In her third book, Author Linda Holmes took the adage write what you know and ran with it in the most delicious and entertaining way. I have always been impressed by Holmes' authorial voice is her writing just as much as her critical analysis on her pop culture podcast. Her newest work seamlessly merges both these worlds in a legitimate modern romance. Overwhelmingly enjoyed!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

loved this book and that she tried to fake date and that she really ended up finding love on her own. loved that she did well on the podcast and her friends.

Thanks for reaching out and letting read this via earc! This was my first read from Linda Holmes I absolutely loved it and will be checking out more from Linda!

What a great story. Cecile is definitely a character you can get behind. She is very likable and down to earth. I could feel about my past jobs as she did for her current employer. Eliza was a character that I did not like. Just because of the type of work she did. I really liked Will and was rooting for him throughout the book.

This was such a feel good kind of story and I will be recommending it.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advanced reader copy and this is my honest opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed Back After This! Cecily was such a great character and I loved watching her learn and grow as she faced challenge after challenge. I'll definitely be looking for more from Holmes.

Back After This by Linda Holmes is a witty, insightful, and heartwarming exploration of love, self-discovery, and personal boundaries. Cecily Foster, a podcast creator who has carefully curated her life to avoid romantic entanglements after a painful past, is thrust into an unexpected situation when her boss offers her the chance to host a dating show. But there’s a twist—she has to showcase her love life, following the guidance of Eliza Cassidy, an over-the-top relationship influencer.

Holmes brilliantly weaves humor with deeper emotional themes as Cecily navigates this bizarre new chapter of her life. Her reluctance to embrace the dating show is both relatable and endearing, and the conflict between her desire for privacy and the pressure to perform for a public audience drives the narrative with tension and charm. Adding to the complexity is Cecily's budding attraction to Will, a kind-hearted photographer who enters the story after a serendipitous encounter involving a lost dog.

The novel tackles themes of vulnerability, the influence of social media on relationships, and the struggle to remain authentic while under pressure to conform. Cecily’s journey of self-empowerment is both funny and poignant, and readers will root for her as she seeks to carve out her own path amidst the chaos of other people’s expectations.

Holmes' writing is sharp, engaging, and full of heart, making Back After This a delightful and thought-provoking read for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories about personal growth and the sometimes messy pursuit of love.

I absolutely devoured this book! It was so enjoyable for me and I am so so happy I got an ARC of this! I will be recommending to all my friends!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. I thoroughly enjoyed this, just as I have her previous novels. It’s refreshing to read a new Linda Holmes book! This may be my favorite one yet.

I adored this cute read! Cecily Is a little nerdy, a little awkward and just as cute as can be and relatable as heck In her quest for love. I ADORE how she meets Will at the most unexpected time rescuing a dog In the middle of the street and TADA, they live close by and he ends up adopting the dog and they just keep running Into eachother. I love watching Cecilys personal growth as she wrestles with her feelings for Will, her career and her process of getting over Justin even though Its been years and attempting to figure out what SHE wants and needs from life. The end was 10/10. “I quit my job... I threw your credentials In the water feature” they were completely and utterly meant to be! Even If the podcast scene Isnt your thing, Its def worth the read!

This was a fun read at times, but I do think that the podcast/romance angle is getting a bit overplayed as of late for plots.

I liked how we got to see the main character grow and finally stand up for herself and what she wants by the end. I was really rooting for her and the love interest.

3.5/5

This romance featured a behind the scenes podcast producer who's put in the spotlight for a new podcast where she's partnered with a "lifestyle/dating coach" who can help her "get it together" and find her perfect match. This was a fun premise, and the author did a great job of really making me love some characters and get the "ick" with others. Lots of cute moments, I'll admit I didn't like the main conflict but the empowering scenes that followed made up for it.

Read if you love:
🤍 podcasts and dating shows
🤍 meet cutes

This was such an interesting premise! I love getting a behind-the-scenes look at different industries, so learning about the podcasting world was especially fascinating. What started as a fun concept quickly became a journey of self-discovery that I really enjoyed.

Cecily and Will’s story kicked off with a meet-cute involving a dog (always a win!), and I loved how they kept crossing paths—even as Cecily tried to follow her dating coach’s plan. Eliza, on the other hand, was so stuck-up and judgmental. I know that was intentional, but wow, did she frustrate me!

What I appreciated most was Cecily’s growth. She found her voice, learned to stand up for herself, and refused to settle—both personally and professionally. The book did a great job highlighting the challenges women face in the workplace and the importance of demanding what we deserve.

The podcasting world made a great backdrop for this romance. Although I didn't care for Eliza's character (like at all), Cecily and "The Hot Waiter" were very fun to read. Mistakes were made, feelings were hurt, but love conquers all, including dating 20 other men and job insecurity.

Nobody writes dialogue like Linda Holmes! Her characters feel so real to me, and her writing style is a breath of fresh air. I will read anything she writes, but this is my new favorite!

It was a like not a love. I enjoyed the podcast episode and I really loved Will and how he kept popping up around every corner she turned. Eliza drove me nuts but I think that was the intention so job well done there. I had fun listening to it, it’s just not something that I was constantly thinking about.

Cecily finally gets her chance to have her own podcast show but it comes at a cost. Having someone completely control your dating life. This one was cute and funny. I will continue reading Linda Holmes!

3 ⭐️

This movie gave off the energy of a classic rom-com without fully delivering. I can’t decide what was off with this book but I truly can’t even remember something important that happened even though I finished this book less than 24 hours ago. Nothing too special to me.

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!