I loved Evvie Drake Starts Over - and am an avid listener of PCHH - so I was super excited to get this ARC. I simply could not put this one down! It had everything I could ever want: witty banter, adorable leads, a very good dog, and a heartfelt story. No one does it quite like Linda Holmes!

Cecily, a podcast producer, is given the opportunity to step into the spotlight to become a host of a new self-help podcast where she gets set up by a life coach on 20 blind dates. While she’s not thrilled to have her love life out in the open, she takes it on to help save her friend’s job and to finally get time to work on and publish her own passion project. She is committed to going on the dates and taking the challenge seriously. However, after a few serendipitous run-ins with Will, a photographer and dog rescuer extraordinaire, things become a lot more complicated.

I had so much fun with this book! I definitely laughed out loud at multiple points in the book. I really adored Cecily and Will - their characters were so realistic and their chemistry was off the charts. I couldn’t help but root for Cecily - she had so much growth in finding her voice, who she is, and what she wanted. I also loved the backdrop of the podcast and the behind-the-scenes of how it got created. It was very clever and well integrated into the story. This is probably my favorite book by Linda Holmes, to date, and cannot wait until she has a new one for me to devour!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the ARC!

🔎 ARC Review

Back After This

@lindaholmes97
@randomhouse
@netgalley

Publication Date: February 25th, 2025

My Rating:
🌟 4/5

👀Read if you like
Strangers to Friends to Lovers
Cute Dog 🐕
Podcasts

Longtime podcast producer Cecily Foster has always operated behind the scenes. For years, she’s worked toward hosting her own show, putting everything, including her love life, on the backburner. So when her boss finally offers her the chance, she’s over the moon.

But there’s a catch. Actually, two

1) The show will be about Cecily’s dating life 
2) Cecily will be mentored by renowned dating coach/life coach/influencer Eliza Cassidy.

Cecily would rather do anything else than put her singledom on display, especially since the last time she mixed work with romance the outcome was catastrophic. But when Cecily’s boss tells her that doing the show is the only way to protect her mentee's job, she realizes she has no other choice.

To make matters even more complicated, Cecily finds herself unable to stop thinking about Will, a photographer she serendipitously met while chasing a runaway dog down a busy street. Even though there are sparks between the two, Eliza forbids Cecily from dating Will, whom she believes is no better than Cecily's disappointing exes.

As Cecily struggles to balance her real romantic life and the one Eliza wants to create for her, she finds herself at a crossroads. Will she fall back into old patterns, or is this her chance to finally find love that lasts?

🔎 My review
This is my first book by Linda and it was so good!! I loved seeing Cecily go out of her comfort zone for her friend and herself! Watching her grow and build a relationship with Will is the best and who couldn't love Buddy?? Definitely gives off meant to romance and 100% recommend

Thank you @lindaholmes97, @randomhouse, @netgalley for the ARC!

#books #bookreviews #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookstagram #bookobsessed #romance #lindaholmes #ballantinebooks #randomhouse #NetGalley #BackAfterThis

There is a warmth to her novels that make them a safe, delightful joy to dive into.

As for this book? The main characters make you want to hug her and make heart eyes at him.

I’m charmed, you’re charmed, everyone is charmed and tickled and swooning because that smile on our faces each time their chemistry crackles cannot be stopped.

The relatable nonsense of work dynamics and the pressure to succeed (depending on who is giving the definition) and tying it all to sponsorships and the influencer world helps shake us back into healthier perspectives.

The friendship and support of loved ones, the figuring out what you want and actually learning how to say so, the kindness in places it’s needed…the love story would be enough alone, but everything else embedded in and around it make this yet another special book I can’t wait to recommend to everyone who’ll listen.

To say that I like Linda Holmes and her foray into romance novels is just a massive understatement, and this one is GREAT. I like the podcast company background, I like the gimmick, I like that all of the characters are written with empathy, I like the dog. I like Cecily and Will. There is something just very reassuring about reading a novel where you know the people being written are actual people and will be written from a perspective of kindness.

I received an ARC from Netgalley.

Holmes' books always feel like a warm hug. I really appreciate that her FMC here -- in all her books -- is really trying to find herself, not necessarily love. I like that Cecily is capable and competent, has friends and family, but realizes she's spending her own life on the surface level. And yet I didn't feel like I, the reader, was serving as Cecily's therapist. The conversational, matter-of-fact tone helps, I think.

