This was such a fun romance book!! By far my favorite part was the who audio world that we were immersed in with the main character's career and the main character herself! This book had a lot of humor and was super relatable, especially for women in their late 20s and early 30s, feeling lost with their current job and their relationship status.

Back After This is about Cecily, a podcast producer, who has been working her ass off her whole life to have her own show. When the opportunity presents itself for Cecily to host her own show, she is disappointed to find out her boss wants her to pair up with a relationship coach/influencer/love guru, who is determined to set up Cecily with 20 men, on 20 different dates, to find her the love of her life. Cecily is super reluctant and uncomfortable with the idea, but goes into it for the sake of helping out everyone at her work keep their jobs. When Cecily bumps into the mysterious man on her first date, it is clear who has really caught her eye....not the 20 men picked out by her relationship coach, but Will, the dog-rescuing, waiter and photographer.

This book is about finding your own self worth, working through your insecurities, and a love letter to the audio world!! I honestly learned SO much about what it takes to produce an excellent podcast. I really loved the way that Cecily worked through her own insecurities with her job and trying to fit in the mold of being who everyone else wanted her to be. While the romance wasn't my favorite of all time, I really appreciated how Will taught Cecily how to be herself and not be afraid to be different than the expectations her family and friends have put on her. It was a really cute romance!

Thank you to Ballantine Books for the free book!!

Runaway Great Dane, 20 blind dates, and looming job layoffs. “Back After This” by Linda Holmes is about a podcast producer who decides to try out a matchmaking dating service to save her job. Meanwhile, she keeps bumping into a dashing dog rescuer who she starts to have feelings for despite their forbidden love.

Witty, the book is a breath of fresh air on a cooped up in the office day. The rom-com podcast mix reminded me of the Netflix show “Nobody Wants This.” While mostly comical, it touches on adapting to the times and navigating career challenges.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a feel-good rom-com and relatable characters. Thank you @randomhouse for the digital ARC (out 2/25)!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my voluntary and honest review!

A podcast producer takes part in a show to be set up on 20 dates to find their perfect match, while they keep having chance meetings with another person along the way. I was worried that the plot had the potential to be super monotonous and repetitive, but the author did a really great job at pacing! This was a super quick and fun read, with scenes that truly made me laugh out loud. 4.5/5

Cecily is in her mid thirties and hasn't really moved on from her last relationship with a coworker whom she thought she was going to marry. They worked together on a podcast that he hosted and she produced and when they split, he took the podcast and his star was rising. Cecily, meanwhile, is still working for the same company, hoping for a chance to produce a podcast series that interests her. Instead, she's offered to do a life coaching series where she is the subject. Interesting story that I truly enjoyed.

I recently discovered Linda Holmes and I absolutely love her writing. This book delves deep into the logistics of podcasts while also delving deeply into Cecily’s character. Her growth throughout this book is a profound reminder for us (especially women) to think more about ourselves and our own wholeness.

Five years ago, Cecily broke up with her boyfriend, whom she was living with, and shared a popular podcast with. She ends up working for a struggling podcast company as a producer, while her ex has become a popular podcast host continuing the podcast they both started. To help the company make money they contract a collaboration with a popular influencer who guarantees to help you find your “match”. Cecily is coerced into hosting the show and being their guinea pig, all in hoping to guarantee the jobs of her and her friends. All this is muddled with constant run ins with a neighbor who happens to be a waiter, and also happens to be a photographer (and an all-around great guy).

As much as this is a romance, it’s truly a story of self discovery. However the romance is just so fun (and also there’s a rescue dog, what book with a rescue dog isn’t great?)

This book is such a cute concept and the dialogue is quick, witty and seriously made me laugh out loud. The chemistry between Will and Cecily, on top of all their meet cutes, make this a totally believable and multifaceted romance novel. Cant wait to read more from this author!

Excellent writing, genuinely funny. Caught myself smiling while reading many times, even laughed out loud a few times. Beautiful characters with real families, honest emotions. Secondary characters can be so contrived and two dimensional, and none were in this book. I love love loved this one. My favorite of Linda Holmes’ and I enjoyed her first two immensely. Will recommend to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love this novel. It's a believable romcom about a believable romance while someone is being forced to search for the perfect romance.

