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

Lucie Stone is a single mom with a bright and slightly mischievous young daughter who doesn’t want to see her mom sitting on the couch in sweats every night/weekend with Netflix and wine. She decides to call into Baltimore’s late night radio station Heartstrings and chats it up with the host Aiden Valentine in hopes of getting some advice to help her mom. Aiden Valentine has a problem, he’s fallen out of love with all things love while working as a host for the segment Heartstrings on a Baltimore radio station. His interest is piqued when a child calls in talking about her mom who has a pretty dull social life and could use some advice. The segment has been struggling bringing in listeners in part because of how off Aiden has been lately, a bit jaded and burnt out from listening to spouses calling in at the end of the road with their marriages. Things take a turn when Lucie Stone walks in on her daughter on the phone (it is late night) and accuses Aiden of being weird for talking to a minor. He helpfully informs Lucie that they’re on the air and manages to get her to talk to him. One call becomes two and pretty soon all of Baltimore is HOOKED on these late night calls between Lucie and Aiden. So much so that the station head wants to start a new segment focused on Lucy’s dating life while on her journey to finding love.

There aren’t very many pitch lines I’ve acted quick upon hearing but I’ve been waiting years for a Sleepless in Seattle inspired book to be written and dare I say, this one DELIVERED! I had butterflies in my stomach at every interaction between Aiden and Lucie which really only happens when I genuinely love both the main character and their love interest. Lucie is a single mom to a daughter with a ton of personality and free spirit, mechanic, and in a healthy co-parenting relationship with her ex who happens to live next door with his husband. This was fun even when it wasn’t because we see Lucie try to go back out into the dating scene and kiss some frogs all the while slowly falling for Mr. Right. Aiden is kind, attentive, supportive even when it goes against his own self interest and protective in the best of ways. He’s also a great son who has a bit of PTSD from his mother’s battle with cancer. Though she is healthy and living life with Aiden’s dad, that experience plays a huge role in his current approach to love and relationships. Lucie entering Aiden’s life at a time where he is vocal about his wishes to not be in a committed relationship make for an interesting dynamic between the two. Throw in the SUPER invested late night radio station callers and you have an engaging read reminiscent of the classic love story that would make Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan proud 😉