Linda Holmes's latest novel, "Back After This," offers a fascinating glimpse into the demanding world of podcast production and the pressures faced by those striving to maintain influence in the industry.

Cecily's true passion lies in podcast creation. Despite being a highly sought-after editor, her boss consistently denies her the opportunity to host her own show. When she finally receives an offer, she accepts primarily to protect her colleagues' jobs. The arrangement requires her to co-host alongside Eliza, a prominent relationship coach at the peak of her career whose popularity will generate the traffic necessary to sustain their business.

The prospect of finding romance is the last thing Cecily desires, and the thought of pursuing it publicly feels even worse. Still nursing wounds from her previous relationship with a fellow podcaster who broke her heart and stole her creative ideas, she reluctantly agrees to undergo twenty arranged dates under Eliza's guidance.

Ironically, Cecily meets someone independently when she spots Will chasing after a runaway dog and steps in to help. Will proves to be a wonderful man with whom she repeatedly crosses paths. The timing is problematic, especially since Will may only be in town temporarily. Meanwhile, Eliza plants seeds of doubt in Cecily's mind about both her desires and choices. Amidst all the conflicting advice, Cecily struggles to determine what she truly wants.

This excellent novel explores the tension between our authentic desires and the expectations we believe we should fulfill or that others impose upon us. Full disclosure: I was unequivocally #TeamWill.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing an advance copy of "Back After This." All opinions expressed are my own.

They always say love will find you when you stop looking for it, but having a meet cute with a handsome stranger after agreeing to date twenty different men? That’s a bit unheard of. And Cecily Holmes’ new reality. Cecily loves working on podcasts for her job and when it seems like her boss may finally give her the green light for one of her own, she will do almost anything - including being set up on twenty dates by a dating influencer. But when she helps a stranger, Will, track down a stray dog she can’t help feeling an instant connection with him. And when he keeps showing up literally everywhere she can’t help but wonder, why not him?

This was such an unexpected delight! Cecily was such a relatable main character and it was so easy to root for her. She’s been burned by love in the past and lost not only her partner, but the podcast she helped start. She’s a bit stuck in life and finally asking herself what will make her happy. I loved the behind the scenes moments with the podcast and really enjoyed the way the story unfolded. I was a bit worried this would get repetitive fast since Cecily is tasked with going on twenty dates, but that wasn’t the case at all.

I’ve never read from this author before and I’ll definitely be going back to check out her backlist. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy!

I was SO excited to have the chance to read this. In Back After This, Cecily Holmes is sent on twenty blind dates by her dating coach for a new podcast, but she just keeps running into one man (Will) who captures her attention more than any of her other dates. I will say it was so fun to read about the twenty guys Cecily is set up with, however, I felt like the connection/romance between Cecily and Will fell a little flat for me.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for proving this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. Back After This is out NOW!

"Back After This" is a warm, witty, thoroughly enjoyable novel that resonates with the complexities of modern love and self-discovery. Linda Holmes presents a contemporary take on the romantic comedy genre, set within the vibrant world of podcasting. This book has a very strong message of learning to trust yourself.

I loved the modern romance that outlined the complexities of dating particularly in the context of social media and the ever-present gaze of public opinion. Back After This, explores the challenges of balancing personal authenticity with the curated personas that often dominate online spaces.

I loved the authentic and engaging portrayal of the podcasting industry and the behind the scenes glimpses into podcast production add a unique and compelling layer to the story.

Back After This is a character driven. Cecily Foster, is a relatable and engaging, grappling with past romantic disappointments and career aspirations.

Beyond the romantic elements, Back After This, explores themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and the importance of trusting one's own instincts. I loved every bit of it and devoured this book in one sitting.

Check out this teaser :

Cecily Foster loves to make podcasts. She fiercely protects her colleagues, dearly adores her friends, and never misses dinner with her sister. But after a disastrous relationship with a colleague who stole her heart and her ideas, she’s put romantic love on hold.

When the boss who’s disappointed her again and again finally offers her the chance to host her own show, she wants to be thrilled. But there’s a catch—actually, two catches. First, the show will be about Cecily’s dating life. And second, she has to follow the guidance of influencer and newly minted relationship coach Eliza Cassidy, whose relentlessly upbeat attitude seems ready-made for social media, not real life.

