Cecily Foster is a talented podcast producer. But she is typically behind the scenes, even when she is the one with the idea for a show. Then, the boss at her struggling podcast company approaches her with the chance to be the host of her own podcast. This is not one of the ideas that Cecily has regularly proposed. Instead, it will focus on her dating life, as she follows the guidance of a lifestyle influencer, Eliza Cassidy.

Cecily is reluctant to do the podcast, until her boss implies it is the only way to save the job of her closest friend at work. So Cecily agrees to do it. But as she is set up on several dates with guys she doesn’t quite connect with, she can’t stop thinking about Will. Unlike her highly choreographed dates on the podcast, she met Will by chance on the street as they were both trying to rescue a dog and she somehow keeps running into him. But Eliza insists that there is no future with a guy like Will. As Cecily’s personal and professional lives become impossibly intertwined, Cecily feels like she may be losing a part of herself and the future she truly wants.

I was a big fan of the author’s previous novels, so I was excited to her latest … and it exceeded my expectations. The book is a frequently insightful examination of balancing personal growth with staying true to yourself. And it was an also an interesting portrayal of what goes on behind the scenes in producing podcasts.

Highly recommended!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 … I was so excited to see this release (and to be approved on netgalley!) and Linda Holmes does not disappoint. Back After This is a bit rom com, a bit career/life help for Cecily. I loved the characters and banter in this one. I enjoyed the set up of this story and once again, another read I recommend picking up when it releases Feb. 25th!

Forced to go on 20 blind dates for a podcast in order to save her friend’s job, Cecily isn’t sure how it’s going to turn out. Especially when she keeps running into Will, who isn’t part of the podcast plan.

There are a couple characters that I wanted to slap by the end of the book. If I went into details, it would involve spoilers, so I’ll leave it at that 😉

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Back After This to come out February 25, 2025.

Writing: 5/5 Characters: 4/5 Story: 5/5

I really enjoyed this (very) funny, well-written, and actually insightful rom-com written by the author of Evvie Drake Starts Over. I like rom-coms when they are clever, witty, and most of all — NOT STUPID. I can’t stress that last quality enough. This was a perfect, read-in-one-sitting exemplar of exactly what I love in a rom-com and perfect for this stressful season.

Cecily is a podcast producer who agrees (think forced, bribed, coerced) to star in a podcast about modern dating with the help of a dating guru / popular Influencer. An introverted audio nerd by nature, this takes her so far out of her comfort zone that she feels impending implosion looming everywhere. Plenty of (well-paced, well-written) comedy follows, but I was impressed that she gained some real insight into aspects of her own personality that were getting in the way of her getting more of what she wanted from life. While I can’t bear to read about physical makeovers, psychological makeovers — are fascinating.

As an aside, I learned interesting components of podcast production (and marketing) which were new to me and described with a depth that showed true understanding on the part of the author (pet peeve: I hate when characters have a huge passion for something but then never do or think about it in any meaningful way).

A cross between Lori Gottlieb and Curtis Sittenfeld — the best of them both!

Some great quotes:
“I wondered exactly where that research had been done. Presumably the University of Unsupported Hunches, where I was guessing she was a tenured professor.”

“He took me to an ax-throwing bar on our first date, and he was very good at ax-throwing, which I suppose impressed me, because you never know when you might need a guy who can kill a monster in a cartoon dungeon.”

“But we finally agreed on a loose top that fell off one of my shoulders and a pair of pants that had just enough stretch to accommodate my newly emphasized hips without making me look and feel like a vacuum-sealed pork shoulder, ready for a sous vide bath.”

“He had the facial symmetry and the perfectly shaped dark hair of a Lego prince.”

“I tried to dig my smile out of the recesses of my personality.”

“It made for a long dinner, learning quite that much about Andrew’s gym routine.”

Linda Holmes is easily one of my favorite authors and this might be her best book yet!

I absolutely loved our main character and the story was equal parts heartfelt and entertaining! This is a perfect book to read when you want to feel something and ponder your life choices.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy.

I love a Linda Holmes book. Even as a romance, where you know the couple will be together at the end, she has a way of making what the "happily ever after" looks like feel fresh and just this side of perfect (in the best way). I enjoyed the peek behind the podcast curtain and Cecily was a great main character to do it with. And the hot waiter was...well, hot (and kind and had a great dog).

