⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I’d honestly give this infinity stars if that was an option)

Thank you so so much to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ms Borison, you have well and truly cemented your position in my auto-buy list - I absolutely ADORED this book. Lucie and Aiden are so so cute, and I loved watching their relationship grow (while being stuck in a very small room together). Their banter was top notch and I loved the setting. They are so relatable and well written, and the slow burn was just perfection.

I also loved the side characters - Grayson and Mateo are welcome to cook for me anytime.

Overall this was such a cozy, heart warming read and I can’t wait for the next book 🥰

4.5/5
I adored this book so much, the main characters were so genuine and that really reflected on the page thanks to the talent that is B.K. Borison.
This is my first book by her, but it will certainly not be the last for a long time.

I adore Lucie with every fibre of my being and i could not help fall in love with Aiden the same way Lucy did, with the mess and all. They are two people who are hopeless romantics but due to circumstances did not have a shot at love. Well, when they meet, that changes and I loved every second of it.

Thank you Pan Macmillan for the ARC, I am so grateful as this was one of my most awaited romance book of 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and PanMacmillan for providing an early copy of this book.

Saying that I loved this book feels like an understatement. At the beginning of the story, the FMC Lucie mentions that she wants magic in her life… and that is exactly what this book is, magic.

Lucie is a single mom who hasn’t had a relationship since she was pregnant with her now teen daughter Maya. Unexpectedly, she finds herself being part of Heartstrings, a romance radio show where she accidentally spills her deepest wants and secrets to the city of Baltimore. Aiden is the radio host who has stopped believing in love for himself. He is now tasked with finding the ideal candidate for Lucie to go on a date with, so that she can hopefully get her happily ever after.

All characters are very well constructed, and their relationships with one another are well thought through. They all feel very real and human, which is something I particularly enjoyed in this book: they are adults, they make mistakes… and then they communicate! And this is not to the detriment of any big romantic moments. On the contrary, it makes those instances all the more special and believable.

This book is for the true romantics at heart, for those of us who have never stopped believing in love… the big kind of love, the kind that feels like fireworks and running after a moving train and standing on the rain pouring your heart out, hoping to be loved in return. But also the love that is found in the day to day, the love that hides in corners, in friendships, in family

Also if you love Sleepless in Seattle, this book is a MUST READ!

Having read the Lovelight Farm series I knew that I would enjoy it, but I was not prepared for ALL THE FEELS!

This book was a wonderful blend of grumpy-sunshine and single mom. It was like a warm hug and a cup of hot chocolate. 😌

Lucie was brave and lovable, and, one of my favorite things about her, she was, surprise, surprise, a car mechanic! Isn’t that perfect? I loved it for her. She also had the most supportive and positive coworkers and customers. Not a single sexist comment appeared in this book and this is the type of fantasy I need in my life.

Aiden was adorably grumpy, he tried to avoid his feelings, but he couldn’t resist Lucie. 😏

The writing was as vibrant and witty as you can expect from this author. This book pulls you in on page one and holds until the end. I may have missed sleep over it. No regrets.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Absolutely perfect rom-com novel, sort of loosely based on Sleepless in Seattle. Lucie is a single mum who lives next door to her ex and his husband (and the father of her daughter, Maya) who gets involved in a romance phone in show on the local radio, hosted by Aiden. The characters are all adorable, with nicely fleshed out back stories and in typical me reading a B.K. Borison book fashion, I spent my entire time reading trying to think who could be the next couple to be focussed on in book 2! There were so many funny, sweet, feet kicking scenes in this book, I absolutely loved it, made me cry - EXCELLENT!!

4.5
This book was so good. Not only was it one of the most romantic books I have ever read (like, on par with a Cassie Clare book), but the characters were also all amazing - every single one. I related so much to Lucie and Aiden's sense of humor. The journeys they went through, plus their relationship with each other and the other characters felt so real. It's the kind of book that makes you believe something like this could actually happen in real life, and I'm so excited for the rest of the series, and to go through the author's backlist.

Borison’s books are a masterclass in escapism. Heartstrings follows radio host Aiden and mechanic Lucie. Aiden isn’t sure he believes in true love, and Lucie has given up on finding her ‘magic’. But when Lucie’s daughter calls in to Aiden’s show on her mum’s behalf, they both begin to change their minds.

What I loved so much about Borison’s Lovelight series was the small town setting so I was intrigued as to how I would find First-Time Caller since it’s set in Baltimore (definitely not a small town). I thought this city setting perfectly fit the characters and the story. It gave a fateful feel to the plot - of all of the people in this city, we found each other?

