Shay has worked at the Public Radio station for 10 years and is not impressed when newcomer Dominic joins the station and is a know it all golden boy with 'a master's degree' and no experience. When cuts are imminent Shay pitches an idea for a new show featuring a couple that used to date talking about relationships and break ups and why the relationship failed. Shay and Dominic find themselves hosting the show and creating a fake relationship. As the popularity of the show grows Shay and Dominic spend more and more time together and discover that maybe the relationship isn't a lie. A fun book that is perfect for a relaxing weekend read.

Ahhhh!! This was such a cute, sexy, lovely enemies to lovers story. The characters struck just the right balance between annoying (to each other) and vulnerable, and even though the general plot of their radio show felt a little outlandish they felt totally realistic. Loved these characters and was so happy to see where they ended.

A his & hers public radio show/podcast called THE EXTALK where ex’s examine the trails and tribulations of relationships. What could go wrong? Well- considering that they never dated, it goes wrong and oh-so-right!

This enemies to more with a fake dating twist made for a unique and utterly witty rom-com. I loved it. It was ridiculously entertaining.

It’s a romance, to be sure (open door ), but it’s so much more. Clever dialogue with sharp writing, relatable characters and near perfect pacing. Heck- it even piqued my interest in public radio.

Plus- if you’re into grand gestures, which I am, this one doesn’t disappoint. I read it and then I read it again.

LOVED:
-Shay is older than Dominic and has more experience which was a refreshing flip.
- She’s Jewish. He’s Korean.
- Seattle. I love Seattle.
-WWAMWMD? What would a mediocre white man do? Is a phrase I’m adopting.
- Grief subplot handled with careZ

FOUND: Modern Mrs Darcy Winter Book Preview

I have another Rachel Lynn Solomon title sitting on my nightstand. I know what I’m reading next.

I loved this book! The progression of the relationship was done really well, as was the character growth and progression. I enjoyed the premise a lot and found the conflict to be very believable. Dominic was a little too perfect at times, but he reminded me of Gus from Beach Read and Simon from Well Met, which are two major pros for him. Shay was a wonderful heroine and really had me rooting for her from start to finish.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Representation:
-#ownvoices Jewish protagonist
-Korean American love interest

Content warning(s) for:
-Grieving the death of a parent (The death doesn't happen in the book, but the protagonist Shay is dealing with the grief of her father's passing from years previously.)

Shay Goldstein works in public radio as a producer and she's currently frustrated by her coworker, Dominic Yun. However, their chemistry is electric despite their revulsion and they begin to host a show called The Ex Talk, where they pretend to be exes and discuss relationships. But things get complicated when they actually start to fall for each other off the air.

As someone who used to work in radio, and as someone who loves Rachel Lynn Solomon's YA titles, I couldn't have loved her adult romance debut, THE EX TALK more. It strikes the perfect balance of sexy and sweet. I adored Shay and Dominic's banter and their chemistry was amazing. Be sure to pick up this when it releases on January 26th, 2021!

"The Ex Talk" is well written, funny, and has elements that I enjoyed, but this one never clicked for me and it took me a long time to get into it and finally finish the book. Shay has worked for a public radio station in Seattle for ten years, partly because she and her late father bonded over their love of radio. To continue working at the struggling station, she agrees to co-host a dating show where she and Dominic -- a co-worker she's sparred with -- pretend to be exes. I really enjoyed Rachel Lynn Solomon's YA novel "Today Tonight Tomorrow," and she's great at writing banter. But the romance fell flat for me in "The Ex Talk," perhaps because we don't see much of Shay and Dominic as co-workers who hate each other before they're co-hosts who secretly like each other. There is also a subplot about Shay's mother getting remarried, but it wasn't well developed enough. My favorite aspect of the book was Shay's struggle as a woman about to turn 30, having just bought a house on her own and trying to figure out her future career. The romance, conflict with a longtime friend, and her mother's wedding felt like too many plots for one book, and I found myself disinterested in most of it. As mentioned, the pacing was also very slow for me and this was not the page-turner I hoped it would be. I think Solomon is a good writer, and I would still be interested to read future books by her.

