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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.
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.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Excerpts-
From the book
1
Dominic Yun is in my sound booth.
He knows it’s my sound booth. He’s been here four months, and there’s no way he doesn’t know it’s my sound booth. It’s on the station’s shared calendar, the one connected to our email, in a blue bubble that reads booth c: goldstein, shay. repeats monday– friday, 11 to noon. ends: never.
I’d knock on the door, but—well, a sound booth’s defining feature is that it’s soundproof. And while I’m certain a list of my faults could fill a half hour of commercial-free radio, I’m not quite so awful that I’d storm inside and risk screwing up whatever Dominic is recording. He may be Pacific Public Radio’s least qualified reporter, but I have too much respect for the art of audio mixing to do that. What happens inside that booth should be sacred.
Instead, I lean against the wall across from Booth C, quietly simmering, while the red RECORDING sign above the booth flashes on and off.
“Use another booth, Shay!” calls my show’s host, Paloma Powers, on her way to lunch. (Veggie yakisoba from the hole-in-the-wall across the street, every Tuesday and Thursday for the past seven years. Ends: never.)
I could. But being passive-aggressive is much more fun.
Public radio is not solely filled with the kind of honey-voiced intellectuals who ask for money during pledge drives. For every job in this field, there are probably a hundred desperate journalism grads who “just love This American Life,” and sometimes you have to be vicious if you want to survive.
I might be more stubborn than vicious. That stubbornness got me an internship here ten years ago, and now, at twenty-nine, I’m the station’s youngest-ever senior producer. It’s what I’ve wanted since I was a kid, even if, back then, I dreamed of being in front of a microphone instead of behind a computer.
It’s eleven twenty when the sound booth door finally opens, after I’ve assured my assistant producer Ruthie Liao that the promos will be in before noon, and after environmental reporter Marlene Harrison-Yates takes one look at me and bursts out laughing before disappearing into the vastly inferior Booth B.
I see his shoe first, a shiny black oxford. The rest of his six-foot-something body follows, charcoal slacks and a maroon dress shirt with the top button undone. Framed in the doorway of Booth C and frowning down at his script, he could be a stock photo for business casual.
“Did you say all the right words in the right order?” I ask.
“I think so,” Dominic says to the script instead of to me, completely serious. “Can I help you with anything?”
I fill my voice with as much sweetness as I can. “Just waiting for my booth.”
Since he’s blocking my path, I continue to scrutinize him. His sleeves are rolled to his elbows, and his black hair is slightly mussed. Maybe he dragged his hands through it, frustrated when his story didn’t turn out precisely the way he wanted. It would be a refreshing contrast to his recent stories dominating our website, the ones that get clicks because of splashy headlines but lack any emotional depth. During those fateful twenty minutes he spent in Booth C, maybe he grew so fed up with public radio that he’s on his way to tell Kent he’s so sorry, but he wasn’t cut out for this job.
He’s barely been here long enough to understand the nuances between Booths A, B, and my beloved C: that the...
Reviews-
Starred review from November 23, 2020 The transition from enemies to lovers is handled with wit and humor in YA author Solomon’s exceptional adult debut (after Today Tonight Tomorrow), which puts an unexpected twist on the fake relationship trope. It’s taken Shay Goldstein 10 years to work her way up in public radio, from intern to senior producer, so she can’t help resenting the smug new reporter, Dominic Yun, who strolls in with a master’s degree in journalism and immediately impresses the bosses with a big scoop on a City Hall scandal. When Shay pitches the idea of a relationship-themed podcast hosted by exes, the station’s program director—who’s noticed Shay and Dominic’s sparring around the office—persuades the pair of them to pose as a recently broken-up couple and host the show themselves, to spare the station the expense of new hires. Their banter and obvious chemistry helps the show take off, and real romance soon develops off-mic. But both are struggling with private insecurities: Dominic’s previous relationship ended in heartbreak, and isolated Shay throws herself into work at the expense of her personal life. Shay and Dominic are a couple to root for and the diverse, well-drawn supporting cast only adds to the appeal. This charming, multicultural rom-com is a winner. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary. (Jan.) Correction: An earlier version of this review incorrectly stated this was the author's first book.
