ARC Review: First Time Caller by B.K. Borison

 

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 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 thought. 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 call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

Title: First Time Caller (Heartstrings #1)

Author: B.K. Borison

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: February 11, 2025

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an egalley of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Did I read this book because it was compared to Sleepless in Seattle? You bet I did. That movie is one of my all time favorite romantic movies and I had to see if the comparison was right. And boy, did this author get it right! This was my first book by Borison, so I was unsure of what I was walking into. Let me just say, this will more than likely come out as one of my top reads for 2025!

Aiden Valentine, despite being the host of a romance radio show, has fallen out of love. Though it's much deeper than him thinking there is no such thing as true love. Borison builds his character on past experiences of grief and the threat of losing someone so that Aiden has not only deemed himself unworthy of a true love but has walled himself off to the possibility because he's too afraid to potentially lose it once he has it. My heart truly hurt for Aiden. His experiences with grief and how he processed them in this book were very relatable. Shielding your heart from hurt is a human defense and Borison really delves into it with Aiden's character development. Despite his walls he's built, he can't seem to keep them intact when he's around Lucie Stone. Somehow, she has broken through his defenses. The small things he remembers and does for her are indicative of the love he is capable of, despite him saying he's not good for her or anyone when it comes down to it. I wanted to grab him and put him in a big squishy hug and make him feel seen and wanted and understood. Grief is such a powerful emotion and Borison does a fabulous job with it through Aiden's character

Lucie Stone has everything she needs: her daughter, a good job, and friends who love her more than anything. She's established herself as a capable and independent woman, despite making choices her family did not agree with. Despite keeping herself at a distance from romance, it comes to find her in the form of her daughter, who calls into Aiden's show to hopefully find something more for her mother. Before Lucie knows it, she's sitting in the booth with Aiden, fielding calls from people who understand her, and trying to find her own romance. Borison built this character with no self doubt. She knows exactly what she wants, even if she's hesitant to go after it because she believes she already has everything she needs. Her connection with Aiden is fairly immediate, though she also has walls up to keep herself from getting hurt. She makes decisions for herself because she wants to create a life she loves and she wants people in it who give her what she needs.

The slow build romance in this book had my heart in a chokehold the entire time. I think one of my favorite things about this book was how Lucie's character didn't depend on her romance with Aiden to give her what she needed. I also love the vulnerability of Aiden's character and how he learns that he needs to communicate his feelings. A book that can keep me so invested and pull on my heartstrings from start to finish is rare but this one did just that. The way she builds the story with the banter between the characters and their friends plus the on air snippets we get at the beginning of each chapter are just phenomenal. I would love to listen to an audio version of this because I think it would heighten the connection between the characters.

The one thing I would have liked to see was the background between Grayson, Lucie's ex and her daughter's father, and Lucie. We get some of it but I feel like there was a piece missing. How is it Lucie and Grayson realized they were not for each other? Was it right away? Did they try a bit first? This part was missing for me. It doesn't change my rating, though. I still loved every single bit of this story.

Giving this book 5 stars was the easiest thing I've ever done. And it makes me want to go read the other books from this author to see if they are just as good. Borison creates real and relatable characters who made me 100% invested in knowing their outcome. I cannot wait to see what the next installment of this series entails!

Author:

USA Today Bestselling author B.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she’s not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she’s at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn’t have room for.