay. She’s trying to hold on to any connection with her dad by keeping his memory alive through public radio. I love how this passion for public radio is a common theme throughout this story and how she is using this love to navigate through murky waters and become the best version of herself. There’s something tragic, yet relatable about her. There’s this ideal dream that by thirty you will have your life together, be at the perfect job, and live with the husband and 2 kids in a beautiful house. In reality you feel lost. Dreams you had when you are young become more of a struggle to obtain, there’s a feeling of being lost and not knowing where your life will actually take you.

Dominic’s actions are small but effective. He can make your knees wobble with a simple grin or a brush of a touch. He’s quiet and mysterious but once he lets his guard down it’s really endearing to see him be vulnerable. He’s the perfect combination of sweet, sexy, and funny. Just like Dominic I like to flaunt that I have a PharmD when inappropriate and I find joy when letters are addressed to Dr. Natalie Samples. And when I can, I like to remind my husband that his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering will never trump my Doctorate in Pharmacy.

From the beginning of this story, I was completely enamored with Shay and Dominic. Their witty banter led to amazing chemistry to where I felt the electricity of their connection through each page. Their reparté in the podcast makes me wish this was a reality. Their connection is evident and reading them broadcast their story and watching their relationship develop is one of the most entertaining things I have read.

This book has everything a person could want in a romance. From Viagra Soup to an ornery cat, I was laughing out loud. This book is not just cool, it’s super cool which is the Joe Jonas of complements 🤣.

Thank you Berkley, NetGalley, and most of all Rachel for this amazing ARC filled with laughter and love.

This was incredible. I read it in one sitting, with almost no breaks(except for that pesky laundry.)
From the very start, Shay and Dominic had a chemistry that leapt off the page. The boy gave a good lean.
But more than that, they were encouraging toward one another, even when they didn’t realize it. It felt like a young love blossoming, and I think that was my favorite part.
I really enjoyed the character of Shay. She and Dominic carried out witty banter that was effortless.
Overall the story was both well plotted and paced, and I enjoyed all of it.

I've had an ARC of this on my kindle for so long. Why did I put off reading this? Why.

<i>I am eating Tater Tots with my former nemesis in a dive bar at eleven o'clock on a Monday night. My life has ceased to make sense.</i>

If you're looking for a hate/dislike style enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance set in the workplace to fill the hole created by stories like The Hating Game, while still very much being its own thing, you should absolutely pick this one up. Because this is such a unique concept, too, outside of that specfic flavour. You've heard of fake dating. But have you heard of fake exes?

<i>I'm scrolling back to the beginning of his photos when tragedy strikes. My hand slips on my laptop and I accidentally hit the like button. On a really old photo of him and his ex-girlfriend. The only rational solution is to set myself and my laptop on fire.</i>

It may have taken a chapter or two for me to sink my teeth into this but once I started flipping pages, I couldn't stop. I devoured this. Parts of this had me outright howling with laughter and once the romance kicked in, hoo boy. Hi. Yes. More of that.

"<i>You have CDs?"
"<b>Old car. That's</i> all it can handle</b>."
"<i><b>Besides, then she can act all hashtag retro.</i></b>"
"<i>I hate that CDs are retro.</i>"

Solomon's banter is so solid, the dynamic between these two lead characters so fun and a little flipped when you think of standard gender stereotypes, and all the little generational/age gap jokes were just hysterical (she's just about thirty, he's early twenties). Plus I'm not sure I have ever read a story set around public radio so that was really fun as a setting and we got little transcript bits, twitter feeds, and more to spice it all up and I always love that, too.

"<i>It's ridiculous that there's no cat lady equivalent for guys. Fucking misogyny</i>."
"<b>Cat man?</b>"
"<i>Sounds like a very gentle superhero.</i>"

Honestly the only thing I didn't like was the public display/grand gesture/grovel (it's not a spoiler, this is a romance, of course this happens) but I generally hate these big moments so I'm not really surprised I didn't quite get on with it here, either. But that's a very personal thing. Not really my jam.

I highly recommend this if you're looking for a snappy, delicious, hilarious, sweet, sexy, and very fun time. And considering the year we've just had? We could all do with this. But this also touches on grief, on finding your way even if you think you have it all figured out, the trials of adulthood, and more. Pick this one up. I'll definitely be trawling through Solomon's backlist (though, just for information purposes, she's been strictly YA up until this point) and I am so very excited for her next release. Whatever it might be.

The Ex Talk is a joy to read. Rachel knows her characters and they shine through all their ups and downs. You can't help rooting for them to find their way...hopefully into each other's arms.

*I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was an amazing adult romance debut for Rachel! I absolutely loved this adorable story. With the enemies to lovers premise, I knew it would be something I would enjoy. 

Shay Goldstein has been working in public radio for about ten years and can't imagine doing anything else. Lately, she's been clashing with her newest coworker, Dominic Yun, who thinks he knows everything about public radio as he just got a master's degree in journalism. The radio station is struggling, Shay proposes a new idea and gets the green light from her boss. On the Ex Talk, two exes will give advice live on the air. There's only one catch, her boss wants Dominic to be her cohost and pretend to be her ex. They're not crazy about the idea of working together, and lying to all of their listeners, but it's either cohost or lose their jobs. 

The show really takes off, and they resonate with their audience.  Shay and Dominic soon find that their lies might be catching up to them. They start to fall for each other, and in an industry that values truth, they may lose their jobs if they're caught and more.

I loved the witty banter between Shay and Dominic! They had such chemistry, and I found myself wanting them to get together so badly. This book was like a ray of sunshine, and I was soaking it up. Definitely recommend. It's releasing on January 26, 2021, so be sure to add it to your TBR.