Book Review: First-Time Caller (Heartstrings, #1) by B.K. Borison
When I first saw First-Time Caller (Heartstrings, #1) by B.K. Borison on the shelves, I was instantly drawn in. There’s something about the combination of a romance hotline and a single mom that promises a tapestry of emotions, intertwined with wit and heart. As someone who tends to waver between adoring and critiquing this author’s previous works, I was eager to dive into this story with all its potential for sparks and heartfelt moments.
At the center of this narrative is Aiden, a radio host for a romance hotline. His cynicism towards love is juxtaposed with Lucie, a fierce single mother and auto mechanic whose daughter takes the initiative to call in, hoping to rekindle some magic in her mom’s life. Right from the start, the concept of a hopeless romantic meeting an anti-romantic sets the stage for an enticing narrative filled with potential for emotional depth. However, as I journeyed through the pages, I found myself grappling with a conflicting mix of intrigue and disappointment.
The dynamics between Aiden and Lucie are at the heart of the story, but unfortunately, the chemistry feels undercooked. Their connection lacked the simmering tension and emotional foundation one would expect from characters navigating their tumultuous pasts. Aiden’s backstory—being emotionally unavailable due to a complicated relationship with his mother—has the bones of a complex character. Still, it translated to frustration rather than relatability. Instead of showing development, he felt stagnant, ultimately bordering on emotionally immature.
As for Lucie, I loved her fierce spirit and determined nature at the beginning, relating to her desire for “magic” in love. That makes it all the more disheartening when she seems to settle for the bare minimum by the end. Can we talk about that moment where it felt like she was just about to accept a “situationship” with Aiden? That left me scratching my head and questioning her character arc.
The pacing of the book, unfortunately, doesn’t help either. The drawn-out scenes felt more like filler than engaging moments of character development. While I initially enjoyed the first half and the build-up, the latter half dragged, leaving me questioning the motivations behind many of the decisions the characters made. Aiden’s sudden feasibility to share intimacy felt abrupt, with moments like the infamous “riding his thigh” scene taking me right out of the story’s poor emotional buildup.
One of the most glaring missed opportunities was the lack of development in Aiden’s relationship with Lucie’s daughter. This is marketed as a single-parent romance, yet their interactions felt like an afterthought, which felt particularly disappointing. Readers looking for sweetness in blending families might find themselves underwhelmed.
On the topic of romantic tension, I must express my struggles with Borison’s writing style in the book’s steamy moments. While I know many readers rave about them, lines such as “Is that so?” and awkward references to pizza and passion left a cringe-worthy taste in my mouth. As amusing as it is to laugh about, it detracted from the emotional potency and authenticity that I longed to feel.
In conclusion, while First-Time Caller has its charming moments and a delightful premise, it ultimately falls short of its potential. If you’re a fan of B.K. Borison’s style and can appreciate a light read with an underlying message about love and connection, you might find joy in this story. However, for those of us hoping for a more profound exploration of romance and relationship dynamics, this debut in the Heartstrings series may leave you wanting. My experience with this book was like a rollercoaster—hitting highs in the beginning but coming down blank at the end, leaving me to ponder what could have been.
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