Linda Holmes is one of the best rom=com writers we have. For people who aren't super interested in a ton of spice, she really knocks it out of the park and also provides truly meaningful and sweet character arcs. I'm a fan of Linda's from her podcast, so I loved the podcast angle. Well done Linda!! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

back after this (arc)

on my net galley grind!

i’m conflicted about this one. it had so much potential but just didn’t quite live up to it. the concept was intriguing, but unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. the story moved at an incredibly slow pace, and as for the romance, the male main character barely felt present, which meant the love interests hardly shared any scenes together.

to expand on that, when i read general fiction with a romance subplot, i don’t mind if the romance takes a backseat, especially if the protagonist’s personal journey and growth are the main focus. but if i pick up a romance novel, i expect the romance to start developing early. i don’t need them to be in love by page 100, but at least give them scenes together to build that chemistry. in this case, the romance fell short, and the main character’s personal storyline didn’t quite make up for it. i want to emphasize that i love a slow burn romance but this one felt like a no burn romance a bit. very 0 to 100.

when the romance finally did pick up, it felt so abrupt that it was hard to believe in or root for. there was no real buildup, so it ended up feeling unsatisfying.

that said, while reading, i enjoyed certain moments—even if the book didn’t fully hold my attention, and i was disappointed by some aspects. i feel a little bad leaving a harsh review because aside from the pacing, there wasn’t anything specific i disliked about the writing itself. i’m not rushing to pick up another book by this author, but i wouldn’t be opposed to giving them another try someday. i could envision myself potentially liking another book by her.

2 stars (i feel so badly for rating it this low i just really did not have a fun time)

3.5 - As Evvie Drake Starts Over is one of my favorite books, I was so thrilled to be accepted to read an ARC of Holmes's latest book! I was really excited about the podcast/dating aspect, but thought that part fell a little flat. Would have preferred to see that go semi-well as well so there was a real conflict between whether she should listen to the dating coach or go with her heart. In the end, the answer seemed quite obvious, so a lot of the tension was taken out. But overall I still enjoyed it, and would read future books by this author.

Linda Holmes has become a must read author for me! Podcast producer Cecily is relatable, driven, thoughtful, and funny. Throw in a podcast version of the Bachelor along with an off limits charming photographer, this thoughtful romantic comedy was a delightfully nuanced exploration of love, gender dynamics, the world of podcasting, influencer culture, and so much more.

Linda Holmes is an instant-read and continues to publish unique and thoughtful books. I love how she writes the women in her books. It feels kind of silly to say, "I feel seen" in a romance novel as a 30-something single woman (the point is to feel seen!), but the way she writes single 30-somethings really does resonate with me in a particular way. I think especially in how she writes their friendships. Her stories could exist without the romance and still stand on their own because the world around these characters is so rich and comes with obstacles that are independent of the main romance. I also really liked that Back After This had a sneak peek into the podcasting world. I love it when authors who have other careers write what they know (see also Julia Whelan's Thank You For Listening). I've fallen off listening to podcasts but this made me want to start listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour Again. I will continue to pick up anything that Linda Holmes pens.

A cute read. Not my favorite, but I enjoyed it. I hate duplicitous bosses so that stressed me out a lot, but I dig giant dogs so I liked that part. And I’m a fan of learning the intricacies of something like podcast producing. It was nice to watch the heroine grow, I just wish there were more redeemable characters! And the ending felt rushed. Still, a fun read.

Cecily Foster has found her calling. She loves creating podcasts - and she's really good at it too. So good that her boss finally offers her a chance to host her own podcast - with one catch. It's about dating and she is teamed with internet influencer and dating coach Eliza who will help her to find Mr. Right. Now Cecily is not that great with relationships. Her last serious relationship was with another podcast producer who left her, taking her creative to make his own successful podcast without giving Cecily any credit. But this is her one chance to control her own professional (and hopefully personal) destiny, so with a lot of hesitation Cecily finally jumps in. And boy it is some ride. Although I was able to figure out what would happen by the middle of the book, it was still a joyful ride and I grew to love Cecily for both her insecurities and her gumption. Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of this very fun and funny novel.

A light hearted book about learning who you are and who you are not. An enjoyable read for any fans of this author.

Linda Holmes has done it again. 10/10. No notes. Thank you to Ballentine and NetGalley for the digital arc. This made a gray weekend not so gloomy.

I enjoyed going on Cecily’s journey to find her happily ever after. I loved watching her navigate and trying to find out if she could have it all. And I adored Will!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Cecily Foster, Podcast Producer extraordinaire is finally able to get her chance to lead a new show. After she heads a dating podcast with a relationship coach as her guide to 2o blind dates.

But when she keeps running into photographer/waiter, Will, sparks begin to fly.

This one took me a bit to get into the story and characters, found its stride, and then lost me again for a bit at the end, interest wise.
Overall, decent read.

Sweet engaging rom com with that signature Linda Holmes banter we all loved from Evvie Drake starts over. Loved how heart felt it was

I love podcasts and I love rom coms, so this was the book for me! I've read everything has written, and while this one does not catapult to the top of my list of hers, I enjoyed it. At times, the middle felt a bit slow- I knew where the story was going, and there were parts that just seemed dragged out and a bit disorganized. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this from Linda Holmes! I was such a big fan of Evie Drake, and devoured this in two days. The characters are believable, the story is fun, and the dialogue is so snappy. Plus, there’s a meet cute of dreams. I was drawn into the behind the scenes of podcasting and influencing, and rooted for Cecily from page one. Highly recommend!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Megan Whalen/Random House for the ARC!