A First Time for Everything Quiz – 20 Questions

Think you know the twists and turns of Mads Fisher-Michaels's senior year? This A First Time for Everything quiz challenges you on plot details, character motivations, themes, and bigger-picture ideas. Each question is drawn from the novel, and all answers are explained afterward. Whether you're reviewing for a book club or just love the story, this is your ultimate test.

For more deep dives, check out our book overview, questions and answers, and ending explained.

Plot & Sequence (8 Questions)

1. What does Mads receive from Katie in Chapter 2?

A) A handwritten letter asking her to be a bridesmaid
B) A bridesmaid proposal box containing a sleeping mask, candle, and bracelet
C) An invitation to the bachelorette party
D) A field hockey camp brochure

2. Why does Mads leave JProm early in Chapter 9?

A) She gets into a fight with Davis
B) She realizes Davis invited her to make his ex-girlfriend Natalie jealous
C) She has a family emergency
D) The food is terrible

3. What happens when Mads visits Princeton for a field hockey recruiting weekend in Chapter 11?

A) She gets lost on campus
B) Derek, a student at Tiger Inn, makes unwanted advances and she pepper-sprays him
C) She wins a game for the team
D) She decides to commit to Penn immediately

4. At Katie's bachelorette party, what does Mads realize about her own feelings?

A) She is still in love with Connor
B) She has a crush on Marco, not Connor
C) She wants to become a bridesmaid forever
D) She hates ABBA music

5. What injury does Mads sustain in Chapter 24?

A) A concussion from falling off a horse
B) A broken ankle with torn ligaments and a severed tendon after stepping in a groundhog hole
C) A sprained wrist during field hockey practice
D) A pulled muscle while dancing at the bachelorette

6. How does the wedding ceremony change in Chapter 26?

A) It is moved to a church
B) It becomes an impromptu wedding in the barn with Mads's father officiating
C) Katie calls it off
D) Austin's grandmother performs the ceremony

7. What secret does Austin share with Mads in Chapter 22?

A) He is planning to call off the wedding
B) Samira confessed her love and asked him to run away with her
C) Katie is pregnant
D) He wants Mads to be the maid of honor

8. At Thanksgiving dinner in Chapter 25, what does Katie reveal to the family?

A) She wants a huge, extravagant wedding
B) She overheard the family wishing Austin was still with Samira, making her feel like an outsider
C) She is moving away after the wedding
D) She hates the bridesmaids

Character Motivation (5 Questions)

9. Why does Mads initially hesitate to accept being a bridesmaid?

A) She is too busy with field hockey
B) She feels distant from Katie and doesn't know her well, but accepts to please Austin
C) She doesn't like the color of the dresses
D) She wants to be the maid of honor instead

10. Why does Katie ask Marco to chaperone Mads during the Ready-Set-Date scheme?

A) She wants Marco to spy on Mads for her
B) She is worried about Mads's safety and wants someone trustworthy to look out for her
C) She hopes Marco and Mads will fall in love
D) She thinks Marco needs a date for himself

11. What drives Mads to go on a date with Jacob Bluestein?

A) She genuinely likes him
B) She wants to make Connor jealous and prove she can date
C) She is pressured by her fathers
D) She needs a prom date

12. Why does Connor break up with Lauren?

A) She moves away
B) She cheated on him with Robbie Nielson
C) He falls out of love with her
D) She doesn't get along with Mads

13. What leads Mads to finally apologize to Katie and see her in a new light?

A) Katie saves her from an injury
B) Austin tells Mads that Katie accepted his sobriety and supported him, proving how much she loves him
C) Katie gives Mads a thoughtful birthday gift
D) The bridesmaids force Mads to apologize

Themes & Symbols (4 Questions)

14. What does the ruby engagement ring symbolize in the story?

A) Katie's taste in jewelry
B) Family tradition and Austin's grandmother's love
C) Mads's jealousy of Katie
D) The cost of the wedding

15. What is the significance of Marco calling Mads a "sweet tart"?

A) It is a nickname that reflects her sour personality
B) It shows his playful affection and marks the beginning of their romantic connection
C) It is a reference to a dessert they share
D) It is an insult that pushes her away

16. What does the blood moon during the Stone Harbor trip in Chapter 15 represent?

A) A bad omen for the wedding
B) A magical summer night that deepens Mads's feelings for both Connor and Marco
C) The end of summer
D) A lunar eclipse that has no special meaning

17. How does Mads define a "favorite person"?

A) Someone who gives her the best gifts
B) A person with whom she shares endless inside jokes, hugs, and unconditional love
C) A perfect match set up by her bridesmaids
D) A family member she has known her whole life

Synthesis (3 Questions)

18. Compare Mads's relationships with Connor and Marco. How does she ultimately decide between them?

Short answer: She tries to build romance with Connor but they realize they lack romantic chemistry despite deep friendship. With Marco, she feels vulnerability, trust, and passion, especially after the fight and reconciliation. She chooses Marco because he challenges her and makes her feel seen.

19. How does Mads's perception of Katie evolve from the beginning of the book to the end?

Short answer: Initially, Mads sees Katie as reserved and distant, someone she is jealous of and doesn't understand. Through shared experiences—the bachelorette fight, Katie driving her to the hospital, and the Thanksgiving confession—Mads learns that Katie feels like an outsider and truly loves Austin. By the barn wedding, they become sisters.

20. What does the novel's title "A First Time for Everything" mean in relation to Mads's journey?

Short answer: Mads experiences many firsts: first bridesmaid duty, first kiss, first real date, first love, first sex, first serious argument, first time standing up for herself. Each "first" teaches her about trust, self-respect, and maturity, culminating in her finding her people (both Katie and Marco) and growing into her own person.

Answer Key

1. B – Katie sends a bridesmaid proposal box with gifts (sleeping mask, candle, bracelet) even though Austin said she wouldn't. Mads reluctantly accepts.

2. B – Mads learns that Davis invited her to make his ex Natalie jealous. She confronts him, then leaves the dance and calls Connor.

3. B – At Tiger Inn, Derek pressures Mads and she pepper-sprays him in self-defense. Marco later finds her at Wawa.

4. B – After drinking and playing Kiss-Marry-Kill, Mads realizes she loves Marco, not Connor. She calls Marco while crying, saying "It's you!"

5. B – While walking the dogs, Mads steps in a groundhog hole, fracturing her ankle, tearing ligaments, and severing a tendon. Surgery jeopardizes her field hockey career.

6. B – After the rehearsal dinner, Katie whispers she wants to marry that night. Mads suggests her father Harry, who is ordained, officiates an impromptu wedding in the barn.

7. B – Austin confides that Samira told him she loves him and asked him to run away. Mads considers using this to break up the wedding but later realizes Katie is his true "favorite person."

8. B – Katie admits she overheard the family four years earlier wishing Austin was still with Samira. The family apologizes, and Katie confesses she wants a small wedding, not the elaborate one her parents planned.

9. B – Mads is reluctant because she barely knows Katie, but her fathers and love for Austin persuade her to accept. She texts Katie an acceptance.

10. B – During the bachelorette argument, Katie reveals she asked Marco to watch over Mads because she was worried about her dating and wanted to protect her.

11. B – Mads creates a profile on the school dating app hoping to trigger jealousy in Connor. The date is awkward, and she realizes the plan isn't working.

12. B – Connor discovers Lauren has been cheating on him for weeks with Robbie Nielson. He ends the relationship.

13. B – After Austin describes how Katie accepted his sobriety and supported him, Mads realizes Katie truly loves him and she has misjudged her. Mads wants to apologize.

14. B – The ruby ring is an heirloom from Grandma to Austin, representing family tradition. Katie's preference for a diamond shows her different taste, but the ring later becomes important in Mads's understanding of her brother.

15. B – Marco first uses "sweet tart" at the family cookout, noticing Mads's mixed emotions. It becomes a private term of endearment that signals their growing bond.

16. B – The blood moon walk with Marco and Connor creates a magical, intimate atmosphere. It makes Mads feel closer to both, but especially highlights her confusion and eventual clarity about her feelings.

17. B – Mads explains that a favorite person is someone you can share inside jokes with, hug after a hard day, and love even when you're hangry. She eventually finds that with Marco.

18. (Short answer) Mads and Connor try to date but laugh during their attempted first kiss, realizing they don't have romantic chemistry. They reaffirm their friendship. Mads's connection with Marco grows through vulnerability, jealousy, and honest conversations. She ends up with Marco after he admits he's loved her and she confesses her feelings.

19. (Short answer) Mads starts out annoyed by Katie's reserved nature and jealous of her relationship with Austin. After the bachelorette fight, Katie's act of kindness (driving her to the hospital), and the Thanksgiving confession, Mads sees Katie's insecurities and genuine love for Austin. They reconcile and become sister-like.

20. (Short answer) The title reflects Mads's journey of discovering love, trust, and self-worth through new experiences. Every "first"—from her first bridesmaid duty to her first kiss with Marco—teaches her to be brave, honest, and open to change. By the end, she embraces her past and looks forward to the future.

Ready to challenge a friend? Share this quiz and see who remembers the most about Mads, Marco, and that unforgettable year.