Such a fun reading! Love the end (happy but not perfect fairy tale) and how the main chat after evolves in the book.

Competition is fierce as millions of podcasts are made every year. How is it possible to get the most listeners? A terrific love story almost always works.

Toby understood this and was eager to get support from advertisers for dating-game episodes that would draw thousands of listeners. He just needed to find a single, attractive woman that would be willing to go on 20 dates. One of his employees, Cecily, was called into his office. She wasn’t happy with this arrangement but she felt pressured to keep her job.

It happens all the time: unjustified abuse in the workplace. I never thought about how much behind-the-scenes work it would take to create a successful podcast. It was predictable early on but it didn’t matter as it was filled with humor and a sweet lovable dog. It was quick to read with a handful of strong characters.

I enjoyed Cecily’s journey with the various dates. The story was also about finding important values in life and making positive changes. The outcome made me smile. Everyone needs a fun book, especially these days. This is a good one!

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of February 25, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me to read Back After This by Linda Holmes, in exchange for my honest review.

I squealed with delight when I received the privilege of reading this ARC.

I love Linda Holmes! Her writing is amazing! She writes unique situations, witty dialog, loving relationships, and heartfelt characters like no one else.

This was a fun, somewhat relatable, enjoyable story. I highly recommend this book, and Ms. Holmes' other books (Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo)!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for this eARC!

Linda Holmes is a must read! I liked this look into the world of podcasting (which Linda <i>knows</i>). The main characters, Cecily and Will (and the dog) are great and this also gave a fascinating look at an influencer, Eliza. I love that Linda went a new direction from her Maine books, but I will admit, I missed that setting just a little.

While I thought the book started off a little slow at first, I really liked the characters and felt that it picked up later on. I also thought the book was very witty, and I enjoyed getting to read it from Cecily’s perspective. I would have enjoyed reading a few chapters from Will’s perspective for more insight into his character, but I think the author does a good job of providing the background information we need.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

(Rated 3.75 on StoryGraph but rounded up to 4 for whole number rating)

This is such a cute rom-com! This is my first Linda Holmes book, and I love that it was based around a podcast producer. This is such a specific world that Holmes clearly knows a great deal about, so it was fun to experience the world of audio through her eyes. She also writes fantastic banter and I found the romance between the two main characters super cute.

While the plot wasn't super strong, I still loved the premise - Cecily agrees to step in front of the microphone for a podcast at her company, where she usually works behind the scenes. She is matched up with a life coach who will set her up on 20 first dates to help her find "the one." Luckily, most of the dates don't go very far so we don't have to keep track of 20 love interests (!) Instead, the story is more about Cecily juggling her professional and personal life, and the curveball of meeting someone when the timing couldn't be worse.

I think this will be a big hit next year! It's a perfect cozy read and we all need that right now.

Cute and fun read. The characters were developed well, you felt s if they were old friends. I would definitely recommend.

Finding love is never easy and letting someone else do the sorting adds to the mess. Cecily Foster puts her love life in the hands of an influencer and is forced to go on 20 dates. Unfortunately she has managed to meet someone on her own who suits her perfectly, but her mentor refuses to let her date him. Charming, witty and full of surprises.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. These opinions are my own.

I simply adored Linda Holmes' first two novels, having discovered her through her podcast. I was so happy to see this third book with a glimpse of the podcast world firmly within her usual emotionally insightful, playful, romance-adjacent-but-not-exclusively style. It was another absolute banger. I loved it all from the meet cute to our loveable but flawed main character, to the way she humanized our antagonists. Five stars, will keep nabbing Linda Holmes' work as fast as she can produce it!

Back After This, is a fun, silly, engaging rom com! It had me kicking my feet and giggling it was cute and a fast paced novel!
We are following Cecily who is working for a company that produces podcast but with a turn of events she is now being partnered up with popular influencer who is now going to be her dating coach for a new podcast!
I really enjoyed this book! I thought the pacing was perfect and I really loved reading about the behind the scenes of editing and making of podcast!

This book took me by surprise in the very best way! Such a fun and cute story, didn't want to put it down!

Such a great rom com. The beginning was a bit slow but then started getting momentum later! Loved the plot of this! Was my first podcast book and I was a bigger fan than I thought I was going to be

Cecily has dedicated her entire adult life to the podcast industry. After breaking up with her boyfriend (4 years ago...) she wants to be as successful as him in the industry. Her boss pitches a dating show for her to star in and she is immediately reluctant. While pondering this opportunity, she randomly runs into a man that she seems to be attracted to. She decides to do the show and ignore her connection to save her job. Now she has to deal with being date coached by an uppity influencer, going on twenty dates, while having them recorded, and on top of it all, she's distracted by a man that she can't get out of her mind - or her line of sight given she keeps running into him.
 
Authors put their hearts and souls into their work, so it crushes me when books just don't sit with me. This one was a miss. Cecily was unlikeable. Eliza was unlikeable. Julie was unlikeable. Toby was unlikeable. Will was the perfect book boyfriend; however the ending made me horribly mad for him, and I ended up liking him a little less because of it. I just couldn't get on board with any of the characters. I was not once rooting for Cecily. I did really like the explanation of the podcast industry and the difficulties that accompany it. I do have a greater appreciation for podcasters because of this novel, so I'll take that as a win!

Ultimately, this one fell flat for me. Thanks to Ballantine Book and NetGalley for the eARC!

Cute romance. Not really a romcom. Kind of slow for my tastes. Thanks to the publisher and author for the arc all opinions are my own

I love the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. After books, tv and film are my favorite--it's the stories! I love stories in all forms, and PCHH podcast is all about reviewing and discussing them. Linda Holmes is a longtime host of the show and one of my favorite people to listen to. I have been absolutely delighted that she became a novelist. She is talented, funny, observant, wry, smart, and creative. And a fabulous writer, of course.

This is the third novel she's written, and I've read all three. I think this might be my favorite--there's self-doubt to overcome, there's undeniable attraction with the "wrong" timing, there's antics and banter and friendship and hot guys. And podcasts! A meet-cute with a dog!

I could "hear" Linda's voice as I read the book, which is truly delightful. I honestly wish I could hang out with this author in real life. She seems like the perfect friend for going out to dinner and a movie and talking for hours.

Quote I liked: “People do exciting things after they turn forty all the time. Julia Child was fifty when she published her first book.” “You know why everybody knows that?” I said. “Because it isn’t what usually happens.”

Right? Thanks to Ballantine books for the advance copy.

I loved Evvie Drake and this was a similar style- so fun and easy to read. I read it in one beach day. Highly recommend for fans of Emily Henry.

BACK AFTER THIS is a sweet and endearing love story filled with witty humor and wholesomeness that takes readers inside the podcast world. After a bad breakup and not having a dating life since, Cecily, a podcast producer, is approved to host her own show, but it has to involve her going on twenty first dates setup and coached by an influencer. But why happens when she goes away from the terms to the show and meets someone else - in the wild no else! - but not approved by said influencer coach)?

This book somehow felt so pure and yet grounded at the same time - still relatable while making for a delightful escape. With the refreshing storyline, likable characters, and the entertaining writing, I found myself quickly invested and caring for the characters (and dog!). I enjoyed the maturity and depth to Will and Cecily and seeing their friendship bloom and evolve. This was my first time reading work by this author and I look forward to reading her other books.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

An interesting look at self evaluation and relationships. Cecily's journey was so relatable that you can see yourself in her shoes.

Linda Holmes has done it again with Back After This! This book sparkles with wit, charm, and heart, all tied up in a story that feels like a cozy chat with a close friend.

Cecily Foster is a delightful protagonist—her quick wit and relatable awkwardness make her instantly lovable. Watching her navigate the chaos of hosting a podcast about her love life (a situation I would personally find mortifying!) kept me laughing and rooting for her. Her banter with the eccentric Eliza Cassidy is pitch-perfect, and the swoony moments with Will? Absolute gold.

Holmes masterfully balances the humor with moments of vulnerability, as Cecily reflects on her past relationships and her self-worth. The podcast framework adds a modern and fun twist to the rom-com genre, giving the story a fresh perspective on dating in the digital age.

If you love quick dialogue, swoon-worthy romance, and characters that feel like real people you'd want to grab coffee with, Back After This will sweep you off your feet. A must-read for fans of modern love stories!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the opportunity to receive the ARC.

A cozy romance from beloved NPR host Linda Holmes. While this didn't hit quite as well for me as her previous two titles, it was still heartwarming, witty, and winning. Holmes's love for and knowledge of audio shines through the FMC and specific traits and quirks make her relatable and familiar, without falling into that "she's beautiful but don't hate her because she's a mess, see she tripped over her own feet" cliche territory. I'll always be ready for a new Linda Holmes book.