Romance Reads: Antiquarian’s Object of Desire & First-time Caller

When my workloads are heavy I lean toward lighter, more escapist leisure reads. In that vein, I recently enjoyed the highly anticipated third title in India Holton’s Love’s Academic series, The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire and listening to B.K Borison’s much buzzed novel First-Time Caller in the audiobook format narrated by E J Bingham and Hathaway Lee.

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The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire by India Holton

Book 3, Love’s Academic

My first experience with India Holton’s writing, The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love (2024), shot straight to the top of my Top Reads of 2024 list. I struggled to find fault with that madcap historical cosy fantasy romcom, so my review reads uncommonly gushy. After that it was always going to be tough for Book 2 in the Love’s Academic series to reach the same lofty heights, but The Geographer’s Map to Romance came close and was another delight to consume. So this last title in the series, with another strikingly beautiful cover, The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire (Book 3) was a pre-order for me.

Each title in this series is set in the same vividly depicted 1890s steampunk-esque magic-infused United Kingdom, but focuses on a different pair of academics. India Holton serves up all my favourite romance tropes — a rivals to lovers slow burn in Book 1, a grumpy-sunshine romantic comedy-of-errors in Book 2, and now in Book 3 magical-antique experts and ‘best friends forever’ Amelia Tarrant and Caleb Sterling are forced to fake being enemies to protect Amelia’s reputation and job.

She was a woman with a sharp brain: that alone was worrisome to her male colleagues. The fact that she did not hesitate to employ said brain without artifice or apology inspired the real terror.

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The dichotomy between what India Holton’s characters say outwardly versus inwardly, amplified by the chauvinistic era, is where her clever writing and dark humour really shines. And, once again, Holton’s narrative is peppered with wordplay that will appeal to book lovers.

From the very beginning of this novel we know Amelia and Caleb adore each other, and the sweetness and sincerity of that childhood friendship evolving into something much deeper in adulthood is a warm and fuzzy joy to read. It’s really just a matter of if/when, amidst all the pesky levitating and exploding magical antiques, people realise their enmity is a ruse, and what might be the ramifications.

So The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire is largely fuelled by Amelia and Caleb’s shared frustration with the academic establishment’s chauvinism and their childhood adoration turned adult romantic tension and spice, supplemented by a relatively simple side mystery. Nonetheless, it proved a highly entertaining read, and a satisfying conclusion to this Love’s Academic Series.

But if this review has you intrigued, you really must go back and start with Book 1, The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love.

The Story 3.5 / 5 , The Writing 4.5 / 5 — Overall 4

First-Time Caller by B K Borison

Unabridged audiobook narrated by E J Bingham and Hathaway Lee; 12 hours

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison, in audiobook, was a godsend recently, helping make a long, tedious and often noisy train journey far less painful than it otherwise would have been.

The story premise — a late-night radio host navigating an unexpected connection — gives Borison plenty of opportunity to display her obvious talent for writing authentic and engaging dialogue. The banter between Lucie and Aidan is genuinely sharp — the kind of witty, multi-layered exchange where you can feel the attraction building underneath every supposedly casual throw-away line. The romantic tension of this slow-burn romance simmered, crackled and sparked before the sizzling.

“When the whole world tells you you’re silly for wanting the things you want, you start to believe them. You start to think you’re not worth it. That if the things you’re waiting for do exist, they’re not for someone like you.”

She sighs, a small, hopeless sound that twists through my headphones. “But what’s wrong with being a romantic? I can be a confident, independent woman and still want someone to hold my hand. To ask about my day. It’s a good thing to want passion and excitement and care. Attention and affection. I don’t want to settle for anything less than that.”

What I didn’t anticipate was how strong the family drama element would be in First-Time Caller. I loved the dynamic between Lucie, her teenage daughter and her unconventional extended family. Those interactions brought a warmth and comedic energy to the story that grounded Lucie as a character far beyond the central romance.

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And Borison doesn’t let Aidan off lightly on the family drama front either — the emotional burden he’s carried since childhood adds depth to his character, elevating him beyond the archetypal brooding love interest. It’s the kind of backstory that encourages you to invest in their story.

“It feels like every time I get my hopes up for something good, reality comes out swinging. I don’t know how to be a hopeful person anymore.”.

Prospective readers should be aware that passages of First-Time Caller are heavy on the spice. Readers looking for heat will not be disappointed. That said, some of the dominant elements woven through a couple of those scenes weren’t entirely my cup of tea — though they’ll appeal to some, I’m sure.

In terms of the audiobook format, E J Bingham and Hathaway Lee’s dual narration made the story more compelling listening than it might otherwise have been. Their comedic timing and pacing of dialogue really elevated its emotional authenticity and impact. On a practical level, their voices also had great cut-through against background noise.

Sure, there were some plot points that I felt were a little laboured, but overall, I found B K Borison’s First-Time Caller, an engrossing novel with heat, heart, and great banter.

The Story 4 / 5 , The Writing 4.5 / 5 — 4.25

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