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.

The Summer of Broken Rules completely stole my heart, so I was beyond excited to dive into K.L. Walther’s latest book!

This story will have you blushing, giggling, and kicking your feet as you follow Mads on her journey of self-discovery. In search of a date for her brother’s wedding, Madeline joins in on a game that just might help her find the perfect match. While I adored this part of the story and all the sweet, awkward, and exciting firsts she experiences—it was the moments with her family and friends that truly made this book shine, just like the icing on the perfect wedding cake.

And for all the Swifties out there… this one’s for you! The subtle Taylor Swift references sprinkled throughout the story were chef’s kiss.

A First Time for Everything hits shelves on June 3rd. Grab a copy and settle in for a delightful ride!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I want to start off first by saying that I believe that K.L. Walther is SO underrated and deserves more recognition and hype over her books! Nobody writes YA quite like she can, and I am admittedly a harsh critic of the YA genre as someone who reads it as an adult. Not every YA book is for adults, but I will happily read K.L. Walther with pride! Reading her work feels like watching the best Disney Channel movies when you were a kid. There is so much nostalgia in this book it scratches an itch in my brain in the best way. I love our FMC Mads, and how she grows through the book is just so touching. The ending was fantastic, and this book felt like a great Hallmark movie without all the cheesiness. As a fellow Swiftie I love getting to read the little Easter egg references to Taylor's songs in the books she writes! I will absolutely be purchasing this when it publishes to add to my collection and would recommend this book to anyone. I'm looking forward to reading this again, over and over!

I love K. L. Walther so so much! I will read anything she releases. This was so cute and fun! Definitely adding it to my collection.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an arc
This was my first k.I.walther book and to be honest I believe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read some of her previous works before because I believe there were some Easter eggs throughout it
It was a fun ya book but other than that I don't have much too say Some things I enjoyed: wedding atmosphere and "found family"

Rating: 3.5⭐️

After thoroughly enjoying The Summer of Broken Rules last summer, I was BEYOND ecstatic to get approved for an ARC for K.L. Walther’s new release!

A First Time for Everything follows Madeline, or "Mads" to most everyone in her life, as she comes to terms with her brother Austin's engagement to a woman she and the rest of her family never really warmed up to. When Austin's bride-to-be, Katie, asks Mads to be a bridesmaid, she reluctantly accepts and decides to take it as an opportunity to get to know Katie better. But little did Mads know that her quest to become closer with her future sister-in-law would turn into a quest for finding a boyfriend, as the bridal party takes it upon themselves to set Mads up on a number of blind dates. As she embarks on her own odd Bachelorette-style adventure, Mads finds her heart getting tugged in a few different and unexpected directions, all while she tries to make sure that Austin isn't about to make the biggest mistake of his life by marrying a woman that may not be for him.

Even though I’ve only read this and TSOBR in the Walther-verse so far, I love that family drama seems to be a staple of her romances. As a little sister of married siblings myself, I found Mads’ journey with accepting Katie into her family’s life really relatable. It's difficult letting someone new into a tight family unit, and it's especially difficult when it feels like that someone just doesn't fit for whatever reason. I really admired Mads' efforts to try and understand Katie, even if their interactions were frustrating at times.

As far as the romance goes, it was fun to follow Mads as she went on some Bachelorette-esque dates! Despite numerous suitors presented to her, it was pretty obvious that this was really a love triangle situation. I personally enjoy love triangles because I live for the romantic drama in fiction, so I found that aspect really fun. I picked a side pretty much right out of the gate (and I’m pleased to say that my side won 😏), but it was a toss-up on who she’d end up with for a little while, which definitely makes a love triangle more fun!

Not directly related to the plot, but I also LOVED that Meredith from TSOBR was a side character in this novel, and Wit made a handful of guest appearances! It was lovely getting to have some check-ins on their life together and Wit was as charming as ever whenever he popped up.

Admittedly, this story did read a little more juvenile, so I’m not sure it will resonate for my demographic as much as TSOBR did. It also felt like all the points of conflict in this story wrapped themselves up quickly and neatly after abrupt conversations, which felt a bit too easy. But this is definitely a fun YA romance that I fully believe will hit with the true YA demographic!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC (my very first!!)! All opinions are my own. A First Time for Everything releases June 3.

Another lovely coming of age story by K.L. Walther 🥰

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC!

