3.5 ⭐️
This was a sweet story and it does have some lovely heart warming moments. For me it started off pretty slow and it took me a while to get into it. I just couldn’t warm to Aiden, but later in the story he did do a couple of pretty swoony things. It didn’t quite feel in keeping with his personality though.

I really liked the originality of the idea and was rooting for Lucie to get her happy ending, but I wanted to feel a stronger chemistry between her and Aiden.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

The fairytale romance and the fairytale queen when it comes to contemporary romance
Every time i think if BK Borison’s new book will surpass her last one. And the answer is yes, always yes.
Since i got the arc i knew that i have to watch Sleepless in Seattle to understand the vibe and what this book feels like. The book was definitely better but that’s just a personal opinion. It is so beautifully written you guys, i have been giggling and smiling and kicking my feet for the majority of the book. Every meaning of this book is so deeply touching, a reminder that if you think you will never find the love that you deserve, you are so wrong. You are not wrong for knowing your worth and you can wait as long as you need for the right person

I am writing this review after reading FTC for the second time, and let me tell you - the magic of the first time read has not diluted any. On the contrary, it felt comfy and warm and cozy, while also giving me all the butterflies for at least 50% of the story.
Aiden is secret, swoony boy¹ personified, afraid to get hurt, so has built walls up - all of which crumbled when Lucie came into the picture.
Lucie is so many of us - jaded by what romance means in this day and age, but then holding on to hope and being brave by reaching out for what she wants, to the very end.
I genuinely could read more of Lucie and Aiden, but also of Maya and Grayson and Mateo, and the whole radio-show crew. This whole story was absolutely beautiful. I need more romances like this! Give me the cozy feels of a 90s movie, light me up with undeniable chemistry, make me wail at myself for not being this good at banter!
With First Time Caller, B.K.Borison takes us from Lovelight Farms to Baltimore city, and keeps weaving the same magic that she does with her words.
I can't wait to read more Heartstrings books (and anything BKB tbh).

¹“Secret, swoony boy” - Lucie.

Thank you Panmac! Love you forever!

I've been a fan of B K Borison since I read Lovelight Farms.
I enjoyed Lucy and Aidens love story. I love sleepless in seattle and this definitely gave those vibes. Lucy daughter playing cupid was a perfect meet cute. I also really appreciated the coparenting story line. I looooooooove and slow burn and this was done so well.
Im not a big spice reader so I did skip over those parts. I did feel the characters lost some chemistry after but I still enjoyed.

Thank you for the advanced eARC

Perfection, this book was made for my rom com loving heart 💕

I loved everything about this book, B.K has captured my heart with this Sleepless in Seattle inspired story. It was the dreamiest rom-com. I laughed, I cried, I kicked my feet and giggled.

The chemistry between Aidan and Lucie was SO GOOD, I was invested in their story from the first page. I loved the friends and family around them. I wanted to know them.

I’m not normally a slow burn girlie, but let me tell you this was the best slow burn I’ve read. I was invested, I couldn’t wait for the burn to happen but I loved the journey getting there.

The concept of this book was so different, the little moments at the end of each chapter added such a gorgeous pov.

The easiest 5 stars ✨

Thanks to Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for the arc 💕

A really cute and lovable story as I've come to expect from BK Borison. I loved it! All the characters have great distinct personalities and I love how funny they are. It was a bit of a different meet cute and family situation to my usual romances and I loved that about it. The romance and flirty banter between the two was the best and I was fully invested the whole time.

4.5/5 stars

First-Time Caller is a Sleepless in Seattle-inspired contemporary romance by BK Borison. Aiden is the jaded host of a romance radio show when a young girl calls in for some advice for her lonely single mom. Lucie thought she was happy with her life when she suddenly finds her daughter on the phone with the radio hotline. When their on-air interview goes viral, the struggling radio show hosts a segment to help Lucie find a match. But of course, Aiden and Lucie’s chemistry isn’t just confined on air and everyone listening can totally tell.

I really loved this book. I thought it was such a cute book with a classic romantic comedy feel to it. From the Sleepless in Seattle set up, I was already entirely on board. I could not stop smiling throughout it. While it does hit the typical romcom story beats, it manages to play with the gender conventions of the genre, making it feel fresh and distinct.

I appreciated that this was told in dual perspectives (an element that really should be a requirement in romances). The chemistry between Aiden and Lucie was just perfection and every interaction of theirs just made me giddy. Then the sexual tension was just really intense and had going “just kiss/f*ck already”. And one thing I really loved was that they were always honest with each other but not necessarily honest to themselves.

First-Time Caller delivers everything you would want from a romcom.

*Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC via NetGalley

The way I enjoyed this book after a very stressful work week!!!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance 🫶🏻

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm not typically a romance girlie, I just read specific authors that I enjoy. Let it be known the B.K. Borison has entered that category for me. This was my first book by them and I absolutely adored it! This had me giggling, full on laughing, grinning teeth and smiling to myself. I loved the concept of the story so much. A man that hosts a romance hotline but doesn't believe in love meeting a woman who wants all the bells and whistles but doesn't think she'll get it? Spectacular give me 14 of them.

