4.5 Stars

Okay, hear me out: a virginal phone sex operator, a broody detective, a hotline murder mystery, and a slow-burn romance that hits you right in the feelings? This book shouldn’t work, and yet it completely does.

Max Monroe delivers a romcom with actual depth, equal parts laugh-out-loud funny, swoon-worthy, and darkly suspenseful. And I was hooked from page one.

Hannah May is in survival mode. Her dreams are on hold, she’s a 25-year-old virgin, and she’s working every gig she can find to keep her and her mom (who’s battling early-onset Alzheimer’s) afloat. So when she lands a job at what she think sis a telemarketing company, she’s not in a position to ask too many questions.

Turns out? It’s a phone sex hotline. And she’s, uh… not exactly qualified.

Enter Detective Dominic Dunn, who’s investigating the murder of another hotline operator. One awkward phone call leads to a very real connection, and soon the chemistry between Hannah and Dominic is undeniable….even when murder is literally on the line.

Why it worked for me:

* Hannah is hilarious and heartbreakingly real. Her awkwardness is so relatable I wanted to crawl into the book and hug her. She’s sweet, smart, strong, and so damn human. And her fierce love for her mother? Tears. TEARS.
* Dominic is top-tier book boyfriend material. A little grumpy, all protective instincts, slow to trust but quick to fall? Check, check, and check. There’s a scene with him doing something incredibly mundane that made me swoon harder than any grand gesture.
* The banter = chef’s kiss. Max Monroe nails that flirty-but-vulnerable dialogue, where every interaction feels like a game of emotional chicken with actual heart behind it.
* Romance + murder mystery = ADDICTIVE. I didn’t expect to be this invested in the thriller angle, but the pacing was spot on, and it raised the stakes in such a unique way.

Call Me Anytime is the kind of romcom that sneaks up on you. You pick it up for the premise (and the chaos), but you stay for the depth. The way it balances sweetness and suspense, humour and heartbreak, tension and tenderness? 10/10 execution. And the ending? SO satisfying.

It’s like someone dropped a cozy blanket over a true-crime podcast and handed you a love story instead.

Just trust me…call this book anytime. You won’t regret it.

I thought I'd just start it for a little easy evening reading ... cue me foregoing sleep and everything else to finish it. I laughed til I couldn't breathe. I read with bated breath. I had to fan myself a few times. Call Me Anytime was a perfect mix of humor, romance, and mystery. Hannah and Dom were fabulous and their story might be my favorite read so far this year.

This is a sweet, flirty romantic comedy that’s full of laughs, awkward moments, and heartwarming connections. The story follows a quirky main character who ends up dialing the wrong number—only to strike up an unexpected friendship with the guy on the other end.
The characters feel real and relatable, and their banter is funny and fast-paced. If you enjoy lighthearted romances with witty dialogue, this one is a great pick. There’s also a fun twist on the “wrong number” trope that keeps things fresh.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️