Cecily would rather do anything other than put her singledom on display (ugh) or take advice from the internet (UGH). But when her boss hints that doing the show is the only way to protect a friend’s job, she realizes she has no choice.

To make matters more complicated, once she’s committed to twenty blind dates of Eliza’s choosing, Cecily finds herself unable to stop thinking about Will, a photographer she helped to rescue a very big and very lovable lost dog. Even though there are sparks between the two, Will’s own path is uncertain, and Eliza’s skeptical comments about Cecily’s decision-making aren’t helping. On the one hand, Will seems great. But on the other hand . . . don’t they all?

As Cecily struggles to balance the life she truly desires and the one Eliza wants to create for her, she finds herself at a crossroads. Can Cecily sort through all the advice and find a way to do what she loves without losing herself in the process?

Summary:
A podcast producer agrees to host a new self help dating series - the show has her partnered with a matchmaking influencer/coach to go on 20 dates in hopes of finally finding love. Naturally this is also when she organically meets someone she hits it off with. The question is who is her best match and what does she want?

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this! I appreciated Cecily’s journey of self improvement and learning to stand up for herself. She had a bit of a savior complex thing going on. She could be frustrating at parts but then someone would call her out on her BS and she was receptive to it. I appreciated the mature characters and Cecily’s ability to own her mistakes. It was interesting learning a bit about what goes into developing a podcast. Always love a good dog sidekick and of course Will was 😍.

Thank you for the ARC!

Linda Holmes’ latest tells the story of Cecily Foster, a podcast producer who is pressured to be the subject of a dating podcast to save her friend’s job and with the promise of hosting her own podcast. Cecily agrees to go on 20 blind dates set up for her by social media influencer, Eliza Cassidy, who believes finding your soulmate is best calculated and not left to chance. A chance meeting and several subsequent run ins with a photographer, Will, find Cecily questioning what she really wants and whether to trust her own instincts or buy in to Eliza’s method. Back After This is filled with Holmes’ characteristic great dialogue, humor, and thoughtful approaches to life’s dilemmas.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read Back After This by Linda Holes. I really enjoyed the book.

Cecily works for a company that produces podcasts and she was offered a chance to produce her own show. It is a life changing opportunity for her. Toby the owner of the company said it would be good for Cecily and it will save the company. The show is a story about a single woman in her 30’s and a popular influencer who will set up 20 blind dates for Cecily. The final date is supposed to air on Valentine’s Day.

Before the show starts Cecily meets Will a guy that is chasing a Great Dane down the street with a cape on his back and only one side of his hair cut. This hilarious rom-com just gets better from here.

Thank you to Linda Holmes, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

Give me a dog on the cover of a book, and I will read it.

This started off slow, but within a couple of chapters, it picked up. I really liked the premise and the writing. Cecily and Will are likeable MMC's, and we cannot forget about Buddy.

This had a nice mix of romance, drama, and dog content. I loved the knowledge about podcasts. I was thankful the author didn't make all 20 dates a chapter. Thanks #netgalley

I'll admit feeling a bit torn about this one - something just feels as though it was missing but I am unable to decipher what that may be.

The characters were well written and I truly enjoyed the fact that the entire book was not focused ONLY on the dates, and instead was focused on everything else surrounding them - life, feelings, worries about work, exhaustion, the hustle... It was a really good mix and kept me engaged. The romance was just plain sweet, and watching Cecily learn to start being assertive and truly going after what she wants made for a really beautiful ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Ballantine & Ballantine Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Reading Back after This on a cold March day was great entertainment for me. The rom-com about a Podcast producer and her challenges as she takes part in a podcast to find her a man moved quickly and was fun to read. I was glad to read this thru NetGalley and will look for previous books by this author.

As a big fan of Evvie Drake, I was excited to read this one! It's an adorable premise as Cecily agrees to do a podcast with a life coach and go on 20 preplanned dates - the draw is if she does this, she will get her own show. As the dates start, she meets someone who captivates her but who is not on the life coach's approved bachelor list.... but her and this unapproved guy just keep running into one another.
I liked the hustle that Ceciley had and the dates were hysterical to go on with her.... She captured the crazy dating world pretty well! The life coach was a bit over the top and annoying but it was still a fun story with a great ending! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. It has a great plot and a diverse cast of characters.
The main character Cecily Foster, a talented podcast producer, has been worried about her job ,and has wanted her boss to allow her more creative freedom, but then her boss asked her to be part of a new podcast they want to produce, using Cecily as a participant in a dating contest, where she would need to go on 20 dates in hope of find the right man.
The company has hired a dating coach Eliza Cassidy, who would coach her along the way. Cecily agrees to go along with it, with hopes she will be able to produce something of her own later.
Just before the dating begins,Cecily runs into someone that sparked her interest, and it kept happening over and over, but the show must go on.
I loved following the ups and downs of the dating show and the things that were happening outside of it. A very fun story.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for a copy of this book.

