A First Time for Everything

by K.L. Walther

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules comes a fun new coming-of-age romance full of dating disasters, powerful firsts, and the importance of family.

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.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Audiobook, Fiction, Summer, Contemporary Romance

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 2025

About the author

K.L. Walther was born and raised in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania surrounded by family, dogs, and books. Her childhood was spent traveling the northeastern seaboard to play ice hockey. She attended a boarding school in New Jersey and went on to earn a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She is happiest on the beach with a book, cheering for the New York Rangers, or enjoying a rom-com while digging into a big bowl of popcorn and M&Ms.

Reviews

[anna ୨୧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars!

this fell flat for me ☹️ the plot was all over the place we never really focused on one thing and that was annoying. it’s also a love triangle so that didn’t help. i felt indifferent towards our fmc- i didn’t connect with any of the characters ☹️ i skimmed the last 150 or so pages. i really enjoyed seeing Wit and Meredith in this tho 🫶🏼 i still love K.L Walther but sometimes not every book is going to hit unfortunately. i think it’s partly my fault bc i’m growing out of the ya romance genre but maybe someone younger would enjoy this!! (like 13-14 possibly)


↳˗ˏˋ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ˊˎ˗ 💍

I’ve been hearing wit and Meredith are in this 👀 ofc i have to read this + it wouldn’t be summer if I didn’t read a K.L Walther book 🫂🫶🏼



2 BOOKS IN 2025??? 2025 IS MY YEAR. my favorite authors are coming out with multiple books and it’s the best feeling ever. I love K.L Walther <3

[julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5˖⁺‧✮

such a beautiful book that follows 17 years old Mads and her brother’s weeding; family; and first love!

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ this was such a great read, especially for the valentine’s day because it had everything a ya romance needed: tension, friendships, drama and well developed plot. i enjoyed almost everything about it and at some point i was convinced this book is a 5 star read, however, there were some … weird moments.

firstly, i was truly impressed with the plot and each character’s storyline! each character was distinguished and had a unique detail to their characteristics. they were especially seen at the end when you get to know all of them better. therefore, i’ll start with characters:

mads was a nice teenager, very realistic and positive for her age. i really don’t have anything to say about her because she seemed nice, kind and open to something fun and exiting. however, i do believe her whole storyline wasn’t something she wanted. for preview: the book basically follows mads as she tells her brother’s fiancée about not kissing anyone. and the whole bridesmaid group is encourages a romance throughout the book. why am i telling this? because mads did not seem interested in romance before this whole thing. what i’m saying is, it felt very pushed toward mads wanting to date and see guys. especially, when she started to intensely look for a guy, instead of going with the phase.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ however, here comes the fun part. i loved who she ended up with. it was kind of obvious throughout the book, but i was still so glad with the last chapters and the finale.

i can’t say that i was expecting this from kate because she genuinely felt very weird the whole time. i mean, nice for the drama to go away but i was kind of confused with her personality🤷‍♀️

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for approving my request for an arc.

pre-read
another rtc

[jocelyn ੈ✩‧₊˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW:
06/12/25: 4.5 ⭐️
ok it’s official: kl walther is one of my new favorite authors! i absolutely DEVOUR everything she writes and this was no different. the bachelor-esque vibe was soooo much fun and i loved reading about mads everyday life with her family, field hockey, and college decisions. and don’t even get me started on the mmc….(wink wink)

this book was just so much fun and i loved the speak now vibe (timeless will be played on a loop) and the fact that You was mentioned made me an even bigger KLW fan. GO READ THIS IF YOU HAVENT YET I MEAN IT.

