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A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle–inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.
Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She show more has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life—or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she believed. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending…even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her. show less
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Real romance is BACK.
Inspired by rom-com classic Sleepless in Seattle, First-Time Caller follows two people — romance radio host Aiden Valentine, who ironically has fallen out of love with love, and Lucie Stone, single mother who's a hopeless romantic just waiting for magic to find her. One late night, Lucie's devious daughter Maya decides to play matchmaker and call into Heartstrings, asking for advice. When Lucie finds out and steps in, her snappy conversation with Aiden ends up going viral, earning her an invite onto their show. And the rest...is history.
I think I was first really impressed with the plot and the pacing. It's been a long time since I read a contemporary romance where I felt like the story was allowed to breathe. The show more book took the time to set up its characters — main and side — before the story began. It took the time to bring our leads together in a way that actual makes sense. And finally, it took the time to have our leads actually fall in love, communicate, and put in the effort to be together. In a world where so many romance novels just throw trope after trope at its audience, this was so refreshing.
I really loved both the main characters as well. They each have their demons, sure, but they genuinely feel like very real and very kind people who make mistakes and then grow from them. Once again, in a world where so many books give their love interests snappy and easy-to-go-viral one-liners, I found the conversations between Lucie and Aiden so relatable and down-to-earth. Even the parts you'd think might come off as cheesy didn't, and I had such a goofy grin on my face reading their every interaction.
Maybe the one thing I would have asked for more from this would have been seeing more of Lucie's daughter and having Maya interact with Aiden more. While being a single mom is in no way the biggest part of Lucie's character, the family theme gives us some really heart-warming moments and is still really important. I would have loved to see more of those moments.
Nevertheless, this was so dang fun! And I cannot wait for the next in the series and all the butterflies it will give me. show less
Inspired by rom-com classic Sleepless in Seattle, First-Time Caller follows two people — romance radio host Aiden Valentine, who ironically has fallen out of love with love, and Lucie Stone, single mother who's a hopeless romantic just waiting for magic to find her. One late night, Lucie's devious daughter Maya decides to play matchmaker and call into Heartstrings, asking for advice. When Lucie finds out and steps in, her snappy conversation with Aiden ends up going viral, earning her an invite onto their show. And the rest...is history.
I think I was first really impressed with the plot and the pacing. It's been a long time since I read a contemporary romance where I felt like the story was allowed to breathe. The show more book took the time to set up its characters — main and side — before the story began. It took the time to bring our leads together in a way that actual makes sense. And finally, it took the time to have our leads actually fall in love, communicate, and put in the effort to be together. In a world where so many romance novels just throw trope after trope at its audience, this was so refreshing.
I really loved both the main characters as well. They each have their demons, sure, but they genuinely feel like very real and very kind people who make mistakes and then grow from them. Once again, in a world where so many books give their love interests snappy and easy-to-go-viral one-liners, I found the conversations between Lucie and Aiden so relatable and down-to-earth. Even the parts you'd think might come off as cheesy didn't, and I had such a goofy grin on my face reading their every interaction.
Maybe the one thing I would have asked for more from this would have been seeing more of Lucie's daughter and having Maya interact with Aiden more. While being a single mom is in no way the biggest part of Lucie's character, the family theme gives us some really heart-warming moments and is still really important. I would have loved to see more of those moments.
Nevertheless, this was so dang fun! And I cannot wait for the next in the series and all the butterflies it will give me. show less
Favorite Quotes:
She was crowned homecoming queen but gave the crown to someone else because it made her ears hurt.
It’s fine. It’s over. I dumped a glass of fancy white wine on his lap so it looked like he peed himself. I would like to move on and never speak of this again.
I guess that’s my love life in a nutshell. Underwhelmed and dissatisfied. Print it on my tombstone.
I’m sure I look like a raccoon that’s been in some sort of street fight over a pizza crust after sleeping on the couch in full makeup,
It’s not American Gladiators, Aiden. Finding me a date shouldn’t be that difficult.
I’m not used to letting myself feel things. I’m not sure I like it.
My Review:
I don’t know how I have been so remiss in not reading this show more crafty wordsmith before but I am kicking myself for being late to the party. I reveled in this cleverly penned tale from start to finish.
I adored the flawed yet lovable and authentic characters and wanted only good things for them. Each was well fleshed out, keenly witty, knowable, and endearing, even when I wasn’t happy with them.