Their romance was sweet and authentic, and I was thanking god that there was no miscommunication trope, they were honest and upfront and that was really refreshing. Overall, I thought it was a really sweet and heartwarming book.

This starts off ever so cute. Lucie’s daughter calls into a radio show worried about her mums lack of dating. From this a lovely adult romance starts with Lucie and the radio show host. They are both hiding their hurt and are scared of committing and so fight the romance all the way. The whole family unit is adorable and shows a lot of love to each other and exploring this as part of the romance is great. Aiden and Lucy end up hosting the romance radio programme and even so can’t quite be honest with each other. A lovely read.

This is one of those books where you’re rooting for the two main characters from the get-go and you just have to keep reading because their path to togetherness contains such a perfect mix of emotional, humorous, and swoony moments. Lucie and Aiden both think they know what they want and those wants are completely opposing; it takes several evenings of close proximity in a radio booth for them to gradually shift their positions. Aiden’s journey from jaded to crush to ‘what do I do with all these feelings?’ is so beautifully written, and Lucie, with the life she’s so determinedly built, is charming, captivating, and relatable. With an excellently-drawn supporting cast and amusing radio show snippets between chapters, this is a romance that I’m already looking forward to reading again.

I loved this book!!! Lucie and AAidenwere perfect . They felt so natural and real which I have found with many of this authors books. I loved little maya and Grayson's meddling.
All over a lovely read!

First Time Caller by B.K. Borison is a charming contemporary romance that expertly blends humor and heart. Following Lucie as she navigates love and personal aspirations, the story showcases her witty banter with a captivating radio host. Borison's sharp writing and well-developed characters create a delightful narrative filled with relatable struggles and genuine chemistry. It’s a quick, engaging read that beautifully captures the unpredictability of modern love. A must-read for fans of romantic comedies!It’s a perfect read for those who enjoy a blend of romance and humor with a dash of real-world relatability. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary romance!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I am so in love with this book! I feel so, so lucky to have received an ARC for First Time Caller! Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan and B.K. Borison, I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity!

First Time Caller is one of my most anticipated 2025 releases, so I dropped everything to read this book as soon as I got approved! It very quickly made it into my top 5 reads of 2024, and it is my favourite B.K. Borison book to date. This book was EVERYTHING! I cannot get over how much I loved this book. It felt like a warm hug from the first page, it was adorable, and it is one of the best romance books I have read, because the way it made me feel was just... magic. Infinite stars!

Aiden and Lucie are very well written characters, and they felt so real and relatable. Their relationship develops in such an organic and heart-warming way that you can't help but fall in love with them. The attraction, the yearning, the love between them... you feel all the emotions! The slow burn was fantastic, and when they finally get together... wow! I really enjoyed all the other characters and Lucie's family dynamics, it was unique but so perfect! I loved how the book was structured, and it has the best 90's rom-com vibes; I actually was picturing it as a movie while I was reading! The ending and epilogue were so well written and perfectly wrapped up the story. I loved everything about this book and I could talk about it for hours. I can't wait to have a physical copy because I *need* to annotate and highlight so many parts!

I will now spend the rest of the year resisting the urge to do a re-read, but I have a feeling I'm not strong enough and will read it at least once more before release day!

A huge thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and B.K. Borison for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I loved how real the story felt because of how relatable the characters were and how authentically modern day dating was portrayed – I mean, everyone just wants to be loved in some way…

Lucie and Aiden’s "meet-cute“ was hilarious! I loved how Maya called for dating advice for her mom and how Lucie ended up doing the romance hotline with Aiden. Aiden definitely fell first (and harder) and I enjoyed how jealous he was of anyone who called to date Lucie.

I liked that the story was a slow burn. The conflict and resolution were predictable, but made sense for the plot. Both Aiden and Lucie had a good character development – I just wish Aiden had spent more time with Maya, but I’m hoping we'll get glimpses of their relationship in the coming books. Even though I was sad to leave Inglewild, I think Borison’s new series will be just as good. That being said, I can’t wait for Jackson and Delilah (work-rivals to lovers?) or whatever comes next!

Book 1 in the HEARTSTRINGS series and I am already obsessed. I fell head-over-heels in love with Aiden - that man is an abslute sweetheart.
If you love a good slow burn then you need to read this, seriously. I adored Becca's LOVELIGHT series, but this is by far the best book she has ever written. I am so jealous of everyone who gets to read it for the first time.

I am a massive fan of this author, the love light farms series is one of my all time favourites so I was very excited for this one.

