Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this story as an eARC, sorry it took me so long friends.

After a tumultuous reading slump, Cecily brought me back to life as she navigates relationships, a thankless job, and the casual cruelty of professional relationships that mean more to you than they do to the other party.

Cecily and Will are EVERYTHING. Will has a casual intensity that leaps off of the page, and Cecily’s journey through this story endeared her to me in ways that I will unpack slowly as I stare off into space over the top of my kindle.

Buddy the dog, as expected, is the true hero of this story and I live for him.

Cecily's boss has offered her a chance to finally host her own podcast show but on the terms that the show will be about her dating life and she has to follow the help of relationship coach Eliza. I don't know what it is but I am sucker for books with podcasts in the background. This was fun light-hearted rom com/chick lit mixed with some self-discovery type of book that was perfect for the winter blues. I didn't love her last one but I will be back after this to reading her next one.

Thank You to Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Back After This" centers on an overworked/overlooked woman in present-day D.C. hoping to find love. I enjoyed the book immensely as an escape from the real world and managed to gulp it down in just a few days. Our heroine proves to be intelligent and flawed, a fun character to root for as she embarks on a possibly misguided attempt to jumpstart her love life and career. An experienced audio nerd who has never hosted a show before, Cecily goes on 20 dates for a podcast project that could be her big break or a total embarrassment. The novel has enough texture (food, dogs, influencers) to feel real and smart dialogue to match. It also dodges some of the worst tropes of the genre in terms of makeovers, diets, etc. I loved rooting for Cecily to find happiness (with or without a guy), and I bet a lot of other readers will, too. I'm already mentally casting the movie adaptation!

If you liked, "Evvie Drake Starts Over," you will like Back After This by Linda Holmes.

The characters are relatable as are the workplace situations. Our main character, Cecily is a podcast producer who becomes the star of her own podcast on dating. Paired with an influencer, Cecily goes on 20 first dates and a few 2nd dates.

Cecily also has an adorable “meet-cute” with a man trying to rescue a great dane.

The book follows Cecily, her co-workers and her dating life with an ending you will love.

I read this book in one day. You will definitely enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 20%

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. I was not connecting to the character or the story whatsoever. By 20% I still didn’t really understand where the story was going or if I even liked the main character.

I adored this book! After having read “Evvie Drake” and loving it, I was excited to see that the author had a new release. Her writing is such a breath of fresh air! She tells stories that are not just believable and relatable, but also full of humor and love. I enjoyed these characters and had such a fun time with this book!

What an intriguing story set in the world of podcasts!

Twenty blind dates? I don’t think so. Cecily, the new host and blind date guinea pig of a spunky podcast that dives deep into her non-existent love life, learns a hard lesson about the path she’s taken and the realities of not controlling her own destiny.

Cecily is a powerhouse podcast producer who juggles interviews and fixes problems, but she doesn’t get the appreciation she deserves. The truth is, treading your own path can be a rocky road, especially when you’re navigating the turbulent waters of the podcasting realm. The big question is whether this job is really what she wants, or does she need a change?

Will is adorable with his superman save of Buddy the Great Dane, and his love of laughter and chill demeanor is refreshing. He is a wanderer seeking permanence. He’s charming and, yes, he proudly carries the “hot waiter” badge. He gives off those “I’ve seen things” vibes, but all he really craves is a place to call home.

Will and Cecily’s serendipitous encounters turn them from friends to lovers, but this causes friction for Cecily’s blind date project, and she has to explore the ups and downs of chasing dreams and the harsh realities of adulting.

This book had an interesting premise, and once I got past all the technical jargon, I enjoyed the witty banter and some delightful moments of awkwardness. What I loved most was the relatable vibe of the story. I found myself understanding Cecily’s preference for a planned career and stable future, but I also realized it’s that mindset that held me back from enjoying my life more.

This lighthearted rom-com made me laugh and cheer on Cecily as she finally found her happily ever after.

Thank you to Ms. Holmes for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I felt a bit bored or underwhelmed by this offering from Holmes. Cecily works in podcasting and is expected to go on blind dates and listen to a life coach, all for a new podcast. But her job is in jeopardy and of course she meets a guy randomly in the process. The best character is the dog! This was a 2.5 rating for me.

Back After This by Linda Holmes offers some fascinating insights into the world of podcasting, which I particularly enjoyed as a longtime fan of her work. Her enthusiasm for audio production shines through, adding a layer of depth that might not appeal to everyone but felt like a treat for those who appreciate the craft. However, I found myself less engaged with the central romance—the characters didn’t fully draw me in, and the obstacles keeping them apart often felt more contrived than compelling. While there’s charm in Holmes’ writing, the emotional core of the novel didn’t entirely click for me.

