FIRST–TIME CALLER
by B.K. Borison
Berkley Trade Paperback
Release Date: February 11, 2025
FIRST–TIME CALLER is a heartwarming, funny, and steamy romantic comedy inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, and follows Aiden Valentine, a jaded romance hotline host, and Lucie Stone, a hopeless romantic who’s forced to question her own love life when her personal story goes viral. As the sparks fly between them, they must navigate the challenges of fame, personal growth, and maybe—just maybe—a second chance at love.
Except —
“What sort of traits do you find attractive in a partner?”
Lucie’s face turns bright pink in the glow of the monitors. She goes to scratch at her ear, bumps against her headphones, then knits her fingers together in her lap instead.
“I’m not sure,” she says slowly. “I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it.”
“Really?”
She shrugs. “Is that something people keep a list of or something?”
“No,” I smile. “But they usually have an idea of what they’re looking for.”
“Aiden. I’m literally here because I’m garbage at dating. We’re going to have to walk before we run.”
I laugh. “Okay, fair point. Let’s start somewhere easy. Do you have a celebrity crush?”
Her blush intensifies. It’s unexpected and cute as hell.
“I don’t want to tell you,” she mumbles.
“Why not?”
“Because…” She sighs, looking anywhere but at me. “I don’t want to. Let’s start somewhere else.”
“Absolutely not.”
“What? Why?”
“Because now I’m firmly invested in knowing the answer. We can’t move forward until I do.”
She rubs her lips together. Crosses her legs and then uncrosses them. She leans forward and mumbles something into the microphone. I don’t catch any of it, and I know our listeners haven’t either.
“What was that?”
She looks over at me, resigned. “Alan Alda.”
A laugh burst out of me. “What?”
“This is why I didn’t want to tell you?”
I can’t stop laughing. Both at her answer and at the defiant look on her face. “How old is he? Like eighty?”
“He’s eight-eight and I’m not crushing on him now, obviously.” She pauses. “Nineteen seventy-four Alan Alda. Hawkeye Pierce was a babe.”
“From M*A*S*H? The old TV show about the Korean War?”
I laugh some more. I laugh so hard my stomach hurts. I haven’t laughed this hard in ages.
Lucie tries to glare at me, but a smile twitches at the corner of her mouth. “Are you done yet?”
“No. I’ll never be done with this.” I clamp my teeth down on my bottom lip. Another rogue chuckle rumbles out of me. “So I think it’s fair to say you’re attracted to a sense of humor.” I wait a beat. “And geriatric men in military uniforms.”
About the Author
B.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she’s not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she’s at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn’t have room for. Lovelight Farms was her debut novel.
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