PRE READ THOUGHTS:
07/23/2024: I AM ACTUALLY GOING INSANE. A TSOBR COMPANION?? A WEDDING?? SPEAK NOW TV??? K L WALTHER I LOVE YOU

[hannah! (lowkey gone) · Rating 5 out of 5]

review
i love kl walther. but i love her so much more after reading this masterpiece. she absolutely fed us this time around. THERE WERE SO MANY EASTER EGGS, with mentions of characters from EVERY. SINGLE. KLW. BOOK. not kidding. i was eating this up.

anyways i have an english assignment ive been procrastinating so im gonna lock in and ill be right back! ok so i locked in and did all of it this morning, so now im free to yap about this amazing book!

i do think that i enjoyed while we're young more than this, only bc i just love ferris bueller. this was good, but since i dont loveeee love triangles, i enjoyed the fast paced romcom vibes more.

anyways, i loved how different this was to klw's past books. it was set over almost a year, so WAYYYY longer than basically any of her books. (most of them are 24 hrs/ a week) and it fit this story so well! it flowed really great and everything was shared, the plot was engaging and SO SO CUTE!!!!

biiiiiiiiiig paragraph of ranting about cameos now incoming
ok so. i absolutely love the klw universe. and what i love even more is how everyone is connected. we saw this a bit in tsobr, but she FULLY outdid herself this time.
- ok so to start. mer and wit are in this story so much. mer is basically mads' big sister/older cousin figure by the end of this and im so here for it!!! i lived for the chaos they both brought and their strong bond. this kinda served as the more detailed epilogue to tsobr and ughhhh we were fed thats for sure!
- wit, or stephen as he was referred to multiple times by mer (I LOVE IT SM) was THE perfect plus one to the bridesnaid gang, and it was clear how much everyone loved him + how much he enjoyed being around the gang.
- the entire while were young gang got cameos. actually well except for james but like oh well he'll be fine. the biggest one was marco alvarez, who was isa's ex, and was mentioned in wwy as being 'infatuated by some hockey player' or something. ill find the proper quote later! then, mads uses the dating app isa coded to go on a date. as well as marco and mads running into my man everett (and grace) on the beach in jersey shore while theyre working. i loved this cameo so much bc like in wwy the jersey trip really cemented their relationship and i loved coming back to it now theyre finally dating!
- my all time fav klw, what happens after midnight also got a shoutout in the form of lily hopper designing the wedding invites! which i love but i did want more :( and some tag asw.
- reese was in maybe meant to be as well as there was multiple nick/charlie carmichael references that made my heart happy. i feel like that gang got massive cameos in the tsobr so im happy with the amount they got this time asw <3

im gonna wait til i get home so i can post my highlights & notes for this book COZ THEY ARE PEAK. (most of them are crossovers/cameo reactions!)
ok so all my highlights are posted, but here is a couple that i was screaming into my pillow for!
- "he knew it wasn't you based on my footsteps alone; he knows yours by heart.' mer smirked. 'did i not mention that?'" part 3249794823956 of mer and wit being THE standard of everything. guys i love them so so so much arghhhhhhhhh.
- multiple taylor references in the form of 'only seventeen, i dont know anything' and 'snow on the beach' (!!!!!!) which obviously i ate up coz i love that <3



current reading thoughts
- HAVE ALREADY FOUND MANY CROSSOVERS/CAMEOS !!!!! these cameos give me life and this is why klw is my fav author, yall!
- francine and arthur are absolute icons and may be my fav book dogs.
- katie's whole family is kinda pmo
- BUT THE VIBES ARE IMMACULATE
- and you better believe im eating up every mention of mer and wit. I LOVE THOSE GUYS SM.
- also klw mentioned a companion book for tsobr in her newsletter (the summer of second chances) AND IM SAT. THERE IS NO COVER. NO RELEASE DATE. NO SYNOPSIS. JUST VIBES. AND IM HERE FOR IT.

ARGHHHHHHH THIS BOOK IS MY NEW PERSONALITY I SWEAR

pre-read
when i got that email saying it had been released you better believe i dropped my science test revision (rip) and bought it, then stayed up late reading it in the dark on my kindle. anyways ive got my science test today and dont feel prepared at all bc of this AMAZING book. oh well. my reward for finishing it is reading ig.

pre-release
ok so. ive read the excerpt and i cannot wait. MEREDITH FROM TSOBR IS IN IT???? AND SHES THE ONE WITH THE PLAN. GUYS IM SCREAMING RN THIS IS GONNA BE AMAZING

guys im sat. like im ready. like give it to me now please.

also- speak now is its album?????? ugh klw you know me too well marry me please

2025 is klws year im calling it

[cyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
this book was sooooo super cute. it of course had romance elements but the friendships and family dynamics were my favorite part of this book. the main character acted her age and wasn’t annoying in the slightest. all of the different types of relationships romantic,platonic, and familial were all sooo natural and believable. i felt like the characters were people i knew in real life and couldn’t put this book down. i think this author has truly mastered writing the new age ya book. some older ya novels read as too young sounding and some newer ones are obviously not written with actual teenage readers in mind. i’ve loved all of her books and i would highly recommend this one!!

