This book had me in a chokehold from the very start. I love that it read like a slow burn and the tension throughout was fantastic it had me kicking my feet and squealing at all the right moments. The characters were so real and down to earth that their struggles made me feel so deeply connected to them, in that they all just want to be loved, and the dive into their fears & what is holding them back.
The banter and chemistry between Aiden and Lucie is phenomenal and had me laughing out loud. Forcing himself to eat food he doesn't particularly like because it's her favorite??? THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT?! Get you someone like Aiden.
Incredible. This is now probably one of my favorite reads of the year.

Came for the cover, stayed for the story. I loved this! Immediately I was so intrigued by the premise and the back and forth between the characters had me hooked so quick. Normally I devour books I like this much but I really made myself savor this because I just didn’t want it to end. I love a romance book that can make me laugh and swoon. This one gets bonus points for being a single mom story and nailing so many mother feelings and thoughts. Throw in found family and it just made it even better. It lost me for a little bit and I wish we got some scenes with Aiden, Lucie, and Maya but still, I loved them all so much. The writing worked so well for me and I absolutely loved the setting, it really stands out from other rom coms I’ve read lately. I cannot wait for the physical copy to by in my hands!

Thank you Berkley for the early access!

𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚:
In this Sleepless in Seattle inspired story, radio host Aiden Valentine and single mom Lucie Stone navigate unexpected sparks after a viral on air interview.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅:
I’m seriously obsessed with this book! Aiden and Lucie are perfection, and every character felt so real. The spice level was just right, and the whole thing had those cozy Nora Ephron vibes. I can’t wait for the next two books in the series!

𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆:
(I want to note this was my most annotated/highlighted read ever)
“I think you’re the magic.” ✨

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:
💖💖💖💖💖 (5/5)
If you love a good rom-com with heart, this one’s a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC - all opinions are my own!

The stuff in the glove compartment?! Come on that’s so sweet! The fun light banter between Lucie and Aiden is amazing. The plot is so fun and entertaining. Aiden not believing in love before her makes this extra sweet! I can’t wait to see what happens with who in the next book. I absolutely loved this story! I do wish there was more interaction and scenes with her son and Aiden. As a step parent myself I think it would be amazing to relate to this!

Is this a sleepless in Seattle retelling? Becuase it’s giving all the vibes and I love it ! The author always has this way with her books that keep me coming back for more! I enjoyed it very much ! Thank you so much Berkley and NetGalley for the arc copy

4⭐️

Thank you so much to Netgally for giving me an ARC of this book!

This book is absolutely amazing for fans of 90s and early 2000s romcoms! Borison based this book on Sleepless in Seattle and it definitely shows in the best way possible! I felt so much nostalgia for the classic movie while also enjoying the creative liberties Borison took with the book!

I was so incredibly engaged with this book that I finished it in less than 24 hours! Once I picked this book up I could not stop thinking about the characters and what was going to happen next in the story! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the romance genre!

Tropes: work place, friends to lovers, single mom

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of First Time Caller by BK Borison!

I was SO excited for this book (and series) First Time Caller is Sleepless in Seattle inspired and it was such a fun book to read. BK Borison writes the best stories and characters.

This book is a very slow burn and I liked Lucie and Aiden together a lot. They had a great chemistry. Lucie's daughter was cute and I loved the relationship with her parenting partners.

The nostalgia for Sleepless in Seattle was strong and it was the perfect balance of that nostalgia with a twist. Plus the Baltimore references!

A tiny bit of a slow start for me, but then I fell in love. The banter was top tier. What a fun rom com, and one that further cemented my love for B.K. Borison. Borison is firmly moving to auto buy for me!

I have read a few books by Borison now and I can honestly say I'm a big fan. I love her heartwarming stories, and this one was so good. Aiden was such a romantic. The things he did throughout the book are the sweetest. The cutest guy ever. Aiden and Lucie are great characters. I enjoyed them as a couple, I just wish it didn't take so long for them to get together. A definite slow burn. This book is compared to the movie “Sleepless in Seattle” and I can honestly agree. It was so good. I had a fun time reading this cozy, comforting and steamy book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was amazing! I've read all B.K Borison's other books and she just keeps getting better. This story was fantastic and I just loved everything about it. The chemistry between Lucie and Aiden is just so great. I would highly recommend this story.

BK Borison is an auto-buy auto-read author for me. it’s an immediate yes! and this one was no exception. getting a new world a new group i’m so excited for this series. i love nora ephron movies like every sane person on the planet and this was so fun. i related so hard to lucie, felt everything she felt. and i loved aiden so much i fell in love with him right along with her.

4.5

heck yea, b.k. is back! this took a BIT to get into, but with it being the first in a new series, i think that’s ok. i ended up really liking it, and i’m SUPER hyped for book two, because i was a big fan of jackson. the characters are ALL great tbh, and i’m into the little world of this series so far!

#netgalley

Infinite stars!!

Aiden has fallen out of love with love, which is inconvenient, seeing as he is the radio host for Baltimore's romance hotline, Heartstrings.

Lucie is a single mom and a hopeless romantic who has mostly given up on the idea of ever finding the love of her life. She is content with the life she has built, but her 11 year old daughter feels differently and secretly calls in to Heartstrings hoping its host, Aiden, can help her mom find love. Lucie catches her in the act, and the meaningful conversation that happens while on air with Aiden goes viral and the story takes off from there.

