Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

Cecily works in podcasting, still recovering after her ex-boyfriend rode to success with a podcast that she helped create and perfect, leaving her behind. She works at a once-successful company who is struggling to get by.

As one of the only single people working for the company, she is pitched an idea - team up with social influencer Eliza Cassidy, who will vet and set her up on 20 dates to try to have her find her perfect match. Initially skeptical, she forces herself to open up - only she keeps crossing paths with a guy who she first met while he was chasing after a dog - someone else's dog that he didn't even know.

Back After This by Linda Holmes is a very entertaining novel. Linda Holmes, who also hosts a podcast, brings us into this fictional world that she probably knows a lot about. Her writing style is engaging and I really enjoyed the characters and the plot.

In her previous novels, she put in easter eggs references her other novels, but unfortunately I didn't spot any this time. Fans of her other novels will be happy to know that they won't be disappointed in this one!

4.5 ⭐️

Linda Holmes, host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, is back with her signature witty banter, deep pop culture references, relatable characters, and an ode to her love of audio.

Will is a photographer, the hot waiter, and a little stuck.

Cecily is a hardworking producer of mediocre podcasts. She’s been working hard for more - the next promotion, a host opportunity, or just acknowledgment of what she brings to the table. Cecily just landed a podcast hosting gig, but she’ll be working with a social media influencer turned relationship coach as she embarks on 20 dates to find her person (the podcasts idea, not her

This romcom features so many meet-cutes, a loyal Great Dane, and explores themes around rebuilding your life, redefining what you want, and being sure of yourself in your mid 30s. As always, Linda’s characters are super relatable and this story was fun and a quick read.

🎙️podcast producer
📷 photographer
🎧 self-help guru
🤝 Friends to lovers

Thank you to NetGalley & Ballantine Books for this ARC!

This one was super cute! I didn’t love it as much as Eevie Drake, but I did like it. And enjoyed learning about the podcasting/audio business.

In Back After This, Linda Holmes' third novel, podcast editor Cecily is four years removed from her last relationship with a podcast producer/host that left her, taking their successful podcast--and credit for her work--with him. Cecily's boss ignores her ideas, leaving her stuck in her editor role, but admist financial troubles at the company manipulates her into hosting the Twenty Dates podcast. The catch? She's both the host and the subject, Social media influencer Eliza will choose twenty men for Cecily to go on first dates with and the podcast will follow her personal and romantic progress.

Before starting the dating, Cecily runs into waiter/photographer Will in an adorable meet-cute aided by Buddy the dog. The two keep running into each other and devlop a friendship that grows into more even though Eliza pushes Cecily away from him.

Holmes writes A+ banter! The dialog between Cecily and Will made me laugh out loud. Ceciily's friends and sister are the supportive relationships you hope to have. Eliza is an adversary but not a villain. Back After This is a warm blanket and mug of hot chocolate on a cold day and is my second 5-star read of 2025.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

Podcasts, romcom, a fairly giant dog, and a bit of finding your voice - the upcoming (and by that I mean right now!) Back After This by Linda Holmes has it all. Cecily is a podcast audio editor who has worked hard to succeed in the world of audio. She has a rather large setback after investing years in a podcast with her boyfriend - only to have to walk away after their break up and start over. In times of change she worries she and her friends may be without work again. She agrees to do a podcast - 20 Dates - against her best judgment and allow a self help guru to help her find true love in an effort to save jobs. In the meantime she keeps bumping into Will - a very handsome man in the most intriguing of ways.

I spend much of my waking and sleeping hours listening to podcasts. When I heard Holmes of NPR pop culture (one of my faves!) was the author here, I hoped for some insight into the industry. What I learned was that I knew very little about the business that consumes much of my time. Through Cecily’s work, we have insight into the fun and the extreme pressure that exists. What seems so instantaneous as a listener involves hours of work. I enjoyed this fascinating look into the industry. Most of the conflict revolves around Cecily’s work. She wants to keep her job, have her own podcast, and protect the job of some of her friends - so she steps out of her comfort zone into the dating world. Eliza, the self help guru, becomes as interesting as Cecily. She is complex - I didn’t like her one second and thought “what insight” the next. Through her, though, we gain insight into the complex world of social media - the challenges of being current and making a living there. I was fascinated by the lives of these ladies. Cecily’s growth - through Eliza’s less than honest treatment and, in fact, her example is fun to see. And the romance was lovely. I enjoyed the meet cute that involved a running dog and a man in a hair salon cape. I had a moment of cynicism with the coincidences of the meetings that followed, but it was too much fun in the end. And philosophically who doesn’t love the idea that the universe will put you in the path of true love?

While I am happily married and have been for some time - I appreciated very much the lessons that Cecily learns in Linda Holmes’ Back After This. I love a woman learning to consider what she wants - and learning to trust herself - and acting for her own best interests. I also appreciate that there are no easy answers here. Holmes offers a bit more complexity and a little less ease in her happily ever after. I am now a Linda Holmes completist and recommend her most highly.

This was a fun rom com about Cecily, a podcast producer that reluctantly agrees to do a podcast about her dating life. She agrees to twenty first dates set up by Eliza, a relationship coach and influencer. Cecily also meets a new guy, Will, while out and about and keeps running into him. She is conflicted about her job and her direction while doing the podcast. Thank you Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Linda Holmes’ “Back After This” is a contemporary romance novel that follows a podcast producer, Cecily Foster, as she embarks on a journey to date twenty men in hopes of transforming her life and finding “the one.”

Thirty-four-year-old Cecily has been working at Palmetto Media for years as a podcast producer. Her personal and professional life take a hit after her ex-boyfriend, Justin Dash, breaks up with her, steals their joint podcast “Scanner Stories,” and claims it as his own, even removing her name from the credits.

Amid financial struggles and looming layoffs at Palmetto, Cecily’s boss presents her with a new idea: a dating podcast, supported by several new sponsors. Initially, Cecily is reluctant, but not wanting her best friend Julie to be fired, she agrees to take on the project. In exchange, Cecily negotiates the promise of her own show once the self-help dating podcast wraps up.

Before Cecily meets with Eliza Cassidy, a dating coach and social media influencer, she has an unexpected encounter with Will, a man chasing after a runaway Great Dane. After teaming up to catch the dog, they exchange numbers and go their separate ways.

Determined to give Eliza’s dating methods a fair shot, Cecily goes on twenty dates with twenty different men. The first date, or “dummy date” as Eliza calls it, is with Andrew—who is not one of the twenty eligible bachelors, but a practice date meant to help Cecily get comfortable and understand what she’s truly looking for in a man. To her surprise, when Cecily arrives at the restaurant, Will is there—now working as a waiter.

As the story progresses, Cecily and Will continue to cross paths as she dates the men for her podcast. The internet becomes obsessed with Will, but Eliza warns that he isn’t career-driven and would only keep Cecily stuck in her pattern of dating unsuitable men.

Holmes’ extensive podcasting experience, particularly from her popular NPR show “Pop Culture Happy Hour,” shines through in the novel. She fills it with behind-the-scenes details about sound editing, podcasting tips, and even advice on which soda to avoid if you don’t want your mouth to sound sticky on air—Mountain Dew, for instance. Cecily’s insecurities are relatable, and her character is charming. The meet-cute between her and Will is fresh and well-executed, while their dialogue is witty, snarky, and full of humor.

The novel touches on themes of sexism and misogyny in the workplace. While I appreciated Cecily’s final actions, I felt the pacing was uneven. The first three-quarters of the book move at a steady pace, but then the final chapters feel rushed, with all the villains getting their comeuppance in a way that feels too neatly tied up. While this conclusion might be satisfying in fiction, it doesn't always reflect the way things play out in real life, where villains don't always get the justice they deserve.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing early access to "Back After This" in exchange for my honest review.

Podcast producer Cecily Foster has decided to take a break from romantic love after her boyfriend and colleague shattered her heart—and stole her work ideas. Just as she's trying to regain her footing in the industry, her boss presents her with an unexpected opportunity: hosting her own podcast. However, there’s a twist—Cecily’s new podcast will revolve around her dating life, and she’ll be working closely with influencer and relationship coach Eliza Cassidy, who has lined up twenty blind dates for her. As she navigates this journey, she finds herself drawn to Will, a photographer she met at a dog rescue event. Their playful banter adds humor and depth to her experience. Throughout the process, Cecily faces the tension between societal expectations and her desires, exploring themes of friendship, love, and modern dating.

"Back After This" delves into love and the search for identity. With relatable characters and authentic situations, it offers a fresh perspective on navigating romance in today’s social media-driven world.

Back After This by Linda Holmes was such an enjoyable read! Holmes has such an amazing ability to create realistic characters that I'm immediately invested in. Just like her other books, Back After This feels like a comfort read in all the best ways. I loved learning more about the podcast/audio industry and felt like that was such a unique part of the plot. Another fantastic read, I will absolutely be recommending this to my friends!

4.5 rounding up
Delightful and insightful, it's witty banter combined with thoughtful self-awareness. Manipulated into agreeing to hosting an audio podcast, Cecily is definitely unsettled about it's topic. Which is her....specifically her working with an relationship advisor/influencer and going 20 blind dates! Both what led her to that point and what happens when the guy she's most attracted to is not one of the twenty pre-selected dates are teased out throughout the story. Along the we learn a lot about the work of producing a podcast, as well as learning how navigate what life throws at you.

