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We're a Bad Idea, Right?
This stunning first edition of We’re A Bad Idea, Right? will feature special designed edges!
The business of love gets messy when two best friends decide to fake a romantic relationship in this uproarious and swoony novel by the bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules.
Audrey Barbour has had enough of following the rules. Eighteen years of being the perfect daughter—exceptional grades, enviable college acceptances, tame dating history—and still, her parents don’t trust her enough to let her study her passion, glassblowing, on a prestigious fellowship.
So when her best friend Henry proposes an outrageous fake-dating scheme to win back his ex-girlfriend, it feels like the first step to shaking up her perfect life. And the second? That comes when Audrey’s parents go out of town, sparking a high-risk, high-reward solution to pay for her fellowship—renting out her family’s Connecticut mansion online. With the help of her new fake-boyfriend, it shouldn’t be hard to pull off… right?
But when her best intentions start to unravel, Audrey will have to reckon with who she is, what she wants, and what it really means to play life by her rules—all with her heart on the line.
The business of love gets messy when two best friends decide to fake a romantic relationship in this uproarious and swoony novel by the bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules.
Audrey Barbour has had enough of following the rules. Eighteen years of being the perfect daughter—exceptional grades, enviable college acceptances, tame dating history—and still, her parents don’t trust her enough to let her study her passion, glassblowing, on a prestigious fellowship.
So when her best friend Henry proposes an outrageous fake-dating scheme to win back his ex-girlfriend, it feels like the first step to shaking up her perfect life. And the second? That comes when Audrey’s parents go out of town, sparking a high-risk, high-reward solution to pay for her fellowship—renting out her family’s Connecticut mansion online. With the help of her new fake-boyfriend, it shouldn’t be hard to pull off… right?
But when her best intentions start to unravel, Audrey will have to reckon with who she is, what she wants, and what it really means to play life by her rules—all with her heart on the line.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2026
About the author
K.L. Walther
8 books7,058 followersK.L. Walther was born and raised in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania surrounded by family, dogs, and books. Her childhood was spent traveling the northeastern seaboard to play ice hockey. She attended a boarding school in New Jersey and went on to earn a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She is happiest on the beach with a book, cheering for the New York Rangers, or enjoying a rom-com while digging into a big bowl of popcorn and M&Ms.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 787 reviews
February 1, 2026
Listen, I think it's very funny.
Want to Read
June 22, 2025I’m convinced KL Walther doesn’t sleep
Want to Read
August 29, 2025pre-read-
olivia rodrigo reference...?
olivia rodrigo reference...?
April 2, 2026
જ⁀➴ 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)
Thank you to Random House YA | Delacorte Romance, K.L. Walther, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. We're a Bad Idea, Right? is out now!
˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊
This was the most fun I've had reading a book in a LONG while. This was also my first K.L. Walther book, and I can see how so many people are fans of her writing and her stories! This is definitely the perfect summer read if you're looking for a light-hearted beach read, not to mention that the cover art is so vibrant and gorgeous. (I highly suggest going to your local bookstore to see it in person; the colors on a screen do NOT do the real cover justice.)
Audrey Barbour doesn't have dreams of going to college. No, her heart is set on glassblowing and getting a fellowship at one of the most prestigious glassblowing programs in the country. Her Etsy shop is successful, but she wants to take it to the next level. Her parents aren't too keen on the idea, but little does she know that she has already sent in the tuition deposit and needs the actual tuition sent in soon. When her parents go overseas for a few weeks, her best friend, Henry Chen, proposes a fake-dating scheme in an attempt to make his ex-girlfriend jealous, and for Audrey, it would hopefully make her crush jealous. As for the tuition, Audrey and her friends come up with the idea to put her family's mansion up on a vacation rental website. What could possibly go wrong?
(I would like to make a suggestion here: I highly recommend reading this on a New England coastal beach over the summer if you want the full, immersive experience. I specifically say New England because the story takes place in Connecticut.)
I don't know what it is, but this was SO much fun to read. I think it was just the concept of wondering if Audrey, Henry, and all of their friends could successfully pull everything off. I was just sitting there like, "Okay, they're totally getting caught," at the same time that I was also thinking these crazy kids could actually pull this off. It was the kind of light-hearted, fun palette cleanser that I feel like a lot of people will enjoy. Every time they had a crazy scheme or plot cooking in their heads, I was like, "they're either extremely stupid or they're all secretly smart teenagers." The writing has a way of pulling you into the story, and it almost felt like I was there watching Audrey and her friends try to pull this off and help Audrey get her money.
While I did have a lot of fun reading, I feel like many readers (especially an older YA audience or adults like myself reading this story, for example) are going to have to find a way to suspend their disbelief over some of the things that happen in the story to fully feel immersed in the plot and storyline. The logical side of me was SCREAMING the entire time, knowing that pulling off something like this in real life, by a bunch of 16-18-year-olds and having no one catch on, is entirely unrealistic. I had to let go of that to feel invested in the story (which, as some of you know already, is EXTREMELY hard for me to do), and once I fully let go was when the story started feeling fun for me.
A lot of plot devices were also used to make everything conveniently work out, such as Audrey's parents being obscenely rich to own a McMansion and honestly not giving a damn about what their daughter is up to, because as Audrey and her parents have said time and time again in the story, they trust her enough. The one thing I didn't understand is that if they trust her so much as an eighteen-year-old, then why did they say that her older cousin was expected to show up to watch over her? Additionally, I find it extremely hard to believe that Ellie's, Henry's ex-girlfriend and friend of Audrey's, THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SISTER, was able to do everyone's hair for senior prom and not have it turn into a complete disaster. I understand that this is the beauty of this book being fiction—anything can happen no matter how unrealistic or realistic it is—but I feel like readers are going to have to suspend their disbelief while reading to make this more enjoyable.
Additionally, I felt like Audrey and Henry's relationship needed to develop way more. I feel like their romance was often overshadowed by everything else going on in the plot, with Audrey's vacation rental side hustle, to Audrey worrying about her tuition payment, to the sideplot with Ellie and Griff (Audrey's crush), that it felt like an afterthought at times. Sure, Henry was there for everything that Audrey was going through, and I liked that quality about him. However, I felt that their relationship escalated super quickly. Like, one day, they just agree to fake date and then seemingly out of nowhere, they're head over heels in love? It felt very 0 to 100 for me.
Another minor thing about the story: there's a LOT of Taylor Swift references in the story. As someone who isn't a fan of Taylor Swift (simply because my music taste nowhere near overlaps with hers at all, and nothing more), I feel like a lot of people who aren't fans of her for any reason may be put off by this. I know the author herself has made it very clear that she's a Taylor Swift fan, so I knew this going into the story, but there were a LOT of references that might annoy some readers. It's nothing that completely ruined my enjoyment of the story, but it was worth bringing up. (Funny because the title is from an Olivia Rodrigo song lol)
If you're looking for a palette cleanser, this is the book for you! I think this'll be one of the bigger YA reads this summer, and I had so much fun reading this. I can't wait to read K.L. Walther's other books (I have an eARC for her other book coming out in May that I'll be reading sometime this month!)
˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊
Thank you to Random House YA | Delacorte Romance, K.L. Walther, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. We're a Bad Idea, Right? is out now!
"...you are my entire heart."
˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊
This was the most fun I've had reading a book in a LONG while. This was also my first K.L. Walther book, and I can see how so many people are fans of her writing and her stories! This is definitely the perfect summer read if you're looking for a light-hearted beach read, not to mention that the cover art is so vibrant and gorgeous. (I highly suggest going to your local bookstore to see it in person; the colors on a screen do NOT do the real cover justice.)
Audrey Barbour doesn't have dreams of going to college. No, her heart is set on glassblowing and getting a fellowship at one of the most prestigious glassblowing programs in the country. Her Etsy shop is successful, but she wants to take it to the next level. Her parents aren't too keen on the idea, but little does she know that she has already sent in the tuition deposit and needs the actual tuition sent in soon. When her parents go overseas for a few weeks, her best friend, Henry Chen, proposes a fake-dating scheme in an attempt to make his ex-girlfriend jealous, and for Audrey, it would hopefully make her crush jealous. As for the tuition, Audrey and her friends come up with the idea to put her family's mansion up on a vacation rental website. What could possibly go wrong?
(I would like to make a suggestion here: I highly recommend reading this on a New England coastal beach over the summer if you want the full, immersive experience. I specifically say New England because the story takes place in Connecticut.)
I don't know what it is, but this was SO much fun to read. I think it was just the concept of wondering if Audrey, Henry, and all of their friends could successfully pull everything off. I was just sitting there like, "Okay, they're totally getting caught," at the same time that I was also thinking these crazy kids could actually pull this off. It was the kind of light-hearted, fun palette cleanser that I feel like a lot of people will enjoy. Every time they had a crazy scheme or plot cooking in their heads, I was like, "they're either extremely stupid or they're all secretly smart teenagers." The writing has a way of pulling you into the story, and it almost felt like I was there watching Audrey and her friends try to pull this off and help Audrey get her money.
While I did have a lot of fun reading, I feel like many readers (especially an older YA audience or adults like myself reading this story, for example) are going to have to find a way to suspend their disbelief over some of the things that happen in the story to fully feel immersed in the plot and storyline. The logical side of me was SCREAMING the entire time, knowing that pulling off something like this in real life, by a bunch of 16-18-year-olds and having no one catch on, is entirely unrealistic. I had to let go of that to feel invested in the story (which, as some of you know already, is EXTREMELY hard for me to do), and once I fully let go was when the story started feeling fun for me.