Anyone who has listened to Pop Culture Happy Hour knows that Holmes has a deep appreciation for romcoms and sitcoms and stories that leave you feeling good, feeling satisfied. Her work is an homage to the stories she loves.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

I really wanted to like this book. But I just couldn’t fall in love with it.

Cecily works at a podcast studio. She does more work than what her job description says, most of the time she’s doing other peoples work too. She gets roped into being the focus of a dating podcast because her company is on the verge of going under. At the same time, she meets someone. Organically. Out on the sidewalk she meets someone. And then she runs into him again. And again. And again. But she’s suppose to be all in on this dating podcast so they never really label their situation (he does know about the podcast). And of course, the drama follows. Eliza, the woman who is “coaching” Cecily on the dating podcast. She is very vocal that she cannot date this guy she met on her own. (Because of course that would mean that her work didn’t… work). And Toby, Cecily’s boss, is very adamant that this podcast really take off and bring it a lot of listeners.

The whole book seemed kind of repetitive. The characters were very surface level to me. I didn’t know much depth to either Cecily or Will (the guy she met). And the intimacy seemed a little out of the blue. I mean I know they were attracted to each other but when they had sex for the first time it felt like it just got thrown in because that’s what was was suppose to happy next. To me it didn’t feel like “*snap* all of the tension, FINALLY”.

Cecily lets a lot of people walk all over her. Her ex, Justin, who is mentioned frequently. Her boss. Eliza. And she doesn’t stand up for herself until the last chapter? Like what the hell.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I loved this book! It started a bit slow, but I think it was necessary to basically lay out all the details and give you enough back story to be invested in what happens. Once I got through all of that, I devoured this book. I love the growth as a person that Cecily goes through and all of the things she learns about herself and what she wants in life. I loved hearing about all 20 of the blind dates that she had to go on. Most of all, I loved Buddy and I adored Will. I learned so much about all of the background things that go into making a podcast, and learning literally anything in a book as part of the story makes me happy. This was a great rom com and I'm glad I had the privilege of being offered an advanced copy.

4.5/5

Cecily is a podcast producer who is in a rut in her life. She's unhappy with her job and her lack of love life. News of her ex spurs her to make a change. She randomly meets Will, who is charming, a photographer, a waiter, and a dog lover, again and again. Will balances out Cecily in many ways and is there for Cecily as she embarks on her public journey to find love. This book is about living for yourself, being bold and claiming what you want, coincidences but also not coincidental run-ins that could be signs of change. Linda Holmes writes beautifully with a lot of humor and great banter. It was easy to root for Cecily as she begins to realize what's right in front of her, starts to fight for herself and what she deserves, and trusts her instincts. Shout-out to the mascot of the book - Buddy the dog, a character in and of himself.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved Evvie Drake and I may have loved this more. Linda Holmes has a real talent for heroines who are starting over in their careers or their romantic lives. She writes banter expertly - it's fun and never cloying. Back After This was just a delight all the way through.

I love Linda Holmes! Was eagerly awaiting this one and am happy to say it was just as good as I hoped it would be. When I was approved to read the arc, it skipped right up to the top of my queue. Holmes both excels at writing characters you love to root for and really nails the despicable ex that makes you furious in its relatability. I hope this book finds its way to new readers, and that those new readers also visit Holmes' exquisite back list. (Loved the callback to Halls of Power.)

This is a love letter to podcast producers and all the unseen work they do. I am a huge fan of Holmes as a critic and an author, but this one wasn’t quite as much of a slam dunk for me as her previous books. I felt the main character was harder to connect to; I can’t remember if her age was ever mentioned, but if it was it wasn’t referenced enough for context. This character as someone in their 30s vs 40s would read very differently to me.

Some swoony moments and banter as always. Worth a read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for this honest review.

This is the third book I've read by Holmes, and it has cemented her as a must-read for me!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a longtime fan of Linda Holmes from Pop Culture Happy Hour and have really enjoyed her past books, so I was predisposed to enjoy this, and I certainly did - I think it is her best yet. Cecily is a great character, funny and warm but also believably flawed - Holmes does a great job with this. Her love interest is also adorable, and I loved all of the non-romantic relationships in the book as well. Overall I cannot recommend this more highly!

