THIS WAS SO CUTE! I really loved how several tropes/character expectations were flipped on their heads—it made for a much more immersive story. I think this is truly a unique love story with characters I could really feel and understand. Also really appreciated the friendships the characters had; it wasn’t just only the love interests interacting. There’s a whole cast of wonderful characters to explore in further books! Me personally, I’m looking forward to Jackson and Delilah’s story!

This is everything you could want in a romance book! "First Time Caller" just oozes charm -- it is funny, hopeful, and just down right sweet! I loved the tension between characters and the whip smart dialogue. This is a must read romance for the year!

✨ Review ✨ First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison; Narrated by E.J. Bingham & Hathaway Lee

Thanks to Berkley, PRH Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

There’s a character named Aiden Valentine who hosts a radio show about love, enough said? Lucie’s a mechanic, a single mom, and hopeless at love. Her daughter calls into Aiden’s show seeking love advice. Lucie and Aiden begin co-hosting episodes while they look for Lucie’s love, but sparks fly between Lucie and Aiden which will inevitably ignite, making this book smolder in your hands.

Things I loved:
⭕️ that Lucie's a mechanic and surrounded by a group of male mechanics who are supportive and caring of her
⭕️ the family dynamic of Lucie, her ex, his husband, and their daughter all living nextdoor to each other. It was such a loving, caring family structure.
⭕️ everything about the radio show and the energy that Aiden and Lucie brought to it.

This book launches a new series, "Heartstrings," and so far it's already filled with the cozy, sweet energy we love Borison for. Hopefully it continues to center the cast from the radioshow, who are all really lovable.

🎧 This was lots of fun to listen to - and there was something about listening to a book talking about a radio show that just felt right!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: contemporary F/M romance
Setting: Baltimore
Length: 11 hours 53 minutes
Reminds me of: Sleepless in Seattle, Borison's other books - cozy and romantic
Pub Date: Feb 11 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ forced proximity
⭕️ single parent
⭕️ opposites attract

BK Borison has quickly become one of my must-read authors, and this book is no exception. I absolutely loved the family dynamics between Lucie, Grayson, Mateo, and Maya - it is refreshing that Lucie's past relationship wasn't a dramatic or negative part of her backstory. I also appreciated that her falling out with her parents was not used for the plot - it was part of her story, but there was no twist that resulted in a reunion in the span of the book. Too often stories incorporate too many things, which pushes them into being less realistic or relatable, and I was worried her non-relationship with her parents would come up as something else thrown at her during this book, so I was glad that it didn't. As someone with a rocky/non-existent relationship with a parent, it was nice to read a story where that existed as a fact and not as something that needed to be resolved.
I really enjoyed the fact that Aiden and Lucie got to know each other through the radio show. I think it helped avoid the insta-love trope by making their relationship develop at a normal pace but still within the length of the book. One thing I didn't love was the epilogue, because it felt like it could have just been a final chapter instead of something seemingly in the future. I think it would have worked better to have the breakfast at Skullduggery happen within the ending of the timeline of the book - it would make more sense for Aiden to discover it was owned by Patty and then hear the call for Brooks Robinson shortly after he and Lucie got together and put those pieces together, rather than that happening after they are living together and spending every Sunday there. It would have been nice for that to be a segue into the start of them creating a routine together, rather than a random snippet of them at some undetermined time in the future.
Overall this was a good read and I am excited to read future books in the series, as I think BK Borison does a great job of writing stories that overlap by integrating additional characters who have their own personalities and aren't just bland people used to further the stories of the main characters.

5/5 Stars 2/5 Spice

Tropes:
💕 Single Mom
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Forced Proximity
🌦️ Grumpy x Sunshine
✏️ Workplace Romance
🔥 Slow Burn

aiden aiden aiden. the way you own my heart. i loved this story so much. aiden & lucie started with the most fun meet cute & then the tension & build up only gets better. i never wanted this book to end. the found family for lucie & the work family for aiden was such a quirky fun moment. they were all so endearing. this one is a slow burn & you are so ready when the time comes it made it 10x better. five big gold stars for this one. cannot recommend enough!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This is the second book by BK Borison that I’ve read and I am officially a FAN and can’t wait to read her whole backlist!! This book made me laugh, swoon, and tear up 🥹 You’ll be rooting for both MCs while loving all the side characters you meet along the way. This was a slower burn compared to Business Casual, which is the other book I’ve read by Borison, but the tension is SO GOOD and so is the spice once it hits.

Here’s hoping that The Primetime Pussycats makes it into more books of this series 😂😂

Thank you Berkeley, NetGalley, and BK Borison for a free copy of First Time Caller in exchange for an honest review.

Read If You Like:
- Contemporary romance
- Grumpy/Sunshine Trope
- Single-parent Romances
- Found family
- Radio Show Settings
- Slow-burn Romance
- Witty Banter
- Heartfelt storytelling

Aiden Valentine, a jaded radio host who's lost faith in love, finds himself entangled in an unexpected romance when Maya, a young girl, calls into his late-night show seeking dating advice for her single mother, Lucie Stone.