A lot of plot devices were also used to make everything conveniently work out, such as Audrey's parents being obscenely rich to own a McMansion and honestly not giving a damn about what their daughter is up to, because as Audrey and her parents have said time and time again in the story, they trust her enough. The one thing I didn't understand is that if they trust her so much as an eighteen-year-old, then why did they say that her older cousin was expected to show up to watch over her? Additionally, I find it extremely hard to believe that Ellie's, Henry's ex-girlfriend and friend of Audrey's, THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SISTER, was able to do everyone's hair for senior prom and not have it turn into a complete disaster. I understand that this is the beauty of this book being fiction—anything can happen no matter how unrealistic or realistic it is—but I feel like readers are going to have to suspend their disbelief while reading to make this more enjoyable.
Additionally, I felt like Audrey and Henry's relationship needed to develop way more. I feel like their romance was often overshadowed by everything else going on in the plot, with Audrey's vacation rental side hustle, to Audrey worrying about her tuition payment, to the sideplot with Ellie and Griff (Audrey's crush), that it felt like an afterthought at times. Sure, Henry was there for everything that Audrey was going through, and I liked that quality about him. However, I felt that their relationship escalated super quickly. Like, one day, they just agree to fake date and then seemingly out of nowhere, they're head over heels in love? It felt very 0 to 100 for me.
Another minor thing about the story: there's a LOT of Taylor Swift references in the story. As someone who isn't a fan of Taylor Swift (simply because my music taste nowhere near overlaps with hers at all, and nothing more), I feel like a lot of people who aren't fans of her for any reason may be put off by this. I know the author herself has made it very clear that she's a Taylor Swift fan, so I knew this going into the story, but there were a LOT of references that might annoy some readers. It's nothing that completely ruined my enjoyment of the story, but it was worth bringing up. (Funny because the title is from an Olivia Rodrigo song lol)
If you're looking for a palette cleanser, this is the book for you! I think this'll be one of the bigger YA reads this summer, and I had so much fun reading this. I can't wait to read K.L. Walther's other books (I have an eARC for her other book coming out in May that I'll be reading sometime this month!)
˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧˖°𓇼🌊
Want to Read
July 10, 2025Can’t wait to read this 🧡
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2026
ok so... this was pretty good! not my fav klw ever, but i enjoyed the characters (especially ellie hopper!) and the plot was really well paced. also LOVED the charlie and luke cameos, i was literally giggling and screaming at seeing them married!!!!!!
i think overall i just found it a bit unrealistic (which is fine because thats what fiction is about), and i didnt love audrey or henry that much. especially henry. i found his performative vibe really odd.
but this is just the first read, and im excited to reread this a bunch which will probably make me like it even more!
pre-read
its that time of year again when your local crazy klw fan (me) finds out a new book is coming out!
so what we know so far:
its grace and james' cousin !! she was mentioned in wwy, and all that was said is that she was in vienna doing the fellowship. so thats great, right? this also means that this is set
before
sorry, after while were young so we need to keep that in mind as well.
also loving the title, and the colour scheme!! its giving me life! AHHHHHHHHHHH
ANYWAYS MOTHER IS FEEDING US AND IM TOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!! also she commented on this review so YAY!!!!!
i think overall i just found it a bit unrealistic (which is fine because thats what fiction is about), and i didnt love audrey or henry that much. especially henry. i found his performative vibe really odd.
but this is just the first read, and im excited to reread this a bunch which will probably make me like it even more!
pre-read
its that time of year again when your local crazy klw fan (me) finds out a new book is coming out!
so what we know so far:
its grace and james' cousin !! she was mentioned in wwy, and all that was said is that she was in vienna doing the fellowship. so thats great, right? this also means that this is set
also loving the title, and the colour scheme!! its giving me life! AHHHHHHHHHHH
ANYWAYS MOTHER IS FEEDING US AND IM TOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!! also she commented on this review so YAY!!!!!
Read
November 30, 2025pre-read
it's a bad idea, right?
seeing you tonight
fuck it, it's fine.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
this book was a bad idea, right?
it's a bad idea, right?
seeing you tonight
fuck it, it's fine.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
this book was a bad idea, right?
![Profile Image for sofi⋆ [look at my life].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1783330295i/194962415._UX200_CR0,35,200,200_.jpg)
Read
March 29, 2026pre read:
liv ref??? i'm in 🤭🤭
liv ref??? i'm in 🤭🤭
October 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was cute!
Characters: I loved the fact that Audrey liked glassblowing, because it was so original and definitely not something I’d read before. Other than that though, I did find her to be a bit irritating. I mean, if one of my good friends started dating my ex without even saying anything to mean then I would probably be upset.
Romance: They were cute together, but the romance felt a little underdeveloped. They were just friends, and then suddenly they’re super in love…? It just didn’t seem super realistic to me. I also didn’t like the fact that Henry was so hung up on his ex.
Plot: I thought the plot was really good! It was certainly unique, which made it more entertaining because I really felt like I was reading something new!
Overall: I would definitely recommend this book, and it was definitely pretty good!
This book was cute!
Characters: I loved the fact that Audrey liked glassblowing, because it was so original and definitely not something I’d read before. Other than that though, I did find her to be a bit irritating. I mean, if one of my good friends started dating my ex without even saying anything to mean then I would probably be upset.
Romance: They were cute together, but the romance felt a little underdeveloped. They were just friends, and then suddenly they’re super in love…? It just didn’t seem super realistic to me. I also didn’t like the fact that Henry was so hung up on his ex.
Plot: I thought the plot was really good! It was certainly unique, which made it more entertaining because I really felt like I was reading something new!
Overall: I would definitely recommend this book, and it was definitely pretty good!
April 22, 2026
4.5⭐️
Every book I read from K.L. Walther cements that she is a favorite author of mine! I don’t read a ton of YA these days, but hers are always a hit for me. Fake dating, friends to lovers, she’s an artist, and their romance was so cute! Definitely recommend just like all of her books
Every book I read from K.L. Walther cements that she is a favorite author of mine! I don’t read a ton of YA these days, but hers are always a hit for me. Fake dating, friends to lovers, she’s an artist, and their romance was so cute! Definitely recommend just like all of her books
May 20, 2026
4.5⭐️ i genuinely could have listened for more hours
March 31, 2026
3.75 stars
(rounded up to 4)
I love k.l. walthers romances bc they're always fun and easy to fly through! this book was good vibes the whole time and gave summer vibes in the best way. (even tho its not a summer book!). there were also a handful of scenes I loved! the James and isa cameos were also the cutest!!
my issues:
-ellie, wether or not it would be considered universally cheating she was talking to another guy while her and henry were together, her ex fyi and the fact that everyone was really chill about it annoyed me. during the whole book she wanted chase(the ex) but also hated Henry and Audrey together. and it was so shady that she tried to hide Audrey's moms things. and again, the whole thing was looked over! like arghh
-i wanted more Henry and Audrey content. the first half of the book had so much and it just started to get less as Audrey got more busy with the renting stuff and Ellie and Henry started hanging out again. (which also pmo very badly). I guess that's why I'd say the first half of this book is 5 stars, then the second have is like 3.
-it was super insta love between henry and Audrey. like audrey said I love you after less than 3 weeks( i think? and wdym Henry was super in love too after not being over his ex like a week ago. I thought it was weird too how audrey would confess and henry would be chill about it or how the acknowledgement of them fake dating disappeared so quickly. oh, and how Henry was all of a sudden hanging out with Ellie again! like run away ellie was so annoying omg!!! and they never even properly talked about it. (yes I know that was the goal to get them back together but not after its obvious you and audrey have something and what Ellie did was just wrong)
-lastly it got very chaotic sometimes and I think the plot got a little messy. an example is just Audrey crushing on griff really badly and then it just be left behind after the first 100 pages. like yes I get that she liked Henry now but she went from crushing on griff to suddenly just barely caring. and on the same note, griff was very irresponsible some times and wouldn't stop telling everyone about Audrey renting out her parents thing.
but I will say that I loved all the Henry and Audrey content we got between the two, I loved their dynamic, I just wish we got more as lovers and stuff. (or just more in general). I also liked the idea of having Audrey rent out her parents home and I thought all the things surrounding that were interesting to read about. and like I had previously mentioned, it was just a very cute book and I really liked Audrey!
(rounded up to 4)
I love k.l. walthers romances bc they're always fun and easy to fly through! this book was good vibes the whole time and gave summer vibes in the best way. (even tho its not a summer book!). there were also a handful of scenes I loved! the James and isa cameos were also the cutest!!
my issues:
-ellie, wether or not it would be considered universally cheating she was talking to another guy while her and henry were together, her ex fyi and the fact that everyone was really chill about it annoyed me. during the whole book she wanted chase(the ex) but also hated Henry and Audrey together. and it was so shady that she tried to hide Audrey's moms things. and again, the whole thing was looked over! like arghh
-i wanted more Henry and Audrey content. the first half of the book had so much and it just started to get less as Audrey got more busy with the renting stuff and Ellie and Henry started hanging out again. (which also pmo very badly). I guess that's why I'd say the first half of this book is 5 stars, then the second have is like 3.
