I adored this book and just know it’s going to be a major hit. It’s a Sleepless in Seattle remake with all of the heart, yearning, and vulnerability you want. BK Borison puts a few spins on the story to make it her own, but the overall magic and threads are present throughout the novel.

Lucie is a single mom who enjoys her alone time, work as a mechanic and co-parenting her daughter Maya with her best friend and hs husband. She’s got the found family she wants and doesn’t worry about her failed attempts at romance. Aiden is a grumpy radio show host for Heartstrings, a romance hotline. Ironically, he’s very anti romance and keeps his feelings under tight lock and key due to his family history. When Maya, Lucie’s daughter, calls in about her mom, the show brings Lucie in to help her date Baltimore’s men and find her a match. Before they know it, Aiden and Lucie are spending a lot of time in the booth together, helping her navigate her love life and falling in love in the process.

I love how the talk show premise lets the dialogue drive the story. It’s very characters and interaction based versus plot forward and I think it’s done really well. We get to see the dynamic between the mains early and thoroughly. I love the depth, the vulnerability and the bravery behind the conversations. It all felt very real to me.

As someone who’s mom has had cancer three times, Aiden’s story struck home to me and when he calls his dad towards the end of the book because he recognizes his love for Lucie and is afraid of the pain, I sobbed like a baby. And when he builds her a fort and we find out he keeps a list of her favorite things, I knew I was a goner.

BK Borison has written a mature, heartfelt, incredible romance I know all my romance readers will love.

Vibes;
Sleepless in Seattle
Forced proximity
Grumpy x sunshine
Chosen/found family
Single mom
Yearning
Finding excuses to touch them
Who did this to you
Slow burn
Public declarations of love
Witty banter
Dual POV
Spice

Thank you Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄?"

"𝑵𝒂𝒉, 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒆. 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄."

Now this is what I call a romance! Everything that I wanted and more. Perfect for fans of nostalgic 90's-early 2000's romcoms. A love letter to love in all of its shapes and sizes - family, friends, and that special someone.

The romance was fresh, beautifully written, and so engaging. Lucie and Aiden remind us that love is found in the little things: piggyback rides over cobblestone streets because you're in heels, finding a list of all of your favorite things written in a glove compartment, trying a new pizza order because it's her favorite, and just finding the fun in one another :.). Aiden Valentine is straight out of a hopeless romantics dreams, and Lucie is a sweet, smart, strong-willed, loving and independent leading lady. I fell head over heels for both of them.

First-time caller is real, nostalgic, and full of swoon-worthy, kick your feet and giggle moments. There's no way this book isn't a hit <3.

Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for the arc!

Make the Call
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)  
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)  
~
“I don’t know what I want for myself. It’s all twisted up in the things I think I deserve, then squashed under the things I’m brave enough to reach for.”
~
Vibes:   
Once I started - I couldn’t stop!! Raw, real, witty, enchanting. I’ve had BK Borison on my TBR for ages, and I’m kicking myself now that I know how amazing her writing is!

I love these characters. I love the way our MCs-Aiden and Lucie-go on a journey of self discovery and find love along the way. The flirty commentary and meddling antics of side characters had me cackling. The spice was absolutely delicious. I felt every emotion. And the HEA should be made into a movie… oh wait, it sort of was!
~
What to Expect:
Based on Sleepless in Seattle
Radio Show Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Search for Love
~
Recommended to...  
If you’re a fan of Sleepless in Seattle (or that 90s romance movie vibe) - you need this book!

You have got to absolutely be joking me with this. This is such a good romance. This book puts a fresh spin on how a romance is written. This is witty, heartfelt, and will absolutely pull on your heartstrings. This discusses very real moments that people deal with every day. This book and character development are executed perfectly. I saw myself in both of these characters. It was just amazing. I was not disappointed. I actually cried at watching Aiden grow. PleeeeeeeeeaW read this book!

I could not recommend this book enough.

Loved this ode to sleepless in Seattle! It felt charming and nostalgic while also being modern and low stakes. The cover is also adorable! Perfect Vday read!

