Back After This by Linda Holmes
*out 25 February 2025 in the US*

Plz can this be adapted into a movie? Back After This gave me the same feelings that my favorite romcom films give me and I enjoyed every second! I loved the meet cute with Buddy, Cecily hosting a podcast as she goes on 20 dates to find a partner, and the self-discovery Cecily goes through over the course of the book!
There were a few parts where I actually laughed out loud and Mike looked at me like what is going on lol.
I think the pacing was slightly off for me, but this isn’t inherently a bad thing, just a me issue! I also wish Eliza would have turned out differently and it made me kind of sad lol.
Thank you to Random House Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance copy!
#backafterthis #netgalley

Rating: 4.5 Stars

In an effort to save her job and get her own pilot, Cecily agreed to host a self-help podcast. She hated self-help, but after years of rejected pitches, she wanted her shot. So, she agreed to partner with an influencer who would arrange 20 dates for Cecily and help her find love. What could go wrong!

A hit from page one, I swear! I just love Linda Holme's style, wit, and humor. It really is her writing that has made all of her books hits for me, but I also adored the story and characters.

I learned early on that someone did Cecily wrong, so I raged but also funneled this rage into hope and wishes for Cecily to find success and get her show. It didn't hurt that this road to success was paved with hilarity. I never knew a podcast could produce so much rom-com gold, but Holmes made it happen. Cecily's dating escapades were what you would expect and resulted in some side-splitting laughter for me. Her personal journey was also noteworthy. It's incredible how deeply some things wound us and we are unable to really see the damage they have caused. Though it was not gentle, I was glad to see Cecily come to that healing place where she was ready to assert some authority over her own life and career.

But it was The Waiter aka Will, who won my heart. He and Cecily had quite the adventurous meet-cute as they raced through DC trying to capture a runaway great dane. I felt like Cecily was fated to have something with Will. When some random person keeps crossing paths with you, accept that the universe has a plan. When I learned more about Cecily, Will, and their past, I wanted them to be together even more. If you can find someone who likes and accepts you, as is, you must seize the moment and make that happen.

I haven't listened to podcasts in quite a while, but I really found my deep dive into this world enlightening. I rather enjoyed learning all the behind the scenes and ins and outs, and my appreciation for the format has definitely grown.

Overall, this was a fun and charming tale which made me laugh, smile, and want to listen to some podcasts.

What a terrific Rom-Com. I loved this story from the very beginning. How can you go wrong with a Great Big dog that you help rescue and a man who adores you for who you are. Not me. This is a great story if you want to put a smile on your face and learn a little bit about yourself when you read it.
One of my favorite parts of the story is that even though people can give you good advise, you should still go with your gut feeling and you should periodically ask yourself if what you are doing in life is what you want to do, or are you being complacent because it is easy. Another part of the story that I love is how her friends and family are there for Cecily when she needs someone to give her a hug, even if she is in the wrong, That love was very comforting, like a warm blanket And my favorite part of the story is when Cecily keeps meeting Will wherever she went and each time they meet, they always seem to be having a good time. Ahh. I wish everyone had a Will.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this delightful story about love.

Another one that started slow for me and I debated if I wanted to continue. And another one that I was happy I read! Cecily agrees to host a podcast where she has to work with a relationship coach and share the details of her dating life. Just as she begins her journey to go on 20 dates, she meets Will and sparks fly, but their paths are complicated (individually!) The book is more about Cecily's growth as a woman than the individual dates, which I truly enjoyed. Despite what the book is about, Cecily is not interested in settling for love, compromising what is important to her, or making decisions for others. I enjoyed the relationships, the work life, the character growth. I thought the banter was fun, the chemistry between Cecily and Will was strong. Just an overall sweet, fun and different book.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Cecily is a podcast producer who longs to host a show, even though she's been told it isn't the role for her. Her boss gives her a proposition to host a podcast where an influencer turned dating coach will set her up on twenty dates and teach her how to find love. But at what cost??