-it was super insta love between henry and Audrey. like audrey said I love you after less than 3 weeks( i think? and wdym Henry was super in love too after not being over his ex like a week ago. I thought it was weird too how audrey would confess and henry would be chill about it or how the acknowledgement of them fake dating disappeared so quickly. oh, and how Henry was all of a sudden hanging out with Ellie again! like run away ellie was so annoying omg!!! and they never even properly talked about it. (yes I know that was the goal to get them back together but not after its obvious you and audrey have something and what Ellie did was just wrong)
-lastly it got very chaotic sometimes and I think the plot got a little messy. an example is just Audrey crushing on griff really badly and then it just be left behind after the first 100 pages. like yes I get that she liked Henry now but she went from crushing on griff to suddenly just barely caring. and on the same note, griff was very irresponsible some times and wouldn't stop telling everyone about Audrey renting out her parents thing.
but I will say that I loved all the Henry and Audrey content we got between the two, I loved their dynamic, I just wish we got more as lovers and stuff. (or just more in general). I also liked the idea of having Audrey rent out her parents home and I thought all the things surrounding that were interesting to read about. and like I had previously mentioned, it was just a very cute book and I really liked Audrey!
April 7, 2026
This was my first book by this author, and I don’t know if I 100% clicked with their writing style. The situation the main character got herself into was also way too stressful for me, but I did still have fun with this. RTC
Did Not Finish
April 3, 2026too pop culture-y for me, sorrryyy.
May 26, 2026
woohoo finished a book! this was pretty good, but for a kl walther i feel like it was missing something? i dont know what but it just felt a little flat at times, but i was still somewhat invested and im glad that i finished it and the ending was happy! i also thought that audrey and henrys main argument was SO STUPID but thats definitely an opinion of mine on a topic i feel very strongly about.. anyways i think that this was a pretty good start of summer book!
May 24, 2026
I fear that K. L. Walther books will NEVER miss!
I have loved every single book that I have read from her and this one was no exception. This book was just so much fun (very much agree with K. L. Walther in her acknowledgments!). It was such a cute romance book with an interesting plot. I mean, I didn't even know people could pursue glassblowing as an actual profession! That's what I also liked about this book. Because it felt so different from other romance books and even very different from K. L. Walther's other books.
Also can we talk about the characters!?!?!?!? I just love them so much! Henry and Audrey are the definition of soulmates! They work so well together and they were just so full of whimsy. I don't think I can express enough how much I loved them!(if ykyk)
I will recommend K. L. Walther books for the rest of my life! They are so much fun and will always give you the YA romcom vibes you are looking for!
Thank you Netagalley and publishers for gifting me an arc!
I have loved every single book that I have read from her and this one was no exception. This book was just so much fun (very much agree with K. L. Walther in her acknowledgments!). It was such a cute romance book with an interesting plot. I mean, I didn't even know people could pursue glassblowing as an actual profession! That's what I also liked about this book. Because it felt so different from other romance books and even very different from K. L. Walther's other books.
Also can we talk about the characters!?!?!?!? I just love them so much! Henry and Audrey are the definition of soulmates! They work so well together and they were just so full of whimsy. I don't think I can express enough how much I loved them!(if ykyk)
I will recommend K. L. Walther books for the rest of my life! They are so much fun and will always give you the YA romcom vibes you are looking for!
Thank you Netagalley and publishers for gifting me an arc!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I love YA romance, friends to lovers and I love Fake dating all of which this story had. While I did enjoy the story and the uniqueness of the FMC being a glass blower, I didn't enjoy what felt like love triangles between multiple characters. I was thrown off of the actual love interest and their love story by the side characters (there were many). overall storyline was good and the plot was very creative.
May 14, 2026
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
Now Playing...I Think He Knows—Taylor Swift
1:02 ──〇────2:55
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
“Give me a Hollywood kiss.”
yes, i received this book as an arc. no, i did not finish it before the release date, but at least i finished it not too long after it was released.😂this book was cute! it definitely didn’t make an impact on me, and i won’t remember it very well six months from now, but i liked it!
☆𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬☆
3.25⭐️
this book follows audrey barbour and her best friend henry chen as they try to make enough money for audrey to go to a fellowship for glassblowing. in the midst of all this, they cook up a plan to fake-date each other in order to make henry’s ex fall back in love with him, and to make audrey’s crush fall in love with her.
☆𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩☆
- literally the best part of the book. hands down, so intricate and layered. as an author myself, this plot had me kicking my feet with the amount of details!
- loved the b&b aspect as my family an i run an airb&b in our home! it was so fun to read about that and relate to every single thing audrey was having to deal with😂
- kind of ticked me off that the entire story was building to audrey going to blue ridge but we never got to see her finish high school, graduate from high school, or go to blue ridge? idk, there could have been an epilogue.
