Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - The Ex Talk

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

105 reviews

brianavoss1's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Content Warnings

decklededgess's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

trigger warnings: death of parent, workplace misogyny and sexism, sexual content, alcohol, cyber harassment, grief

This was an unexpectedly delightful book. Shay and Dominic were delightfully flirty and fun with each other. I loved their banter and their enemies to lovers build up. The age gap wasn't weird but it was enough that they were able to make jokes about being part of different generations (5/6 years apart).

Shay's character development in relation to her career and how it ties to her grief over her father and her relationships to people in her life was really well done. As someone who is chronically sad about not having strong connections with friends this book was a big fuckign SCHMOOD.

I loved the podcast transcripts as well. It made for a really fun and immersive reading experience.

Content Warnings

theespressoedition's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was such an interesting take on "fake dating"! I'm a huge fan of this trope and have found that a lot of the contemporary romances that have stood out to me recently are ones with fake dating in them.

I was expecting The Ex Talk to be a bit of a quick read, but it wound up taking way longer than I thought it would. I kept speeding up my audiobook more and more until it was at 3x speed - and it still took over 12 hours to complete. That part was a little off-putting, considering fluffy romcoms are usually my "easy reads." But if you don't mind taking your time with a romance, then this will be right up your alley.

It was neat to see how the emphasis on radio was such a huge part of the story. It wasn't just mentioned as their careers and then kind of never talked about again. It was integral to the plot and actually made me want to cue up a radio program just to find appreciation for it again.

The characters weren't always likable, but they were often relatable, which I think was well done. Humans as a whole aren't always likable, so it made the book feel much more realistic to me. I felt like I could turn on the radio (or a podcast) and actually hear Dominic and Shay telling stories.

The conflict was hugely predictable, which was a little bit of a letdown to me personally, but that's often the case when it comes to books like this. I wish it hadn't taken the exact route it did, but that's a totally personal preference and has nothing to do with the writing of the book.

I really loved the very end of the book. There was a lot of strength in it and the resolution was incredibly satisfying!

Content Warnings

hayleyw's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

simplexdreams's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

islanderbookbabe's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

le3713's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I very much enjoyed the way this novel twisted the fake dating trope into a fake-exes trope. I also enjoyed the setting in pubic radio, and all of the accompanying details. There was lots of entertaining miscommunication and the romance was fun to root for. I was initially very skeptical of where the ending was going, but ultimately enjoyed the resolution. An enjoyable read!

Content Warnings