“I think if anyone could convince me to believe in it, Lucie , it would be you.”

Swooooooon!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lucie's tween daughter calls a romance hotline to ask for dating advice on behalf of her mother. When Lucie snatches up the phone from her daughter, she begins talking to the radio host, Aiden, on air. Their conversation goes viral and all of Baltimore is totally smitten with Lucie. The radio station creates a segment to follow Lucie's dating life, and an adorable, slow burn, chemistry-fest ensues!

• supposedly Sleepless in Seattle-inspired, but it has been so long since I've seen it, so I'm not exactly sure how! (My sign to watch it again!)
• such loveable main and side characters!
• I love a trope where he's helping her date, but then becomes unbearably jealous and can't handle a single second of it.
• sweet, healing, slow burny, yummy!!!
• highly recommend!!

This had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole book!!! B.K Borison’s writing is always a delight to read, and this book was magic. I couldn’t get enough of Aiden and Lucie. The banter, the chemistry, and the yearning was top tier. THE LIST?! I was swooning. I’m not usually a fan of single parents in a romance book, but I adored Maya and the family dynamics and how everyone fit together. Seeing how much everyone cared for Lucie and how they would do anything for her was so heartwarming.

I’m in love with the characters, the story, and Aiden and Lucie’s relationship. You can feel how deeply everyone loves each other, whether it’s romantic, platonic or familial. This became an instant favorite and I cannot wait for the rest of the series. Huge thanks to Berkeley and Netgalley for the ARC!

First Time Caller is a heartwarming and witty romance that navigates the complexities of love, vulnerability, and unexpected connections. The story introduces Aiden Valentine, a disillusioned romance hotline host in Baltimore, who has grown skeptical about the idea of love. His role as the host of a love-centric radio show has become a daily struggle, as he juggles his own emotional baggage while offering advice to callers. But everything changes when a call from a young girl seeking dating advice for her mom goes viral, catapulting both Aiden and the station into the spotlight.

I highly recommend this to all romance lovers, I think it’s going to be one of my favourite reads of the year.

My heart!! This one really tugged at my Heartstrings! I loved this unique story and just loved getting to know these characters. They were so raw, real, relatable and lovable. The story focuses around Aiden and his radio show called Heartstrings, Baltimore’s Romance Hotline. Aiden has fallen out of love and just does not believe in it despite being a popular romance hotline radio show host. Lucie’s daughter, Maya calls in one night hoping to find advice and love for her mom. Lucie ends up talking to Aiden and this show happens to go viral. Lucie joins the show in an effort to try to find her happy ever after with dating various callers. The banter, tension and flirting was perfection. This had so much of the Sleepless in Seattle Vibes.

Kicking your feet with the giggles kind of good. B.K. writes banter as if the characters are sitting right in front of her and she’s ease dropping into their conversation. This is a story of people who are hopeless romantics, about two people who fall in love over a radio station. The dual POV, single mom, and grumpy/sunshine vibes all came together so well. My favorite part was the epilogue, it brought the story full circle. All of the little nods to Baltimore were the icing on the cake!

First-Time Caller🎙️🩷
6⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: February 11th

First of all, thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for this eARC! My friend Sarah was raving about this one so I am super pumped that I got accepted. 🥹

Starting off the year with a BANG, A SIX STAR BOOK. 🤩 As you know, I rarely give these out. This book was incredible in every way. The plot was unique, the banter and humor was unmatched. Don’t even get me started on Aiden👏🏼Valentine👏🏼 This man…. he will be your new favorite book boyfriend. That man is a SIMP. His chemistry with Lucie is off the charts. ❤️‍🔥 I loved seeing them together on the radio show and hearing them talk about finding and falling in love. Their flirting had me giggling and kicking my feet it was SO FUN!!! 💘

There were so many touching moments in this book, I couldn’t get enough. Seeing Aiden open up and become vulnerable was so amazing. That part really got me IYKYK (no spoilers here). I savored this book and never wanted it to end. The romance was some of the best I’ve ever read💋🧑🏼‍🍳 If you are in a slump or just needing a wonderful romance book to sweep you off your feet, PICK THIS UP!!! It’s perfect for Valentines and will have you CRAVING more of this delicious story. I ate it up and so will you. This will also have you craving pizza (you have been warned).

