Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
I’d give this 6 stars if I could. What an absolutely swoon worthy read/listen. (Highly recommend the audio since the story is centered around a radio show and callers.) This had everything. Great love story, perfect non cringey spice, and lovable main and side characters. Characters had depth to them, and I was rooting for them all the way through. A new top tier favorite.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Miss Burger King Borison can write a dang book! This was so fun and charming and had some excellent banter. The third act drama wasn't too painful. Although what happened with Colin? But loved Lucy as our MC (obviously I'm gonna love a lady mechanic, she's awesome).
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was... cute but soon got repetitive and boring. Definitely has that '90s romcom charm, but it also reminded me why that formula tends to work best in under two hours. The setup was sweet, with some genuinely wholesome moments early on, but once it hit the midpoint, it stalled - becoming repetitive and, frankly, dull. The obligatory third-act breakup felt both predictable and clumsily handled.
The one real saving grace was Lucy, the FMC. She came across as grounded, emotionally intelligent, and refreshingly age-appropriate. A believable woman in her 30s with an actual job and interiority. A rare win in contemporary romance.
The MMC, though, was a manchild. His sole redeeming feature seemed to be making Lucy orgasm three times in a row, which, let’s be honest, is basically the default setting for male leads in this genre. Beyond that, there wasn’t much substance to him. If I had a penny every time he says I don't believe in love because my mom's cancer and my dad cried blah blah... Just stop, manchild.
The audiobook didn’t help. The male narrator sounded like a 16-year-old rather than a sultry late-night romance radio host. It added another layer of immaturity to an already undercooked character.
The one real saving grace was Lucy, the FMC. She came across as grounded, emotionally intelligent, and refreshingly age-appropriate. A believable woman in her 30s with an actual job and interiority. A rare win in contemporary romance.
The MMC, though, was a manchild. His sole redeeming feature seemed to be making Lucy orgasm three times in a row, which, let’s be honest, is basically the default setting for male leads in this genre. Beyond that, there wasn’t much substance to him. If I had a penny every time he says I don't believe in love because my mom's cancer and my dad cried blah blah... Just stop, manchild.
The audiobook didn’t help. The male narrator sounded like a 16-year-old rather than a sultry late-night romance radio host. It added another layer of immaturity to an already undercooked character.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I feel mixed. The audiobook duet narration was excellent. Romance was so cute. Spice was easily skippable for me. But I was so annoyed at the side characters. And it had a bit of miscommunication which I loathe. I really enjoyed the radio talk show plot.
Overall Rating: 3/5. I think I would have been closer to a 4 if the side characters didn’t feel so caricature-ish. They just lacked depth and felt too surface level for me.
TW: sexual content (M/F open door sex, M/M romance), cancer
Overall Rating: 3/5. I think I would have been closer to a 4 if the side characters didn’t feel so caricature-ish. They just lacked depth and felt too surface level for me.
TW: sexual content (M/F open door sex, M/M romance), cancer
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After hearing how much everyone loved this one, I was almost apprehensive to read it, since I often don't love the most popular romances, but this was great! The audiobook really captured the yearning between these two characters.
Lu and Aiden's dynamic was so well-written and the slow burn was killing me in the best way! Once it ends and they get together physically, I thought their lack of communication made sense for the characters even as I was yelling at them to just talk to each other.
I really liked the way both of them were written. Lucy's anxieties and relationship with love stood out as relatable and Aiden's fears were equally as understandable. They felt perfect for each other, while also making it understandable why their burn was so slow.
I loved Lucy's family dynamic and the way it presented such a gorgeous and loving non-traditional family dynamic. I also appreciated that it didn't try to give us a Gilmore Girls style reunion with Lucy's family, but instead kept the realism of that relationship being broken.
The third act breakup worked here and while the final ending felt dramatic, I think it worked perfectly since their whole relationship formed on air.
I can't wait to read the second one in this series!