Ladies and Gentleman THIS MAN KEEPS A LIST OF HER FAVOURITE THINGS IN HIS GLOVE COMPARTMENT SO HE DOESN'T FORGET THEM. If I don't get love like this then I don't want it. Aiden, my sweet, grumpy Aiden is god tier. Lucie is fabulous, hell even her baby daddy is fantastic. I bloody loved them!

I felt like a was a listener of the show and witnessing Lucie and Aiden fall in love slowly, quietly. I liked how healthy the building of this relationship was and how there was drama but it wasn't in your face.

Though my first B.K Borison it most certainly won't be my last.

Read if you like: radio show romance, jaded mmc x hopeless romantic fmc, single mum, inspired by sleepless in Seattle, found family, mechanic fmc, strangers to friends to lovers, “fuck it”, close proximity, grumpy x sunshine, jealousy

This book felt like a warm hug. B.K Borison wrote a lovely story that was reflective, realistic and raw. It delved into what we experience in the real world with the struggle of dating apps, playing mind games, settling, feeling out of place and lost in the world. I think a lot of people will find themselves resonating to the characters in this book. “You don’t have to be alone to be lonely” was a quote that hit me really hard.

Aiden is a cynic, he’s doesn’t believe in love even though he hosts a radio show about love. Lucie is a romantic and wants to find her person, but she doesn’t date. She has a caring 12 year old daughter who makes a call to Aiden’s radio station to try help her mum’s dating life. From there, you see two strangers turn into friends and then lovers 🥹

Lucie and Aiden were so cute together. He was absolutely enamoured by her. He pays attention to every little detail about her, to the point where he kept a list of her favourite things in the car so he wouldn’t forget 😭😭

I loved that Lucie has such a good co-parenting relationship with her baby daddy/best friend. It was so sweet to read about their interactions and I’m so glad I didn’t have to hate on any characters 😂

I did find that this book was a little too long, it was very slow moving at times. While I enjoyed the couple and their romance, I wasn’t hooked enough to binge read it in a few hours. Nevertheless, I’m very excited for book 2 in this series 🤩

Firstly, this book was such an easy 5 star.

Being set on a radio station was such a fun idea. This was a beautiful love story but also just an ode to all kinds of love! Lucie’s friendships were so wholesome (those with her ex, with Patty and her work family).

I also was not anticipating the level of spice that this book contained. The tension was exquisite. The forced proximity was chefs kiss.

This ticked so many trope boxes that I genuinely think this book is for every kind of romance lover. It features:
*slow burn
*found family
*forced proximity
*grumpy sunshine
* single mum
*work romance

Favourite BK Borison book yet!!

First-Time Caller is the best of a 90s romcom for the modern romantic.

B.K. Borison wanted to write a lovely letter to love and she succeeded and then some! I spent the whole time reading with a big goofy grin on my face. Everything from the tension and build up to the big gesture at the end was sweet perfection.

I don't often read contemporary romance but I'll be coming back to this one over and over as a future comfort read.

Lucie is such a strong and independent character. She knew what she wanted and didn't fall into the classic romance trap of trying to change herself and fit herself into Aiden's life.

Now Aiden... Poor, sweet, misguided Aiden. I spent half the time wanting to bash him over the head with his headphones! He comes across as grumpy but is actually a big softie underneath.

The development of Lucie and Aiden's relationship is so healthy but dramatic without being DRAMATIC.

My only one teeny tiny gripe is that I wouldn't class daisies as smelling anything close to nice. It was an interesting unconventional choice and perhaps it's just me. Borison definitely redeemed herself though by agreeing that no man will ever be better that Aragorn!

Also, side note, I NEED MORE JACKSON.

First-Time Caller is a refreshing and hilarious read. An instant classic.

Thank you Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and B.K. Borison the an early copy. It's been an absolute delight!

thank you netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Lucie is a single mom who is doing fine, has a great relantion with her co-parent and lovers her daughter but wants to finally meet THE one. Her teenage daughter decides to take matters into her own hands and calls a romance hotline in search of advice. Aiden, the radio host, responds and him and Lucie start a friendship while looking for romantic prospects for her.

Lucie: single mom, mechanic and absolutely loveable. I loved her, loved being inside her head and everything about her. I can't say the same about Aiden, i just couldn't get into his reasoning, it felt like something was missing everything we had been told was just not enough for me to like him. he was just there.

things i liked: exploration of family dynamics and unconventional families.
what i disliked: lack of connection with the characters, barely there secondary characters ( we know almost nothing about them)...

I really enjoy this authors writing and this first in a new series was no exception.
Based upon Sleepless in Seattle this book follows Aiden a radio show host and Lucie who's daughter calls in to the show to try to get her mum a date.
The first half was brilliant, but it did feel a bit long in places during the second part, this is probably as I had less time to read it, so don't let that put you off. It's still a great romance and I loved the banter and the little transcript at the end of each chapter.
I'm excited to see where the series goes next

I read this book in under 24 hours.. That's when you know it's a good book.

There were so many tropes involved in this book that came together so perfectly. You had the slow burn of the two main characters alongside the he falls first. The finding a date aspect on a radio show was very interesting to read. I felt as though I had gone back in time but in the modern day.

