This was an addictive read, filled with fully fleshed out and incredibly fun characters and a truly swoony romance that you'll be rooting for from the get-go. The only problem I had was that the reason for not getting together felt really confusing/unbelievable--but in a way where it wasn't explained super well or at least I didn't find the explanation good enough. Overall, a fun read!

this was actually so cute and I loved it. I thought there was the most perfect amount of build up to the relationship and when they finally got together it felt so victorious. The daughter definitely felt younger than 12 but I will suspend my disbelief for the plot. I liked Lucie as a character and all of the things that made up her life and thought it was a really unique story. Also when he comes to her when she's stood up and the list of favourite things, you're kidding.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! Our two leads felt fully fleshed out and tangible on their own, but of course paired together they were even better. I fully felt their chemistry and I felt like one of the listeners for their show as I eagerly rooted for them the whole time. I like that Lucie reiterated that she did already have a full life, but that she wanted this too. Will happily read more about these two in the future, if that were to ever happen.

B.K. Borison remains the absolute queen of writing devastatingly heartwarming cozy romances. This book was like coming home after a long day and snuggling up on the couch with some tea and your cat. It was like coming out of the cool water and sitting on the sun-warmed sand. I want to live in this book. As I told my friend several times while I was reading, it felt like I was injecting dopamine straight into my veins. What a beautiful love letter to love in all its forms. Lucie and Aiden have my heart forever, and so does Borison.

Oh how this book had me kicking my feet in giddiness! The premise of this book was so cute (very much along the same lines of The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon) about a daughter calling into a Baltimore Radio Station to try to help her mom get dating advice. She melts the heart of the grumpy radio host and we suddenly embark on a humorous adventure where these two characters gravitate towards one another. This had the perfect amount of cute banter and emotional storyline to make this blossoming romance seem feasible and not over the top. First Time Caller was my first book by this author, but certainly not the last after this cute little story!

And the location of this book had me all in my feels! Born and raised in Maryland I couldn't help but yelp in glee anytime a familiar landmark was mentioned or when these characters were munching on BERGER COOKIES!!!! iykyk 🦀

If I felt this way with Aiden and Lucie's book I am truly scared for my reaction to Jackson and Delilah's book coming up next because it is WEATHER! NERD! ENEMIES! TO! LOVERS! I haven't been this pumped for an upcoming rom com since Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon came out!!

OH MY GOSH I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It’s one of my top books of the year! I loved Aiden and Lucie, and the entire cast. The whole Sleepless in Seattle vibes had ME by the heartstrings!

NO NOTES!! Absolutely loved this book, the plot, the characters and this world! I cannot wait to reread it already!! I need more!!

This was so much fun! The chemistry and banter between Lucie and Aiden was to die for!

Lucie is the single mom to Maya, when Maya calls in to a radio station to get her mom dating advice, Aiden Valentine is on the other side. However, Aiden is tired of his job and has stopped believing in love, but when they put Lucie across from him in the radio booth, they need to work together o get more listeners and find love for Lucie.

I adored these characters and the family dynamic that Lucie has for herself. I only wish there was even more to show.

I absolutely LOVE the Lovelight Farms series so I was thrilled to get an early copy of this, and while it wasn't bad, it just didn't quite hit the mark for me! I have never seen Sleepless in Seattle, so I did not find the radio show portion of this to be particularly compelling - perhaps just a missing link.

Since that was such a major part, I found myself skipping sections. It felt cheesy, but not in a fun way. I was happy for the characters to end u[p together but just didn't love it.

This was so much fun! B.K. Borison has proven to be the master of the witty, banter filled romances we all devour.

Aiden is the romance radio host who has stopped believing in love. Lucie is a single mom who has never had time to find her own love story. When they come together in an unlikely way on air… they join together to set out to find Lucie love, and to help Aiden’s job.

This romcom was so cute and different with a modern take on sleepless in Seattle!! I enjoyed this story and the cast of characters that I hope we see in the future.

The banter between Aiden and Lucie was a highlight to the development of this book, and their relationship, as always Borison has written a book that will be so well loved.

Thank you Berkley for the eARC.

guys guys guys i’m losing my mind this is was so good like i don’t know if you guys are big romcom people, but this is literally sleeping in seattle was a book but with a beautiful twist and i LOVED it!

like truly this book was soooo refreshing, lucid and aiden?? oh my otp. 100%. and i don’t usually like kids in books, but lucie’s daughter was everything to me. she was so real y’all, and the side characters added so much to the story like every moving part and chapter in this book was necessary. the pacing was perfect, i love how the plot progressed and how much background we got as well, i’m very very happy with this story and CANNOT wait for what’s in store with this series! this is also my non spoiler review so it’s a bit short than what i would love to write but it’ll do for now. definitely recommend this one!

4.5 stars :)

This “Sleepless in Seattle” inspired romance will leave you grinning from ear-to-ear. I couldn’t help, but reminisce about the great rom-coms of the 90s while I read this. They just don’t make movies like that anymore, hence why I now mostly read rom-coms instead.

“First Time Caller” by BK Borison has a funny start with Lucie overhearing her 12-year old daughter, Maya, on the phone with a strange man when she should be in bed. It turns out Maya called Baltimore’s radio show Heartstrings to help her mom find love. Instead she finds host, Aiden Valentine, who does not believe in love or romance. But when Aiden and Lucie are thrown together by his producer who sees the ratings potential, sparks fly.

