When a late-night call turns into something real, love goes live—ready or not.
In First-Time Caller, B.K. Borison tunes into the quiet kind of chemistry that builds between two people who talk for a living but are still learning to listen. Set against the hum of a Baltimore radio show, it’s a charming blend of banter, single-mom strength, and unexpected connection that feels warm, real, and a little bit electric.
If you love slow burns, found family, and love stories that sound like home, this one’s worth staying up for.
Book Info
Title: First-Time Caller
Author: B.K. Borison
Series: Heartstrings #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance • Friends to Lovers • Single Mom
Setting: Baltimore
My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
★ Buy on Amazon | Shop on Bookshop (US Indies) | Find on Goodreads
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Forever Book Lover 💗
Book Description
A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.
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 thought. 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 call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
My Review
This hit my sweet spot for modern rom-coms: cozy momentum, sparkling dialogue, and a heroine I’d absolutely have coffee with after work. Lucie being a mechanic is such a refreshing switch—competent, kind, and unwilling to settle for almost. Aiden is more cinnamon-roll guarded than true grump, which worked for me; the pining reads quiet but sure.
The Baltimore details add warmth without turning into a travelogue, and I loved the blended-family dynamic—supportive, low-drama, and genuinely funny. The middle leans talky, but the on-air segments keep the chemistry lit. When the mic is off? The hand-brushes, the forehead-press, the we’re-just-friends routine… it’s giving classic movie glow.
Spice shows up purposefully (two open-door scenes; a brief, high-tension interlude earlier). If you like banter that nudges into heat, you’ll be happy. If you prefer closed door, you can still vibe with the romance and skim a few pages.
Minor quibbles: the story could lose a handful of pages and still sing, and Aiden’s conflict occasionally circles the drain. But the payoff lands—public grovel without grandstanding, and a final note that feels earned. Net: warm fuzzies achieved.
Character Spotlight
Lucie Stone is one of those heroines who immediately earns your respect. A single mom and full-time mechanic, she’s practical, loyal, and a little surprised to find herself flirting with the voice on the radio. Lucie’s warmth is quiet but unwavering—she listens more than she talks, fixes what’s broken, and doesn’t pretend to have everything figured out. Watching her open up to love feels like watching sunlight reach through an open garage door.
Aiden Valentine hides behind his microphone, charming listeners with advice he’s not sure he believes. Off-air, he’s cautious and a touch self-protective, the kind of guy who needs someone like Lucie to remind him that connection isn’t a performance. Once he lets his guard down, Aiden’s tenderness steals the scene—and proves that even cynics can sound like romantics when they’re speaking from the heart.
Together, Lucie and Aiden balance vulnerability with humor. Their chemistry builds through banter and shared silences, creating a love story that feels steady, grounded, and refreshingly adult.
Why you’ll love it: friends-to-lovers patience, found-family charm, workplace proximity (radio booth!), and a heroine with steel-toed boots and a soft heart.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Grumpy/Cinnamon-Roll x Sunshine, Single Mom, Found Family, Workplace/On-Air, Sleepless-adjacent vibes
Spice: 4/5 (open door; consensual, enthusiastic; brief public-adjacent interlude)
Content notes: Parent with cancer (past/recurrence discussed), family estrangement themes.
Audiobook Notes
Format notes: Dual-narration audio sounds clean and natural; Lucie’s performance is warm and grounded. The MMC isn’t especially “radio-deep,” but it fits the softer, cinnamon-roll vibe.
My Favorite Line
“Maybe real beats perfect. Maybe it always has.”
Discover More Romance Reads
🌟 Contemporary Romance | ✨ All Romance Reviews
More Friends to Lovers Reads
Join the Conversation
Did you read First-Time Caller on audio or in print? Team “radio booth proximity” or “slow burn forever”? Drop your thoughts below—I love hearing what worked (or didn’t) for you.
★ Buy on Amazon | Shop on Bookshop | Find on Goodreads
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Forever Book Lover 💗
0 comments
Thanks for being here! I love hearing from readers, so please leave a comment below.