Reading Back After This felt like wrapping myself in a cozy blanket while sharing secrets with my best friend. I fell head over heels for this enchanting story of self-discovery that had me laughing, tearing up, and cheering from the very first page.

My heart ached for Cecily Foster, a talented podcast producer whose world turns upside down when she's thrust into hosting a show about going on twenty blind dates. Trust me - I felt every bit of her anxiety and resistance! Having nursed my own share of workplace heartbreaks, I completely understood her hesitation to put her love life on public display. But sometimes life's most beautiful moments come when we're pushed beyond our comfort zone, right?

I found myself completely invested in Cecily's dating adventures, cringing through the awkward moments and celebrating the surprising connections. The tension between Cecily and her peppy dating coach Eliza Cassidy had me giggling - they're like oil and water, but somehow their clashing personalities create pure magic. And oh my goodness, Will! My heart fluttered every time this sweet, charming photographer appeared on the page. Their chance meetings over a lost dog felt like fate weaving its delicate threads, and their chemistry was absolutely electric. I couldn't help but root for them, even though Will wasn't part of "the plan."

Linda Holmes has this incredible gift for writing characters that feel like dear friends. I stayed up way too late reading because I simply couldn't bear to leave Cecily's world. Every scene pulses with authenticity - from the behind-the-scenes podcast drama to those quiet moments of self-reflection that had me examining my own heart.

The podcast backdrop adds such a fresh, modern twist to this romantic journey. But what truly touched me was how Holmes explores those deeper questions we all wrestle with: How do we balance our dreams with reality? What happens when love doesn't follow our carefully laid plans? Is it really possible to find yourself while looking for someone else?

Back After This isn't just a romance - it's a warm embrace that reminds us it's okay to be messy, imperfect, and utterly human in our search for love. Holmes has created something truly special here - a story that made me laugh, cry, and believe in the magic of unexpected connections. If you're looking for a book that will leave your heart full and your face hurting from smiling, this is absolutely it.

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for sharing this engaging women's fiction's arc copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Back After This is a genuinely sweet and funny book and I loved getting to know Cecily as she got to know herself and Will. At the start, Cecily is a little bit stuck in a job that she loves but with a self-esteem problem after losing her boyfriend and the podcast idea that they had together which he stole and made a great success without her. As the story goes on, Cecily is presented with an idea for her own podcast that she doesn't want to do, but which ends up leading her out of her rut in more ways than one. I read this over a cold weekend and loved every cozy minute of it. Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the early read in exchange for my honest opinion. I look forward to recommending this to patrons as soon as it's released.

Good, just shy of great.

This is another of those books that straddle the line between Women’s Fiction and Contemporary Romance. Cecily, podcast producer turned reluctant subject of a podcast about dating, is at the forefront of this story, which focuses in equal parts on her job and love life. I love a book with a strong narrative arc for the female protagonist, something outside of the romantic relationship. And while sappy, syrupy love stories have their place, I appreciate a romance capable of passing the Bechdel Test.

The best chemistry, at least in my opinion, isn’t found in grand gestures, but in the tiny, subtle moments between characters. Linda Holmes knows how to write these moments. I only wish there had been more of them, but Will isn’t very present in the first half of the book. The banter and obvious pull between Cecily and Will is so good, especially in their first few interactions. Oh, that there had been more of it!

I like that I tried to guess where this book was going and was wrong. I like that, in the end, Cecily did learn something from Eliza, though it wasn’t what she set out to learn. I like that Cecily learned to identify her wants and needs, rather than constantly bending herself around others.

All in all, a solid read. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the advanced reader copy of this book, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Cecily finally gets the chance to host her own podcast, unfortunately in conjunction with a dating coach who is going to help her find 'true love.'

This title took a while to pick up for me, but was very much ultimately worth it. Linda Holmes takes the reader on a tour of audio world, treats influencer culture with both the skepticism and respect I feel it deserves, and asks the haunting question 'do you like helping people or do you just like it when people owe you one?'.

I was a huge fan of 'Back After This' and would recommend it for fans of Holmes' previous work and heartfelt contemporary dramas.

I wanted to love this book, just like I loved the author's previous two books. It didn't happen to me. I didn't get a good connection with the main character, Cecily. I couldn't tell how she REALLY felt about the whole Twenty Dates project. I feel like Will was a more fleshed-out character than Cecily was. The story idea was interesting and relevant since so many people enjoy reality television and podcasts. But it took me a while to finish the book because I was just not that invested in Cecily's life.

