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!

This charming novel follows Cecily Foster, a passionate podcaster navigating the complexities of career ambition and personal boundaries. After a painful romantic betrayal, she’s sworn off love—until she’s offered the chance to host her own show. However, she is forced to document her dating life under the guidance of the annoyingly optimistic influencer Eliza Cassidy, Cecily must confront her past while opening herself up to new possibilities.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book!

There’s a meet cute, then… there’s a meet cute, and then a meet cute…. But Cecily just agreed to completing 20 first dates for a podcast in exchange for getting to produce one of her own.
Linda Holmes writes witty banter, with a little bit of spice, and I would give Will a 10/10.
While this is a romcom, all of Cecily’s important relationships are examined as well as her obsession with working, rounding this book off into something a little more. There are also just some great lines, as I must also admit to having what is usually an aspirational apple.
Pick this up for something warm and fuzzy, with just enough angst to move it along.

This was an adorable and unique romance that had me laughing out loud. This book follows Cecily a podcast editor who always wanted to host her own show that is until she gets assigned to Twenty First Dates a podcast of her restarting her dating life with a coach and going on dates with twenty men. Cecily wants to refuse but finds out it will cause her friend to lose her job so she reluctantly agrees. Cecily just happens to meet Will in an adorable meet cute before the dating podcast begins but hasn’t dated in over 4 years Cecily is a little clueless. The 2 main characters in this book were so relatable and likable but some of the side characters felt a little flat and unnecessary. I loved the behind the scenes feel this book had I felt it was entertaining and really interesting learning more about what goes into creating podcasts. This author is quickly becoming a must read for me and look forward to reading more from her in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Light & fun rom com. Cecily’s character growth was my favorite part, as well as the roles that her work, Eliza, and her friends played into the story. I loved her supports, and how she was such a good friend. There were smaller parts of the story that I enjoyed as well - like how relatable that her massive purse is called “The Beast”. I loved Buddy, loved Will, and loved their banter. The dates themselves summarized in one chapter really was a nod to the crazy concept. I so strongly disliked her ex, her job, and her boss. I enjoyed how there was little nods to recognizing what people are willing to tolerate, and how one size doesn’t fit all for happiness or life plans. I loved how it ended, Such a fun read!

Full disclosure, I've been a dedicated listener of Linda Holmes's podcast "Pop Culture Happy Hour" for years. I've enjoyed her other books and when this one popped up on Net Galley I was happy to be approved.
Much like her other books, Holmes does an excellent job of portraying flawed, but lovable characters whom you hope figure it out. This one focused around the podcasting world felt fresh and lovely. And who couldn't love a book with a giant dog named Buddy?

Many thanks to the publisher, author, and Net Galley for the e galley.
3.75 stars rounded up to 4

An easy read and delight rom-com about a young woman trying to hold on to her place in business. She desperately wants to produce a program of her own and is promised this if only she participates in a new podcast where she is featured as a woman who struggles with dating trying to find love. Single, she must go on twenty dates all the while with the advice of a life coach who tries to make her over and has a rigid plan. But Cecily keeps meeting by chance Will, who she can be real with but the life coach doesn’t believe that love happens by chance. Can Cecily find love and what if it’s all ready there? This is a fun story with likeable characters. I enjoyed it, so put it in your beach bag this summer or grab it to curl up with and enjoy. Many thanks t9 #netgalley #lindaholmes #backafterthis for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for the eARC and Penguin Random House Audio for the #gifted ALC.

Narrated by Linda Holmes

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 3/5
Steam: 🔥🔥 (0-5) Closed door/fade-to-black/limited details

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 The podcast blind dates storyline is intriguing.
🤩 Eliza the dating coach as a side character is great.
🤩 The characters are fabulous and loveable.
🤩 I love Cecily and Will’s meet-cute (chunky peanut butter for the win) and friendship, & the lighthearted intimacy.
🤩 It’s so fun how Will keeps being there in things related to the podcast/dates!!
🤩 The text chats.
🤩 The last 10 percent of the plot was my favorite and so worth it!

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 She has a good storytelling voice but also some hesitations or choppy bits in her phrasing.
💫 Too much background about Cecily’s workplace, etc. It wasn’t a captivating start. I don’t think I’m a fan of waiting until 20% for the meet-cute.
💫 I would have loved more blind date fun in the plot.
💫 The feels were good except those lusty ones. The times before closed door/fade-to-black weren’t very detailed and didn’t help me feel their physical chemistry or connection.

When Cecily agrees to do a podcast with Eliza, an influencer who is trying to break into a new business, she cannot predict the craziness that will ensue. Twenty Dates is the podcast, and Cecily is supposed to go on the dates Eliza chooses for her, as part of the Goddess package she is selling. When Cecily meets Will at the beginning of the podcast outside of the 20 dates, complications begin. It’s a cute story, and Will is a very appealing character, but I think I am older than the audience this would appeal to. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Back After This by Linda Holmes

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Ballantine Books, Penguin Random House, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What a wonderful, heartfelt read full of growth, friendship, and love!

Cecily works for a podcasting company and feels stuck in life, both personally and professionally. She happens to have a meet-cute with Will and there are instant sparks with but it seems like it won’t lead to anything long-term. Cecily is then approached by her boss to take on a new project where she has to go on twenty first dates in an attempt to find love. She reluctantly agrees, with the deal that she’ll be able to take on whatever project she wants afterwards. As Cecily embarks on this journey, she keeps running into Will and she’ll have to eventually decide what it is that she really wants in life.

Cecily is such an authentic FMC and having the plot center on her personal journey rather than solely her romantic life works to show her growth in every part of her life. I also appreciated that the MMC was a bit nuanced and honest about where he is in life, while being eager to advance.

Overall, this was such a sweet, fun read! A low spice, closed door romance with a focus on personal growth, self discovery, and finding love on your own terms.

This is a new author for me, and this book won't be the last book I read from her.

I found this book to be very funny, adored the characters, very insightful (in the end) and her easygoing/laid-back writing was great to read page after page. Will, Cecily and Buddy were my hands down favorites in this story, and I loved reading about the world of producing audio content. Throughout this story you come away with the realization that you have to trust yourself first and foremost, you are the only person that knows what's best for you, especially when meeting your someone special. Seriously, this is a great book!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book

Loved the combo of growth and romance. FMC learned a lot through blind dating 20 men for a podcast. MMC was perfect. Enjoyed the podcasting parts. A bit winded at times but I had a good time reading this book.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.

I love Linda on the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, so of course I wanted to get this book. The stakes weren’t high, which meant the tension wasn’t over the top, but I still found it to be expertly written, with fun, robust characters, and a relatable story, Back After This is a satisfying romcom.

4.5 stars