I have been meaning to write this book review for months and I'm finally getting around to it, just in time for Rachel Lynn Solomon's new novel, "Weather Girl" to be released. I have the book in my possession and can't wait to dive into it. If it's anything like "The Ex Talk" then I know I'm going to fall in love with it.
They say to not judge a book by its cover but when I started seeing "The Ex Talk" cover all over my social media, I knew that I had to read it. I didn't care what it was about... the cover was just too endearing and awesome. That is also what made me buy a physical copy of the book versus an e-book; when the cover is cute, I need the physical book.
I flew through "The Ex Talk" within a few days because it was that good. The writing was excellent, the storytelling perfect and I just loved every second of it. Rachel Lynn Solomon writes the way I want to write - it was delicious.
Publisher's Summary
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 Thoughts
As I stated above, I loved every part of this book. I think fake dating is my favorite trope in romance novels... also, I love the enemies-to-lovers subtrope of this novel. I thought it was so smart and different... it combined a lot of people's favorite parts of a romance novel. Plus, you had the switcheroo of not just fake dating but being fake exes!
The book did start a little slow at first and I was waiting for things to happen but once they picked up, it went rather quickly and the pace was right on track. I also found Shay a little bit annoying but I think she was supposed to be that way, it felt too obvious... though, Dominic was completely charming and I loved him so much. I thought the two made a good match!
Aside from the lightness that a fake romance and breakup bring, I do feel that the book dealt with some heavy topics like death, being lost in your career, sexism, favoritism, and dynamic changes within friend groups. It had a little bit of everything and wasn't just a corny lovefest the entire time.
I am also a big fan of the way social media and podcasting were used throughout the novel. I am a sucker for all books related to my field of work -- I think when books are set in a relevant field it makes things more interesting. It was almost like the radio station, podcast, and social media were characters in themselves.
It's most important to note that this is a hot book. Aside from 50 Shades of Grey, I haven't read many 'R' rated books but this was definitely that... and I loved every second of it! But, in the same breath, it was very romantic and sweet, especially the ending.
"The Ex Talk" was very interesting, though predictable, but I really loved every moment of it. I would rate it five stars and truthfully, I'd read it again! I think a lot of people would really enjoy it and I think it's a great 'beginner' romance novel if you're looking to get into reading.
xoxo
B
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