Cecily is torn between hating self-help and wanting love in her life again. But she feels like she can protect the job of her best friend in the rocky environment of podcasting if she takes this show on.

It also makes things messy that she keeps running into Will, but can anyone really meet anyone in real life nowadays?
Back After This takes place in DC, one of my favorite cities. I wish us readers got to see more of DC throughout this book, but this book is very character centered and it worked well for this book! The characters were all so like able. Holmes has a way to her writing that makes everyone in her books feel like a friend to the reader.

As someone who is no stranger to doing what is expected, as well as someone who’s felt like their life isn’t always where it should be, Will and Cecily were easy to relate to and even easier to root for. The minor characters, particularly Will and Cecily’s sisters and Jules, were also stand-outs. If you love a little bit of right-person-wrong-time, dogs, and romances that just make you feel good, then you’ll love this one!

This is about Cecily who who works as a podcaster, typically as someone who edits the episodes. She dreams of hosting her own show. When the company is in trouble of being bought out, they task Cecily with hosting a show where she goes on twenty dates picked by a life and relationship influencer. However, Cecily finds someone she really likes that’s not part of the dates and can she break through everyone manipulating her to carry on with the relationship she wants? This was okay. I typically do not care for the books this author writes, but this one grew on me. It started out slow, but I liked the concept. This is a book, however, where I disliked all the secondary characters. I liked our FMC and MMC but there was so much manipulation feom everyone around them, that I couldn’t stand it. One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the chapter dedicated to her twenty dates. The chapter would give a brief outline of the man, their date, and the result. I loved it and wished more of the book would have been written in that format. Overall, it’s a good story that I would recommend.

I'm so glad to have another Linda Holmes novel! In Back After This, Holmes takes us into a world she knows well, podcasting, with audio producer and aspiring host Cecily, who gets talked into hosting a show all about her. Influencer Eliza Cassidy coaches her on a series of twenty first dates, with the goal of finding a relationship by the time the show ends. Before the show even starts, though, Cecily meets, and keeps running into, a kind man named Will, who she instantly likes. Back After This follows Cecily's attempts to push through the show she was never really on board with, balancing ambition and a desire to protect herself and those she cares about; her growing interest in Will, who is not Eliza-approved; and to figure out what she wants from work and love. I think what I like most about Holmes' books is how real they feel; the stories and people feel like real life, even with a bigger element - whether that's a popular podcast about one's dating life or a Yankees player in a small town - thrown in. They're charming and sweet and likable, with everyday problems and relatable conflicts, and feel like a real couple figuring it out.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

this was a 3.5/5 for me, and i actually ended up liking it more than i thought i would. i found cecily to be a largely likable narrator and was rooting for her and will the entire time. it was a quick read, easy and fairly low-stakes, with a satisfying ending. that said, something that i can't stop thinking about is that while cecily is meant to be 34 — only a few years older than me — you could kind of tell that the author is much older and her voice did not really fit her age. it's just my opinion, but i actually think this story might have worked better if she were, say, 44, although then you beg the question of timelines with podcasts becoming popular, etc. it's not a major gripe but it is something i noticed. overall, though, i enjoyed this one!

Back After This by Linda Holmes is a cute romance I couldn’t put down!

Cecily is a podcast producer who is chosen to become the start of a new dating show podcast— going on twenty blind dates to fall in love.

I absolutely loved the podcast angle and Linda is able to incorporate details into her novels to make them more realistic. I also liked the older main character and found her easy to relate too. Will, the leading man, also seemed so genuine.

I love Linda Holmes’ romances. They are comfort reads. I have loved Linda’s other books and can’t wait to recommend Back After this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book has me kicking my feet. Perfect rom com book that makes you feel warm and cozy. I really enjoyed the sub plot and although very troupy I ate it up. This was my first read from this author and I cannot wait to read more! Thank you Ballantine books for the arc copy through NetGalley.

