First Time Caller by B.K. Borison is the vibes of a 90’s/early 00’s romcom movie in written form in the best way possible.

This is book #1 in the Heartsteings series and what an adorably heartwarming start it is! This is the 5th book I’ve read from this author and loved their Lovelight series , so I do recommend their wonderful read.

First Time Caller is great for those looking to read…
🩷 Single Mom Romance
🩷 Workplace Romance (Radio Talk Snow)
🩷 Forced/Close Proximity
🩷 Grumpy x Sunshine
🩷 Opposites Attract
🩷 Inspired by Sleepless in Seattle

B.K. Borison is rapidly becoming a staple & guaranteed favorite in the romance genre. This read had me grinning from ear to ear while sparks danced through my chest. If you are looking for your next feel good romance, I highly recommend First Time Caller!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

THE 411...
Lucie Stone is a single mom with a bright and slightly mischievous young daughter who doesn’t want to see her mom sitting on the couch in sweats every night/weekend with Netflix and wine. She decides to call into Baltimore’s late night radio station Heartstrings and chats it up with the host Aiden Valentine in hopes of getting some advice to help her mom. Aiden Valentine has a problem, he’s fallen out of love with all things love while working as a host for the segment Heartstrings on a Baltimore radio station. His interest is piqued when a child calls in talking about her mom who has a pretty dull social life and could use some advice. The segment has been struggling bringing in listeners in part because of how off Aiden has been lately, a bit jaded and burnt out from listening to spouses calling in at the end of the road with their marriages. Things take a turn when Lucie Stone walks in on her daughter on the phone (it is late night) and accuses Aiden of being weird for talking to a minor. He helpfully informs Lucie that they’re on the air and manages to get her to talk to him. One call becomes two and pretty soon all of Baltimore is HOOKED on these late night calls between Lucie and Aiden. So much so that the station head wants to start a new segment focused on Lucy’s dating life while on her journey to finding love.

THOUGHTS...
There aren't very many pitch lines I've acted quick upon hearing but I've been waiting years for a Sleepless in Seattle inspired book to be written and dare I say, this one DELIVERED! I had butterflies in my stomach at every interaction between Aiden and Lucie which really only happens when I genuinely love both the main character and their love interest. Lucie is a single mom to a daughter with a ton of personality and free spirit, mechanic, and in a healthy co-parenting relationship with her ex who happens to live next door with his husband. This was fun even when it wasn't because we see Lucie try to go back out into the dating scene and kiss some frogs all the while slowly falling for Mr. Right. Aiden is kind, attentive, supportive even when it goes against his own self interest and protective in the best of ways. He's also a great son who has a bit of PTSD from his mother's battle with cancer. Though she is healthy and living life with Aiden's dad, that experience plays a huge role in his current approach to love and relationships. Lucie entering Aiden's life at a time where he is vocal about his wishes to not be in a committed relationship make for an interesting dynamic between the two. Throw in the SUPER invested late night radio station callers and you have an engaging read reminiscent of the classic love story that would make Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan proud ;)

This was my first book from this author. I enjoyed it. It’s classified as “rom-com” but it feels like “cozy romance,” which isn’t really a genre but I sort of made it up. It’s very low stakes, which both made it easy to read and hard to get through. Given this, it was very spicy. This was a unique romance. I would recommend it selectively.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never seen Sleepless in Seattle. Shhh. They’re going to take away my romance card.

Stop. It’s okay—I love love. And I love Nora Ephron. I just had my head in the clouds when the movie came out and never went back to watch it.

Here’s the thing: now I feel like I can’t watch it. I can’t imagine the movie holding a candle to the book it inspired. My heart was so full when I finished reading. I was sending highlighted passages to my friends, telling them that their idea of love isn’t too much—it’s just right.

The scenes that replay in my mind aren’t grand gestures, but the small, ordinary moments that feel magical because of the deep connections they reveal.

And the banter? Swoon.

Also if the weatherman doesn’t get his own book or at the very least more “airtime” (haha, I’m so punny) I will riot.

Read this if you love blended families, found families, cosplay, and Nora Ephron.


I received an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley—thank you to them! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Probably a 3.75⭐️? Ugh I’m sad about this!!!
(I am also having a not so good reading month and trying to crawl out of a reading rut sooooooo take that with a grain of salt!!!)