The writing was superb, well-polished, easy to fall into, humorous, deliciously steamy, and unfailingly entertaining. The dialogues, narratives, and inner musings vacillated from cunningly insightful and perceptive to snarky and highly amusing. You can only imagine my glee when I noticed this lovely tome was the beginning of a series. show less
She was crowned homecoming queen but gave the crown to someone else because it made her ears hurt.
It’s fine. It’s over. I dumped a glass of fancy white wine on his lap so it looked like he peed himself. I would like to move on and never speak of this again.
I guess that’s my love life in a nutshell. Underwhelmed and dissatisfied. Print it on my tombstone.
I’m sure I look like a raccoon that’s been in some sort of street fight over a pizza crust after sleeping on the couch in full makeup,
It’s not American Gladiators, Aiden. Finding me a date shouldn’t be that difficult.
I’m not used to letting myself feel things. I’m not sure I like it.
My Review:
I don’t know how I have been so remiss in not reading this show more crafty wordsmith before but I am kicking myself for being late to the party. I reveled in this cleverly penned tale from start to finish.
I adored the flawed yet lovable and authentic characters and wanted only good things for them. Each was well fleshed out, keenly witty, knowable, and endearing, even when I wasn’t happy with them.
The writing was superb, well-polished, easy to fall into, humorous, deliciously steamy, and unfailingly entertaining. The dialogues, narratives, and inner musings vacillated from cunningly insightful and perceptive to snarky and highly amusing. You can only imagine my glee when I noticed this lovely tome was the beginning of a series. show less
Okay, so I actually owned this book before I read [b:Good Spirits|222279220|Good Spirits (Ghosted, #1)|B.K. Borison|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1733841226l/222279220._SY75_.jpg|226900522], but I was saving it for feburary cause you know... LOVE SEASON. Tell me why I am kicking my feet like a giddy schoolgirl (I have no better words to describe this) ,reading this book. Now, I am not one for romance, but apparently, B.K. Borison got me hooked on her books cause this was an amazing read. From the characters (Go Women in Male-Dominant fields) to the setting (okay, I am biased cause I went to undergrad in Maryland and went to Baltimore a few times) to the plot, it had me wanting more and more from show more Lucie and Aiden. I also give props to Borison for including same sex couples and not just for the hell of it, but giving the perspective of a chosen family, especially when raising a preteen. I cannot wait to read [b:And Now, Back to You|217513554|And Now, Back to You (Heartstrings, #2)|B.K. Borison|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1748482477l/217513554._SY75_.jpg|237205238] and see Jackson's journey after the taste of his character in this book. show less
Here’s the thing… I was SO IN LOVE with the yearning that was happening the first 60%. It was so cute, felt fated, and was realistic, cute banter. I loved the unique FMC and the novel book premise. I was SWOONING. 😍
Andddd then they kissed.
And I hated who he became. It was like a man writing what they think a woman would want. And the sexual parts felt so… vulgar, especially coming from the MMC who was being so cute before, suddenly so controlling and ordering her around. Even if I was into that kind of bedroom talk, it just felt so wrongly out of character since his POV had really only shared 1-2 dirty thoughts. Then they kiss and he turns into a demanding Christian Grey, and kind of rude? But then he’s nice again and sweet, show more before being super rough with her.
It just felt like emotional whiplash and like he was doing what he wanted (yes, teasing, etc, but) TO her instead of with and for her. Plus, he turned into this guy who was obsessed with owning her and an emotionally unavailable man child who was super jealous / got rude when he was jealous. I feel like the FMC deserved better so when they temporarily broke up, I was like GO YOU and GOOD RIDDANCE. YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER DESERVE BETTER.
I was really so excited for this book but felt so caught off guard that it kinda tanked my rating. show less
Andddd then they kissed.
And I hated who he became. It was like a man writing what they think a woman would want. And the sexual parts felt so… vulgar, especially coming from the MMC who was being so cute before, suddenly so controlling and ordering her around. Even if I was into that kind of bedroom talk, it just felt so wrongly out of character since his POV had really only shared 1-2 dirty thoughts. Then they kiss and he turns into a demanding Christian Grey, and kind of rude? But then he’s nice again and sweet, show more before being super rough with her.
It just felt like emotional whiplash and like he was doing what he wanted (yes, teasing, etc, but) TO her instead of with and for her. Plus, he turned into this guy who was obsessed with owning her and an emotionally unavailable man child who was super jealous / got rude when he was jealous. I feel like the FMC deserved better so when they temporarily broke up, I was like GO YOU and GOOD RIDDANCE. YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER DESERVE BETTER.