I feel so blessed that I was able to read an early copy of this book! IT WAS FANTASTIC. I already fell in love with Borison's Lovelight Farms, but I enjoyed First-Time Caller even more! From the magic of Sleepless in Seattle, to the writing, the banter, the plot, the characters, the chemistry, the spice - everything was so wonderful. I don't say this lightly, as it's hard to get a full 5 stars from me. This book was perfection and has already been purchased for the library. I will be recommending it to many!

this beautiful book is so precious and perfect to me!!! I just love when a book reminds me on why I love reading so much 🥹🩷 the premise and storyline was SO fun! this book felt like a breath of fresh air. there were so many beautiful moments that had me swooning, and moments that tugged on my heartstrings (I get it now), and other moments that had me literally laughing out loud, I swear this book had it ALL 💜

lucie and aiden are everything to me. such a beautiful slow burn romance that I LOVE, the pacing was absolutely perfect to me and when I say this book is SO ROMANTIC — ugh, it’s perfect. 🤭 the tension between those two was through the ROOF. It had me gasping, giggling and kicking my feet. 🤭🥵 lucie is just such an amazing and brave character, our hopeless romantic girly 🥹 and aiden, the man that you are!!! I’m obsessed with the both of them. 🩷

the chemistry, tension, banter, flirting, family, ROMANCE — perfection. I loved everything about this 🩷 also honorable mention to the side characters because they brought so much laughter and fun into this beautiful story 🥰

thank you SO MUCH berkley for the arc!! I’m so grateful 🩷

As the host of a Baltimore romance hotline radio show, you'd think that Aiden Valentine loves love. But the truth is, listening to callers' woes and watching his father nurse his mother through sickness has made Aiden more than a little jaded regarding heart matters. He knows his grumpy attitude is affecting the show's ratings, so no one is more surprised than he is when a young girl calls in asking for dating advice for her mom goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone has everything she could need, or so she thought. She has a job she loves, an incredible support system, and a preteen daughter who, despite her mischievous side, Lucie would do anything for. So, when she catches her daughter talking to a stranger about Lucie's lackluster love life, Lucie has to face the fact that maybe she's lonelier than she'd like to admit. With all of Baltimore behind her, Lucie agrees to come on Aiden's radio show and have him help her look for love. But what if her happily ever after happens to be the stubbornly handsome man beside her?

At this point, I would read Borison's grocery list. Everything she writes hits the spot. When I heard that she was writing a series loosely based on romance movies, I couldn't wait. This one is Sleepless in Seattle-inspired, and she nailed it. I loved the chemistry between Lucie and Aiden. They had such a natural and easy back-and-forth banter that I ate up. Typically, I relate more to the FMCs in books, but there was so much about Aiden and his way of dealing with his emotions that I was like, "Yep, that's me." He also shot his way up to the top of my favorite Borison MMC's ranking when he made a list of Lucie's favorite things that he kept in his glove compartment. *Insert swoony face here* It's also rare when I love the secondary characters almost as much as the main characters, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the next book follows Jackson because I love him already. If you enjoy Nora Ephron movies and don't mind more of a slow-burn romance, I highly recommend checking it out.

I am writing this review at 2:34 in the morning with tears streaming down my cheeks in a way that is, quite frankly, a little alarming.

The Lovelight Farms family burrowed deep into my chest, so I knew I would love anything (and everything) else Becs gifted us. But I still, somehow, was bowled over by this.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The raw, unfiltered, messy and chaotic and earnest love hooked right under my ribcage. Not just between Aiden and Lucie (though of course, of COURSE between Aiden and Lucie) but the casual affection, borderline (and entirely) intrusive love between them and the families they’ve created for themselves. There is yearning not only for each other but also for the idea of love - romantic love, familial love, platonic love. The deep, achingly human need to feel seen and wanted.

So many parts of Lucie resonated so deeply with me - her desire for something magic while also protecting her heart and the life she’s created for herself because it is so exhausting to try - and why try and try when you truly are content (most of the time)?

“I have so much love in my life, I’m not sure I need any more. I don’t want to settle for something just to say I have it. That’s what I’ve been telling myself, anyway.”

As always, this love story is about far more than romantic love. And it’s complicated, and tender, and lovely. And I can’t wait for you to love it, too.

