Last month, my son Marcus decided he was going to call into a radio show to win a prize for me. He rehearsed his opening line in the bathroom mirror for twenty minutes, psyched himself up, and then chickened out the second someone actually picked up. He handed me the phone with wide eyes and mouthed, "You do it." I did not win the prize. But I did think about it for days—the strange magic of a voice coming through a receiver and the unexpected connections that can spark from something as simple as a phone call. That's exactly the kind of quiet, beautiful magic that lives at the heart of First-Time Caller, and it had me smiling from the very first page.
Plot Summary
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison is the first book in the Heartstrings series, set in the warm and vibrant city of Baltimore, Maryland. Aiden Valentine hosts a late-night romance radio hotline called "Heartstrings," but he's quietly lost his faith in love. Everything changes when twelve-year-old Maya calls in seeking dating advice for her single mom. When her mother, Lucie Stone—an auto mechanic with a big heart and an even bigger laugh—accidentally gets pulled into the call, their conversation goes viral. The radio station seizes the moment, inviting Lucie to co-host the show and publicly search for love. All of Baltimore falls for Lucie. All except Aiden, who realizes too late that he's fallen for her himself. First-Time Caller is a Sleepless in Seattle-inspired contemporary romance told in dual POV, full of warmth, wit, and genuine emotional depth.
Why I Love This Book
I love how First-Time Caller feels like a love letter to connection—the kind that sneaks up on you when you're not looking. Lucie is an absolute delight. She's funny, real, and so easy to root for. Aiden's grumpy exterior slowly melts into something tender and vulnerable, and watching that transformation felt genuinely earned. The banter between them is sharp and sweet in equal measure. I also love how the city of Baltimore itself feels like a character—lively, warm, and rooting for these two just as hard as the listeners of Heartstrings. The dual POV gives us both perspectives, and I especially loved getting inside Aiden's head as he wrestles with feelings he doesn't want to have. B.K. Borison writes with a warmth that just gets into your chest and stays there.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy contemporary romance with grumpy/sunshine dynamics, friends-to-lovers slow burns, or cozy, feel-good stories with a lot of heart, you'll love First-Time Caller. Fans of Nora Ephron films or Sleepless in Seattle will feel right at home. This book is warm, a little swoony, and genuinely funny. It's not a dark or heavy read—it's the kind of book you curl up with on a rainy afternoon and finish in one sitting because you simply cannot put it down. Single mom representation is handled with care and authenticity. LGBTQ side characters add lovely depth to the story.
⚠️ Trigger warning: grief, parental abandonment, mild miscommunication, brief mentions of past heartbreak.
Tagged As
contemporary romance, Heartstrings series, grumpy sunshine, friends to lovers, slow burn, single mom, radio host hero, Baltimore setting, dual POV, found family, LGBTQ rep, Sleepless in Seattle inspired, cozy romance, sports romance adjacent, HEA, series starter, B.K. Borison
Steam Level
🌶️🌶️ Mild
First-Time Caller is on the lower end of the steam scale. The romance is more emotional than physical, with a focus on slow-building tension and heartfelt moments. There are a couple of steamy scenes, but they're tasteful and not the focus of the story. If you prefer your romance with more feelings than fireworks, this one is a perfect fit.
