3.25⭐️ Firstly, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an audio arc of this book. I have always enjoyed K.L. Walther's books. They are always really easy and quick to read. This book specifically follows Madeline, who goes through speed dates to find her first boyfriend with her brother’s fiancée's bridesmaid, while also trying to figure out if her brother is making a big mistake with this fiancée. K.L. Walther is really good at just making a cute YA romance book. I think her teenagers are very reflective of what teenagers go through. I think I’m just not a big fan of all the references in the book. I think sometimes it just becomes too much for me, and I get annoyed, which is what happened with this book. Other than that, I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed all the relationships in this book. The different dynamics were really interesting. Overall, recommend this book if you need something fast-paced and also if you just want a YA romance. Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for an audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

A First Time for Everything by @klwalther9 is a sweet coming of age story that follows a 17yo Madeline as she gets to know her soon-to-be sister-in-law when she becomes a bridesmaid. The bride and other bridesmaids take on the mission of matchmaking for the never-been-kissed Mads.

This friends-to-lovers story is very sweet and I would recommend to anyone looking for a YA romance, no spice. 4⭐

Pride month rep via side characters: Mads has two dads ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

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Book Description:

Madeline has always been extremely close to her family, so she is shocked when her older brother gets engaged without including them (or even giving them a heads up!). Mads has never been the biggest fan of his fiancée, Katie, so in order to remain one happy family, she is determined to bond with Katie before the big day, which includes reluctantly agreeing to be a bridesmaid.

During a late-night bridesmaids-only game of "Truth or Dare" Mads is cornered into revealing she has never been kissed or even been on a date, which spurs the other girls to unite on a quest to find Mads the perfect plus-one for the wedding. Next thing she knows she’s navigating a series of disastrous 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.

Madeline (Mads) is a 17-year-old who is very close to her family. But when her brother gets engaged to his girlfriend who she is not even remotely close to, she does not want to be a part of the wedding party. But she is asked anyway. In the meantime, she is trying to find a boyfriend and becomes confused in what and who she wants.
4 stars.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Tantor Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A First Time For Everything is a cute YA rom com following Mads through the year coming up to her brothers wedding. In an attempt to bond with her stand offish future sister in law and her clique-y bridesmaids, Mads agrees to let them set her up on first dates, have her first kiss, and try to find her perfect plus one in time for the wedding. Along the way her feelings for someone already in her life become clear.

There are some cute, funny moments and some heartwarming ones, and the romance was so sweet to watch unfold. The innocence of first discoveries is such a beautiful thing, and it is captured perfectly here, down to sitting in the movie theatre wondering if they’ll hold your hand.

K L Walther has such a distinct style and voice, while still writing such different and fun books every time. Her books are firmly YA in a way I fear we are losing as the new generation mature faster and access all the things sooner than I ever did.

I loved that this book had some Easter eggs or blatant inclusion of characters from other books. I also really liked it being set over a whole year rather than the 24hrs to a week that the other books tend to follow.

KL’s books are perfect for fans of YA Lynn Painter, innocent rom coms and cute little adventures.

The narration from single POV was done well with a female narrator whose put on male voice didn’t remove you from the story at all, which can be a difficult task! The audiobook was a great listen.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and RB media for providing an advanced listener copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this audio. I felt the narrator did a great job bringing this fun and lighthearted story to life.
I really enjoyed this story so much that I finished in one day. Just when you think you know, you don’t and it hooked me! I’ll be recommending this one absolutely!

4 stars! ☆ With the help of her not-so-friendly future sister in law and the bridal party, 17 year old Mads goes on multiple dates with multiple suitors to try find the one before her brother’s wedding. Having not experienced her first kiss yet, Mads finds herself thrown into the dating experience, but also can’t help but think of two certain boys in her life: the boy next door Connor and the annoying yet charming Marco. With many ups, and some down low downs, Mads needs to organise her feelings and discover what her heart truly wants. There’s a first time for everything, and Mads is ready to try anything!

This was such a nostalgic and cute read! I thought each character, no matter how small, was explored in such unique detail that I felt like I knew them. I loved how it was a longer timeline, no instalove or rushed plot. The weak relationships strengthen naturally as it takes time and that’s realistic! Also realistic was the conflict resolution. The explanation for disagreements and misunderstandings throughout didn’t seem forced, they seemed like real misunderstandings which I was grateful to see! If an author makes up some crazy round about way of explaining something it loses me entirely, but this was perfectly executed. The main character, Mads, was shown as ambitious, driven and smart, and I enjoyed her personality and attitude towards everything she did. The one thing I wish was explored more was the relationship with her brother. I felt like I was told about how close they are, rather than shown, but otherwise I really enjoyed the book!

