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kelly_e 's review for:
First-Time Caller
by B.K. Borison
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Title: First-Time Caller
Author: B.K. Borison
SerieS: Heartstrings #1
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: February 11, 2025
T H R E E • W O R D S
Heartfelt • Flirty • Cinematic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
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 believed. 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 decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I'd previously read and enjoyed Lovelight Farms, B.K. Borison's debut, with plans to continue that series, so I was definitely interested in her newest release First-Time Caller, the first book in a new romance series. I went into this one completely blind, although I was well aware of all of the hype surrounding it.
Aiden and Lucie were both charming and flawed characters, although Aiden could have been flushed out a little more. He is deeply guarded and I wish the author had unpeeled his layers slightly more. The side characters were equally wholesome and I absolutely loved the healthy portrayal of co-parenting and of an unconventional family. Getting this type of representation is refreshing and mirrors reality. I also really loved the idea of a romance hotline and the calls created a foundation of communication I appreciated (although some of their in person interactions took five steps back).
My main issue is how unnecessarily padded this novel is. There is no need for it to be over 400 pages and it would have greatly benefitted from more cuts. Because of its length, it loses the momentum built at the start and gets bogged down throughout the middle. This is a common issue I have with many books in the romance genre.
First-Time Caller is a beautiful ode to love in all its forms - romantic, first, lost, best friend, parental, and self. The grumpy-sunshine vibe felt realistic and the banter is top-notch. As a whole it was enjoyable, but could have easily been shortened. I am looking forward to reading Book 2 next year and to continuing on with the Lovelight series in the meantime.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Sleepless in Seattle
• top tier banter
• single parent romance
⚠️ CW: sexual content, death, grief, cancer, terminal illness, cursing, alcohol, misogyny, sexism, abandonment, medical content, pregnancy
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Something ordinary made extraordinary by the person you’re sharing it with."
"When the whole world tells you you’re silly for wanting the things you want, you start to believe them. You start to think you’re not worth it. That if the things you’re waiting for do exist, they’re not for someone like you."
Author: B.K. Borison
SerieS: Heartstrings #1
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: February 11, 2025
T H R E E • W O R D S
Heartfelt • Flirty • Cinematic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
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 believed. 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 decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I'd previously read and enjoyed Lovelight Farms, B.K. Borison's debut, with plans to continue that series, so I was definitely interested in her newest release First-Time Caller, the first book in a new romance series. I went into this one completely blind, although I was well aware of all of the hype surrounding it.
Aiden and Lucie were both charming and flawed characters, although Aiden could have been flushed out a little more. He is deeply guarded and I wish the author had unpeeled his layers slightly more. The side characters were equally wholesome and I absolutely loved the healthy portrayal of co-parenting and of an unconventional family. Getting this type of representation is refreshing and mirrors reality. I also really loved the idea of a romance hotline and the calls created a foundation of communication I appreciated (although some of their in person interactions took five steps back).
My main issue is how unnecessarily padded this novel is. There is no need for it to be over 400 pages and it would have greatly benefitted from more cuts. Because of its length, it loses the momentum built at the start and gets bogged down throughout the middle. This is a common issue I have with many books in the romance genre.
First-Time Caller is a beautiful ode to love in all its forms - romantic, first, lost, best friend, parental, and self. The grumpy-sunshine vibe felt realistic and the banter is top-notch. As a whole it was enjoyable, but could have easily been shortened. I am looking forward to reading Book 2 next year and to continuing on with the Lovelight series in the meantime.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Sleepless in Seattle
• top tier banter
• single parent romance
⚠️ CW: sexual content, death, grief, cancer, terminal illness, cursing, alcohol, misogyny, sexism, abandonment, medical content, pregnancy
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Something ordinary made extraordinary by the person you’re sharing it with."
"When the whole world tells you you’re silly for wanting the things you want, you start to believe them. You start to think you’re not worth it. That if the things you’re waiting for do exist, they’re not for someone like you."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy