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Chapters 7-12Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary: “Aiden”
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of cursing and illness.
In the parking lot of the radio station, Aiden talks to his mother on the phone. HE assures her that he is fine, falling back on his habit of avoiding topics that might add to her stress. He uses work as an excuse not to meet his parents at Acadia National Park, as he avoids any reminders of his mother’s illness, including this celebration of her remission. As he talks, Aiden is acutely aware of the necklace he always wears (which, the novel later reveals, is tied to his memories of his mother).
Maggie summons Aiden back to work, and he is anxious about the upcoming show. He sees a woman in the lobby scanning the building directory, which still identifies the station as a dentist’s office. He notices that the woman is young and attractive, with long brown hair. Aiden inadvertently turns the moment awkward when he asks if she is looking for a dentist, only to declare, “I don’t think you want me in your mouth” (81). The woman laughs at his obvious discomfort, and Aiden rushes off. From his recording booth, Aiden suddenly realizes that the woman from the lobby is there. He notices her striking green eyes and then her work jacket, revealing her name, and finally declares, “I know where I’ve heard that laugh before” (84).
In an earlier radio broadcast from an earlier day, Aiden tells a caller he does not know what Lucie looks like.
Chapter 8 Summary: “Lucie”
Lucie is overwhelmed by Aiden’s good looks, declaring to herself that “he could absolutely be a cult leader” (86). When Lucie expresses doubts that she will find an audience, Maggie shows her the latest numbers for the viral podcast. Maggie admits that her main goal is to save the station but points out that the radio show could lead Lucie to the kind of romance she wants most.
After Maggie leaves, Aiden knocks on the wall of his recording booth to indicate that he has noticed Lucie. They stare at one another. Aiden breaks the impasse by holding up a paper sign inviting her in.
Aiden has Lucie put on her own headphones so that she can hear the current caller. The woman on the phone laments that she ignored her own desire for romance until Lucie’s call forced her to face it. The caller ends with a message of appreciation for Lucie’s bravery. Lucie is stunned to realize that she has widened her reach in the world beyond work and parenting.
Lucie asks Aiden if he staged the call to convince her to agree to Maggie’s plan. Aiden assures her that many of his calls in the last week or so have had the same theme. Aiden admits, confidentially, that talking to her may have banished some of his cynicism about whether romance exists. Lucie makes him promise that the show will honor her beliefs, saying fiercely, “I don’t want to be made into a joke and I don’t want to be embarrassed” (97). Aiden assures her that his intentions are honorable. Lucie agrees to consider appearing as a guest.
In a transcript from a previous show, Aiden agrees with a caller that it is easy to give up on the idea of finding real romance.
Chapter 9 Summary: “Lucie”
Lucie arrives home and prepares for her traditional weekly dinner with Maya, Grayson, and Mateo. She arrives at their home, which is next to hers, and takes in the sounds of her family. Grayson attempts to make paella, and Maya and Mateo banter with Lucie about the likelihood of a kitchen disaster. Grayson changes the subject, conveying the depth of his hurt about the radio show. Lucie assumes that he is upset because she chose other confidants, but he tells her his main concern is that she has been “carrying a big hurt around in [her] heart and [he] didn’t notice” (104).
Lucie is annoyed when Mateo and Grayson ask about her visit to the station and imply that she clearly found Aiden attractive. Mateo turns on Heartstrings, during which Aiden hints at Lucie’s visit and his hopes that change is in the show’s future. At the end of the show, Aiden wishes the city a good evening.
Chapter 10 Summary: “Aiden”
Aiden tells Jackson that Lucie is joining the show as the two of them play an impromptu office hockey game involving tennis balls and a trash can. Aiden then enters the booth, catching Lucie off guard; they are nervous with one another. Aiden is surprised when Lucie makes coffee and returns with a mug of his preferred blend, which he had hidden from his coworkers. When Lucie expresses doubts, Aiden tells her, “Let’s find your magic, whatever that looks like. This whole place is Team Lucie” (114).
Aiden teaches Lucie how to use the microphone, uncomfortably aware of how close he is to her. Aiden chants to himself, “I will not touch Lucie. I will not touch Lucie” (115). After Aiden opens the show, Lucie introduces herself to the city, pronouncing it “Bawl-mer” in the local accent. He watches the display as many people begin calling.
In the transcript, Lucie is surprised to see the large number of callers and doubts she will live up to expectations. Aiden is more confident.
Chapter 11 Summary: “Aiden”
On the show, Aiden and Lucie discuss her ideal partner. She struggles with the prompt, and when he asks her to name a celebrity she is drawn to, she admits that she has always liked Alan Alda. She clarifies quickly that she means his younger self, especially his role on M*A*S*H as cynical but dedicated doctor Hawkeye Pierce. Aiden laughs and teases her that this means they should look for “geriatric men in military uniforms” (120).
On another show, Lucie similarly struggles to name ideal date locations. Aiden takes the question to an extreme, asking her if she would consider a parking lot with an abandoned fast-food franchise, and she banters back, “[A]m I being murdered?” (121). Privately, he is curious why she is so hesitant to advocate for what she truly wants, wondering about her past. Lucie finally admits that she might want a picnic date.
A few days later, Aiden gives a shallow answer when Lucie suggests he tell their listeners something important about himself. Off the air, Aiden admits that he watches YouTube clips of movies, but only the parts that might make him cry. Lucie takes this in, telling him he has depressed her. To lighten the mood, he explains that his real name is Aiden Valen. Aiden helps Lucie put her headset back on, feeling a charged moment of connection between them.
In the transcript, Lucie tells their callers about Aiden’s habit of watching YouTube clips for catharsis. He is reluctantly amused.
Chapter 12 Summary: “Aiden”
Aiden finds himself delighted with Lucie’s time on the show, calling her “[p]oised and funny and sarcastic. Whip-smart and quick on her feet” (131). As she puts off describing herself for an insistent caller, Aiden realizes he is increasingly attracted to her. The companionable atmosphere shatters when Lucie asks for Louis Armstrong’s “A Kiss to Build A Dream On” during a music break. Aiden finds the song haunting and challenging because his mother always listened to it during her cancer treatments, and he is brusque with Lucie. Jackson then arrives early for the weather report, annoying Aiden, who senses that his friend is there to see Lucie. Filled with irritation and memories of his mother, Aiden leaves the booth quickly.
Maggie finds Aiden and takes him aside, accusing him of sabotaging Lucie’s chances for romance because he does not share her values. Maggie hands him a cell phone, informing him that it is for Lucie to contact any callers she is interested in. Maggie discloses that the show has a corporate sponsorship with a tire company and is furious when Aiden criticizes it. She reminds him that his cynicism will not save their job prospects and says that Lucie should engage with callers.
In the show transcript, Lucie laughs at the show’s new title, which references the corporate sponsor: “Lucie’s Road to Love, Sponsored by Mr. Tire” (139). Aiden reminds their callers to be appropriate with her.
Chapters 7-12 Analysis
As Aiden and Lucie meet in person, the similarities and contrasts in their emotional lives and character arcs become more apparent. The chapters from Aiden’s point of view showcase his struggles with intimacy and honesty, as well as the harm of his cynical outlook. Maggie assumes Aiden has no regard for his coworkers or the station’s future, indicating just how isolated he has become. He cannot admit to his parents that he is avoiding spending time with them, and he is too focused on past traumas to celebrate his mother’s remission. These details further affirm that his character arc will involve recognizing Fear and Cynicism as Obstacles to Growth.
Certain changes are already evident. He and Lucie have a second (and more traditional) romantic comedy “meet-cute” in the lobby when Aiden tries to flirt about dentistry while Lucie laughs at his discomfiture. The interaction causes Aiden to realize that he is just as drawn to Lucie in person as he was on the radio. Likewise, Aiden’s insistence that he is “team Lucie” is mirrored in his actions, as he helps Lucie learn to use the radio equipment and encourages her to reveal more about her romantic ideals on air. This suggests that his encouragement of Lucie is not a calculated professional move but an expression of genuine empathy—and, perhaps, frustrated romantic ideals of his own. However, as much as Aiden intends to be honest and ethical, his cynicism and doubts create obstacles to real connection, as when Lucie’s innocent song request triggers memories of his mother and imperils their rapport.
Moreover, Aiden’s struggles in some ways exacerbate Lucie’s. For instance, while Lucie does not know Aiden’s history, she instantly senses their differing approach to intimacy and romance, fearful that he is judging her and that the radio show will only add to her sense of unworthiness or confirm the futility of dating. This speaks to the fact that Lucie, though less cynical and closer to those around her, has her own fears of vulnerability. She hesitates to share the depth of her pain and doubt with Grayson, just as Aiden does not open up to Jackson despite the latter’s best efforts. The importance of having a support network becomes clear during Lucie’s dinner with Grayson and Mateo, who are attuned to the possibility of attraction between Aiden and Lucie. This event finally spurs Lucie to accept Maggie’s offer, confirming the importance of Love as a Source of Security and Basis for Transformation.
Although love’s transformative power is not limited to romantic relationships, the radio show interludes demonstrate that it extends to Lucie and Aiden. Lucie helps Aiden embrace greater authenticity, as he openly laughs with her on air and confides in her during commercial breaks. Aiden responds to Lucie’s vulnerability and commits to respecting it, further suggesting that his doubts about romance are less a philosophical position and more a reflection of his self-doubt. His admission that he only watches clips of movies implies that he can only handle vulnerability in small doses. As connecting with Lucie pushes Aiden to confront a wider range of emotions, Lucie undergoes her own transformation, expanding her sense of what is possible by becoming a more public figure.
The radio show also allows Borison to deploy romance tropes to further Aiden and Lucie’s relationship and character growth. The forced proximity of the recording booth forces Aiden to confront his attraction, and Lucie’s increasing comfort in the booth is proof of their growing trust. Her ability to find his hidden coffee stash is a kind of metaphor for the emotional work of their relationship. Unlike his coworkers, Lucie is able to uncover Aiden’s secrets with ease, suggesting that she understands him on a deeper level even though they are new acquaintances. Maggie’s speech to Lucie to encourage her to do the show is its own ode to the romance genre, as Maggie insists that happy endings and magic are possible and that the show may have unwittingly set one in motion. Though Maggie does not recognize Aiden’s protectiveness and likely jealousy, her words foreshadow the eventual romance between Aiden and Lucie. At the same time, the introduction of a new plot element in the form of Lucie’s dates adds tension, foreshadowing that an eventual romance between her and Aiden will require total honesty about their romantic hopes and require exactly the kind of vulnerable admissions that Aiden resists.
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