I thought the beginning was SO promising and I looooved the mom/daughter duo!!!! The banter and the alternating POVs and the radio portion?!? I was living 🙌🏼!!! Also this cover?!?! Truly spectacular I love it!!!

Around the halfway point, I realized it wasn’t shaping up to be what I thought it was gonna be!!!! Slow burn turned miscommunication turned 3rd act break up 😩 it just lost steam for me and once it’s lost, I can’t change my mind (despite how cute the ending was!!!!)

Tbh Aiden might be my least fav MMC from BK and she writes some cutie boys!!! I wish we had delved deeper into HIM! Except we got him at a very surface level 🥲😭

I think I need to bring myself back down to earth and remember that not all of BK’s books have been my fav!! Business Casual is my only 5⭐️ and clearly I’m still chasing this high!!!

I enjoyed this book! It was interesting to see B.K. Borison's writing outside of her Lovelight Farms series. As much as I wanted to love this book, it definitely wasn't my favorite. I did enjoy many parts of it, but don't see myself returning to Borison's books.

A romance that took me out of my romance slump? Thank god!

I've only read Lovelight Farms by this author, but after reading this, I need to go back and read everything. And get ready for everything to come. Because this was absolutely fantastic!

This is the first novel I have read by BK Borison. When I read the synopsis for First Time Caller I just had a strong feeling that I would enjoy this book, especially the part about it being inspired by Sleepless in Seattle which is one of my favorite romantic comedy movies to watch (and re-watch).

The slow-burn chemistry, the romantic tension and the flirty banter between Lucie and Aiden is just so perfect and it gets steamy and close to the end of the book. There is also character growth which really reaches the peak close to the end of the novel. I really enjoyed this book, but I feel that I could have done without the typical third act break up commonly used (overused) in the plot in romantic comedy genre books. I understand it moves the plot forward, and I don't mind it so much if it is done well and if the characters talk through their issues. Having said that, I appreciated that it wasn't overly dramatic just for the sake of being dramatic.

I appreciated the representation in the novel in Lucie working as a female mechanic and enjoying her work in the field. I also appreciated the type of parent and role model she is to her daughter. The supporting characters added some humor to this novel and I enjoyed them too.

My understanding is that this book is the first in the Heartstrings series and I definitely look forward to reading the rest of the books inspired by popular romantic movies. I have added the books in the Lovelight series to my tbr and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

Thank you to Berkley and Penguin Random House for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First-Time Caller was my first B. K. Borison title but it surely won't be my last! They've done an excellent job building the banter between a grumpy FMC and a grumpier MMC. :)

I really loved the ending of the book. The first portion of the book went by semi-slow for me and I'm not exactly sure why. I really appreciate how the book was full circle from one of the first scenes to one of the last. I would definitely want to continue the series and I'm excited to see where it goes.

This is a beautifully written story with emotion, love and heartbreak that eventually gets healed. The characters journey will have you feeling emotions from sadness to happiness. You feel like you go on the journey with the characters and it’s worth it.

I was hooked from the start, y’all. This is a new favorite love story and favorite slow burn!

Lucie’s daughter Maya calls into a radio station to ask for love advice… for her single mother. Only Lucie catches her and gets on the line herself.

It’s the first call that’s broken categorically grumpy Aiden out of his loss of passion as the host of Heartstrings, a love-centered radio show.

The refreshingly honest call goes viral, giving Aiden’s station a chance to overcome some major financial hurdles and keep afloat.

Only, Aiden’s against the idea of using his show to find love for Lucie, but he sure doesn’t mind sharing his tiny booth with her, or making a show together.

I love them, I love the love letter to Baltimore that this book is, and all the little quirks and details we come to expect from this author.

I hope to be a wonderful mom like Lucie is someday, and I like that we see that side of her as well as what she wants and aspires to have outside of being a mother.

And I related to Aiden on so many levels— he’s jaded, he’s scared, and having feelings for Lucie was not something he ever would have expected.

As this is basically a Sleepless in Seattle retelling, I think this is better. More kissing, such well developed characters— a kind nod to a classic movie.

I want more books in this quirky world, and I do plan to reread this. It’s a must-buy for me, friends!

This was such a fun read! I felt like it was a little slow to get into, but I quickly fell in love with the characters and found it hard to put the book down. I loved the banter and chemistry between the main characters.

