There’s never a bad time for a book by Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour.” Her third novel, Back After This, is a comforting pick-me-up, perfect as either a bright spot in the dregs of winter or a tender beach read to flip open between bouts of sunbathing.
When audio producer Cecily Foster’s boss asks her to co-host a dating podcast about her own love life, she doesn’t feel like she’s in a position to say no, given his thinly veiled references to layoffs if their company doesn’t produce a new hit. Cecily begrudgingly agrees, but with two demands of her own: She wants her work bestie to keep her job and serve as producer, and she wants a chance to script a pilot episode of her dream project. As Cecily begins the litany of dates her dating coach co-host has arranged—very few of which lead to anything interesting, let alone a coveted second date—she keeps running into Will, a cute waiter who owns a rambunctious Great Dane. It seems that the universe keeps throwing them together and Cecily’s interactions with Will are inconveniently sparking something within her.
Linda Holmes on how to have a work-life balance—when your job is also your life.
Holmes is a master at writing warm, relatable and realistic characters. Cecily’s success at and passion for audio production has unfortunately prevented her from chasing her dreams of hosting or enjoying any upward career growth. Will is a waiter and photographer, but worries that one of those things may be eclipsing the other. Over the course of the novel, Cecily examines how much her identity and occupation are linked and tries to figure out how to untangle them. As much as she loves what she does, she knows her work will never love her back. Even the characters who function as obstacles to Cecily and her romantic and professional pursuits (her boss, her co-host and even her ex-boyfriend) are complex. There’s no devious mustache-twirling here, just regular people also trying to make the best decisions for their livelihoods.
The slow-burn romance between Will and Cecil is cozy, sweet and wholesome. They’re just two genuinely good people blessed by serendipity, with the added chaos of a Great Dane. Much like the climax of a Nora Ephron film, happy sighs will abound when Back After This reaches its finale.