With regard to the audiobook format, the narrator was perfect! I really felt like I was listening to the inner ramblings and thoughts of a teenage girl. Mads’ essence was seriously captured in the narrator, and I think it really added to my experience with the entire plot.

If you’re a fan of books like “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Better than the Movies” you will adore this book, for sure!

all the cutesy vibes that i love from a k.l. walther book! i really really liked the characters and i felt myself relating to catie a lot. it was the perfect line between YA/NA for me because now that i’m 22 YA books are really hit or miss for me.

Every KL Walther book becomes my new KL Walther book. She is just. So. GOOD! Her books are easy to read, fun page turners. I am obsessed with every character, the overlap in the KLW Universe, and the settings. And this one was no different!

I LOOOOOVE a wedding. And throw in an amazing group of bridesmaids, a farmhouse/Christmas tree farm, a Bachelor style dating journey, and mouthwatering restaurants???? Girl yes

I truly adored everything about this book. I loved Mads’s journeys in field hockey and college admissions, having a boy best friend, making new friends and learning to be open with the bridesmaids, her evolving relationship with the bride, her doggos. Just everything.

The audiobook is perfection! Would 100% recommend.

The books in the KLW Universe are all standalones that can be read in any order, but I’d personally recommend reading them in publication order so you can see all the characters you’ve come to love. Shoutout to Grace Barbour and Meredith!!! Loved seeing them here. <3

Honestly please just read A First Time for Everything. It was so fun and endearing. This would be an amazing pool or beach read!

This was good! Unfortunately I am definitely getting to a point where reading about high schoolers isn't super fun or relatable anymore, but I thought the underlying plots of Mads connecting with her soon to be sister-in-law and all the things that surrounded that were super interesting. I don't think I would have gotten fully through this without the audiobook, though. The middle was kinda slow, and I think a chunk of it could have been cut out.

The audiobook for this was super well done. I thought the narrator (Jennifer Jill Araya) did SUCH a good job with this. The way she narrated it made this a lot more interesting to read - it kinda felt like a friend telling me a story over the phone rather than reading a book.

Thank you to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

3 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

this book was super quick to read and was genuinely enjoyable but a few things did leave me with some weird emotions.

firstly all the bridesmaids being so invested in a 17 year olds dating life was kind of weird to me like yall really shouldn’t care that much. i also get she’s a bridesmaid but as a minor there were definitely some situations she should not have been invited or included in.

katie’s whole thing about her being a shy introvert seemed like an excuse almost for her behaviour for most of the book. i totally get being shy especially when you’re around a family who’s extremely outgoing but certain things didn’t feel like a fair reaction to the situation.

the narrator Jennifer Jill Araya did an amazing job at bringing this novel to life and giving Madeline a real voice and personality.

A first time for everything follows Mads. mads is just a 17 year old girl navigating through her nonexistent love life and gearing up to go to college. As her brother’s wedding is slowly approaching, Mads keeps looking for a date or someone she has a connection with.


This book was very entertaining to read. I loved the closeness she had with her dads and her brother. And just seeing her development throughout the story as she finds herself.

I was very happy to receive this ARC and immediately began the audiobook! I haven't listened to an audiobook in over a year so I was a bit nervous, but I genuinely enjoyed this book and was always ready to listen to more.

Mads is a 17 year-old girl whose brother just proposed to his girlfriend, Katie, who she's never truly liked. Mads is then asked to become a bridesmaid and during the Bridesmaid Slumber Party she reveals she has never kissed a boy or had a boyfriend. The bridesmaids, and Katie, all start a plan to set Mads up on dates throughout the summer, so she'll will have a date to the wedding. Throughout the book she steps out of her boundaries and starts opening her mind to prospects of a suitor that she's never noticed before. Meanwhile, Mads begins to wonder if her brother should be marrying Katie after all.

LOVED✦ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹
• The way Marco, Mads' friend, is protective over Mads. In the way that he walks her to her car even though it's away from the place he's going to, or letting her talk to him about the whole "Bachelorette" scheme the bridesmaids created. It's so sweet to read about and it never failed to make me smile. 🤭
• How close Mads' family is to one another. For example, one night (at 3 am) Mads calls her brother after being at a terrible party, and it just shows how much she knows Austin, her brother, will be there for her! Mads' dads always help Austin throughout wedding planning and the drama that follows from it. It's not shown a lot but I feel like her dads deserve more recognition for how supportive they are of their children.
NOT QUITE LOVED✦ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹
• Austin's fiancée, Katie, is so rude. She explains in the book that she's an introvert and near the end you find out why she never seems happy when she's around Mads' family but still. There were moments when Katie just didn't have any manners. She wouldn't say "Hello" or have courtesy at all. It annoyed me and every time Austin tried to defend her I wanted to yell at him that she was just being plain rude.
• While Mads was apart of the bridesmaid party and they were planning the bachelorette trip it felt like she was such a Debby Downer. I understand that she was the only person of her age apart of the wedding, but the bridesmaids tried to include her and she seemed a bit pessimistic the whole time.
• I never truly found myself rooting for Mads as a character. Sure I would root for the guys that she would date, but for Mads I never felt excited for her. Nothing in her life would be wrong and she somehow still found a way to complain which was definitely eye roll worthy.

