This book was an absolute delight. Full disclosure - I was predestined to enjoy While We're Young because I'm a huge Ferris Bueller's Day Off fan and originally from Philly. The multitude of Ferris Bueller Easter eggs and knowing nods are a HOOT! Regardless, this book can be enjoyed by readers unfamiliar with either. At it's heart a story about friendship, romance, healing rifts and getting honest, the book never feels heavy-handed or didactic. It's fun, light, nutty - and hard hitting when it needs to be. A truly engaging read.

K.L. Walther is one of my favorite authors and this juts proves why again! Her writing is easy to sink into, characters that are beautifully developed and conflict that feels so real. She really captures the essence of being young and going through life before college, when everything is about to change. I loved the friendships that both adults and children had in this novel. It felt a little TOO similar to Ferris Bueller which pulled me out of the story a few times but I still really loved it!

This was a fun retelling of Ferris buellers day off, but way more drama. Do friends this close end up pairing up AND keeping it a secret from each other? Without the others noticing? Does an entire school notice / rally when one student is home sick from school? Do parents of high school students not realize that blended up food is not the same stretch as vomit? There were some big gaps for me that took away from the story. And the character POVs sounded very similar which made it frustrating to have to keep checking the chapter titles.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I absolutely loved every single thing about this book.. except that James wasn’t invited. I know, I know it was a huge part of the story he wasn’t there and it made for *that scene* at the end {swoon} but ugh the whole time I was like this would be more fun if James were here.

All the little details of this Ferris Bueller book were perfectly done. I loved the movie and this book had the right amount of details without making it the actual movie. The characters and issues and day were all their own.

And omg the struggle and emotions they were all privately going through without realizing the others were battling their own issues was heartbreaking. Everett, can he get like a hug or a cookie, I know these things don’t make up for what he’s going through but baking is what I do when there are emotions 🤷🏻‍♀️🥹

Anyway adored this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

This was a cute read, but definitely geared for the YA audience, not adults. Often I feel there is a cross and it can be read for either,r but not with this one.

4.75⭐️

I love reading

This book is based on one of my favorite movies: "Ferris Buler's Day Off", and it did not disappoint.

I absolutely loved every second of this and binged it in every free second that I had.

I loved both the romances that unfolded in this book. Sooooo cute!

I love K.L. Walther's writing style so much. Her books are always so unique and fun!!

Thank you, NetGalley.com, for the ARC! 💗

Grace is the student body president and loved by everyone. Her twin brother, James, is not any of that. They don’t have much of a relationship. Ev loves Grace even though their friendship fell apart recently. He is struggling emotionally since his father died. Isa has demanding parents that push her to be the best at everything. She has been in love with James forever but he’s Grace’s twin so they don’t act on it. Can these couples figure out their relationships?

The characters in the story are high school seniors looking forward to graduating and heading to their chosen colleges. The four characters have known each other for years. They spend time together because their families are close. Grace is a good girl and hard worker. She concocts the plan to skip school and spend the day in Philadelphia. She wants Ev and Grace to get along again because she loves them both. James gets left behind in school dealing with all of his normal issues. He is annoyed that he got left behind. The day brings joy, consternation and discoveries. In the end, they are still seniors close to graduation but they have worked out their interpersonal issues.

This story takes place in Philadelphia. This book went nowhere. It’s not poorly written but I didn’t connect with it. It takes place in a single day but manages to rearrange all four of their lives. I think I was supposed to see it as a coming of age love story but it fell kind of flat in my opinion. This will appeal to lots of readers. It’s a young adult romp which lots of people will like. The story doesn’t have an ending so much as a bunch of new beginnings. I don’t know if I will read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Romance for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review . I enjoyed this book and read it in one day. I would definitely recommend this book.

3.5Stars!

A fun, cute young adult novel about 4 friends on the brink of graduating pulling a Ferris Bueller's Day Off and adventuring into Philly.

