Drawing loosely on the “lonely hearts meeting over the airwaves” plot of Sleepless in Seattle, First Time Caller is about a late-night DJ with a romance advice call-in show who is having trouble hiding the fact he doesn’t really believe in love–until he encounters a pre-teen caller phoning in for her single mom, a cute red-headed car mechanic. When Lucie takes over the call and sends her meddlesome daughter back to bed, Aiden and Lucie’s vulnerable, honest, live on the air conversation about Lucie looking for ease and magic and Aiden’s cynical view that he’d like to believe it but doesn’t think it actually exists goes viral via their podcast (with all of 14 subscribers).

Quick to jump on a scheme that could increase audience and draw in sponsors to keep the show–and station afloat, Aiden’s boss Maggie offers Lucie a guest spot on Heartstrings while host Aiden tries to help her find her dream match. Only, as time goes on, no one is good enough. Everyone around them sees their attraction and chemistry, and waits patiently for them to figure it out. Meanwhile, Aiden is also coming to terms with his parent’s mortality–they are traveling the world in celebration of her third cancer remission.

Instead of being widowed with a child, like Sam in Sleepless in Seattle, it’s Lucie who has the child–Maya is an unexpected result from the first time Lucie and Grayson had sex, and Lucie hasn’t dated since, to everyone’s concern. Gray is now an artist who lives next door with his husband Mateo; the blending of family and co-parenting here is top notch #goals. In fact, all of the relationships are really amazing. Found family / family of choice and community-building is something that Borison seems to write from the heart. In First Time Caller, there’s Harvey, Angelo and Dan, the sweet guys at the auto-shop where Lucie works, who treat her like one of the girls and are still respectful and woke, and the rag tag bunch at the radio station, including Aiden’s buddy Jackson the weather guy, who has some sort of ongoing feud with the weather girl at the news station (I hope we’re going to see that romance bloom sometime soon!)

Borison excels at detailed slice of life background that fleshes out the characters, such as Maya’s anxious cereal box stacking as she waits to see how much trouble she’s in, and Mateo and Lucie surreptitiously adjusting the dinner Grayson (a terrible cook) is putting together, to comic effect. The book is also a love letter (I think that word is overused, but it fits!) to Baltimore, a city that also figures prominently in Sleepless in Seattle, with topical references, icons, and scenery.

This gave me Weather Girl vibes, for it’s production crew feel, vulnerabilities, sexual tension, and challenging relationships with parents that prevent us from moving forward in our romantic relationships. Other readalikes include The Ex Talk (also by Rachel Lynn Solomon!) about two former lovers who team up to deliver relationship advice via a radio show, and Landline by Rainbow Rowell, in which an old telephone connects a wife to the husband of her past; their intimate conversations may save their tenuous marriage.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #FirstTimeCaller via #NetGalley, courtesy of Berkley. This review will post to HLBB on 2/12/2025.

First Time Caller by B.K. Borison is a delightful love letter to romance that had me captivated from the very first page. With a premise reminiscent of Sleepless in Seattle, this enchanting story beautifully weaves together the lives of Aiden Valentine, a jaded romance hotline host, and Lucie Stone, a single mother navigating the complexities of love in the spotlight.

Aiden, who has fallen out of love with love, finds himself unexpectedly thrust into the limelight when a heartfelt call from Lucie's daughter goes viral. Lucie, who seems to have it all—a great job, a loving family, and a clever daughter—begins to question her happiness when Baltimore starts scrutinizing her love life. As the pressure mounts, Lucie's journey towards self-discovery and romance is both touching and relatable.

The chemistry between Aiden and Lucie is nothing short of magical. Their evolution from reluctant acquaintances to something deeper is a beautifully crafted friends-to-lovers story that showcases the power of connection. The forced proximity adds an extra layer of tension and charm, making their interactions all the more captivating.

Borison’s writing is warm and inviting, making this a perfect read for anyone who believes in the magic of love stories. The acknowledgments at the end resonate with the reader’s heart, reminding us of the beauty of love and the joy of being part of this literary community.

First Time Caller is a must-read for fans of romantic comedies and heartfelt narratives. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a story that will make your heart melt and leave you longing for your own happily ever after. I can't wait to see what B.K. Borison has in store for us next!

Everything BK Borison writes is *magical* and First-Time Caller is no exception.

