I just want to start this by saying I only picked this book because I really enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over. I absolutely loved that book.

So right when I seen it was the same author I wanted to check it out. Then the fact that it was also a podcast book I got excited. BUT I did not enjoy the book. It felt like it dragged so much until the dates and then the dates were so blah and barely mentioned. I had to pick this book up several times for me to actually finish it.

Slow start but the introduction of some interesting characters (Eliza and Will) gets the story moving in the right direction. Set in the world of podcasting, Holmes book is a sweet rom-com that concludes just the right ending for everyone in the book.

Linda Holmes is an "always yes" for me. This book can be wrapped up in 2 words "Coincidences" and "Ego". Very simple. And yet I devoured it! I truly believe this book should be read aloud, the dialogue is so wonderful. Think Gilmore Girls but without the 800 pop culture references. The romance was sweet if absurd, the plot made sense even when it was ridiculous, and the ending is everything you want it to be. My one complaint is that so many things were "revealed" about people's personalities and then promptly moved on from. No internalization or self exploration. Just "alright, heard" and moving on. Totally fine, but it took the punch out of some amazing well-written chewing outs. All in all, this is a fun read when you need a fun read and Linda Holmes is still an auto-request and auto-buy from me!

**Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC**

Podcasts + a dating show + an unexpected meet cute = literary fun! I enjoyed this one as Cecily finally gets to host a podcast. However, she never expected it to be about her dating life or lack thereof. This was funny and heartfelt with a few life lessons thrown in.

Cecily and Will- their meet cute was just the best. And Buddy! How perfect is he! I really enjoyed Cecily and Molly’s relationship along with brother in law Pete.
I loved Cecily’s growth and that she finally got strong enough to tell Toby to F off.
Thanks Netgalley for the early copy.

[ARC review]
BACK AFTER THIS by Linda Holmes is a witty and charming story about a podcast producer forced to host a self-help dating podcast. I really, really liked it.

It is so funny, full of sharp writing and clever, evocative descriptions that manage to feel current and zeitgeisty without feeling instantly dated. I highlighted a bunch of lines that just really tickled my fancy. I actually really liked that all the blind dates she went on were just rapid fire descriptions, not extended scenes. They kind of...wash over you, like you are the one who just met 20 new guys in a few weeks.

It also really taps into that "what am I doing with my life" vibe that many (most??) of us feel. Not that your job has to be your life's passion, but definitely the idea of taking stock and deciding if where you are is still serving you, if you're were you want to be.

I have been a Linda Holmes fan since long before her first book, since I started listening to PCHH 15+ years ago. She's got such a great voice in her pop culture writing, and you can really hear it here, too.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this! I'm rating it 3.5 stars! The thing I really liked about this book was the banter between the two main characters. It felt very normal and fun and cute. I also liked that the story involved the podcast work environment. There were some parts though that I didn't really get and just felt bumpy to me. A cute story overall! |

Back After This

Since this book features a dog during the meet-cute, I quickly realized I was going to love it. And I did.

Cecily is a podcast producer who is obsessed with control, while Will is a care free photographer and waiter. And since Cecily is participating in a reality show/podcast about her love life where a famous dating-coach helps her find love, she can’t end up with someone like Will, can she?

The book is super cute, quick and entertaining. The characters (specifically Buddy the dog) are lovely, and the story is engaging enough, so give it a go!

Cecily Foster has been absolutely devoted to her work in podcasting for the past several years after being dumped and having her work taken from her by her ex. She wants nothing more than to host her own show with one of her ideas but when her boss finally offers her a hosting position, it's for a self-help dating podcast that she's not thrilled about. She is meant to find her next boyfriend with the help of a relationship coach and 20 first dates but of course, this is when she finally finds someone in real life on her own. She keeps running into Will and finds herself drawn to him but now she doesn't know if she can even trust herself.

I loved this one! Linda Holmes has such a beautiful way of writing that draws you in from the start. I found myself reading this pretty quickly and loved learning more about the podcasting world. The romance in this book felt so realistic and honest and I was rooting for Cecily and Will the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the ARC!

