title: Something to Talk About Goodreads | The Storygraph
author: Merly Wilsner
trying ordering from…your local indie or my bookshop affiliate link
publishing: May 26th 2020 by Berkley Books
format: paperback
source: library
genre: Adult; Romance; Contemporary; LGBTQIA+
Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn’t come at a worse time–threatening Emma’s promotion and Jo’s new movie.
As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a “source” is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is “no comment”.
With the launch of Jo’s film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all…but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames?
thoughts
I read this during pride month and it felt like a great way to celebrate. This was a hyped title that I managed to snag from my local library and absolutely dove right into it one day sitting in the river at my cabin. If you read this blog frequently you now how much I love to read books in single sittings (or at least large chunks) and that’s exactly how I made my way through Something To Talk About.
Overall, I loved Wilsner’s characters. Emma and Jo have such a fun dynamic together, and I loved reading their slow burn romance. It’s worth it, I promise. Honestly, this was a such a super cute and happy read. I definelty recommend it for readers who want to read more into the romance genre because this is a super accessible text. Fair warning, this text is explicit but not in an overpowering way in my opinion.
It was also so fun to get a glimpse into the film/television industry through Jo’s work. This is actually this second book I’ve read this year that is about a television writer–the first being The Light We Lost– which has been amazing because despite loving writing + (albeit, certain) tv shows I had never spent lot of time considering all of the work that goes into the production! I think that Wilsner did a great job portraying the industry without glamorizing it to a point that it felt cliche. Of course, I don’t actually have any expertise in the industry so I can’t say that the portrayal is 100% accurate, but I haven’t read any criticism of that.
All in all, this was a fun romance, a perfect summer beach read (or cozy, afternoon read as we head into fall). However, something that really sticks out to me is the project that Jo and Emma start working for towards the end of the book. I don’t want to give away and details, but I will say that I’m a bit curious of the logistics of this organization. This was the first time I felt like something had been romanticized in the book, and I wish that Wilsner would have spent more time fleshing out this idea.
Reach for Something To Talk About if you want a slow burn, sapphic romance set against the Hollywood workforce. This wasn’t the most memorable for me, but it was still very fun.