All in all, this book is sweet and the main theme about family was the main reason I enjoyed it so much :) I recommend if you're looking for your next YA summer book!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for approving my request for a honest review!

➷₊✧˚★★★.5꒱

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, Sourcebooks Fire & K.L. Walther for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Another fun YA from K.L. Walther. Mads and Austin's relationship is truly sibling goals. Complicated a bit by Austin's wife-to-be, Katie, the family dynamic change is in for a real shake up! For everyone! ESPECIALLY when sister and parents still have their hearts set on Austin's former love, Samira.

Stream of consciousness word vomit: I adored how Katie's family sprang to action when Mads needed help. I found the college visit to be very realistic. The whole storyline being built around the planned wedding gave great pacing. The "bachelor" premise was loose but fun!

Narration was really well done. The narrator captured the age of the characters very well and I believe it amplified the story!

(Thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for the advance listener copy!)

First off, Jennifer Jill Araya is a fantastic narrator. Her teen persona is completely believable, and I was hooked by the way she carried Mads’ emotions through every inflection. Some might think Mads is overdramatic, but I understood her and felt protective of her from the start. I felt her frustration with Kate, her anxiety about meeting the bridal party, her nerves around dating—all of it. Araya made each emotion land with care, and her narration is a huge part of why the story felt so alive.

The story itself pulled me in right away. A First Time for Everything follows Madeline (Mads) as she navigates her brother’s upcoming wedding—being a bridesmaid, not liking the bride, and dealing with a lot of unfamiliar social situations. Some moments were definitely nerve-wracking, but that’s expected when you’re a teenager being pushed into adult spaces you’re not ready for.

My biggest question throughout was: why are the adults around her pressuring her into things she clearly isn’t comfortable with? These are new experiences for her, so of course she reacts with defensiveness at first. Everyone else in the bridal party is a legal adult, yet she’s expected to just go along with their plans like she fits in. It felt odd that only Meredith initially considers how Mads might be feeling. That said, the narrow focus makes sense as this is told from Mads’ POV, and as a teen, her perspective is still very much forming.

Personally, I don’t see Mads as bratty at all. She just needed someone to play a big sister role or even just a few close girl friends in her life. Her character development was one of my favourite parts of the story. It felt real with the way she owns up to her mistakes. Her emotions are valid and she learns from the experience. Sure, some of her actions were questionable, but haven’t we all done questionable things as teens? Mads is strong-willed, opiniated, caring, feisty, and full of personality.

This book captures the highs and lows of being a teenager and the complicated emotions that come with growing up. I don’t read much YA and hadn’t read anything by K.L. Walther before, but this was an enjoyable introduction. I’ll definitely be checking out more from her in the future!

A First Time for Everything follows Madeline (Mads) as she navigates her brothers upcoming wedding, being a bridesmaid in said wedding, and not liking the bride. As the wedding gets closer, Katie-the bride, and her gang of bridesmaids convince Mads to let them help her find a plus one for the wedding. Mads agrees hoping that it will allow her and Katie to grow closer. Now she’s being set up on dates like she’s on her own version of The Bachelorette. Mads realizes she may have feelings for her best friend, Connor, but he always has a girlfriend. Then there’s Marco, who is a couple of years older, but seems to always be around whenever and wherever she ends up on a date.