A lukewarm 3 stars. Competent writing, but the pacing felt off. I really expected the plot to focus more on the blind dates, but they were barely a footnote. Side stories like Cecily’s relationship with Will and office politics took precedent, but without the depth necessary to carry the story. It was only semi enjoyable and I never felt truly invested.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance copy of Back After This by Linda Holmes!

Back After This was a really fun read! The narrator had a great sense of humor and that made the storytelling style so engaging. Holmes' familiarity with the podcasting world shone throughout the story. I am not very familiar with podcasts - I don't listen to them often, and I certainly don't know anything about the behind-the-scenes world of them - so this side of the story fascinated me. I'm glad that Holmes chose to dedicate so much time to that angle.

The chemistry between Will and Cecily was electric - Holmes struck the perfect blend of witty banter and sparks with this couple. I love how she juxtaposes their unique, funny, sweet, and totally serendipitous meet cutes with the very meticulously orchestrates first date that Eliza plans for Cecily. I loved that one of the messages of this novel is that, while online dating and other more targeted ways of meeting people *can* work, you still can absolutely meet The One out in the real world. I think that's a message that so many people need to hear today, in this world where we've become increasingly reliant upon our phones for social interaction.

I did get pretty frustrated with the novel somewhere between the 50-70% mark because some of Cecily's choices are just so thoughtless. She's a very bright character, yet she's so clueless when it comes to personal relationships. I also am very much not a fan of the miscommunication trope and Cecily's mistakes with Will in particular are rooted in an unwillingness to actually talk to him about the obstacles to their budding relationship. That said, I felt like this aspect of the novel was redeemed by Cecily's tremendous growth by the end of the book. I'm really glad that I kept reading - I was very close to posting a bit of a rant on my Instagram stories 😂 but Holmes successfully turned the story around and by the end, I felt really happy with how everything wrapped up.

I really enjoyed reading Back After This, especially timed perfectly for Valentine's Day! I recommend reading this book if you:

✅ Love to watch reality dating shows / dating competitions
✅ Are a sucker for loveable canine characters
✅ Love the friends with benefits trope

This story was just *too* cute for words! Cecily is hilarious, and honestly, all the characters had me giggling, but she’s just so effortlessly lovable. Like, if sunshine and good vibes were a person, it’d be her. So, Cecily’s job is on the line, but her boss comes up with a *wild* idea—she has to go on 20 dates (yes, 20!) and spill all the details on a podcast, with a famous influencer leading the way. But the moment she had *the* most adorable meet-cute with a guy chasing after a runaway dog, I just *knew* this whole experiment was doomed. Like, come on—mystery dog rescuer? Instant rom-com magic! I’m such a sucker for this kind of story—sweet, funny, and full of swoony moments that make your heart do little happy dances.

This book is good, better than good. It is romantic comedy with laugh out loud moments. The main character works in podcasting. Cecily is a hard worker that can't say no. As a result she is often taken advantage of and not well treated at work. She is dedicated to her friends and worries about them losing their jobs if the company is sold or tanks. Very rarely, does she put herself first. When Cecily is offered a role in the making of a podcast in which she will get dating advise from the "guru" of dating, she accepts the job with the provision that her friend will not lose her job. Cecily's dislike for the program and her wish to keep her friend employed makes for many laughs. I thought the main character was funny and likable although I get frustrated with her lack of self-confidence. This book would be a great read during spring break -- don't wait for the summer beach read. I also want to say that as a senior citizen I find some rom-coms "too young" for me. This book is not one of those. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary digital ARC. I feel privileged to have received it. This review is my own words and in no way coerced.

Another Linda Holmes book with smart, likeable characters and a swoony love story! This was such a fun read start to finish.

Linda Holmes has become one of my favorite authors. Since I had read (and enjoyed) her first two novels, I was thrilled to get approved to read her latest book early that’s entitled “Back After This.” I will say I put off reading this book a few times because of its description and I tend to read Linda’s books as palate cleansers. Shortly after I began reading, I was relieved my concerns were unfounded.

Set in Washington, DC, the book follows Cecily Foster, a longtime podcast producer. She gets an opportunity to fulfill a long-time goal and host her own show, but there are a couple of conditions. The show has to involve Cecily’s dating life and she has to be mentored by Eliza Cassidy, a self-professed life coach/influencer with a large number of followers.