A beautiful, fun, romance inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, and it is a fantastic homage!! We start with hopeless romantic Lucie's daughter calling a local radio show to get some dating advice for her mom and then of course she has to call the station and share her thoughts. It goes viral and next thing she knows she's asked to do a segment on the show to help her find love. The very cynical, slightly grumpy, host of the show, Aiden, isn't sure this is something he wants to do but at the same time he can't stop thinking about the women on the other line of the phone. The sparks fly on air and off and I ate it up!! I loved how real they both felt, it had a lot of freshness, Lucie is a mechanic that actually gets along with her daughters dad and they have a healthy relationship that does not get in the way of the romance, SO refreshing! There is a late third act breakup that I really could have done without but I still really enjoyed and will definitely recommend this to anyone who misses 90s and early 2000s romcoms!

If you're a hopeless romantic who loves Sleepless in Seattle and a good old-fashioned rom-com, First-Time Caller is calling your name—literally. This was my first B.K. Borison book, and wow, it did not disappoint!

The matchmaker twist—Maya calling into a radio show to get dating advice for her mom—mixed with Lucie and Aiden teaming up on air to help her find love? It’s giving major 90s/early 2000s rom-com vibes, and I’m so here for it.

Lucie is incredibly lovable, and watching her journey from selfless, steady mom to someone learning to open her heart again is just… pure joy. And Aiden? Total swoon material. He’s charming, sincere, a little grumpy, and impossible not to root for. Their banter is chef’s kiss—fun, flirty, and the kind that keeps you smiling (and flipping pages) way past your bedtime.

Bonus points for Maya and her dads, Greyson and Mateo, who completely steal the show as one of the most wholesome and heart-filled modern families I’ve read in a while.

Some highlights that totally made me swoon:
✨ The dual POV that lets you feel the shift in both their hearts
✨ Maya (absolute scene-stealer—funny, wise, full of love)
✨ Aiden remembering Lucie’s favorite Starburst (💘)
✨ “Who made you cry?” — you already know that line hit hard
✨ The co-parenting dynamic between Lucie, Greyson, and Mateo that’s just full of warmth and love
✨ All the little gestures between Lucie and Aiden that say I see you before they ever say I love you

First-Time Caller is about second chances, chosen family, and having the courage to open yourself up again. It’s a romance, yes—but it’s also a celebration of the love that surrounds us, even when we don’t realize it.

If you're in the mood for a sweet, feel-good romance with a perfect happy ending and all the fuzzy feels, First-Time Caller has you covered. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over here impatiently waiting for book two.

Tropes:
❤️‍🔥 Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn with Real Payoff
❤️‍🔥 Workplace Romance (Radio Show Edition)
❤️‍🔥 Grumpy x Sunshine
❤️‍🔥 Messy, Modern, Meaningful Family Love

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my DRC!

This was my first B.K. Borison book, but boy oh boy will it not be my last!!!!

I'm a sucker for a slow burn and I felt like one of the listeners of the radio show, waiting for Lucie and Aiden to get their shit together and finally realize that they should be together. I mean, c'mon, he kept a list of her favorite things in his glove compartment!!!!!!

Lucie and Aiden and Heartstrings, you will always be famous.

Big thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

The hype is worth it. ALL THE HYPE IS WORTH IT.
It's adorable, it's sweet, it's heartwarming, it's Sleepless in Seattle set in Baltimore with amazing characters and a radio show. It's everything I never knew I needed and I need more.

The way this man found out she'd been stood up and RAN. No, sorry, SPRINTED.

I ended up listening to First Time Caller and it was predictably sweet yet very steamy at times. For readers looking for a solid romance, this scratched the itch.

An instant classic from BK Borison! A gorgeous homage to SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE that will open your heart. The banter and tension were fantastic and the characters were expertly drawn. An instant buy and recommend to friends and family! Can't wait to read more from her.

When Lucie catches her daughter calling into a radio station for love advice on her behalf, she isn’t very happy. However, when she ends up talking to Aiden, the host of Heartstrings, she ends up sharing way more than she planned. A mechanic by trade, Lucie never expects their chat to go viral or that she would be invited to join Aiden on the radio to look for love. Encouraged by those around her, she decides to give it a shot.

With Sleepless in Seattle vibes it’s hard not to love this story. The chemistry between Aiden and Lucie is obvious to everyone…except for them in the beginning. It’s a fun meet-cute and I’m here for it!