Book Summary and Reviews of The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Book Summary

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.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. At the beginning of the book, Shay's animosity toward Dominic centers on her feeling overshadowed by him at work. Is this something you've experienced? How did you handle it?
2. If you started this book with prior knowledge of public radio and podcasting, how did it change upon finishing? If those worlds were new to you, what did you find the most interesting? What were you most surprised by?
3. Shay and Dominic set aside their journalistic integrity to lie on the air, though they're a bit forced into it by their boss. Was the show worth temporarily sacrificing their journalistic ethics, and do you feel they adequately come to terms with this by the end of the book?
4. If you could read the book from Dominic's point of view...