Book 11: thanks for this advanced copy, @netgalley and Ballantine! l've been a ®lindaholmes97 fan since the twop days. lykyk. Turns out l like a lovely rom com when it's written well and has some actual com.

3.5 stars. Thanks to Random House Publishing for the widget. Cecily is a podcaster she edits podcast but she wants to produce or host a podcast but her boss always makes promises and never follow thru. She is ask to host her own show about finding love since she has been single for over 4 years a influencer who wants to become a "dating coach" is going to find her love. Cecily sees it as self help and does not want to appear but there are other things happening so she agrees..... but she also meets someone IRL and pretty soon things start to feel awkward. Will (MMC) is sort of flimsy so things are not clear and she continues to go on these dates. I really enjoyed this book because it took away something so interesting that we dont always have to have a "career" or have life "figured out" sometimes we can be happy with what we do have and not always have to be achieving more.

Podcasters and podcast shows seem to be the newest trope to hit across multiple genres (mystery and romance for example), and after about a dozen stories where the main character hosts a podcast, I can say this is not the trope for me. However, taking that out of the equation, I enjoyed Cecily‘s story. I am a fan of Holmes’ writing and it shined here too. If you like listening to podcasts or books about podcasters, and want a good contemporary romance, I’d recommend.

Back After This by Linda Holmes
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Cecily loves to make podcasts. She has been dying to have her boss sign off on a new idea she has but he wants her to do a show about Cecily’s dating life. Now she is commited to twenty dates with strangers and she can’t stop thinking about, or running into, this guy named Will.
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What I liked:
-It was really interesting learning about all the behind the scenes work that goes into a podcast. It’s such a flippant idea “oh I’ll just start a podcast”, but after reading this book man is there a lot of work that goes into it.
-I really liked all of Cecily and Will’s interactions. They were great together.
-I loved the journey that Cecily made in this book. Coming to terms with things from her past and breaking free from things that were stifling her.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a cute and charming read! I loved the dating show vibe, it made the story so fun and unique. The closed-door romance was totally my style, and the podcast aspect added an extra layer I really enjoyed. It was especially great on audio! It had such a sweet romance, an adorable meet cute, and it was an overall just a feel-good story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Back After This, by Linda Holmes, is an adorable story about a podcast producer Cecily Foster who is finding her way in the podcast world. Her commitment and reliability at work leave her little time for a social life, so her boss pitches a new podcast where Cecily is set up on 20 blind dates. Ofcourse as soon as she starts this new podcast, Cecily keeps randomly running into an adorable guy named Will. I found this story enjoyable, the flow was great, I just never found myself incredibly invested in these characters. Although predictable, this story was entertaining. I would recommend it to a rom-com lover!

A podcast producer agrees to become the subject of a dating podcast, going on 20 first dates arranged by a dating coach, to save her job and that of a dear friend. When she falls for someone not approved by the coach, things get complicated. I will recommend to fans of rom-coms (especially in the style of Sarah Adams) and workplace romance.
Thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The truth is that I found myself a guy. I didn't just find him once. I kept finding him again and again. And again."


Back After This was a pretty cute book. In this, you will meet Cecily Foster. She currently works in the podcasting world and thinks she loves her job. When her boss, Toby, asks her to do this job, she's initially pretty hesitant. The job, well, the show, is kind of a self-help dating show where someone sets her up on 20-ish dates until she finds the one. Yes, the one.

First things first, Cecily doesn't like self-help, and she isn't really excited to do this show either. On top of this, her coworkers keep hearing whispers about people potentially losing their jobs. So, it's a lot to handle, and she's not quite sure if she's making the right decision. She does what any normal person would do; she says yes.

Of course, that's right when fate intervenes and she runs into Will. Now he's not part of the show and isn't one of her lovely dates, and yet she develops real feelings for the guy. I obviously loved Will and her together. They just clicked. Also, Buddy (the dog) was a huge helper in getting them together as well.

Anyways, there's lots of romance, horrible dates, and drama that unfolds. Cecily eventually finds out the truth, whether it's about the show, her job, or her feelings for a certain guy. She does what she needs to do in order to make things right again. And in the end, it was cute, and she's happy. No, they are happy.

I absolutely adored this newest by Linda Holmes. Evvie Drake Starts Over is one of my all time faves, so I had big expectations for Back After This. While I took me a few chapters to get into this one, I ended up falling in love with the characters and story line. Linda Holmes has a way of developing characters like no other and I can’t wait for her next book!

This book was so cute! I loved the meet cute between the characters and was SO GLAD that the 20 dates were not drawn out. Great pacing, and an overall enjoyable novel.

Fun and witty rom-com about a woman needing a fresh start.