I <b>knew</b> I could count on this to be a banger to start my eyeball reads with for 2025!!!🙂‍↕️✨ my girl has never let me down!!

I’m genuinely giddy over Lucie and Aiden🥹 I fell for them immediately and I tried so hard to savor my time in their pages.

It’s single mom, it’s grumpy/sunshine, it’s Sleepless in Seattle, it’s beautiful coparenting, it’s someone who won’t settle for less than <i>magic</i>, it’s someone learning to tear down their walls!🥲

Banter! Chemistry! He keeps a list of her favorite things!!! A fireman’s carry!!!!❤️‍🔥👨‍🍳💋

It was everything I wanted it to be - from the writing to the romance to the personal growth to the humor!☎️ I’m a fan for life of you, BK!

This is a fantastic book. The characters were vibrant, the setting was quaint and romantic, and the writing was so, so good. Borison’s humor was natural and not overdone, and made the emotional, lyrical prose in the intense moments really shine. It’s a stand-out in the genre for its original premise and expertly crafted character dynamics.

I ate this book up! I found myself giggling and grinning like a damn fool over Aiden and Lucie. Their banter was hilarious and their chemistry was insane. This was a slow burn that buuuuurned.

What I loved:
- I loved B.K.’s writing throughout. The pace was fantastic and parts of her writing just felt poetic.
- Aiden and Lucie’s banter.
- The payoff with the slow burn! 😮‍💨
- The whole supporting cast of characters.

This was such a lovely story. I loved how it was inspired by <i>Sleepless in Seattle</i> but is by no means a carbon copy. I feel like that can sometimes happen when writers pull inspiration from a classic. But 'First-Time Caller' stands all on its own and is fresh.

While the attraction between our two main characters Lucie and Aiden is immediate, overall this is a slow burn. They get to know each other as friends (and sort of colleagues) before anything romantic happens between them. Their relationship felt like it progressed naturally and the connection they had to each other felt authentic.

In the story, we're told that Aiden doesn't believe in love, but that wasn't really the case. It's more so that he is scared about getting hurt if he were to love. I wish that had been clearer, or a bigger realization/character growth for him at the end. He does come to that conclusion, but how it was described throughout the book felt a bit waffley. Lucie's vulnerability was refreshing and I liked seeing her open herself up more to new experiences and trying things, even if they didn't work out in the end.

At times the characters were a bit too obtuse for me, and I got a little annoyed, but I was able to get over it. The supporting characters were great, and I liked in particular how Lucie's daughter felt like a real, fully fleshed-out character, as opposed to just a tool for the plot.

I'm excited to keep reading more from Borison! I'll be digging into some more of her backlist while waiting for her next release.

I loved lovelight farms and was worried about this one just because my expectations were so high. But B.K. Morrison can do NO WRONG! Loved every second of this and can't wait to own a physical copy

First of all, let’s talk about the universe aligning in hilarious ways. Last year, my first book of 2024 was Love Light Farms by B.K. Borison. This year, First-Time Caller by—guess who?—B.K. Borison is my first book of 2025. Coincidence? I think not. At this point, B.K., we’re in a committed relationship. If you drop a book in January 2026, just know I’m already reserving it as my first read of the year. Tradition demands it.

Now let’s get into this absolute gem of a book. You know how rom-coms have that warm, fuzzy charm? First-Time Caller didn’t just have it—it delivered. I’m a certified sucker for rom-coms, but this one? It exceeded every expectation I had. Every time I thought, “Okay, it’s cute but a little slow,” Borison came through like, “Aht aht, you thought!” It just kept getting better and better.

Borison mentioned this was inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, which I love, and the radio show element really brought that classic vibe with a fresh twist. (And yes, I caught that Love Light Farms Easter egg, B.K. You’re slick, but I see you!)

The characters? Absolute perfection. Lucie, our charming lead, was such a beautifully layered character, and her co-parenting relationship with Grayson was goals. Grayson had me laughing out loud so many times—someone give this man his own spin-off! Their family dynamic was heartwarming, and the fact that they lived next door to each other made it all the more endearing.

And then there’s Lucie and Aiden. Friends-to-lovers is my kryptonite, and this book nailed it. Their banter was top-tier, and the slow build of their relationship was so satisfying. I was practically vibrating with excitement waiting for them to just be together.

Oh, and let’s not forget that EPILOGUE. Brooks Robinson? B.K. Borison, you genius. What a way to tie everything together! The whole “universe aligning” theme was chef’s kiss. If my daughter doesn’t grow up and call into a radio station on my behalf to help me find true love, I’m going to feel cheated by life.

This book gave me everything I love about romance: humor, heart, a single mom trope, friends-to-lovers tension, and characters so real they practically jumped off the page. It made me want to cozy up in a little coffee shop with a pastry, blasting Sisqo’s Thong Song on repeat (read it, and you’ll understand).

If you’re a lover of rom-coms, First-Time Caller is a must-read, especially with Valentine’s Day around the corner—it drops February 11, 2025. My lover-girl heart is still swooning, and honestly? I’m not ready to pick up another book yet. I want to live in this story just a little bit longer.

B.K. Borison, see you in January 2026? Please and thank you.

I enjoyed this slow moving romance between Aiden and Lucie. It was nice to read a novel featuring two older main characters who were well-established in their lives and brought some baggage. The story had some funny moments, as well as some emotional ones especially with Lucie having dates with some major duds. I don't mind a little spice, but the one spicy scene seemed so out of place after such a basically sweet romance. It really threw me. Overall, I would still recommend this title to my patrons.

BK Borison can do no wrong!!! I am a huge Lovelight farms girlie but had some concerns that the magic might not transcend beyond Inglewild. Luckily my fears were deeply unfounded.

No one writes a down bad man like Borison. Aiden is a goner basically from day dot and while it's a little insta-love-y at times (which is never my fave trope) I didn't mind it in this one. The connection between Lucie and Aiden is palpable from the very beginning of their slightly awkward meet-cute and never fades. I really loved that we got both POVs in this one -- especially when we get to see the same scene from each of their perspectives.

I normally don't love a single mom FMC but Lucie is great. Being mom is a fundamental part of her identity but it doesn't DEFINE her entire identity which is so essential. I love that this book is about her making space and time for herself. The exchange between her and Mateo about her daughter missing her vs needing her was SO good. I loved Mateo and Grayson as side characters - they really flesh out this beautiful family unit and they're extremely funny. The secondary characters in general were excellent from the auto shop dudes to the radio station employees -- I love Maggie and Jackson and want each of their books ASAP.

The grand gesture at the end was absolutely *chefs kiss* -- I swooned, I teared up, it was great. I will read everything Borison ever writes - 10/10 recommend!

Thank you Berkley Romance for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I started off 2025 with a five star BANGER of a book. I have loved B.K.’s books for years, and this feels like a bold statement, but I think this is her best so far! Or maybe it’s just that each book keeps getting better and better. This was a delightful, funny, warm, sweet, sexy read. It set the tone for the 2025 reading and I will chasing the high all year.

Synopsis:

“Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight. Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life—or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she believed. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending…even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Found Family—This is one of B.K.’s strengths as a writer. She creates communities that support the main characters in such gentle, authentic ways while still giving those “side characters” agency. The whole time I was wondering who’s book we were going to get next because I loved them all so much.

The Tension—Hot. Incredible. I think I am in love with Aiden Valentine.

The Vibes—Overall, I just really enjoyed this book because it opened up a new world that was real, but cozy, romantic but not cheesy, and welcoming. I want to listen to their radio show/podcast!

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Nothing—Like i said, a five star banger. I have nothing to nit pick.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings:

cancer, sick parent, grief, pregnancy (past)

Excellent, refreshing and unique! I loved diving into something new from Borison and I can’t wait to read what’s next!

4.5 stars, 2.25 spice

Thank you to Berkley and Penguin Random House Audio for the e-arc and ALC respectively!

What an absolutely wonderful way to start the year. This is what romcoms used to feel like - First-Time Caller is a Sleepless in Seattle inspired romance that starts with Maya (Lucie’s 12 yr old daughter) calling into Heartstrings, a late night dating advice radio show, to get advice for her mom. Lucie isn’t all too thrilled to find her daughter talking on the phone with a grown man, and that goes about how you would expect.

I sometimes struggle with romcoms because I just want a bit more depth, and yearning and something that doesn’t feel so unrealistic. This was everything. A precious unique coparenting family dynamic, an amazing phone meet cute, a hilarious in person meet cute, well rounded side characters, depth and development all around.

--- “But I don’t want a relationship to be something I cross off my checklist, or something I do because I feel like I have to. I don’t want to be with someone if they’re not giving me something I don’t already have. I don’t want to waste my time on things that don’t feel like everything I’ve always wanted for myself.” ---

I related to Lucie so much. Her views around dating are just spot on (not to mention we are the same age. - 29) With a baby to care for right out of high school she became a car mechanic and don’t we just love #womeninmensfields
She is independent to a fault and I just adored her.

--- I’m an expert on the soundtrack of Lucie, but I think these sounds might be my favorite. ---

Aiden Valentine, the radio host helping give advice on love doesn’t even know if he believes in it anymore. Growing up in a home with a mother who battled cancer several times, and watched his dad deal with that pain, he is afraid to ever open up enough to even see if love could be real, because to him, it isn’t even worth the hurt. (*note she no longer has cancer, just in terms of triggers, this is more the trauma around him being in hospitals for his formative years and how that fear and uncertainty shaped him),

---“She does this thing when she laughs . . . it’s like she laughs with her whole body. I’ve never seen anything like it. She holds her hands tight together like she’s—like she’s holding on to her happiness. Like she’s not afraid to grab it.” Aiden pauses, his breath gusting over the receiver. In the background, I hear the crunch of asphalt. He must be pacing, wherever he is. “I want to be the kind of man who deserves that laugh. Who earns it.”
“It’s not about deserving,” I say, my throat tight. “If someone gives you something, you have it. You don’t have to earn it.”---

If you are looking for something that is laugh out loud funny, slower burn (but yummy spice), is relatable and down to earth but also uplifting this is the book. I have no doubt that this will end up being one of my favorites for 2025.

What can I say about BK Borison that hasn't already been said (probably by me at some other point)? She is a gem of a writer. Her books are perfectly plotted and paced, never drag, and are never cringey. I live for a new BK Borison release. So add that to the idea that this is a Sleepless and Seattle themed story, you know I was going to devour this.

In First-Time Caller, our radio host Aiden, has recently suffered a break-up that has caused him not a bit of frustration at work, considering he takes calls about relationships. In the midst of that turmoil, Aiden receives a phone call from a young girl, asking for his advice for her mom, Lucie and off we go.

This is by far my favorite Borison title yet (which is saying a lot). I want to shout it from the rooftops how much Aiden and Lucie warmed my heart. I can't wait for this book to be out so I can recommend it to any and everyone.

First-Time Caller is my new favorite B.K. Borison read! I loved the entire Lovelight Farms series and was so excited for a new book from this author, and this book surpassed even my own expectations for how much I loved it.

She’s a hopeless romantic, he’s a jaded radio host! It delivered on the Sleepless in Seattle-inspired vibes. Aiden Valentine is the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, Heartstrings, but he’s recently fallen out of love with love…which is a bit of a problem for his job. But one night, a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom Lucie and the convo ends up going viral! Now Aiden, Lucie, and Heartstrings is thrust into the limelight.

Lucie is a mechanic at a car repair shop and a single mom to her daughter. She has a good support system and co-parenting relationship with her best friend/her daughter’s father which was so nice to see. But she definitely wants love of her own and sets out to try and find that with the help of Aiden and the radio show.

“When it comes to you, Lucie, there’s not much I don’t want.”

I love the way this author writes characters, I was so swept up with them as people and just loved seeing their journey. Aiden is the epitome of “if he wanted to, he would”! I loved so many moments in this one: his secret coffee stash, “who made you cry?!”, her optimism and hopefulness, “F it” moment for a kiss, their banter on air had me giggling and swooning, the way he had a list of her favorite things, her coworkers at the car repair shop, his coworkers, honestly just alllll the side characters!

I had an audio ALC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.

“I like that. Thinking that I’m worth paying attention to. Something ordinary made extraordinary by the person you’re sharing it with.”

Sleepless in Seattle but Aidan is so much hotter than Tom Hanks WHEWWWWWW