I was really so excited for this book but felt so caught off guard that it kinda tanked my rating. show less
Late one night, Lucie discovers her 12 year old daughter on the phone to a radio romance hotline because Maya is worried about her mother’s lack of love life. Lucie’s subsequent conversation with the host, Aiden, goes viral and she’s invited to become a regular part of the show.
I enjoyed this! I don’t think I enjoyed the second half of the book quite as much as the first but that’s okay. The book reminded me a bit of Rachel Lynn Solomon's Weather Girl (a novel I very much enjoyed), although any similarities between the two stories are in the characters’ circumstances, rather than the plots.
I enjoyed this! I don’t think I enjoyed the second half of the book quite as much as the first but that’s okay. The book reminded me a bit of Rachel Lynn Solomon's Weather Girl (a novel I very much enjoyed), although any similarities between the two stories are in the characters’ circumstances, rather than the plots.
“What would make you want to try again? Dating?”show more
She makes a short huffing sound on the other end of the line. “I don’t really
want to try.”show less
My smile tumbles headfirst into a rough laugh. I swear, it feels like I’ve forgotten how to do it. “That’s all right,” I tell her, still grinning like an idiot alone in the booth. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. I don’t want to try. All I do is try. All day long, I’m trying and I’m so tired. Why can’t this be the one thing I don’t have to try at? Why can’t it be a thing that just … happens? I don’t want – I don’t want to think about what I should say or how I should act or … or having talking points in the notes app of my phone for a dinner date at a restaurant that I don’t really like. I want to feel something when I connect with someone. I want sparks. The good kind, you know? I want to laugh and mean it. I want goose bumps. I want to wonder what my date is thinking about and hope it might be me. I want … I want the magic.”
“Magic?” I try to find the part of myself that isn’t so damn rattled by every word coming out of this woman’s mouth. “You’re one of those, huh?”
“One of what?”
“A romantic,” I say. “Sparks. Soulmates. Happily ever after. A shiny gold thread tied between two hearts.”
She scoffs. “You host a show about romance and you’re telling me you’re not a romantic?”
“I don’t know,” I tell her honestly. I think I used to be, but that part of me feels fractured. Wobbly. Broken down by a thousand and one callers who have fallen out of love. Who never had it in the first place. Love and romance seem like a fairy tale now, something we tell kids to help them sleep better at night. Something we tell ourselves too.
In First-Time Caller, author B.K. Borison weaves a lighthearted romantic tale of friendship, love and second chances.
Set in Baltimore, the reader is easily drawn into this entertaining rom com as they follow Lucie Stone and Aiden Valentine as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life, love, and second chances.
Lucie Stone is a single mom to twelve-year-old daughter Maya. She has a loving support system consisting of Grayson, her ex-BF/baby daddy and his husband Mateo, and BFF Patty. But the one thing Lucie doesn't have is a significant other. She a romantic who is waiting for the right guy to find her.
Aiden Valentine is the radio host of Baltimore's hottest romance hotline, Heartstrings. Aiden is struggling and has trouble show more believing in love and has lost hope in romance because of the radio callers' issues with love.
When Lucie catches Maya on the phone with Aiden, she can't believe that her daughter has called into the romance hotline and is asking for advice for her mom! What ensues is a long on-air call between Lucie and Aiden that goes viral, and the next thing she knows is that Heartstrings is going to help her with her love life! Follow along as Lucie and Aiden team up on-air to find her a romantic partner, but who knows, maybe the perfect romantic partner is right before their nose the whole time!
First-Time Caller is such a fun romantic comedy that easily keeps the reader engaged as they follow Lucie and Aiden's story. Set in Baltimore and told in alternating first person narrative by Lucie and Aiden, the reader follows along as their unexpected meeting helps both of them gain a sense of self-discovery, and a second chance at finding love and happiness in their lives.
There was a great mixture of emotion, drama, angst, humor, and crazy antics mixed in this story. The author does a great job of describing Lucie and Aiden's lives, when they begin hosting Heartstrings together. As Lucie's on-air dating experience is anything but romantic, Lucie and Aiden both realize that sparks fly between them. You can't help but cheer them on, and hope that they realize they're meant for each other.
This is a Sleepless In Seattle inspired love story, and it is exactly that. The author said that she wrote the story as a love letter to love ... the magic of love, and she sure did accomplish that!
