First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (Feb 11, 2025) Thank you, Berkley Romance and PRH audio for the #gifted advanced digital and audio copies of this homage to Sleepless in Seattle!
Aiden Valentine hosts a call-in radio advice show about love, but he’s become disillusioned and cynical. The calls no longer excite him—until a tween dials in on behalf of her mom, sparking a heated and unforgettable on-air conversation. Lucie Stone, the mom in question, longs for a love as big as the movies, but she’s content with her life. Mortified when her daughter calls a love hotline, Lucie reluctantly agrees to join Aiden on his Heart Strings broadcast in an attempt to find potential love matches. As Lucie navigates a series of hilariously tragic or awkward dates, it becomes clear to everyone—including their friends and the listeners—that the sparks lighting up the Baltimore airwaves are between the host and his reluctant guest.
I absolutely LOVED all of the characters in this story. Lucy and Aiden are obviously central to the story but their closest friends, co-workers, and family are also such an important part of this story and they are absolutely lovely. You really feel Aiden and Lucy’s transition from strangers to friends to pulse-pounding attraction. Borison even writes a pulse-quickeningly sexy scene involving skeeball. SKEEBALL. My only critique is that I would have liked a bit more depth to Aiden’s transformation from love cynic and more meaningful interactions between Aiden and Lucie’s daughter. But these are minor quibbles in an otherwise charming and thoroughly enjoyable read!
If you’ve loved B.K. Borison’s Lovelight series, this book brings the same cozy, heartwarming vibes.
🎧About the Audiobook🎧 E.J. Bingham and Hathaway Lee do an absolutely fantastic job with their dual narration performance – making supply closets, skeeball and pineapple pizza positively spark! The audio runs 11 hours and 43 minutes.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 