From beautiful prose to heart stopping chemistry to an iconic setting, First-Time Caller is an instant hit. Loosely inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, FTC will appeal to fans of the classics! A timeless love story with an eccentric and lovable cast. I can't wait to read the rest of this series!

I got this as an arc from NetGalley. This was my first book by BK and I was clearly missing out. If you enjoyed Sleepless in Seattle this will make you just as happy. I love the growth of Aiden in this story and the absolute way he is so down bad for Lucie that you along with the rest of Baltimore are cheering them on. Lucie is such a strong woman for everyone else in her life and this isn't the type of woman who doesn't stand strong for herself. She is so confident in the love that she deserves and who she loves that it is really refreshing. This book had me giggling and kicking my feet so much. The supporting characters too were so fantastic and are full, realized characters and not just props for the main characters and they are all fantastic. I really hope they will get their own stories.

I read the Lovelight Farms series as soon as they were published, so seeing more by BK was so exciting! This book... it's good. Like, really good. A perfect twist on Sleepless in Seattle that makes much more sense for today's world. The characters are charming, funny, flawed in real ways, and you can't help but love them. Even the side characters are done so well you can't wait to see who the next book will be about. (My money is on Jackson and the weather girl.)

One small, almost tiny nitpick... what happened on the episodes of Heartstrings that Lucie missed?? Everyone kept asking her if she'd heard it, but no one ever told her what was said! I would just really love to know how Aiden filled that time, even if it was just moping.

Sigh...Can a book make your heart melt and grow all at the same time? Well if it's written by B.K. Borison it definitely can. I have been eager to devour First-time caller ever since the cover reveal. Hyped as a love letter to love, Sleepless in Seattle and Nora Ephron, honestly how could anything go wrong??

Lucie and Aiden were magic! As a single mom and co-parent to precocious tween, Maya, mechanic Lucie has gotten tired of endless bad dates and never finding her happily ever after. So her daughter takes it into her own hands and calls up a late night radio show where the host, grumpy, cynical Aiden Valentine (Valen), first meets the unsuspecting Lucie.

What follows is a beautifully tender friends to lovers, forced proximity, small town romance that is the absolute perfect gender-swapped ode to Sleepless in Seattle. Aiden has been afraid to put his heart on the line and Lucie has just been waiting to find that magic and together they truly are magic!

Highly recommended for fans of Rachel Lynn Solomon's Ex-talk and Weather girl. The acknowledgements at the very end of the book truly encapsulated all the reasons why I will be a forever fan of this author:

"[To my readers] For believing in love and love stories and the magic they hold. Isn't it a beautiful thing to exist in this community? To slip into love stories over and over again. To believe in the unfailing magic and power of love."

And while she "can't wait to keep sharing stories" with us, I can't wait to keep reading them! Especially the next book in this new Heartstrings series which I hope will feature Aiden's best friend, Jackson! Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Goodnight, Baltimore!

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️

First Time Caller is a love letter to Sleepless in Seattle. It follows Lucie, whose daughter calls in to Heartstrings, a romance hotline, hoping to find love for her mom. Lucie ends up talking to Aiden, the host, who has fallen out of love with love. After going viral, Lucie joins the show to find her happy ending. But, of course, things don't go precisely to plan.

Firstly, such a fun premise! There is a great cast of quirky characters. I am very partial to Jackson, the anxious weather man, and Grayson, the baby daddy. (I mean, saying live on broadcast, "Listen up, lizards. There's a new daddy in town." made me legitimately laugh out loud.)

For anyone wondering, there is spice 🌶️ However, I felt like those scenes were a little out of place. But this might only apply to me. I sometimes have trouble picturing marshmallows talk dirty 🙈

Overall, this was a nice read! The beginning felt a little stronger to me. I mean, what an intro. My interest started to wane a little bit at about the half-way point. It never completely disappeared, but it did start to feel a little monotonous.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me early access to First-Time Caller in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Pre-reading:
I think I need some happiness in my life. Let's see if this does the trick

Edit: After reflecting, I edited the stars from 3.75 to 3.5.

