What a perfect, fun spring break read! A sweet coming of age novel about Mads. I love the strong family bonds and friendships displayed throughout this book. Bonus points for the cameos from The Summer of Broken Rules!

I was thrilled to get an opportunity to read K.L. Walther’s latest book A First Time for Everything, which featured appearances by the protagonists of one of my favorite young adult books ever, The Summer of Broken Rules.

A First Time for Everything is Madeline’s story; Mads is super close to her family - especially her brother Austin, she’s a field hockey superstar, she’s never had a boyfriend, and she’s not so close to her brother’s long-time girlfriend and now new fiancé, Katie. Determined to change the status of her relationship to Katie, Mads throws herself all into being a good bridesmaid for the upcoming wedding.

When her fellow bridesmaids find out that Mads has never had a boyfriend nor has she ever even kissed a boy, they come up with a plan to get Mads her plus-one for the wedding. Their quest results in Mads going on several not so stellar dates while trying to figure out her feelings for her best friend boy-next-door, Connor and sort-of-crush former classmate, Marco.

A First Time for Everything was a delightful and sweet coming of age story in which we get to experience Mads’ journey of emotional growth and self-discovery. I loved it and I look forward to reading more from K.L. Walther.

I wish I liked this book more. The love triangle felt too obvious from the beginning, I'm not even sure you can call that a love triangle. I appreciated the pop culture references, even though some felt forced. (props for the Maisie Peters reference though) I din't find any of the characters particulary interesting, they had little depth and there was no development from the main character, which I felt was necessary. I really enjoyed the overall vibes and I loved seeing Meredith e Wit from "The summer of broken rules". Overall, I feel like the story wasn't as explored as it could have been, which is a shame, since it had a lot of potential. 2,75 stars.

This book was absolutely adorable. I don’t even know what else to say. I simply loved all of the characters even if I didn’t like them at first I loved them by the end. Mads and her relationship with her dads is what every teenager wants. I wish I had a sister in law like Katie. Also, being able to see a family workout misunderstandings and to truly forgive is so nice. Such a cute read!

A First TIme for Everything was a fun YA romance. We follow Mads in her journey to find love and to find herself. I liked that we didn't know who she was going to end up with until the end, although I had my suspicions. The side characters made the story even more fun, as they helped Mads to find the perfect boyfriend to be her date to her brothers wedding. One thing I didn't like was that she didn't get along well with her future sister in law Katie. She was always icy and seemed uncaring towards Mads. We find out at the end that the reason Katie acted that way was because she was introverted, which doesn't seem like a good enough reason to me.

Spiciness: 1/5 🌶️

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

Okay, it is solidified - I LOVE YA novels. I love the innocence and the time captured between high school and college. Madeline and Marco Álvarez are such fun, adorable MCs. All the side characters have so much depth - I love the plot ....Mads dating, navigating feelings for a best friend, an almost sister-in-law and the pressures of college on the horizon. Solid 4 stars - such an easy, bingeable read!

And can we talk about the Meredith & Wit appearances, LOVED!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh. My. Gosh. A First Time for Everything by K.L. Walther is an absolute gem of a book! I devoured it in one sitting because I literally could not put it down. The story is so heartfelt, sweet, and just the perfect blend of romance and self-discovery. It gave me all the feels—like, I laughed, I swooned, and I may have teared up a little (okay, a lot).

The characters are so relatable and real, especially Madeline. Her journey felt so authentic, and I found myself rooting for her from the very first page. And don’t even get me started on the romance—it’s the kind of slow burn that makes your heart ache in the best way possible. The chemistry between the characters is off the charts, and every interaction had me grinning like an idiot.

What I loved most about this book is how it captures those pivotal, life-changing moments that define growing up. It’s nostalgic, hopeful, and just so beautifully written. K.L. Walther has this way of making you feel like you’re right there in the story, experiencing everything alongside the characters.

If you’re looking for a book that’s equal parts heartwarming and unforgettable, this is it. “A First Time for Everything” is a must-read, and I’m already planning to reread it because it’s just that good. Trust me, you’ll want to add this to your TBR immediately, especially if you loved TSOBR

Thank you NetGalley and pubs for the arc

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This was a very cute rom com. This follows Madeline who is known as Mads whose brother is engaged to get married and although Mads is not a fan of her newly sister in law to be, she decides she's going to do whatever it takes to get close to Katie. In a game of truth or dare Mads confesses to never being on a date or even being kissed by a guy. They make it their mission to set her up on all these dates. By the wedding she has to choose who is the best choice.

if you like K.L. Walther, i see no reason why you wouldn't enjoy this book. it had a cute cast of characters, good meredith and wit cameos, and some interesting family dynamics. despite this being a romance book, i was definitely most invested in the katie storyline. i don't love the way it was resolved, but overall i thought this was a fun read i would recommend if you're looking for something light.

4.5✨

I loved this book so much!

Mads, our main character, has a special place in my heart. She’s witty and fun and over protective with her loved ones. She also shows her vulnerable side at times. I know that if this book came out when I was seventeen, I would think that this author specifically wrote Mads for me.

We get introduced to so many characters throughout this book but I feel like it was done so well. No character gets overlooked and no character gets introduced just to be brushed off. I really loved a lot of the characters relationships with one another, specifically a favorite character from one of K. L. Walther’s other book😚

For the most part, I thought that I would be more focused on the dating part of the plot and not the actual wedding plot but I was actually hooked with all the problems and miscommunications that was happening with the wedding and the people in the wedding. I feel like the character development was so good and the ending of the book was very satisfying.

Overall, if you’re looking for a fun, easy, cozy read…I would recommend this book🫶🏻

I absolutely loved this book! I loved Mads and her quest for love so much, but what I really appreciated about this book was the supporting cast and how well developed they were. It was so easy to be drawn into this book because of how well-rounded everyone's story was. I also loved that I wasn't 100% sure how things were going to end up! The romance was sweet and natural, and I enjoyed following along as Mads figured out with whom she was supposed to be.

Mads is blindsided when her brother proposes to his girlfriend Katie in Paris instead of at home with his friends and family all around. It's not that she doesn't like Katie, but they've never really connected, and Mads feels like Katie just doesn't get Austin or their family. When Katie asks Mads to be her bridesmaid, Mads isn't thrilled about it, but she loves her brother and wants to be supportive, so she says yes. Little does she know that this "yes" will land her in a game of truth or dare with the bridesmaids admitting she's never had a boyfriend or even been kissed. The bridesmaids concoct a "Bachelorette"-style scheme to get Mads her plus-one for the wedding, sending Mads on a wild journey to find love all while she's trying to keep her life together and make sure her brother isn't making a colossal mistake.

I truly think Walther found magic with this book. This is the third book of hers that I've read, and I might have to say its my favorite. I can't wait to share this book with my students!

A First Time for Everything is such a charming, feel-good YA romance that had me grinning, cringing (in the best way), and fully invested from start to finish. It’s got everything I love—humor, family drama, and a romance that had me swooning.

Mads is an awesome protagonist—witty, kind, and just so real. Her journey of figuring herself out is just as compelling as the romance, and I really loved her dynamic with her family, especially her dads. The wedding chaos was just as entertaining as her romantic misadventures, keeping me hooked the whole way through.

The dating adventures? A mix of hilarious, disastrous, and unexpectedly sweet moments that gave me a solid dose of secondhand embarrassment (but in that “I can’t look away” kind of way). At first, Mads is kind of pushed into the dating scene, but I liked that she eventually takes charge of her own choices. And the love triangle… I’m usually all about best-friends-to-lovers, like Austin, but even I was charmed by Marco’s sweet and genuine affection toward Mads.

