4/5 Stars
Published January 26th, 2021
Published by Berkley
Synopsis: 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.
This was exactly the fun, lighthearted rom-com I needed to spend my Sunday afternoon with. The public radio setting added such an interesting dynamic to the story. I enjoyed the behind the scene tidbits that gave us an inside look into how public radio may work in real life and these challenges really added to the characterization of our main cast. Reading about these two enemies turned fake exes turned lovers navigate this fabricated story to keep their jobs and radio station alive was something I grew so invested in. The Ex Talk is able to simultaneously tackle concepts of grief and vulnerability, love and longing, while creating an atmosphere that is so electrifying. Rachel Lynn Soloman's adult romance debut will make you feel seen in the characters she's crafted and has created a space that allows you to lose yourself in the simplest of joys.
Shay has been working hard as a producer for Pacific Public Radio for 10 years, but craves to be her own radio show host. After dreaming of this for years due to the influence of her father, she finally gets the chance to make an impact on national radio. Shay does not give up. She is unrelenting, guiding herself and her team to the victory she knows they all deserve, and she is so efficient at what she does that this dream of hers becomes a reality. Dominic starts off as such a pompous jerk, constantly showing off his masters degree in journalism to prove he knows what he's doing in the realm of public radio. As the story unfolds, it turns out Dominic is actually shy, sweet, and is merely striving to impress his office enemy turned fake ex turned co-host. He becomes such a joyous little light in the end. Their pairing as co-hosts is genius. They have such a great chemistry that makes for witty banter and intriguing discussions. Dominic and Shay really bring out the best in each other, both on air and off.
One of my favorite aspects about The Ex Talk was the diversity in its cast of characters. Dominic being Korean was so pleasantly surprising. I appreciated having even just a little bit of Korean culture mentioned in the story and the addition of his parents and their background to give Dominic a cultural identity to relate to, as opposed to him just being a token character. I really like how Soloman handled Shay's age. Shay is 29 and Dominic is 24, so there's an age gap and the female protagonist is older! I feel like this is rarely written about in novels, so it was refreshing to see this type of relationship as well as read about a character who was not all consumed by their age. Shay and Dominic were able to make jokes about their "generational differences" (they're literally in the same generation) and still form a great connection with one another. There are other details mentioned in the story that aren't necessarily expanded on during the book, such as Shay being Jewish, Ameena (Shay's best friend) being Indian, and two of their coworkers being openly LGBT and sharing tidbits of their past, but it still made way for more diversity than is normally seen in other romance novels.
In addition to this, I truly felt comforted by Shay's character and how she went about her internal conflicts. After what I would consider the climax of the story, she really struggles with accepting her position in life. She is unsure of the path she wants to take next, uncertain about whether she's been chasing her dream this whole time or just striving to attain the illusion of happiness that her father set for her. At this crossroad, she is challenged to figure out her desires. After graduating from UF, I have felt this constant pressure to figure out what I want to do with my career as fast as I can. It has been a struggle to come to terms with the fact that everybody takes this journey at their own pace, but Shay's character really helped me put into perspective that even at 29, there's still time for you to figure things out. Throughout the book, she makes comments about how despite buying her own house and doing all these things that "adults" should do, she still hasn't figured everything out. Hearing that, I was able to put my own worries to rest for the time being.
The Ex Talk is more than your typical rom-com. It's fun, heart-wrenching, and a little messy at times (aren't we all), but it can be so personal in just the right ways. I loved this book and I truly recommend it if you're looking for a quick read and immediate serotonin release. Did I mention I read it in 6 hours? It is unputdownable. I hope this makes way for a whole line of books set in the world of radio and podcast.
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