A peppy local TV weather girl and a type-A radio weather boy are pushed together by fate in this sweet and unique romance. The sequel to First Time Caller, And Now, Back To You takes place at the same Baltimore radio station in the first book. Jackson Clark and Delilah Stewart are forced to work together on a special snowstorm TV special for their respective stations. At first it seems that their differences will be tough to surmount, but they soon realize their passions for weather and family make them great coworkers… and possibly an even better couple. As they work through family struggles and workplace obstacles, Delilah and Jackson grow closer and learn how to open up.

I need to start with a disclaimer: I am a Christian, and I believe reading “spice” is unhealthy (for women especially) and ungodly. We are called to consume “whatever is lovely”, and preserving one’s purity involves more than just abstinence. This book – and First Time Caller – include some heavy “spice” scenes. When I first read First Time Caller, I checked it out from Libby for a plane ride with no idea of the content within. I loved the book, but I had to skip some scenes and didn’t originally feel comfortable sharing that I had read it on my blog. I really appreciated that the story was more than the spice, that the spice was very skippable, and that the writing style was very fun and silly. When I saw this sequel was out, I really wanted to read it. I knew BK Borison does a great job of keeping the spice pretty separate from the storyline and I love her characters, so I decided to pick it up and write a review that can help Christian girls understand how comfortable they would be reading it. I’m not here to judge your convictions, but hopefully this review can help you make an informed choice. That being said, on to the review!

BK Borison is an amazing writer, no question about it. I would love to see her write in another genre, I think it would be just as good. Romance, however, seems to be very strong for her. She writes such three-dimensional romances, with complex plots and issues around the characters that aren’t just ways to push the romance along. Jackson and Delilah both have their own problems to deal with, but they are so realistic and well-formed. Some romances use these side plots to either push the MCs together or apart, but Borison remains character-arc focused. It makes them so relatable and interesting. I was truly rooting for Jackson and Delilah individually, not just waiting for them to get together. While there are plenty of overused tropes present – only one bed, manic pixie dream girl and routine-oriented type-A guy, “he takes care of her” (kind of funny to me that that’s a trope) – the plot still feels fresh and self aware. I love a good happy ending, too, especially when the loose ends are all tied off so perfectly. I’m happy to say this is one of the few romances I’ll actually remember for the plot!

There were definitely some strong themes here, but the reason I rated it a bit lower is because I wasn’t sure what the main theme was. Was it being brave and courageous? Jackson had to get over his fear of being on TV and allow himself to be more spontaneous. Was it about standing up for yourself? Delilah had to learn how to make her feelings known and stop hiding under a smile. Was it about family? Both characters had big love for their families despite trauma and abandonment in the past. All of these themes were well-fleshed out, but I would have liked to be able to see the main point. Still, there were a lot of very wholesome messages here. Jackson takes care of his younger sisters as their primary guardian and does such a good job raising them to be kind and responsible. Delilah and her grandpa have a beautiful relationship. Both characters work hard at their jobs and don’t give up their goals for each other. The messaging was very lovely, even as a Christian.

Every chapter had me thinking “awwww” at something Jackson said or Delilah did. They were such sweet, lovable characters. They had goals, aspirations, convictions, fears, flaws, complex relationships… Borison’s character writing might be one of her strongest abilities. Again, each character (including side characters) felt real and intentional, not just shoved in as plot devices. Jackson and Delilah especially were so relatable and fun. I’m so glad the author has been writing this series with character connections between the books, because when I closed the cover I did not want to be done with them! The characters grew and changed so much over the course of the book – I loved how Jackson and Delilah didn’t “complete” each other, but helped each other get to a point where they were two whole people loving each other in a healthy way.

And Now, Back To You was a sweet, funny, and wholesome romance full of joy and love. The main characters are complex and lovable, with their own realistic flaws and aspirations. Borison fills the story with encouraging messages of family, courage, and confidence. While there is a good chunk of open-door spice about halfway through the book, it’s not hard to skip (but read my content warnings for more info). If you loved First Time Caller or if you can only handle romance novels when they have plenty of plot to go with the main romance, you’ll love And Now, Back To You (Also, the cover is sooo cute!).