One of a kind novel! I've honestly never read anything like it and I so enjoyed it thoroughly. (Thank you for providing me with an ARC) I fell in love with Domonic and Shay immediately. They didn't seem as much enemies to lovers as they seemed i don't like you to lovers, but besides that, I loved the fake dating, the one bed, all of my favorite little tropes hehehe.

The Ex Talk brings us a well written, enemies to lovers and office romance combined book that brings to life the world of radio shows and podcasts. This novel written by Rachel Lynn Solomon shows us the in-depth world of what it's like at a radio station and the world of Shay Goldstein as she works with her new coworker of four months, Dominic Yun.

Shay Goldstein has been working at the Pacific Public Radio for the past 10 years, and when Dominic Yun, a young journalist that has been getting on Shay's nerves the moment he joined PPR four months ago.

I gave The Ex Talk five stars, enjoying the time spent reading Shay and Dominic's banter as they continue to argue and fight about the many years of experience that they have. But, when Shay and Dominic must cohost a talk show together, they are forced to face their differences and their irritation toward each other in order to attract an audience.

This was a captivating read and I couldn't put it down. The early chemistry between them was so noticeable and I enjoyed the way that even though they disagreed with each other, they worked hard to work together and work out their differences. It was amazing to read the way Shay grew as a character as she began to know Dominic better. Being forced to work with Dominic pushed her to realize the kinds of things that she closed off, opening her views to new ideas and new people.

I love these kinds of books where our main heroine changes her views but when it also benefits hers because this is something I saw with Shay. She was such a fun main character that I enjoyed reading from her point of view. Reading this made me energetic to move forward and not only did I love both Shay and Dominic, but I loved the story and plot as well.

This was something absolutely different from my usual reads and having the opportunity to pick up something out of my comfort zone made me absolutely ecstatic. This book was the perfect read that picked me out of my slump. What a read!

Sometimes I am hesitant to read books like this one, books that have been seriously hyped and getting a lot of buzz. I am often wary of it not meeting expectations and there's that worry as a reviewer of am I going to be the one person who didn't like this book? Luckily, so many amazing romance books like this one not only meet those expectations, but they exceed them.

Shay Goldstein has been working at her local public radio station since she graduated college. Though she long dreamed of being a host, she has settled into her role as producer and is one of those employees who always goes above and beyond. But when her station has to make some cutbacks, Shay finds herself facing possible firing, despite her tenure with the station. Even more infuriating is that the new young gun at the station, Dominic, doesn't seem to be in any danger of losing his job. During a brainstorming meeting, Shay throws out an off the wall idea for a new show, not expecting it to stick: what if two exes hosted a dating show, giving advice and talking about the challenges of dating. The idea gathers steam, and since her boss has noticed the tension between Dominic and Shay, he suggests (in private, just to the two of them) that they pretend to be exes and host the show. Both Dominic and Shay have qualms about the lying, but they also both want to secure their jobs, and Shay has always dreamed of being on the radio. Their show, Ex Talk, takes off quickly and develops a following, putting Dominic and Shay more in the public eye than they maybe would want. And with that comes more attention on the both of them--and that means some people start to poke into their histories and discover their fake relationship and even faker breakup. But the real kicker is how Ex Talk brings Shay and Dominic together. The more time they spend working on their show, the more they fall for each other. But how can they be together when the world thinks they already dated and broke up? And what will happen to their show and their careers if the truth is revealed? Luckily, it's romance, so we know they will find a way to work it out in the end.

Alright, so there are a lot of great things to say about this book and I don't really know where to start. I guess I'll start with Shay, because it has been a long time since I related to a heroine the way I did with her. I don't know what it was about her, probably her whole still trying to figure out her career well into adulthood deal, but I just really connected with her struggles and I felt her pain. Even though our life experiences are very different, she felt very relatable. The relationship between Dominic and Shay was swoony and sweet and sexy and just the right amount of complicated. Their black moment was actually heartbreaking (which sometimes feels rare in a contemporary) and I just really wanted them to get together and be happy. There's a great cast of supporting characters here, but really this book is all about Shay and Dominic and I loved them for each other. I also really loved Rachel's wit and style. I wasn't sure how I would feel about her writing since I know she has a background in YA, but I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the sexy times scenes. This book reads like it was written by someone who really knows and appreciates the romance genre, and that came across on the page for me. Overall, this was just as delightful as promised and I'm already looking forward to reading it again.

