Thanks to Netgalley & Random House Children's for the E-ARC! So cute! Loved the themes & the romance. Fun setting too. Great YA rec!!

There is something about K.L. Walther's writing that is so nostalgic and reminiscent that makes me feel giddy and full of joy like a highschooler again. This book was so sweet and precious, and founded around friendship, HIGHLY recommend it as a perfect fall back-to-school read.

Thank you to K.L. Walther + the publishing team for the ARC!

"You're my true home, Ev. You and Isa and James." I swallowed. "No matter where we move, you're not going anywhere." 🚗🏙️🍂✨
while we’re young ARC 4/5⭐️
First I wanna say thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read this arc! I love her writing so much and enjoyed this book. This is prob my second fav by her, the summer of broken rules being number 1! this book is about a group of friends who decide to skip school and go to the city and explore for a day. I loved Grace and Everett’s relationship so much and well as Isa and James. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was how abrupt the ending was. A lot of people compare this to the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” so I’ll have to watch that soon! definitely read this if you like young adult books, friends to lovers, and a fast paced read! This book comes out March 4, 2025 so definitely check it out!!

This book was SO CUTE! Maybe I'm biased because I'm from the Philly suburbs, but I loved all the city references! This was a sweet and comical retelling of Ferris Bueller's Day Off with a modern twist. I think readers of all ages could relate to its themes of friendship, love, and identity, and this would be one I'd love to see a sequel to to learn how the gang does in college! Thank you so much for the ARC - I can't wait to read more of Walther!

I was excited to get this arc! I loved the summer of broken rules and this one did not disappoint. The characters were adorable and I loved the story!

This was such a cute and fun read. The writing was well done, I enjoyed being able to see things from multiple point of views. I also enjoyed the banter, their friendship and how reading this book was like watching some of the classic 80's movies. Also would be a perfect read for younger readers. Overall I really enjoyed this read and thank NetGalley and publisher for allowing me to advance read.

I really enjoyed this. It was a great YA romance. I would put it in the same category as Kasie West. I love Kasie West books. I would let my teenager read this one, it was well done.

This was a super fun, multiple POV, coming-of-age story surrounding our four graduating teens: Isa, Grace, Everett, and James. Our valedictorian Grace is not only concerned dealing with sudden changes at school and home, but also trying to mend a fractured friendship between Isa and Everett. After deciding that the best way to deal with the never-ending change in her life, Grace plans an extravagant Senior Skip Day for her, Isa, and Everett while simultaneously trying to avoid her brother James from catching them. After hijinks on both sides, we see a lot of growth between all characters by the end of the day, in their relationships and on an individual level. This is a Young Adult book that should truly be enjoyed by those younger adult audiences.

I thought this was such a fun and cute YA romance. I loved all the Philly spots and the basis of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I also really enjoyed all four POVs and the coupling. Grace and Isa’s friendship was so strong and I’m glad they were able to quickly work through their issues. I wish we had more time to see Grace and James work through their issues. I would have loved to have an extended epilogue post college. Overall, it was such a cute romance and I really enjoyed the story!

I really enjoyed this Ferris Bueller's Day Off-inspired romance! Walther is an expert at creating well-rounded characters that are more than just their romance plot.

This novel centers on teenagers Grace, Isabella, Everett, and James, whose families have been friends since early childhood. Towards the end of their senior year, Grace fools her family and brother James into letting her stay home sick; she then convinces Isabella to skip school with her, and they proceed to jailbreak Everett from school for one exciting day together to repair a broken friendship, honor a parental figure, and reminisce on past days in Philadelphia, before heading off to college in the upcoming months. These characters went on an incredibly emotional journey through this book, rebuilding and strengthening connections that any reader feels would last a lifetime.

Like many others, I am particular about certain books fitting the vibes of specific seasons; I would say that While We're Young is the perfect late winter/early spring novel. Additionally, this book packs a kick for anyone like me who is in their senior year of college or high school and looking ahead to a journey that may be far from the people they call home.

One thing that fell slightly short for me in this book was how quickly the end of the book happened - not everything was tied up nicely. I felt frustrated by this as I felt there was so much more to be explored regarding Isabella's future and family reconciliation, as well as Grace and Everett sharing their happiness with their families.

All in all, K.L. Walther still has my attention for her next release!

K.L. Walther books are so much fun. This book did not disappoint and confirmed that I really enjoy these stories. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one.

This is a heartwarming and fun-filled adventure that perfectly captures the chaos of friendship and love in senior year. With secrets bubbling beneath the surface, Grace, Isa, Everett, and James embark on a wild day in Philadelphia that tests their bonds in unexpected ways. The story is packed with humor, heartfelt moments, and nostalgic nods to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Fans of young adult romance and friendship dramas will find this an irresistible, fast-paced read.

K.L. Walther's books are always a good time. The capture the essence of YA books that I love and am nostalgic for, despite not being in that age group anymore. I love the Ferris Buellers references and the characters were likeable and enjoyable to follow. I will continue to pick up all this author's works.

I love KL Walther, so I knew I was going to love this book. From the beginning to the end, this wild ride was engaging, fun to read and kept you on your toes in the best way possible! I loved the idea of rekindling friendships before going away to college. This book reminded me of those adventures I used to go on with my friends in high school before college.