3.75 stars, it was really good I loved the fact that it was sleepless in seattle inspired and that the whole series are nora ephron movie inspired but out of all her movies sleepless in seattle is def my least fav even tho I still love it and I think that’s maybe part of the reason I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought i would like there is so much plot around the radio storyline it felt like the chemistry between the main couple wasn’t as much as it could’ve been but I still enjoyed it never the less overall I would recommend it. im excited for the rest of the series tho

I would willingly PAY someone to wipe my memory so I can read "First-Time Caller" for the first time again.

As someone who grew up watching "You've Got Mail" with her mom, this book hit me right in the heart. It had everything I could have wanted, made me giggle my head off literally from page one until the end, and filled my heart with so much love and hope.

No MMC will ever compare to Aiden Valen, nope. This man is EVERYTHING. He was sweet, protective, funny, grumpy (but a literal goopy puddle at her feet when she's around). I loved how honest he felt, even though he was blocking some serious trauma at times. I don't quite know how to put this into words, but I guess saying I loved how messy he was is a decent attempt (like calls to like, after all, and I can be a real mess)

And LUCIE!! My gosh, I loved her. I loved the family she built for herself, but I also loved seeing her branch out and putting herself first. That's probably one of my favorite aspects of the entire book.

B.K. -- THANK YOU for the amazing work you do, the art you create, and the joy you bring into your readers' hearts. It never goes unnoticed <3 And to the team at Berkley who hit the "APPROVE" button when I sent in my request, I love ya'll with my entire being. THANK YOU!!!

thank you to netgalley & berkeley publishing for this arc!

5/5 🌟

wow… i want to start off by saying this is the first book i’ve read by b.k borison and im now RUNNING to read the rest of her books!!
this book was so beautiful and has made its way into my top 5 books of 2024. every single character in this book has a special place in my heart and i think thats really hard to get from a book! this definitely felt like watching a rom com made in the 90’s - early 2000s and i wanted to sit in that feeling forever.
aiden and lucie were EVERYTHINGGGG!! i loved how mature they felt as characters and how the communication never lacked once. the yearning was there x10000!! 🤧💕 i will say lucie is one of my favorite fmc’s of the year because she just gives girl boss in the best possible way!! aiden is also now in my top book boyfriends and im obsessed with him 👹
i feel like i can talk about this book forever and i cannot wait for everyone to be in awe of this book once it’s released! UGH I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH SOMEONE GIVE B.K BORISON HER FLOWERS 💐💐💐

This was definitely a cute read!

I enjoyed the characters and their growth throughout the book and I loved how cute and different this story was. I also loved the unique family dynamics!

Personally I felt this one was a little bit slower paced and while enjoyable could have been a shorter book. I will say that I am a mood reader and maybe this one just wasn’t what I was looking for at the moment!

Thank you to Berkley romance for my digital ARC!

First-Time caller is a love letter to love just as the author said in her note and a pretty good nod to Sleepless in Seattle. Lucie gets unexpectedly roped into becoming a radio jockey for a romance hotline show after her daughter Maya, goes behind her back to call the radio in order to help her mom with her love life. Aiden, the host of the show makes a pact to help Lucie find her love via the show as Lucie helps him cohost the show. There is a lil fun crossover with Bachelorette as well, while it has a really interesting premise I am so sad that this one really didn't work for me like the majority.

I think not all the books have to work for us and its ok. My main issue was with not being able to gel with the writing/dialogue style because I had hard time distinguishing these characters as if they don't have a unique voice. I also struggled with the plot a bit, while I understand it is meant to be a super slow burn I felt parts of it are too redundant and lot of page time for inner monologues made the pacing feel off. I was little frustrated with Aiden's character as his "I want you but I am not the right person for you" tune got repetitive, I actually enjoyed the last 30% more as the pacing picked up for me. I enjoyed Lucie's character a bit more while I absolutely adored Grayson and Jackson's characters, overall it is a cute story but I hope I enjoyed it as much as everyone else did.

When Aiden, the radio host of the Heartstrings, Baltimore’s romance hotline, has become too grumpy to be leading others' foray into romance, clouded by all the jaded types of love he’s seen he gets a call one night on air, one that changes the course of the show and his life.
 
