Wow I wholeheartedly adore this book. It gave me everything I was looking for. The slow burn, chemistry and spice was so well done!!

3 / 5 ⭐

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

What I loved most was Lucie, her daughter, and the dynamic with her ex. Their little family brought plenty of smiles and laughter, and I really enjoyed reading about them. The garage crew was also adorable, adding heart-warming moments that made the story feel cosy.

The setting was cute, and I liked the scenes in the radio booth, but that felt like all we really got. I wished for more variety—perhaps more interactions with Lucie’s daughter to make it feel like a true single-parent romance. Small spoiler: Aiden met her once and never interacted with her again, which felt like a missed opportunity.

I also wanted more depth in Lucie’s past—why did she and her ex fall out of love? Their backstory was intriguing, but it wasn’t explored enough.

The pacing dragged at times, and by the end, I felt Lucie deserved better. The book was quite long, and I think either tightening the story or expanding other subplots would have made it more engaging.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

First-Time Caller" by B.K. Borison seems to blend a lot of the key elements that make for a great contemporary romance: witty banter, heartfelt moments, and characters with real emotional depth.

The chemistry between Aiden and Lucie sounds natural, with a slow-burn romance that keeps you invested as their connection deepens. I like that it’s not just about the romance; there’s also a focus on Lucie’s journey as a mother, which adds an extra layer of relatability and warmth. Plus, the inclusion of quirky supporting characters seems to add to the overall fun and light-hearted tone of the book.

It's the perfect read if you're in the mood for something sweet, funny, and a little heart-tugging. It feels like one of those books where you’re rooting for the characters from start to finish, and the feel-good ending would be more than earned.

THIS BOOK! I laughed, I cried, I squealed in delight and quite clearly discovered one of my top romance books.

Aidan’s story struck more than a few chords with me as I’ve been in a similar situation and like him it took some time to realise why and work through it. Luckily for him he found an excellent reason to figure out it in Lucie through his radio show.

The slow burn and banter set each page alight and I’m so glad we skipped the typical third act miscommunication. Lucie is such a strong character, taking her vulnerabilities and trying to change the life she had settled into. And Aiden for taking action when he realised the life he didn’t want might actually the life he needed. I just.. I love them, as individuals, as a couple. They are so very real and I think they’re going to nestle into a lot of romance readers hearts 💕

4.5 stars ✨

Ahh Becs never disappoints! I just know I will love her books way before I pick them up. No, scratch that. You know all the books that BK still hasn't written? I love them already—that's how much I love her storytelling. Prepare to swoon with this book! ☎️

Aiden is the cutest. He has this absolutely adorable shyness in him, and I adore the way he talks and the things he says. He says he doesn't believe in love, and yet his actions speak the purest form of it. It's all in the little—but massive,—things. The way he pays attention to all the details and memorizes them, the way he cares without even noticing. It comes as a second nature to him, and it's so sweet and beautiful to see.
I love this man, his personality, and everything about him.

Lucie believes in love. In magic. She knows she deserves it, and she isn't afraid to voice it—which, honestly, makes me adore her even more.
She's very kind, brave, tough, and very loving. She's definitely someone worth admiring.

Both characters' development is incredible! The attraction is there from the start, yes, absolutely. But the highlight is the way they grew together, and opened up to each other. Gah, I have no words.
Their story feels real. It's sweet and romantic. It's them—I don't know how to put this in better wording.

The side characters gave even more life to this book. And I'm already hoping for a certain someone's story next. Pretty please. 👀

I said it before and I'll never tire of saying this, multiple times even, actually: BK Borison's writing is so beautiful, so poetic, so real. She has this magical way with words that both make me swoon and hit me hard in all the feels. I think I would recognize it anywhere, and each time my love for it grows more.

I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!

4.5 stars ✨

Ahh Becs never disappoints! I just know I will love her books way before I pick them up. No, scratch that. You know all the books that BK still hasn't written? I love them already—that's how much I love her storytelling. Prepare to swoon with this book! ☎️

Aiden is the cutest. He has this absolutely adorable shyness in him, and I adore the way he talks and the things he says. He says he doesn't believe in love, and yet his actions speak the purest form of it. It's all in the little—but massive,—things. The way he pays attention to all the details and memorizes them, the way he cares without even noticing. It comes as a second nature to him, and it's so sweet and beautiful to see.
I love this man, his personality, and everything about him.

Lucie believes in love. In magic. She knows she deserves it, and she isn't afraid to voice it—which, honestly, makes me adore her even more.
She's very kind, brave, tough, and very loving. She's definitely someone worth admiring.

Both characters' development is incredible! The attraction is there from the start, yes, absolutely. But the highlight is the way they grew together, and opened up to each other. Gah, I have no words.
Their story feels real. It's sweet and romantic. It's them—I don't know how to put this in better wording.

The side characters gave even more life to this book. And I'm already hoping for a certain someone's story next. Pretty please. 👀

I said it before and I'll never tire of saying this, multiple times even, actually: BK Borison's writing is so beautiful, so poetic, so real. She has this magical way with words that both make me swoon and hit me hard in all the feels. I think I would recognize it anywhere, and each time my love for it grows more.

