This was such a delight! I always really enjoy Linda’s books and this one was no exception. It read so easily while maintaining depth and lots of emotional oomph. Loved!

I really wanted to love this but found it was just okay. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two love interests. And not nearly enough time was spent on the 20 blind dates, which was the whole premise.

Holmes' voice really shines through. As an avid PCHH listener, could really hear her when reading this book.
My favorite things about the book:
- Buddy, the great dane, was flawless!
- Learning more about the podcasting/audio industry--so many interesting tidbits!
- Cecily's relationships with her friend & sister

Unfortunately, the synopsis was quite misleading as I thought the novel was going to be focusing more on the 20 dates that Cecily goes on. In the long-run think was forgettable but made for a fun read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to have access to this electronic arc. Cecily Foster has always wanted to host her own show and to get what she wants she must first agree to a show her boss wants her to do. A show that involves her going on dates chosen by an influencer. Right before the show is set to start she meets a man named Will in the wild as he's chasing down his Great Dane, Buddy. They hit it off, but the Influencer/Dating Coach doesn't think that Will is right for Cecily, but the two of them keep bumping into each other. This sweet and engaging rom-com will have you reaching for your cozy blanket as you settle into this story.

As a fan of Linda Holmes since Evvie Drake Starts Over, I was thrilled to get a copy of Back After This. Once again, Holmes created a world and characters that kept me reading. Having read several books with a similar premise, I was not sure if Holmes's take on a dating contest would bring anything new, but I was pleasantly surprised. Cecily's foray into on air podcast talent working with a popular influencer revealed much about the podcasting industry and the life of an influencer. Although I felt sure how this one would end, I was still engaged throughout as I discovered the twists and turns that were in store for our protagonist. Three for three Linda Holmes, anxiously awaiting number four!

I devoured this book in 2 days. It was like a warm hug or a comfort rom-com movie. Loved the characters, the banter, the premise - even the classic miscommunication/misunderstanding felt earned. Though I don't expect anything less from Linda Holmes. I have loved her previous novels and this one is no different.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books for an advance read copy of Linda Holme's newest book, Back After This!
Cecily Foster has been working and striving for her next big break in her podcasting career.  Always loyal to her company and coworkers, Cecily reluctantly takes on a role in a new dating series which will finally place her in a host position.  Cecily's dating life has been in a dry spell since her former podcasting boyfriend Jusitin, took advantage of her skills and ideas leaving her high and dry without giving any credit where it was due.  With Justin increasingly gaining success and Cecily stuck in a rut, she is tossed full fledged into the dating scene undergoing 20 dates set up for her by influencer and relationship expert, Eliza Cassidy.  Cecily ends up finding a man who she clicks with but not through Eliza's curated methods.  Will is fun, but will he be able to set down roots and unexpected and dating him brings a whole lot of unplanned consequences for Cecily's career.      
I absolutely loved Evvie Drake starts over and was thrilled to be able to read this book in advance.  While I liked it more than Flying Solo, I didn't love it as much as Evvie Drake.  Cecily's character was well developed but there were so many minor characters that it was often difficult to keep track of who was who.

This is a cute rom com. I really liked Will, liked Cecily, and loved Buddy. The reason this one was only three stars for me is that I felt the storyline of Cecily’s dating podcast got very lost in the rest of it. We got zero interaction with the guys she dated after the “test date” and it just almost seemed to be an afterthought. Just felt like it wasn’t carried through completely. Regardless, I thought the book was worth the read and I will read more Linda Holmes in the future.

This book had what I like in romance books. It wasn’t solely about a relationship, it wasn’t a ton of buildup to one or two steamy scenes, but it was about a woman finding love and self acceptance, while becoming empowered to decide what she wants, rather than what others always assume she will do. The romance was pretty closed door, but I felt that it went well with the overall tone of the book.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review. I have adored both previous books by Linda Holmes and Back After This was no exception.

Back After This follows Cecily, a podcast producer who is talked into hosting a show where she is set up on 20 first dates in order to save her struggling media company.

Holmes has a way of making her characters feel so incredibly real and grounded. They never come across as contrived or fake in any way. She also does a great job of exploring the changing media landscape and the pitfalls of influencer culture as well. Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed her previous two books or is a contemporary romance fan.

I was really really hoping to love this and I just did not. This book was so boring. When she met Will I was like “A MEET CUTE!” and then I just got bored. I was bored with Eliza, and the men she dated and the coworkers and her overall attitude with life and the podcast show. I’ve read another book involving podcasts and dating and it was so much better than this. The narrator for the audio was boring too. She never changed her voice no matter what character was currently talking and I hated it. This book was an absolute no for me and I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was an enjoyable rom-com! I really liked the premise (it had similar vibes to First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison if you're looking for a comp!) and absolutely loved the male MC- Will. Their meet cute, witty banter, and repeated run-ins were the best part of this story. I also really loved some of the other characters, like Eliza, the influencer who was her romance guru; they felt fully fleshed out. I unfortunately didn't love Cecily (the MC.) I know the goal was character growth and to show her from start to finish, but I really didn't enjoy or relate to her, even once she hit her growth spurt at the end. I did have a hard time getting into this one- I had to switch to a physical copy to finish it. Overall, this was a closed door rom-com that gave me the HEA I was hoping for from the beginning, so it was worth my time!

