I flew through this book— Rachel Lynn's writing is so easy to consume! As someone who has lived in Seattle a long time, I love that she weaves in the PNW in her stories. And as an NPR aficionado, I loved the main storyline and it was really wonderful to see the behind the scenes of radio production. Shay and Dominic were a delightful pair. Can't wait to read more adult romance from this author.

Many years ago all I listened to was NPR. It kept me sane and informed on my commute to work. And over the years I got to know the hosts, the different programs and most of all the pledge drives.

Reading The Ex Talk was almost like a trip into the past. I loved the focus on radio. It’s just not a typical topic in romance, and I really enjoyed how much of radio work the author included in this book. The book was spot on in regards to names, programs and my feelings towards pledge drives, lol.

I would have loved even more radio segments in the book. Because the banter on air between Shay and Dominic was GOLD!!! They were such naturals, the back and forth, the teasing, and dry humour. They were my favourite moments.

EVERYTHING I ENJOYED ABOUT THIS BOOK

enemies to lovers trope
great chemistry and flirting between the couple
wonderful banter on air
fake dating trope
younger man older woman


For any enemies to lovers fans, this is a great book to add to your tbr. Shay and Dominic couldn’t stand each other, and being forced to work together just brought it all to the forefront. AND also made them realize what they were missing out on. Their chemistry was palpable, and I loved how adorable they were together.

Overall the book was sweet, entertaining, and thanks to the radio aspect refreshingly different. The couple was a great fit, relatable, and genuine. The only complaint I have is the ending. Since the story could have only ended one way, it was the most plausible but also most predictable part of the book. But all in all a very solid romance in every way!

This book released just in time! What better thing to read as Valentine's Day comes near than a really amazing romance book! I loved the concept of having to pretend to be exes. I also really adored seeing all the cool behind the scenes of a radio station pieces! Definitely will highly recommend!

So what happens when you're forced to work with your nemesis and then find out, he's not as bad as you thought he was?

The perfect recipe for a great work romance novel!

Shay Goldstein has spent the last decade as the producer of a radio show. She is content to work behind the scenes since she doesn't believe she has the voice to be on the radio. Her dad and Shay spent many days playing at having their own talk show and despite the years he has been gone, she still misses him dearly. When he died, working at the radio was the one thing that helped her get out of bed every day.

In regards to her personal life, she's currently unattached. Her mom is about to get married and her best friend is thinking of moving away. She's stressed with these changes. Then, she learns that the station might have to let people go. They need a new show to bring in listeners.

Shay pitches an idea at the next work meeting. How about exes working together and talking about relationship issues? Her boss loves the idea and when he sees her bickering with Dominic Yun, who has a master's in journalism, he decides to pair them as the hostesses of the new show.

It all begins with a lie, but soon Shay and Dominic realize they have chemistry and a shared attraction but can things work out for them?

The Ex-Talk by Rachel Lynn was a sweet story with the perfect balance of romance and drama. Engaging characters and a perfect blend of diversity and inclusion.

And I have to agree with Shay, forearms can be sexy.

Cliffhanger: No

4.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for my advanced copy!

The concept of The Ex Talk is so clever and creative. The idea of a podcast hosted by exes discussing relationships and romance is something I would definitely listen too in real life.

This novel incorporates hate to love and fake relationship tropes with a twist, more aligning with fake exes, which is a trope I’ve never read, but I really enjoyed! The two main characters felt very realistic to me, and I enjoyed their chemistry, interactions, and natural dialogue. The mixed media and podcast elements in this book were well done, and I truly thought it benefited the reading experience, adding another element to the development of the love interest.

The author’s writing was enjoyable, the banter was great, and I think many people will really enjoy this fun, cute workplace romantic comedy! I will be picking up more reads from Rachel Lynn Solomon in the future!

I desperately need a WWAMWMD bracelet because that is officially my new professional guiding light 🙌🏼 I adored all the public radio yumminess in this story and ultimately loved the relationship as well. I am still struggling a bit with stories built entirely around a lie (ALL fake relationship stories) and that’s why I ended up at a 4 instead of a 5 here.

Also, I read this immediately after finishing SHIPPED by Angie Hockman and the parallels were plentiful - workplace tension turned romance, sexist asshole boss, etc. A good “screw the patriarchy” pairing to be sure.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
This book has been everywhere recently and was so excited to read this story!

I love that one of the leads is a Korean American (which is also what I am). While this is not an own voices book, I loved seeing some of his culture shine through as well as some of the struggles he faces as an Asian in the workplace and some of the racism he's experienced in his everyday life.

I don't read many in the fake romance trope but this one made me want to pick more! I thought their banter was great and loved to see how they played off the history of their fake relationship.

I don't listen to the radio anymore but I love podcasts and loved all the NPR references to some of my favorite ones! 