I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!

This was so good and has become my favourite B.K. Borison book!

This was such a cute, sweet romance. As soon as Lucie and Aiden met, their chemistry was amazing and it only got better as the story progressed. They were so good together and their banter and dynamic were incredibly entertaining!

It was empowering to see Lucie fight for her happiness. Once she knew what she wanted, she fought for it and always communicated quite clearly with Aiden, which I loved. And Aiden, oh sweet Aidan, he’d been through so much and his coping mechanisms certainly weren’t the best but even before he realised it, he was so in love with Lucie - he was down bad!! I mean obsessed, would die for her. I loved it! I lost count of how many times I found myself giggling at my kindle - it was THAT good!

It was bit of a slow burn, which I sometimes struggle with but that wasn’t the case here, mostly, I think, because even if they didn’t get together that quickly, they were still spending so much time together and it was clear that they were falling in love with each other.

I think the only downside for me was that although Maya played a huge role in bringing Lucie and Aiden together and I loved her relationship with Lucie, I feel like she wasn’t in the book that much and I would have loved to see her interact more with Aiden.

Overall, this was an amazing romance, perfect for fans of a good slow burn with a strong female main character and a man who’s low-key obsessed with his girl.

I can’t want to see where this series goes!!

I am so glad that I got approved for B.K. Borison's latest novel--The First Time Caller. This is the first book of the Heartstrings series and I am so excited to try out this book.

Adrien Valentine is a radio host and he hosts a show called Heartstrings, that talks about love in general. When he gets an unexpected call from a girl named Maya, telling Adrien that her mother Lucie Stone has not dated anyone, Lucie then join the show, telling her the reasons why she wasn't dating. Soon her talk was publicized and everyone now wants Lucie to have a happy ever after. Lucie agrees to a series of dates arranged by Adrien although she realizes that she is now falling in love with the radio host...

This was a cheesy romantic story. The story is told in the POVs of Lucie and Adrien so you know what each of them think of each other. I like Borison's style of writing and so the whole story was engaging and thrilling. This has a sense of 90's and 2000's romcom feeling in it. The characters Lucie and Adrien are likable characters and I especially like Lucie's character in the story--she is funny, smart and friendly--someone you want to hang out with. Of course, the chemistry between Lucie and Adrien were sizzling and we all know that in the end, Lucie and Adrien will be together.

I enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the second book of the series--worth five stars.

I've fell so in love with this book. I've been quite busy this week so haven't had much time to read, but whenever I picked this back by up I just fell right back into it. It had me laughing out loud in places and I related to the characters so much. B. K. Borison really made me feel with this one. Some of the quotes are just perfection. 👌🏼

It really did feel like a 90s rom com & had me living my best life. It really had a well rounded cast of characters & there wasn't one character I didn't like. Honestly, I have nothing negative to say about this.

"Long-time listeners, first time caller" had me screaming, giggling, kicking my feet, throwing up. The tension & banter between the characters had me swooning. Honestly, I am totally obsessed with this book. My favourite B. K. Borison book so far & I'm so excited for the next one in the series.

4.5 stars rounded up✨ Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for very kindly sending me an e-arc of First-Time Caller - and yes I did in fact squeal out loud when I saw it had dropped into my inbox 😭. Oh this book! What can I say?! It was pulling on my heartstrings (pardon the pun 😏) from beginning to end! Inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, full of that 90s Rom-com charm - like an actual Nora Ephron style film playing out on the pages (but with added spice 🌶️) - and some favourite tropes added to the mix, (enter grumpy x sunshine and forced proximity 😏). This book had me laughing, welling up, swooning and kicking my lil legs throughout! An absolute must read for contemporary romance readers💘

The ✨vibes✨:
- Sleepless in Seattle vibes/inspired
- Like an actual Nora Ephron style film playing out from the pages - but with added spice 🌶️
- Grumpy, doesn’t know if he believes in love any longer, host of a radio podcast called ‘Heartstrings’ where he gives love advice, MMC
- Hopeless romantic, doesn’t want to have to TRY to find love and just hopes that one day that person will find her and until then she’s content being alone every evening with her 12 year old daughter who has a bigger social life than she does, FMC
- Full of that 90s Rom-com charm
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Single parent
- Forced proximity
- Slow burn
- Warm fuzzy cosy vibes
- Kicking your lil legs and wiggling your lil toes moments
- Healthy and positive family dynamics
- Some sadder familial relationships
- Working through trauma
- Spicy moments 🌶️ done really well 😮‍💨
- Emotionally vulnerable characters that have you laughing, welling up and swooning all at the same time

I have no words to describe how much I loved this book and how it altered my brain chemistry. This book is absolute perfect and I’m forever obsessed with everything B K Borison writes.
The characters, the plot, the vibes, the writing!!! Everything is perfection.
Aiden and Lucie have the cutest relationship and the most amazing relationship. The flirting!!! The banter!! I love them I love them I love them!! Aiden is 100% on my little (not so little) list of fav book boyfriends. Because that man!!!
The writing is phenomenal and both characters are incredibly written and developed. I just can’t wait for my physical copy to get here to reread it immediately!!!

