Book Review: First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

First-Time Caller

B.K. Borison

Heartstrings, #1

Publisher: Berkley

Published Date: February 11, 2025

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction

448 Pages / 11 Hours 54 Minutes

Date Read: January 12-20, 2026

Format: 🎧

Source: Spotify

As always, if you prefer a spoiler free review please read my quick review instead of the in-depth review below.

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About the Book

Aiden is the host of a romance hotline who has fallen out of love. Lucie's daughter calls into the hotline to get dating advice for her mom (who thought she was doing fine). Aiden and Lucie are thrust into the spotlight and must work out if they are finding love for Lucie or for each other.

Quick Review (Spoiler Free)

I absolutely loved this one. It is a slow burn but when it burns, man, it burns. The dynamic between the main characters is great. I finally got to read a romance where the characters are actually adults acting like adults. The life struggles are relatable. The pacing is great. The humor sprinkled all throughout the book is well placed and I found myself smiling the whole way through.

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Now, let's get into the details!!

(Note: Some text may appear to be blocked out, just highlight that text to read it.)

I have seen this book all over social media and subscription services for a while now. I held off, unsure if I would like it or not. It sounded cute but I couldn't put it at the top of my interest list. Then one day scrolling Spotify for a book to listen to I came across it and though, sure, it's free (girl math...cause yes I have a Spotify membership).

It started off with a bang. I was so on board with Lucie and her parenting mindset. I was in the mom mode with her when she learned her daughter called into the hotline thinking it was a boy that she was talking to late at night. It was refreshing to have a book about someone my age that was dealing with things I will have to deal with in the relatively near future. Lucie's whole character is super relatable. She's got a job, a kid, is coparenting well with her ex, and just living her life as normally as she can. Which I felt like I meshed well with her personality. She is such an easy character to like.

Then you look at Aiden and he's also super raw and real. He has a job, a family dynamic with his parents, and his only friends are his co-workers. His relationship with his parents after his mom was diagnosed with her disease was so sad but so understandable.

The romance itself is very genuine. It feels like it builds up appropriately and then adds in the slow burn. And man, this slow burn does some burning. This is the most realistic and raw love story I've read and I absolutely loved it.

I started B.K. Borison's books with Good Spirits and now this one and I will definitely be reading her other books.

Narration Comments

I loved the narrators for this one. The emotion in their voices and the way they read this story made me so glad that I listened to this one. It really pulled me into the story.

Ratings