First Time Caller | By B K Borison

 

 

Book Review | Contemporary Romance

First-Time Caller
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. A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.       (Goodreds)  

 

 

My thoughts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Narrative and Plot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Time Caller is told from both Aiden and Lucie’s perspectives. I listened to the audiobook, and it’s easily the best format for experiencing this story. There’s a full-fledged production behind it, including little snippets of the radio show, which makes the experience far more immersive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The story is evenly paced, and while the third act conflict is yet another misunderstanding, it makes sense why the characters would react the way they did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Characters and Conflicts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aiden and Lucie are the central characters of the story. While Aiden is the more flawed one and therefore has a stronger character arc, Lucie is the reason the story begins in the first place. In that sense, you could say their arcs feel balanced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a slow-burn romance. The story takes its time building up the tension and angst, which eventually pays off. However. The main reason they both believe a romance shouldn’t happen between them could have been resolved in a matter of minutes if they had communicated openly. As much as I want to criticize this, it felt realistic. People often struggle to communicate, especially in relationships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ensemble cast definitely had my heart. They added warmth and made the story more entertaining.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, I enjoyed reading, or rather listening to First Time Caller. It didn’t completely sweep me off my feet or deeply move me, but it had its moments. I would recommend it to romance lovers looking for a soft slow-burn love story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

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