4 stars. A First Time for Everything was a cute, young adult romcom. I was intrigued by the plot initially and—having once been a bridesmaid who felt completely out of place—could heavily relate to Mads, our FMC who joins her future sister-in-law’s bridal party to get closer to her (or even start to like her). The characters were easy to love and the romance was so sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about all the changing dynamics: family, friends, romantic partners, potential undergrad schools, you name it. I find it can be hit or miss to be inside the head of a 17 year old, but I thought Mads was a good narrator and had a pretty good head on her shoulders. However, the cherry on top was definitely all the references to The Bachelor/Bachelorette. This book got a rose from me!!

I’m a KL Walther fan and I’m proud of it! If there’s anyone who has the ability to transport me to my teenaged years and make me nostalgic for experiences and memories I never had, it’s her. Because it’s not about the sports her characters play or the scenarios they find themselves in, it’s the feelings her writing elicits — the butterflies of interacting with a crush, the frustration of miscommunication, the anxiety of big decisions. There are so many factors at play at this stage in one’s life and KL brings it to life so well.

The beginning of this book brought me so much anxiety and I was so frustrated with the entire proposal / wedding scenario. Every aspect of it made me cringe. While we’re reading from Madeline’s perspective, Katie immediately raised all the red flags. She didn’t interact with Mads directly, nor did she stand up for her. She also seemed to be distanced or disinterested in any of the family’s feelings, let alone their traditions.

Madeline is so eager to bond with Katie, but a wall remains. Why does she seemingly position Mads up for failure or embarrassment? There’s something there that makes me feel so uncomfortable and I’m pretty frustrated that Austin can’t bridge the gap between his family and Katie. there are things unsaid that seem unbearable and rather inconceivable after 5 years together… it’s a bit concerning that he’s let the lack of communication fester for so long.

If you’re a fan of drama, buckle in because beyond the family drama, Mads’ entry into the dating scene gave me plenty to sink my teeth into. For someone who lives the friends-to-lovers trope, I hold it dearest to my heart because I know what’s at risk. But that also made all the ups and downs in this romance all the more excruciating! I forgot what it was like to be young, unsure and eager to fall in love.

Do you remember when you first expressed interest in dating? Do you remember how terrifying it was? Well, if you ever want o relive those glory days, it’s perfectly described in this book. The fear of not knowing if the other person is interested, the cold dread of not knowing what to say or how to act. This gave me such anxiety and second-hand embarrassment about Mads’ dating experiences and her friendships with Connor and Marco.

But this was also nice reminder that love finds us when we’re not looking for it, and it might not look how other people or how you thought it would. Sometimes it’s loud, sometimes it’s quiet. Sometimes it’s a rush, but it can also be a steady pulse. It’s a gentle reminder to trust your heart and those butterflies. Love should feel safe, like a warm hug… like coming home.

For my audiophiles, transport yourself back in time with the audiobook. Jennifer Jill Araya does a wonderful job emoting throughout her narration — you’ll feel the frustration in the shake of her voice, the realization in slide of her pitch, the hesitation in her intentional pacing. It sent me back to my teen years, in the best way.

A First Time For Everything

This is such a cute read that explores the teenage realities of first love, getting into college, and family struggles.

The narrator was so perfect for the role which made me binge listen to this book. I really liked the main character Madeline, she was written really well and genuinely felt like a 17 year old. I was really curious to keep listening to the book because I was desperate to find out who she would end up with!! I do feel like that Mads was somewhat pressured into wanting a relationship because prior to the ‘Ready, Set, Date’ between the bridesmaids she seemed very content with Field hockey but then after she was very desperate for a relationship. I guess this is pretty realistic in terms of teens feeling pressured to go into a relationship but I’m not sure how I feel about Mads being somewhat pressured into it. Her parents also pointed this out in the book. Otherwise the book was really cute and entertaining.

I love the family dynamics and I loved how the reader is introduced to all of the side characters. However, it did get confusing at times trying to remember who was who but I think that was down to listening to the audiobook and being very forgetful.

Kate’s character was quite annoying but I think that she added an element to the book which made me curious to see what was up with her. Her character growth was really nice though.

I really enjoyed the book and the ending wrapped the book up nicely.