I enjoyed my experience reading this book. I thought that it was a well written story with characters that showed a lot of growth.

Cecily works in the podcast industry but she feels like her job is constantly at stake or she gets no credit for her hardwork. When she gets an opportunity to star in/host a podcast about dating, it's not her first choice, but she looks at it as a stepping stone to get where she wants to go. She and Eliza, an influencer extraordinaire, team up to find the love of Cecily's life. But what happens when Cecily meets a potential suitor all on her own that doesn't fit into the neat box that Eliza and her team have created? Will Cecily take a chance and break out of her own mold?

First, I loved Cecily and her sweet guy together. They had great banter and a charming relationship. I liked how they kept meeting and got to know each other slowly. I also liked how they pushed each other out of comfort zones. I enjoyed the speed dating aspect of the book. I thought it was the perfect amount to keep the story about Cecily and not about a bunch of random guys. The relationship with Eliza was also very interesting. She was not my favorite character but as the story continued on, I got her more although I still didn't love her. I really liked the podcast setting of this book. It's been done a lot recently, but you know you are getting straight-from-the-source info from Linda Holmes. If anything it felt a bit too in-depth at times, but I would rather that than not enough.

I think fans of Linda Holmes are going to be very pleased with this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️ 3/5 | 🌶️ 1/5
First Person POV, Single Narrative | FMC: Cecily
Romantic Comedy | MF Romance, Closed Door
Setting: Washington, DC
Linear Timeline

Cecily is a podcast producer who is under-appreciated at her job and somehow finds herself doing a series on dating, self-love, self-care.

While it was at times a heartwarming and silly read, unfortunately this book missed the mark for me. It fell short in its delivery and quality, and I didn’t find myself engaged in the story. It was almost as if there were two voices in the writing and I didn’t find it very insightful.
I’m sad because there were two moments where I did burst out loud laughing at the antics and comedy. The situations reminded me of Meghan Quinn’s humor. The chemistry between Will and Cecily was good and I just wish there was more depth to it.
I was really put off by Eliza and Toby’s characters. It reminded me of high school bullying and toxic workplace environments. I don’t think that entire storyline was handled or delivered very well.
It was a quick read and I think I’d read another by this author because there were still some promising moments in the writing. But like I said, in other moments of the writing it was almost as if more than one person was writing and their voices were overlapping and clashing.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Ballantine Books for providing me this advanced reader copy of the book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Firstly, I didn’t fall in love with the FMC of this book and that is what made my rating drop a bit. Another reason was the fact that it was single POV. I was more engaged towards the end of the book rather than being engaged throughout the entirety of the book.

There is not really much else to say. It didn’t really grasp my attention.

I loved this book! I love Linda Holmes and this book did not disappoint. I also listened to the audiobook and was so pleasantly surprised! I’m a huge fan of Julia Whelan so was curious when Holmes was narrating this herself-she did an amazing job! The book was delightful from beginning to end, and intelligent but lighthearted read. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Back After This by Linda Holmes – a quirky, heartfelt ride full of self-discovery, romance, and, of course, an adorable dog! 🐾✨

Cecily Foster, a podcast queen, is all about protecting her friends and avoiding love after a disastrous fling with a colleague. But when her boss gives her the chance to host her own dating show (with a catch or two), Cecily’s in for more than she bargained for! 😅

I absolutely adored Cecily’s character growth – she’s funny, self-deprecating, and totally relatable as she navigates 20 blind dates chosen by an influencer-turned-relationship-coach. But the sparks between her and Will, the charming photographer (and dog rescuer 😍), really got me hooked. And don’t even get me started on Buddy, the lovable Great Dane who brings these two together. 🐶💕

This book is the perfect balance of romance and personal growth, wrapped up in a sweet and fun package. I couldn't put it down! If you love quirky heroines, swoon-worthy moments, and unexpected meet-cutes (yes, thanks Buddy!), Back After This should be on your list!

I love Linda Holmes, I "discovered" her a couple of years ago. The thing I like about her is that her characters are not "perfect", they are not without flaws, on the contrary, they are a little unpredictable, a little confusing, they are human. In this rom-com, we meet Cecily, a podcaster, a little forced to put her love life out to the public, she's not very happy about this, but on the other hand, what can she do? She thus finds herself forced to participate in 20 blind dates, but her heart is elsewhere, more precisely towards a certain man who helped her save a little dog. Thanks to the publishing house, the author and Netgalley, for the opportunity to preview this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

As a fan of the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast that the author cohosts I liked the idea of seeing a behind the scenes type of thing. That part of the book was interesting, but the romance was to predictably.

