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.

okay i am smitten. this book had me in an absolute CHOKEHOLD it is so cute. this is by far one of my favorite romance reads, ever.

the dynamic between aiden and lucie is everything. the slow burrrrrrn. the “fuck it” moment. UGH. her wearing his hoodies. THE LIST. please.

the family dynamics made my heart burst. as someone who was raised by a single mom plus family friends, i loves the unconventional family dynamics so much.

the LOTR references sealed the deal honestly. i mean i don’t think this book could be any more perfect.

thank you SO MUCH for this ARC!! this truly warmed my heart and is one of my favorite reads of the year.

First off, this cover is absolutely stunning. B.K. Borison always has beautiful covers but this one is my favorite. This story incorporates the story of sleepless in Seattle and makes it brand new. I fell in love with Lucie and Aiden and their love for each other. I had such a good time reading this.

I loved First-Time Caller, it had me hooked with the connections to one of my favorite movies Sleepless in Seattle. This was such a fun read! Once I started reading, I didn't want to put this book down. It was just so sweet and fun. I highly recommend to adult romance readers.

My goodness this book was adorable. This is touted as "Sleepless in Seattle-inspired" and I am so happy to report that this is spot on. I was smiling and giggling and kicking my feet.

This book starts off a bit slowly and gradually builds up the tension and banter over time. I love that Lucie is vulnerable and decides to put herself out there and take part in the radio station's program to find her a date. Lucie's little family is so loving and supportive and their dynamic is wonderful. Aiden is perfectly adorable and I love how he listens to (and remembers) everything Lucie wants and inevitably gives it to her, even if it takes a little while to get there. The fact that Aiden doesn't judge Lucie or make her feel out of place for having a non-traditional job is the cherry on top.

There is a fair amount of character progression here which I appreciated even if Aiden's blip was a bit annoying to me and I wanted to scratch his eyes out. (Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic.) Aiden taking the step to reach out to his dad shows emotional progress and I commend his willingness to open up and ask for advice.

Despite only having read one of this author's other novels, they are quickly being added to my "must read authors" list. The banter, the chemistry, the steam? This was just delightful.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and NetGalley for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Aiden Valentine may be the host of Baltimore's romance hotline radio show, Heartstrings - but he's lost his belief in love. The often grumpy cynic needs to turn the show around, and when his call with single mom, Lucie, goes viral, his boss brings her on as co-host. Though he was reluctant to share the booth, Aiden and Lucie have a chemistry the listeners latch onto. "Lucie's Road to Love" takes off, and Lucie goes on a few dates as all of Baltimore takes part in helping her find the magic she's been waiting for. But as sparks fly behind the scenes, Lucie wonders if what she's looking for is actually the man right next to her - even though his heart is closed off.

💭 I loved the simplicity and authenticity of this one. Lucie is a mechanic and a single mom (though co parents with Maya's two dads and their relationship is amazing). She doesn't have time to date, and doesn't want to admit it, but she's lonely. She has amazing friends, a great kid, a life she's not complaining about - but it's missing the magic. Aiden is a cynic (for good reason) when it comes to getting close to people, but Lucie starts to tear his walls down. He wants to know her, be with her, love her - but he struggles. I appreciated their honesty with each other and the way Aiden absolutely fell hard. The little details woven in ("I remember everything you say") are sweet and swoony. Can't wait for more Jackson (Aiden's friend and weatherman) in the next one!

First-Time Caller is an absolute masterpiece that took me on an emotional rollercoaster! I couldn't stop smiling as I cheered for Lucie and Aiden, with their adorable banter and perfect radio chemistry. I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to reach through the pages to give them both a huge hug. I truly felt everything for them!

And Lucie? She's incredible. Her relationship with her daughter was so heartwarming, and their blended family dynamic was simply beautiful. I couldn't get enough of their story—it’s the ultimate single mom book, showing how being a single parent can be overflowing with love, joy, and unbreakable support. Seriously, this book is pure magic!

I’m actually emo that this is over. I fucking loved it.

Probably 4.5 stars rounded up because I don’t think I’ll ever reread it. But I absolutely WILL be rereading all my kindle highlights.

This book is based loosely on Sleepless in Seattle. Apparently it’s got the same vibes. I cannot confirm that cause I’ve never seen that movie 🫣. But honestly this book could convince me to watch it.

While I didn’t want this book to ever end, I did feel like it was a tad long and drawn out. So kind of a plus for me so I could keep reading about Lucie and Aiden, but could be a negative for you if you’re not vibing as hard as I was.

Read if you like:
😤 grumpy/sunshine
🫂 found family
🧑‍🧒 single mom (with the cutest coparenting dads)
💖 the radio
🌶️ open door spice (2.5/5 - THE CLOSET SCENE)
❤️‍🔥 he falls first but he’s afraid of his feelings
😮‍💨 a dominant man
❤️‍🩹 a third act breakup that isn’t a breakup
🥹 he writes down things she loves so he doesn’t forget

This book is about magic and I absolutely felt magical reading it