One thing that didn’t fully land for me was the whole “Katie is introverted” reveal. As someone who is super introverted myself, it just didn’t feel like enough of a reason for her to be so standoffish toward Mads all the time. You don’t consistently spell someone’s name wrong because you’re an introvert. I wanted just a little more there to make it fully click.

Beyond the romance, the book really shines in its portrayal of friendships, personal growth, and complicated family relationships. And the cameos from previous KLW books? Such a fun little bonus!

With its lovable characters, perfect pacing, and that signature balance of humor and heart that Walther does so well, A First Time for Everything was an easy five-star read for me. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, K.L Walther , and Sourcebooks Fire books.

I laughed, cried, and loved with this book.

Mads story was so cute, it just made me giggle the whole time. And the ending was so beautiful````.

Like all her books, I always enjoy the moment where the girl and the guys FINALLY realize they are for each.

I was rooting for them the whole time.

This one might be my new favorite Walter book! I was hooked from the very beginning! I was obsessed with the family dynamics and the wedding planning was so much fun! I like the back and forth between the two love interests although I feel there was a clear winner from the start.

I absolutely loved The Summer Of Broken Rules, it absolutely blew me away so you can only imagine how quickly I requested an early copy of this one.

First off I was super excited to see Meredith and Wit from the above mentioned book, I loved how this pair got together and I loved them in this book and loved seeing them happily married 3 years later.

This storyline follows Madeline (not to be confused with Madeleine) a very lovely 17yr old girl, who has a wonderful family life and a great relationship with her dad’s and her older brother Austin. After a beautiful proposal in France the dads offer to host their engagement party, which ended up as a bridal party sleepover. During this sleepover a fun game of truth or dare takes part and they discover that sweet Mads has never been kissed so the rest of the girls take on the role of changing that and getting her a date for the wedding.

I really enjoyed the storyline of this book, and loved all the wedding stuff. My favourite thing though was the relationship between Mads and her family, I’m a sucker for a close family connection and this one was definitely up there. I thought the book was lots of fun and a very easy fast read, I got through it in no time. It had lots of lovely characters who all played their part well.

I really loved watching Mads find her feet and see her character grow. I enjoyed seeing her and Katie actually getting on and ending up with a relationship, as honestly I was not a fan of Katie for a lot of this book, and understood why Madeline did not like her to begin with, but I guess that means she played her role well.

It was a little more YA than I was expecting but that’s ok, I don’t mind a YA every now and then.

Another great read from this author, I look forward to what she brings us next.

“I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”

Actual Rating: 3.5 One thing I did really liked about this book is we get to see so many sides to Madeline throughout the whole thing. A lot of the side characters and friends she made along the way were so fun and added a lot to the book (and spoke about Madeline’s character). I loved her dads and how close knit their family was. They would actually talk to each other and be open with things going on in their lives and true feelings about situations. I do wish we got more of Austin in this because what we did see was great but I feel like we could’ve gotten to know him more. With the tension between his finance Katie and his family, I think he should’ve had a more bridge making role but instead it’s like he either didn’t notice (hard to believe) or didn’t care to put in the effort.

The whole spin off bachelorette adventures of Katie’s and her bridesmaids setting up Mad’s to find a date for the wedding/maybe a boyfriend was fun and added drama. Some dates turned out for the better while others not so much. I didn’t expect this book to be an undercurrent love triangle AND dates with other people so it did feel like a lot going on at times. Madeline also had her college field hockey aspirations throughout the book which played important parts at times. It seemed to take a back burner in the present timeline in the sense we didn’t get practice or games scenes, but knew she was working hard to have a future playing it. One college visit in particular went really bad and I just hated that whole weekend for her and how nothing seemed to be going right for her then. I felt really bad for her at the end with what happened but so happy to see her future be just as bright.