What starts as a viral moment turns into a heartfelt journey, as Lucie agrees to let Aiden help her find a match—only to discover that the connection growing between them might be the one that matters most.

I loved the exploration of Lucie attempting to date through the radio show and how it was an interesting journey from getting stood up, to going out with someone who isn’t ready for love, to getting flirted with in real life and her being completely oblivious to the charms of another man once she starts falling for Aiden.

This novel shines with its blend of humor, emotion, and authentic character development of Lucie and Aiden. The chemistry between Aiden and Lucie is palpable, enhanced by witty dialogue and genuine interactions throughout the book and especially with the radio show.

First Time Caller was my favorite read of February and it is sure to leave you smiling, laughing, and believing in the magic of unexpected connections. If you read and loved the Ex Talk by RLS make sure to pick this one up too!

Thanks to Berkley for my gifted ALC and ARC!

First-Time Caller by BK Borison is pure adorable fluff! It’s sweet, light, and just what the heart ordered. The banter between Aiden and Lucie is so cute—you’ll be grinning like a fool the entire time. Their connection is instant, and watching their relationship unfold is like a warm hug for the soul. Honestly this book healed a part of me. I loved all the side characters as well. I was kicking my feet and giggling the whole time. This book has all the feel-good energy you need, with a perfect balance of sweetness and light-hearted moments that will leave you smiling long after you finish. If you're looking for a feel-good read that’s as cute as a button, First-Time Caller is exactly what you need!

**4.5-stars**

In First Time Caller, we meet Lucie, a car mechanic with a precocious 12-year old daughter, and Aidan, a radio personality who hosts a late night romance hotline. Concerned that her Mom might be lonely, Lucie's daughter, Maya, calls into Aidan's show, Heartstrings, seeking dating advice for her Mom.

When Lucie discovers what Maya has been up to, she's understandably mortified. The last thing she needs is all of Baltimore hearing about her pathetic social life. Nevertheless, Lucie finds herself opening up during an on-air call with Aidan that ends up captivating the listeners and Aidan alike. For someone who has become so disengaged with his work lately, this is a great feat.

The higher-ups at Aidan's station take notice once Lucie and Aidan's call goes viral. They want more and the city of Baltimore wants Lucie to have her happy ending. The station is determined to deliver. Lucie then becomes a regular guest on Aidan's show, under the guise of finding her a perfect match. As the two begin spending more time together though, something starts smoldering, and Aidan's not so sure he wants to be setting Lucie up on dates with strangers.

Could Lucie's happily ever after be sitting right across from her in the cramped radio show room?

First Time Caller was so, so cute and very close to perfect for my tastes. I loved the full cast of quirky characters, as well as all the different kinds of relationships and types of love displayed throughout. Of course, this is first a foremost a story of romantic love, but the love found within the elements surrounding Lucie's family, as well as the found family at her workplace, those were some of my favorite elements of the entire book.

With this in mind, I felt like Borison did a great job balancing the romance along with some true character development. I loved both of these main characters and felt they equally contributed to my attachment with the story.

The pining! Oh my goodness, it just melted my heart and I felt like the relationship between Aidan and Lucie blossomed in such an organic way. It was a delight to read.

There was like one sex scene that wasn't quite for me, kind of cringe, as well as a few of the miscommunication bits towards the end, I could have done without, but I understand why the author included them and it's just a personal taste thing at the end of the day.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is my first Borison, and I'm definitely looking forward to more!

4.5 stars - Calling the perfect match?

I was so excited to read this book, especially since it's inspired by one of my favorite films, and it absolutely lived up to the hype! Aiden and Lucie are such lovable characters, and I was completely drawn into their journey as they navigate the dating world in search of Lucie's perfect match. Their banter, chemistry, and emotional depth made their story both heartwarming and entertaining.

It's rare to love the secondary characters as much as the main ones, but Maya and Grayson stole my heart just as much! Their presence added even more charm and humor to the story. The audiobook format made it feel like I was listening to a live talk radio show, pulling me even deeper into the characters' lives. I was fully immersed from start to finish, and this story left me with a huge smile on my face.

I loved the idea of this book, but I will say I enjoyed the first half more than the second half. I didn’t love the main characters and the male main character wasn’t very likeable and felt annoying at times. I did enjoy the side characters though!

Aiden, a radio jockey hosting romance show on radio meets Lucie who is unabashedly romantic. It felt clearly one will win over the other by either introducing a new life in itself or get extremely practical to stay away from love in life. As a romcom reader, clearly we all want Lucie to win but at what cost does she win? what will this mean to Aiden, does his current life turn upside down due to Lucie? This one had the feels and very calming yet romantic vibes to it that won me over. It felt slightly slow but this slow burn is worth it. I definitely want to read it again!

