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A review by theespressoedition
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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!
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
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing