Nicole Ryan’s *"The Very First Night"* masterfully blends magical realism with contemporary romance, delivering a story that’s both heartwarming and thought-provoking. After wishing she could redo her past, Kat is transported three years back in time, giving her the chance to rewrite her history. As she revisits old relationships, she crosses paths with Tanner who helps her heal from past traumas and grow in self-worth.

Ryan’s writing draws you in from the start, making Kat’s journey of self-discovery deeply relatable, especially for anyone who has grappled with anxiety or toxic relationships. The story explores important themes like mental health, toxic family dynamics, and the power of self-love, all wrapped up in a compelling narrative. Fans of romance with a touch of magical realism will find *"The Very First Night"* to be a truly satisfying read.

A lovely second chance romance. Really connected to Kat! Such a fun concept. Well written and loved the writing style.

I started out liking this book especially when Kat and Tanner got together at 50% . After that it felt like I was treading water to get through to the end. There was a twist I did not see coming but there was never any real explanation as to why they were sent back in time. In the end they got it right the second time around. Thank you to NetGalley for their free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily

This is my first book by Nicole and I’m a fan! This story was so cute even though it had some serious topics but I loved the tension build between these two. The writing was easy and enjoyable to read and I loved that this was a unique plot/story I haven’t read before. Definitely recommend giving this book a shot!

After reading Mostly Loathing You, I was rather excited to read this one, and I wasn't let down! This story was amazing. I really enjoyed the characters in this novel and the way their friendship developed gradually into something more than just friends. The writing of the story was excellent.

Thank you so much to Nicole and NetGalley, for the e-ARC

“I want you, Kat, more than I think I’ve ever wanted anyone”

I adored this book and the characters! The writing was fast paced and easy to read - the only thing I found was when reading there was occasions when I was unsure if she was in the past or present.

The spice in the book was top tier and was delivered in the perfect way!


The only concern / warning I would have it to be aware of potential triggers going into the book!

This story was beautifully written, I loved the characters and how their relationship was slowly built up and morphed into something more than friends.

I loved this story so much. The magical realism in the form of time travel in an otherwise completely contemporary romance was so much fun. Kat's struggles with anxiety really resonated with me as someone who struggles with anxious thoughts. The ways that Tanner helps her in these moments were so heartwarming to read. Tanner stole my heart in this story with his golden retriever energy and witty banter. 

I love Kat's healing journey in this story and Tanner's role in her healing process. I loved seeing her tackle her childhood trauma, an abusive ex, and learning her self-worth. It was inspiring. 

This was the first book I have read by Nicole and it definitely won't be my last 🖤

Thank you so much to Nicole and NetGalley, for the ARC copy of The Very First Night. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This book has 5 star potential, though I felt like some areas were maybe just a little drug out. Besides that I LOVED the fmc & her story with all my heart. She’s an anxious girly and super relatable.
We’ve all had a douchey boyfriend or “acquaintance” at some point in our lives and this book did such a good job navigating it. Things Kat obviously was too love blind to miss the first go around when she makes a wish and wakes back up in college, She realizes just how much of a jerk her college “boyfriend” is. In swoops her best friend. Tanner. Oh my gosh he’s such a beautiful human being. I’ll never not thank for Nicole for making this character. He's everything I wish I had in a man! Chefs kiss Nicole. Loved it!!!!

On the day of her best friend’s wedding, Kat has to confront her ex-boyfriend, Elijah, who she discovers is now engaged. When she has the chance to make a wish, she wishes to fix everything with Elijah. So, when she wakes up five years in the past in her college dorm room on the exact day she met the one that got away, she is left with the ultimate second chance: the opportunity to it all differently. However, she begins to question why she wants to make it right with Elijah when she finds that she can truly be herself with Tanner, another college friend.
I found myself quickly immersed in this story from the very first page. It explored Kat’s feelings of self-worth and her reflection on her actions. It also explored the characters of all her college friends and how her relationship with them had been altered by her feelings for Elijah. A great read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank. you so much NetGalley for the ARC!

I was so excited to pick this one up after Mostly Loathing You, and I was not disappointed! This was such a beautiful read and I loved the premise of it. It honestly made me think back to my past failed relationships and think about what went wrong. I absolutely loved Tanner from the first time he was introduced. He was such a perfect MMC and I found myself getting so attached to Kat. She was so perfectly human and I felt every emotion she felt throughout. This is such a perfect read for anyone who has ever had an Elijah in their lives, anyone who has missed the "red flags" and had rose colored glasses that didn't come off until much later. Nicole did an amazing job writing characters with such depth and was able to dive into deep issues in a way that felt raw and real. An absolute 10/10!

This was my first book by Nicole Ryan and I actually enjoyed it more than I originally thought I would. There was a good mix of tension and cute moments between the characters. I found them relatable, and the plot was unique in the world of romance. I would recommend this book to fellow romance readers, and I would read more books by this author.

Through some sort of magic, Kat finds herself back in her Kent State college dorm room on the very day that she met the person who, in the present time, she thought was the love of her life--the one that got away. With her heart and mind set on doing anything she can to keep Elijah, she goes through her junior and senior years of college all over again, but she can't remember how it was all supposed to happen. She's finding out, though the memories are foggy, that he's not such a great guy after all. While this was a fun story, you read along as Kat learns some hard lessons about life and love... like maybe the love of your life isn't the person you expect. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the story moved and how Kat evolved throughout her second college experience. I thought Kat had some great friends. Tanner is a walking green flag and Jenna is a good friend outside of when she was all-consumed by her new relationship and kinda neglected Kat for a bit. She makes up for it later. Kat goes through some pretty emotionally traumatic stuff in this, but what you learn from those events makes you appreciate her resilience. Moral of the story? Never let anyone dull your sparkle because you're magnificent... and listen to Taylor Swift.

I loved Mostly Loathing You so I was thrilled to see a new book by Ryan!
The Very First Night by Nicole Ryan was a delightful story.
I devoured this book in one sitting and regret nothing!
The plot progression and pacing was perfect, the tension was there, the characters were detailed.


Thank You NetGalley and NRC Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I love the fact that this book is described as Swiftie coded which I definitely noticed throughout the book. Definitely enjoyed the focus on what love we deserve.

An excellent read, thought provoking and enjoyable. Kat is coasting through life working as a wedding photographer still holding onto her love from 5 years previous. A moment at a friend's wedding transports Kat back in time to when she met her first love, Elijah, However other incidences occur which Kat has allowed to slip through her memories; the only reason it doesn't score 5 stars is Kat is a little slow to realise what she has in front of her. A great HEA novel which provides great escapism. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

5 ⭐ 3 🌶

Oh. My. Goodness. I adored this book so so much. Tanner and Kat were the absolute best and Nicole had me practically weeping with all that angst. And then the spice *fans self*

First off, Elijah can kiss my behind. My only wish for this story was watching him get his face smushed into the mud, but alas, Nicole is probably a better person than myself.... 😂 Really though, he can kick rocks.

The angstttttt tho. By gods, I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest and start turning pages. Watching Kat relive her relationship with Elijah about unalived me. It was heartbreaking being on the sidelines and unable to scream BUT TANNER. And watching Tanner be the perfect guy, pining in the background made me squirm... I was so giddy when they finally made their move. And all of that angst made that first time so special, I swore I could feel their emotions leech off the pages.

I really loved the mental health rep here. Normalizing therapy was super awesome and I thought Janet was great.

I also wish we got an epilogue, but I still loved how it ended. A perfect full circle, but with a lot more love in the end. Watching these two find their happy ending was amazing and I can't wait to dive into Nicole's other stories.

4.75 ⭐️ 2.5 🌶️

My first Nicole Ryan book, but definitely not my last. This book had everything. Humor, drama, banter, spice, and Taylor Swift references galore! The solid group of friends was incredible and it made me miss college in a way I didn’t think was possible. TVFN is a cool, weird, and fun story that poses the question of “if you could go back in time and do it over, what would you change?” While Kat frustrated me at times because of her own self esteem issues, it was relatable on a DEEP level. Tanner and Kat are truly a great couple and one more reason why I love friends to lovers so much. 

Thank you to Nicole and NetGalley for the ARC of The Very First Night!!

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️

I received this book as an arc and I’m so happy i did!!! My initial interest in it was because of the title as a huge swiftie!

I liked how this book had the twist of Kat going back in time. I honestly forgot about it for most of the book! I loved seeing Kat grow and change as a character and her relationship build with Tanner. I would love to see more stories in this world!

I will read any book titled after a Taylor Swift song and this did not disappoint with the references!
This is a fun, (slightly) spicy romance with such an interesting plot line. It does a great job at approaching topics that could be quite heavy in a light way.
I'm looking forward to reading more Nicole Ryan books!