A First Time for Everything starts off with the MC, Mads, finding out her brother, Austin, proposed to his girlfriend in Paris. Mads is indifferent about the whole ordeal because she doesn't quite care for Katie, Austin's Fiancé, and is upset she wasn't in the know about the proposal. A month after Austin and Katie get back from Paris, Mads gets asked to be a bridesmaid. Being a bridesmaid for Katie is the last thing Mads wants to do, but she decides to stick it out and join all the bridal party occasions. Throughout the book, Mads is sent on multiple dates coordinated by the other bridesmaids after they find out she hasn't had her first kiss. She soon finds herself having to choose who her heart is really yearning for while also trying to bond with her soon to be sister in law.

This book is a standalone but features cameos of characters from the authors' other books. Including Meredith and Wit from The Summer of Broken Rules!! 💗😭

I loved the family dynamic between Mads, Austin, and their Dads. This story had a lot of heartfelt and laugh out loud moments. The romance aspect was executed amazingly with a happy ending!

This is so far my favorite book from this author! I loved Mads story! Mads is going into her senior year never been kissed. When she’s asked to be a bridesmaid (to her surprise!) in her brothers wedding the other ladies take it upon themselves to play a little Bacherolette game- just minus the roses. I loved that Mads is a badass, she knows what she wants and goes for it. She’s not afraid to set boundaries or say no. And she plays field hockey, like I said total badass. She goes into the game hoping to land a boyfriend but also win over her future sister in law Katie- with whom she has an icy relationship. I really enjoyed this YA book and loved Mads journey to understanding her brother more. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Sourcebook Fire for the ARC!

*A First Time for Everything* by K.L. Walther is a super fun, coming-of-age romance about Mads, who’s never been kissed or dated. When she’s stuck in a bridesmaid situation, her friends decide to help her change that, leading to some awkward, hilarious, and sweet moments.

The romance is cute, the characters are relatable, and it’s got that perfect mix of first-time experiences and family drama. If you’re into lighthearted, feel-good reads with a dash of humor and romance, this one’s totally your vibe.

My middle school students love K..L. Walter books and introduced me to them. I look forward to all the news ones. A First Tume for Everything does not disappoint! Mads and her quest for love is funny, sweet and fun! I loved this book and can’t wait for my students to read it!


If you read The Summer of Broken Rules, you will love the cameo from Meredith and Wit.

Thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. A First Time for Everything will release on June 3, 2025.

Katie is marrying Mads brother, and Mads isn’t sure she loves that idea!
I think this was way more YA than I expected to be reading! It was entertaining but at times a little overdramatic. The characters in this book are multilayered, specifically Mads and Katie. However, I felt like Mads was kind of unlikable and that it was all about her all the time. There was also a huge emphasis on how close Mads and her family are, and sometimes it was a little bit much. It left me with the feeling that everyone needs to go get their own life and get out of each others!
It was a cute read but I think it also meandered in content a lot more than necessary.

This is the PERFECT romance book!
I blushed, giggled, and gasped countless times while reading this!
The vibes of this book were immaculate!! What do you mean they live on a Christmas tree farm? And have a little fenced in garden with a coy pond?
And it has the characters from 'The Summer Of Broken Rules' in it!!
100% recommended if you are in the mood for a cozy rom com💗

I LOVED this read! I read the ARC in 2 days, and it only took me that long because I had to put it down to go to work.

What a fun plot first and foremost! Everything about the set up truly felt like a 90s/early 2000s romcom. Having Mads go on blind dates - Bachelorette style - to connect with the other characters was a great way to expand on character dynamics while also building the cast list without feeling like an info dump.

I also really loved the relationships Mads has with her soon to be sister in law and the other bridesmaids. K.L. Walther did a great job of setting up Mads as an unreliable narrator while also giving readers hints about Katie's true nature through her relationships with the other bridesmaids. Katie actually ended up being a much more likable character than I expected.

Now, the romance. THE ROMANCE. I genuinely had no idea which way Mads was gonna go by the end of this book. I wanted her to choose [redacted], and I'm so glad she did! I was really worried some of the other male characters were going to be torn down or forgotten in order to highlight the main love interest, but that didn't happen! The romance between Mads and [redacted] felt very sweet and genuine. I'm really really happy with the way his character was written and the way he and Mads worked as a pair. In 2025, we swear off the lowkey toxic coupling! And this book has none of that - at least, none that last.

Truly, my ONE harp on this book was the ending. Did I love this read? Duh. Did there need to be a sex scene in the last 10 pages? Absolutely not! Honestly, it made the relationship the book had been building feel cheap. I didn't need that to believe they were in love. It did nothing to solidify their relationship for me as a reader. If anything I rolled my eyes because it seemed like something thrown in at the last minute to satisfy a particular audience. I don't really care if there's physical intimacy in books as long as it makes sense, but I just felt like it was completely unnecessary in this case. Reading it made me sigh - not in a good way.