When the time came for Madeline and Katie to finally hash things out (and with her and Austin’s dads too) I could understand why Katie was the way she was. It did feel a little bit like too little too late in the sense that for the other entirety of the book I didn’t like Katie or her attitude she seemed to have around Mads. I just felt like it was something that should’ve happened much earlier than 4 years into a relationship with the family you’re about to marry in to. Something else I didn’t like about the whole thing was that Katie never apologized for her behavior and I think that should’ve been necessary. She DID never try to get to know Mads or do stuff with their family over the years to try and change the opinion she thought they had of her. And the way she was towards Mad’s at times was pretty foul (again considering they were about to be sister in laws, and NOT KNOWING how to properly spell her name ?? drove me crazy). I was glad they finally had this big conversation and with how it ended but that was the one big issue I had with this book.

It was strange because the first half of the book I wanted Madeline to end up with one guy, and on the later half I felt like the other guy was a better fit. I’m glad she was able to figure things out for herself and not feel pressure from anyone in the end. I do think the outside influence of those around her (especially Austin and Samira, but also the bridesmaids) had her making decisions she might not have made for herself at the time, but everything worked out in the end! The declarations of feelings she had with the one she knew was the right guy seemed a little rushed to me. I definitely thought they had some real and serious feelings towards one another but I guess because of the time jumps, reveals that happened that caused conflict, and lack of romantic scenes we get between them, it didn’t quite seem to fit just yet. Overall a really enjoyable book and something that was easy and fun to read, but had a lot going on that might not be for everyone.

I received a digital copy from NetGalley & the author of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to K. L. Walther for this novel!

Originally I didn't think I'd like this one as much as I did, and I'm so glad it turned out the way it did 🥹.
Although I thought that Mads was a little annoying in the beginning, both she and Katie really showed their sweet and caring personalities. I also read this very fast, and it was so hard to put down!

This was a cute, fluffy romance with a love triangle and a side of wedding drama. I enjoyed the setting & premise of the book, but beyond that I didn't feel very connected to the storyline. Firstly, a lot of the characters felt two-dimensional to me, especially Conner and Marco, the main love interests. Why was Conner Mads's best friend? Why did she like Marco/how did she get to know him? I would have appreciated more backstory/reasons to root for those characters. Next, I wish that some of the loose ends surrounding her brother and field hockey were wrapped up better and didn't keep me guessing. Overall, I definitely had a great time reading this, but I thought that the overall execution on the prose and character development was weak. A nice, summery romance overall!

A First Time For Everything by @klwalther9

I am forever and ever a fan of KL Walther! She has the ability to write books that make you feel but at the same time are lighthearted and fun and that’s exactly what I want!

This story is a coming-of-age romance starring Madeline, full of dating disasters, powerful firsts, and the importance of family. Her older brother gets engaged without including them and Mads isn’t a fan of his fiancée, Katie, so in order to remain one happy family, she is determined to bond with Katie so she agrees to be a bridesmaid.

During a late-night bridesmaids-only game of “Truth or Dare” Mads reveals she has never been kissed or even been on a date, which spurs the other girls to help Mads find a date for the wedding. Next thing she knows she’s going on dates that include some major misunderstandings and mishaps.

All of a sudden Mads finds her heart tugged in different directions: to Connor, the boy next door who knows her best. To Marco Álvarez, the former classmate who knows how to push all her buttons. And to some of the new suitors who surprisingly aren’t all bad.

As the wedding draws nearer, Mads has to figure out who she wants most as a forever dance partner, while also making sure her brother isn’t making the biggest mistake of his life.

I LOVED the evolution of Mads and Katie’s relationship!! Watching them go from basically strangers who misunderstand each other to sisters was truly so heartwarming. I loved seeing Mer again!!! And I’m so happy with who Mads ends u with. I knew from the beginning of the book I liked him best!

Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooksfire for the arc!
Pub date: 6/3/25

I don't read much YA anymore, but always make a few exceptions for my favorite authors. This includes K.L. Walther and Emma Lord. I love anything they put out, and this is no exception. Such nostalgia for my own youth with the fun and modern day culture. I love the writing and relationships featured.