- it was basically fade-to-black, but BRO. the spice was unnecessary! i don’t need to know that they did that, thank youuuuu.😌
☆𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨☆
- audrey: she was a good character, don’t get me wrong! she was just kind of…i genuinely don’t know how to explain this…off? i think that she was just a bit flat, and could’ve used more development, maybe. she also seemed a bit selfish at times, and also a tad controlling. i really couldn’t handle the fact that she was constantly rebelling against her parents even though she was acting just like them.😂
- henry: literally felt nothing with him? like i can tell he’s a sweetheart and a cute guy, but other than that, i couldn’t really see an emotional development?
- griff: he honestly reminded me of wes from better than the movies😂
- ellie: LITERALLY SUCH A PRECIOUS SWEETHEART, SOMEONE GIVE HER A HUG😭she could be a bit possessive at times, but otherwise i loved her!
- the parents: literally felt like one character so i’m counting them as one character.
- tate: cutie💞
- all of the other friends/side characters: there were genuinely so many of them that i nearly got a headache. forgot half the names, but honorable mention to kenzie, mia, etc., etc., etc.
☆𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙄𝙣 𝘼𝙡𝙡☆
cute! who knows, this book took me so long to read that i’ll probably come back to read it someday. but it was definitely good and worth the read! i especially loved all of the niche movie references.🤭
Now Playing...I Think He Knows—Taylor Swift
1:02 ──〇────2:55
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
“Give me a Hollywood kiss.”
yes, i received this book as an arc. no, i did not finish it before the release date, but at least i finished it not too long after it was released.😂this book was cute! it definitely didn’t make an impact on me, and i won’t remember it very well six months from now, but i liked it!
☆𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬☆
3.25⭐️
this book follows audrey barbour and her best friend henry chen as they try to make enough money for audrey to go to a fellowship for glassblowing. in the midst of all this, they cook up a plan to fake-date each other in order to make henry’s ex fall back in love with him, and to make audrey’s crush fall in love with her.
☆𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩☆
- literally the best part of the book. hands down, so intricate and layered. as an author myself, this plot had me kicking my feet with the amount of details!
- loved the b&b aspect as my family an i run an airb&b in our home! it was so fun to read about that and relate to every single thing audrey was having to deal with😂
- kind of ticked me off that the entire story was building to audrey going to blue ridge but we never got to see her finish high school, graduate from high school, or go to blue ridge? idk, there could have been an epilogue.
- it was basically fade-to-black, but BRO. the spice was unnecessary! i don’t need to know that they did that, thank youuuuu.😌
☆𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨☆
- audrey: she was a good character, don’t get me wrong! she was just kind of…i genuinely don’t know how to explain this…off? i think that she was just a bit flat, and could’ve used more development, maybe. she also seemed a bit selfish at times, and also a tad controlling. i really couldn’t handle the fact that she was constantly rebelling against her parents even though she was acting just like them.😂
- henry: literally felt nothing with him? like i can tell he’s a sweetheart and a cute guy, but other than that, i couldn’t really see an emotional development?
- griff: he honestly reminded me of wes from better than the movies😂
- ellie: LITERALLY SUCH A PRECIOUS SWEETHEART, SOMEONE GIVE HER A HUG😭she could be a bit possessive at times, but otherwise i loved her!
- the parents: literally felt like one character so i’m counting them as one character.
- tate: cutie💞
- all of the other friends/side characters: there were genuinely so many of them that i nearly got a headache. forgot half the names, but honorable mention to kenzie, mia, etc., etc., etc.
☆𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙄𝙣 𝘼𝙡𝙡☆
cute! who knows, this book took me so long to read that i’ll probably come back to read it someday. but it was definitely good and worth the read! i especially loved all of the niche movie references.🤭
April 5, 2026
She got into Wharton and wants instead to go to glass blowing school. Absolutely not.
May 26, 2026
Reading this book is a VERY bad idea.
At the moment, YA is truly not my cup of tea. There were many times where I felt like I was reading paid product placements (Trader Joe’s, Swiffer, Venmo).
Don’t get me started on amount of unnecessary Taylor Swift worship.
At the moment, YA is truly not my cup of tea. There were many times where I felt like I was reading paid product placements (Trader Joe’s, Swiffer, Venmo).
Don’t get me started on amount of unnecessary Taylor Swift worship.
June 3, 2026
i’m SO happy she didn’t end up with griff cuz that guy STINKS like nuh uh. BUT HENRY my little short king he’s so sweet to Aubrey
lwk loving all the refrences 😭😭
crazy how they pulled it off tho lwk
lwk loving all the refrences 😭😭
crazy how they pulled it off tho lwk
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2026
You know what.. let me just shut up
September 17, 2025
♡ Thank you NetGalley, Random House Children's Books & Delacorte Romance for the ARC ♡
I'm still confused about when Henry and Audrey fell for each other. Was it written? Or was I supposed to just feel their undeniable chemistry... because unfortunately, I didn't.