The description online does a good job of giving the reader the basics of what this book is about and who the characters are. I enjoyed getting to know Cecily, Will, and the supporting characters around Cecily. I also appreciated the author’s efforts to describe the world of audio and how much work goes into podcasts.

Overall, I loved this book. The author (along with a couple others I like) has a way with writing her characters and how they interact with each other that I enjoy. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

2.5 stars

I've heard nothing but great things about this, so perhaps I am in the minority here, but this book was a bit of a letdown for me. I was obsessed with the premise of this book (very much almost like the anti-How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), and I genuinely think that it did have good structure and a lot of potential.

My biggest issue here was that the FMC seemed almost completely emotionally detached from everything. Perhaps it was just a lack of the inner monologue talking about how things affected her, but it really took me out of the story. This emotional detachment bled into the relationship that bloomed between her and the MMC, making it feel unbelievable most of the time. They had a cute story with how they kept running into each other, but seemed to lack chemistry and any real build-up. There was a big focus on keeping witty banter between the characters, rather than actually developing the relationship.

I found myself getting bored during what was supposed to be the climax of this story, which is not something that happens very often for me, and I was just kind of left wishing for a lot of things when I finished it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC!

Back After This is about Cecily, a podcast producer who has an offer to do her own podcast about dating with the help of a well known influencer/entrepreneur named Eliza. Eliza gives Cecily a makeover and sets her up on a bunch of blind dates, some good and some not so good. And...it is all being recorded for the podcast. Before she gets started she has a very interesting meet cute with a guy named Will and they seem to hit it off. While she is in the hands of lifestyle guru Eliza, Cecily must not try to meet anyone on her own and let Eliza find her the perfect match. Which is hard to do when she keeps bumping into Will at the most random times.
This book is very heartwarming, sweet and funny. I really liked Cecily as a character, she is a caring person with a great sense of humor. She unknowingly learns a lot and grows from the advice that she didn't know she needed from Eliza. You really want her to win in the end. I also love a good podcast and found it interesting to know more about what it takes to produce one, but it reading like a how to guide.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Ballantine Books in return for an unbiased review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Back After This" is, in my opinion, another slam-dunk from Linda Holmes. I really enjoyed her previous two novels, and this book was no exception. Holmes writes characters who are warm, flawed, charming, and struggling with real problems. I strongly identified with our main character Cecily's career challenges and was rooting for her to succeed. The romance, though not center-stage, gave me butterflies and progressed in such a delightful way that I grinned many times. If you want a feel-good book, read this one or anything else by Linda Holmes.

Happy Valentine’s Day! And what better way to celebrate than a review of super cute new romance coming out!

This was Adorable with a capital A. I loved the premise is much, and I found all the chance encounters between the MC and her love interest to be charming. I also just loved all the relationships between every character (not just romantic) because I thought they were well done, especially the dialogue and quirky conversations.

I saw some other reviews where they thought there was too much talk about audio production, but I appreciated that because a) it’s clearly important to the MC so it helps round her out, b) I learned some things which I always enjoy, and c) it helped this stand-out a bit from the many romance novels out there.

However, my least favorite part was probably how all the set-ups were handled. I would have preferred if they were incorporated more organically instead of the weird summary style the author chose because they felt disconnected from the story as a whole. Other than that, I really enjoyed this and think you will too!

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and Netgalley for this ARC. Back After This is out 2/25!

Twenty blind dates. One runaway Great Dane. And a meet-cute that’s technically a dog heist. If that doesn’t scream rom-com magic, I don’t know what does.

Cecily Foster is perfectly happy staying behind the mic as a podcast producer—until her boss and an influencer convince her to document her return to dating for the world to hear. Suddenly, she’s the star of a viral social experiment, juggling awkward setups, questionable date activities, and a growing suspicion that the best connection she’s made might be with the guy outside the experiment.

I found Cecily to be so relatable, and there are little tidbits of advice in here that sound like they came directly from my therapist. 😂 Also, when I get back into dating, I am 100% utilizing the dummy date idea. It’s GOLD. 🥞

I loved this book—the podcast details were fascinating, the romance was top-tier, and the vibes were absolute perfection. If you like your rom-coms with smart humor, chaotic dog energy, and just the right amount of pining, make sure to add Back After This to your TBR! Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC—this one drops February 25!