This was fun. It’s extremely clever, extremely NICHE, and just an all-round enjoyable romcom.

The gist: Shay and Dominic work together at a public radio station. Shay is the former wunderkind producer who’s been there for years, busting her booty and quietly longing for a chance in front of the mic. Dominic is a fresh from grad school reporter who is already becoming the star of the show.

Shay is not a fan.

They’re adversarial chemistry lands them on a brand new show of their own, The Ex Talk. An on-air relationship show hosted by two former lovers. The only problem is…they’re not former lovers. It’s a lie.

This book is bursting with millenialisms and popculture references which is pretty delightful. It’s also full of talk radio references which I’m certain are fun if that’s your jam. I, however, had to google a lot for those.

My one quibble…and it’s completely a me thing and possibly kinda dumb…is that I didn’t love that they lied for their show. It bothered me. What I wish, and I realize that would have made this a different book, is that these two REALLY WERE EXES hosting a radio show. *shrugs*

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rachel Lynn Solomon has written an excellent first book of adult romance. Shay and Dominic are adorable together and their chemistry is both off-the-charts and believable.

Who knew coworkers to rivals to fake exes to cohosts to lovers was my new favorite trope? I cannot get over how much I loved (and, honestly, just NEEDED) this book. After a year of ups and downs with the romance genre - this one really hit the mark for me. I loved the diversity of the cast. The time spent addressing gender inequality in the workplace, grief over losing a parent, and loneliness gave this book more substance than just a fluff piece. Solomon did a wonderful job pulling out the best parts of romance, turning it a little bit on its head, and producing not only a book I loved but a fake radio show that I'm really bummed I can't listen to.

Solomon's writing was engaging and easy to read. I found myself at 2am trying to convince myself that I had work in the morning and needed sleep. Oops.

The only negative thing I can think of for this book would be that I just wanted Dominics POV because I'm a selfish know-it-all and I love multiple POV romances. But what can we do?

I would definitely recommend this if:
- You enjoy enemies to lovers romance (also fake-dating!) tropes
- Are looking for a more well-rounded romance novel
- Enjoy public radio or podcasts
- the phrase "What Would a Mediocre White Man Do" resonates with you

One of the strongest romcoms Ive read in a while. Great banter and a fun premise with really well rounded characters. Highly recommend.

Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for an earc of The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon.
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You know that feeling when you finish a book, and you just want to start it over agin? That’s how I felt at the end of The Ex Talk. And I actually did reread it in December...I read it twice in one month - that is how much I loved it.
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Shay Goldstein and Dominic Yun are both such great characters. I loved learning a little bit more about Jewish traditions in this novel. The characters are multicultural and diverse and this novel is swoony and so funny. It also discusses topics like grief, loneliness and biracial relationships. The writing is fantastic and I can’t wait to read more from Solomon in the future. I’ve already preordered my copy of this one - I highly recommend it!

From the beginning this book felt like the movie "The Ugly Truth" and I couldn't get enough of it. But more than that, this book gives even more than that movie ever could have – partially due to time restraints. This book covers conversations about sexist bosses, chasing your dream, loss of loved ones, relationship-based challenges, inter-racial relationships, and ultimately not being able to read the one person you wish you could understand the most. I cannot recommend this book enough.

“It’s your typical coworkers turned enemies turned fake exes turned cohosts turned real romantic partners kind of love story.”

Well that was an absolute delight! Full of banter and angst and a really fun, relatable couple, I loved this one from start to finish. It had the perfect balance of push and pull between the two characters and a really interesting backdrop of the show on public radio. I also loved the discussion on grief, the glimpse of the sadly realistic dose of sexism in the workplace, as well as how the author handled Dominic’s grappling with anxiety throughout.