These two best friends decide to fake date to make the people they actually want to date, jealous. And they spend the entire book pining after these people. There's not a single instance that I could pinpoint and say, this is where their feelings turned inwards towards each other. Even after prom, Audrey was still thinking of how fun it would've been with Griff (even though it was more fun with Henry?? Why bring it up then??)
I just didn't get it. And Ellie broke up with Henry which was the entire catalyst for this book but the guy she got with was actually awful?? And she lowkey actually did want Henry back in the end but stepped aside because of his relationship with Audrey (which was great but he was so obsessed with her I still don't see a universe where he doesn't leave Audrey to take Ellie back).
I just don't know. This book didn't hit for me at all. And every character had such first-world problems. Like accidentally spending 10k and being able to recoup it in 3 weeks... can't relate in the least. It just felt entirely too unrelatable. Not to mention our FMC is into glass blowing and there are SO MANY on-page descriptions of her doing this and as someone with no glass blowing knowledge, it went entirely over my head.
This was entirely a miss for me but if you like rich kids behaving badly, you may feel differently 🤷♀️
I'm still confused about when Henry and Audrey fell for each other. Was it written? Or was I supposed to just feel their undeniable chemistry... because unfortunately, I didn't.
These two best friends decide to fake date to make the people they actually want to date, jealous. And they spend the entire book pining after these people. There's not a single instance that I could pinpoint and say, this is where their feelings turned inwards towards each other. Even after prom, Audrey was still thinking of how fun it would've been with Griff (even though it was more fun with Henry?? Why bring it up then??)
I just didn't get it. And Ellie broke up with Henry which was the entire catalyst for this book but the guy she got with was actually awful?? And she lowkey actually did want Henry back in the end but stepped aside because of his relationship with Audrey (which was great but he was so obsessed with her I still don't see a universe where he doesn't leave Audrey to take Ellie back).
I just don't know. This book didn't hit for me at all. And every character had such first-world problems. Like accidentally spending 10k and being able to recoup it in 3 weeks... can't relate in the least. It just felt entirely too unrelatable. Not to mention our FMC is into glass blowing and there are SO MANY on-page descriptions of her doing this and as someone with no glass blowing knowledge, it went entirely over my head.
This was entirely a miss for me but if you like rich kids behaving badly, you may feel differently 🤷♀️
May 11, 2026
* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ We’re a Bad Idea, Right? by K.L. Walther
* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ find me as @abby.reads14 on YT <3
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
★★★★☆
⤷ 4.25 stars
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
⤷ fake dating
⤷ friends-to-lovers
⤷ summer romance
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤:
⤷ profanity - yes
⤷ romance - 2.75/4
⤷ violence - none
⤷ trigger warnings - none that I could think of
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
⤷ This was honestly such a cute book!!! I had one or two issues, but they were overshadowed by how cute and just fun this book was to read.
⤷ First off, adored the setting; it was so cute and summery and just very summer romcom coded. Definitely fit the vibe of this book perfectly.
⤷ Next, the plot: cool idea, unique; and though I feel the ending was a tad unfulfilling, overall, I liked the structure and how everything played out
⤷ The romance: I’m not usually a fan of friends to lovers, but I didn’t really notice it too much here. However, the actual romance was… eh. It didn’t have much substance, and I just didn’t see the love. Like, I genuinely wouldn’t have known Henry liked Audrey if I hadn’t been told it. Excluding that, the romance was fine; cute, but nothing to like freak out about.
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
⤷ Yes! If you’ve liked any of K.L Walther’s books, or just want a light summer romance, then I’d recommend trying this out!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖:
⤷ We’re a Bad Idea, Right? is out now!!!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕:
⤷ Thanks to the publisher, Delacorte Romance and NetGalley for giving me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own <3
⤷ We’re a Bad Idea, Right? by K.L. Walther
* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ find me as @abby.reads14 on YT <3
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
★★★★☆
⤷ 4.25 stars
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
⤷ fake dating
⤷ friends-to-lovers
⤷ summer romance
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤:
⤷ profanity - yes
⤷ romance - 2.75/4
⤷ violence - none
⤷ trigger warnings - none that I could think of
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
⤷ This was honestly such a cute book!!! I had one or two issues, but they were overshadowed by how cute and just fun this book was to read.
⤷ First off, adored the setting; it was so cute and summery and just very summer romcom coded. Definitely fit the vibe of this book perfectly.