While We're Young combines 80s and 90s nostalgia with modern teenage issues to create a hilarious story of miscommunication, hijinks, and classic Ferris Bueller style shenanigans. Follow "twins" Grace and James and their two best friends Isa and Everett as they skip school and race around Philadelphia, attempting to recapture the beauty and innocence of their youth while also honoring their friendship and the man who brought them together, Everett's late father. Romance, pranks, lies, and adventures ensue. Perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Rachel Lynn Solomon, and Karen M. McManus.

"Grace, Everett, and me’ I thought as we headed up an azalea lined wood trail. ‘We are once again three’"


⭑⭑⭑⭑.5’s

⤷ Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I really appreciate it. Everything below is my own, unbiased opinions.

⤷ I really liked The Summer of Broken Rules when I read it, but I liked this even more. Back when they were kids, Grace, her brother James, and their friends Everett and Isa were inseparable. Their families were friends, so they basically did everything together. However, as they grow up, things change, and their friendships become distant. Grace, in a last effort to try and fix friendships, gets Everett and Isa to ditch school for a day of fun in Philadelphia. This story was funny, unpredictable, yet also deep at times, making it the perfect summer read.


⤷ The writing style:
Overall, I liked the writing style because the style itself was much like TSOBR, but the actual premise of the story was totally different. My one issue with the writing style though was the amount of pop culture references in the book. I personally don’t have a problem with some, but this felt like way too many.

⤷ The atmosphere/worldbuilding:
While We’re Young takes place in Philadelphia, and though I’ve never been there, I believe it still made for a great setting.

⤷ The Characters:
❥ Grace: Grace was definitely my favorite character, and sorta the “main character” even though the book was multi POV. She was fun, witty, smart, and determined, willing to do almost anything to help restore her friends’ friendships.
❥ James: It took me a while to warm up to James, but once I did, I LOVED him. His narrative was always so funny, and i was so happy when he finally joined up with the group.
❥ Everett: Everett was such a sad but sweet character. He was so burdened, but so selfless for going along with Grace’s plans, even if it meant reliving some of his tough past.
❥ Isa: To be honest, Isa irked me for most of the story, which is weird, because I normally find myself gravitating toward the academic genius character. It just irritated me that she seemed to be the only one who wouldn’t forgive the other’s secrets, even though she had her own that were (at least in my opinion) worse.

⤷ The Romance:
Both of the main romances in this were so cute. At the end of the book, I couldn’t decide which couple I loved more!


⤷ Overall:
This was such a great book. It had such an overall fun vibe, but with lots of deeper messages sprinkled in. It was also one of those super relatable reads for me with the whole “last hurrah before graduating high school” themes, because I just graduated. If you’re a senior in high school, I DEFINITELY recommend this.

3.75 stars rounded up.

This was a cute read that had a good emotional core to it. The friendships and sibling relationships between the characters felt real, but I will say at the start the tangle of how the four main characters all knew each other was a little confusing but once I started getting more into the story it all made sense. Each of the four have their own secrets and small hurts that they’re keeping from each other, and I liked that the problems were resolved in a way that cleared the air but still allowed genuine emotions to be felt first.

While the teen characters all end the story on good terms, I do wish there had been more resolution between them and their parents at the end. As it stands it feels like there’s a lot of unresolved issues within each of the different families even though the kids are alright. Overall I thought it was a cute story and I loved that it paid homage to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off without being a straight up ripoff.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-copy of this novel.

I struggled getting in to this book but I thoroughly believe it was a me thing.
I enjoyed A Summer of Broken Rules but I felt this one was a bit juvenile for me.
This book will be perfect for young readers.

3.5 ⭐️

This book follows three friends, Grace, Isa, and Everett as they skip school to try to fix and figure out their relationships, while Grace's brother James tries to find them. It's a take on Ferris Bueller's Day Off (and includes a lot of pop culture references). There are 4 POVs and I really liked Grace's (and Grace/Everett overall).

My biggest issues were: There was too much going on. Because of this, I never got into all the characters or their relationships. I didn't like Isa's character and James was separated from them for a lot of the book, so their relationship fell flat for me. Some things never had satisfactory conclusions either. I wanted an epilogue! And 2) there was a lot of telling, not showing. I liked Grace/Everett, but sometimes it seemed like Isa was more important to Everett than Grace was. It was weird.

Author K.L. Walther does a great job seamlessly interweaving 4 POVs and some flashbacks. All 4 of our main characters get to narrate, and 'While We're Young' is all the better for it!

Miss Student Body President and everyone-loves-her, Grace, is the mastermind behind an unofficial Senior Skip Day during which she goes joy riding all around Philadelphia with her two best friends, Isa and Everett. Though the trio's friendship did not heal in the aftermath of Everett breaking up with Isa, years ago, Grace has remained close with both. She designed their Philadelphia itinerary with the goal to heal the friendship between them.

This is simultaneously a light and fluffy, feel-good read while also touching upon heavy topics. The secrets these teens keep from each other are fairly minor, and make for some really good witty banter and heartfelt friendship reconciliation - Grace's crush on Everett kept from Isa because of girl-code, and Isa sharing kisses with Grace's brother, James. The heavier topics involve death of a parent, potentially losing a house they grew up in, and cheating on a spouse.