3 Stars – A Cute, Lighthearted Rom-Com

This was a very cute rom-com! The premise was fun—following Cecily on her dating experiment while navigating career struggles and unexpected chemistry with Will made for an entertaining read. I really enjoyed the friendships in the book and the humorous moments sprinkled throughout.

That said, nothing about the story really surprised me. It followed a fairly predictable path, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. If you’re looking for a quick, fun escape from heavier reads, this is a solid choice!

Thank you NetGalley & Ballantine Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

What a wholesome and cute romantic comedy that gave me butterflies! I love when books have a podcast element and the author executed this one very well. The romance is believable as well as adorable. The characters have depth as well as maturity! Of course it goes without saying that a book with a dog is an automatic mark up in my reviews.

This is my first read by Linda Holmes and will not be my last— I can’t wait to dive into the authors backlist as well as look out for new releases!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC 🤍

All about Podcasts 🤔 Why are the exes always so awful and the FMC *never* has *any* idea?!?!

20 blind dates sounds like a terrible time to be honest. I thought Eliza was supposed to set her up with *good* options? They were all boring or awful. I get they were going for the always running into each other it’s meant to be kind of thing, but it felt like Will was stalking her. Even in a smaller town I have *never* ran into anyone I know out and about in public. These odds seem off. For being such a big part of what’s happening Eliza was not really fleshed out very well as a character. She felt fake from the beginning so when she started to get weird about Will and basically crashed out I was not surprised.

Initially I enjoyed this. The writing was done well. I enjoyed the style, the flow, and how the chapters/sections were broken down. However, all the audio/podcast explanations and jargon really bogged it down. It was easy to read when I stuck to it, but found myself easily distracted and bored. By the time it was the Epilogue I was over it

Back After This by Linda Holmes is a fun women’s fiction / romance about a woman who has been trying desperately to further her career in audio shows (podcasts). The company she works for is finally giving her an on air chance, but it comes with a catch…she must host a show where she’s the subject of dating advice and blind date setups.

This book is great for those who are ready to dig into a book with a character NOT in her 20’s, and who is career driven, but isn’t seeing the results of her hard work.

I thought this book had great character development, a compelling plot line, fun banter, and strong female character growth.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, for this advanced reader copy.

Super cute and quick read. It felt a little predictable but I love a good HEA. Buddy was by far my favorite character, iykyk! Only closed door spice but a fair amount of romance for the FMC (20 blind dates?!).

Thank you to NetGalley, Linda Holmes and Random House Ballentine for this ARC!

It took me way too long to read this book. Unfortunately, it did not keep my attention enough for me to want to keep picking it up. The buildup to the plot was a little too info dumpy for me. The company Cecily works for is not doing great, so they come up with a plan to do a dating podcast show to help draw in more listeners. Since Cecily is single, they choose her to do the show. They assign a relationship expert to work with her to help find her the perfect guy. She has to go on twenty dates with different guys and do a process of elimination. Before the podcast starts, she has a meet cute with Will who is not part of the show. They have a connection, but she has to do the show and date all these guys. There are just a lot of scenes that seem like they are filled with unnecessary explanations of what is going on or is going to happen. I didn't really like the tone of Cecily and how she talks to her friends or coworkers. The story spends way too much time focusing on her work and the podcast and not much time on the relationship build up with Will. The rom com part felt like it took a backseat in this story.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, & Linda Holmes for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #BackAfterThis

Linda Holmes charming new novel, Back After This tells the story of Cecily, who works as a producer for a small company that creates podcasts. The company is not doing well, and Cecily’s boss comes up with an idea to save them- a new podcast featuring the single-and-looking Cecily going on 20 first dates to find the perfect man, while being guided by a popular Instagram influencer.


After Cecily reluctantly agrees to it, she keeps running into a handsome, charming man who’s perfect for her. But she can’t date him until after the podcast is over which is months away. What’s a girl to do?


If you are podcast fan, you will enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the industry. Linda Holmes is a cohost of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour”. This is a breezy, sweet read.

★★★.25

as someone who listens to multiple podcasts a day, I was really excited to read this!

I'll say that it started pretty slow for me and honestly took me weeks to finish. it's not that I didn't like the story, it was just not super captivating for me! I think this felt more like it was about Cecily's career and personal development rather than a romance - which is fine, I just didn't expect it. I do kind of feel like there was something missing for me to be truly invested throughout the story and satisfied with the ending, but I really can't figure out what it is. I did love the banter, though!


thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.