February 26, 2021
Sparks fly across the airwaves in this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. Shay Goldstein has dedicated the past ten years of her life to her job at Pacific Public Radio. So she isn't impressed by her pretentious new colleague, Dominic Yun, who manages to mention his newly minted Northwestern graduate degree more often than the station hosts pledge drives. The two have an argument during a brainstorming meeting, when Shay suggests a program about two exes discussing relationships, and Dominic dismisses the idea as too lowbrow for public radio. After witnessing their fight, the station's program director convinces the two to act as the ex-couple in Shay's proposed show and take their battles on the air if they want to avoid station layoffs. Only one problem--the two have never dated and they'll have to keep it secret if they hope to keep their jobs. As the two become friends and romantic tension mounts, they'll have to navigate complications that could derail their newfound success. VERDICT Solomon's (Today Tonight Tomorrow) adult fiction debut is a slow burn romance that would be a great introduction to the genre for readers new to it. Witty banter and lovable characters will delight public radio nerds and contemporary fiction fans alike.--Shanel Slater, Marion P.L., IA
Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from November 1, 2020 To save their jobs, rival public radio co-workers pretend to be exes for a new show and end up getting much more than they bargained for. Shay Goldstein hates her new co-worker, Dominic Yun. The 29-year-old senior producer has been with Pacific Public Radio for 10 years but has never realized the dream of hosting her own show. Dominic, 24 years old and armed with a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern, which he obnoxiously mentions every chance he gets, is already breaking big news on the air. Their competition boils over during a stationwide brainstorming session when Shay suggests starting a new dating show hosted by exes, and Dominic writes it off as tawdry commercial radio. But their shouting match has unexpected consequences when the station's program director tells them their verbal sparring and obvious tension would make them the perfect hosts for Shay's show--and that it just might save them from upcoming layoffs. Of course, there's one huge problem: They've never actually dated. As the show skyrockets in popularity, the fake exes become real friends, but a growing attraction might spell disaster. Shay and Dominic are brought to life with multilayered backstories. Shay shared her passion for radio with her late father, and she often wonders what he would think about her career choices; Dominic is determined to make a positive impact with his journalism degree but is unsure how to do so in the world of click-bait content. Witty dialogue meets steamy slow-burn tension while fun romance tropes (fake dating! there's only one bed!) take a refreshing turn by making Dominic the less sexually experienced, and more emotionally open, of the two. A vibrant supporting cast of family, friends, and co-workers helps round out the plot. Delightfully romantic and emotionally uplifting.
COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from January 1, 2021 It's always been Shay Goldstein's dream to work in public radio, ever since she first bonded with her late father over NPR. She's never had the voice for hosting, but she's happy being a wunderkind producer at the Seattle public radio station where she's worked since she was 19. But lately, she's been butting heads with her newest colleague: full-of-himself, inexperienced Dominic Yoon, whose journalism master's from Northwestern seems to carry more weight with Kent, their boss, than Shay's 10 years on the job. When Shay pitches a concept idea, she never expects it to go anywhere: a podcast where exes give relationship advice. But not only does Kent love the idea, he's also picked up on the combative chemistry between Shay and Dominic, and wants them to cohost the podcast--while pretending to be exes. Dominic balks, but with their jobs on the line, he agrees. Shay's thrilled at the chance to be on-air, even if she has to lie to listeners, and work with Dominic--whom she definitely, totally hates! YA author Solomon makes her adult debut with this sizzling rivals-to-lovers romcom, where the heat comes from both precise characterization and a focus on direct communication. Bursting with zest and deep emotion, this one's a winner. You'll wind up wishing that podcast was real, too.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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