I loved this! The world of podcasts was interesting to read about from the inside. I love when a fmc's growth in her romantic life mirrors a growth in her career life. I would have appreciated a bit more Will and Ceci scenes. Eliza was a fascinating secondary character!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have been a fan of Linda Holmes since Evie Drake Starts Over. This is another great addition to her catalog. I like that her books have substance but aren’t emotionally heavy. You want good things for the main characters and comeuppance for a certain character. I’m a sucker for a story involving podcasts because I enjoy listening to them so it’s interesting to me to get some behind the scenes perspective. The meet cutes were such fun!

When I'm really enjoying a book, I post updates as I'm reading. Back After This is classified as romance / woman's fiction. I started today and am at 35%. The premise seems is one that I've read several times ... situation where a woman agrees to go on X many dates. Love how light and fun this book is. It is really the breath of fresh air that I need after a couple heavy reads. :)

Cecily Foster loves making podcasts. In exchange for being the focus of the dates, one of her friends will edit and produce the podcasts with her (protecting her from likely layoffs). Great characters. And you never know what Cecily might pull out of her bag.

Updated ... Love books by Linda Holmes! I really enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo. Finished Back After This. It was a fun light read, perfect! This was a quote that struck me as I was reading, and it seems fitting here as well ... "When I was around it, I wanted to eat it, almost, like a cupcake. Happy kids, happy dogs, happy crowds, they were irresistible."

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Back After This in exchange for an honest review. Approx 320 pages; release date is Feb 25, 2025.

3.5 stars for me. 20% into this book and I still wasn't as invested as I should've been. The writing is good enough, but the slow start bored me a bit. The FMC was great and I think if the pace would pick up in the beginning I would really love this book. Whenever I would pick up the book, it felt like a chore and I just wanted it to get to the point. There was too much dialogue and very... overtelling of things I did not need to know about. I enjoyed the book once things started happening but that took a good 35% in.

Cecily is granted the chance to host her own podcast. The caveat is, it's going to feature her dating life, while she works with an influencer to revamp it. This just so happens to be tied to whether she and her coworkers get to keep their jobs.

I loved the concept that Cecily was going to host a dating show podcast with the help of an influencer with no background in love coaching. I enjoyed the initial interaction between her and Will.

I think I just didn't really like Cecily as a character. She just kind of felt flat, and there was nothing that made me want to root for her. I wanted more chemistry between her and Will, as well.

I'd overall give this book a 3.5. It just wasn't keeping my attention.

This was an advanced reading copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Ballantine. All thoughts and options are my own.

An absolute delight. I'm a fan of Linda Holmes and have read and enjoyed her other books (I sincerely love all the small but precise observations dotted through her novels), but I think this one is my favorite. The protagonist is a little more cynical (which I love) and the blend of romance and finding yourself (and sorting out whether your career is your passion) in the plot is so relatable. The pacing is excellent. And the details about podcasting and DC are, of course, perfection.

I enjoyed the podcast aspect of it, the finding love by going out with a bunch of men was cute. It was something we have seen before, but the podcast twist made it slightly different. The characters fell kind of flat for me, it seems like they had no personality outside working on podcasts (FMC) and having a dog (MMC). There was also no spark, they has a few conversations and then ended up liking eachother, then quickly into bed. Their conversations were also very awkward at points and just seemed bland. I also felt like a lot over the conflict between will and cecily was just pulled out of the sky? I do not enjoy the overhearing conversation conflict starter because it seems like a easy way to pull conflict out of nothing. Overall I did think it was a good read, nothing I would read again but it was entertaining.

For fans of podcasts and any audio entertainment, Back After This is the tale of an audio producer/editor who gets roped into being the subject of a podcast designed specifically to find her one true love. Although Cecily is not really on board with the whole plan she agrees to a 12-episode podcast where she’ll be joined and coached by an influencer/lifecoach whose business is to help people find that one perfect someone. Cecily’s problem, though, is that she thinks she may have already found the One on her own. Will Eliza the life-coach be able to get Cecily on board or is the whole plan going to blow up? A cute and funny rom-com

This book was sweet and heartfelt and I really enjoyed this one. I love podcasts and books about podcasts so I knew this one was going to be right up my alley. I immediately liked Cecily and Will not only as individual characters but as a potential couple and I'm glad they got their HEA.

This is a quick, easy read that will warm your heart and leave you with a smile.

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

This is my first book from Linda Holmes, and it was not what I expected at all. It was SO good. It was warm, and lovely, and the tiniest bit bittersweet. I utterly adored it!

I recently read an advance copy of Linda Holmes’ upcoming novel Back After This, and it’s a delightful exploration of modern dating, podcasting, and self-discovery.

The story follows Cecily Foster, a podcast producer who agrees to a unique dating experiment. What makes this book special is Holmes’ signature wit and her ability to create incredibly relatable characters. Cecily is wonderfully awkward and quick-witted, navigating the complexities of dating and career with humor and vulnerability.

The novel offers a fascinating peek into the podcasting world, which feels authentic given Holmes’ own background in media. I especially loved the rich character development - Cecily isn’t just defined by her romantic pursuits, but by her relationships with friends, family, and her own evolving sense of self.

