Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of 'First Time, Long Time' by Amy Silverberg. Note that I DNF'd this book at 52% after realizing I was not the intended audience for it.

This book follows the story of an untethered, sardonic young woman falling for an older radio host and eventually, his daughter.

I feel like the book I read didn't exactly match the summary, the attraction towards the radio host feels flimsy, and at the point I stopped the book, the MC is only eyeing the daughter of the radio host. From what I can see, the actual romance between the two women only start further into the book, and honestly, that's what I was here for.

This book feels a bit meandering, not much happens, and while I don't mind the back and forth between the MC talking about the present and past simultaneously, the flashbacks basically stop the story progression in its tracks. I did like the more playful story-telling on display here, it felt more casual and modern. Certain parts are genuinely relatable.

T0 conclude, I do not strongly dislike this book. I do think it has a lot of potential. The author reading her own work, as is the case with this audiobook, was a great touch and was well done. I do think this author's future works will be better realized!

Absolutely LOVED this book. I listened to it in one sitting. The story felt very cozy. There was something about hearing about everyday life at this young age that really pulled me in. The author did a great job with the performance of the audiobook as well. At first it really sounded like an autobiography but the more I kept listening, the more it sounded like fiction. This is the book I have been looking for and so glad I found it. At times it was a little sad but overall heartfelt and an enjoyable story to join the journey of.

The author, Amy, is who reads this book which I love because she knows more than anyone where to pause or breathe or speed up. Her voice is not my favorite because it is monotone but I think that adds to the tone of the book.

This book falls kinda into my new go to genre of women’s lit with a touch of wild and confusion. I liked this book - but no lies it was a hair disjointed. It is all from the narrator's perspective but jumps from her personal life, work life, family life, and love life every chapter. I liked each line and I understood ho they were connected, but sometimes I was confused. There were some hole,s I think, but they were supposed to be there. There is lots of detail were you think it does not matter but it does!

The story is told by the main character Allison. At age 28 she has suffered loss and seems to have "daddy issues". She is strong and bi-sexual and promiscuous and her story is scandalous.

This story is not really a fairytale but in the words of the true life singer Kelly Clarkson...
"So, by keepin' her heart protected
She'd never ever feel rejected
Little Miss Apprehensive
Said, ooh, she fell in love".

Author Amy Silver Berg narrates her story wonderfully.

Thankyou to #NetGalley and #HatchettAudio for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A 28 year old woman has a relationship with an 60 year old, obscene shock-jock radio host. She’s struggling with her parent’s emotionally immaturity and the death of her brother. She’s the golden child, who isn’t capable of knowing how *she* feels. And she has her first crush on a girl, her boyfriend’s daughter.

I gobbled this up. I was informed, but I didn’t sympathize with the MC. I wanted to know exactly what she was gonna do next. I’d hate her, I’d fuck her. Five stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC!

This was a very messy and engaging women vs the void book. I loved the mess, especially the mess of having relationships with an older man and also his daughter. The structure was a bit confusing at times as it seemed like a book within a book, but also just a narrative of events. The ending felt a bit rushed for me and I wish it wasn’t so cut and dry for such a messy story. Overall the writing was very good, the pacing was good, and the plot was captivating. I also love that the author narrated her own audiobook!

Allison moved from Reno to LA where she hoped to find herself, find success as a writer, find a relationship to fulfill her. Instead she takes a job teaching at a junior college, facilitating book clubs for older ladies and worrying about her parents.

She’s adrift, especially after the unexpected death of her brother.

A chance meeting at a bar introduces her to Reid, a shock jock on the radio - one of her dad’s favorites- a man who also happens to be the age of her father. They become involved.

Which, maybe isn’t surprising since Allison’s daily life remains wholly intertwined with her parents, especially her dad, who she refers to as the Problem.

Then Allison meets Reid’s charming daughter and things get complicated.
__
If you’re a plot heavy reader, this one won’t be for you. This is a vibes only, character driven story about a millennial woman trying to find her place in the world, recounting both significant and insignificant details along the way.

It’s read by the author - highly recommend audiobook here - which adds levity and emotion. She wrote it as if from an older age “looking back” and that brings a real poignancy to the narrative.

I read this one mostly because EVERYONE was excited for me to try to recreate the cover, so I had no expectations going in, and ended up enjoying it. I don’t need heavy plot in every book. Sometimes I want to fall deeply into the feelings of a person who could be me, could be my daughter, could be any one of us.

Recommend only for people who will connect with this kind of story.

Thanks to @netgalley and @grandcentralpublishing for the ARC to read and review. Out July 22, 2025.

Vibe check: Big Swiss and Worry

Who would like it: People who enjoy sardonic humor or Seinfeld
Rating: 1.5/5 = Struggled through it but finished, would not read again.

Synopsis: Allison, a mid-20’s college adjunct/aspiring writer, is trying to make it on her own in L.A. following the death of her brother. The story is told from Allison’s point of view during the time she meets a popular shock-jock radio personality Reid Steinman (who is much older - closer to her own dad’s age) who she begins a relationship with. As Allison leaves the enmeshment of her own family, she begins to enmesh herself within Reid’s family - eventually to the point of beginning a relationship with his daughter (who is closer to her age). Allison navigates her life as it is compared to how she wants it to be.

Blurb: This is definitely the type of book for people who like the show Seinfeld, sardonic humor and “shows about nothing”, or in this case stories that are focused more on the prose than plot. The story is focused on Allison’s musings and stream of consciousness at any given time and less about sequence of events/plot. Personally, this was not the book for me. I typically love a book about complicated family dynamics and navigating grief - but this was not it for me, especially the relationship triangle between Allison - Reid - Emma, which is the main plot point in the summary of the book but doesn’t occur until 80% of the way through.

I definitely struggled to connect with the story or characters and had very minimal motivation to finish the book had it not been for the opportunity to review thanks to NetGalley - otherwise I would have DNF’ed the book after 40%. The only way I finished was by playing the audiobook at 1.75 speed. An additional part of the struggle for me was the audiobook narration and pacing, it felt very disjointed and had many pauses that felt out of place or would suddenly mean an end to a chapter that felt random. This book would be better for someone who likes literary fiction, insightful musings, and dry wit.

Acknowledgement: Thank you Hachette Audio & Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book follows a woman who has daddy issues and insecurities in her relationships and career. She doesn’t seem to know how to communicate effectively. Once she’s with an older man, it seems like she is more in love with his celebrity status & what her dad thinks of him than himself. She then starts seeing his daughter at the same time which made for an interesting plot. At the end, she’s still searching for herself but finds love finally.

Initially, I had thought the novel would have a bunch of juicy drama about a woman who falls for a man her father's age, and his daughter. However, it was much more self deprecating than gossip blog.

First Time, Long Time reads like a memoir, of an ordinary woman writing about her torrid affair, while juggling a lackluster career. The characters were well rounded, the relationships felt a little odd, but I enjoyed how the story meandered and it felt like we got an authentic Allison, which created an interesting story. However, I felt like it was missing a punch that would have made the novel excellent.

"First Time, Long Time" by Amy Silverberg really impressed me with its relatable and thought-provoking writing—it's clear the author put so much care into every word. It’s gripping, funny, and so smart. While I’m not usually a fan of age gap dynamics, I do think it served a real purpose in the story. The characters felt complex and well-crafted, and the way their situations mirrored their personalities was done so well. I was completely invested from start to finish.

First Time, Long Time is an entertaining story about a 20-something woman finding her way teaching English at a community college in LA. She meets an older man with a radio shock jock career that’s past it’s prime, and they embark on a seemingly mismatched relationship. There are a few messy twists, which maybe aren’t the point, because the point for me with this book was Amy Silverberg’s observant, dry style of humor permeating every line. I liked how didn’t shy away from mental health struggles and grief, and in the end she made me really appreciate family belonging above all else. As messy as this story gets, I honestly enjoyed being in her head for it!

I alternated between reading this digitally and listening to the audiobook, which the author narrates. I had trouble getting into the audio at first, but once I got used to the character’s personality, I felt she voiced her exactly right. I think with this book you could go either way, audio or print, and get a similar reading experience.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

This one was a miss for me. I never bought into it fully and i just kept trying and it fell flat everytime. The characters were insufferable. I didnt like anyone.

I think it could be a hit for someone, but not me. Or maybe the writing would be better in book vs audio.

This started out pretty interesting but then just became more of a thought exercise than anything. In the novel, the author talks about books not being a moral compass or commentary on morality but to show people living (sorry I am butchering her actual, very thoughtful words) and while I agree to an extent, I could not stand this MC. Considering that I should have related to this person who grew up close to where I did and spoke about it in a way that I understood, I still found myself intensely mystified by decisions made in this book.

