This was a FUN read. Like one of those books you just have a good time reading. The star of the show was obviously Buddy, the dog, because how could it not be??
If you are a podcast listener, it’s super fun to hear about what all go behind the scenes of putting them together. It definitely gave me an extra appreciation for them!
I completely devoured it. A very cute, lighthearted read! Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

A quirky story about a podcaster. Who gets her chance to be a host of her own show while going on 20 dates. What could ever go wrong?? She of course meets a man on her own and has to decide how to manage all the things. It was funny and a quick read! I loved Linda Holmes previous books and this did not disappoint!!

Cecily is a podcaster, stuck in her less-than-fully satisfying job, stuck in the single life after a bad breakup four years ago. She stumbles into a meet-cute with Will, who she has instant sparks with but seems like destined to be a dead-end because he tells her immediately he plans to move out of the area when his lease is up in 3 months.

Cecily is approached by her boss to take on a new podcast project - where she will be the subject of a dating self help guru. The hook -- she has to go on Twenty First Dates and be coached along the way, in an attempt to find love. She begrudgingly agrees to this project, only with the agreement from her boss that she'll be able to take on whatever project she wants after this show is over.

She embarks on this journey with her Influencer self help guru, but she keeps running into Will. As the show continues, she has to decide what she really wants.

I really enjoyed this one - Cecily was so relatable and seemed like a real authentic person, contrary to many typical romance books. This plot really centers more on her personal journal, with the romance relationship somewhat taking a back seat until the last third of the book. Cecily comes to terms with--and becomes able to articulate and even demand-- what she wants from a man, her career, and herself. I also loved that our MMC was more realistic and nuanced than in your typical romance read, which is one of my main pet peeves in the genre.

Low spice, closed door scenes only.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of this review in exchange for my honest review.

First, I want to say thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine for providing me with the ARC in exchange for a honest review!

Back After This follows podcast producer Cecily Foster as she finally gets a chance to host her own show. Unfortunately, it's not the show she had hoped for. The show will follow Cecily as she goes on 20 first dates in the hopes of finding “the one” all while getting coaching from influencer Eliza. Cecily agrees to host the show to help save her friend’s job and to hopefully host a show she is actually passionate about in the future. However, after multiple chance encounters with Will, known as dog rescuer, hot waiter, and photographer throughout the book, keeping focused on dating advice from Eliza becomes harder and harder as she has made her stance on “hot waiter” very clear. Will Cecily figure out what is important when it comes to work, love and friendships?

This book was a quick read with several laugh out loud moments throughout. While slightly predictable, I loved reading about all the chance encounters between Cecily and Will as learning about the podcasting world! There were definitely moments where I wanted to shake Cecily and shout STAND UP FOR YOURSELF!! I think people can relate to Cecily when it comes to her struggles at work and wanting to help ensure the success of those she cares about. I’m glad she figured it out in the end and got her HEA!

Thank you to Netalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I Flew through this one. Linda Holmes’ rom coms are so incredibly fun and this was no different. Cecily was such a great protagonist - uncomfortably relatable at times, which made it extra easy to root for her finding love, self-confidence, and joy.

While he had slightly less character development and depth than Cecily, Will was also a great love interest. It was so much fun to read about the process of creating a podcast, and the side characters were great.

Things may have wrapped up a smidge quickly and neatly at the end but, hey, that’s a good rom com for you! 4/5.

Despite her ex-boyfriend shafting her from the hit podcast she created, audio technician Cecily hopes her hard work and amenability will be rewarded with her own show. Her boss offers her a deal: he'll consider her ideas if she agrees to go on 20 blind dates for a new podcast featuring Eliza, an influencer turned life coach. Meanwhile she keeps running into the charming Will whom Eliza dubs ‘The Waiter’, insisting Cecily needs to be more intentional with her partner choices. But why is it she can't stop thinking about him? And why is Cecily finding it difficult to be recognised for her work?

I breezed right through this book. At times it’s a bit of a car crash you know is going to happen because you can see Cecily refusing to pay attention to the machinations at her workplace. She will frustrate, yet is relatable. Like many women, Cecily has been taught to put everyone else’s needs above her own before she'll be rewarded. This book focuses on her slowly learning how to start taking control over her life and fight for what she wants. I liked the contrast between Cecily the doormat and Eliza the steamroller who hustles with the confidence of a man.

Pace-wise I think we needed Cecily to finally start realising everything earlier, just to see her get her life on track more. Because the ending felt rushed and the epilogue felt like a bit of a let down given this book was also about her career.

With its well-drawn characters, workplace intrigue and two charming main characters, this was a delight.

Thanks to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Podcast producer Cecily Foster finally has a chance to host her own show, but it comes with a catch: the show will delve into her own dating life, guided by influencer and dating coach Eliza Cassidy. Though she’s hesitant to put her love life on public display, Cecily’s dedication to her job—and her mentee—compels her to give it a shot. Balancing a spark with Will, a charming photographer she meets by chance, and Eliza’s strict “no-dating” rules, Cecily’s journey is filled with romantic and personal crossroads as she strives to find happiness on her own terms.