And I can’t go without mentioning how much I appreciated the representation. We’ve got a Korean male lead, a Jewish female lead with a Nigerian stepfather, an Indian best friend, and queer rep in secondary characters Paloma and Ruthie.

I can’t wait to read more from Solomon, and I may have to borrow WWAMWMD (what would a mediocre white man do?) for all my future decision making.

The Ex Talk combines two thing people really love: rom-coms and podcasts. Shay has an idea to keep her struggling NPR affiliate station afloat during layoffs but it involves two things she doesn't much like: lying to the public and her annoying coworker, Dominic. The ethics may be sketchy, but her boss is into it and soon The Ex Talk is born with Shay and Dominic playing exes who psychoanalyze the relationship they never had and dispense advice to others. Everything is going great until they start to fall for each other. Then it gets complicated, especially as their careful lies start to fall apart.

This is a cute novel for those romance fans with a This American Life addiction. There's diversity and feminism and a gender-flipped age gap. The sex scenes are pretty steamy and the obstacles don't feel too easily rushed through. I need to find more books from Rachel Lynn Solomon.

A rom-com that speaks to radio and podcasting with two characters that will do anything to get ahead at their job - even pretend to be a couple that has broken up. Shay has been a producer for 10 years at her job, while Dominic is the radio journalist who has his master's degree (and he'll tell you about it too.) The two are soon looking at layoffs, but their boss likes Shay's idea for a new romance show - hosted by exes. But there are no exes...except he decides the two should pretend to be! It's a crazy idea that just might work, and Shay and Dominic's chemistry sizzles on and off air. Just when the two might start to try a relationship, the truth gets out. Will their new found success tank? This is a cute romance that would make a great movie!

I enjoyed The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Soloman. It features the commonly used romance trope of enemies-to-lovers. I love that Soloman made this in an inclusive book - the characters were all diverse and the book is very LGBTQIA-friendly. This is probably the only contemporary romance novel I've read so far that's been this inclusive.

The book follows 29 year old Shay Goldstein. She's worked at the Pacific Public Radio in Seattle for ten years straight out of college - it is her dream job. In walks in 24 year old Dominic Yun. Her boss seems to have taken a liking to him and Shay can't believe that Dominic is advancing as quickly as he is - after all, she's given 10+ years to the station and Dominic has only been there for a few months. They both learn shortly after that there are going to be cuts and Shay's beloved show, Puget Sounds, is going to be cut due to low ratings. That's when she comes up with the idea of a talk show / podcast that consists of exes doling out relationship advice. The kicker is, her boss thinks that she and Dominic should host the show - but they haven't dated.

Predictably, Shay and Dominic end up falling in love and the show is a massive hit. Then sh*t hits the fan when the secret of their relationship gets leaked.

I thought this was a cute book but it wasn't my favorite. There was a bit of a slow build and I just couldn't connect Shay. Plus, Dominic reminded me of my little brother, so I think that put me off. Nothing on the author - this just wasn't my cup of tea. It was interesting to find out that Soloman usually writes YA books. I did feel like Shay and Dominic were portrayed younger than they really are.

If you like rom-coms with more story than "action," similar to books like Well Met, then you will enjoy this book.

Overall, a cute read, and while it wasn't my favorite, I'm glad I read it.

Publication Date: January 26, 2021.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Pub, and Rachel Lynn Soloman for providing me with an eARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Shay is a producer at a radio station. She's been there for ten years. Then a journalist joins them. He's tall and good looking and has an article about their Mayor that is a scandal. Shay gets tired of hearing about his Master's Degree. Then her boss wants them to do a show together...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on January 26th.

He wants her and Dominic to do a show together.The name of it would be Ex Talk. They would pretend they were dating in the past and broke up and now were trying to be friends. It bothers Shay because it's a lie but they get together and make up a story to tell about it.

One thing neither of them saw coming was that they really did fall in love working together. They keep their relationship hidden but their boss lets folks know it's not what they have been lead to believe. The callers turn against them and the outcome is that Shay leaves and Dominic stays. She's upset enough she refuses to talk to Dominic.

Will they ever get together again?