First Time, Long Time comes out next week on July 22, 2025 and you can purchase HERE.
One strange Tuesday evening my mother called and said, "The Problem wants to visit you." That's what my mother called my father: The Problem. As far as my mother was concerned, he'd always been a problem. And the worst kind too: one without a solution.
I didn't want to talk about The Problem.
"I'm on a date," I lied. I thought this would be the fastest way to get my mother off the phone-my mother, who so often worried about her only daughter being alone.
That's what my mother always said: I'm worried you're all alone.
"You answered the phone on a date?" my mother asked
"He's in the bathroom."
In the pause before my mother, Carrie, spoke, I knew she must be deciding if I'd lied, and then, if she should say, "I know you're lying." Maybe it was an act of kindness or only because she was distracted, but my mother moved on.

I think this book will definitely find its audience. There's a clear niche for stories about morally complex women reflecting on pivotal periods in their lives. First Time, Long Time fits right into that.

I found the sections where Allison reflects on her childhood and family (particularly her memories with her brother) much more compelling than the central love triangle. I didn’t feel especially connected to either Reid or Emma, not because they were unlikeable, but because they didn’t leave much of an impression on me either way. The love triangle ended with a surprisingly dull climax given the high stakes of the situation. My book club complains that I pick books that are "too boring," but even this one was a snooze for me.

I love character-driven stories, but only when they make me feel something deeply. This one did, but rarely, and only in the moments focused on her brother and family. Those parts were raw, emotional, and honest in a way the rest of the book didn’t quite reach. In the end, while the story didn’t fully land for me, there’s real strength in its quieter, more introspective moments and I think readers drawn to that kind of emotional nuance will find something worthwhile here.

Amy Silverberg did a great job narrating this!

I expected this to be a light read (or rather listen, since I enjoyed the audio book) but it was so much more. It is thought provoking, extremely well-written and will stay with you long after it is over.

First Time, Long Time follows Allison as she starts dating a famous radio host that's old enough to be her dad, oh but then she falls for his daughter, and mess follows.

My feelings for this book are complicated. I liked the plot and characters, and while I did there are some great quotable lines, the writing was just not my thing. The writing reminded me of a lot of memoirs, where every detail is followed up by a long tangent to tell you some backstory. I find this style of writing annoying in memoirs, and exhausting in this novel.

I thought that the audiobook was good, but nothing special. It was read by the author which fit the character well, but I could tell she wasn't a professional narrator.

3.5
Great narration, thought the author reading was very engaging.
The story was a good listen, I related to our main character, but not that much really "new" about it.
Hot girl, older guy, another bi girl (but it is his daughter- uh oh!)

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Pretty solid 3.5 🌟
This story resonates with me in a way I didn't expect to. I liked the way this novel incorporates a sort of stream of consciousness that reminded me a bit of Virginia Woolf and Sally Rooney. I enjoyed the realness of Allison and her thoughts and the way she subtly grew up through the story.
However, I believe the plot summary made me build some expectations about the story that truly made me kind of confused about when that whole plot was going to happen, which is a pity because Allison was a really interesting narrator. I was also a bit confused sometimes because there was a lot of back and forth throughout the story that made the pacing kind of odd.
Overall, I enjoyed this, and I can't wait to read what is next for this author.
This was an audiobook, and I really adore that the author read her own work because she really gave emphasis to some parts that were truly funny and entertaining.

I have to break this into parts because there are absolutely some great things about this book worth mentioning, it was just not for me overall.

The plot: a bit confusing to follow, it follows more of a flight of thoughts vs a linear storyline or plot. It overall felt anticlimactic and the ending was underwhelming.

The writing: I stayed for the writing. There were times the author followed a stream of thought and lost me a bit. But overall, the thoughts, reflections, metaphors and general emotions, wants and needs of humans at our core was to relatable and felt good to read and feel seen for things I could never verbalize!

The audio: I thought it was interesting that the author did the audio themself, that was very unique! Overall I enjoyed it! There were a few times the production was very loud and a bit jarring, but overall a good listening experience!


My take away is that, while the overall story wasn’t my cup of tea, the writing was insightful and I really enjoyed the authors analysis of identity and how much of ourselves is molded by those around us!