There was so much to love about this book that I don't even know where to begin with this review. I will start with the two main characters. I enjoyed the dual POV and as a reader who loves, relates to and heavily invests in flawed characters I was hooked early on. Lucie was a brilliant female MC smashing independent women life with a kick ass job as a mechanic. Aiden was so reserved to begin with but his character arc development was perfection. I really loved the found family element, it was lovely to see such a well formed family that was made up of people who had genuine love and respect for each other. The romantic touches in this *list in the glove box - I'm looking at you* were just perfect and had me swooning.

Thank you B K Borison for another wonderful romance.

Also can I just take a minute to say how much I love this cover!!

“I like that. Thinking that I’m worth paying attention to. Something ordinary made extraordinary by the person you’re sharing it with. That’s the sort of date I’d want.”

First of all thank you so much to BK, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this gorgeous ARC of First-time Caller ♥️

This book and BK’s heartfelt storytelling is every reason why I love the 90s nostalgia of a great rom com with all the feelings. This book filled my heart and made me grin. I laughed, I teared up, I swooned and felt all the pitter patters that reminded me why I love a slow burn romance.

Aiden is definitely a secret, swoony boy. I loved his layers and the honesty of his heart once he’s brave enough to show it.

Lucie is kind and smart, funny and effervescent. Her humour is beautifully refreshing and her vulnerability shows her strength.

It must be said that I obviously have a crush on spicy Maggie. I loved adorable Jackson and I definitely want to know more about his (enemies to lovers workplace?) story 😏

The chemistry LEAPT off the pages between Aiden and Lucie and BK 💯 nailed the feelings and humour of all my favourites: this was Sleepless in Seattle and One Fine Day. It was While You Were Sleeping and the kind of magic that made me believe in the best romances.

I’m giddy that I got to receive an early copy of this book and will never stop raving about it.

A delightful, heartwarming, slow burn spicy 5 ⭐️

Fave moments(without spoilers) are:

“Nah, Lucie. I think you’re the magic.”

“Wider. Make room for me.”

“Because you said it was your favourite. And I want your favourite to be my favourite.”

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Borison outdid herself with this one, writing wise this is an upgrade from the Lovelight series which i already love.

If I had to describe this book in three words it would be cozy, cute and funny. I absolutely loved the vibes and the characters, especially Lucie, who is officially one of my fav female characters. She was so charming and relatable.

While Aiden and Lucie were cute, their romance scenes felt kind of superficial to me. However, i enjoyed the characters dynamic so much that it didn't really bother me that much.

This is definitely going to be a comfort book for the winter time for me and i can't wait to be officially released so i can finally get this gorgeous cover in my hands.

I'm already excited for the next book, Jackson seems really funny.

where do I even start with trying to review this book that broke me into pieces and put me back together? i giggled, swooned (HARD) and sobbed..
B.K Borison has been an auto-buy author for me since the beginning of lovelight farms with her whistful writing and loveable characters and this did not disappoint, instead it completely exceeded my expectations.

plot˖˚⊹ ꣑ৎ‎ I loved the premise of this book and the fact it took after one of my fave romcoms ever (sleepless in seattle).. i found the whole radio host/ finding Lucie love, a different and unique premise that I absolutely adored from the minute Maya made the first call. I felt like it was well-paced and I found myself not being able to stop reading chapter after chapter.
i loved how the focus was solely on adien and lucie- with the side characters being loveable but without taking too much away from the story of adien and lucie .
the writing was stunning and I found myself having a regular little cry at just how well B.K Borrison could describe feelings I had never even considered.

adien & lucie˖˚⊹ ꣑ৎ‎ this relationship is a slowwwburn so expect a lot of tension and a bit of conflict, but I honestly fell in love with both these characters and wanted the absolute best for the both of them. the characters felt raw, real and everything I wanted from a romance book.
the conflict towards the end only added more depth and I felt it made sense with all the feelings adien had to work through. it just made me so much more endeared to them both.

overall, I could find no real fault with this book and loved every moment of reading it. my only regret is reading too quickly!

B.K. Borison has done it again! What a wonderful book. I loved it and couldn't stop reading.
I loved watching Lucie and Aiden's relationship grow.
I really liked Lucie's relationship with Maya's father and his husband, which was fantasic and different from how it usually is in books. Found family in the best of ways.
This was just lovely. Heartwarming and funny.
This is a book I definitely will reread in the future.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this book early.

I’m taking this as my sign to read more of B.K. Borison’s books because THIS was everything I needed and more. I’ve been in a reading slump for a little over a week and this was the perfect book to get me out of it. Lucie and Aiden’s story was so sweet and I really love how the plot progressed. The flirting was top tier and I related to both Lucie and Aiden in so many ways - they were such real and raw characters which I loved. The *only* reason this wasn’t a 5 star read was because of the third act breakup… but other than that, OBSESSED 🩷