Lu and Aiden's dynamic was so well-written and the slow burn was killing me in the best way! Once it ends and they get together physically, I thought their lack of communication made sense for the characters even as I was yelling at them to just talk to each other.
I really liked the way both of them were written. Lucy's anxieties and relationship with love stood out as relatable and Aiden's fears were equally as understandable. They felt perfect for each other, while also making it understandable why their burn was so slow.
I loved Lucy's family dynamic and the way it presented such a gorgeous and loving non-traditional family dynamic. I also appreciated that it didn't try to give us a Gilmore Girls style reunion with Lucy's family, but instead kept the realism of that relationship being broken.
The third act breakup worked here and while the final ending felt dramatic, I think it worked perfectly since their whole relationship formed on air.
I can't wait to read the second one in this series!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First-Time Caller delivers exactly what it promises: grumpy x sunshine slow burn, radio romance, banter, and yearning that leaves a mark.
Lucie and Aiden are both emotionally raw in their own ways. Lucie, a hopeless romantic with grease-stained fingers from her job at the mechanic shop, and Aiden, the jaded host of Heartstrings, Baltimore’s romance hotline, who’s tired of shallow calls and deeper loneliness. When Lucie’s teen daughter Maya calls into the show, setting everything in motion, it’s pure magic. The way Lucie and Aiden spend that first night talking? Instant goosebumps.
Their chemistry is undeniable, and I loved watching Lucie push Aiden toward vulnerability, even when he resisted. The book doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff grief, disappointment, the fear of truly being seen and those themes are where Borison shines. Lucie’s story about her past with Grayson (Maya's father), her love for the little things, and Aiden’s protective moments made for some really touching scenes.
The pacing does slow in the middle. There’s a stretch where neither Aiden nor Lucie really shows up for the other, and it made their connection feel a bit stalled. I would’ve loved to see more growth earlier on, more moments where they actually chose each other instead of dancing around it. But the final chapters totally pulled me back in.
That ending? So worth the wait. Emotional, heartfelt, and full of warmth. Aiden’s big moment, Lucie’s courage, and the final scene brought the kind of closure that makes you want to hug the book.
Also, the one-page radio convos at the end of each chapter? Absolute chef’s kiss. Such a fun and unique way to tie everything together.
A solid four stars. Soft, romantic, and real. Lucie is the kind of sunshine we all need, and Aiden’s journey from broken to brave is worth every page.
Lucie and Aiden are both emotionally raw in their own ways. Lucie, a hopeless romantic with grease-stained fingers from her job at the mechanic shop, and Aiden, the jaded host of Heartstrings, Baltimore’s romance hotline, who’s tired of shallow calls and deeper loneliness. When Lucie’s teen daughter Maya calls into the show, setting everything in motion, it’s pure magic. The way Lucie and Aiden spend that first night talking? Instant goosebumps.
Their chemistry is undeniable, and I loved watching Lucie push Aiden toward vulnerability, even when he resisted. The book doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff grief, disappointment, the fear of truly being seen and those themes are where Borison shines. Lucie’s story about her past with Grayson (Maya's father), her love for the little things, and Aiden’s protective moments made for some really touching scenes.
The pacing does slow in the middle. There’s a stretch where neither Aiden nor Lucie really shows up for the other, and it made their connection feel a bit stalled. I would’ve loved to see more growth earlier on, more moments where they actually chose each other instead of dancing around it. But the final chapters totally pulled me back in.
That ending? So worth the wait. Emotional, heartfelt, and full of warmth. Aiden’s big moment, Lucie’s courage, and the final scene brought the kind of closure that makes you want to hug the book.
Also, the one-page radio convos at the end of each chapter? Absolute chef’s kiss. Such a fun and unique way to tie everything together.
A solid four stars. Soft, romantic, and real. Lucie is the kind of sunshine we all need, and Aiden’s journey from broken to brave is worth every page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A fun, cute read that I can't say I've thought much about since closing the book. The characters all felt refreshingly well-rounded, though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol