✨4.5 stars rounded up ✨

I absolutely LOVED reading A First Time For Everything!! Mads was such a likable character and I found myself easily rooting for her with all of the things! I loved reading every single page and didn’t want to put it down. If you liked The Summer of Broken Rules, like I did, you’ll probably like this one too!

A First Time for Everything was a very cute read by K. L. Walther. This is my first time reading one of her books and I loved it so much! What I loved most about this book was all of the characters! This book focuses on Madeline and all of her family, close friends, and new friends! This book is about Madeline who is super close with her family especially her older brother Austin. She is surprised and shocked to find out that Austin proposed to his long term girlfriend Katie without having her family present. She’s not Katie’s biggest fan so when Katie asks her to be a bridesmaid she reluctantly agrees for the sake of her brother and to hopefully get to know Katie better. While she’s at a sleepover with the bridal party she and the girls play a game of truth or dare where everyone finds out that she’s never had a boyfriend or a first kiss. The girls are on a mission to set up dates for her and act like she’s The Bachelorette. I absolutely love that nod since I’m a fan of the show. She has great and not so great dates, while trying to discover herself and what she wants. She’s also trying to get to know Katie better and whether she’s the right person for Austin. Thank You Sourcebooks Fire for this early copy in exchange for my honest review! Definitely a 5 star read and can’t wait to read more of K. L. Walther! Publishing date of June 3, 2025.

K. L. Walther has done it again! “A First Time for Everything” is the kind of story that makes you want to hug the book to your chest when you finish. It’s full of heart, swoony moments, and characters that feel like old friends by the time you’re done.

This book took me straight back to that in-between phase of growing up—where everything feels like the biggest deal, and every little moment holds the potential to change your life. The nostalgia? Immaculate. The emotions? So real. And the romance? I was smiling, blushing, and maybe yelling “just kiss already” more than once.

It’s heartfelt, authentic, and filled with those little firsts that stick with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Walther knows exactly how to capture the magic of youth and turn it into something unforgettable.

If you’re looking for a book that reminds you of the thrill of first love and the beauty of finding your voice, this is it.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC—I’ll be thinking about this one for a while 💕📚

Thank you to K.L. Walther, Sourcebooks Fire, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review (unpaid).

First of alll, it took me FOREVER to make the Reese connection. I screamed when Charlie was mentioned. I also screamed every time Mer and Wit were on page. The Grace and Lily cameos got equal enthusiasm.

This book dug a hole into my stomach and lives there now - to be clear, that's a good thing. I love Mads, I love Katie, I need Austin to get his shit together, and even though I am still super confused because I'm shit at geography, I love all the Pennsylvania and New Jersey references in this book (seriously how long was Marco driving from the shore?)

LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD

The part I loved most about this book was Mads and Katie's relationship because I could tell very quickly that Katie desperately wanted to be Mads' friend - the Prosecco Pong scene hurt my soul (Mads and Katie are prosecco pong partners for life now, that's canon, don't argue with me). I love the ending so, so much and I just wish I got more time with them as friends (fingers crossed for a special epilogue with Katie as Mads' bridesmaid 🤞)

"You overwhelm me. You overwhelm me in the most amazing way, but I wasn't ready to embrace that. "

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for access to this eARC in exchange for my completely honest review.

This book was a very cute YA contemporary read. It follows Madeline who is really close to her family, but somehow had no idea her brother was proposing to his girlfriend (who she doesn't really vibe with). Madeline feels obligated to bond with her before the wedding, even if that means joining the bridal party. When a game of truth or dare reveals that Madeline has never been on a date, the girls in the bridal party are determined to set her up so she has a plus-one for the wedding. When Madeline finds her heart stuck between two people, her friend Connor and her former classmate, Marco, she is forced to make a decision.

"I feel like I'm in a dream." ...... "'But it's not," he pointed out, then smiled and murmured, "I've never been so happy to be awake.'"

I have loved other things by K.L. Walther but ever since "The Summer of Broken Rules", I think I have been searching for a book with all the raw emotions that that one has. However, all of this author's other work tends to be more lighthearted and fun. This was okay; I don't love a love triangle (especially when it becomes clear who the right choice is). Overall it was cute and lighthearted and would be great for a YA audience. It just wasn't for me.

A First Time for Everything is a classic YA, young love novel. 2.5 stars.

Madeline's brother gets engaged across the world, and she must navigate a difficult relationship with her future sister in law. On top of this, the bridal party is on a mission to get Madeline a plus one for the wedding. Will it be her childhood best friend, Connor? Marco, a wild card? Or one of the guys she's set up with on dates before the wedding?

Overall, it was a cute story of finding love, but I didn't feel invested in the plot. Mads was an interesting character to follow, but there were a lot of moments that fell flat, leaving me unimpressed by the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating it a 3, but really would be a 3.5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to read this eARC! All opinions are my own.

This book was really enjoyable and such an easy read! I absolutely adored all of the characters! And was just a cute read with the boy next door and the guy thats always been there, plus a few other just fun and goofy dates!

I feel like Mads is the best kind of typical over-achiever high schooler. She is focused on college and field hockey, but she's also so excited to be a little older and loves to hang out with her friends. Never thought about dating, but once she does she sticks true to herself in the process.

I'm glad her an Connor gave it a chance, but the ending of it felt too abrupt.

That being said I LOVED every moment with Marco. He was easily my favorite from the beginning. Even when we learned Katie sent Marco to protect Mads a few times, I wasn't mad about it at all because I was just so glad he showed up at all.

I also really enjoyed learning more about Katie through the eyes of her friends, and Austin (Mads' brother). It really helped us start to love Katie as Mads does, if not even a little before. I should have figured, but didn't realize these books were interconnected stand alone's, so I loved catching up with Meredith and Wit! And now really need to go back and read the others from her.

Another thing that felt really person to me was how drinking was talked about. My husband doesn't drink so having Austin be sober and it not being a main talking point really made me smile. And while I can honestly say I didn't drink in high school, I really appreciated how thought out it was that her dads allow her to drink on special occasions so she really thinks through those moments first. Because when you are in high school and everyone around you is drinking, its so easy to want to.

There were just a few moments where things seemed like there was no follow-through, or the resolution was kind of just "oh, we are moved past it now."

I will say as much as there was so much cute in this book and the plot really was so good, the ending felt rushed and a bit out of place. The resolution felt so spur of the moment and was so involved I would have loved to have more to read about it. Even if it were more pages because I did enjoy the rest of it as well!

This book felt like a love letter to someone’s younger self.

In this book we get to know Madeline, a seventeen year old girl who has never been kissed. We soon find out that her brother Austin is getting married to the love of his life Katie, and while Madeline and Katie aren’t the best of friends, she’s determined to change that.

When Madeline agrees to be a bridesmaid and Katie’s friends find out she’s never been in a relationship, they decide they want to change that and make a plan that ends with Madeline having a plus one to the wedding.

This plan involves Madeline going on dates and meeting guys, things which she has never really done. This leads to a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of accidents, but all of that only made Madeline get closer to the main guys in her life, Connor, her childhood best friend who is also the boy next door, and Marco, an old friend from high school.

Even though Madeline goes on dates and kisses other guys, her mind never wanders from those two. But the real question is, what is it that her heart truly desires? And most importantly who is her favorite person in the whole entire world?

This book was such a cute book! Every book that I’ve read by K. L. Walther has been such a joy to read, they always feel cozy and heart warming, and this one was no different.

Being seventeen going on eighteen myself I related to Madeline so much, from the way she loved Taylor Swift and Maisie Peters to the way she wanted to love and be loved.

Reading everything from her point of view, it truly felt I was reading a teenagers thoughts, to the point where it felt like I was reading a love letter to someone's younger self.

With this book I laughed and loved, and maybe even shed a tear or two. I loved this book and its characters, and I loved that they were flawed because in real life no one is perfect, and that’s totally fine!

I also completely adored being able to see more of Wit and Meredith, they are one of my favorite couples and getting to see them again, and married! Was wonderful.

This book was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book for me. I can't wait for it to come out so I can finally talk about it. Trust me, you’ll love it as much as I did.

Thank you so much NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the chance to read this ARC.

KLW does it again. A lighthearted rom com, where you can’t help but keep reading until you reach the end. Loved the unique premise and character development.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

It hurts my heart to give this book 3 stars, I typically LOVE K. L. Walther’s books, but this is the first time I felt like I couldn’t get into it.

It follows 17 year old Mads and her journey through dating, her brother getting married to possibly the wrong girl, all while balancing sports.

I’ll be honest, the main character felt too much like a “pick me” girl, and I couldn’t get past her immaturity. I know this is young adult, and I normally love young adult books, but she was beyond self centered and just rude at times.

I think if you’re in the younger audience, you’ll enjoy this book more than I did. And as always, the book is well written! I just think this wasn’t the story for me.

A First Time for Everything is a nostalgic, heartwarming coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the magic of first experiences—friendships, romance, and the thrill of adventure. Walther’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, making you feel like you’re right there in the European countryside. The romance is sweet, the characters are endearing, and the journey is both emotional and uplifting. A perfect read for anyone who loves stories about self-discovery, travel, and young love.”

This book will be added to my middle school library. Sweet and full of romance. Accurate descriptions of best friends, boy friends, and new family. The end was a little spicy, but closed door enough for the older range of students in my library.

I've always really ejoyed KL Walther's books despite them being YA Romance. She always has a very natural and easy reading way of writing books. I was super excited to get into this one. However, this one felt really flat to me. For the first time in my experience with this author, it feels like our main character is just *too* young and immature. The first few chapters focus too much on this neediness she has with her older brother, which I understand in some ways, she's young and he has always been her hero in a way, but I just felt like she spent too much time complaining about her brother's fiance, their engagement, their wedding, and feeling left out. It's something that I just could not connect with.

I do feel like this is a book that will be really enjoyable for a younger audience though!

[Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.]

I've read all of Walther's books and this is one of my favorites! Each character was well developed but I was especially obsessed with the dynamic between Mad's family.