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Cecily has been a podcast producer for many years, but has wanted to host her own show. Her boss finally gives her the opportunity, but it must be about her dating life and she must be mentored by dating coach Eliza. Cecily is not comfortable sharing her non-existent dating life, however she agrees to keep people from losing their jobs. In the back of her mind is Will, a photographer she met by chance, but Eliza nixes him as an interest. Cecily is left with a choice ultimately: follow the orchestrated path Eliza has laid out for her, or follow her true feelings.

What was great about this book was even though the story was about dating, there was not too much time spent on all of the dates. Rather, a lot of the time was spent on Cecily, and I loved that - yes, there was character growth, but the reader got to actually know Cecily as not just a character, but a person. You went right along with her as she figured out what she wanted, and how to advocate for it. A fun background to this book was learning more about the behind-the-scenes work of podcasting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just loved this. It took a bit to get into it for me, but Cecily and Will were both such good characters and their dialogue is so well done. I enjoyed it very much and felt the development they both go through is realistic and relatable.

A super cute and easy rom-com; nothing very groundbreaking for me. I didn't like the lead female so much or connect with her, but the lead male was very sweet and easy to read. I liked the aspect of podcasts within the romcom and was very intrigued with the premise.

This was so much fun! If you loved Evvvie Drake you'll enjoy this one as well. Funny and relatable with the audio element!

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Megan Whalen for pre-approving this ARC. It will be published February 25, 2025.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I also really enjoyed “Evie Drake Starts Over”.

This rom-com was a quick and fun read. Against her better judgment, Cecily agrees to be the star of a podcast called Twenty Dates. She works with uber successful life coach and influencer Eliza to produce it. Eliza thinks there should be a logical approach to finding your mate, but Cecily keeps testing that theory. I like how Cecily gains confidence and even though she works in SOUND, she finds her VOICE! You go Girl!

Serendipity? Coincidences? While it’s somewhat predictable there’s a fun plot twist near the end.

I was asked to review “Back After This” by Linda Holmes, who wrote two memorable books “Flying Solo” and “Evvie Drake Starting Over.”

Cecily is a podcaster but isn’t prepared to be the subject matter of her own show. However, she is pressured to do a series where she is guided by a popular influencer and relationship coach, Eliza, to go on a variety of dates to find her one and only. However, what about the guy that Cecily meets all on her own (with the help of a misbehaving canine?

Like Holmes’s other protagonists, Cecily is a strong woman but someone who is also stuck in the predictable. This is not a novel about dating inasmuch as it is about finding oneself and embracing who you are. While there are plenty of comedic moments, “Back After This” makes some convincing points about the impact of social media and dating in the 21st century. I did feel like a few plot points were left unresolved, but overall, I would highly recommend this story to anyone who struggles with moving forward (or loves stories where a dog is heavily featured).

Four stars.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this great read.

Review: Back After This

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!

Overall, I enjoyed the story—it felt fresh and different, unlike anything I’ve read before.

What worked for me:
I really liked Will; he reminded me of someone I know, and I wished we had more of his perspective throughout the book. Cecily, on the other hand, was more complicated. I don’t know if I liked her, but I understood her. She seemed stuck—always trying to please others, believing life had to follow certain rules, and making excuses for why she couldn’t improve her situation or leave toxic relationships. I also liked the way Will and Cecily’s paths kept crossing—their chemistry was well-written and believable.

What didn’t work for me:
While I get that the story revolves around a podcast, the amount of focus on audio felt distracting at times—it could have been toned down a bit. I also wished we had more scenes from Cecily’s dates instead of just summaries, especially with the doctor. Did he ever realize she wasn’t really interested in him? That part felt unresolved.

The romance, when it finally happened, felt too brief—it was a closed-door moment, and I would’ve loved to see more of their relationship develop on the page. The pacing at the beginning was slow, too. The prologue was great, but it took a while for the story to pick up momentum with the podcast and Cecily’s interactions with Will.

Finally, I wanted more closure regarding Cecily’s career. Since so much of her identity revolved around audio work, it felt like an unresolved thread. What happens to her professionally now that the story has wrapped up?

Final thoughts:
Despite these minor issues, I liked the story overall. It had unique elements that kept me engaged, and I appreciated the balance between romance and personal growth.