★Borison, B.K. First-Time Caller. Berkley. (Heartstrings, Bk. 1). Feb. 2025. 448p. ISBN 9780593641194. pap. $19. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Borison (“Lovelight” series) writes a superb Sleepless in Seattle–inspired romance. Twelve-year-old Maya is worried her single mom, Lucie, is lonely, so she calls into Aiden Valentine’s romance hotline on a local Baltimore radio station to get some dating advice for her. Lucie walks in on the call and ends up reluctantly talking with Aiden live on the radio, sharing her romantic hopes. When the interview goes viral, the radio station hopes to capitalize on it and invites Lucie back on the show to help her find a date. While the dates go nowhere, her regular appearances in the booth with Aiden are getting cozier, but his jaded views on love make him keep an emotional distance. As they navigate expectations and a potential relationship, both grow through the process, and Lucie realizes she might just need to make her own magic. Borison excels at writing both steamy scenes and charming characters who show care for each other, including Lucie’s supportive found family. VERDICT A wonderfully tender and sexy story full of swoon-worthy lines and perfect moments that will elicit smiles, sighs, and tears and keep readers thoroughly invested in the happily-ever-after.—Melissa DeWild

Burton, Jaci. Designs on You. Berkley. Dec. 2024. 352p. ISBN 9780593439616. pap. $19. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Natalie Parker is satisfied and settled in her life as a divorced mother of two children. She has a flourishing newfound career as an interior designer, and she is not looking for a relationship, casual or otherwise. Life has other plans, however, and she meets video game designer Eugene Kennedy, the younger brother of her sister’s boyfriend. Eugene is dashingly handsome and instantly attracted to Natalie. Their flirting and teasing, not to mention their instant sexual chemistry, light a fire between the two. Natalie does all she can to resist Eugene, worried about how much older she is than him, but she also happens to be the designer of his new home. She finally gives in when he proves himself on many levels, including caring for her two children. He brings out feelings, sexual and otherwise, that she hasn’t ever experienced before. During getaways to New York and Miami and trips to amusement parks as a family, Eugene and Natalie’s relationship blossoms. VERDICT A lovely romp from Burton (Housebroke), full of passion, family, and love; perfect for fans of sexy romance with family at its core.—Erin Holt

★Cousens, Sophie. Is She Really Going Out with Him? Putnam. Nov. 2024. 384p. ISBN 9780593718902. pap. $19. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Anna Appleby has settled into a content space following her divorce—she’s raising two great kids, has a cat and a house she loves, and writes a column for a local magazine. When the magazine’s new investor wants more emotion in her columns, Anna is desperate to figure something out, especially since Will Havers, her younger, ambitious, and annoying colleague, is ready to swoop in to steal her spot. As a last-ditch effort, Anna pitches a column about going on dates selected by her children. Not only is the idea given the green light, but Will pitches his own companion column about online dating. Anna soon finds herself dating neighbors, postmen, waiters, and parents of her children’s school friends and also spending more time with Will to work on their linked columns. While the dates are going nowhere, her irritation with Will seems to be turning into attraction. As she works to make herself more vulnerable on the page and in her life, Anna finds her outlook on the future to be changing as well. VERDICT Another bright and gratifying love story from Cousens (The Good Part). She tackles the enemies-to-lovers trope with characteristic humor and thoughtfulness, while injecting it with complex characters and realistic situations.—Kellie Tilton

Dahlia, Nora. Pick-Up. Gallery. Dec. 2024. 368p. ISBN 9781668061169. pap. $18.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Sasha Rubinstein is struggling to balance her professional and personal lives. On one hand, she has her career as a freelance video producer, and on the other hand, she’s a single parent who can’t seem to remember that it is silly-sock day at her kids’ school. It doesn’t help that another parent, Ethan, who she refers to as Demon Dad, seems to get everything she wants, including a coveted spot in an after-school theater program. When Sasha is offered a freelance job on an exclusive private island that would take her career to the next level, she is shocked to discover not only that the Demon Dad himself is her new boss but also that the chemistry between the two of them is undeniable. Sasha knows she and Ethan should remain professional so she can get her dream job, but the temptation brews as they’re forced to spend time together on an idyllic Caribbean island. Snappy dialogue and a unique narrator structure bring Dahlia’s (Competitive Grieving, writing as Nora Zelevansky) introspective novel to life. VERDICT Readers will love this unique blend of romance and relationship fiction, perfect for fans of Kate Clayborn and Emily Giffin.—Whitney Kramer

Locke, Adriana. Between Now and Forever. Montlake. Dec. 2024. 256p. ISBN 9781662512445. pap. $16.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Grumpy, stoic Jay Stetson isn’t a relationship kind of guy—until single mom Gabrielle Solomon moves in across the street from him. He can’t keep his eyes off her, especially when she falls from her backyard deck into the bushes (in a towel, no less), forcing him to have to help her out. The town of Alden, OH, is as small as it is full of gossip, however, and news of Jay’s heroic (or, in Gabby’s mind, non-heroic and quite rude) rescue spreads quickly, as does their attraction to one another. When Jay ends up helping Gabby with various projects around her new home, innuendoes and moves are made. Stolen touches, kisses, and an explosively steamy scene are hot enough to singe the pages. Afraid to dream big and to want more after past hurts, Jay and Gabby unexpectedly bring out of one another a love that is as deserved as it is warranted. VERDICT Written with heart, while showcasing the vulnerability of both characters gently and extremely well, Locke’s (Nothing But It All) latest is a sexy romance full of hope and heartwarming beauty.—Erin Holt

Sullivan, Sophie. Get Lost with You. St. Martin’s Griffin. (Rock Bottom Love, Bk. 2). Feb. 2025. 304p. ISBN 9781250875853. pap. $18. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

After a traumatic divorce, Jillian Keller and her daughter, Ollie, moved back to Jillian’s hometown of Smile, on an island in Michigan. Five years later, she and Ollie are surrounded by loving friends and family, she has a job she’s passionate about, and she never wants to take another chance at love. Levi Bright left Smile to enter culinary school, but pursuing his passion involves too much work and not enough relationships. When his father has minor surgery, Levi moves back home to help his parents and build a life in the small town. When Jillian and Levi reconnect, they fall fast and hard, but Jillian is leery of jumping headfirst into love again and worries that Levi will break her heart. This friends-to-lovers romance is set in a small island town with quirky characters. Everyone knows each other, and Jillian and Levi practically grew up together, as Levi was friends with Jillian’s brothers. The crushes the couple had on each other then don’t compare to the palpable chemistry they have as adults, though. VERDICT Fans of small-town and slow-burn romances will devour this title from Sullivan (Love, Naturally).—Heather Miller Cover