Setting Work in : Podcast Production

Book starts out slow but the pace picks up. Stay with this book. It does get better , although not as good as the author's previous book Evvie Drake Starts Over .

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC .Opinions are my own

This was a fun, cute romcom. I predicted the ending pretty early on, but the ride to get there was great. It was an interesting story with the 20 blind dates and who they set her up with. I loved the dog and wanted more of the dog in the story. This was very romance light for the most part. More of a humor women's fiction. I'm not a fan of the 3rd act breakups, this one isn't horrible, but I feel like they are more predictible than the endings in some books. I found myself laughing several times and enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

This was a fun little read about a podcast producer who works with a social media influencer that specializes in self-help that choses dates for Cecily to go on…and she reports back on them during the podcast episodes. Listeners get involved in her life and have opinions about people she dates and doesn’t date. Meanwhile, Will, a guy that she meets organically, also snags Cecily’s attention. I wont say much more than this, it was just enjoyable from start to finish!

Bottom Line: Fun, cozy read!

**I received a copy of Back After This from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

This was a fun romance, the narration kept me engaged in the audiobook throughout. The characters were mid thirties professionals and I appreciated that the conflicts between women weren’t catty or overly dramatic - they saw and respected each other as people and professionals, took responsibility for their own choices and assumptions, and navigated their differences maturely.

Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not always a romcom person. But I enjoyed her first book which was romcom, but a little more grounded. This book was more straight romance/romcom which I didn’t think worked as well. The plot really revolved around things being conveniient/coincidences which I thought was sloppy and made the book predictable. The podcast setting was cute. I think they could’ve done a little more with that.

Fans of pop culture critic/NPR podcast host Linda Holmes know that she can deliver on a character-driven romance, and that's on full display here. Holmes's third book feels like a return to her debut, but perhaps delivers something even stronger. Set in the world of podcasting, Holmes builds a believable world and characters that feel charming and authentic. Great chemistry between characters that also feels grounded helps sell the stakes of the book. Some readers might have wanted more time devoted to the series of 20 blind dates, but the romance with Will is also a delightful slow-burn. A gem of a romance. Light on steam but plenty entertaining.

okay, I'm actually obsessed with cecily, will, and buddy. their romance was super believable and I appreciated how will kept popping up. huge points for a great dane meet-cute, too!

Back After This by Linda Holmes is a fun book that kept me literally laughing out loud for several long haul flights. I'm sure my seat mates were wondering what I was enjoying so much.

Cecily is very good at her job of editing podcast audio, but she's kind of stumbling through life. Her boss wants her to participate in a dating advice podcast series. Although she's not very keen, she does it, thinking it will help her keep her job. And then a dog escapes... LOL!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, author Linda Holmes and the publisher for an e-book of Back After This. I am telling everyone I know to read it, it's so good!

This is a charming, modern romance with Linda Holmes’ signature wit and warmth. Cecily Foster, a podcast producer burned by love and career setbacks, reluctantly agrees to host a dating show—only to clash with an influencer’s advice and unexpectedly fall for a sweet, dog-rescuing photographer. Although the podcast setting has been done a lot lately, Holmes still manages to add some depth and perspective, as well as fun banter.

That said, the premise stretches believability at times (would a producer *really* agree to such a cringey public dating experiment?), and the pacing drags in spots, especially during Cecily’s repetitive internal debates. While Will is utterly lovable, the central romance sometimes plays second fiddle to the podcast drama.

Still, Holmes delivers a thoughtful exploration of self-worth, career vs. love, and the chaos of modern dating. Fans of Evvie Drake will appreciate the same humor and heart, even if this one doesn’t *quite* hit the same highs. Perfect for readers who enjoy slow-burn romance with a side of media-industry insight.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Cecily Foster is no stranger to podcasts. She was part of the duo who put out one of the best true crime podcasts. However, after a bad breakup, he ex not only broke her heart, but gave her no credit for everything she did. At a new company, she is given a chance to finally host her own show. The two items to note is that she has to follow a recently minted relationship coach, Eliza Cassidy, as they navigate her dating life first hand for the show. This was not her idea for her first show, but the sponsorship money coming in could save not just the company she works for but for many jobs as well. While she moves through every blind date, she can’t help thinking about and running into photographer who rescued a large dog on the loose. Will see the sparks immediately, but Cecily is pushed away by Eliza to focus on other men. She must determine if following the dating advice is losing ground of herself or if she needs to find a new path.

Let’s be honesty, the dog was a real winner in this one. He made sure Cecily and Will met up and stayed connected. I think we all love a great podcast (or 10+) these days, so this was a fun way to enjoy that aspect as well. The author really dove into some great aspects of podcasting to help set the plot even more. This was a fun rom-com to pick up.