Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collections
Publication
Berkley (2021), 352 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:An Instant Indie Bestseller 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.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member samnreader
Like Shay I grew up listening to public radio. My kids have grown up listening to public radio. The stories that keep you sitting in your driveway ("Driveway stories!) the stories that explore something so deeply like a father's connection to his son's old truck after he died, the bees, the
Public radio thrives on its earnestness. Maybe it's naive for me to laud it as some pinnacle of journalistic integrity, ok, but its authenticity is basically what makes it what it is. So the fake ex thing? No. As journalists to use that to get others' stories? Definitely not. In this political economy? Almost f*ck you. It may seem "minor" but think of where you have to go to get the story, and the ethics we depend on journalists to have. This isn't being your on-air persona. This is something more insidious, and I don't think I could like either character for this manipulation.
And also, I guess I remember when the history channel wasn't out of history (it's so wild how that happens! It might have done the public some good to move on to pre world war 2 Germany rather than covering all aspects of the greatest generation and then deciding to have non stop Forged in Fire & worse), when the Discovery channel hadn't covered all of science apparently and moved on to "Finding Bigfoot" because pseudoscience is super cool, and even when all the cooking shows on Food Network weren't competitive.
So anyway...
Wow. This touched a nerve. I'll go read some other reviews to make sure I didn't entirely mischaracterize this and make a fool of myself
Show More
bananas, the things you didn't know you care about but public radio can make an hour on it interesting. The fun Saturday morning shows and the fact that we can now openly say we all hated a Prairie Home Companion and not like...lose our PR cred.Public radio thrives on its earnestness. Maybe it's naive for me to laud it as some pinnacle of journalistic integrity, ok, but its authenticity is basically what makes it what it is. So the fake ex thing? No. As journalists to use that to get others' stories? Definitely not. In this political economy? Almost f*ck you. It may seem "minor" but think of where you have to go to get the story, and the ethics we depend on journalists to have. This isn't being your on-air persona. This is something more insidious, and I don't think I could like either character for this manipulation.
And also, I guess I remember when the history channel wasn't out of history (it's so wild how that happens! It might have done the public some good to move on to pre world war 2 Germany rather than covering all aspects of the greatest generation and then deciding to have non stop Forged in Fire & worse), when the Discovery channel hadn't covered all of science apparently and moved on to "Finding Bigfoot" because pseudoscience is super cool, and even when all the cooking shows on Food Network weren't competitive.
So anyway...
Wow. This touched a nerve. I'll go read some other reviews to make sure I didn't entirely mischaracterize this and make a fool of myself
Show Less
LibraryThing member Narshkite
Absolutely adorable. I loved the NPR setting, the discussion of the erosion (but not death) of journalism. I really loved, the real depiction of common workplace sexism, which is subtle and crippling and does not involve Weinstein- Lauer sexual assault. The assault and intimidation is more
Show More
cinematic and more tertible, but the extetnal limitations and microagressioms impact the professional lives of more women and this is important. Shay was irritating at times and really socially immature. I was never surprised she did not have any friends other than one from childhood. But Shay was also interesting and smart and Dominic was the perfect boyfriend without being too perfect. I also loved the diverse cast of characters ages 23- 60ish and Korean, Indian, Nigerian, Jewish, and bi, straight and lesbian,. Ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation were part of each character but did not define them - like real life. Mostly I liked that the characters made some bad choices and paid a price, but that did not make them villains. Overall a super modern romance. I am glad this author has moved toward more adult fare and look forward to her next. Note: I listened to the audio and really liked the reader. Show Less
LibraryThing member ftbooklover
Shay Goldstein has worked as a producer at her local public radio station for ten years when she comes up with the idea in which ex-lovers host a show together where they talk about what went wrong in their relationship. In addition the show will feature callers who will tell their stories and
The Ex Talk includes both a romance and a story about figuring out life after college. Shay is faced with the question of whether the profession she has chosen is really what she wants to spend the rest of her life doing. The romance is well done and is an important part of the story, but it isn't the most important part, leaving Dominic's character a little underdeveloped. Overall, The Ex Talk is a good women's fiction book with a nice romance that adds depth and reality to the story. 3 1/2 stars
Show More
guests that talk about ways relationships can be saved. Newcomer Dominic Yun has been driving Shay insane, annoying her at every turn, but when the station manager tells them that they will be fired unless they host The Ex Talk show together and pretend to be exes, Shay decides this might be a good way for her to get behind the mic instead of behind the scenes. Dominic is into being a journalist and doesn't like lying to the public, but agrees to be one of the hosts in order to keep his job. Their show is a big hit, but it brings both Shay and Dominic much more than they bargained for.The Ex Talk includes both a romance and a story about figuring out life after college. Shay is faced with the question of whether the profession she has chosen is really what she wants to spend the rest of her life doing. The romance is well done and is an important part of the story, but it isn't the most important part, leaving Dominic's character a little underdeveloped. Overall, The Ex Talk is a good women's fiction book with a nice romance that adds depth and reality to the story. 3 1/2 stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member kevn57
I enjoyed all the radio and podcasts parts of the story, I expected it to be a little funnier with especially the dialogue between the two hosts. I would have enjoyed it more if the reason that Dominic remained at the station was to document the misogamist behavior of Kent and then outing him for
Show More
it during the pledge drive. Show Less
LibraryThing member rmarcin
Romance novel about two public radio talk show hosts who don’t like each other initially, but when Shay Goldstein suggests an idea for a show where two exes talk about their relationship, “The Ex-Talk”, Shay and her nemesis, Dominic Yun, are asked to pretend that they dated and broke up. They
Since this is a romance, of course, they fall in love. But, with every romance, there are ups and downs.