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison is a contemporary romance about a single mom looking for love and a talk-radio host burned out by love. The story opens with Lucie Stone’s daughter calling in to Heartstrings, a romance hotline, with the idea of setting her mom up on a date. Lucie overhears the call late in the evening, and through a series of hilarious moments, she winds up talking to Aiden Valentine, the host, until the show is off the air. When their talk goes viral, the radio manager comes up with a way to bring Heartstrings back to life: bring Lucie on the show to cohost with Aiden while she is finding her true love.

The story alternates between Lucie and Aiden’s POV, which I loved. Lucie is a fun character. She’s a single mom who has a healthy relationship with ex. She’s given up on finding her true love and accepted it doesn’t exist for her. Her daughter has other ideas though, recognizing that Lucie is lonely. Because of her daughter, she agrees to do the show on the condition that she has final say on who she accepts dates from.

Aiden is more complicated. He’s the host of a romance hotline who doesn’t believe in love. He’s watched his father’s heartbreak over and over again with his mom’s cancer diagnosis and treatments. As a result, he’s closed himself off from all relationships, afraid of that kind of hurt. But there’s something about Lucie that wakes him up.

The plot is inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, and the author does a wonderful job of creating her own story with similar themes. It honestly felt like I was reading a Nora Ephron book. Seriously, well done! The romance is slow to build, but the friendship is quickly established and gives us some laugh out loud moments.

Overall, I really enjoyed First-Time Caller. Lucie and Aiden are easy to root for. The whole cast of characters are fully fleshed out and complements the main characters. It felt true to life without being over-the-top or too cheesy. If you are looking for a sweet rom-com, this is it.

Audiobook Note: I also received an ALC from the publisher so I did mostly listen to this one. There are two narrators, one for each of our main characters. Both did a great job fleshing out the characters and bringing them to life. If you are a fan of audio format, this one is a good listen.

This book was so cute! A Sleepless in Seattle retelling, FIRST TIME CALLER is the most heartful romance novel I've read in a long while. We have our main character, Lucie, a single mom to a tween who goes on a late night radio show called Heartstrings to talk about her mom's lack of love life. On the other end, we have Aiden, the host of said radio show, who no longer believes in love.

Aiden is trying to withdraw his feelings in general after seeing how his father was in shambles following his mom's cancer diagnosis. Maybe being in love isn't great if it's more likely to cause you pain. Maybe it's better to never feel. Lucie on the other hand, is what we could consider a romantic, though maybe a romantic who's never had time to explore those feelings. Her first time having sex with someone as a teenager landed her pregnant and cut-off parents, and her life's been chaos ever since, working at an auto shop to support her and her daughter. The dad's in the picture, but not in any romantic way (he's gay and has a husband).

You can tell Lucie is a romantic based on how she describes the world around her, but especially Aiden. You can tell Aiden is jaded about love, especially when he describes Lucie. You can see him slowly open his heart out to love, especially when Lucie finds a list of her favorite things on a note in Aiden's car's glove compartment. He wrote it to keep track!

This novel was a fun little romance that had me fully pulled in from the first chapter! I will be going back to read this book and any other of her books whenever I need a little pick me up.

“A grin splits her face and it’s like I’ve been plugged into the wall. Like the sun’s been tilted in my direction.”

He compares her to sunlight, he compares her eyes to the plants he’s studied with his dad. He keeps a running list of her favorite things on a crumpled up paper in his glove box so he can memorize them. He is Aiden Valen and he is an angel. He is the sweetest grump to ever walk the planet.

I haven’t read a rom-com that had me this giddy in YEARS, probably not since the love hypothesis had her heyday. This book rom-com’d so hard and it is perfection. It may be one of my favorite rom-coms of all time.

Lucie is Lorelai Gilmore in a parallel universe. She is simply one of the coolest moms to ever do it, even if she doesn’t see that in herself. The village that she has “cobbled” for herself is the sweetest, best & most precious thing to me. She has an entire band of kooky, massive personalities that would do anything for her.

I love the family dynamic that is painted in the pages of this story so much that I caught myself tearing up over the gate in Lucie’s backyard that connects to Grayson & Mateo’s. It’s simply a magical world her and Grayson created for Maya, she’s the luckiest little girl in the world and I think she knows it.

Physical touch plays such a massive part in this book and in their love story, the most subtle touches created such palpable chemistry and moments I wanted to kick my feet like a teenager over.

Thank you penguin random house & bk borison for letting me get my paws on this book before it came out but it’s out now and everyone must read it !!!

While I love BK Borison, I ended up DNFing this book before release day! I definitely want to try again some time soon via audiobook!

Wow! This was such a cute story, I loved the instant chemistry between Aiden and Lucie. I liked that Lucie was in a traditionally male dominated field as a mechanic .
I enjoyed the interviews that were mixed in as well.
I can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you for this ARC! This book is as such a cute Rom/Com. The banter was top tier and the characters were so likable.

First Time Caller by B.K. Borison has witty banter and a slow-burn romance in a feel-good love story with a grumpy-sunshine trope. It's probably a medium spice level.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the electronic copy.