Cecily is a hardworking podcast producer who aspires to one day host her own podcast. She finally gets an opportunity to host a podcast with influencer, Eliza, who is expanding her own reach to self help and dating. While Cecily is less than enthused she agrees to it in order to protect her and her friend’s jobs and with the hopes she can host a podcast she is passionate about if this one is successful. The premise: Eliza helps set up 20 dates with strangers while coaching Cecily through the process.

This book has classic rom com vibes and was such an easy read! It has fun banter, character growth and an adorable dog side character (which I am ALWAYS a sucker for). If you are looking for a fun rom com book, definitely consider picking this one up

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

Satisfying and sexy M/F romance set in the podcast world.

Cecily is a workaholic who is exploited by her current employer. He offers her the opportunity to host her own show. The show's gimmick is that Cecily will go on twenty blind dates set up by a dating coach. Of course, Cecily despises the self-help genre and makeover shows. it's further complicated by a rather large dog and a man she keeps running into.

This book is a love letter to the audio world and to Washington DC. The city, not the politicians et al. It also touches on the uneasiness of parasocial relationships.

I liked that the main character was prickly and had flaws.

I really loved Linda Holmes’ Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I really excited to dig into Back After This.

Cecily Foster is a podcast producer who has been working behind the scenes for years…but always desiring her own show. When her boss Toby comes to her with the very chance to do this, she’s hesitant. The concept is a show about Cecily’s love life. She’d be mentored by Eliza Cassidy, an influencer/dating coach/life coach. Cecily will go on 20 blind dates in hope of finding love…but what if she’s already found it?

I liked the premise of this book and enjoyed Cecily and Will…and Buddy the dog. Always love a dog in a story. This story felt like a bit of a slow burn and while that’s not normally my kind of story, it worked here. The plot did seem a bit thin at times and I found Eliza to be a bit annoying with her influencer ways. Eliza’s annoyance with Cecily’s…deviations from the podcast plan were a bit frustrating.

Overall, this one was a bit more middling for me. Didn’t hate it, just wanted a bit more to it.

Thank you to Ballentine Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: 2/25/25

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.

I love Linda Holmes’s pop culture commentary and I love that the characters in her books are so well-drawn and interesting. Here, her protagonist works in podcasting, so we spend a lot of time getting to know Cecily’s work in audio. This was a fun story of someone getting to know themselves while wandering through territory I know well myself (DC, NY, bad dates). Cozy and compelling even though most readers will tell where it’s heading from the meet cute.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a cute, mostly closed door romance about a woman who goes on twenty blind dates for a podcast, but keeps running into another man who she can’t stop thinking about. It’s a fun premise and an interesting look at the work that goes into the world of podcast making.

Book Review: Finding Love and Self-Discovery in "Cecily Foster's Journey"
"Cecily Foster's Journey" is a delightful exploration of love, friendship, and self-discovery. Cecily, a passionate podcaster, is not only fiercely protective of her colleagues but also deeply cherishes her friendships and family ties, particularly the cherished dinners with her sister. After navigating the challenges of a past relationship that left her heartbroken and wary, Cecily has decided to focus on herself and her career, putting romance on the back burner.
The turning point comes when her boss, disappointing her time and again, finally offers her a golden opportunity: to host her own podcast show. However, this opportunity comes with unexpected twists. The show is centered around Cecily's dating life, and she must adhere to the guidance of the ever-optimistic influencer and relationship coach, Eliza Cassidy. While Cecily initially resists the idea of putting her personal life on display and taking advice from an internet personality, she soon realizes that accepting this challenge might be the only way to protect a friend's job.
What makes this journey even more intriguing is Cecily’s commitment to twenty blind dates curated by Eliza. Throughout this process, she can’t help but be drawn to Will, a charming photographer she recently helped rescue a lovable lost dog with. Their chemistry is palpable, but Will's uncertain path complicates matters, especially with Eliza's critical insights swirling around her.
Cecily's struggle to reconcile her own desires with the expectations set by Eliza creates a compelling narrative filled with humor and heart. Readers will find themselves rooting for Cecily as she navigates the complexities of modern dating and the quest for self-identity.
In a world where love and self-worth can often feel intertwined with outside opinions, "Cecily Foster's Journey" is a refreshing reminder that true happiness comes from within. It encourages readers to embrace their individuality and make choices that align with their authentic selves. This book is not just about finding love; it’s about finding oneself amidst the chaos of expectations and societal pressures. A must-read for anyone seeking inspiration in their own journey of love and self-discovery! #netgalley

This is a cute book! The concept of a podcast dating show is...okay. I didn't really like how they met and kept running into each other but once they started dating dating, it was much better.

