I always love a good and fun YA book by K.L. Walther. The narration was great and the story was amazing! Some of my favorite YA books.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD

I really enjoy K.L. Walther's work, the first book of theirs that I read was The Summer of Broken Rules and I just fell in love with it, I recommend it to anyone looking for a little summer romance however I am disapointed to say I didn't feel the same way reading this book.

I was hopeful for another sort of TSOBR vibes but I feel like this book just missed the mark.

I'll talk about the things I enjoyed first:
♥ I loved that Mads and Austin came from a queer family and how involved their fathers were in their lives.
♥ The idea of 'Ready, Set, Date' was super cute
♥ The Bridesmaids, um I want in with that group please!
♥ I liked that Mads seemed very sure of who she was even at a young age and wasn't afraid to say how she felt to anyone, including Marco and Katie
One of the things I loved so much from TSOBR was the relationship between the bigger family, it really made me want to be involved in their family and the games they played. I feel I got a little bit of that with the Bridesmaids but I feel like I wanted more.

Now the stuff I wasn't a huge fan of:
✲ I wish 'Ready, Set, Date' was longer than just 2 dates, I understand that wasn't where the love story was but the concept was super fun but I feel like it potentially wasn't played out for as long as it could of.
✲ I'm not a huge fan of the friends to lovers trope so I kind of wish that Connor and Mads had simply just been friends and that her love story was with Marco.
✲ I didn't understand the out burst that Katie had towards Mads at her hen party, I mean I could have read it wrong entirely but it seemed to have come out of nowhere and then wasn't really resolved or fully spoken about
✲ The whole Katie making Marco watch Mads during the summer, like she didn't need to do that at all as Marco would have just happily of hung out with Mads anyway.

Overall I did enjoy the read, I would have DNF'd it if I didn't enjoy it however I think I went in with such a high expectation for my love of The Summer of Broken Rules and I don't think it matched it unfortunately. But I am still a fan of K.L. Walther's work and I am excited to read what they already have published and what they will release in the future.

This was another fun YA title by K.L. Walther. Readers follow Mads as she navigates family, her brother's wedding and her own first love. Recommended for all YA collections.

This had a lot going on, but I really loved all the characters. I loved Katie's relationship with Maddie at the end. Maddie's story was less engaging to me (definitely reads young), but I liked how the bridesmaids banded together to help her and the dads were wonderful!

In this heartwarming coming-of-age romance, Madeline, who has never dated or even kissed a boy, finds herself navigating the exciting yet nerve-wracking world of relationships, college decisions, and family dynamics. As she tries to figure out who she is, she also has to deal with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Katie, who doesn’t seem to get along with their family.

The story is genuinely charming, and I found myself invested in Madeline’s journey. The characters, especially Madeline and her friends, are well-developed and likable. Katie, the sister-in-law, was initially hard to warm up to, but as the story unfolds, we learn that she’s far more complex than first impressions let on.

One aspect that felt a little off was how many people around Madeline seemed to pressure her into dating. At times, it felt like her quest for self-discovery was overshadowed by the constant push to fit into a romantic mold.

Overall, though, this was a cute and relatable read. It’s a light, easy story with a few minor flaws but still a pleasant experience.

I usually love Walther's books but I could not click with Madeline. It was hard to get into this one. The writing was good, but the characters were just not meshing. It also felt a bit rushed in some parts. I know this book has a target audience but that unfortunately was not me.

This is my first K. L. Walther book (although I own all the other ones, but you know, TBR piles and all) and I pleasantly surprised. When I realized the main POV was from a teenager I was scared, I tend to not like those as it is hard to relate, but Mads felt very real, a good young woman, but still a teen, so she had her moments. I was annoyed by the pressure from the bridesmaids for her to get a date by the wedding and the idea of setting her up on dates and dating apps took me out a bit, she was just 17 years old. I have a niece about that age and I'd have a serious talk if a bunch of adult women did that to her. But her having a crush on her friends, figuring out what she likes and needs was very relatable.
Katie was an oddball the entire book and the explanation for it was not satisfactory or believable. If she was with her fiancé for a short period of time, sure. But 5 years is plenty of time to get to know the family.
The author did a great job into keeping us guessing which direction this book would take us and I was intrigued the entire time. Cute and funny summer book, I'm here for it. And I highly recommend the audiobook, the narrator is fantastic!
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for a copy of the Audiobook. All opinions are my own.

So, apparently, there are a bunch of easter eggs in this book, regarding K.L. Walther's previous works. Now that I've finished, I began to look at other reviews (I NEVER look until after I've read.) And, it appears like, I have been missing out! K.L. Walther has a whole library of books out there! I went in totally blind, and let me tell you, when I found out there's more, I gave a little squeal! I have just ordered 2 of her other titles and can't wait to read more from her!

I listened to the audio and it was wonderful. The narrator gave a wonderful performance, portraying a 17 /18 year old girl and the male voices were not annoying (which sometimes narrators try to go "too deep" and it comes off as comical). The story itself was wonderfully engaging, sweet and never really had a lull. There weren't huge climaxes or super high drama/stakes either. It was just a steady strong story about a teenage girl who fiercely loves her family, is curious about finally jumping into the dating pool and female friendships. I loved every minute.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for this ALC. KL Walther does it again in her adorable little literary universe. Madeline is incredibly close to her dads and brother, which makes it that much more shocking when her brother gets engaged abroad without them. Cut to her participation in the bridal party and the other bridesmaids making it their mission to get Mads a date for the wedding. The love triangle that follows with her lifelong best friend and another male friend makes for a cute will they won’t they situation. A great wedding season read and the narrator is fantastic!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC audiobook!

As an adult who did not feel empowered in their high school/early college experiences, I found this book to be refreshing and healing. The main character’s development as she navigated the dating world was through a lens of empowerment, and the supportive familial relationships the author portrayed throughout the narrative were beautiful. Depictions of messy family dynamics that many people would relate to, but with realistic resolution and applications to the real-world. I also appreciate the normalized representation of LGBTQ+ through Da & Dad w/o it feeling like a forced plot point.

I always like to give a heads-up to parents/educators (and others who consider this) when a book has sexual content, and this one does at the very end have a sex scene that is non-graphic. Leading up to that point, I found the romantic relationship elements to be very sweet and high-school appropriate. Definitely would not suggest this book for a middle-grade audience. I tend to err on the side of caution and would say it’s appropriate for 12th grade and beyond.

The audiobook narration and voicing was really well done, and I found it to be an easy listen while doing other things throughout the day. I would definitely listen again! 🙂

Thank you to NetGalley, K.L. Walther, and RBmedia for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This cute new coming-of-age romance was just a great read about family, friends, drama, romance and finding who you are. I really enjoyed this one.

I want to express my gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
this book was incredibly adorable. while it certainly included romantic elements, the friendships and family dynamics were what I enjoyed the most. the main character behaved appropriately for her age and was never annoying. all the various types of relationships—romantic, platonic, and familial—felt so genuine and believable. I felt as if the characters were people I knew in real life, and I simply couldn't put this book down. I believe this author has truly perfected the art of writing contemporary young adult fiction. some older YA novels can come off as too juvenile, while some newer ones seem to be written without actual teenage readers in mind. I've loved all of her works, and I would definitely recommend this one!!

I didn’t love this book, so obviously, there really is a first time for everything.

As someone who’s read (and reread) all of Walther’s books, A First Time for Everything just wasn’t it for me. Maybe it’s because I listened to the audiobook (still grateful to NetGalley!!), but I felt like something major was missing here. I wanted depth and development, I wanted to see why they were each other's favorite person, but we didn’t really get that friends-to-lovers buildup.

The bridesmaids and sister-in-law storyline was interesting, and while I did like the family dynamic Walther portrayed in this one, the story ultimately felt choppy, and not just because of the time skips or the seemingly random Taylor-Swift-inspired scenes.

With each book, there’s always the question of how many times Walther will write a scene just to use a specific lyric. While I loved it in WHAM and her other books, in this one my answer is: “too many.” (Even though I know she’s doing it sincerely; I read her newsletters, and I did appreciate the shoutout she gave my girl Maisie)

When Madeline's older brother gets engaged, she unexpectedly finds herself as a part of the wedding party. During a game of truth or dare with the other bridesmaids, Mads reveals that she has never been on a date. The bridesmaids then make it their mission to set Mads up with someone for the wedding. Throughout the course of several disastrous dates, Mads keeps bumping into her former classmate Marco.

3.5 stars.

This is one of those YA books that I know I would have been obsessed with as a teen. The romance was super cute and Marco was such a good character. I also enjoyed the subplot of Mads trying to bond with the future sister-in-law that she's never really liked.

The main issue I had with this book was Katie. I know that Mads doesn't like her, so we're not supposed to like her either. But I actually think the author made her too unlikeable, and then the redemption wasn't enough. Every time she showed up in the story I was annoyed and it took me out of it.

I also think the Taylor Swift song title references were getting to be too much, but I recognize that this is YA, so I'll give it a pass.

The narration was excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor audio for the ALC!

This book wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me.This book was definitely a fun YA romance, which might have been just too YA for me. I do have to say I really enjoyed the narrator, I feel like she did a great job showing drama through her voice and getting into the mindset of the main character.

This book follows Mads, her older brother has just gotten engaged and Mads has been asked to be part of the wedding party. Mads is 17 and all of the other bridesmaids are in their 20's. When it is revealed that Mads has never been on a date or been kissed, the bridemaids make it their mission to find her a love match.