Not as great as Evvie Drakes but the dialogue is top notch. Ms. Homes' writing is always very clever and Cecily as the female lead is a great character. Cecily does everything for the podcast company she works for, except host podcasts.. Until now. Cecily is dawning the host cap but it's a podcast about her quest for a perfect match through blind dates.

Super cute! Really loved the podcast world versus what I fell is typically publishing LOL. Do feel I would have just liked for her and Will to have gotten together faster.

No one writes banter and more relatable characters than Linda Holmes!

Back After This is a story of a woman finding out what she wants, and learning what she truly deserves - and sometimes it's not always what it seems. It's also a story about a dog (who doesn't love a dog?!)

Cecily works in podcasts, but seems to forever be stuck behind the scenes. When presented with an opportunity to work with a young influencer staring in her own podcast, it seems like a no brainer! But what if this podcast requires you to do so much out of your comfort zone? Like going on blind dates and sharing them with the world at large? Oh, and your career is in the balance?

Cecily is the type of character that feels so real - she cares deeply about her friends and family, has a career that she loves, but continues to sell herself short for the benefit of others. I felt so seen in this character and rooted for her from the first page. I found the male main character insanely charming and witty. He puts all the real men I've known to shame.

I found the parts that "pulled back the curtain" of podcasts/audio production to be completely fascinating and added so much to this novel.

Back After This had me laughing, crying, and kicking my feet! I love how her stories have an organic progression, but are unlikely to conclude where you expect. I simply adore Linda Holmes' writing and she will be an instant read for me until the end of time!

Huge thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advanced copy! It was an honor and pleasure to read!

Podcast producer Cecily Foster is reluctantly thrust into the spotlight, hosting a series about her own dating life under the guidance of a controlling influencer. Torn between sparks with a charming photographer and the pressure to follow her mentor’s rules, Cecily must decide whether to trust her instincts or risk losing her shot at real love.

Back After This is the third book I’ve read by Linda Holmes, and the premise initially sounded intriguing. At first, I enjoyed getting to know Cecily’s character especially her personality at work, but the book’s pacing quickly became slow and drawn out. I wasn’t a fan of Eliza’s character and kept hoping she would improve, but she never did. Most of the characters felt underdeveloped, especially Will, whose backstory and personality were barely explored. The conversations between Will and Cecily felt stilted and their connection seemed based more on repeated encounters than genuine chemistry or spark. Cecily, as a protagonist, came across as a workaholic who relied too much drinking and lacked hobbies or interests outside her job. Her friendship with Julie felt one-sided where Cecily seemed to sacrifice unnecessarily for Julie who didn’t ask for such devotion and placed her friend on an undeserved pedestal. By the time I reached the 60% mark, I found myself bored and tempted to DNF, but since I’d made it so far, I pushed through. Unfortunately, the ending was underwhelming and it felt like the author added unnecessary descriptions and filler dialogue to meet a word count. Overall, this book confirmed that Linda Holmes’ style may not be for me.

The book is easy to get into, and the main character, Cecily, feels like someone you’d know in real life. The conversations between the characters are funny and relatable. It’s also interesting to see how the podcasting world works behind the scenes. This book is perfect if you like humerous and fun love stories. It’s a great pick for a weekend when you just want to relax with an enjoyable, lighthearted read. 


Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Better than her last book but not as great as Evie Drake Starts Over. This is set in the world of podcasting and I don't listen to a ton of them so I wasn't sure if it would land for me but it did. I've listened to enough that I understood what they were talking about and creating throughout the book.

Cecily is a great heroine. She's well intentioned but still makes mistakes. This makes her realistic and relatable. She agrees to do a self-help podcast where she gets dating advice mostly because she wants to secure a job for a co-worker in a business where layoffs are looming around the corner.

This premise is funny and it was enjoyable to watch ass everything unfolded. Cecily is trying so hard to follow the dating advice and be a "good" show host and participant but she keeps bumping into a nice, attractive guy that she can't pursue because of the show.

There's lots of feelings in this novel, plus a big dog, which I love! I highly recommend it for readers of romance and women's fiction, especially those who want to go behind the scenes of podcasting.