When Lucie’s daughter Maya calls into Heartstrings, Baltimore’s Romance Hotline, a radio show, she has no idea what she’s in for - what she thinks is a secret conversation from her daughter turns into her spilling her innermost thoughts on the air with rough voiced Aiden - spinning her thoughts around the magic that comes with love, something that’s eluded her for so long, a spark she’s done well to avoid rather,  content with her family to fulfill her.
 
These two join together on the air to find Lucie her one true love, the one who will spark magic for her, the romantic in her bursting at the seams while Aiden’s grumpy frown is turned upside down as her thigh saddles in next to his. Will these two find Lucie someone on her road to love or are the radio waves sparking between them? Read to find out!
 
I loved this book, simply put one of the best things I’ve read all year. B.K. Borison wrote a master class in romance with First-Time Caller. wrote a masterclass in romanceHonestly, I could end the review there, a summation of my thoughts in a sentence, however, I do love to deep dive so here we go.
 
B.K. Borison pierced my soul, cracked me open, and put me back together with this book. This is a romance for the romantics (guilty), for those who still yearn for that magic spark, the one that you get when you just know you're with the one, and also for those who lost that spark, those who were romantic once, but life happened, and they've become jaded. Life has a funny way of treating us - handing us cards that we never thought we’d ever be dealt, and that is certainly the case here. Lucie with the child she had young and her platonic soulmate living next door with his husband, she who believes so much in that magic but believes her family is enough, doesn’t want to have to try at love too when life has been so trying already. Aiden with his past history of living on the brink of losing a loved one, shutting himself out of love, not letting that pain near for fear of losing that person altogether, a heavy burden that weighs on him in all parts of his life. These two venture together on this radio show and together discover what that spark is, what it feels like to fall in love and to have that magic swirl around them, not in grand reveals or fairy godmothers but in little things like pineapple on pizza and a living room fort, like what coffee is one’s favorite, and who their friends are. It’s the little things that make the magic. Lucie and Aiden learn that lesson together and it’s so beautiful watching them unpack each other slowly but surely, learning more and falling hard. B.K. wrote them with such grace as they handle their pasts and march into the future, a perfect balance of tragic and joyful.
 
As a hopeless romantic, B.K. wrote directly to my heart, as someone who does still want that spark, that magic you feel when the connections just right , I felt so seen in both Lucie and Aiden, as I’m sure many others will, too. The idea of trying so hard at yet another thing when life is pulling you in 1000 different directions, why does this have to be hard too, dating, meeting people, falling in love, the spark sometimes doesn’t feel worth it. And then others feel like you’ve been burned before so lesson learned, retreat away from the possibilities to guard your heart and protect your peace. Both rang so true for me, reverberating through my heart as I grapple with love, as I’m sure so many of us do, but this book made me believe in it just that much more, to look for the magic in the little things, see love for what it can be, a love like Lucie and Aiden’s. They may be fictional, but I felt so at home in their story, nestled in the pages I never wanted to leave.  When you find a book that makes you feel so seen it’s like your home is very special, and First-Time Caller is one of them for me now. God, now I’m crying again. And that’s not even all - B.K. explores love in so many forms in this book - in friendships, in family, in self, it’s really powerful to see love glow in all forms here, done in such a beautiful way it only elevates the reading experience because everyone feels so realistic, the love between them palpable. This book is an exploration of love in all forms and how we find it, how it blossoms and grows and how the magic can be seen all around you if you look for it, and how love and pain are woven together you can’t have one without the other, your heart may break along the way, you may lose someone, but it’s not a reason to stop searching, to stop the looking for the magic.
 
First-Time Caller is a tender, romantic story, one that will crack your heart in half and then stitch you back together. B.K. balances the hysterical moments of life with the tragic ones with such grace, it felt so real. This is a book that will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you FEEL.  This book is one of my all-time favorites and I hope that you love it as much as I did, and…well, that’s all for now Baltimore, I’m a first-time caller but long-time listener of romance and this one knocks it out of the park.  

