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.

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.