I was very much anticipating this book since I loved Evvie Drakes Starts Over. I was excited to pick up Linda Holmes’ newest release.

Unfortunately this one didn’t live up to my expectations. I was expecting a female character going through a hard time with a side of romance. That’s not what this is. This is very much a rom-com. Cecily was more feeling stuck than anything, but I had a hard time with decisions she was making. I felt like she didn’t make good decisions or she let other people decide for her and then she got upset about it. This also relied very heavily on convenience to help move the story along. It got to a point where I rolled my eyes and I was predicting what was going to happen. And I was correct. The chapter headers basically spoiled what was about to happen as well. I felt the chapters didn’t need titles.

Overall, I ended up not enjoying this one. I’m sad about it because I’ve loved her writing in the past.

This is a funny and engaging novel. I laughed out loud several times at the humor. It involves a podcast producer chosen to do a podcast on finding a partner with the help of a coaching guru. She goes on twenty blind dates, each one analyzed in the podcast along with critiques of her using the guru’s guides. She inadvertently meets a guy who could be the one but is admonished to stay away from him. They keep running into each other and darn if he is not really great. You can imagine the trouble this could bring and it does.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an utter delight/I loved it so much. And truly does justice to the business of podcasting. New favorite Linda Holmes novel? (Time will tell but signs point to YES.)

Book Name: Back After This
Author: Linda Holmes

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an ARC

Stars: 4
Spice : 3

Standalone
Fast Paced
Contemporary Romance

Pros

- Can't Put It Down (Read Till 3 am)
- Funny and FAST Paced
- Comedy of Errors Style Story
- Reads Like a Movie
- Great Cleanser Book or Beach Read
- Captures of the Magic of 00’s Rom-Coms
- Sweet Meet Cute
- Instant Chemistry
- Light Hearted without getting Cheesy
- Awkward Love Story
- Real Fleshed-out Characters
-

Cons

- Lots of Time Jumping
- Quick Paced Narrative Leaves out some side characters and most of the “Dating Coach” aspect of the story
- I didn't love the MMC (Felt too Beta Male for Me)
-

This was a fun pallet cleanser I read between BIG Heavy Reads and It did its job. the podcaster angle was fun and fresh and I can see this being an easy read for playgrounds, pickup lines, and poolside. If you like romance and need a little something different but still hits with that cute romance magic( formulaic it may be ) check this out 4/5

I enjoyed this so much! The characters and storylines were well developed, and the pacing was just right. I love a light romance that adds a little more emotional depth. Fans of her previous works, or those of Abby Jimenez and Katherine Center, will definitely enjoy.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the early chance to read a review “Back After This.”

In “Back After This,” Cecily is a podcast editor who is tasked with a dating coach and a chance to make her own program if she is able to make the dating podcast successful. However, Cecily keeps bumping into Will and their chemistry and connection is undeniable. However, she is supposed to be meeting different men and falling in love with someone chosen by her dating coach, which Will is decidedly not.

I generally liked this story - I found Cecily interesting and it was clear Will was her guy from their first meeting, Linda Holmes is also a very clever writer and I definitely laughed out loud. I found the beginning to be a bit slow -almost like reading a script of a podcast, which I do not really enjoy. However, once Cecily started dating, everything really picked up. If you enjoy Rom-coms with a strong “women’s fiction” vibe of personal journey and growth, then I think you will enjoy this book. 4 stars.

I enjoyed reading this. I liked Evvie Drake Starts Over a bit more, but still enjoyed it. Sometimes the main character was frustrating and I wanted to knock her over the head, but overall a fun, light romance.

4.5 stars I really enjoyed this book! I read Evie Drake starts over last year and have been very much looking forward to this book. As a podcast listener I loved the focus on audio in this story. I felt that the author did a fantastic job of weaving it into the story without taking away from the character development and romantic aspects. Linda Holmes writes incredibly real characters and the banter was top notch. I was so invested in the love story and didn't want it to end. I am looking forward to more from this author.

This book was just what I was looking for! It is a sweet, genuine, and relatable romance. I connected with Cecily a lot - who wants to be set up on 20 blind dates! Linda Holmes is a strong romance author, and although this one doesn’t beat Evvie Drake Starts Over for me, I’d definitely recommend it as a solid light romance read! Also there’s a cute dog character 🐾

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballentine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!