The Plot: Grace decides that she wants her best friend group back together before they head off to different colleges. Isa and Everett haven't spoken in years after their breakup. In order to try to get Everett & Isa back to BFFs, Grace decides to pretend to be sick and convinces Isa to also skip school. They then best Everett out of school and head to Philly for an adventure down memory lane. Growing up Grace, Isa, Everett, and James would take trips into Philly with Everett's dad. Grace plans a day of adventures for the 3 friends to find away back together, while James tries to figure out where Isa, Grace and Everett skipped off to. The friends go through some

The problem: Isa doesn't know how to tell Grace that she is in love with her brother and Grace doesn't know how to tell Isa that she is in love with her ex boyfriend.

"You’re my true home, Ev. You and Isa and James. no matter where we move, you’re not going anywhere"

Pick up this retelling of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off if you like:
🚗 Best friend adventures
🚗 Romcom vibes
🚗 Teenage antics
🚗 Fun shoutouts to the original film

The story starts out feeling very Ferris-esque, with Grace faking an illness to get out of school for a day of fun. While their day of adventure is full of gender-swapped parallels to the film, the heart of the story is different. Grace’s day of debauchery has an ulterior motive - to bring her two best friends together again to their original trio before they graduate.

This Ferris Bueller-inspired story was so cute and nostalgic for me. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of my favorite movies, so I loved all the Easter Eggs and nods to the film throughout. This is one I’ll be reading again.

What happens when you take a day of fun, add a tale of friendship, and sprinkle in a little romcom? You get While We’re Young - the perfect read for spring!

Many thanks to @netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this book, it was just a delight from start to finish!

3.5 stars
I appreciated all the different perspectives, it definitely made for a unique story but it also made it a little chaotic. The unfolding of the drama with each character and their families was really well written.

I have loved everything I've read from K. L. Walther so far, and While We're Young is no different. The character building is great, and the characters are so easy to grow to love and want to follow closely. This story does bring into light many feelings from anyone who has been in a similar situation - myself included. I had a very special group of best friends as a teen, and as we've grown into mid-life (40s) we've definitely drifted apart, however, I'll never love them any less. This was a fantastic read. Oh, the nostalgia!

Thank you to Random House Children's for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Everett, Grace, and Isa were once an epic friendship trio who expected to be bound for life before a freshman year falling out fractures their bond. Grace is in love with Everett- who broke Isa's heart at freshman year homecoming-- and too make matters worse, Isa has been hanging out with Grace's brother James. It's a recipe for disaster that could ruin their precarious friendship, but when Grace poses a senior skip day of epic proportions, Grace, Everett, and Isa come together for one last high school adventure. Can one day repair their friendship? Or will this day be more than a farewell to high school?

K.L. Walther, they could never make me hate you. As a fan of previous work like The Summer of Broken Rules and What Happens After Midnight, While We're Young is another joy of a book from Walther. Inspired by Ferris Bueller's Day Off, this book brought back all of my high school nostalgia and the wish fulfillment for experiences I didn't have. #pandemickid Grace, Everett, and Isa were the epic high school friend group John Hughes made me envy, and their senior skip day made we want to jump into the book to go along with them. This story is an ode to living in the moment and enjoying the spontaneity life offers. I really loved Everett's storyline. Experiencing loss at a young age changes your entire world view and feels overwhelming. Watching Everett navigate grief as a young person gave me solace as a younger person who just lost a parent. I wanted to give him a big hug throughout this story.

I give While We're Young four stars. It was a fun story filled with teenage antics but just a little slow in the beginning. I would still recommend this book to audiences who enjoy YA stories!

Okay, so let me start by saying I read A First Time for Everything first and loved it. I enjoyed this book - it was fun, lighthearted and easy to get through but I think I had trouble connecting to the characters. Not sure if it was because there were four different POVs or if I just didn't relate but I didn't fully root for anyone to be together which made me feel a bit disconnected. That being said, I am 1000% a Marco Álvarez fan so it was fun to see that character introduced. 3 stars - definitely recommend if you like young adult novels and novels with different POVs.

I would say this book was like a solid 3.5 stars rounded down! There were parts i really liked and that kept me on my toes, but there wasn’t anything that necessarily blew me out of the water you know?