A nostalgic love story inspired by Sleepless in Seattle that had me crying, laughing and blushing. It left me with an overwhelming feeling of hope and joy, with a full heart and a tear-streaked face.

Becs' writing truly shines in this story. She created characters that will burrow their way in, making a permanent home for themselves in your heart. She wrote a romance that is so tender it'll make you ache, in the very best way. Every word, on every page was perfect!

I loved this story so much it makes me feel giddy!

B.K Borrison is a must-read romance author, and First Time Caller is the first book in her upcoming Heartstrings series. This is a Sleepless in Seattle inspired story that follows a romance radio host that doesn’t quite believe in love and one of his callers whose story goes viral. With the whole town rooting for her, she finds herself as a temporary co-host as she searches for love. While I miss the Lovelight crew, I already adore this new world and the cast of characters she created. Bec’s writing took me back to some of my favorite rom com movies filled with the sweetest romantic gestures and giddy moments. I will say, I did not feel the chemistry between the two MCs in the first half of the book as much as in the second and there were some inner monologue moments that seemed to drag. But still, an overall win!!

Read if you like:
-Sleepless in Seattle
-Single mom
-Workplace
-Grumpy/sunshine
-He fell first
-Cinnamon roll hero

5/5⭐️


Aiden is the cutest man ever. He has a way of speaking that is both serious and goofy, and I absolutely love it. Everything about him is lovable, from how he cared for her from the very beginning to his little acts of love. Even though he claims love doesn’t exist, he is incredibly romantic and considerate right from the start.

Lucie's transformation is also something I admire. She evolves into a person who knows what she wants, which, though it took time and the right influences, made me incredibly proud of her. Watching her come from her shell and bravely express her feelings was truly heartwarming. It inspired me to be more like her, particularly when it comes to understanding and voicing my own desires and emotions.

I loved how the story concluded, especially seeing Aiden come to terms with his feelings. Overall, I highly recommend this book!

This book was charming and everything I could ask for from a contemporary romance. I previously read the Lovelight Farm series so I was excited to see that Borison had a new book. The plot is loosely based on Sleepless in Seattle and it definitely gave off Nora Ephron vibes. I loved the main characters and the premise of the radio show. What really stood out for me was the cast of supporting characters. Often times supporting characters come across as one dimensional, Borison did a great job bringing the minor characters to life. I really liked the way that the main relationship was portrayed. Romance books sometimes portray these crazy, unrealistic relationships where the characters are so down bad for each other that they can't survive without the other. While that can be romantic, especially in literature, I really enjoyed getting both main characters inner dialogues and the portrayal of falling in love as ultimately a choice. I look forward to Borison's future work.

Wow. This might be the most romantic book I’ve ever read. The 90s romcom vibes got me all up in my feels and yes, tears were shed. Did I send a crying voice note expressing my love to B.K. Borison because I have no chill? Also yes.

I can’t wait for everyone to meet Aiden and Lucie.

First-Time Caller is a romantic comedy loosely based on Sleepless in Seattle. The story follows Lucie, a mechanic and a mom, as she navigates dating men she meets from a radio show with the help of her family and Aiden, the radio host.

The characters in this book added to the depth of the story. Lucie is described as a hopeless romantic, but it was refreshing to also see how she was also a realist at times. Aiden is definitely her opposite when it comes to his view of love and romance. However, their interactions detail how their relationship develops and how they grow together.

Overall, First-Time Caller was an enjoyable read, especially for those readers who like grumpy x sunshine books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

I am a fan of B.K. Borison’s Lovelight Farms series, so I was excited to see she has a new series coming out. First-Time Caller is the first book in the new Heartstrings series and it was everything I’ve come to expect from Borison. I really enjoyed it!

If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it would be “cute.” This book was so cuuuuute! Aiden and Lucie had great chemistry and good banter. They brought out good things in each other and I enjoyed spending time with them. I also liked Lucie’s daughter and co-parenting team, as well as the rest of the staff at Aiden’s radio station. I wish we would’ve gotten a little more of the side characters, though, to be honest. I am so excited for Jackson’s future book!

My one big issue with the book is the same as with other books by this author. Things are so sweet and cute and then when it’s time for the love scene(s) it gets very graphically spicy and kind of incongruous with the rest of the book. I know a lot of people won’t have a problem with that, and a certain amount of graphicness is to be expected in a mainstream Romance book, but there are also different shades of books in the genre and these couple scenes definitely felt like they belonged in a different book.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed First-Time Caller. It’s highly romantic with characters you will love rooting for. I’m excited to read more from the Heartstrings universe in the future.

Sometimes, I come across stories that resonate so deeply with me that they linger long after the final page is turned. This was one of those rare experiences. From the very beginning, I found myself drawn to the characters—each one beautifully flawed, burdened by fear, yet somehow managing to navigate their way through uncertainty. Their struggles felt raw and real, almost as if I could reach out and touch their emotions.

The way these characters declined, resisted, and yet pressed forward was both moving and inspiring. They were so vividly portrayed that I could sense their inner turmoil and feel their hesitation with every choice they faced. There were moments where their fear was almost palpable, and it was in those moments that I felt the most connected to them.

What struck me most was how deeply these experiences touched me. They weren’t just plot points but essential elements that shaped each character, making their eventual growth feel all the more meaningful. Every scene was crafted with such care and detail that it left a lasting impact on me. This isn’t just a story I enjoyed; it’s one that has become a part of me.