Thank you for the Audiobook ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I will definitely be reading Walther’s backlog :)

If you're in the mood for a charming rom-com with plenty of laughs, awkward moments, and heartwarming surprises, A First Time for Everything is the perfect pick! Madeline (or Mads, as she’s affectionately called) is the ultimate relatable heroine—sweet, a little clumsy, and fiercely loyal to her family. When her brother gets engaged without warning, Mads’s world gets turned upside down, and her hilarious attempts to bond with her future sister-in-law Katie will have you giggling out loud. The wild ride through disastrous dates, mistaken identities, and unexpected romantic tension kept me hooked from start to finish. Plus, the adorable love triangle (or maybe square?) adds just enough spice without overcomplicating things. Mads’s journey to find her “first” everything—her first kiss, her first date, her perfect match—is both adorable and real. K.L. Walther's witty writing and lovable characters make this a feel-good story perfect for anyone who loves a dash of humor with their happily-ever-after. Just a heads-up: don’t be surprised if you find yourself cheering for Mads—and maybe even trying a few “truth or dare” games yourself afterward!

This book follows junior Mads and her year long journey navigating family, friendships and relationships. K L Walther is one of the only YA authors that never feels too young for me to still really enjoy. Audio was the perfect format for reading this book! I didn't want the book to end and finished it in one day. I enjoyed the love triangle between Mads and her two leading men. I feel like Mads' relationship with her brother was the one aspect of the book where I was looking for more to be shown rather than told. Overall - a really solid YA read & would highly recommend!

Thank you to Tantor Media for allowing me to be an early listener. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc. I really enjoyed this book. I don’t always love YA but it was such a cute story and just really had me hooked. Would recommend to anyone who likes Lynn Painter’s ya books. Such a fun read.

A First Time for Everything was such a cute little listen, but didn't quite hit the mark for me. Overall though, enjoyable but eh

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
K.L. Walthers wrote another great book! So far I have read The Summer of Broken Rules and What Happens After Midnight and this one is just as good!
Madeline's character was so fun to read about and get to know, her family dynamic was so strong and supportive (It did sometimes bother me how Austin seemed fine with Katie not wanting to spend time with his family tho). All the bridesmaids were so sweet and like older sisters to Mads at so many points in the book, and was so happy to see Mer from TSOBR!! I loved the resolution between Katie and Mads' family, it wasn't some calm conversation where the past is forgotten, there was yelling and crying and I felt like we were finally able to see the Katie that Austin loves who is passionate and protective (although I didn't like that she never actually apologized for anything).
I loved who Madeline ended up with! For a while I couldn't decide if I wanted her to be with Marco or Connor, but I am so happy with her choice! Unfortunately, at the end when she loses her virginity, the scene felt very out of place and random compared to the vibe of the rest of the book, mainly cause she never expressed interest in wanting to lose it and ever seemed to think about it.
Overall, would highly recommend this book if you enjoyed The Summer of Broken Rules and What Happens After Midnight! Thank you again for the chance to read this book before it came out and can't wait for K.L. Walther's next one!

A First Time for Everything is all about Madeline, who's trying to bond with her brother's fiancée while figuring out her own love life. She’s never had a boyfriend, and the other bridesmaids convince her it’s time to put herself out there. As she starts dating, things get complicated—especially with the different guys in her life and her own mixed feelings.

The family dynamic is super sweet, funny, and really supportive, which adds a nice touch to the story. Overall, it's a cute and relatable coming-of-age romance. The narrator was great, too—really brought the characters to life. If you’re into quirky, lovable, and slightly messy characters, this one’s for you. It felt kind of like a YA version of Bridget Jones’s Diary.

I absolutly ADORED this book! Everything about it...the characters, the narrator (Jennifer Jill Araya), the story line, the ending, the settings, absolutely everything!!! This is the second book that I've read by K.L. Walther. I went and added all her other books to my tbr list! I highly recommend it and wish I could give it more than 5 stars!

#AFirstTimeforEverything #NetGalley
Publication date- June 3, 2025

A summer coming of age/first love story. I loved all the characters and didn’t want this story to end. It’s YA but well done. The audio was spectacular.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of YA lit, but something about K.L. Walther's stories hit just right.

A First Time for Everything follows Madeline ('Mads') in her quest to find common ground with her older brother's fiancee while also searching for a love of her own. Mads has a super close bond with her brother, Austin and is determined to become more accepting of Katie before she officially enters into the family. As Mads works to navigate her conflicting feelings about Austin's upcoming nuptials, she finds herself also conflicted about the other important guys in her life, Connor and Marco.

What I appreciate about Walther's young characters is that she never writes them as trying to be older than their actual ages - everything they say/do is realistic. Her concentration on family dynamic was incredible ... and, the Taylor Swift references really took me back to The Summer of Broken Rules. That cover?? Let's all take a moment to appreciate how cute and fun it is, shall we??

All in all, A First Time for Everything did not disappoint and was everything that I was looking for in the moment - I recommend giving this one a-go!!

Thank you NetGalley, Tantor Audio and K.L. Walther for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Before I talk about this story, let me point out I’m oblivious and didn’t realize that the Meredith I loved in this book is the one from The Summer of Broken Rules. I only realized it afterwards and wish I would have known that as I was reading.