This book was enjoyable, charming, and fun, with likable main characters. While I didn’t completely fall in love with it, I still found it entertaining. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've been a fan of Linda Holmes for years—I've enjoyed her television recaps, her book reviews, and her previous books. But I was introduced to her through Pop Culture Happy Hour, her podcast with NPR. So when I heard her next novel was based in the world of podcasting, I was absolutely over the moon—and I"m very pleased to say that I adored this book as much as I was hoping to.

The story follows Cecily Foster, a woman in her mid-30s who has worked as a podcast producer for years, riding the ebbs and flows of the audio industry. She's a career-focused perfectionist who cares deeply about her colleagues and her work, but has cared less about finding a relationship after her last long-term boyfriend not only broke her heart, but took the podcast the two of them had worked so hard on together. When her boss asks her to host a podcast, she's excited—but less so when she finds out she'll be working with an influencer who wants to break into the life coaching industry by becoming helping women boost their self-confidence and find their perfect partner. Still, Cecily agrees. But her dating show is derailed when she keeps running into Will, a man she seems to have a real connection with, but who is decidedly not one of the matches from her new dating coach.

Holmes's writing throughout this book is easy to read and filled with wit, the characters are nuanced and interesting, the themes regarding career and what success looks like are grounded in reality and extremely resonant—and, of course, there's the very fun treat of the true-to-life insights at what it takes to produce audio stories. I loved Cecily, and her journey toward learning how to identify—and ask for—what she wants and appreciated the care Holmes took in crafting the layered influencer/dating coach, Eliza, and found Will, with his easy-going charm, quietly amusing banter, and perfect one-liners so refreshing.

This was an absolute delight from beginning to end!

4.5🌟

loved the characters. loved the romance. loved the setup. loved the twists. i found it really cool! 5 stars, tysm for the arc.

Podcast producer Cecily has long had hopes of hosting her own podcast after years of pitch ideas being turned down or stolen from her and given to someone else to host. Because of this everyone else in her life has been ignored.

Her boss finally offers her a, less than ideal, chance of hosting. A show centering around her own love life and working with a self help guru.

During the time of working on the show and meeting and dating 21 men, Cecily meets Will by chance. Then she keeps randomly running into Will.

Should she hold up her end of the new show and give dating the guys picked by a self help queen a chance or take a chance on her own choice. Is Cecily enough to make the choice on her own?


So many books incorporating the theme of podcasting right now somewhat over saturating the idea and story. Back After This was a cute refreshing take on this. Plus, who doesn’t love a love story that begins with saving a dog?

What an absolutely perfect and delightful first read of 2025 .

I just couldn’t put this down, even when holed up in a mountain cabin over New Year’s with friends (but then again, they shouldn’t have put that hammock by the fire if they didn’t want me to disappear into it.)

I went in fairly blind to the story and recommend you do too. As in all her books, her characters are perfectly flawed and more interesting for it. Loved the peek inside podcasting and the radio world and I learned a lot. I just kept thinking yep, this is why they say to write what you know. Loved the DC callbacks too—I had forgotten so much of what it’s like to live there.

Love how Linda Holmes sets a mood and makes everything feel real, feel like nothing is trying to be something it’s not. I always walk away from her books feeling like a quiet happy little life is something lovely to want, something whole to live, which is the opposite of what it feels like social media (yes I know where I’m writing this) and the world want us to feel, what we are told.

I can’t share any quotes since it’s not published yet, but oh how I wish I could. Suffice it to say she is on the top of her game and each book gets better.

It comes out February 25!
Thank you @randomhouse and @netgalley for the advance copy!