After reading The Summer of Broken Rules, I will read anything by KL Walther! While We’re Young had the same fun, carefree vibes!

What I liked:
•A fun sense of adventure - Ferris Buller’s Day Off vibes!
•Unraveled secrets
•Friends to lovers
•Great pacing
•Multi POV
•Taylor Swift references (a Walther staple!)
•Lots of LOL moments

What I didn’t love:
•I felt like some of the conflicts could have been dragged and flushed out just a TAD more

A whirlwind romance inspired by *Ferris Bueller’s Day Off* about four friends whose hearts are broken and mended over the course of an epic senior skip day.

DNF @ 21%. Nothing is happening and I just do not care. I read and loved The Summer of Broken Rules and What Happens After Midnight but this one felt much too young for me to be able to relate to and enjoy.

Thank you to Random House Childrens and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

This charming and heartfelt novel is a love letter to friendship, adventure, and the beautiful chaos of growing up. Inspired by *Ferris Bueller’s Day Off*, it captures the thrill of one unforgettable senior skip day in Philadelphia, where long-held secrets, tangled emotions, and complicated relationships all come to a head.

At the heart of the story is the fractured trio of Grace, Isa, and Everett—once inseparable, now struggling under the weight of unspoken feelings and past heartbreaks. Grace harbors a secret love for Everett, Isa is sneaking around with Grace’s brother James, and Everett remains the emotional wildcard tying them all together. Their dynamic is messy, real, and deeply compelling, making every stolen moment and unexpected twist feel like a high-stakes emotional rollercoaster.

What sets this book apart is its perfect balance of humor, heart, and adventure. From dashing through Philly’s iconic landmarks to spontaneous wedding crashing, every moment pulses with energy and nostalgia, reminding readers of the fleeting magic of senior year. The friendships are as central as the romance, with raw, poignant explorations of love, forgiveness, and the fear of change.

A must-read for fans of bittersweet coming-of-age stories, whirlwind romances, and one-last-adventure-before-graduation narratives, this book delivers all the feels. It’s a joyous, swoon-worthy ride that will leave readers reminiscing about their own epic teenage memories.

I have to admit, I wrapped up this story around the 60% mark, and honestly, it was a bit of a letdown for me. It felt to young and I just couldn't connect with it. The four different points of view were a bit overwhelming; I'm all for dual POVs, but four felt excessive.

The relationships were a whirlwind too—best friends dating, breaking up, and then one ex harboring feelings for another best friend—it was a lot to take in! While there were moments that sparked those swoony heart flutters, the overall vibe felt too youthful for my taste. If I were a teenager, I think I would have absolutely loved it. But as someone who's moved beyond that stage, this just didn’t resonate with me.

I’ve enjoyed a few of the author's other works, and I was really looking forward to this one, especially since it takes place in my current hometown. Unfortunately, it just didn’t capture my attention the way I hoped it would.

3.5 stars

A whirlwind romance inspired by Ferris Bueller’s Day Offabout four friends whose hearts are broken and mended over the course of an epic senior skip day.

This book had a lot of cute moments with multiple POVs. I liked the balance between heartwarming moments, serious conversations and the adventures of the day.

Although this was cute and fun, it had moments where it felt a tad blah and disjointed at times. I wish the four of them would have met up sooner for more of the adventure piece. The summer of broken rules I devoured by her so I am so looking for a book with that same kind of energy.

This is a cute and fun read for someone looking for a good YA escape.

Thank you Netgallery for allowing me to read this one!

This was such a cute, fun retelling of Ferris Bueler’s Day Off (but for Phillie). I really enjoyed the four different POVs and two simultaneous love stories, plus the complexity of all of the parents’ relationships. I felt invested in all four main characters and like I got a good sense of each of the backstories and motivations. Walter does a great job of writing YA that doesn’t feel overly juvenile, and this was just a ton of fun to read.

4 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

✨ A Heartwarming Tale of Friendship, Adventure, and Love That Feels Like Home ✨

I never expected to fall in love with this book right from the start. It’s not my usual genre, but for some reason, it lingered in my memory. I love how it impacted my mood. The characters were all charming and lovable in their own way. I love how effortlessly I could laugh at their conversations, and I just adore how K.L. Walther built her characters, each of them experiencing love, acceptance, forgiveness, self-discovery, and grief.

At the center of this charming novel is Grace Barbour, who plans an adventure for her two best friends, a journey that turns into a heartfelt trip filled with revelations, both good and bad. Grace is wise, determined, charming, and hilarious, a girl who knows what she wants and will do anything to protect her friendships. Then there’s Isa, Everett, and James. Isa is the top achiever, beautiful, and popular. James is the mischievous and playful one, while Everett, the loving and protective older brother of Abigail and Margot, is also head over heels for Grace. The chemistry between Isa and James, and Grace and Everett is just so heartwarming and endearing. It reminded me so much of those high school dramas about puppy love.

While We're Young by K.L. Walther is a heartwarming and hilarious story that also highlights friendship that feels like home. K.L. Walther has officially become one of my favorite authors! I highly recommend this book if you want to chill, love, and laugh.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the opportunity to read the heartwarming and hilarious adventure of Grace, Isa, Everett, and James.

✨WHAT I LIKED:
📌 Grace’s perfectly planned escapism adventure
📌 The playful yet deeply emotional friendships
📌 James’ mischievous antics and hilarious schemes
📌 Everett’s sweet and protective bond with his siblings
📌 The swoon-worthy chemistry between Grace & Everett
📌 Isa and James’ charming and heart-fluttering romance

✨TROPES:
📌 Slow - Burn Romance
📌 Friends to Lovers
📌 Found Family
📌 Witty Banter
📌 Playful and Funny Characters
📌 Childhood Friends

🖥️ GOODREADS REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7376025384

💻 BLOG REVIEW: https://kimthebookdragon.com/2025/03/05/arc-review-while-were-young/

💻 LINKEDIN REVIEW: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kinanahmanalao_arc-review-while-wereyoung-activity-7302846395298856960-vUu5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADZadkYB6kcp2SMdCiCoSdnI_IRLHncLwvs

⌨️ AMAZON REVIEW: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1NMO58MQNCA3U/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Title: While We're Young
Author: K. L. Walther      
Genre: YA    
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Grace, Isa, and Everett used to be an inseparable trio before their love lives became a tangled mess. For starters, Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to go out with Isa before breaking her heart in the infamous Freshman Year Fracture. And, oh yeah, no one knows that Isa has been hanging out with James, Grace’s brother—and if Grace finds out, it could ruin their friendship.

With graduation fast approaching, Grace decides an unsanctioned senior skip day in Philadelphia might be just what they need to fix things. All she has to do is convince Isa to help her kidnap Everett and outmaneuver James, who’s certain his sister is up to something.

In an epic day that includes racing up the famous Rocky steps, taste-testing Philly's finest cheesesteaks, and even crashing a wedding, their secrets are bound to collide. But can their hearts withstand the wreckage?

This was a cute, fun book. Grace and Isa were both a lot of fun and I enjoyed their viewpoints a lot. The adventures in Philadelphia were fun and I enjoyed reading those parts a lot. I liked James and Everett and enjoyed their viewpoints, but I liked the girls better. This was a cute—and quick—read, perfect for a weekend binge.

K. L. Walther is from Pennsylvania. While We’re Young is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Delacorte in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 3/5).

I think this is a fast, fun, and flirty read for YA audiences. The plot was enjoyable and had just enough weight to it so that it didn’t feel like all fluff. It definitely has the perfect senior year feeling to it, and I enjoyed the retelling aspects.

I enjoyed reading "While We're Young!" It is a fun and precious novel with friends taking a senior skip day trip to Philadelphia. The purpose? To have Grace, Isa and Everett time just like old times before their friendship got messy during freshman year of high school. As they spend time together on their adventure, their secrets unravel. I love seeing the story move along from various points of view to understand each of the characters better with their thoughts and actions. I enjoy reading the novel for the references to Philadelphia and Taylor Swift. Overall an enjoyable and pleasant read if you want something light (though the novel briefly touches upon a couple of triggering topics).

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. "While We're Young" is out now.

I enjoyed reading While We're Young by K.L. Walther. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

I didn’t skip many days when I was in high school. I was the goodie-goodie. Your typical brown noser kid. You’re standard rule follower. Maybe that’s why I find these stories so much fun to read!

This book truly was a gender swap reimagining of Ferris Bullers Day Off. It was different enough that it wasn’t predictable, but the vibes were there in full force.

I loved all of the settings. The wedding crashing scene fit perfectly and had me smiling from ear to ear. The characters were relatable in different ways and very likable.

The only problem I had was that Grace’s dog Rooney doesn’t like Everett?? Dogs are great judges of character!! For a minute there, I thought we were going to find out that Ev was not as great as we thought! Then I remembered who Rooney was in the movie. 🤣

Closed door implications of sex was a surprise to me. I’m not saying it didn’t fit in the story, I’m just saying it was kind of unexpected. The hat throw scene was a perfect Ferris Buller moment.

All in all, a fun nostalgic read for me. Thank PenguinTeenCa and Netgalley for the ARC 😘

🩶🩵 While We’re Young ARC Review 🩵🩶

Thank you so much to KL Walther and Delacorte Romance for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

While We’re Young is a standalone contemporary YA novel. Grace, Isa and Everett used to be a great trio of friends until love complicated things. With graduation approaching soon, Grace is determined to fix things. So she decides an adventure is required and plots a senior skip day from school. Now she just needs Isa and Everett to come along for the ride

This was a fun read and I liked the vibes that were reminiscent of Ferris Bueller with a modern twist. Gracie, Isa, Everett and James were all interesting characters, but I did struggle with all the miscommunication aspects in this story. I feel like a lot of the complications between these friends could have been avoided if they’d just talked with each other

Overall this was an enjoyable 4 star read! The characters were fun and I enjoyed the story. This book does have some potential triggers, so please check if you’re sensitive. This book does have a romantic subplot and YA levels of on-page spice, so overall one flame for spice

If you’re a fan of YA novels with fun adventures, enjoyable characters and nods to 80s classics, then absolutely pick this one up!!

I had so much fun with this gender swapped Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! I loved the friendships in this and the different dynamics they had. I loved the two romances. They were so sweet and didn’t take away from the main adventure. I also thought this book was perfect for any teen reader who is heading off to college soon as it talks about a lot of the topics that they are dealing with during that time. Overall, this was such a fun read!

3.25 stars - This was such a fun premise with a lot of heartwarming undertones, but it fell a bit flat in the end. If you've seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off you have a pretty good idea of the story line this book follows, and if you haven't seen it you're still in for a delightful adventure. It's Grace's senior year and Student President, good grades, and a college acceptance mean she's been doing little more than working hard for the last four years and she needs - no, deserves - a break. Through some good old-fashioned best friend guilt, and a totally aboveboard "kidnapping," Grace and her two best friends embark on a one last big escape before college takes them all in different directions.

The friendship and sibling dynamics in this book were absolutely the highlight for me! Grace and her brother James are everything you'd expect from a brother-sister duo who have grown apart over the years but still clearly know one another better than anyone. Then there's Isa and Elliot, Grace's two best friends who haven't really spoken in years after a disastrous breakup. The tangle of emotions these three are working through perfectly encapsulates - to me at least - what it's like being on that cusp of adulthood, wading through heartbreak, and needing your friends to be there for you.

I do feel like there was a lot going on at times, with a few moments feeling rushed, but ultimately this was an entertaining tale of friendship, family, and making memories with those you love.

Thank you to Random House Children's, Delacorte Romance, and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Beloved by peers, parents and teachers alike, Student Body President Grace Barbour doesn’t want to finish high school without repairing the broken relationship between her two best friends and having one last fantastic day together. So she plans an epic day of playing hookie from school and drags a reluctant Isa Cruz and an emotionally drained Everett Adler along for the wild ride. Valedictorian and all around overachiever, Isa has never missed a day of school in her life due to her demanding parent’s expectations that she get into an Ivy League college. Everett lost his father two years ago to cancer and has been struggling ever since. After dating freshman year of high school, Everett broke up with Isa, fracturing their friendship and forcing Grace to choose sides. Now Grace is determined to heal their relationship before they all scatter after graduation. They set off for Philadelphia where Grace has plans to remind them of all the fun times they had growing up and exploring the city with Everett’s dad. But there’s one piece of their friendship puzzle missing, Grace’s brother James. After growing apart during middle school, James has often found himself on the outside looking in. When he realizes that Grace, Isa, and Everett are all missing from school, he’s bound and determined to find them and join in the fun. There’s only one problem. James’ penchant for mischief and missing school has found him in Principal Unger’s crosshairs and she’s not going to make it easy for him to sneak away. But what started out as a day to bond and heal might just fracture their friendships beyond repair as long held secrets come to light and unexpected romances are revealed. Will Grace, Isa, James, and Everett’s day off lead them back to each other or will they find themselves even farther apart?

Yes! Yes! Yes! What kid didn’t grow up loving Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, imagining all the cool stuff they’d do during a skipped day of school with friends by their side and nothing to lose?!?! K.L. Walther’s While We’re Young does just that in this modern day take on Ferris fun! Shenanigans and adventures abound as four friends try to recreate the magic of their youth and find their way back to each other. It’s a fizzy, energetic romp that also deals with some very real, very hard issues. Grace, Isa, James, and Everett are all navigating tough circumstances and trying to hold themselves together, but their dented friendships have made it hard for them to lean on each other. Grief, depression, heartbreak, family pressures, and relationship issues are all delved into. Yet Walther gives the characters a solid, safe space for these friends to find their way back to each other, to support each other, and help each other with their problems and healing. It’s an emotional journey wrapped in a bright, zany, rollicking good time. This book has a little something for everyone! Adventure! Romance! Drama! Tragedy! Comedy! It just made my little ‘80s baby heart so stinking happy! While We’re Young is pure gold!

While We're Young by K. L. Walther is a super fun, coming-of-age romance.
I was so excited to read this one, and loved it from the very start.
A charming, heartfelt romance that explores themes of self-discovery and second chances. The relatable characters and sweet, slow-burn love story make for an engaging read.
The plot was great, the characters were engaging, the conflicts gave me someone to root for, and the writing was well done.
I love her writing and her stories always keeps me filled to the pages!

pretty fun book with generally good vibes which i would probably recommend. 4 stars. i loved the chars. tysm for the arc.

Such a fun fast paced book with a coming of age story between 3 friends. I loved all the different perspectives.

While We’re Young by K.L. Walther
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
384 pages
Publishing March 4th, 2025

An epic senior skip day. 4 friends whose hearts are broken & then mended. Grace, Isa, & Everett used to be inseparable-until their love lives caused a mess. Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to date Isa before breaking her heart. Jamie, Grace’s brother is also brought into the drama because Isa is secretly hanging out with him. Grace decides a senior skip day is needed. An epic day in Philly resulting in running up the Rocky steps, eating cheesesteaks, & even crashing a wedding.

This was such a cute read! This is my 2nd book I’ve read by this author & I enjoyed it! I had the honor to meet @klwalther9 at LoveYall in February and she is such a joy! If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted book that will bring you back to your high school days & make you think about skipping school & going on an adventure with your friends, this is the book for you!

Read if you like:
❤️ YA adventures
❤️Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
❤️Multiple POV
❤️Friends to Lovers

#klwalther #youngadult #ferrisbuellersdayofd #adventures