Scarf Rating: 🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣(infinity scarves)
 
Taylor Swift songs I associate with this book:  New Year's Day, So High School, invisible string, Sweet Nothing, Labyrinth, Begin Again, State of Grace, How You Get The Girl, You Are In Love, Delicate, Dress, Dancing with our Hands Tied, long story short, gold rush, Fearless, Sparks Fly, Enchanted, Down Bad 

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this book so much! I had never seen Sleepless in Seattle so the premise of the story was pretty new to me but (after watching the trailer and clips from the movie) I can definitely see the charm. I love the characters from out two main characters Aiden and Lucie to Lucie’s daughter and her small village of family and friends. Aiden though has my heart and he made me cry! As someone who witnessed cancer take away a close family member, I really resonated with parts of Aiden’s character. I deeply appreciated the themes of what love is, allowing yourself to love in your terms and what falling in love should feel like.

At first I couldn't grasp on to the chemistry but that quickly changed (I think around the 35-40% mark). I loved the comedy and the flirtation between the characters. It was so sweet and funny and I think their back and forth was extremely realistic.

I now really want to try a cruffin and I will absolutely be recommending this book to anyone who will listen.

This was my first B.K. Borison book and it certainly won't be my last! I can't stop thinking about these characters and how wonderful they truly are. This is everything I'm looking for in a Romance read: great banter and tension between characters, good self-awareness, mature individuals who typically know what they want, a bit of grumpy/sunshine dynamics, fantastic chemistry, and memorable side characters. I've already been telling people about this book and have made a pre-order to put it on my book shelf! I already know it will be in my top Romances of 2025.

This is peak rom com vibes!! SO refreshing, so fun 🤩Lucie and Aiden with their delightful banter made me all gooey inside.

I would die for Lucie, I want her to be my best friend. She was so relatable to me and her views on dating was like she was inside my own head. Feeling like there’s not someone out there for you, dating is hard and just not wanting to put in the effort but still wishing for something to happen..girl get out of my brain!! Not only is she so sweet and endearing, she knows what she wants. Aiden needed to be called out, he was bugging me and she was having NONE of that. Lucie is definitely a favorite FMC of mine now.

If B.K. Borison writes it, I will read it, period. Goodnight, Baltimore!!

✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨

📱 R E V I E W 📱

Thank you so much to @berkleyromance for this advance copy!

First-Time Caller by BK Borison
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Oh my goodness, y’all! The way I couldn’t stop smiling while reading this book! 💖

First-Time Caller is absolutely perfect and so relatable that it’s almost scary, considering that our MC is a parent, and I am very much not. 😅 I loved that the characters are so raw and real, and Borison really makes their very unique and individualized growth a key part of the story.

The romance is quite beautiful and realistic, which I can really appreciate sometimes. I love a good slow burn with a little bit of resistance.

Also, holy cow, First-Time Caller is flipping hilarious, and I GREATLY appreciated the references to my book boyfriend. 👀 IYKYK.

First-Time Caller publishes 2/11, and I highly suggest you grab it the moment you can! Thank you again to Berkley Romance for being so fabulous and sending me a free copy! 💖

#berkleypartner

First Time Caller is the first in what I can already tell is going to be an incredible series from an incredible author.

Something that really draws me to BK Borison's writing is her incredible character writing, wether you love a character or not each one feels unique and like they could be a real person in existence in the world. They have thoughts, opinions, habits, it's easy to picture them existing about their day. Heartstrings is a prime example. Of course we have Lucie and Aiden who I have fallen in love with (Seriously do they need a third person in this relationship I love them both) But we have an incredible realized supporting cast, from Jackson Aidens exasperated best friend, to Grayson Lucie's chaotic ex, to Patty her lovable best friend (Who definitely gave me Miss Patty vibes shout out Gilmore Girls). Borison's character writing can not be matched and is a huge reason why this book is as amazing as it is.

Now for the romance... watching these two fall in love not only with each other but with themselves, with life again, was truly an honor to witness. Finding a way to believe in love again after life has really beat you down is such a tough thing to do and it felt so relatable in a way that made me emotional to see how difficult it could be at times for them. I wanted to cry, scream, kick my feet at times. Watching as two lives that had somehow danced around each others come to mold into one was truly a masterpiece on paper.

First Time Caller is an absolute MUST read and the perfect first book to come after the beautiful conclusion of Lovelight Farms.