Back After This is an engaging romcom that provides a behind-the-scenes look at podcasting.

Back After This by Linda Holmes

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Podcasting, Influencers, Romance (RomCom), Washington D.C.

***This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links

My Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley @RandomHouse #BallantineBooks for a complimentary eARC of #BackAfterThis upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Cecily is a hardworking podcaster. When she is approached about hosting a new podcast series about modern dating, she thinks this might be her big break. There are complications: the show will also feature Cecily and her dating life; this project comes with a life coach; Cecily can’t stop thinking about a randam meet-cute with Will. Can Cecily navigate all these complications, keep her job, maintain her reputation, and explore a future with Will?

My Thoughts:

Meet-Cute and Other Elements

A fun meet-cute is my favorite element in a romance! This one is great, and we can predict from the beginning where this will lead. As usual, the fun is in how we get there. Hint: it involves a dog…a big dog. What’s not to love? The author includes an adequate dose of witty banter that elevates this romance to a romcom. I always like a romance that includes other substantial themes like life/work balance, loyalty, and following your heart.

Warm Up to the MC

It took me some time to warm up to Cecily. She’s so wrapped up in her success and achievement that we can see her path to happiness miles before she does. I grew in appreciation for her sense of loyalty and commitment. Cecily’s struggle to find a work/life balance is well done and relatable. I think less reflection and more time devoted to Will might have made the story even better.

Podcasting and Influencers

If you are a podcaster, a die-hard podcast consumer, or an influencer, you might enjoy the technical jargon and behind-the-scenes look at this world. It wasn’t that interesting to me and I skimmed over a lot of that without losing the gist of the story. The author is a podcaster (see bio below), so this lends authenticity and credibility to the story. A story written from an author’s area of expertise adds an extra level of enjoyment.

Recommending Back After This:

Fans of Evie Drake Starts Over will likely enjoy this new release by Linda Holmes. If you like witty banter, podcasts, and a loveable big dog, Back After This is TBR worthy. Save it for your beach or pool bag.

Related: I read Evie Drake Starts Over before my blogging days, but here’s a review of Flying Solo by the same author. Evie Drake remains my favorite title by Linda Holmes.

My Rating:

More information here

Meet the Author of Back After This, Linda Holmes

Linda Holmes is a podcast host, writer, radio maker, interviewer, Twitter liker, Twitter fearer, former lawyer, one-time college a cappella singer, occasional bread baker, photography dabbler, and very lucky weirdo (her own word).

She’s a correspondent at NPR and the host of Pop Culture Happy Hour, their roundtable culture and entertainment podcast. She’s worked with most of the radio shows they have in some capacity: She’s talked about pop culture on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition. She once spent a week writing for Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me, took a turn guest-hosting Jesse Thorn’s wonderful interview show Bullseye, and did a terrible job answering questions about music on a bonus episode of Ask Me Another. She does local live radio whenever she gets the chance.

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QOTD:

Does a book about podcasting by a podcaster appeal to you?

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