This was a little slow to start for me, but once it got going was totally invested. I loved the way everything panned out, with Cecily deciding what she wants without using or dragging anyone else down, including Eliza. That one scene where Will shows up (iykyk bc there are many lol) was so freaking good.

I first discovered Linda Holmes with Evvie Drake Starts Over, a book that I recommend highly and shared with lots of people. When I discovered her newest book, Back After This, I was so excited. And this book did not disappoint. As someone who works closely in the audio sphere, I found the details of this book to be fascinating. This book follows Cecily, a podcast producer, as she embarks on the journey of hosting a new show where she is set up on dates. But chance encounters with Will complicates things. I loved the character of Cecily, but ultimately I truly loved Will. The banter in this book is relatable and funny and I was hooked on the relationship between Cecily and Will. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and one that I would recommend to a diverse group of readers.

Linda Holmes’ previous book, Flying Solo, is one of my favorites of the past few years, so her third novel, Back After This, had a lot to live up to. The premise, however—a podcast producer’s boss convinces her to go on a bunch of blind dates, bringing listeners along for the ride—immediately struck me as something I’d seen before. (It was in Sophie Sullivan’s Ten Rules for Faking It, although her heroine was a radio producer.)

Before she even gets started, producer Cecily has a meet-cute with Will, whom she ran into when he was chasing a massive dog through the streets of Washington D.C. The two hit it off, and their paths keep crossing… but Cecily has 20 dates to go on, while Will is a short-timer, planning to leave the city when his lease runs out.

Will also works as a waiter, since his budding photography business doesn’t pay the bills, and there’s a little class tension, especially when Cecily and one of her dates wind up at one of Will’s tables. Cecily’s dating journey is being guided by Eliza, an influencer and relationship coach, and she definitely doesn’t want her client to go out with a lowly waiter. (A professional poker player who later turns out to be unavailable because “he had relocated to Costa Rica for tax reasons” and a house-flipper who is “deep into an MLM” are apparently fine, though.)

The business of podcasting is anything but stable and secure, both in real life and in Holmes’ fictional world. The podcast network Cecily works for is constantly under the threat of layoffs, and a big part of the reason she agrees to do the dating show in the first place is in an effort to protect her own and her colleagues’ jobs. Eliza could easily have been a straight-up villain, but Holmes depicts her career journey as one which is fraught with plenty of its own perils and pitfalls. Will’s combination of a bill-paying job and a photography side-hustle feels very of the moment as well.

I didn’t love this book quite as much as I did Flying Solo, but it’s sweet and satisfying, and Holmes’ personal background in podcasting (she’s been the host of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour” since 2010!) adds verisimilitude. Plus I always enjoy a good dog character, and Buddy the Great Dane is a delight.

After what felt like a bit of a sophomore slump in Flying Solo (just a bit, I still really enjoyed that one too), it feels like Linda Holmes is back with another emotional story of finding yourself in your 30s. I inhaled this book, picking it up anytime I had even a couple of minutes to spare. The central plot is super fun and revolves around podcasting which Holmes definitely knows a thing or two about. But, what really resonated with me was that both MCs - Cecily and Will, were scared of being in their mid-30s without having it all figured out. Holy cow, can I related to that and without any spoilers I was so thrilled with how Holmes resolved that very dilemma here. It was refreshing and honest. I can't wait to pick up a hard copy to sit in pride of place next to Evvie Drake - P.S. I think Evvie and Cecily would have lots to talk about if they were to meet!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Linda Holmes does it again! I absolutely loved Evvie Drake Stars Over, and I couldn’t put Back After This down either 😍

Ohhhhh I really enjoyed the overall vibes and premise of this book. Cecily is used to being behind the scenes as a podcast producer – she’s been told multiple times she just doesn’t have the “voice” to be on the microphone. An opportunity to be on the mic arises, in the form of she must work with a life/dating coach and be willing to go out on twenty blind dates to see if she can find “the one.” Obviously before this happens she has the most adorable meet cute with Will, and then they keep having these accidental run ins with each other – that honestly just made me squeal, smile like a lunatic, and giggle so much, and then wait impatiently for them to figure it out.

This book really is a story about finding out what you want/need out of your own life and Cecily’s journey of self-discovery, and then her finding romantic love is just the icing on the cake.

Definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR, or just reading it immediately!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Linda Holmes and Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Cecily Foster just wants a chance in front of the mic at the host instead of behind the mixing board as the producer. And now, she’s finally found her chance to host her own show. So what if she has to go on 20 blind dates first? So what if the whole world will be watching? So what if the only man she seems to have chemistry with isn’t on her approved dating roster? Cecily’s about to have everything she ever dreamed of… right?

I’m often drawn to books that deal with podcasts. I’m not a huge podcast listener, certainly not to Cecily’s level, but there’s something so interesting to me about the intersection of a book and a podcast. Between that and my previous enjoyment of Linda Holmes’ novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over, I knew right away that this book would be a home run for me. I was delighted at every turn, whether by Cecily’s dry sense of humor, Buddy the dog’s countless adventures, or Will’s penchant for turning up… literally everywhere. I like how Holmes revealed Will to us slowly, peeling back each layer to paint a picture of a really complex character. Everything about Will is nuanced, and I appreciated that Holmes emphasized that by only allowing the reader (and Cecily) little bits of him at a time. The podcast side of the book was also well done—interesting in a “How does this work?” way without being overly technical. The cast of supporting characters was interesting enough to keep my attention but not so overpowering as to distract me from Cecily and Will. There was never a dull moment of the book—it’s pacing was almost as consistent as Cecily herself—and the ending felt both satisfying and earned. Whether you’re looking for a romance, a comedy, or just some good old-fashioned solid storytelling, I’d highly recommend starting with Back After This.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for granting me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 🌟 I thought this was just ok. I thought the podcast production aspect of the book was interesting, but I found the narrator to be quite annoying. I honestly found all of the characters to be quite annoying, except for maybe Will. I just never felt super invested and that overall the romance and the plot fell flat. This was just not my cup of tea, but it may be someone else’s!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine and NetGalley for the free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion 🙂

BACK AFTER THIS

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The second half of this book completely changed my reading experience. If it hadn’t been an ARC, I probably would have stopped reading but I’m glad I didn’t! The romance ended up being really sweet and I loved all the little meet cutes that built a friendship between the main characters. There were also a quite a few funny moments that made me audibly chuckle. I’m interested in trying the author’s other books just for the humor!

I struggled with all the information about podcast production. I have no frame of reference so I got really bogged down in the details.

romantic content: fade to black
brief strong language

*Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.

“Back After This” tells the story of Cecily Foster, a woman who’s had a longtime career in podcasting. After her ex and former colleague took their podcast for himself and broke her heart Cecily has sworn off love. When the opportunity to host her own dating podcast with advice from influencer (and “dating coach”) Eliza Cassidy arises, will Cecily be able to find love?

I have mixed feelings about this book. I was really looking forward to the premise of the story, and I enjoyed her meet cute with Will and the conflict that made with the podcast. I also really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at the world of podcasting, as well as Cecily’s personal journey with her work/life balance.

However, I really feel like the story was rush and lacked a lot of depth, both with both the podcast and romance plot lines. It felt like we jumped from point to point and didn’t get a lot of details about the actual progress of the podcast, and it was hard to tell if it was because Cecily wasn’t invested in it or if it just wasn’t fleshed out. And while I enjoyed Will and Cecily’s romance, I felt like it went from 0 to 60 and then fell apart just as fast.

I would still recommend that you give the story a chance! I just don’t think it was the romance for me.