Thank you to B K Borison and Pan MacMillan for the arc

Thank you Netgalley for gifting this book in exchange for an honest review

Ok so this is my 2nd contemporary romance and I don't think they're for me, I gave it a go and I think I'm a fantasy/paranormal girlie.

Having said that, the banter between these two is 😚🤌🏻 and the spice was such a good time!

It was well written and I enjoyed that our main characters were over 25!

B.K. Borison delivers a heartwarming and cozy romance in First time Caller, a novel that beautifully blends humor, longing, and personal growth. Inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, this story follows Aiden Valentine, a disillusioned romance radio host, and Lucie Stone, a hardworking single mom who never expected to become the center of Baltimore’s matchmaking frenzy.

From the very start, the book pulls readers in with its engaging premise—Aiden’s viral radio moment with Lucie’s daughter sets off a chain reaction that forces both characters to confront their true feelings about love. Aiden, despite his cynicism, is undeniably sweet, and his chemistry with Lucie crackles with tension, making every interaction between them a delight. Their slow-burn romance is filled with witty banter, emotional depth, and moments that feel both intimate and real.

What truly makes the book shine is its strong character development. Both Aiden and Lucie experience personal growth throughout the story, making their romance feel even more satisfying. The novel also strikes the perfect balance between humor and heartfelt moments, creating a cozy and uplifting read.

If you're a fan of charming, feel-good romances with great character dynamics and just the right amount of tension, First time Caller is a must-read. It’s a sweet, comforting story that will leave you smiling long after you turn the last page.

the best way i can describe this book is as a way better version of sleepless in seattle (sorry to everyone that loves sleepless in Seattle)

i just loved aiden and lucie so damn much, their banter was so fun, they had such unbelievable chemistry and seeing their development as characters was so satisfying, both of them were struggling with overcoming feelings of inadequacy and their insecurities from the past, but i adored seeing them grow together and because of each other

the setting of a radio show was so fun as well, the guests calling in and lucie beginning her bachelorette journey while aiden was jealous and grumpy next to her was absolutely delicious; maya and lucie’s support system were such a gem in this story as well

b.k. borison has done it again!

thank you to netgalley, b.k. borison and pan macmillan for this arc in exchange for my honest review

4.5 / 5 ☎️🎧💌

Huge thank you and appreciation to Pan Macmillan for the early copy!

This book was so sweet and I fell in love with Lucie and Aiden from the very first page. Their chemistry just radiated of the page and created some seriously good tension-filled moments. I also loved the little town, and how they played a unique part in their story, especially those at the Auto shop.

Maya, Mateo and Grayson boy did they add a special element to this book. I loved how we saw a single mum romance with a stable, non-messy co-parenting situation. I just loved how Grayson and Lucie's relationship and dynamic was depicted in this book and I want more books to take note because many make that the drama when it honestly has no reason to be.

Nonetheless, this was so freaking good and I cannot wait to continue the Heartstrings series hopefully with Jackson and that god awful weather reporter or so he says.

Okay, I absolutely loved this book! It was everything I needed to kickstart February! I loved both FMC and MMC; they had chemistry from the get go, great banter and a relatability which wasn’t force-fed or overdone. I smiled so much reading through this!

Lucie was so relatable, and Aiden had just the right amount of grouch to underpin his thoughtfulness. I loved this from start to finish!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this in advance of its release!

I have heard such amazing things about this book and it did not disappoint!

This was such a fun and cute read. The MC’s were both great, and I LOVE a grumpy guy who’s a little bit against love 😍 It was a pure feel good romance and really felt like a noughties rom-com 🤭

It was very cheesy… sometimes a little too cheesy. But that was the vibe of the book, so I let it slide.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes:
- Sleepless In Seattle vibes
- Single Mom
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Radio Show Romance
- Jaded Lover Boy x Hopeless Romantic
- Meet Cute

The romance in this book is top tier - he runs to her side when she is stood up! He keeps a list of everything she loves!!! I loved Lucie and Aiden together, and I loved Lucie on her own.

My main negative of this book (and why it got 4 instead of 5 stars) is that Aiden felt very one dimensional. The reason I love B K Borrisons writing is the richness and depth she gives her characters, but it felt lacking with him.

However, all the side characters were a delight and I am a slut for a sleepless in seattle vibe, so I enjoyed this one!

Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the e-arc!

I've read Borison's books and they always feel like a warm hug. They have this cozy atmosphere that's makes you feel good while reading, and this was also the case with this one.
I loved Lucie and Aiden, the way they relationship was built little by little but how they connected from the start. I also loved how Lucie acting very mature, which makes perfect sense for her age, but sometimes in books the main characters act quite immaturely, so that's something I was very glad to read.
Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a cozy and lighthearted romance! All the moments in the radio station felt refreshing and so enjoyable, glad it was different from other basic romance plots.

My book of the year right here! Easiest 5 stars i've ever given. Aiden is just such a sweet heart and Lucie deserves the world!

I loved that it reminded me of sleepless in Seattle, it just gave me all the cosy vibes and i cannot wait to read more from this world!

Highly recommend