The Ex-Talk follows Shay and Dominic as they become co-hosts of a public radio show to try and help save their station. The only problem is that the premise of the show is that they’re exes and they’ve never dated. Convincing themselves they are just storytelling and that the lie won’t hurt anyone, their show becomes a hit and they realize that just maybe they’re into one another.

Interesting radio setting and good chemistry between characters, the romance buildup was fun though I did expect more witty banter. Some conflicts were resolved so easily that they seemed unnecessary.

Oh man, did I love The Ex Talk! Every once in a while, I read a romcom that just makes me smile and this one is another that I’m adding to the list! I devoured this book!

Shay, a producer of one of the radio shows in Seattle, has always had a passion for radio. She has worked very hard over the course of her career to be able to produce a show of her own. The new kid on the block, Dominic, has just started there and is getting ALL the attention from their boss. Shay can’t stand anything about him, except she can’t deny his good looks.

When the board decides they need to cut several shows including Shay’s, she and Dominic are presented with an idea to host their own show. It is about two Exes that remain friends after their breakup. Only problem is they have never actually dated.

This book literally has it all- humor, steam, and all the feels! There were parts that seemed a little far fetched, but overall it was a really great book. I throughly enjoyed it and highly recommend! That’s @net and @ber for giving me the opportunity to review this book! 4.5 💫’s.

The Ex Talk 🎙

Thank you to @berkleypub @berkleyromance #partner for the finished copy!
I have had this sitting on my kindle for ages, scared to read it, because it got soooo much hype. I was scared that the book wouldn’t live up to the expectations I had for it.... and this was only slightly true.
I LOVE a good romcom. My favorite books are those that keep me laughing and swooning at the same time and this book definitely had those aspects, however, I just left like it took so long to get to the good parts.
I kept finding myself hoping that there would be just MORE swoon moments and less drama.
This book definitely had its depth though! I loved the character development that went past just their initial love hate elements and the way that the author gave both the main characters interesting background stories!
I also just felt like it needed more steam but ya know that I always feel that way!!

I loved this one so so much! I tried to savor it but I couldn’t read it fast enough. It was perfect, a comedic, eclectic, slow burn, enemies to lovers, fake relationship masterpiece! I have already recommended it to so many people.

Finished The Ex Talk recently and I absolutely loved it. I’m not a big podcast or public radio person, so don’t think you need to be to enjoy this one. Cute and engaging! I’m a sucker for fake dating (or breakup in this case??) and enemies to lovers. Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for this book! 💖

Actual rating: 3.75/5 stars

*sigh* when I tell y'all trying to nail down my rating for this book was so difficult, it really was. I really loved the last third of this book and the writing, but there were also a lot of issues I had with it.

Firstly, my main positive for this book is that I loved how realistic it seemed in regards to the whole relationship and the breaking up. Almost every contemporary romance has a third act breakup or on and off throughout the whole book. This book did that amazing. It made sense to me why the characters couldn't be together, and their issues weren't just thrown in there to create tension that wasn't needed.

I also really loved the podcast element because we got to see more of Dominic and how he acts. I loved the banter that happened and podcasts are one of my favorite things. I really think it added so much to the book

The romance and tension was also amazing, but it did feel a bit more like lust than romance. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I just wish there was a little bit more build up and chemistry because a lot of the book felt sudden. I was here for the steam and the smut, so I didn't mind that it was sudden, but I think that neither character was flushed out a ton, so it made their relationship fall a bit flat.

I really enjoyed Dominic's character, or what little we did have. He definitely could have been improved upon because he wasn't super 3 dimensional, but I loved everything we saw about him. His little beanie babies collection was the cutest and I loved the fact at some point he was actually annoying because it's realistic. I get annoyed with people I have an interest in all the time, and it's like affectionate annoyance.

But can I just say I absolutely despised Shay. She is one of the most annoying romance characters I've ever read. This girl's personality was literally her being insecure. Like ma'am I understand we all have insecurities but honey that is not a personality trait. She was so dry and had the personality of paper. I also feel like her in the office, her around her friends, and her in bed were 3 different characters. While Dominic had a switch from being office Dominic to chilling Dominic that felt natural, Shay just didn't.

I feel l like Shay also created a lot of unnecessary conflict with Dominic and her friends. I totally get being irritated and frustrated, but also you need to be understanding. That's something I'm still working on but Shay I feel like should know that for being in her late 20s. She honestly acted like a 15-year-old with a house. She was so complainy, and she just brought down everything in the book for me.

The steamy scenes were good for me, but the audiobook narrator honestly needed to chill. She was getting a little too into the scenes and the sound effects were not a personal favorite for me, but I did appreciate how the steam was done besides that.

Overall, there were parts of this I really enjoyed. I really liked the grief plotline that was woven in the book as well. But I can't get over the fact that Shay was so annoying, and I just didn't connect with her at all which is why I took off over a star.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing, Rachel Lynn Solomon, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such an amazing read! I think I just found one of my new favorite romcoms

The Ex Talk was the perfect mix between sweet and sassy. The bit of steam added was enjoyable as well. The characters were loveable and I literally laughed/smiled at so many of Shay's millenial references.

The incorporation of the radio show/podcast was done perfect! All I can say is the hype behind this one was real.

The Ex Talk was so fun to read! I loved the witty banter between the two main characters, paired nicely with the HOT sexual tension. But it was the soft moments in between that really grabbed me.

Shay & Dominic are the voices behind a radio show called The Ex Talk. What begins as a fabricated relationship, quickly evolves into real feelings. Even though I knew where this story was going, I still enjoyed the journey along the way.

The Ex-Talk is one of those books that I wanted to like more than I did. I had heard a lot of hype about it before I started and so had high hopes - especially as the enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites. However I didn't quite buy the relationship between Shay and Dominic. I thought that Dominic was an ass for much of the book and it just seemed so forced on how Shay went to dislike to totally gaga for him. In fact, it was hard to like most of the characters in this book with the only redeemable one being Shay. It was a fast read but overall the chemistry between Shay and Dominic felt forced and their banter wooden and stiff. There was also a lot of talk about their age difference - but they were only 5 years apart which isn't all that big of a gap when you are an adult so it just took me out of the moment each time it was brought up. The Ex-Talk would make a good beach read and I did like it more by the end then I did at the start but its not one that I'll be rushing to recommend.

As a rom-com-loving, NPR-listening, Seattle-wannabe, I might be the perfect demographic for this book. I loved it! It was cute, and funny, and thoughtful all at once. And it made me miss that Seattle weather!

So, you all know that enemies-to-lovers is my fav romance trope, but who knew I’d also love the fake relationship trope?! THE EX TALK was super hyped up and I can say it def lived up to the hype—I loved the dynamic between Shay and Dominic and the depth that each of them had!

This one had lots of witty banter, a lil steam🔥, and a unique plot about their radio show! I really loved the premise of Dominic and Shay having a radio show centered around them being exes (even though they never really dated).

One of my favorite aspects of this book was how the author had glimpses into Shay’s grieving process after losing her dad years ago, and how that impacted her journey to pursuing her passions. Overall, I loved this rom com and will be on the lookout for more books by Rachel Lynn Solomon!!

TW: death of a parent

If you love talk radio or podcasts, I think this book is for you. I thought it was fun, but found it a bit formulaic and wrapped up so easily. overall it was a fun time.

This book had me on stuck and it was just absolutely The Rom Com I needed to bring back my love of the romance genre. It also has my favorite trope-enemies to lovers to boot!⁣⁣
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There are so many positives to this book.⁣⁣
1. Great dialogue! Especially the banter between Shay and Dominic. But all of the interaction felt real. ⁣⁣
2. The humor was hysterical. Sometimes RomComs are a little short on the humor or it just isn’t that funny. I had so many laugh out loud moments. My favorite phrase would be “What would a mediocre white man do?” You’ll have to read it to understand it!⁣ ⁣
And I loved the “Master’s Degree” money jar that Dominic had to put $5 in every time he said Masters. And yes he lost a lot of his wages..lol⁣
3. A well written cast of very diverse characters that were truly well rounded and had actual personalities and weren’t just background noise.⁣⁣
4. Shay was totally relatable with her very real problems, which made me love her even more.⁣⁣
5. Dominic was almost the perfect guy. His love of cooking and for antiquing, especially for cast iron pans was awesome! When he pulled that crap near the end though I almost wanted Shay to move on. But alas he captured my heart again. ⁣6. I loved Shay’s crazy ass rescue dog Steve, who definitely took center stage at times! ⁣⁣
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Honestly the only negative thing I could say was I didn’t really like the ways things fell apart, but that is a must in a romance so they can be put back together. That’s were my issues with Dominic came in. But this was very minor. ⁣⁣
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Basically this is such a cute, pretty realistic and very well written story that even those of you who don’t love romance could get invested in this. And those of you who do love romance like me will find another favorite! 😍 And I guarantee you won’t be able to put it down. ⁣⁣
Rachel Lynn Solomon I’m waiting with bells on for your next book! ⁣⁣
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𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄-𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤!

This book was so much fun! I absolutely adored the characters and the story was so unique and entertaining. I’m a sucker for rom coms and this one definitely hit the spot. Thank you netgalley for my review copy!

This was everything I love in a Rom Com. Enemies to Friends to Lovers.

Shay has worked at public radio for a decade as a producer, but her dream is to be on air. Dominic, a hot shot, new hire is put on the air within months of starting out. With his meteoric climb, he ousted Shay as the young, rising start at the public radio station which has made him her #1 enemy. The only problem is that the radio station is going under and the solution Shay pitches of a relationship talk show hosted by ex-lovers pits her and Dominic as the hosts. Not only does it mean they have to lie about having dated, it puts her in close proximity with Dominic every day.

Does she really despite Dominic? Or is she secretly attracted to him? The work and pressure of hosting this show together will give them opportunity to become friends and maybe something closer than friends. But how can they date for the first-time if the whole world already thinks that they dated and broke up?

In addition to witty banter, flirty behavior, miscommunications and some steamy scenes - we have two characters finding who they are and dealing with past hurts from relationships as well as family dynamics.

I absolutely LOVED this rom com. Binged it in 24 hours and highly recommend for fans of The Unhoneymooners, Shipped and other enemies-to-lovers tropes.

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 the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers. review: I chose this book for my virtual book club and I absolutely loved it! It is such a well-rounded contemporary romance that has a great cast of characters and a focus on radio! I thought the premise was really cute and loved that the enemies to lovers trope had a unique feel with the addition of the podcast. I really enjoy listening to podcasts, so I liked learning more about the back end side of things and thought it gave a realistic look at how media works. As for the characters – I adored them! They had such good chemistry and while sometimes I feel that the enemies to lovers trope can be overdone, this felt fresh and authentic! A great debut novel if you’re looking for a good book to get into! rating: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

This was a FANTASTIC book and I have been recommending it to any romance reader I come across. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

This was one of my top two reads for February. I’ll admit that I might have a special place in my heart for a romance set in the world of public radio, but this story was an adorable romance even outside of my NPR obsession. I liked the chemistry between the characters, and that it is an interracial/inter-ethnic romance. I’ve been recommending it all over the place since finishing!

I couldn't stop reading THE EX TALK. I loved it SO MUCH!

A workplace hate-to-love romance with a bit of fake dating thrown in? So fun!! Fake dating is my fave trope, so I loved the fake exes idea and especially all of the banter it brought out in the podcast transcripts.

Shay (the Jewish heroine) and Dominic (the Korean American love interest) were both so great and relatable. The struggles of adulthood, careers, friendships, loneliness—it’s all there and more.

Now I just want to know . . .
1) Why isn’t The Ex Talk a real podcast I can listen to?
2) Where can I find my own Dominic Yun?