K. L. Walther’s A First Time for Everything is an absolute delight from start to finish! This book perfectly captures the excitement, awkwardness, and sweetness of new experiences and first loves. Walther’s writing is fresh, heartfelt, and filled with humor that had me laughing out loud one moment and swooning the next.

The characters are wonderfully developed and incredibly relatable, each with their own quirks and vulnerabilities that made me root for them wholeheartedly. The chemistry between the leads is electric and genuine, making their journey feel authentic and utterly captivating.

What I loved most about this story is how it balances lighthearted fun with meaningful moments of growth and self-discovery. It’s a beautifully told tale that celebrates stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing life’s unexpected adventures.

If you’re looking for a charming, feel-good read that will leave you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart, A First Time for Everything is the perfect choice. K. L. Walther has crafted a truly memorable story that I’ll be recommending to everyone!

absolutely adored this, what a fun read !! madeline was such a sweet character and i loved reading about her dating mishaps and being a bridesmaid (which were part of the reason for said dating mishaps). the side characters also made this book stand out, they each were such a great addition to the story. and the romance !! i loved madeline and marco's dynamic, their scenes together were never enough.

overall, a very cute read for summer and i really enjoyed it !!

If you're looking for a new adult closed door romance this is a really good one. Madeline grows into a strong young lady and finds her way I'm life and love.

This book was so cute! While I love a good spicy romance, a cute YA romance is such a good palate cleanser. It was good, but didn’t keep me up thinking about it, which is something that I appreciate at times. This came at the perfect time!

I really enjoyed this novel.
It was emotional and also cute.
I will definitely be reading more from this author.

**A First Time for Everything** by K. L. Walther is an utterly charming and refreshingly heartfelt rom-com that sparkles from start to finish. With relatable characters navigating the awkward yet exhilarating world of firsts—be it love, career moves, or self-discovery—Walther delivers a playful and uplifting story that’s impossible not to root for. The chemistry between the leads is fun and electric, sprinkled with witty banter and genuine moments that hit right in the feels. It’s the perfect pick-me-up read that'll leave you smiling and believing that sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone leads you exactly where you’re meant to be.

This was a YA novel about Madeleine who I immediately disliked. She was being such a judgmental brat at the beginning. But she quickly grew on me and I enjoyed her character arc. Set in the background of her brother’s impending wedding, Madeline embarks on a quest to find a wedding date, trying to bond with her soon to be sister in law. I enjoyed this one!

I enjoyed this book so much! I only regret how long it took me to get around to it.
In A First Time for Everything you get to go on Mads' journey through young (and maybe true?) love. Just like Mads went on an emotional rollercoaster, so did I. I was frustrated at the characters for their communication and silly decisions, but then also kicking my feet and giggling at their banter.
I loved how different all the characters were, and that made it a lot easier to keep track of who everyone was. (Boy, do Katie and Austin have a large wedding party!)

In this heartwarming coming-of-age romance, Madeline, who has never dated or even kissed a boy, finds herself navigating the exciting yet nerve-wracking world of relationships, college decisions, and family dynamics. As she tries to figure out who she is, she also has to deal with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Katie, who doesn’t seem to get along with their family.

The story is genuinely charming, and I found myself invested in Madeline’s journey. The characters, especially Madeline and her friends, are well-developed and likable. Katie, the sister-in-law, was initially hard to warm up to, but as the story unfolds, we learn that she’s far more complex than first impressions let on.

One aspect that felt a little off was how many people around Madeline seemed to pressure her into dating. At times, it felt like her quest for self-discovery was overshadowed by the constant push to fit into a romantic mold.

Overall, though, this was a cute and relatable read. It’s a light, easy story with a few minor flaws but still a pleasant experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 on Goodreads.

I’ve read pretty much every single book by K. L. Walther, and this one was just as good as the rest! The plot was super fun, it follows Madeline, whose brother’s fiance’s bridesmaids group (that’s really long) basically sets her up on blind dates, all while she navigates her family relationships and school. I thought there was a good mix of romance and friendship and family, which a lot of romance authors don’t tend to do. Even though there were SO MANY characters, I never really got them mixed up.

The only thing I didn’t like was that it was a little unrealistic. Madeline is a student athlete looking to get recruited by top colleges such as Penn. Someone who does a sport year round and is in probably the most stressful high school year would not have this much free time, but of course I understand why it needed to be that way for the plot.