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars (rounded to 4) ☆ cute!

first date, first kiss, first boyfriend, first time -
this ya friends-to-lovers romance was titled perfectly!

i loved the wedding setting and cameos from older characters.
however, i was more interested in trying to finish the book and find out the ending than in the actual experiences of our main character.

butttt all the Taylor Swift references were plus ;)

[Sofia-Jane&#x1f90d;]

I’m not sure why but i don’t want her to end up with Marco… it should be Connor. I can’t explain it it’s a huge vibe😭

[&#x1f495;&#x1f30a;Charlotte (ia- school)&#x1f30a;&#x1f495; · Rating 5 out of 5]

eeeek, this was so cute! love a good cute romance!

[zahra · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely adored this, what a fun read !! madeline was such a sweet character and i loved reading about her dating mishaps and being a bridesmaid (which were part of the reason for said dating mishaps). the side characters also made this book stand out, they each were such a great addition to the story. and the romance !! i loved madeline and marco's dynamic, their scenes together were never enough.

overall, a very cute YA romance for summer and i really enjoyed it !! (dare i say i liked this more than better than the movies?)

(3.5 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Xaviazs · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved TSOBR so much it was a 5 star book for me, unfortunately this gets a 2.5. I liked the plot and the setting however the pacing felt off. The end seemed very rushed. The love triangle was also very unnecessary. I like who the mc ends up with but I didn’t feel it was built up well enough for how it ended.

[nat!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

and another win for kl walther!! her books always hit and this one was no different.

there was so much to love about this book, and it was the perfect combination of funny and serious! i loved getting to see mads figure out who she wanted to be with and it was so funny to see all of her failed dates. im glad she ended up with someone who truly loved her! i also really liked getting to see her and katies relationship get stronger as they spent more and more time together, and all really started to feel like family!

also this is so random and literally only related to me (and anyone else who likes these things) but i love it when a book mentions things that im obsessed with. we had taylor swift, top gun maverick, and so much more and it just made me giggle every time!! mads also got into upenn (good for her, that was my top choice that i didnt get into but im so glad i didnt #govols) so reading about her time in philly was relatable because i went twice to visit HAHA

i also lovedddd how important meredith and wit were to this story!! mer was always looking out for mads and she honestly seemed like a big sister to her and i just loved that so much! i also loved the little grace barbour cameo we got, you can never go wrong with putting your characters from different books together! ALSO i screamed at the tamlin mention like hello what are you doing here

anyways this was really good!!

[Esme · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid YA contemporary!

While not my favorite of K.L. Walther's books it was still enjoyable. I really loved the last 20%.

for the pros: I loved the narrator for the book, Jennifer Jill Araya does an awesome job with the book. I also really loved how realistic the characters and the story felt, it's something I love about all of Walther's books. I do have a couple of favorite characters, I loved Marco and all his friends, friendship goals for sure. I also rally loved Meredith she was an icon.

as for the cons: I didn't like our main character. She was incredibly annoying. I also wasn't a huge fan of Katie or the whole conflict surrounding Katie. The book felt like a lot of complaining. The book feels like it was trying to be a new adult but kept forcing itself to be YA. The sex scene at the end is a little cringe. It took me a while to really get into the book but once I did I enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley and Tantor Audio for the audio arc!

*All opinions are my own!*

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audiobook in exchange for an honest review!*

3.75 stars.

All the tropes, the chaos, and everything in between—this book just reminded me why I’ll always love the Young Adult genre.

Also, characters from The Summer of Broken Rules appeared in this one too! It’s been years since I last read that book, so I think I’ll be rereading both of these books this summer.



