Every time I read a Linda Holmes novel, I think- 'damn, she got in my head and wrote about me.'

Then I read the next one and, 'I'm like, no, wait --- this is the one that's all me.' Her books just get me.

Her latest is about Cecily, a single podcast producer who does a self-help series to help her dating life for altruistic reasons. Along the way, she learns about herself, removes some wool from her eyes, and goes after her dreams.

Cecily is smart and funny and is the only one who seems not to know this about herself. In her, the reader can find elements of themselves. A woman who gives too much of herself away and doesn't take at all.

A woman who doubts all of her moves. A woman reticent for help.

Enter Eliza the bubbly influencer and 20 first dates to help Cecily find herself and find love. But can she trust herself?

Holmes deftly creates a situation where Cecily is both growing and shrinking in the process-- and readers can see why and how it becomes a gray issue.

Follow her journey is enjoyable and educational. Highly recommend.

Rating: 4.5/5

Thank you to Random House Ballantine for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Back After This was an absolute delight—a Women's Fiction novel with a touch of romance, a compelling exploration of podcasting, and a thoughtful look at personal growth and work-life balance.

Cecily Foster, a talented podcast producer, finds her world flipped upside down when she unexpectedly becomes the subject of a dating podcast, agreeing to go on twenty blind dates set up by an influencer. The premise alone was fantastic, and it delivered in all the best ways.

The chemistry and banter between Cecily and Will were a highlight for me. From their meet-cute to the way they kept running into each other, their dynamic was engaging, charming, and full of heart. Linda Holmes has an incredible gift for writing characters who feel so real—flawed, relatable, and deeply human. I saw so much of myself in Cecily, even in ways that weren’t always flattering, which made her journey even more compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.
I’ve had Evie Drake in my TBR for what feels like forever so when I saw another book by @lindaholmes97, I was excited for the invitation and immediately accepted! This book was honestly exactly what I needed! It was adorable and it’s February (but read this in January) and there is also going to be strong competition for best book boyfriend. I LOVED Will! From their meet cute, to every other scene he was in, I simply adored him. Was he this perfect male specimen? No! And that was made him seem real and even more lovable! I also enjoyed Cecily’s personal journey throughout the book as well. Seeing the inner workings of creating podcasts was very interesting me too. This book just made me feel all the feels and I think any rom-com lover needs to check it out! This will be out on February 25th, so just a few short weeks!

A wonderful light romance with a flawed but loveable main character who wrests love from what seems to be a disastrous situation. An examination of podcast bros and influencer culture that's refreshingly light on crime. The author of the charming Evvie Drake Starts Over does not disappoint.

Back After This by Linda Holmes is a delightful novel that exudes warmth and charm, showcasing Holmes's unique writing style. From the very beginning, I found myself captivated by the story and reluctant for it to conclude. The dialogue is both sweet and sharp, and the characters are so vividly portrayed that they practically leap off the page.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing this ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up. This book took me a bit to get into, but once I reached about halfway, I started to enjoy it more. The beginning felt a little slow, but once the pace picked up, I was more engaged with the story. The main characters were relatable, and their banter was a definite highlight—funny and natural, which made it easy to get invested in their relationships.

I also appreciated the unique insight into the world of influencers and podcast creation, which felt fresh and intriguing. As a fan of Linda Holmes's previous work, I was excited to read this, and while it took some time to click, I'm glad I stuck with it. Overall, a solid read that offers a charming look at modern life in the digital age.

Back After This is a story about complex characters and how sometimes love finds you instead of you searching for it. Cecily works for a podcast company and is approached with the opportunity to work with a dating coach to hopefully meet her forever person. However just as she’s starting this experiment she meets a man while trying to rescue a dog. I found the characters to be complex, there were times when I didn’t like any of them, but some of them do seem to learn and grow by the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Cecily works as a podcast producer who is set on a show where she goes on 20 dates to try to find love. But she unexpectedly keeps bumping into Will several times and his dog Buddy. She then falls in love with him despite all of the other men her dating coach had set her up with. I really enjoyed watching Cecily grow and be more comfortable with how she is and realize that she doesn’t have to change herself. This was a very cute book.
Thank you to Netgalley And Random House for the arc of this book, I really enjoyed reading it!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC of Back After This. I really enjoyed this book and found the main character to be relatable in so many ways. It doesn't feel like a far-fetched story, not only romantically, but, more importantly, career and work-related. I really enjoyed how Cecily starts to take more ownership of her life and choices and finds her voice. The premise is that she's a podcast producer who is coerced into hosting and being the subject of a new dating podcast while being coached by an influencer trying to break into self-help. Also, fate steps in and Cecily also meets a great guy in a very random way (isn't that how most want to find love?!) and what ensues is her learning what she truly wants out of life and how to go after it. I thought the writing was good and the story flowed. Did I predict the ending? Sure. But it didn't make it any less enjoyable to read!
As with Evvie Drake Starts Over, Linda Holmes' well known book, there are some good life lessons mixed in with enjoyable writing and a lot of realistic situations. Would recommend!

