Title: First-Time Caller
Author: B.K. Borison
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Romance
Pages: 448
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🖤
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First-Time Caller
Lucie Stone is a single mom to Maya, but she has an amazing relationship with Maya’s father and his husband. After a series of disastrous dates, Lucie has officially sworn off dating. She’s convinced that love just isn’t in the cards for her.
But Maya has other plans. One night, Lucie catches her daughter chatting away with a stranger — Aiden Valentine, the charming host of Baltimore’s struggling romance hotline. Maya thinks her mom deserves a second chance at love, and when their conversation goes viral, the rest of Baltimore seems to agree.
Now, with thousands of people rooting for her, Lucie reluctantly agrees to join Aiden’s show for some dating advice — and maybe, just maybe, she’ll find the right man this time.
Review
This was my first time reading a B.K. Borison book, and I can definitely see why so many people love her. I’d heard a lot of buzz about her stories, and with all the comparisons to Sleepless in Seattle, I knew I had to give this one a try. (Although, it’s been ages since I watched that movie, so I won’t be making any direct comparisons!)
And I have to say — I really liked it! After the emotional rollercoaster of Magnolia Parks, this light and fun love story was exactly what I needed. B.K. Borison’s writing style is easy to get into, and I’m already planning to add her other books to my wishlist.
The story itself had a solid build-up, and I found most of the characters genuinely likable — except for a few of Lucie’s disastrous dates, who were absolute jerks. Lucie was especially relatable. She’s not a huge fan of the whole dating scene and would rather meet someone naturally. Honestly, same. First dates can be so awkward, and the idea of falling for someone you already know just sounds… easier.
Aiden was charming, though I definitely wanted to shake some sense into him a few times. His fear of commitment was understandable given his past, but I couldn’t help but get frustrated with him. Still, his growth throughout the story made him even more likable. And Maya? Absolutely adorable. I also loved Grayson and Mateo — they were so supportive and brought warmth to the story.
So why not a full 5/5 hearts? While I enjoyed the romance and the characters, the emotional moments didn’t fully hit me. When Lucie and Aiden argued, I didn’t feel that gut-punch heartbreak I was hoping for. That’s really the only thing that held me back from giving it a perfect rating.
Overall, I had a great time reading this book, and I’d totally recommend it for anyone in the mood for a cute, feel-good romance. Since this is the first book in the Heartstrings series and just came out in February 2025, we’ll have to wait patiently for the second book (probably in 2026). Luckily, I’ve still got plenty of B.K. Borison’s other books to dive into while I wait!