I loved the idea of B.K. Borison's new Heartstrings series. Each of the three books will give "a subtle nod to a Nora Ephron classic" and First-Time Caller is a twist on Sleepless in Seattle. Unpopular opinion, but I do not like Sleepless in Seattle. I'm happy to report that this book takes very little from the movie and I loved it. You're rooting for Lucie (her daughter is the child who calls into the radio station) and Aiden is the crusty radio host but so smitten and endearing deep down.

I'm very excited for the rest of the series. The next will feature Aiden's friend and the radio station's weatherman and will be somehow tied to When Harry Met Sally. Then the third You've Got Mail.

Tropes:
•Single Parent
•Forced Proximity
•Friends to Lovers
•Sunny vs grumpy
•Workplace Romance

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Open Door: At least one intimate scene with the reader present, euphemistic language for act and body parts.

First-Time Caller is the kind of cozy, heartwarming romance that will make you believe in love all over again. Inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, this story is a perfect blend of charm, humor, and undeniable chemistry, wrapped up in a tale that feels like a warm hug on a chilly day. With an intriguing premise and two memorable characters, this book is an absolute delight from start to finish.
Aiden Valentine, the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, is grappling with a deep secret—he’s fallen out of love with love itself. For someone whose career revolves around giving romantic advice, that’s a pretty big problem. But when a young girl calls his show asking for dating advice for her mom, everything changes. The heartfelt moment goes viral, thrusting both Aiden and the unsuspecting single mom, Lucie Stone, into the spotlight in a way neither of them expected.
Lucie is the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for. She’s content with her life as a loving mother and dedicated professional, but when her daughter's well-meaning interference suddenly puts her love life in the public eye, she begins to wonder if she’s missing something. Maybe her carefully constructed life could use a bit more passion, excitement...and romance. Watching Lucie navigate the pressures of her newfound celebrity status is both heartwarming and hilarious.
The sparks between Aiden and Lucie are palpable from their very first interaction. Aiden’s grumpy, jaded exterior slowly melts as he gets to know the fiercely independent Lucie. Their conversations—whether over the airwaves or in person—are filled with witty banter, tender moments, and a slow-burn tension that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages. It’s a joy to watch these two opposites attract and fall for each other in such an authentic, gradual way.
The author masterfully balances humor and heart in this novel. The radio-show setting gives the story a unique, modern twist, while the secondary characters—particularly Lucie’s precocious daughter—add layers of warmth and depth to the narrative. There’s something so comforting about the way the author writes, making you feel like you’re right there with Aiden and Lucie, experiencing their highs and lows alongside them.
What truly sets First-Time Caller apart is how it handles the complexities of love. This isn’t just a feel-good romance; it’s also about rediscovering yourself and what you truly want out of life. Aiden’s journey from a man disillusioned with love to someone who dares to believe in it again is beautifully written. And Lucie’s internal struggle—between embracing the life she’s built for herself and opening her heart to new possibilities—is relatable and touching.
If you’re a fan of cozy romances with memorable characters, heartfelt moments, and just the right amount of slow-burn tension, First-Time Caller is the book for you. It’s the kind of story that will make you laugh, swoon, and maybe even shed a tear. The author has created a love story that feels timeless yet refreshingly modern, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The writing is lovely. I enjoy the characters. The story seemed to go on too long though, and I would have preferred a little more depth to some of the characters. It felt like there might have been a little too much day to day description when building a deeper world with deeper characters would have been better?

This book was a full time dopamine hit. If you are as nostalgic as I am and wanting to go back in time to the peak of rom-coms this book is perfect for you. It is loosely based on "Sleepless in Seattle", but with the MMC, Aiden Valentine, attempting to match the FMC, Lucy, with perfect suitors through his radio show. Such a perfect book to have gotten me at the slope I had sunk into.

Reading this book was like being snuggled up in your favorite blanket watching your favorite 90s rom-com. I truly loved it. It’s definitely in my Top 3 favorites for romance books. I loved Maya’s character so much! She was adorable and Aiden and Lucie’s love story definitely belongs on the big screen. I’m excited that this is a series (and I have an idea about who Book 2 is about!) B.K. captured pure magic into the pages of this book. The romance!! Ugh, seriously my favorite slow burn I’ve read. I truly didn’t want this book to end. I can’t wait for everyone else to obsess over it too! Also, this cover is gorgeous! Can’t wait for my preorder to come in!!