There were some plot points right from the beginning that made the main character seem kind of bad at adulting/decision making, and I didn’t find her particularly relatable. It was pretty clear where we would end up all throughout the storyline, but I wish we’d gotten there with a little more flare and fanfare. Overall the book was likable, very middle of the road, not a lot of chemistry/swoon factor to the relationship, but still believable and just fine.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new romcom from Linda Holmes. The plot was engaging and the characters were likable. Highly recommend if you are a fan of this genre.

Wow, this book was such a refreshingly original take on a contemporary romance, and I absolutely adored it!

Cecily Foster is a podcast producer who lives for her job and her co-workers, despite a boss who takes advantage of her work ethic and commitment. When she finally gets a chance to host her own show, it involves working with a romance life coach determined to find Cecily a love match. The company and employee jobs are all dependent on this new show, so despite many hesitations, Cecily agrees to be set up on 20 dates. Except before the first one, she meets Will. And they keep running into each other. But Eliza, Cecily's life coach is having none of that! She is determined that Cecily will wind up with a man she chooses, no matter the cost!

I thought the premise of this book was just so much fun! I loved both Cecily and Will, who had such sweet banter and chemistry. I got so annoyed on Cecily's behalf when she had to go through all of her dates and deal with both her aggravating boss and her coach, who kept telling her that Will was not the man for her. But mostly I loved watching Cecily's character growth. She started the book letting everyone walk all over her, but seeing her confidence grow and watching her learn to stand up for herself made me so happy!

This book was fast paced, and I couldnt put it down. In fact I read it start to finish in one day! It was that fantastic. If you love contemporary women's fiction and sweet romances, definitely pick this one up!

Back After This publishes on Feb. 24th, 2025. Thank you to Netgalley And Random House Ballantine for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

3.5 stars rounded up

I thought this was a really cute premise and I really liked the writing. However I didn't completely love our main character Cecily, I don't fully know what it was about it but she just got on my nerves a little bit and I didn't completely feel like I understood her as a character. I didn't feel like I could get in her head all that well even though it was from her pov

People pleasers of the world will recognize themselves in Cecily Foster. A podcast producer, Cecily does her level best to meet everyone’s needs while ignoring her own. Single since an ugly break up four years prior that upended both her personal and professional lives, she has her arm twisted to produce a podcast where her love life is the focus.

Matched with a self help influencer, Cecily commits to going on twenty first dates in an effort to find her match. In an unexpected twist of fate, she meets a guy on her own, but is discouraged from pursuing a relationship with him by the people invested in the podcast. Their meet cute is one of the best I’ve read.

Linda Holmes has written a character who is easy to like. Cecily is kind and wants everyone to be happy. You can’t help rooting for her to figure out what she wants in life and find her voice. It doesn’t hurt that guy who might be the one is charming and considerate.

BACK AFTER THIS takes the reader behind the scenes of the audio entertainment industry which is quite fascinating. Like any good self discovery journey, the book moves at a pace that allows for reflection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy. I really enjoy reading this authors books. This was the first I’ve read about the podcast/audio world! I was proud of Cecily and her ability to fight for what she wanted.

This is a great book for readers wanting a romance centered around the modern woman’s dating experience. Cecily is a great example of what it’s like to date and work in the modern age. I really enjoyed her journey and watching her find herself and her self worth. Will was a fun love interest who balanced her well and grounded her outside of her work environment. It was fun to see behind the curtain of the podcast and producer world as well. I found the influencer character a bit irritating but that isn’t far from the mark for many in reality. Overall it was very enjoyable and I recommend it!

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.