The romance with Will is charming, with sharp dialogue and genuine chemistry. Holmes masterfully balances humor with moments of real emotional depth. Her writing feels like a conversation with a witty friend, making the book both laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly profound.

For anyone looking for a modern love story that’s smart, funny, and genuinely heartwarming, Back After This is a must-read. It’s the perfect weekend escape that still feels grounded and meaningful.

Back After This is a warm, entertaining read that felt substantial enough to be satisfying while still serving as a joyful, escapist read. While I don’t think you need to be familiar with podcasts to enjoy this book, I’ve listened to Holmes’s podcast over the years and thought it was really fun to get a glimpse behind the curtain (even if it was fictional). The characters were richly drawn and the plot moved at a strong pace. In particular, I really enjoyed the details and thought they created a realistic sense of life, especially things like Cecily’s relationship with her friend Julie or the funny bits of the men Cecily tried dating. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book!

Linda Holmes is so good at the "happy for now" ending. She doesn't expect her characters to have everything figured out in the end because in life there is no end until the very end. Her love letter to podcasts and the people that make them is peppered with so much detail, from room tone to the perils of Mountain Dew mouth on the mic, and the reader can tell this is a world she knows very well. Her contemporary romances continue to sparkle and I am pleased to see that even though she had moved on from the setting of her first two books, her wit and feel for dialogue remain very much in tact.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this upcoming book by Linda Holmes in exchange for an honest review.

Another entertaining gem from Linda Holmes! I come for the romance, but stay for the banter. And Holmes is so very good at banter. I love how her writing allows me to imagine the flirtation, thanks to the quick back and forth dialogue between the two romantic leads. You learn a lot about what goes into podcasting from this book, not just the nitty gritty engineering stuff, but the ever changing business behind the scenes. This book felt more of the moment than her previous two titles. I’m eager to recommend this title to friends looking for an engaging romance between two smart people. I truly enjoyed this story because all the characters felt authentic, like people I know. So many romances miss that essential element which is why Holmes is a standout for me

This was a very cute rom-com! It is the very first book I have read by Linda Holmes.

Celicy works on podcasts, mainly as an audio producer. One day, her boss asks her to host on a new dating where she would have to go on 20 blind dates. She only agrees to help save her friend's job from the upcoming layoffs. Of course, just before the blind dates start is when she meets Will.

There are a couple reasons I rated this a 4 star instead of 5. Mainly because the ending seemed a bit rushed. It could have used at least another ten pages. Fifty would have been better, but even a couple more. I also wish there was more interaction between her and the blind dates. Of course, with all of that added, the book would have either ended up being 500 pages or a couple book series. Either way, the book was amazing as is.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free kindle book. My opinions are my own and are freely given.

This reads like an Emily Henry romcom! I appreciated that it was a love story between people in their 30s — but it was a little slow moving at times. There were just SO many character names at times it was hard to keep them all straight. But if you like Emily Henry books you’d like this!

Back After This delivers another delightful contemporary romance, blending humor, heart, and just the right dose of self-discovery. Cecily Foster is a relatable heroine navigating the chaos of modern dating under the spotlight of a podcast she didn’t even want to host. Her resistance to influencer Eliza Cassidy’s hyper-curated approach provides plenty of comedic tension, but it also highlights Cecily’s journey to reclaiming her confidence and authenticity.
The story shines brightest in its quieter moments—like Cecily’s dinners with her sister or her tender connection with Will, a charming photographer with his own uncertainties. Their relationship is sweet and understated, adding a lovely counterpoint to the often-chaotic dating podcast subplot. Will’s big-heartedness (and his big dog rescue moment) make him a standout love interest, though the pacing of their romance feels slightly uneven at times.
The author excels at crafting strong, multifaceted side characters and capturing the nuances of modern life. The podcast backdrop is refreshingly unique, offering a peek into an industry not often explored in romance novels. While some of the plot points—like the overbearing boss trope—feel a touch predictable, they’re balanced by genuinely witty dialogue and the author's knack for creating warm, believable relationships.
With its blend of self-deprecating humor and heartfelt exploration of what it means to trust yourself, Back After This is a charming read that will resonate with anyone who’s ever struggled to navigate love and career.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A slow starter for sure but it gets better as you continue on. Podcaster forced to broadcast her dating life and coached by an expert until she meets will. A fun, fluffy read!

Cecily, a producer, wants to make her own podcast. Her boss gives her the opportunity, but the show will be a series of blind dates set up by influencer Eliza Cassidy. Cecily does not like the premise, but sees it as an opportunity to save her friend's job. Elizea does not want Cecily to settle, and insists that Cecily follows her plan.

Cecily Foster is working at a podcast company where she is the glue. She is a producer, editor, and prepared to help in any way she can. What she isn’t is a podcast host. That may change after her boss, Toby, chooses cecily as the next subject in a blind dating podcast hosted by mega-influencer, Eliza Cassidy. Eliza is prepared to help Cecily find the perfect match, since Cecily hasn’t found one yet. Or does a Great Dane and constantly running into a stranger changes everything? This novel has a complicated female lead that shows us how work, social media, and relationships affect our mental health. Author Linda Holmes writes a funny, relatable, and sticky romance story that you won’t want to put down. 4 stars!