Thank you for my advanced copy!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was the perfect blend of everything I love and felt like it was written specifically for me. It struck an ideal balance between romance and comedy, and the level of steam was perfect for me. The characters were full, well-rounded people with interests, career goals, friends, etc. I also love that the cast was very diverse but there was no explanation or special emphasis on a character being a certain race or sexual orientation - it just was. It covered so many timely themes and - important for me when it comes to romance - this book was not just about their romance, their romance was a piece of it. It’s my favorite romance I’ve read since Beach Read! I also love the fact that this was written by a Jewish author and stars a Jewish main character - as others have said too, I sometimes feel like the only time I read stories about my people is when it’s related to the Holocaust, so I was extra excited. I’ve never read Rachel Lynn Solomon before but now I definitely want to go back and read all her YA books.

This was my first Rachel Lynn Solomon read, but it definitely won't be my last.

THE EX TALK is a workplace, fake-relationship romance with a twist: instead of fake dating, the antagonistic coworkers pretend they are exes in order to cohost a new show on relationships. I loved this unique premise and thought it was executed really well. Shay and Dominic go into it with a real dislike of each other, so the fake-ex thing doesn't feel like a big stretch, which made their eventual realization (and subsequent horror!) that they enjoy each other's company after being forced to spend time together, getting to know each other, all the more fun.

I also really enjoyed the public radio setting! The author clearly has a deep love and appreciation for public radio, and it made me want to carve out more time for NPR, my local MPR, and podcasts.

If I'm being picky (and let's face it, I'm always picky 😉), there were a few things that didn't quite work for me, including the grand gesture. I think I'll be in the minority on that one, though.

If you're a fan of opposites attract, enemies to lovers, and fake relationship tropes, and you're looking for stories featuring PoC protagonists, definitely give THE EX TALK a try!

RATING: A- (4½ stars)

I absolutely adored this book. i thought it was going to be super cringey but it was such a good book!!
•
Shay & Dominic worked together at a radio station, when business was down and lay-offs were beginning to go around, Shay & Dominic agreed to start a new segment on the station called The Ex Talk where they talked about their relationships and how relationships can fail.... but Shay & Dominic never dated, they were classic work enemy duo. But Shay has always wanted to host her own show, so when the opportunity came, not matter how deceitful she agreed.
•
Shay & Dominic were SO CUTE like so cute i absolutely adored them. Dominic was hard to read and it was really hard to understand what he thought of the whole situation which drove Shay (and myself nuts). I wish the ending wasn’t as rushed which i find myself saying about a lot of romance books i read, but it’s true. This book was also VERY steamy and written very well!!! I totally recommend you grab yourself a copy (I know i’m going too!!!)

Shay Goldstein has been obsessed with public radio for as long as she can remember- her deceased father inspiring the passion that ultimately turned into a career.

But for as long as Shay has worked in the field as a producer, she’s never taken the leap to being behind the mic. Instead she’s stuck answering to a boss that doesn’t appreciate her and silently envying a new, younger hire named Dominic Yun who came to the station in pursuit of, “serious journalism”.

One day it becomes obvious that the station is struggling. Cuts will be made. Changes are inevitable. Witness to the daily banter between friendly rivals Shay and Dominic, their boss hatches a plan. Why not take their friction on air, as exes who still work together? There’s only one catch- Shay and Dominic never dated and don’t even know each other that well. Can they pull off a fake relationship and save their careers and the fate of station in the progress?

This book was great fun. I loved seeing Shay and Dominic’s relationship evolve. I love a good fake relationship story, but this one was a refreshing take on a familiar trope. The radio station backdrop only added to the appeal. By the end, I truly grew to love these characters. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it won’t be the last.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for making this advanced read possible.

The Ex Talk was my first romance read of 2021 and set the bar high! This was an excellent enemies to friends to lovers story with two sharp, self-aware protagonists who communicated like adults. How refreshing! I've been recommending this book to everyone.

THE EX TALK is the fake relationship trope flipped to fake exes and it was FANTASTIC! I can definitely see this one as a movie one day!!!!! If you're looking for snark, sexy times, and enemies-to-lovers, you won't be disappointed!

This book was so darn good. The unique storyline involving public radio cohosts, paired with the uniqueness of fake exes was a lot of fun.

Things I loved:
•the combination of tropes - hate to love, fake relationship (in this cases - exes), office romance, and even a bit of forced proximity
•the chemistry between Shay and Dominic is off the charts. The flirting, their banter - I adored it all
•the dialogue was witty and original, I truly had a blast reading this one
•this one gets HOT. The tension between these two characters pay off, wow. The steamy scenes definitely don’t take over the story, if that’s not your thing
•learning more about radio shows and the behind the scenes of podcasts/radios

Things that weren’t my fave:
•my only downfall and it’s a tiny one is that it took me a few chapters to get hooked - but it could have just been mood and probably a me thing!