The author really made Aiden a perfect book boyfriend because he is the definition of he would do anything if he wanted to. The ending just had me giggling and kicking my feet.

Obsessed!

This was my first time reading a B.K. Borison and it lived up to the hype and beyond. I adored every single second of this book.

Aiden my sweet sweet dumb dumb, years of guarding his heart have made him cynical about love in so many ways, not just romantic but also familial and friendship love. So when it lands in front of him it takes a while for him to really accept it.
and Lucie, it’s been a while since I have loved an FMC as much as this. Her vulnerability around love felt so real and understandable. Not knowing how to put yourself out there in an authentic way, but what I loved most about her is how open she actually is as a person. I loved that she’s this bad ass single mum with a strong chosen family (co parenting peacefully with her platonic soulmate and his husband - two adorable side characters) she’s a mechanic but despite having a not traditionally feminine job there wasn’t even a whiff of “not like other girls” in her character. Her job is just her job and I loved it!!

The slow burn tension of these two was wonderful, I felt like the plot moved at a pretty medium pace but the action was always progressing and to be honest I was so sucked into the story I read it in a single sitting.

Although not heavy on the spice the spice we got was GOOD!

5/5 ⭐️ I will be shouting about this one for a long time! It’s probably going to be one of the rare physical book trophy’s I add to my shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and B.K.Borison for the advanced copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the arc!
A "Sleepless in Seattle" inspired romcom set in a radio station in Baltimore? What's not to love-
Just want to start out by thanking B. K. Borison for giving us this gem of a book because god, this book was perfection. Aiden and Lucie are beautiful together and somehow so real at the same time? most of the times, romances are supposed to be fiction and they are just so swoony and cute but FTC was all that and more.
Lucie my badass mechanic, I have not loved a fmc like I love her in a long time, she's fiercely strong and independent but knows how to love and show her feelings and I'm just in awe of her all the time. Lucie Stone is a queen in every sense of the word.
Aiden, my man, my soulmate. The way I relate to Aiden Valen is crazy, from all of his insecurities to the way he loves so hard, gosh. I remember posting a story on booksta while reading it for the 1st time how Aiden is so babygirl coded and till this day I stand by it. A particular dad-son call was the end of me, I'm weak for them. All the relationships were so beautifully depicted and seamlessly woven in every part of this story. Grayson, Mateo, Maya, Jackson MY LOVE, Maggie- I LOVE THEM ALL. Especially love how Grayson and Aiden were Lucie's personal protection squad lol. A truly perfect radio setting to make this shine the brightest it can shine. I love how I fell in love with Baltimore through the subtle nods to the city spread throughout the book.
It was funny, cute, happy, sappy but it was also deeply emotional, fiercely relatable, ridiculously soft. I'm currently rereading this beauty and let me just say, this just gets better with every reread because I'm struggling to continue reading to stop it from getting over. I just want to sit here with the feeling that is this book forever. I needed FTC in my life and suffice to say, I will be thinking about this book for years. A truly perfect romance to ever romance ugh.

I'm dying waiting for Jackson's and then Maggie's(?) books AAAAAAAAA

I don’t even know where to start because WOW. This book is everything I didn’t know I needed—a story that feels like a warm hug, a reminder of love’s many forms, and a cozy dive into opposites attract done RIGHT!

Lucie Stone is a single mom who believes in love with every fibre of her being, even when it’s hard. Aiden Valentine is a grumpy radio host who’s all but given up on love, despite hosting Baltimore’s hottest romance hotline. Their banter? Snappy, hilarious, and absolutely sparkling. Their chemistry? Slow-burn perfection that had me rooting for them with every page.

And then there’s Maya—Lucie’s sharp, sweet, and slightly mischievous daughter—who may be one of my favorite kid characters ever. Her initial call to Aiden’s show sets everything in motion, and I adored how she’s the glue bringing these two hesitant hearts together.

The way B.K. Borison weaves radio show interludes into the story is just brilliant. It adds this unique layer of intimacy to Lucie and Aiden’s journey while also giving us some laugh-out-loud and tear-jerking moments.

What really stole my heart, though, was how deeply relatable both characters felt. Aiden’s guardedness, Lucie’s relentless hope—haven’t we all been there at some point? It’s a love story, yes, but it’s also a story about healing, family, and finding a place where you truly belong.

If you’re a fan of forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, or just need a book to make you believe in love all over again, "First Time Caller" is it. Seriously, you’ll be blabbing about this one to everyone who’ll listen. I know I am.


Thank you Netgalley for sending me an eARC !!

#FirstTimeCaller #NetGalley

As a big fan of the Lovelight Farms series, I was excited to see what was next from B. K. Borison and this did not disappoint! Sleepless in Seattle is one of my all time favourite movies and I loved this modern take on that. It was full of moments that made me laugh and those that made me cry, and I absolutely adored all of the characters. I cannot wait to read it again!

This was just a refreshing book. I loved the talk show concept. All the characters gave the story something. My heart felt so full. Probably my favourite BK Borison book to date!