AAAAHHHHH!! I've been eyeing this book for a long time and now I get to listen to it on an audiobook!!

[Polly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so so good loved the student athlete struggles side story bc it was so relatable to my situation!! Also i am literally in love w Marco!!!!!!!!!!! Another best book from kl walther!!!!

[cate · Rating 3 out of 5]

if you liked the summer of broken rules by this author, you'll probably like this one too, mostly for the same reasons (minus the portrayal of grief since there really isn't anything of the sort in this one; there's a dead grandma who's mentioned a few times). the vibes are very similar—lots of partying, games, and a summer romance you can't shake off.

however, i was disappointed in this one for the same reasons as the summer of broken rules.

i'm a swiftie. proud of it. i WILL find a way of making a reference to my girl. however, the references in this book felt forced and out of place, like they were included just to cater to swifties as they try to catch them all like pokémon. i feel like this cheapened the writing quite a bit by relying on writing by someone else (taylor), with lines being pulled word for word from her songs. it feels a bit.... lazy, in a way? since someone already had the work of writing those lines and metaphors in the first place and they're just being yoinked.

it takes us the whole book to figure out what exactly is the problem with katie. it turns out to be a misunderstanding. surely this could have been sorted out a lot sooner; leaving the main conflict barely worked on until the very end of the book just created pacing issues and made it feel like the middle was just dragging on and on.

overall, it's a fun and easy read for the summer if you're looking for one.

[payton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay maybe 2.5. Like it was good don’t get me wrong but idk I just never felt connected to Mads or the plot and there was nothing happening for so damn long. And I don’t mean in a romance way but my god the plot was dragged out for like 150 pages of her just thinking about any and everything. So glad with her final choice of guy though. Also you can’t say I love you to someone you’ve been dating for a day, sorry

[casey ⋆˚౨ৎ ⋆.˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

this was so nostalgic. this was a cute one. by far my favorite book from the author. i seen so much of my younger self in madeline so it allowed me to connect to her character.

madeline’s (mads) brother is getting married and his fiancé’s bridesmaid group wants to set her up on dates for them to be a bust. however, she has chemistry with two boys she has known for years, connor, her best friend and marco, a fellow athlete and friend. was it predictable with which one she’d end up with? yes but i still ate it up because i loved her chemistry with him (remaining nameless to keep this spoiler free).

i was curious what was going to happen with her brother austin and his fiancé katie because she was a bit hard to read. as you read on, you learn more about her and how her rocky relationship with mad’s develops (they don’t really have much of a relationship to start).

[Afton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A First Time for Everything was a sweet and nostalgic coming-of-age story that captures all the awkward, exhilarating, and emotional moments of firsts — first crush, first kiss, first time stepping outside your comfort zone.

That said, while I appreciated the heart of the story and the overall message, the pacing felt a bit slow at times, and some of the dialogue and internal monologue didn’t fully resonate with me, especially Katie overall. The overall Bachelor Nation plot also seemed weird to me considering she was only seventeen.

Still, I think this would be a comforting read for anyone looking to reminisce about those in-between years — awkward but formative, uncomfortable but unforgettable.

[Alma ౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this book was everything. The characters, the summer vibes, the nostalgia — I was so invested from start to finish. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time!!!!

[karlie jane (lumax version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars⭐️ HANDS DOWN! If you are looking for a very romantic centered book this is not the one but BOY DID I ENJOY IT! This had the perfect combo of family and heart break mixed with a pinch of romance and I ATE IT UP!

[Phoebe (readandwright) Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

Some authors just excite you and that is KL Walther for me. I fell in love with her story The Summer of Broken RUles because it made me feel nostalgic for the YA books I read growing up while still being entertaining to read as an adult. I like that she writes teenagers as they are meant to be: messy, impulsive, and eye roll inducing. And the only reason I say that is because as an adult, we know so much more than teens so it is easy to roll your eyes at them, but they don’t deserve it. They deserve to be taken seriously and given the chance to grow and learn.

I loved getting to revisit some of the characters from that beloved book and meet new ones I equally love now. A great fall read as it spans an entire year as the main character’s brother prepares to get married!

Synopsis:

“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.”

