Perfect for podcast listeners. The doggish meet cute was funny too; and although overall the story was a little predictable, I enjoyed it.

I'm a big fan of Pop Culture Happy Hour, so seeing Linda Holmes' name on a novel definitely sparked my interest. Throw in podcasts and romance and I knew that this was a book that I wanted to read. As someone who worked in publishing for many years, I love stories that show the lesser known sides of content creation.

Back After This had a lot going for it - fun FMC and MMC, very cute meet-cute, and falling for the guy that you're not supposed to fall for. The premise is that Cecily agrees to do a podcast that makes her meet with a life coach and go on 20 pre-planned dates in order to get her own show after that she is allowed to control. The catch is that right before the dates are about to start, she meets someone on her own who, of course, does not meet the standards of the dating guru.

There is something refreshing about how much pleasure Cecily gets from a job well done while also showing that grunt work and bad pieces also have to get made. I enjoyed her character on a variety of levels. My biggest drawback was Eliza, the life coach. There was a lot of emotional baggage in her character that got discussed for about 1 paragraph and then got swept under the rug. Eliza meant well, but her methods were somewhat narcissistic. Points for a unique background of the MC.

This was an entertaining story. It shows that man's behavior cannot always be predicted. It is about relationships, love, and compatibility. Dating in today's world is complicated when we try ti use computers instead of feelings dictate who we should like.

A fun rom-com, that pulled me in from the start.

This one follows single podcast producer Cecily. In order to help save the company she works for she is teamed up with a popular influencer who will send her on 20 blind dates in hopes of finding love (and gaining ratings).

Enter Will who “runs” into Cecily life. 😏

It has great banter, and low steam, making it the perfect match for all romance readers.

Cecily Foster loves her work as a podcast producer, though she doesn’t love the job itself. She hasn’t been given opportunities to craft and pursue her own ideas. And when she did make an independent podcast with her ex, he took it with him when he broke up with her. Since the split four years ago, she’s focused on her friends and sister. Romance? Eh.

Now her boss has offered her a show to host. Finally. But the topic? Her dating life. Absolutely not. With downsizing at the office looming, however, Cecily decides she’s going to have to do it. She crafts a deal with her boss including conditions that will make it somewhat acceptable. She will be given dating and “life success” guidance by an influencer who is stepping into “relationship/dating coach” territory. Eliza is sure after she sets up Cecily on first dates with 20 men, and Cecily uses her advice, she will find love.

Pretty soon after they start the process for the podcast, however, Cecily meets someone on her own. Will is a nice guy and they click. Eliza, however, is firmly against Cecily pursuing someone without her guidance. With jobs on the line, Cecily tries to follow Eliza’s directions. But Will just keeps showing up in her path. With her life kinda stuck in neutral for the past few years, maybe she should really give Eliza a chance. It’s confusing and advice is coming from everywhere, including podcast listeners. Eventually, Cecily will have to make some hard choices for herself and perhaps find happiness in work and love.

I enjoyed Holmes’ Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I expected I would like this story as well. Sure enough, I did. It’s entertaining and the romance angle is cute. The meet-cute is clever in context of what the protagonist says beforehand. The podcast industry sounds challenging, and ooh, all the digs and commentary throughout about influencers! While Eliza isn’t written as one-dimensional, her job(s) give plenty of fodder for comments on the people making a living on social media.

Back After This is a satisfying read, and even better than Evvie Drake.

This was unfortunately a miss for me. I had really high hopes after reading one of her other books. But this fell short. It felt like the purpose was to teach me about the podcast world, the chemistry between the main characters felt nonexistent (didn’t meet MMC until about 19% into the book and really just didn’t like the FMC.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Great romcom!!!!!!!!!!!! Loved this adorable story and these characters in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First read by this author and it won't be my last.

This was such a cute little rom-com. I really enjoyed reading this one. It just have me all the feels, plus I love the podcast theme. Recommend for a cute read!

*Thank you partners @randomhouse and @prhaudio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook.*

Back After This by Linda Holmes is one of my favorite reads so far this year. If you're a fan of podcasts, Love Is Blind, and the perfect meet cute with a dog... this book is for you.

Cecily Foster is a workaholic podcaster who is extremely good at her job... even though her stellar credits have been overshadowed and stolen by her ex, and she's put a hold on finding love in favor of doing what she knows best: her job. The perfect opportunity finally arrives - the chance to host her own show. But there's a catch - she has to work with an influencer dating coach to turn her dating life into episodes. She would rather do anything else than put her (lack of) relationships on air, but this could be her chance to prove herself and save her friend's job.

Cecily commits to twenty blind dates set up by Eliza, but she can't stop thinking about the mysterious photographer she met while helping to a rescue a lovable pup - and continues to run into spontaneously around the city. Will she meet 'the one' on a blind date... or has she already met him?

I loved this book - it was a feel good read straight from the start, and the characters are so fun. Cecily is relatable while being slightly annoying, Will is mysterious and charming, and Eliza is too bubbly to be true. If you're a fan of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, etc. You will love this! Something I really enjoyed about this book was what I learned about the behind the scenes of podcasting.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random Publishing, Ballantine Books, and Linda Holmes for an advanced copy of this book!