Still, this book was absolutely a 5 star read! The plot was great, the characters were engaging, the conflicts gave me someone to root for, and the writing was well done. I would recommend this to any romance reader I know!

4.5 stars rounded up! This might be my favorite K.L. Walther book yet. A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING follows Madeline "Mads" over the course of a life-changing year. When Mads' older brother Austin gets engaged to his longtime girlfriend Katie, Mads secretly isn't too thrilled—she's never quite warmed up to Katie, and Katie has never exactly seemed to fit into their super-close family unit. Still, in an effort to bond with her before the wedding, Mads reluctantly agrees to be a bridesmaid. During a late-night bridesmaids-only game of "Truth or Dare," Mads is forced to reveal that she's never been kissed or been on a date before, leading the other bridesmaids hatch a plan to get her a plus-one for the wedding. Suddenly, Mads is off on a quest to find her perfect date...which has some disastrous results along the way. But soon, she finds herself pulled in a few different directions she never would have expected. Will Mads find the dance partner of her dreams—while also making sure her brother doesn't make a huge mistake?

I was so excited to read this one, and loved it from the very start! I really enjoyed the journey of self-discovery Mads goes on throughout the story, and as a fan of the Bachelor franchise, thought it was such a fun choice to make Mads the "Bachelorette" as she embarks on all her different dates and figures out what—and who—she truly wants. I'm always drawn to books that center around weddings, too, and I liked the unique path this one takes with some of the storylines, particularly the relationship between Mads and Katie, which I thought was so well-done. Even though I, like Mads, wasn't a huge fan of Katie initially, I grew to enjoy her character—I really related to her being more of an introvert and feeling like she didn't totally fit in with some of the bigger personalities in the family, yet also being very loyal and supportive once she felt comfortable enough to let people in. The dynamic between them honestly ended up becoming one of my favorite parts of the book! The romance aspect of the story was so sweet, too, even though I felt like it was a little skewed towards one character all along (which I didn't mind, because I was really rooting for him and Mads). I also loved seeing Meredith and Wit make an appearance again, and spotting a few other cameos of characters from K.L. Walther's other books! And as always with K.L. Walther's books, the pop culture references were perfection, from the Bachelorette comparisons to the subtle Taylor Swift references interspersed throughout the story.

Overall, I would highly recommend A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, especially for fans of YA romance/contemporary romance in general! And of course, if you already love K.L. Walther's books, this one will definitely not disappoint. I can't wait to see what she has in store next. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC.

I started reading K.L. Walther's books a couple of years ago because she graduated from the University of Virginia, got hooked on The Summer of Broken Rules & have kept up with her books ever since. Once again, Walther's latest novel, A First Time for Everything is simply addicting to read. A coming of age tale about discovering yourself, keeping & building connections with others, and how you cannot make assumptions about others--there are deeper layers to everyone. Within a year, Madeline "Mads" goes through a roller coaster of emotions and events from boys, friendship, being part of a wedding party, field hockey, and getting into college all while being 17 (almost 18). Throughout, she learns to build connection with her found family, even if it comes with bumps along the way. I loved rooting for Mads throughout the story & finding all of the Taylor Swift references throughout the novel.

If you read The Summer of Broken Rules, you will love the cameo from Meredith and Wit.

Thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. A First Time for Everything will release on June 3, 2025.

I really enjoyed this book, but I am a huge a K.L. Walther fan, so that's no surprise. I loved the characters, especially Madeline, and how she was navigating how different family can be from you but how important they are. I also loved watching her figure out who she had feelings for while trying to bond with Katie. This is going to be a good one for summer!

I am trying really hard to make this review the most unbiased review l've ever wrote but it so hard when I love K.L. Walter's books so much.
Every single one. I really liked the cameos from other characters in this book even though it's a standalone.
This book was super cute and I've never seen a format so unique like this one spaced into seasons between chapters. Even with the jump in time the story telling was very clear and I feel that made the book even more enjoyable. The rest of this review contain spoilers!!!! At first I was on the fence about Katie and was shipping Samira but I knew there was more to Katie and I am so glad that she and Austin got married. I also predicted Marco and Mads even though the first few seasons I was routing for Conner cause I have to agree with Austin friends to lovers is everything. Ready-Set-Date was also really entertaining, I enjoyed the second hand embarrassment of Mads new experiences. Sorry Mads but it was so real and such a good coming of age story of teen development in the romance word.