I do have to give credit where credit is due though.. I LOVE K.L. Walther’s characters. they always mean so much to me by the end of this book. This book followed Grace, James, Everett, and Isa on their ferris buelers day off style adventure. grace and james are brother and sister and haven’t spoken in a while. everett and isa are ex’s who also haven’t spoken in a while. can their day off help to mend all of these relationships? or will new cracks appear?

i found grace to be such an interesting character. she truly loves her friends and her family and is doing everything she does for them. she just seems very loving. everett and isa both have soooo much to unpack with their characters and tbh i wish we explored some of their ~problems and such more.

that leads me into story. the story was very reminiscent of “Ferris Buelers Day Off” (obviously lol). so as you might expect the characters skip school to go on an epic adventure. it was fun and silly, but also at times deep and emotional. you learn so much about the characters both in their pasts and right now as you follow them throughout the city. i will say though.. if found the ending to be a bit rushed and i wish we knew more of what happened. i am pleased about certain aspects of it though ;) (iykyk) lol

anywho, i would definitely recommend this book. i am a huge fan of this author; and i find her books to be quick relatively simple but happy reads. they are such a delight. i would probably read this again too. i am so so so happy though that i got the chance to read and review this book for netgalley and Random House Children's Publishing. thank you so much for the opportunity!

K.L. Walther has done it again! While We're Young is the kind of book that makes you want to hop in a car, roll the windows down, and chase the feeling of being young and unstoppable. It has all the charm of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off but with a modern twist—think reckless adventure, heart-tugging nostalgia, and a story that lingers long after the last page.

The characters are vibrant and full of life, the friendships feel raw and real, and the way Walther captures fleeting youth and those unforgettable, life-changing moments is simply chef’s kiss. The banter was sharp, the emotions hit deep, and the journey? Absolutely exhilarating.

If you’re looking for a book that reminds you to live—to embrace the messy, the magical, and everything in between—this one is a must-read. It’s fun, heartfelt, and brimming with adventure. Highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The book is about a group of teens who were once very close childhood friends. As they got older, they drifted apart. Grace, trying to fix things before they all go to different colleges, plans a day for her, Isa, and Everett to skip school and explore Philadelphia. Their adventure doesn’t go as planned, though. Meanwhile, Grace’s brother, James, spends the day trying to figure out what’s going on and looking for his sister and her friends.

K.L. Walther writes about the bittersweet feeling of growing up, showing how one moment you’re a kid, and the next, you’re about to face adulthood. The story is filled with hidden secrets and feelings that come to light, showing how quickly things can change. It’s a reminder to enjoy every moment before it’s gone.

While the story includes romance, it also talks about important issues like grief, anxiety, depression, loyalty, and forgiveness. The book was inspired by Ferris Bueller's Day Off and has fun nods to 80s movies. It’s a sweet read that will especially connect with younger readers about to experience big changes in their lives.

Very cute book, with some sad moments. It was a love letter to Philadelphia and left me wanting more of the city! As someone who loved Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, I most definitely appreciated the homage as well as the Easter eggs. I did think it was a bit brand-heavy, which at times almost felt like I was experiencing ads while reading. But overall it was a fun read.

Thank you Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun and fast-paced book about a group of friends skipping school to revisit some of their favorite memories together from growing up. This book was filled with nostalgia and although this book was overall fun and lighthearted, it did touch on some heavier and more emotional topics throughout that I thought was handled well and with care. I liked how the book was quick paced, but I felt like the ending was a bit rushed. Overall, this book was good, but not my favorite by the author.

Personally, remixes of popular culture content are a favorite of mine. I find it makes for an entertaining experience when readers have a general idea of where the story will end up, because they're familiar enough with the original premise.

Grace, Isa, and Everett take Philadelphia by storm while they skip school and attempt to relive their happier days. Through many antics, we see each character's POV, along with James, who was not part of the plot. It's amazing how in such a short book, each character had a full story where readers got to see their backstory, their joy, and their plans for the future.

I loved it.