⤷ Next, the plot: cool idea, unique; and though I feel the ending was a tad unfulfilling, overall, I liked the structure and how everything played out
⤷ The romance: I’m not usually a fan of friends to lovers, but I didn’t really notice it too much here. However, the actual romance was… eh. It didn’t have much substance, and I just didn’t see the love. Like, I genuinely wouldn’t have known Henry liked Audrey if I hadn’t been told it. Excluding that, the romance was fine; cute, but nothing to like freak out about.
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
⤷ Yes! If you’ve liked any of K.L Walther’s books, or just want a light summer romance, then I’d recommend trying this out!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖:
⤷ We’re a Bad Idea, Right? is out now!!!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕:
⤷ Thanks to the publisher, Delacorte Romance and NetGalley for giving me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own <3
July 3, 2026
3.25⭐️
okay ummm this book was weirddddd
1. the only plot in this book was the freaking air b and b. it felt really childish and odd for a ya book. but i enjoyed that aspect of the plot almost like i enjoy a addicting but bad tv show. (if that makes any sense lol)
2. THEY HAD NO CHEMISTRY. how did they go from friends to saying i love you in one day. it was literally so unrealistic. and don’t even get me started on some of the scenes🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️i repeat: no chemistry. honestly henry is better off with ellie.
3. WE GET IT YOU BLOW GLASS. you can stop saying it already. this girly claims she is unpopular but why is she friends with all the popular people and hosting a party for them???? like hello??? you’re not introverted. and i’m sorry how do all the people think her blowing glass is cool??? and can we please just stop saying the word “blow”
okay anywho this made it sound like i hated the book (which i kinda did) but somehow i still wanted to know what it as gonna happen and finished in like 2 days… again, it felt kinda like a tv show for children lolll.
super easy read and i don’t think it wasted my time, but i prob wouldn’t recommend unless you’ve read all of kl walthers other books and loved them.
okay ummm this book was weirddddd
1. the only plot in this book was the freaking air b and b. it felt really childish and odd for a ya book. but i enjoyed that aspect of the plot almost like i enjoy a addicting but bad tv show. (if that makes any sense lol)
2. THEY HAD NO CHEMISTRY. how did they go from friends to saying i love you in one day. it was literally so unrealistic. and don’t even get me started on some of the scenes🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️i repeat: no chemistry. honestly henry is better off with ellie.
3. WE GET IT YOU BLOW GLASS. you can stop saying it already. this girly claims she is unpopular but why is she friends with all the popular people and hosting a party for them???? like hello??? you’re not introverted. and i’m sorry how do all the people think her blowing glass is cool??? and can we please just stop saying the word “blow”
okay anywho this made it sound like i hated the book (which i kinda did) but somehow i still wanted to know what it as gonna happen and finished in like 2 days… again, it felt kinda like a tv show for children lolll.
super easy read and i don’t think it wasted my time, but i prob wouldn’t recommend unless you’ve read all of kl walthers other books and loved them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2026
˖᯽ ݁˖· ─ 3.5/5 stars
i enjoyed my time reading this and it was a fun summer read but i was never really invested in the characters and i didn't really think about the story while i wasn't reading it. this book is mostly about rich people problems but i had a fun time even though the characters got on my nerves sometimes.
i enjoyed my time reading this and it was a fun summer read but i was never really invested in the characters and i didn't really think about the story while i wasn't reading it. this book is mostly about rich people problems but i had a fun time even though the characters got on my nerves sometimes.
June 18, 2026
4⭐️
This book was a little bit whacky. The whole idea of renting their house out to pay for Audrey’s tuition without her parents knowing was a little bit whacky but you know what? I really liked it! It was not a super realistic book but it felt so fun to read. All the characters seemed fun and I liked how everyone helped Audrey with her whacky plan. Overall this was such a fun book especially for summer!
This book was a little bit whacky. The whole idea of renting their house out to pay for Audrey’s tuition without her parents knowing was a little bit whacky but you know what? I really liked it! It was not a super realistic book but it felt so fun to read. All the characters seemed fun and I liked how everyone helped Audrey with her whacky plan. Overall this was such a fun book especially for summer!
May 14, 2026
pretty good
cover is ugly-i’m sorry but orange was not the best idea
cover is ugly-i’m sorry but orange was not the best idea
June 22, 2026
This one took me a little longer than expected. I went into it wanting to really enjoy it and it was nice, but it didn’t really HIT for me, you know?
I felt like it had more of the glassblowing stuff than the romance. And yeah I know that that was the point, but I wanted more of the romance, for sure.
They were very cute though. Definitely a cute pair. Loved them together! But I just wish there were….more, you know?
I felt like it had more of the glassblowing stuff than the romance. And yeah I know that that was the point, but I wanted more of the romance, for sure.
They were very cute though. Definitely a cute pair. Loved them together! But I just wish there were….more, you know?
April 6, 2026
3.75 rating may change!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SO CUTEE!! (henry is mine btw)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SO CUTEE!! (henry is mine btw)
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