I always love KL Walter books. She had a way of writing characters that I resonate with. I enjoyed this book! I did find it predictable of who Mads would end up with, as well as some of the other plot points, but I was still invested and enjoyed the whole book.

buckle up because I have soooo much to say about this.

it’s important to know that I loved the summer of broken rules, but this was not at all it. and I’m not one to write bad reviews, but I need to get this off my chest.


let’s start with the things I liked:
-Meredith/Wit cameo
yeah. that’s it.

first off, mads is the biggest asshole ever. spoiled brat much? she made this book insufferable. I nearly dnf’d this because of mads. she literally does not give a shit about trying to make an effort to enjoy the bridesmaid thing. the entireeee book it’s “oh, I have to be a bridesmaid this”, “it’s sych a shore that”… nobody cares. her hate of Katie was soooooo overdramatic. yeah Katie didn’t name much of an effort to build a relationship either, but claiming Katie was “stealing Austin” from her family was literally so immature. yeah, she’s 17, but why is she acting like the toddler who just found out they’re getting a younger sibling? and don’t even get me started on her and Connor. getting mad she had to third wheel on any of his girlfriends and his dates is absurd. if your friend has a girlfriend, you BACK THE HELL OFF. is that so hard to understand? and then getting mad that Connor wouldn’t “notice her” or “make a move” when she hadn’t even considered guys romantically before then? wait, that’s right, my bad; Connor is supposed to magically understand the things she doesn’t communicate to him. understandable. she was also so self-centered! it was always the “me-me-me-me!” show and kept trying to make her brother’s engagement about her. istg if she was my sister I’d tell the security guards to make sure she doesn’t come in. her obsession with her family was sickening. like genuinely it was downright uncomfortable. again, are you 17 or 5? I’m leaning toward the latter.


as far as Connor goes, he seems like the kind of guy to unironically say “that’s so skibidi!” Enough said.


the other guy? Marco? Marcus? I can’t even remember his name, he was that memorable. he reads and writes? the only green flags I can remember.



oh and sam is an asshole🌝 and thank god Katie actually called out mads and her family about being assholes

This is one of my favorite KL Walther books now! I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters and found myself understanding our FMC's POV a lot, even though she was in high school lol. It's definitely on brand with seeing things the way teenagers do throughout this book. I did find Kate (the FMC's soon to be sister in law) annoying and while I understood her more once everything was out there I still found her behavior the whole time strange, but that could just be what our teenage FMC intepreted her to be like and obviously teenagers don't always think of things the way adults do. I kind of wish the resolution with Kate would have come sooner in the book, but I still enjoyed watching how everything played out!

The narrator did a great job at distinguishing the characters and capturing how a teenage girls thoughts sound!

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an ALC of this YA book 🫶🏼

Thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for the advance listener copy and to SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the advance reader copy! I did an immersion read and really enjoyed the experience—especially with the excellent narration, which brought Mads and her world to life beautifully.

A First Time for Everything is a fun, engaging story that captures the highs and lows of being a teenager. K.L. Walther does a fantastic job portraying the complexities of growing up—figuring out who you are while juggling school, sports, friendships, and family expectations. The story had an authentic voice and great emotional balance.

I really liked Mads as a character, and her relationships with her friends and family were believable and well-developed. Her journey felt genuine and relatable, with moments of both vulnerability and strength.

My only critique is that a significant portion of the conflict centered around her future sister-in-law, Katie, and the resolution felt a little too neat and rushed. It also left me feeling that Austin, Mads' brother, came off as a bit insensitive for not doing more to help integrate Katie into the family sooner.

Still, this was a heartfelt, enjoyable read with strong characters and real emotion. A great pick for readers who love contemporary YA with depth and charm.

3.75🌟

We all know I’m quite a fan of YA, I enjoy the distraction, I like to know what my young people might be reading but most of all they’re generally fairly easy and quite comforting. This was so cute, a close knit family with one sibling terrified that she’ll lose the other when he marries a woman that she doesn’t gel with, in the background she’s disastrously dating, sometimes though what you want is right there in front of you. My cheeks hurt from smiling at this. I felt exceptionally cool for getting the tv and music references.

Lovely narration!

Huge thanks to Tantor Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

3.5 stars, not quite a 4 star, so not rounding this one up.
17-year-old Maddie.
Close family. Brother is getting married. Maddie is unsure of her soon-to-be sister-in-law, but when asked to be a bridesmaid, she agrees.
BOOM - First love.
This was a cute YA romance and had lots of the ingredients for YA readers.
There was a sense of naivety, tension, friendships, drama, love, and becoming self-assured.
Maddie, our FMC, was a fairly realistic character. She read young, as I expected. She was kind, unassuming, and ready to have a relationship.
We follow Maddie in the bridesmaids group chat. She goes to prom, decides on a college, and starts dating.
Without spoiling, in the end, Maddie ends up with someone (not who I wanted), she learns to love Katie (sister-in-law), and all is well that ends well.
The plot is structured well. The pace could be a little quicker in the middle of the book, but it isn't a slow burn.
Characters are well developed, and we get to see a lot of growth in Maddie throughout the book. I also think the young reader can relate to Maddie, she would be somewhat relatable in my opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and the author for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Happy Reading!