Thank you so much first and foremost to NetGalley and KL Walther for allowing me to read this book early and in advance in exchange an honest review!

This book was everything I want from a YA Romance, with tension, friendship, and likeable characters until..

I just felt like Mads got to pushed into the romance, and I wanted her to develop those relationships herself.

This was such a a cute YA novel! It was actually quite refreshing to read something that wasn't so physical and or using lots of bad words. I loved the vibe of this. I never read anything else by this author because I honestly thought I outgrew most YA romance type books, but I might have to look into more of their books!


While attempting to bond with her future sister-in-law (Katie is a bit stand-offish and cold) and the other (older) bridesmaids, Mads agrees to let them set her up on some blind dates in hopes that she will have her first date, first kiss, and find the *perfect* plus one for her brother's wedding. But as the year passes, Mads begins to realize that she already has feelings for someone close to her - she just doesn't know what to do about it.

A First Time for Everything by K. L. Walther is a sweet and funny YA romcom centering around Madeline (Mads) as she navigates a year in her life - through field hockey, stress about college, being a bridesmaid in her brother's upcoming wedding, and the bridesmaid group trying to find her a plus one to the wedding via a Bachelorette style set-up "game".

While attempting to bond with her future sister-in-law (Katie is a bit stand-offish and cold) and the other (older) bridesmaids, Mads agrees to let them set her up on some blind dates in hopes that she will have her first date, first kiss, and find the *perfect* plus one for her brother's wedding. But as the year passes, Mads begins to realize that she already has feelings for someone close to her - she just doesn't know what to do about it.

In this world of teens having access to SO MUCH, this book felt like some of the YA books I read when I was that age - a cute read that wasn't filled with intimate physical scenes or bad language and I really appreciated that. It felt like one I can confidently recommend to the teens at the small rural library I work (the families here are a little more on the conservative side). This book made me laugh out loud at some parts and had some nice heartwarming sections too. I could really connect with Mads as she navigates the firsts on her dates - it reminded me of my firsts (all with my husband who was my first and only). Truthfully, some of Walther's novels have been a miss for me, but I have really loved The Summer of Broken Rules and this one. I'd definitely read another by Walther!

If you are a fan of Lynn Painter or Walther's The Summer of Broken Rules then you will enjoy this sweet and innocent, heartwarming and fun rom com.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is the second book I've read from the author and I'm sure it won't be the last. In fact, I already bought two of her other books after I finished this! Some adults like to steer clear from YA romance books, but I became invested in the main character Madeline aka Mads from the very beginning! So many tropes to enjoy; enemies to lovers, friends to lovers and wedding tropes all made this read super enjoyable! I'm really glad I was able to read the ARC, and I wouldn't change a thing! Fortunately, it's now available at your favorite book retailers!

Special thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

While the premise of finding a plus-one for a wedding might seem simple, the novel delves deeper into themes of self-discovery, evolving family dynamics, and the complexities of friendship versus romance. Mae’s navigates a series of amusing dating misadventures and a sweet love triangle, all while learning to embrace her authentic self. Overall, a cozy, feel-good coming-of=age story with a strong focus on relationships beyond just the romantic element.

I loved this! It was such a cute read but still had complex characters and relationships. The voice stayed very true to a teenager. I do think the FMC and MMC escalated REALLY fast once they got together and would have liked to see that play out a little more.

I’m such a huge fan of The Summer of Broken Rules and the way K.L. Walther writes and creates worlds in such an intimate and real way. You want to live in the books with these characters. This was no exception, it was a cute and wholesome romance that captures you from beginning to end.

Sometimes love is looking for us when we're least expecting it. Sometimes, it's right under our noses.

I loved the general theme and the characters of this story. I have no complaints about any of the characters, especially Da and Dad. They were the best, most supportive parents in a YA novel I've read in a long time.

I wanted to really like this book. However, it fell flat for me. It felt like a rich kid with a very "woe is me" mentality. I felt there really was no actual conflict, internal or otherwise. Truthfully, the only thing that kept me reading was wanting to know more about the brother and future sister-in-law.

The above being said, I would recommend this to a younger audience if they were looking for a light, easy read.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley, for the ARC opportunity. This honest review has been left voluntarily.

This book wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me. As a YA romance, it was fun but just a little too YA for me. I found myself eye rolling at times to a good portion of the book but it's probably just because it's rich high school girl problems. It did pick up for me a little at the end. Would definitely recommend to a younger/teenage crowd.