Cover Image: Something to Talk About

Something to Talk About

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Member Reviews

Like a lot of reviewers, I had high expectations for this. I was hoping for a fluffy, cute romance that took a new perspective on Hollywood and how people who are not white/straight/male operate in the industry. Unfortunately, I didn't get that.

WHAT I LIKED: There is so much promise here and good intentions throughout. The concept of the novel is sound and very interesting - a showrunner and an assistant, a new kind of romance that we haven't seen before. It's clear that the author has done her research and built a world that feels organic and familiar. I LOVE that we're getting more romance books that focus on not just LGBTQIA+ relationships, but healthy ones too that aren't shrouded in toxicity or cause for tragedy. The characters feel relatively well formed, particularly the two main characters, and I liked the addition of best friends and siblings to help support the central cast of characters.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The writing style. It's very clear that this is a first novel. Things often feel like 'scenes' with little connectivity between them and, on occasion, are overwritten and rather expositional. Lots of chapter/new paragraphs start with the phrase 'One day XYZ was doing this' - there are times when it reads more like unedited fanfiction than a novel. It takes away from the positive elements of the book.

Whilst the story is promising and comments on a lot of necessary and important things, it feels under-developed. Somehow, 300+ pages is made out of these two women maybe liking each other and being trailed by the press. There are a few extra bits thrown in here, but it starts to feel a little bit samey after a while. At halfway through the book, nothing had really happened to develop the two central character's relationship and it almost felt like I hadn't learned anything from the previous 100 odd pages, despite reading them.

Ultimately, I think this will be a mixed bag for people. Some people will love it and some people will be disappointed by it. I am not LGBTQIA+, so I can't comment on the relationship part and how authentic it felt, but I will be interested to read what people within the community think of this book. I'm glad it exists and I hope that it paves the way for more not-straight romances to be published, but I was disappointed by this book on the whole.

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I LOVED this so much. Cute f/f romance? Check. Women standing up for each other? Check. Amazing sister friendship? Check. I think it's one of my favourite romances now. It was so enjoyable.

Emma is the assistant of former child actress turned writer Jo. Jo has an outside reputation of being a bit of an ice queen, but she's really a softie. As Showrunner for a tv show that's reached it's fifth season, she's won four Emmys and is pretty talented. When Jo brings Emma to an awards ceremony to act as a buffer to the press, the press think they're dating and start rumours.

This is a slow-burn romance about two women who respect each other falling in love. Jo is so grateful for how well Emma knows her, it's really sweet. Having two female POVs was just amazing. There is a lot of frustrating moments where the two don't communicate with each other, or don't tell each other important things, so getting both POVs really did make it great to have both perspectives.

I enjoyed Emma's great relationship with her sister Avery, and Jo's friendship with Evelyn. The banter between friends was hilarious. There's also a sexual harassment storyline, and jealous friend storyline. Jo stands up for Emma, and vice versa, and I love that.

Overall I am so happy after reading this book, it really made my day. Jo and Emma are so, so adorable!
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This wasn't as romancey as I wanted it to be and it was more a case of will they wont they but i really liked this overall. The story and the writing was fresh and exciting and i loved both Emma and Jo. The side characters could have been developed a bit further as there were a couple that did seem a little underdeveloped but they weren't a big enough part to really effect the story. I would definetlky read another book in this universe as it seems to be doing something different in the romance and contemporary genre.

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Hollywood star Jo Jones is photographed on the red carpet with her assistant Emma and press declares them a couple. Rather then deny the rumours they are playing waiting game, because it is simply ridiculous, they are not a couple, they are just getting on well. But there is Jo's new film, Emma's promotion and suddenly they start spending more time together - and maybe, just maybe, there might be a tiniest grain of truth in those rumours?

"Something To Talk About" is a charming and lovely story with two very likeable heroines. Jo and Emma's struggles to remain professional and do not hurt each other mean that they are taking a long time to process their feelings and even longer to articulate them. There are lovely gestures, heartbreaks, there are also problems and frustrations - so despite a slow burning romance I was hooked and stayed awake long into the night to finish the book!

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