The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a book I have seen a lot about since it has been out for a while. However, it never sparked my interest. I’ve read only one other book by this author, Weather Girl. This got really overhyped in my opinion. Now that the Dutch translation of this book has been published, The Ex Talk was highly anticipated by many readers and my feed was filling up with it again. It actually sparked my interest now and I was curious whether I would like it or not. So, when I found the book for a discounted price, it was time to find out.

About the book

• Title: The Ex Talk
• Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
• Publication date: January 26, 2021
• Publisher: Berkley
• ISBN: 9780593200124
• Number of pages: 338
• Genre: Contemporary, Romance

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.

My review

Expectations

I was not sure what to expect besides a romance revolving around a radio show on public radio. I wasn’t sure whether this would be for me since I wasn’t the biggest fan of Weather Girl, which also revolves around a setting in media, namely television. So, I decided to start this read just balnkly and I think that was a good decision.

Characters

Our main characters are Shay Goldstein and Dominic Yun. Both have a totally different background. Shay’s dream is to get her own radio show in honor of her dad who passed away 10 years ago. Dominic can’t stop bragging about his master’s degree and seems a little more serious while Shay is chaotic and perhaps even lonely. She’s still dealing with her father’s dad and doesn’t have many friends. Her bond with her mother is quite strong though. When Shay and Dominic need to co-host a new radio show, The Ex Talk, they have to spend much more time together than they actually want. Slowly but steadily, tey get to know eachother and then they find out they’re more alike than they initially thought. This revelation is predictable, but is executed in a good way. It’s not love at first sight, they have to overcome many struggles. Also, because they aren’t exes to begin with, they have to lie to everyone they know for the sake of their carreer. Throughout the book both Shay and dominic open up and then I saw that there’s more to them than I ever thought when reading the first chapter. I think they have chemistry and they are a good fit for one another.

Writing

Solomon’s writing style is accessible. I therefore found it an easy read and I didn’t struggle at all. However, I would have liked a multiple POV narration here, because we get to know Dominic, but not really at the same time. I think he’s such an interesting character and with his own POV, that would have been better visible. Anyway, I was sucked into this book right away.

Plot

To be quite honest, I found this plot quite similar to Weather Girl. Both books are centered around media and it follows kind of the same formula. Colleagues not liking eachother have an undeniable chemistry and find eachother. I know that The Ex Talk has been published way earlier than Weater Girl, but I’ve read them in a different order. However, I didn’t mind this predictable plot, it’s a easy feelgood novel where you don’t have to concentrate and think alot whilst reading.

Final thoughts

I was so wrong about The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon, because I was convinced I wouldn’t like it at all. Surprisingly enough, I had a good time reading this book. The storyline is not that unique, but the author’s knowledge of public radio was visible throughout the entire story. I think the characters have chemistry which is rally important for a romance. However, thei also face their own insecurities and therefore they grow together. The writing was accessible to and I just liked it in general.