Quick Synopsis

Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon’s sparkling romantic comedy debut.

Publisher’s 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.

Book Review

After I finished Rachel Lynn Solomon’s most recent release, Business or Pleasure, I decided that I wanted to read her debut, which is her only adult release I have not read.

The Ex Talk is a workplace romance between 10-year public radio veteran Shay Goldstein and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun. When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show where two exes give relationship advice, the only problem is there are no exes among the staff. So her boss pairs Shay and Dominic since they already despise one another. Little do they predict that they will start falling for each other while deceiving their audience.

Let me first fan girl about the fact that The Ex Talk is a love letter to public radio. If you are an NPR-loving nerd like Rachel Lynn Solomon and me, you will automatically adore this book. Does it make it a tad difficult to image The Ex Talk show actually on public radio? Yes, but the jokes and Shay’s love for NPR make up for it.

The real star of this novel is Solomon’s smartass banter that warmed by sassy, sarcastic heart. Shay and Dominic’s exchanges are full of quips that will make you laugh and be jealous you did not think of it first. Consequently, their show is brimming with catchy, humorous, and sexy dialogue.

As I have found with other novels by Solomon, The Ex Talk has characters that are sweet, genuine, and easy to cheer for. Despite being initially hesitant about a romance with a younger man, Dominic has a lot of character growth and endeared himself to me. I also appreciate Solomon’s depiction of mental health struggles and Judaism. I would be remiss without mentioning Steve the dog, with his chaotic energy and general hot mess-ness.

Did I mention there are some steamy sex scenes? Rachel Lynn Solomon knows how to heat up a room with her words.

I did have a few quibbles with the novel, although nothing really took away from my enjoyment. I inherently find workplace romances a little cringey. I always struggle with the notion of people finding love while fueling capitalism with their labor and find it even more uncomfortable when it is encouraged by their bosses. This was exacerbated by the fact that there is some coworker sabotage that gave me PTSD flash backs.

Overall, The Ex Talk is a cute, spicy romance set at a Seattle public radio station. It is full of humor and character growth. If you are a public radio/NPR nerd like me, this is a must read.

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Writing

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Character Development