Smart, witty, and filled with steamy sex scenes, this was an enjoyable love story about facing your fears, and finding someone who will support your dreams
Show More
are both hesitant, not wanting to lie to their listeners, but they want the show to succeed, so they agree to it. Since this is a romance, of course, they fall in love. But, with every romance, there are ups and downs.
Smart, witty, and filled with steamy sex scenes, this was an enjoyable love story about facing your fears, and finding someone who will support your dreams
Show Less
LibraryThing member baystateRA
Didn't love this as an audiobook as much as I thought I would, although I'm an NPR fan, and the story is centered on a public radio station as it attempts to stay relevant in the era of podcasts and edgier topics than are normally allowed on NPR.
LibraryThing member yonitdm
This book had it all: Loathe to Love. There's only one bed! Fake Dating! Hidden Real Dating! The Misunderstanding! It'll make you yell and I promise you'll never look at a pair of forearms the same again. So steamy!
LibraryThing member GeauxGetLit
This was such a cute, easy reading book. Both characters were very likable and it was partially an enemies to lovers trope but with a twist. I loved their cute banter with each other and I only hope their is a sequel. Shay was an absolute doll!
They worked at an NPR radio studio, both never really
What happens when their audience figures out it was all a hoax and will they end up together?
They worked at an NPR radio studio, both never really
Show More
as a host. Well, in order to save the radio they began acting as co-hosts. It was supposed to be a fresh idea for NPR, and they wanted to prove that even though they might be exes they could still work together. However, they never actually dated and the listeners weren’t any the wiser. However, when you spend a lot of time with another person they began to have feelings for one another. What happens when their audience figures out it was all a hoax and will they end up together?
Show Less
LibraryThing member Herenya
After a decade working behind the scenes for a public radio station, Shay is finally given a chance of hosting her own show -- on the condition that she and her and her co-host, Dominic, pretend to be exes.
I had read the blurb for this before I’d read Weather Girl and Business or Pleasure, and
But it turns out to be very different story from the one I had initially imagined! (I’m not sure how to put what I’d rather vaguely imagined into words -- something more default-American-y? A love interest who’s white and a jock and older, not a 24 year old Korean-American overly prone to bringing up his journalism master’s degree in conversation?)
In themes and values and setting (Seattle), The Ex Talk has a lot in common with Solomon’s other novels. I like the strong sense of place and community her stories have. I also enjoyed the banter between Shay and Dominic, and Shay’s passion for telling stories. I found the deception more stressful than the usual sort of fake-dating set-up.
I’m glad I gave this a go. Also, it's single POV.
Dominic Yun: On this first episode, we’re talking about why we broke up. We'll take some calls a little later but we wanted to start with our story, because clearly it’s something even Shay and I can’t agree on. Here are some other reasons couples break up these days: jealousy, broken promises, insecurity, infidelity --
Shay Goldstein: Working too closely with your partner.
Dominic Yun: Or maybe interrupting them constantly.
Shay Goldstein: I thought this was friendly banter?
Dominic Yun: I feel like that would require you being friendly.
Shay Goldstein: I’m friendly! To my friends!
I had read the blurb for this before I’d read Weather Girl and Business or Pleasure, and
Show More
I’d decided it wasn’t what I wanted to read. But it turns out to be very different story from the one I had initially imagined! (I’m not sure how to put what I’d rather vaguely imagined into words -- something more default-American-y? A love interest who’s white and a jock and older, not a 24 year old Korean-American overly prone to bringing up his journalism master’s degree in conversation?)
In themes and values and setting (Seattle), The Ex Talk has a lot in common with Solomon’s other novels. I like the strong sense of place and community her stories have. I also enjoyed the banter between Shay and Dominic, and Shay’s passion for telling stories. I found the deception more stressful than the usual sort of fake-dating set-up.
I’m glad I gave this a go. Also, it's single POV.
Dominic Yun: On this first episode, we’re talking about why we broke up. We'll take some calls a little later but we wanted to start with our story, because clearly it’s something even Shay and I can’t agree on. Here are some other reasons couples break up these days: jealousy, broken promises, insecurity, infidelity --
Shay Goldstein: Working too closely with your partner.
Dominic Yun: Or maybe interrupting them constantly.
Shay Goldstein: I thought this was friendly banter?
Dominic Yun: I feel like that would require you being friendly.
Shay Goldstein: I’m friendly! To my friends!
Show Less
Awards
Washington State Book Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2022)
NPR: Books We Love (2021)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — January 2021)
Original language
English
Physical description
352 p.; 8.35 inches
ISBN
0593200128 / 9780593200124