This book was truly a case of judging a book by its cover for me. I was drawn to the title and the synopsis sounded cute, but unfortunately this was not a good fit for me.
I was bored from the very beginning and saw from the get go how this was going to end. In addition to that, I never felt a connection with Cecily. I found myself purposely finding other things to do so I didn’t have to read it and when I did pick up my kindle, it was with great trepidation. Finally, after a week, I decided to call it a day. I jumped a few chapters, skimmed others, and jumped to the end.
I think this author just isn’t a good fit for me since I wasn’t a fan of her last book either. Please don’t let this review sway you from reading the book if it sounds cute to you; I know quite a few people who really enjoyed this. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for an advanced copy. Back After This hit the shelves February 25th.

Cecily is a podcaster just going through the motions when she gets pushed into participating in a make-over like dating podcast hosted by a popular "it girl" influencer. The gist is that Cicily will be going on 20 first dates chosen by Eliza to prove that if you tackle dating like a job you're bound to find a man. Fortunately/unfortunately, while embroiled in this ridiculous 20 first dates stunt Cecily meets dog loving, floppy haired Will. Will isn't an Eliza approved guy but does that matter when there's so much zazazoo??

First the good - this is the Holmsiest banter. Cecily and Will are romcom gold.

And the not so good - I finished this a few days ago and I'm struggling to actually think about anything else about this book. I ingested it and now it's fully gone. I hated Eliza, maybe it was necessary to have this influencer character but she was so predictably the villain, she even has a villain origin story.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this arc. Please send all romcoms with dogs my way.

I really enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over so I was excited to read this. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to Evvie. The FMC, Cecily, lacked confidence and often felt too willing to let others take the lead on just about everything. The concept of going 20 different first dates for a podcast was intriguing but I wanted more of the dates; the short paragraphs/blips about each were so funny and left me wanting more. Will was a great character but I found the communication between he and Cecily to be a bit immature.

Back After This is the story of Cecily Foster, a podcast producer, who is talked into hosting a show about her dating life under the direction of social media influencer Eliza Cassidy who has christened herself a romantic relationship coach. Eliza’s participation ensures significant advertiser dollars for the struggling production company Cecily is working for, and this is the long-awaited hosting opportunity that Cecily has been working towards, just in the last possible genre of show she wants to be working in. Before they can start recording the 20 blind first dates that will be the backbone of the show, Cecily has an honest to goodness real life meet cute with Will, and their budding friendship threatens to upend Eliza’s plan, and entirely complicates Cecily’s notions about the possibilities for her romantic future.

This is a single POV story, and I think for the most part that worked well in the execution of the final third of the book, but I struggled for the first third of the book to really sink into the story - I was interested but I wasn't fully engaged. Holmes creates a detailed backstory for Cecily, her last major relationship’s dissolution four years ago included her losing a professional credit that has built the career of her ex-boyfriend in major ways and Cecily struggles with how she let that unfold and what it says about her value to her romantic partner and herself. She’s dated in the intervening years, but with little success and its sort of killed her desire to get back out there, even though she imagines for herself a life trajectory that involves marriage and possibly kids. She has a good relationship with her sister and brother-in-law, but her parents are not in their lives much. She’s also the de facto office mom, by nature of always being prepared and her boss has a nasty habit of relying on her work ethic to smooth over problems without rewarding her for those efforts and it has a direct impact on her self-worth.

But, for me, the way that backstory was initially folded into the lengthy set up of the podcast, the introduction of Eliza’s plan, and eventually the dates, and the Will of it all, was not paced in a way that felt satisfying. I kept waiting for the action to happen, for the random running into Will moments to add up, to the blind dates to begin, for Cecily to start really doing the introspection that we were being primed for, and unfortunately when all those things did start happening, I was soured a bit by having waited so long for them. There was also a lot of rushed action in the last couple chapters which would have been so much more impactful if fleshed out – the return of the ex, dealing with professional betrayal, the reflection on self-worth, the discussions with Will about whether needing to “sort out his life” was even a real thing. I would have loved more time there, and less on some of the repetitive things in the beginning.

This is a 3.5 book for me, when it was going well it was going really well, and I was pulled in by Homes’ authorial voice and ability to describe the world her characters inhabit so fully. I just wish the pacing worked better for me so I could round it up.