The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

e-Audio, 10:52:32
Narrated by: Emily Ellet
Release Date: January 26, 2021
Published by: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Read from: June 7-9, 2021
Stand-alone
Source: Library (Overdrive)
TW: 
For Readers Interested In: Contemporary,  Romance, Realistic Fiction, Enemies to Lovers, Adult

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

I have heard so many things about this book! I can’t believe it took me this long to finally be in the know with everyone else. While I liked it, it wasn’t exactly the 5 star read I was expecting it to be.

All Shay Goldstein knows is public radio. Unfortunately the station she’s made a living at is struggling and looking for something new. Shay thinks of a show idea that is less than conventional… Two exes will talk about their relationship and offering advice to their listeners. She’s super proud of her idea until her boss decides Shay and her work enemy, Dominic are going to play the exes…. But… They’ve never been exes. In fact, they can hardly stand each other. They don’t like lying, but they gotta do what they gotta do. And suddenly their show is climbing the charts and they actually start to fall for each other…

As someone who’s not a real fan on Enemies to Lovers (I’m more partial to Friends to Lovers) but this one actually stuck with me. I think it was the characters. Shay was quirky and Dominic was real and down to Earth. It was pretty fun to see the two of them falling for each other. When the arguing turned into kisses I was melted. However, I did wish there was more of them together. Because once they got together, it got hot. But not at all over-bearing.

The plot itself was what made me not enjoy this as much as everyone else. I didn’t feel like there was much to it. To be honest, I got a little bored after a while. It wasn’t until I got to the weekend together that I found myself liking it a bit more. I think its obvious I was more into the romance than anything in this book. It was a slow burn which is why I wasn’t as invested in the beginning I think. But it could also be the enemies to lovers thing.

This wasn’t my favorite read, but I thought it was cute all the same. The characters were nice, the romance was kinda spicy, and the dog was cute, but I wanted more from the plot. It was definitely a stunner for Solomon’s first foray into adult. I cant wait to see what else she has in store!

Overall, I give this