Review: The Ex Talk, Rachel Lynn Solomon

If you’re a regular reader of the blog (if you’re not, hi! thank you for being here!), you’ll notice by now that Rachel Lynn Solomon’s YA books are some of my favorite books of all times. I’ve been getting into adult books a little more, lately, especially romance, and after LOVING Weather Girl by this author, I knew I had to go back to read The Ex Talk, as well. And, damn, I’m glad I did, because I loved it. Check out my full review below!

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Published by Berkley on January 26, 2021
Genres: adult, romance
Format: eBook
Buy on Amazon, Book Depository, Bookshop, Blackwell's
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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.

☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:

loss of a parent (off-page), grief, sexism, graphic sexual content.

There are no spoilers in this review.

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I ENJOYED…

☂️

• Shay’s such an incredible main character and I found myself growing fond of her from the very first pages. She’s passionate about radio (something she shares with her late father) and about her job, yet she’s also navigating the confusing paths of adulthood. At 29, she’s questioning whether or not she’s stagnant in her life and a lot of her thoughts deeply echoed with me, while I was reading. I found Shay very relatable, determined, a little confused and really lonely, at times but overall so human. I recognized there, once again, how Rachel Lynn Solomon crafts her characters. Whether it’s in YA or adult books, she always manages to create main (and secondary) characters that jump off the page, that aren’t perfect, but always so deeply human you end up feeling for them. I loved Shay!
• The Ex Talk is an adult romance, so I’m going to have to talk about the glorious romance in this book. It’s sort of an enemies getting into a fake relationship and then oops, ending up with feelings for each other. I found Shay and Dom had a lot of chemistry, a lot of tension and, as they slowly learn to know each other and open up to each other, it’s just so wonderful. They were really such a good fit together!

• What I loved about this book is the fact that it’s not only a romance. Yes, it’s a big focus in the story, obviously, but the author still manages to tackle some great themes within the book, too. Loneliness when you’re an adult, the feelings of everyone growing and moving on while you’re stagnant, living with grief… While it’s a delight to read, it also tackles some tougher themes, making this a well-rounded read that gives you many, many emotions.

“I guess I just thought I’d have everything figured out by now. I’m almost thirty, and I don’t know if I feel any closer than when I was twenty-one or even twenty-five. There’s so much pressure to have all of this shit figured out, and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing.”

the ex talk, rachel lynn solomon

• The public radio aspect was really fun! I don’t think I have read a book where the characters work in public radio, for now, and I found that setting to be so much fun. The show idea, the banter as they’re live and so on… it was so much fun!

OVERALL

☂️

It’s official: Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my favorite authors, ever. The Ex Talk won my heart and I can’t wait to devour all of the author’s books.

FINAL RATING : 5 stars!

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📚 Books similar to The Ex Talk that I’d recommend:

• Try reading Rachel Lynn Solomon’s adult romance, Weather Girl.

Did you read The Ex Talk, or do you want to? Do you have any adult romances recommendations for me? Let me know in comments!

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