As a fan of podcasts, I found this unique approach so refreshing. While many novels I’ve read about podcasts center around true crime, Back After This dives into the production side, which I found fascinating. Though I didn’t particularly relate to Cecily, I liked her as a character and enjoyed watching her growth. This book didn’t quite have the same spark as Evvie Drake Starts Over, but it was still a fun and thoughtful read. I loved the 20 dates she went on—they were entertaining but not overly emphasized, making this feel more like women’s fiction than a traditional rom-com. Plus, I learned so much about the behind-the-scenes work of creating a podcast, which added depth to the story for me. 3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Ballantine Books for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adored the story of Cecily and the deep dive into the fascinating world of podcast creation. I knew it was much more work than many people realize, but I didn’t grasp the extent of the dedication of the (many) people who work so hard to bring these amazing pieces of entertainment or education to life.

Besides the podcast/audio aspects, I found Cecily to be a great protagonist with an extremely quick wit. The writing is just wonderful and I could easily see how she’d get roped into doing a podcast where she’s the guinea pig for a relationship coach. The idea of going on dates with 20 different people in just a few weeks’ time sounds horrible to me, but it would certainly make an entertaining podcast!

Buddy the dog is FABULOUS. I'm talking main character energy there.

I loved seeing Cecily’s story unfold and the adorable ways she kept somewhat randomly running into Will. This is an endearing—and hilarious—story about daring to go after what you really want. I’d give it ten stars if I could.

As a huge fan of Evie Drake Starts Over, I had high hopes for Back After This, and Holmes' latest did not disappoint! This novel had everything: A satisfying peek behind the scenes of a world I don't know much about (podcasting), an adorable love interest with enough depth to be interesting, humor that made me laugh out loud (especially thanks to some awesome side characters), and enough depth and back story to make me feel accomplished and content at the end of reading. This was a refreshing break from some of the more formulaic romance novels I've read lately, and I'll recommend it to everyone!

I really enjoyed this Rom-Com! This was my first novel by Linda Holmes. I thoroughly enjoyed her witty banter. What an enjoyable read for audiophiles and podcasters alike. I would recommend to anyone who loves Sarah Adams or Katherine Center for auto-buy authors!

Cecily and Will's story was just perfect! This was my first Linda Holmes book, but I now plan to read more of her work, Back After This will appeal to fiction and romance readers.

A solid 4 star read! Cecily works for an audio company and, in a ploy to save her job, she agrees to be the star of a new podcast in which she will work with a dating coach and go on 20 blind dates, with the goal of finding "the one." And then she bumps into Will, quite literally, on the street. And at the bank. And at a restaurant. Is it a sign that he keeps cropping up in her life, or should she listen to her dating guru and ignore him?

All the LOVE for this story! Linda Holmes is clearly a talented writer. Her characters are intriguing and her stories are difficult to put down. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Linda Holmes is back! I loved this almost as much as her first two books. Will was my favorite and I wish there was more of him and Cecily together. The insider look at editing was fascinating. As always, looking forward to more from Holmes!

Can I give this book more than 5 stars???

I've listened to Ms. Holmes on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour since its early years and I've enjoyed her first two books but I think this is her best work. I think the premise may be a bit more rom-com standard fare, but it's so well executed with realistic and likable, but flawed character who do not some how become less intelligent as the book goes on which so often happens in romances.

Her ability to execute the story in a sharp and funny way elevates way above many other books like it. I think what she is a master at is dialogue and banter which makes the novel a pleasure to read.

This is how it's done.

I was so excited for this—the premise is so fun and interesting, I love other books from this author, the cover is so cute! But sadly it fell flat for me 😭 I felt the chemistry with Will and Cecily but I felt like there wasn’t enough of them together, especially in the first half. It got way too in the weeds on the audio side and less about the relationships. A lot of the other characters felt kind of one dimensional and I found myself skimming through a bunch. 2.5 stars will round to 3 I’m so sorry!!!!

Overall, I enjoyed this latest release by Linda Holmes.I enjoyed both Cecily and Wills’ characters. Their banter was fun and refreshing and as a devoted dog lover.

I was fully engaged by this rom com, which is saying something for work I consider "chick lit." It was both funny and clever and I enjoyed spending time with the main character. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Linda Holmes & the publishers for the eARC, I have an abundance of positive praise for this delightful book. . Linda Holmes is one of my favorites and no one does banter better .
I will be recommending this one to all my friends.

This was such a fun read; a slow burn, simply endearing romance. The podcast setting was well- fleshed out. I loved the way it was presented- pros, cons, nuances, technology, etc. Most importantly the characters and relationships were well-written. Loved Will and Cecily!
Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC ebook!