Prior to truth or dare, Mads seemed perfectly content focusing on field hockey instead of boys. For example, when it came to the boy next door/her best friend, it felt like she wasn't jealous but annoyed by the girls he dated.

Ignoring that detail, I loved the journey Mads went on. The story perfectly captures being a teenager, trying to figure things out while dealing with messy emotions. As Mads and the love interests were all between the ages of 17-20, the drama and maturity levels felt realistic. There were a lot of heartfelt moments and even though I knew who Mads would end up with, I loved watching her realize it for herself.

This is my first book by K.L. Walther, but it won’t be my last! “A First Time For Everything” is a super sweet YA coming-of-age book that I really enjoyed.

All the characters were so easy to love, and I was rooting for them all to get their happy endings. This book was all about the swoon, but it didn’t go into too deep romance themes, which I liked. I like when YA romance doesn’t go too deep into undying love but keeps it young, fresh, and a little fickle. The 20-year-old me would have been wishing this was my life. The 45-year-old me thought some of the bride tribe was a bit problematic in their dealings with a 17-year-old, but I’ll let that slide. The setting felt like I could have totally fit right in, even though it took place in a fancy suburb near Princeton.

This is a perfect easy beach read or for a rainy day.

I want to express my gratitude to SOURCEBOOKS Fire, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

A First Time for Everything by K.L. Walther is a young adult, full length romance novel, charming and literally unputdownable.
Mads is a 17 year old highschool junior with 2 dads and an older brother who just proposed to his girlfriend.
Mads is rather a tomboy, loves playing field hockey and excelles at it.
Roped into the wedding planning and with blooming interest to boys and romance, her life becomes a bit complicated. And I was along for the journey and loved every minute.
A wonderful story that deserves all the stars.

the first k.l. walther book i am nottt obsessed with 🫣 this is a dnf for now, but maybe i will come back and give it another try during the summertime. currently im not connecting with our two mc’s or the plot thus far 👀

This book had all the charm of every other K.L. Walther book: complex characters, fun vibes, cute romances, and plenty of Taylor Swift mentions!

Mads’s brother is engaged to Katie, and Mads is not a fan. But when Katie asks her to be a bridesmaid, she agrees in an attempt to bond with her soon to be sister in law. The bridesmaids play Truth or Dare and end up creating a Bachelorette esc game in which they each set Mads up with guys to try to find her a date to the wedding. However, Mads has two friends, Connor and Marco, who she may just have feelings for…

I really loved Mads and her family. All of them were fleshed out and felt realistic, even if no one was on the page as much as Mads herself. I also liked all of the main side characters, like Connor, Marco, the bridesmaids, and Mads’s other friends! Katie’s character eventually grew on me too, despite not liking her much at first (though I think that was intentional).

I absolutely loved seeing Meredith and Wit from The Summer of Broken Rules! As well as a brief mention of Charlie from MMTB and Isa from WWY. Super fun little cameos.

The romance is a bit of a love triangle, but it’s not nearly as messy as they usually are. I was personally #teammarco the whole book, but I won’t spoil anything! There was also a fun set-up game going on throughout the book, where Mads went on a few blind(ish) dates!

As for “serious topics,” covered in the book, the main one is alcohol/sobriety, similar to in TSOBR. It wasn’t a HUGE thing, but it was mentioned throughout the book.

Overall, this book is perfect for fans of YA and of course if you have read K.L. Walther’s books before! I will for sure be buying a physical copy when it comes out.

A First Time for Everything was such a charming read and a great addition to K.L. Walther's growing collection of heartfelt stories. I love when books have subtle connections to an author’s previous work, so the callback to the characters from The Summer of Broken Rules and What Happens After Midnight was a fun touch. The way the character arcs intertwine feels effortless—it adds depth without taking over the story, which I really appreciate.

The romance in this book is something special. The way the love interests connect feels so real, like you can actually feel the emotions between them. It’s the kind of relationship that makes you wish you had something like that, and it left me feeling giddy in the best way.

That said, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. It wasn’t overwhelming, but the side characters—especially the bridesmaids—kind of blended together. They had little details to set them apart, but nothing major, so I found myself losing track of who was who at times.

I also wish we got to see more layers to Mads’ character development beyond just her journey of exploring her sexuality. That was an important part of her story, but the ending focused so much on her personal relationship "firsts" that it didn’t really dive into other aspects, like sisterhood or her transition into young adulthood and college life.

Overall, A First Time for Everything is such a heartfelt, fun read. The romance is swoon-worthy, and the story pulls you in. I recommend this for anyone who is looking for a lighthearted, cozy read!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of this book before it's release!

I enjoyed a lot of different aspects of this book! I liked how it was split into different seasons of Madeline's life, and I really enjoyed how family oriented the whole novel was. Seeing the wedding come together throughout the story with the bachelorette party, the bachelor party, and then the big day was so fun to read!!

On the other hand, I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, and that was definitely a large part of this. (I also wish she would have ended up with the other option). Regardless though, this was sweet!