Pretty cute! I didn't know much about what went into making podcasts, so the backdrop of this story being centered around a podcast was very interesting! The romance was cute. Would recommend for a quick, lighthearted read.

I didn’t read the synopsis and just requested based off previously liking a book by this author. I think if you’re a fan of the author you’ll enjoy this one. I just don’t like romances that involve much of the work place.

This was a fun book. I love it when a lighthearted book can teach you about something; for this book, I got a schooling on the world of audio production and podcasts. It was easy to digest and kept me turning pages. I would recommend this as a summer read. It was well written and all the characters had great banter with each other.

I loved Evvie Drake Starts over so I was excited to read Linda Holmes’ newest book. Back After This was just as delightful and I enjoyed it so much. Cecily is such a fun, witty character. It was entertaining reading about her 20 dates and continually randomly bumping into Will, “the waiter”. I really appreciated the supportive relationships Cecily had with her coworker/friend Julie and with her sister Molly. I loved the message of being open to new things in all parts of your life (work, love, etc). This book made me laugh out loud but was also poignant and I was rooting for all the good things for Cecily.

3.75⭐️ rounded up
Release date: February 25, 2025
Spice level: 0.5🌶️

Cecily Foster is a podcast producer who longs to one day host her own show. Then, the opportunity is presented to her when her boss presents an idea to her. The premise of the show is that she has to go on 20 blind dates set up by a popular relationship coach & the podcast will be about those dates & her journey to find “the one”.

Right before the dates are supposed to start, she meets Will & they hit it off, & keeps running into him everywhere. However, Eliza Cassidy (the relationship coach) forbids her from dating him because he is not one of the people she selected for her.

This book was a nice feel-good rom-com with a storyline unlike any that I’ve read before. I would’ve liked to see more details about the 20 dates (each one is summarized in one chapter) but I also feel like that would’ve made the book too lengthy. There were some parts that dragged but overall I really enjoyed it & I liked that it wasn’t a story I feel like I’ve read 100 times already.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC.

This was a quick, cute and easy read. It kept me interested to find out what would happen next. I enjoyed the bit of drama and just enough to keep this interesting.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a solid 4.5 stars. I haven't read anything by Linda Holmes but this was beautifully written. It was a fun ride and I loved the relationship between Will and Cecily. It was really an overall cute romcom.

I love Linda Holmes! Her books wind romance in to a book that is about life, work, where you find your value, people pleasing, and more. I love Cecily and feel many could relate to her. There were no parts of the book that felt fake or contrived for the story. I felt like I could go down to D.C. and run into Will and Cecily walking Buddy.

I'l read *anything* she writes.

This was a fun read—great humor, engaging storytelling, and a cool deep dive into the podcasting world (which Linda Holmes is an expert in and it shows). The chemistry between Will and Cecily was on point, with witty banter and meet-cutes that felt fresh. I also liked the subtle reminder that, yes, you can still meet people in real life and not just through apps.
That said, Cecily’s decision-making midway through had me shaking my head. She’s smart but somehow clueless when it comes to relationships, and I really don’t love the miscommunication trope. But Holmes turned it around, and by the end, I was satisfied—no rage-posting necessary.
Solid read. Worth picking up!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This was my first Linda Holmes book and I am a fan! The characters were complex and interesting and I enjoyed getting a peak in the world of podcasting. I appreciate older, mature characters in romance novels and this definitely checked that box.

This book is pure fun! Cecily Foster loves to make podcasts. Her relationship coach, Eliza wants a life that is set up for social media but not real life. This books goes back and back forth between both lives in which Cecile is caught in the middle. I enjoyed this so much! Highly recommend!

I just want to start this by saying I only picked this book because I really enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over. I absolutely loved that book.

So right when I seen it was the same author I wanted to check it out. Then the fact that it was also a podcast book I got excited. BUT I did not enjoy the book. It felt like it dragged so much until the dates and then the dates were so blah and barely mentioned. I had to pick this book up several times for me to actually finish it.

Slow start but the introduction of some interesting characters (Eliza and Will) gets the story moving in the right direction. Set in the world of podcasting, Holmes book is a sweet rom-com that concludes just the right ending for everyone in the book.

Linda Holmes is an "always yes" for me. This book can be wrapped up in 2 words "Coincidences" and "Ego". Very simple. And yet I devoured it! I truly believe this book should be read aloud, the dialogue is so wonderful. Think Gilmore Girls but without the 800 pop culture references. The romance was sweet if absurd, the plot made sense even when it was ridiculous, and the ending is everything you want it to be. My one complaint is that so many things were "revealed" about people's personalities and then promptly moved on from. No internalization or self exploration. Just "alright, heard" and moving on. Totally fine, but it took the punch out of some amazing well-written chewing outs. All in all, this is a fun read when you need a fun read and Linda Holmes is still an auto-request and auto-buy from me!

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

Podcasts + a dating show + an unexpected meet cute = literary fun! I enjoyed this one as Cecily finally gets to host a podcast. However, she never expected it to be about her dating life or lack thereof. This was funny and heartfelt with a few life lessons thrown in.

Cecily and Will- their meet cute was just the best. And Buddy! How perfect is he! I really enjoyed Cecily and Molly’s relationship along with brother in law Pete.
I loved Cecily’s growth and that she finally got strong enough to tell Toby to F off.
Thanks Netgalley for the early copy.

[ARC review]
BACK AFTER THIS by Linda Holmes is a witty and charming story about a podcast producer forced to host a self-help dating podcast. I really, really liked it.

It is so funny, full of sharp writing and clever, evocative descriptions that manage to feel current and zeitgeisty without feeling instantly dated. I highlighted a bunch of lines that just really tickled my fancy. I actually really liked that all the blind dates she went on were just rapid fire descriptions, not extended scenes. They kind of...wash over you, like you are the one who just met 20 new guys in a few weeks.

It also really taps into that "what am I doing with my life" vibe that many (most??) of us feel. Not that your job has to be your life's passion, but definitely the idea of taking stock and deciding if where you are is still serving you, if you're were you want to be.

I have been a Linda Holmes fan since long before her first book, since I started listening to PCHH 15+ years ago. She's got such a great voice in her pop culture writing, and you can really hear it here, too.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this! I'm rating it 3.5 stars! The thing I really liked about this book was the banter between the two main characters. It felt very normal and fun and cute. I also liked that the story involved the podcast work environment. There were some parts though that I didn't really get and just felt bumpy to me. A cute story overall! |

Back After This

Since this book features a dog during the meet-cute, I quickly realized I was going to love it. And I did.

Cecily is a podcast producer who is obsessed with control, while Will is a care free photographer and waiter. And since Cecily is participating in a reality show/podcast about her love life where a famous dating-coach helps her find love, she can’t end up with someone like Will, can she?

The book is super cute, quick and entertaining. The characters (specifically Buddy the dog) are lovely, and the story is engaging enough, so give it a go!

Cecily Foster has been absolutely devoted to her work in podcasting for the past several years after being dumped and having her work taken from her by her ex. She wants nothing more than to host her own show with one of her ideas but when her boss finally offers her a hosting position, it's for a self-help dating podcast that she's not thrilled about. She is meant to find her next boyfriend with the help of a relationship coach and 20 first dates but of course, this is when she finally finds someone in real life on her own. She keeps running into Will and finds herself drawn to him but now she doesn't know if she can even trust herself.

I loved this one! Linda Holmes has such a beautiful way of writing that draws you in from the start. I found myself reading this pretty quickly and loved learning more about the podcasting world. The romance in this book felt so realistic and honest and I was rooting for Cecily and Will the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the ARC!