B.K Borison’s First-Time Caller is a rom-com for the ages and a fresh take on what it means to find love when you least expect it. There have been high expectations for this book since well before its release, with plenty of readers and even famed BookTokers calling it one of their most anticipated releases of 2025. Not only were they right, but the work could be considered the next crown jewel in the field of romance writing. 

The work begins with the main character, Lucie, finding her 12-year-old daughter on the phone with one of the most popular radio shows in the Baltimore area, and little does she know that this call would take her on a wild adventure of love, self-discovery and happiness. Enter up-beat on the outside, dying on the inside radio host Aiden Valentine, whose late-night conversation with Lucie would make headlines far and wide, leading to the two of them co-hosting a segment on the radio in hopes of helping others find love while searching for Lucie’s perfect man. The segment shows them both exactly what they are missing within themselves and their lives, leading them to exactly what has been waiting for them. 

First-Time Caller is the perfect mix of banter and heartfelt conversation, allowing for the audience to truly empathize with the characters and relate their experiences to their own lives, which creates an outstanding connection throughout the entire work. B.K Borison proves to be a master storyteller through the use of raw, larger-than-life emotion felt by both the main characters and audience alike; the addition of a compelling plot line made this book one of those that readers can’t help but finish in one sitting, given that there aren’t many works out there that are set up in the same way that First-Time Caller is. Yes, the reader is still treated to a textbook meet-cute that ends up being the best thing ever, but in doing so, Borison gives the reader the opportunity to believe that maybe that same kind of love is out there, waiting for them. 

One of the most compelling parts of this work lies in the author’s ability to showcase and discuss the realities of living in a big city while not always having a plan or knowing exactly what you want, allowing for the audience to see themselves in the characters beyond personality traits; in doing so, Borison creates a safe space for her audience to reflect on not only who they are, but who they would like to become. Not many books that fall under the categorization of romance have elicited such a reaction from me, and I truly feel as though this book gave me the opportunity to reflect on how I have treated both myself and those around me in the past. 

If there’s anything to take away from this five-star read, it’s that sometimes the best things in our lives come from nothing more than a simple phone call, and I hope others take a chance on this book like I did, because it is well worth the read and reflection that comes after.