I liked this great rom com from Holmes enough to buy a copy through Aardvark midway through. I liked the romance, sarcastic humor, and behind-the-scenes look at podcasting.

This was sweet, and I enjoyed my time reading it. I loved the writing style, and the main character. I don't think the plot was my favorite as I am not really a podcast listener. I have not read anything from this author before, but I am interested in reading more from her.

One of my favorite books is Evvie Drake so I was so excited to get a chance to read Back After This! I loved Will and Buddy! Any book that has a sweet dog is a win in my book! I will admit I spent most of the book annoyed that Cecily wouldn’t just stand up for what SHE wanted but that just made it all the more satisfying when she did! All in all, a solid read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC in exchange for my review!

Linda Holmes is quickly becoming an author that I must read. Eevie Drake Starts Over is one of the sweetest, heartwarming books I’ve read. I loved Back After This. I couldn’t put it down because it was just so cozy. I was rooting for Cecily and also wanting to shake some sense into her. Wake up and take control of you life!!! As someone who loves podcast, I loved Cecily’s day to day work as a podcast producer. 4 cozy stars⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed Linda Holmes’ previous books and was excited to read this new one. Plus, who can resist a dog on the cover?

It was a good story that moved quickly. From the beginning, I was hooked. I enjoyed the writing style and the character growth. It was fun to read about podcasts as they’ve become so popular.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

4 stars.

Linda Holmes's "Back After This" is excellent! It's witty, relevant, engaging, and enjoyable. I found myself loving the characters, the setting, and the happenings of this story. It's about love, relationships, dating, compatibility, friendships, work relationships, and public perception. Cecily, the main female character, is so realistic! Some might not see her that way because she's a little standoffish at times, but I found her immensely relatable and super funny. The slow-burning relationship she shares with Will, the main male character, is enticing to watch unfold. There is quite a bit at stake because, while Cecily has a growing connection with Will, in order to get ahead at work to get the job she always wanted, she is recording a podcast about going on 20 different blind dates with an uber-famous Instagram guru person who thinks Will is beneath her. Cecily's feelings can only stay on the backburner for so long when she keeps colliding with Will, sometimes literally! I loved their banter and their friendship-turned-potentially-more. This book is mostly well-paced, apart from maybe one or two spots of repetitiveness. I thoroughly enjoyed this and think this rom-com is a must-read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Linda Holmes, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Ballatine Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Thanks to Ballantine and Netgalley for this advance copy!

Linda Holmes is just so fantastic. I love her work for NPR and I have been loving her books. I love that she had a goal of writing one book, wrote an amazing novel, and now I'm basking in the glow of having finished her third book. There is something about her books. Reading them feels like I"m wrapped up in the warmest comfiest blanket with my favorite snack, feeling all my feels, loving every moment. The characters go up and down and I ride along with them, but with the knowledge that these fantastic people will be all right. Happy for now, good to go.

Back After This is what is becoming standard Holmes: a woman (Cecily) who is at a crossroads and she meets a man. She doesn't need that man, she is actually doing pretty ok. But this man is intriguing and interesting, and hey, he's cute, and so away we go. Cecily and Will are adorable together, but not in a saccharine way, but in that way you feel when you meet your friend's future partner for the first time and you go "ohhhh, look at you light up. I haven't seen that light before. Amazing." I loved their meet cute, I loved their ride, I loved how Holmes creates characters that aren't perfect or special or out-of-the-ordinary, but are they are perfect, special, and out-of-the-ordinary for each other. The plot lines around the podcast world and influencers are interesting, but Holmes writing is best when Will and Cecily are just being themselves, together, preferably with Buddy.

I read this book slow then very fast, not because of the DRAMA or the pacing, but because I just genuinely wanted to have Will and Cecily on the best terms, together. I just loved this and I can't wait for Holmes's next book.