It was such a fun read! The main character is relatable without being overly cheesy (which I feel is a tough feat in rom coms!) I enjoyed how cozy this story was to fall into!

BOOK: Back After This
AUTHOR: Linda Holmes
PUB DATE: February 25, 2025, by Ballantine Books
PAGES: 320
RATING: 4 stars
GENRE: Contemporary & Humorous Fiction

A H U G E Thank You to NetGalley, Ballentine Books and the author for gifting me an advanced digital in exchange for my honest review!

REVIEW: If you’re looking for a sweet and funny love story, this is the book for you. I immediately knew I would enjoy it since it’s a romance AND about a dog! I adored the characters and the plot was original. This is a hit for those looking for a rom com with no added spice. This one’s just a good, wholesome romance you won’t want to put down.

Back After This is a charming four star romcom!
Cecily, a behind-the-scenes podcast producer, reluctantly finds herself center stage, starring in a series about her own love life.

With her mentor-turned-influencer pushing her through a gauntlet of blind dates, things get messy then rather interesting!

Enter Will, a soft-spoken photographer with major swoon potential! Cecily and Will's worlds collide due to a runaway Great Dane - total 101 Dalmatian vibes!

The banter is witty, the chemistry is slow-burn delicious, and the whole thing feels like a love letter to finding yourself and maybe the right person. I greatly enjoyed this one!

Released in February, this one is available in print and audiobook now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Linda Holmes for the ARC! Thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun read, especially if you're a podcast fan, as I am! A lot of twists and turns along the road to finding love and who your friends really are in this one!

I enjoyed this friends to lovers romance. I’m a big fan of Linda Holmes from NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast and I enjoyed her first book, Evvie Drake Starts Over so I was excited to read this one! I loved the meet cute. I loved the podcast aspect and workplace drama. I thought Will was so sweet and understanding. This was a really sweet story.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

I haven't been too impressed with the recent Holmes novels. This one was so-so for me.
Cecily is a podcaster, but hasn't had much success after a recent relationship went sour. They stole both her heart and her idea and left her wondering what to do next. She is approached to make a podcast on dating - with a catch. She is the one who has to go on 20 dates, and take the advice of a relationship coach and discuss it on her podcast. The podcast is a hit, but the dates aren't. Cecily meets a waiter who she really likes, but he isn't in the coach's plan. So, does Cecily follow her heart or her career?
A different sort of romance. Just OK.

this book was so cute! loved the chemistry between will and cecily. the happy for now ending was perfection.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo, a podcast producer agrees to host a new series about modern dating—but will the show jeopardize her chance at finding real love?

“Romantic, smart, and exactly the book we all need right now. I adored this.”—Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script

“You’ll sink into this story and never want it to end.”—Elissa Sussman, author of Funny You Should Ask

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?

I really enjoyed Linda Holmes's first two books, so was very excited for "Back After This." I'm happy to say I also really enjoyed this one—it was so fun to learn about the world of podcasting, and the dating podcast was a fun premise. It could have easily got dragged down or spent too much time on the 20 dates, but Holmes handled it perfectly by just focusing on a couple of them and just briefly summarizing the others. I found Eliza a little irritating at times, but that was also partly her function, and helped Cecily recognize what was important to her and what she really wanted. It was a fun, quick read, and I'm looking forward to Holmes's next book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own. 3.75.5

I liked this story of a podcast producer dealing with all of the quirks of modern dating. This would be a good book to take on vacation.

It was cute, I simply don't think I was the right reader for it. The vibes feel less "fresh and modern romance," more "chick lit." It's likely intended for an older audience or a casual romance reader. That said, there was a lot of good stuff going on, and much of the story was compelling. The romance was not in the forefront (as is my personal preference), so I found myself a bit bored at times. But solid overall.

This was an amusing story about a woman finding love unexpectedly and resisting it because it does not fit the plan. Cecily is a podcast editor and is quite good at her job. However, she has not experienced the degree of success she expects or wants. To protect her job and her best friend’s job, she agrees to participate in a podcast where an influencer (Eliza) will set her up on twenty dates and coach her on how to find true love. This presents the opportunity for numerous moments, but in the interactions between Cecily and Eliza, and the dates arranged for Cecily. Some of the dates/men are decent, while others are a disaster.

However, complicating things is that before the podcast starts, Cecily meets Will (waiter, soon to be dog owner, photographer, etc.) in a rather amusing fashion involving Buddy the dog. Circumstances seem to keep bringing Cecily and Will together, and an attraction develops. However, Will only expects to be in DC short-term and is not sure what he wants to do for a career long-term, a big contrast to Cecily, who knows exactly what she wants (or so she thinks). Also, Eliza doesn’t think Will the waiter is right for Cecily or that a Cecily-Will relationship will help Eliza sell her relationship coaching program to others. For much of the story, the reader will likely have a negative view of Eliza, although she somewhat redeems herself at the end.