This was a fun read. I was invested in Cecily and her podcast project and her personal life. I appreciated that the influencer/lifestyle guru/matchmaker was given some depth to her character. She wasn't just a vapid narcissist. The ending was super satisfying.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.
#BackAfterThis #NetGalley

I absolutely ADORED this book. No one does banter and swoony romance that doesn't feel over-the-top-cheesy quite like Linda Holmes. I love how, while the ending was predictable, the way Cecily got there was not. Cecily's growth in her career, romantic relationships, and personal life was evident and charming, and she was easy to root for. Plus, her love interest was adorable. The story was charming but not so much so that you were left cringing after every romantic interaction. I would highly recommend this book!

There were some minor plot holes and far-fetched moments that left me rolling my eyes and thinking "there's no way that could happen," so I give it 4.5 stars -- easily rounded up to 5.

4.5 stars. I really, really liked this book. Setting it withing the world of podcasts and their production was something I'd never seen before, so it was appealing for that alone. The humor was fantastic and the visuals the author created sometimes were simply extraordinary (the dog chase scene!). She also did a great job of making set up first dates seem so ridiculous and the men that Cecily was meeting seemed like only slight exaggerations to what women find in the real dating world.

A highly amusing look into finding love, yourself and everything that is wrong with the dating world.

Thanks to Random House Publishing--Ballantine and NetGalley for the ebook. All thoughts are my own.

This book started off a little slow for me - perhaps because I am not into podcasts, so some of the inside baseball didn't do much for me. About a third of the way in, I started to get into it - and I stayed up late to finish the last third of the book! I've enjoyed Holmes' other books which delve into some interesting themes but are also sprinkled with plenty of laugh-out-loud humor. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely loved Back After This by Linda Holmes. The main character was incredibly relatable, and her journey offered great opportunities for reflection, especially if you're around her age. I found myself wishing for more time with the potential suitors in the book, it was very fun to learn about all the different dates! As a podcast fan, I really appreciated the "behind the scenes" insights the book provided. Overall, it was an upbeat and engaging read that I couldn't put down. I will definitely be reading more of Linda Holmes' work!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine via NetGalley.

Back After This is a delightful, modern rom-com that explores love, self-discovery, and the pressures of social media. Cecily Foster, a podcast producer with a protective nature and a jaded view of romance, reluctantly agrees to host a show about her dating life, guided by the relentlessly positive relationship coach, Eliza Cassidy. As Cecily navigates a series of blind dates, including her growing attraction to photographer Will, she struggles to reconcile her authentic desires with the public image Eliza encourages. With witty humor, relatable characters, and a dash of romance, this book is a fun and insightful read for anyone who’s ever felt torn between following their heart or the expectations of others.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved getting to see more of the behind the scenes of podcasting. Linda Holmes is an autoread author for me and I was so pleased I was able to receive an ARC.

I loved this!! I caught myself with a school girl crush smile for most of the book. I just loved the witty banter between Will & Cecily. This is a laugh out loud romcom that will give you that serotonin boost we all need these days.
Cecily is a podcast producer. She's used to being behind the scenes but her boss wants her to cohost a dating podcast in which mega influencer Eliza will match Cecily with 20 different men in the hopes of finding her "the one". She's really not interested but the company is struggling and there's rumor of layoffs. If she could do some negotiating maybe this can work out for everyone. I mean, she's been single for 4 years and it's not like some superhero is coming in to save the day.
Enter Will. A dog chasing, cape wearing, cutie.
He seems really great but Cecily has already signed on for the show & her co-workers jobs hang in the balance. There's no turning back. Besides, she'll probably never see him again, right? Look, I know how it ends, you probably can guess how it ends, but getting there is so much fun. And the journey is what it's all about, same in life as it is in books.
Favorite quote from the book, "The next time l find something I've been looking for, I will stop looking for it."

This was a sweet novel, emersed in the world of podcasting. I enjoyed learning about the editing process and how shows come to fruition. There was a good amount of honesty but still hints of miscommunication. The characters were super realistic and seemed like people I know. I have seen reviews saying Eliza was rude but I enjoyed her critiques of Cecily who really needed to hear it.

So many of my favorite things in one story: a peek behind the scenes of a cool-sounding job (podcast production), small-world coincidences, and a realistic modern love story. The protagonist is funny even when maddeningly stubborn, and this was both a fun page-turner and a romance with substance. Highly recommend!