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

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for this advanced copy!

I fell in love with @klwalther9 after reading The Summer of Broken Rules, and I was so excited to get this ARC! It also publishes on my birthday, so it felt like a nice gift. Walther does such a great job with YA books, and While We’re Young is no exception. My favorite theme in her books is family. She has an amazing way of building these wonderful families that you just want to be a part of!

The four characters in this book are all heading to college soon, and decide to have a senior skip day and head into Philly. There’s unresolved friendship drama, grief, and unspoken love that all take part on this day. These characters, despite being young, were so complex and well-written. I honestly just had so much fun reading, and I loved it!

3.25 stars!! i loved the ferris bueller’s day off vibes of this and the nostalgia of being in high school. i relate to grace and isa a lot with putting pressure on myself to do good and be successful. this was a fun read!

This young adult novel is a perfect read for fans of Ferris Bueller's Day Off or anyone looking to relive their high school years. K.L. Walther has created a huge homage to the movie, or possible rip off depending on how you feel about the plot. There are a number of easter eggs filtered in, but the story is also a bit original with 4 high school seniors playing hooky for a day. They decide they need one moment to live it up and visit Philly for the afternoon.

This novel is a fun read that can be covered in a weekend. Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for the chance to review this novel.

It’s hard to capture teenaged angst and make it feel just as heart wrenching as it did at the time, but K. L. Walther knocks it out of the park every single time. In a book reminiscent of Ferris Bueler’s Day Off, Walther delivers a tale that will stand the test of time for high school students everywhere. This book is perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch, Jenny Han, and Becky Albertali. I look forward to continuing to follow Walther’s writing journey.

I always get so sucked in with K.L. Walther’s writing. She always makes me want to be best friends with all the characters because it always feels like they have such a fun time. In the books I’ve read she typically has deeper topics that may be triggering for some, but it’s always in a very respectful way of the harder topics that get brought up. In true fashion I ate this book up so fast and honestly didn’t want it to be over! I loved our four main characters! And it was so cool to be able to see the story from everyone’s perspective. I felt like it was super important to have certain things told from their perspective that way you could get the full emotions and understand it on a deeper level. I will forever recommend these books and I can’t wait to read the next one! I seriously cannot thank NetGalley enough for allowing me to read this Arc!

This was such a fun retelling of Ferris Bueller’s Day Out! I love a book that covers only one day! This one made me laugh and cheer. It also had done lovely emotional moments as week. I am so, so glad there are still authors writing meaningful young adult contemporaries!

I was so excited to get the arc for K.L Walther’s new book. She is so good at lighthearted YA stories, and this Ferris Bueller retelling looked so fun. Unfortunately, it’s now my least favorite of Walther’s. I never grew to really like any of the four characters, it felt very drawn out, and I didn’t emotionally connect to anything. It’s also sooo young feeling. I know that it is YA, but when the characters are 17/18, I expect a bit more maturity.

While We’re Young
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I’m going to keep this review very short and sweet. I simply don’t think this author is for me and that’s okay, I know so many people love her books! I like her writing in general, but this is the second book I’ve read by this author and they both have been misses for me, I just think they’re too YA for my liking and this one especially feels VERY YA so keep that in mind. If she were to write an adult book I would definitely try it because again I like her writing, pacing of the books, and characters in general! I unfortunately found myself getting a bit bored and wanting to skim, it just felt really really young. If you love her past books or Ferris Bueller then give it a try, you never know!