Ok, back to this book! I listened to the audio and enjoyed the narrator. The story itself has romance in it but it covered so many other relationships other than just romance. Family and friendships were heavily focused- and I liked that.

Our FMC, Mad, is 17 in this book. With YA, I often find the main female character someone I understand but want to shake a little bit and Mad was no different. She has not had an interest in romantic relationships in the past but now does and instead of focusing on how she likes she seems more set on making it work with who likes her.

She’s very close with her brother, his bff/ex girlfriend and her father’s. She has teammates and her neighbor/ male best friend who she hangs out with frequently but doesn’t seem to have a super close female best friend. Maybe this contributes to her not recognizing her feelings and just going with the direction others are encouraging her to go.

Her brothers’ finance, Kate, felt off during the entire book and the ending didn’t quite fill in the dots for me on her behavior but I’ll accept it, happy to see that that relationship will grow stronger.

All the characters in this little love triangle were boneheads and did some selfish things - yet, they are still love able and you wanted them to be happy.

I loved who Mad ended up with but the ending felt forced and out of place. The jump from never being kissed to that felt like it could have been a different book.

Sooooo good. I.L. Walther hits every time. The plot, the setting, the characters, all of it was amazing.

This was a sweet and easy read with a strong focus on family and personal growth. The family dynamics were one of the highlights—realistic, heartfelt, and sometimes funny. I especially enjoyed the unexpected friendship with the Bachelorette party; it added a light, charming touch and showed the main character stepping outside her comfort zone in a fun way.

That said, the romance just didn’t work for me. None of the love interests felt like strong options, and there wasn’t much chemistry to root for. It made the romantic subplot feel more like a distraction than a compelling part of the story. Also, there was a surprising amount of underage drinking throughout, which stood out and felt a bit out of place given the overall tone.

Overall, it’s a cute, character-driven story with some great moments of connection and self-discovery—but if you’re looking for a swoon-worthy romance, this might miss the mark.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the audio ARC!

5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

🎧 AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧

I loved this book!!!! The audio was so good. The narrator was super good. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to her but gonna find more books by her ASAP! It flowed nicely and she did such a good job playing each character in the book.

The book so much love. It made me feel to happy. I loved the family dynamics and how they were all so close. I loved Madeline’s character and enjoyed watching her character grow. Overall super good and I never give five stars 😉

What a cozy, lighthearted romance!

I thoroughly enjoyed how well the the story played out, and definitely loved the family dynamics at play. Madeline's bachelorette style dating as a hoot to follow along with, as well as watching her relationships with every other character flourishing.

However, one thing to note is how much underage drinking there is. Nearly every time Madeline is with the bridesmaids, she's drinking, and her parents are totally okay with it. While I did like the viewpoint of her parents having stipulations to drink responsibly, the fact there were so many scenes featuring drinking felt odd for a young adult novel.

4.5 🌟
I loved this almost as much as The Summer of Broken Rules. This was really fun and entertaining. If you like YA and enjoy the nostalgic high school/college feelings then you'll really enjoy this. Add the slight nod to The Bachelorette and a really cool girl gang and this would be a fast read vacation book.

I fell in love with K.L. Walther's writing when I read her first book "The Summer of Broken Rules". She knows how to write YA and have it be fun for adult readers.

Jennifer Jill Araya did a great job with the narration. She is really good at portraying emotions, especially frustration. I would definitely listen to more audiobooks narrated by her.

Overview of story: Mads brother Austin has gotten engaged to his long time girlfriend, Katie, who Mads is pretty sure hates her guts. So it's a big surprise when Mads receives a package in the mail from Katie asking her to be a bridesmaid. Mads gets thrown into the bridesmaids group, and being the youngest by many years, she feels a bit uncomfortable. At a bridesmaid slumber party they play "truth or dare" and everyone finds out that Mads has never been kissed or been on a date. The bridesmaids make Mads their very own Bachelorette, setting her up on dates and giving her dating advice. All the while Mads is trying to balance field hockey, her friendships with Connor and Marco, and the wedding planning.

Get ready for a whirlwind of frustrating emotions as Mads navigates dating, kissing, and trying to make friends with the bridesmaids and her unfriendly future sister-in-law.

There was a way I wanted the story to end from pretty early on and I'm happy to say that some of it did happen. I found the whole story to be fun, endearing, and at some points downright annoying, mainly because Katie was unlikeable and came across as a huge brat. I know that Katie was written this way to cause contention in the book and make interactions uncomfortable, but at some points it was so obnoxious that if I'd had the physical copy I'd probably have chucked it or slammed it on my bed, lol.