I love an original plot in a romance, and this was so much fun to binge! I think this is one so many people will also love! A total slump buster if you’re looking for one! 4.5⭐️

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and NetGalley for the #gifted copy to review!

I gave this one a 4.5/5! This romcom debut novel by Rachel Solomon was exactly what I needed - a cute, quick read that gave me all the feels. It is an enemies to lovers trope full of humor and steam, but also included serious topics such as loss and grief.
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Shay Goldstein and Dominic Yun are two not-so-friendly coworkers at a public radio station who have to pretend to be exes and host a show called The Ex Talk where they will deliver relationship advice live. The show becomes a hit and climbs podcast charts, but as the show gets bigger, so do their feelings towards each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.
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I mean, c'mon, who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers story, with a fun, steamy plot, a bit of depth, and likeable characters?! This book was extremely well-written and the diverse characters were very well developed. I absolutely loved Shay and Dom, and the chemistry between the two of them. The Ex Talk is written in first person from Shay's perspective, and though I loved it, as I was reading, I thought to myself "I wonder what Dom is thinking?", so I do think it would have fun to have dual perspectives, so that we could have heard from Dom's point of view, too!
⠀
This is definitely the perfect Valentine's Day book, so if you are looking for a cute, easy, entertaining romcom to read, then this is for you!

For full review and photo: HTTPS://www.instagram.com/ajtsreads

I was initially on the fence about this book when I read the description. I love the fake relationship trope but I wasn't sure if that same love would transfer over to fake ex's. I love the fake relationship trope so much that my curiosity got the better of me and I am so glad it did. I could not put this book down once it really got going. I found myself invested in trying to figure out what Dominic was thinking. I just couldn't believe the reality that Shay had laid out for herself to explain away all the conversations and non-verbal communication between them. It compelled me forward. A bonus is that Dominic is not your typical male trope, and I love that he is Korean.

The whole public Radio Show/NPR/Podcast aspect of the storyline had depth to it. I like that they talked about integrity with journalism and sexism in the workplace. I like that the whole storyline wasn't just about the radio show that Shay and Dominic were doing (where they pretend to be ex's and its a relationship show).

What caught me off guard was this narrative about grief and loss woven within the story. What an elegant way to talk about a hard subject. It wasn't only once or twice either, it was reoccurring and honestly made me feel hopeful about my own loss in my own life. I guess I should have prefaced this with the face that Shay lost her dad (don't worry it isn't a spoiler, she talks about it almost immediately).

This book has easily slid into my favourites shelf in Goodreads. I may have to do a re-read at some point, maybe the audiobook version when the times comes.

Would I recommend this book?
- I have already recommended this book to a few people. I don't see it stopping there.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to @berkleyromance @rlynn_solomon and @netgalley for a gifted galley of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Are you a fan of public radio?

Along with my love of skinny jeans, sideparts, emojis, pumpkin spice lattes, and anything else that has recently been deemed "old," I am a HUGE NPR fan, and I have no shame in shouting it out loud! My love affair with NPR began in 2014 when I was introduced to the podcast Serial and host Sarah Koenig, and it has evolved from there. From Ira Glass and This American Life and Terry Gross and Fresh Air, to Audie Cornish, Mary Louise Kelly and All Things Considered, and Meghna Chakrabarti and On Point, my NPR love is big (sometimes to my children's dismay!), so it will come as absolutely no surprise to anyone that I absolutely adored Rachel Lynn Solomon's THE EX TALK!

There is so much to love about this debut romcom! Enemies to lovers trope? Check. Age-gap and interracial romance? Check. Witty and sarcastic banter mixed with lots of heart-warming and vulnerable moments? Check. Lots of NPR references? Check! Diverse characters, sex-positive situations, pleasant surprises with character development, and a chills-inducing ending? Check, check, check, check!

I don't want to give any more away, so in conclusion: Grab a copy of this one ASAP and let me know what you think! This is already in my top 10 for the year, and I will be waiting with bated breath for Rachel's next romcom!

I love that this book was a fresh new take on the enemies to lovers trope. The banter was incredible and the setting was amazing. I also like that we get deeper into Shay as a character and this isn't just a rom-com. Overall, this book is fun, cute, and flirty!

This adorable romantic comedy has it all-witty banter, humor, quirky likable characters, chemistry, and an enemies to lovers storyline with a unique twist and setting. The Ex Talk follows Shay and Dominic, workplace adversaries who pretend to be exes in order to host their own public radio show. There is additional depth with individuals dealing with real issues outside the romantic story line and the story is inclusive of a diverse cast of characters. If you're looking for a fun, cute romance that you can't put down look no further. The Ex Talk hits the mark!

My This American Life-listening, Terry Gross-stanning, canvas bag-totin' heart loved this book top to bottom. Funny and swoon and smart, it was everything I want in a rom com.