What I Liked:

The Timeline—I love following a group of characters for a long time. It helps me get to know them and I like to see them through multiple seasons.

The Characters—I loved them all! Especially Dad and Da. And getting to see Meredith and Wit again! I loved how they grew up.

The Writing—It’s so fun and nostalgic and makes you want to keep reading.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

The Conflict between Mads and Katie—I like how it was resolved, but I struggled with it throughout the book. However, as a little sister, I did relate to Mads a lot.

If you’re not a Swiftie, you might cringe at some of the references…or not even know about them because they may be frequent but they’re not obvious. more IYKYK type I think.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

[- ̗̀✮ &#x1d690;&#x1d69b;&#x1d68a;&#x1d68c;&#x1d68e; ₊˚୧‧ (jess’ version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
this was sweet!

july 11:
rtc tomorrow because i’m hella tired but ill also be very busy for the next couple of days so don’t expect this until maybe next week lol

july 20:
ok so the update never came but basically marco saved the whole thing

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book! I really enjoyed it!!!

[˚⋆☀️bre [matchin’ w my twin]☀️⋆˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WAS PRAYING SO HARD THAT SHE WOULD END UP WITH MARCO YALL!!! I was literally screaming when her and Conner went out on a date and when she went on a date with quite literally anyone else I was throwing my book SCREAMING!!! And pretty much when she went on a date or hung out with anyone that wasn’t Marco🤭.

I also love have Mads and Natalia became friends and how THEY made DEVIS the third wheel!!! Eee!!

And I love Katie, she’s such a sweetheart once she actually opened up. In all honesty I thought she was COMPLETELY stuck up and I was ‘Gurl who pissed in YOUR corn flakes? Jeez.’ But then once they all went dress shopping I KNEW that the way the whole wedding was planned her MOTHERS idea and that NONE OF IT was how Katie actually wanted it! Sooo yeah loved it! They were amazing. OH! AND MARCO AND THE PRINCETON BOYS!!! HAHAH I LOVED THEM!!!🤭

[annie ౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

no, he's one of your best friends, i realized, and felt a swift swirl of sweetness in my core.

you are my favorite person, you know?

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 ⭐️
keine ahnung, es zieht sich kein wirklicher roter faden durch das buch, man weiß nicht so richtig, wo es hin will und mich haben die personen im buch auch einfach nicht interessiert.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

This is a Young Adult contemporary romance. This is a review of the ebook and audiobook. The audiobook is read by Jennifer Jill Araya.

This book is divided by seasons. There are also chapters within the seasons. The main character is 17 year old Madeline/Mads.

Mads is an elite field hockey player who dreams of playing at UPenn. She is very close to her dads and older brother.

The book focuses a lot on her brother’s wedding, her relationship with his soon to be wife Katie, and the bridesmaids.

This is a coming of age story as Mads acts as the Bachelorette. She goes on dates. There is also a love triangle. She has a best friend Connor and a soccer player she knew in high school, Marco. I really enjoyed how this storyline played out.

I really enjoyed how close Madeline was to her family. And I loved the field hockey aspect.

Meredith from The Summer Of Broken Rules is in this book quite a bit (she is one of Katie’s best friends). I really liked her.

Overall this was a quick enjoyable read. This was my first book by this author. And I really liked it. Although I still have questions about why Katie acted the way that she did. But I thought that the premise was fun and the ending was quite good.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally love this because of its page turning and drama filled content that was definitely young adult.

If you love YA romance and field hockey this is for you

This book was strangers to friends to lovers if that makes sense because it’s start with MC meets boy they become friends then lovers

The main character is so good and pardon me but amazing

In all I loved this book

[shaysreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOSH THIS WAS SO CUTE AND HEARTFELT AND SWEET

i loved all the characters and i resonated with so many of them for different reasons. i loved the whole plot line of mads getting set up dates and i just loved her entire character so much.

i also loved seeing the sister and sister-in-law bond grow throughout the book, idk why but the ending had me tearing up

this is now one of my favorite romance books and also one of my favorite books i’ve read so far this year

thank you netgalley for the arc i can’t express how amazing this book is

[Eliana]

reminds me of tsitp, but didn't make me as mad. overall a good book.