This was a cute twist on the never been kissed trope, Mads had some really horrible dates and it made the story more fun to read. She also had 2 guys that seemed to be at the top of the list, and I definitely had a favorite from the beginning.

This is a definitely a YA book, and I felt the immaturity of Mads during some parts of the book. But again she is only 17 and most 17 year olds make questionable choices.

I listened to the audio for this one and I really enjoyed the narration by Jennifer Jill Araya. She brought Mads to life and I felt all of her emotions while listening to this one.

omg i love K.L. Walther!! one of the greats if you ask me! I thought this book was so cute and so heartwarming and it reminded me a lot of other parts of media that i enjoy quite a lot. some examples include the summer i turned pretty, slumber party (that one movie ya know? with the truth or dare lol), and i’ll be honest i forgot the last one but it did exist okay!! i kinda think this might be my second favorite of the 4 that i’ve read by this author!

i loved the characters. austin and katie were so fun to read about and i enjoyed their dynamic. i also loved the family and the bridesmaids! and obviously i loved marco, connor and mads too. i will say though i think marco was my favorite of the whole cast. the highlight for me personally though was definitely mere and wit. GIVE ME MORE OF THEM RIGHT NOW OKAY?

the plot was so simple but also so heartwarming and relatable for anyone whos ever a. been married b. been a bridesmaids or even dare i say c anyone whos ever had boy drama HAHA. (/ been in highschool lets be real). I personally really enjoyed the love triangle type thing going on in this book and i thought the plot itself was fun with the different dates and all of that!

i listened to the audiobook version of this book and i found the narration to be super smooth. she really brought the story and the characters to life. i enjoyed my time listening and would recommend to other listeners. i quite enjoyed the narrator enough to research what other things she has voiced! .

i would definitely recommend this book, especially for people looking for a quick easy romance read (and ESPECIALLY for fans of the summer of broken rules! the wit and mere cameos can’t be missed!!) i am so so so happy though that i got the chance to read and review this book for netgalley and RBmedia! thank you so much for the opportunity!

this was overall a cute story and it was unique, at least to me, since i have not read a book like this before. this is not your typical romance novel where you follow two main characters falling in love. in this story you follow just one main character, mads, and quite a lot of other characters, and it is not just about her romantic relationships but also family and friend relationships. this book is kind of difficult to explain plot wise since there is not really one specific plot, it really just follows her life and there are a lot of things happening, which made the book unique and different but at the same time a little confusing and also slow at times. it is a quick read though and i enjoyed my time with this book.

there are a lot of characters in this book which i found complicated and hard to follow at times, especially because i listened to this on audio, i forgot the names of characters often at the beginning so i was sometimes a little lost about who we were talking about. i did really enjoy most of the characters though, a lot of them were really likeable. the main character, mads, was really cute and sweet and it was fun reading about her. i did feel a little bit sorry for her at times because she didn't really feel comfortable doing the "dating thing" at times and she also got into some difficult situations. she did feel very true to her age, which a lot of people my age don't like reading about, but i really liked it. i have been that age, so i did connect to it, even though i don't connect it with my life today. her being so true to her age made me really care for her and i sometimes just wanted to hug her. she was often insecure and she just really wanted to fit in and for people to like her. she really was adorable and so well portrayed as a teenage girl.
i also loved her family and the connection she had with them. i especially loved her dads, they were really amazing and so adorable, you really could see why mads was the way she was. they were all just so wholesome, trusting and had a great relationship. i also loved marco. he really is the dream teenage boy. he was so sweet and caring.
i was a little confused about katie though, i am not sure what to think of her. she was behaving really strangely through out the book and i kind of guessed the reason for it but the reason given for it at the end still didn't really explain everything, it felt a little rushed and didn't really feel completely explained or resolved, in my opinion. i don't really know how to explain it but it was just something that bothered me.

overall, i liked this book, it was different for me, it was cute and easy to read. it wasn't anything spectacular for me though, and i am afraid i won't really be thinking about this story in the future, it is unfortunately easily forgettable, i believe (other then marco, he really was so sweet), but we will see in the future. i do recommend it though, especially for younger audiences. it is a cute and easy read, which is exactly what you need sometimes.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this audio ARC.

This ended up being so good - definitely for fans of To All the Boys, which I also loved as a teenager.

It actually had a lot of depth to it. There were lots of things going on, but easy to follow and fall in love with the characters.

Mads is looking for her first love, trying to build an (she thinks) impossible relationship with her soon to be sister in law, while being a field hockey badass.

The family dynamic here was so good. They all cared for each other so much and wanted what was best for one another. Even if, the wanting what was best for them was slightly misjudged in the beginning regarding her brother and his fiancée.

The audiobook narrator did an excellent job. She was able to a 17 year old, who was having first time experiences, with what seemed to be no effort (despite me knowing lots and lots of effort goes into it - that is just how good she is at her job).