First-Time Caller is a heartfelt story that has enough emotional depth, drama, romance, comedy, and witty banter, that makes it a delightfully entertaining romantic comedy tale that romance fans will certainly enjoy!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I have also purchased a hardcover copy via my monthly subscription to Book Of The Month.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/03/first-time-caller-by-bk-boris... show less
Set in Baltimore, the reader is easily drawn into this entertaining rom com as they follow Lucie Stone and Aiden Valentine as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life, love, and second chances.
Lucie Stone is a single mom to twelve-year-old daughter Maya. She has a loving support system consisting of Grayson, her ex-BF/baby daddy and his husband Mateo, and BFF Patty. But the one thing Lucie doesn't have is a significant other. She a romantic who is waiting for the right guy to find her.
Aiden Valentine is the radio host of Baltimore's hottest romance hotline, Heartstrings. Aiden is struggling and has trouble show more believing in love and has lost hope in romance because of the radio callers' issues with love.
When Lucie catches Maya on the phone with Aiden, she can't believe that her daughter has called into the romance hotline and is asking for advice for her mom! What ensues is a long on-air call between Lucie and Aiden that goes viral, and the next thing she knows is that Heartstrings is going to help her with her love life! Follow along as Lucie and Aiden team up on-air to find her a romantic partner, but who knows, maybe the perfect romantic partner is right before their nose the whole time!
First-Time Caller is such a fun romantic comedy that easily keeps the reader engaged as they follow Lucie and Aiden's story. Set in Baltimore and told in alternating first person narrative by Lucie and Aiden, the reader follows along as their unexpected meeting helps both of them gain a sense of self-discovery, and a second chance at finding love and happiness in their lives.
There was a great mixture of emotion, drama, angst, humor, and crazy antics mixed in this story. The author does a great job of describing Lucie and Aiden's lives, when they begin hosting Heartstrings together. As Lucie's on-air dating experience is anything but romantic, Lucie and Aiden both realize that sparks fly between them. You can't help but cheer them on, and hope that they realize they're meant for each other.
This is a Sleepless In Seattle inspired love story, and it is exactly that. The author said that she wrote the story as a love letter to love ... the magic of love, and she sure did accomplish that!
First-Time Caller is a heartfelt story that has enough emotional depth, drama, romance, comedy, and witty banter, that makes it a delightfully entertaining romantic comedy tale that romance fans will certainly enjoy!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I have also purchased a hardcover copy via my monthly subscription to Book Of The Month.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/03/first-time-caller-by-bk-boris... show less
I recently finished reading "First-Time Caller" by B.K. Borison, and I must say, it was a captivating experience. The author skillfully weaves an engaging narrative that draws the reader in from the very first page.
The story centers around a character who navigates a pivotal moment in their life, illustrating the challenges and triumphs of making that initial call that can change everything. Borison’s writing style is crisp and clear, making it easy to connect with the protagonist's emotions and struggles.
What I appreciated most about this book was the depth of character development. Each character feels relatable and realistic, providing a sense of familiarity that resonates well with readers. The dialogue is sharp and often show more humorous, adding a lightness to some heavier themes explored in the story.
The pacing of the narrative is well-balanced, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Borison's ability to create tension and resolution is commendable.
Overall, "First-Time Caller" by B.K. Borison is a thought-provoking read that blends humor, drama, and real-life challenges seamlessly. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a meaningful story that evokes both laughter and reflection. A solid five stars! show less
The story centers around a character who navigates a pivotal moment in their life, illustrating the challenges and triumphs of making that initial call that can change everything. Borison’s writing style is crisp and clear, making it easy to connect with the protagonist's emotions and struggles.
What I appreciated most about this book was the depth of character development. Each character feels relatable and realistic, providing a sense of familiarity that resonates well with readers. The dialogue is sharp and often show more humorous, adding a lightness to some heavier themes explored in the story.
The pacing of the narrative is well-balanced, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Borison's ability to create tension and resolution is commendable.
Overall, "First-Time Caller" by B.K. Borison is a thought-provoking read that blends humor, drama, and real-life challenges seamlessly. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a meaningful story that evokes both laughter and reflection. A solid five stars! show less
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Awards
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- Canonical title
- First-Time Caller
- Original publication date
- 2025-02
- People/Characters
- Aiden Valentine; Lucie Stone
- Important places
- Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Dedication
- For the hopeless romantics. And the reluctant ones too.
- First words
- LOVE IS A LIE.
- Original language
- English
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- Members
- 1,793
- Popularity
- 12,311
- Reviews
- 39
- Rating
- (4.05)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 13
- ASINs
- 9