I loved Aiden and Lucie. Aiden is a grump with a heart of gold and Lucie is learning to take risks to expand the love she alreadg has in her life. They had great banter and chemistry. The side characters were cute too. I have some guesses for who Heartstrings 2 will follow. I wish we saw more of Aiden with Lucie’s family. I had that thought towards the end of the book and then the epilogue was such a good sneak of his dynamic with Maya that it left me wishing we got more of that.

🎧📻 Don’t you just love it when there is a character in a book you see SO MUCH of yourself in to the point where it almost brings you to tears. I think this book is going to be something so special that many hopeless romantics are going to love. There is a quote in this book that I gasped so loud reading because it felt like the author took a peek into my mind and put my exact thoughts onto paper. Without giving away too much, this is for the people who want to be chosen, wanted and loved in the way that feels like sparks are flying and magic is coursing through them as they finally find the person who is perfectly their favorite person who seems like they were almost made for them. It’s for the people who dream of that great love but are often left waiting in the sidelines wondering why they aren’t deserving yet in the same way they see others who already have it do.

THANK YOU BK BORRISON FOR THIS BOOK. It spoke to me in so may ways and made me feel so seen. I loved reading about Lucie & Aiden and I think readers will too!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This book was exactly what I needed right now!!! I’m coming from recently reading books with so much angst and this was so cute, heartwarming, fun and refreshing!!! A true romantic comedy. I caught myself laughing out loud so many times. I loved the idea of the main scenery being a radio show and the radio transcripts made it even better.
Aiden and Lucie felt real and very relatable. I don’t know how the author did it, but I was truly feeling all the emotions going on here with the characters. I felt happy, sad, upset, hopeful. In my opinion it’s easier to make the MMC and FMC great characters together, but harder to make them also great by themselves, but BK Borison did exactly that in this book. The connection was genuine, the fears were real and relatable, the spice was spicing and the side characters were also so fun. I loved Maya, the kid. So smart and so special, raised by great parents that chose not to be together but had a great friendship. This was my first BK Borison book and I will for sure read more! Thank you netgalley and berkley for this arc!!!

I loved every moment of this book. I have recently become a huge fan of BK Borison and her writing. The Lovelight Farms series charmed me and surprised me. First Time Caller was an incredible start to a new series and was delightful in every way. I loved the nod to Sleepless in Seattle. I loved the MC’s so much as well as the side characters. I’m so excited to read more from this series. I am a forever fan of BK Borison now. 😍

B.K. Borison has written a book about love. Love in life, love in family, love in friends, love in partners. She has definitely made me fall in love with First-Time Caller.

Borison shows how vulnerable love and the fear of caring too much can truly be, but leaves us all wanting to have that magical feeling no matter the potential heartache.

Aiden and Lucie were both such well rounded and realistic characters that it had me wishing Heartstrings was a real radio broadcast where I could tune in to their flirting antics. This book had me breaking into huge grins and cracking up out loud. I highly recommend this book if you love wacky family dynamics, swoony vulnerable bossy men, and quirky brave independent women. You will not regret picking up this book.

This gripped me right from page 1. So many nice flashbacks/nods to Sleepless in Seattle retelling that brought me back but also felt updated. I loved the conversations especially between these two, it’s a real talent when an author can have characters talk about mundane things and you just wish they would keep talking about anything. It’s sweet and tender and even made me tear up a bit. And really love Aiden.

As with all of BK Borrison's books, I finished this in a day. I loved sleepless in Seattle growing up, and this had such a fun little Sleepless vibe. The banter was fantastic, the characters were adorable. There's not really a third act breakup or miscommunication, more like a realization period. I loved the build up, super cute.

<b>“I think I got too used to you in the spot next to me. I’ll be fine. Promise.” I squeeze. “I like the spot next to you.” He gives me a half-smile. “Yeah. Me too.”</b>

ooooh, i am crushing on this book! BK Borison will make you believe in magic! in love! First time caller is romantic AF! Sleepless in Seattle 🤝🏼 the bachelorette. prepare to be charmed ladies and gents.

ps. i am going to NEED 320 pages of jackson! pls tell me there will be more books!

<u>THINGS AND STUFF </u>
-dual pov
-radio station 101.6 LITE FM
-heartstrings, baltimore’s romance hotline
-single mom
-she wants ✨magic✨ & he doesn’t do love or romance
-he’s got a big, squishy heart under all that grumpy grumpiness
-radio transcripts
-skee ball & daisies & motor oil & chocolate mints & contraband coffee in a christmas cookie tin
-MFEO 🥹
-hope & comfort
-#IsThisAKissingBook: open door. …”eyes shine up at me, a secret smile on the curve of her lips. I lean forward and drop a kiss to it. Maya screeches on my back. “Don’t be gross! I’m literally right here.” “Then close your eyes,” Lucie mumbles.”

thank you berkley romance for the advanced copy!

4.25 Stars (Rounded Up to 5 stars)

A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing the ARC of this novel!

I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. As a librarian, I’m always excited to explore new recommendations from patrons, and this author came with high praise. While I’ve read B.K.’s Lovelight series and found them charming, they often felt akin to cozy Hallmark movies. This title, however, had a Sleepless in Seattle vibe that I enjoyed a lot more.

Trigger Warning: Cancer

This book is not just a feel-good romance; it also delves into more serious themes with care and empathy. It’s a testament to the author’s skill that these elements were woven into the narrative in such a meaningful way.