As a Meg Ryan rom-com aficionado, I ate this up and then some. This was my first novel by Borison but it will not be my last as she KNOWS how to write chemistry. The plot had me giggling and all the characters were endearing and loveable. I am so pleased to hear that this is part of an interconnected yet stand-alone series as I can't wait to see sneak peeks of these new favs while falling more in love with Borison's writing.

This was literal perfection! I genuinely loved everything about it. I love both main characters, I loved the coparenting aspect, Grayson and Mateo were amazing characters, and Maya was so sweet and funny.

The plot and storyline were phenomenal and I was hooked right away. I couldn’t put the book down! Aiden, welcome to the favorite book boyfriends club🫶🏼

If BK Borison writes it, I will read it! First-Time Caller is a new take on Sleepless in Seattle and had one of the most unique premises in a romance I have read in some time. Lucie is a single mom who's doing just fine on her own but can't help but want for more romantically. Her teenage daughter calls into Baltimore's romance hotline to get her mom some help romantically. Radio host Aiden and Lucie strike up an unconventional friendships leading to a spunky, tension filled friends to lovers arc. I really loved the way BK introduced Lucie as a single parent and highlighted the love that can come from unconventional families! Lucie and Aiden had amazing chemistry, banter, and I couldn't help but root for them. I felt like the pacing was pretty consistent throughout the whole book. The only thing missing for me was a real personal connection with the characters, but I will absolutely be reading the remainder of the interconnected stand alone series, Heartstrings! Thank you Berkley and BK Borison for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I have read by this author, and I was not disappointed. It had a strong start out, and it kept going from there. I will guiltily admit that I love the sleepless in Seattle and undertone of you've got mail vibes in the book. I enjoyed every minute of this one. I am looking forward to more from this author. I will be recommending it to other readers.

Thank you Net Galley ARC

5/5

B.K. Borison calls forth the magic in her series debut, First-Time Caller, a romance that pays homage to Nora Ephron and the romantic comedy classic, Sleepless in Seattle. Featuring her signature banter and sizzling charm, Borison pits a cynical radio host against a dreamy romantic on a late-night radio dating segment to test if love without reservations is truly attainable. Main characters Lucie Stone and Aiden Valentine fight the growing sparks on the air and the fact that the love they've been denying themselves is just one seat away. If it's possible to fall in love with a group of characters in just one book, left hopelessly hanging for more, then B.K. Borison has done that with First-Time Caller. I want to soak in all the workplace gossip at the radio station, hang out with the Heartstrings crew in the studio, and get far too caught up in Jackson's antics and his feud with Delilah. First-Time Caller brings everything into focus for this brand-new romance series encapsulating all the best from classic love stories and it’s left me entirely too excited for what Borison is delivering us next.

A full review is now up on my blog!

3.5 rounded up to a 4. I give the entire first half of this book 5 solid stars. It started to fall apart for me after the first half when there's the whole "I know what you need better than you do" act but that is my ick so maybe it won't bug other people. Otherwise, chemistry is fun and I thought the romance was realistic.

I loved the Sleepless in Seattle vibes and could totally see this getting adapted as a movie. It basically sells itself to all of us 90's romance fans that wish we could relive our favorite rom coms. This would be adorable as a movie!!

Lucie and her daughter are adorable and I loved the dynamic with her ex too. That was a win for me. Co-parenting at its best and while the daughter was never difficult and seemed too good to be true, this is a ROMANCE and characters can be how they are meant to be! Loved that.

There wasn't any spice and then BLAM! So much spice. It was an interesting addition to the book bc it seemed like it was going to be kind of sweet or closed door romance and then 💥.

This was my first book from this author and I really enjoyed the writing. It was super easy to read and I would definitely read another book by her in the future!

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to review.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison is a heartwarming and witty romance. Aiden Valentine, a cynical radio host who has fallen out of love with romance, faces an unexpected challenge when a young girl calls his show asking for dating advice for her mom. The call goes viral, turning Aiden and his radio show, Heartstrings, into a sensation and thrusting Lucie Stone into the public eye. As sparks fly between her and Aiden behind the scenes, Lucie is caught between the fairy tale ending everyone expects and the real and messy connection growing with the man beside her. This is a sweet and cozy love story filled with charm and humor!

A sweet love story with one of the more creative meet-cutes and a sweet homage to Sleepless in Seattle (with a few You've Got Mail references thrown in).