We’re A Bad Idea, Right? coming March 31st, 2026 from Delacorte Romance; 384 pages
Content Warning: Foul language, underage drinking, drug use, sexual content
About the Author: “K.L. Walther is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules, While We’re Young, and A First Time For Everything. Born and raised in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, she is happiest when reading a romance on the beach or bantering with her better half while waiting in line for ice cream. She currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and hopefully, soon, a golden retriever” (Bio from author’s website).
Find K. L. Walther on the following platforms:
Audrey Barbour aspires to be a professional glassblower, and after receiving a fellowship for the Blue Ridge Glass School, she’s determined to follow her dream. But her parents aren’t keen on Audrey skipping college to pursue her hobby, and now, with an unrequited crush, Audrey feels stuck. When her best friend and business partner, Henry Chen, suggests that they fake-date to make his ex-girlfriend jealous and get the attention of Audrey’s crush, Audrey thinks it’s a great opportunity to finally take control of her situation. And, when her parents go out of town for three weeks before graduation, Audrey takes the opportunity to make as much money as she can to pay for the fellowship by renting out her parents’ house on the Here-to-Stay app. With Henry’s help, Audrey thinks she can handle the pressure of being a renter, but will the weight be too much to bear?
This was an interesting read, and I have mixed feelings about it. While I love Walther’s writing style and the world she creates, this book didn’t pull me in the way that her other stories usually do. I thought the premise sounded fun (fake dating is one of my favorite tropes), so I had high hopes going into the story. I loved the connections Walther made to her other books—like how Grace and James Barbour from While We’re Young are Audrey’s cousins—because it made her story feel more well-rounded and added another layer of connection to her characters. I also thought that Audrey was such a distinct character, and I really enjoyed that about her. I don’t know much about glassblowing, but learning it from Audrey made it really interesting. What I struggled with the most was Henry’s character. I liked him, and I thought he was sweet to Audrey—him giving her Audrey Hepburn-related nicknames was adorable—but I didn’t like how pushy he was. I think it’s great that Audrey wants to take her own path, and just because she’s hesitant about college now doesn’t mean she’ll feel that way forever, so I didn’t like how Henry made her feel bad about that. Because Audrey’s parents weren’t initially supportive, I was hoping that Henry would provide an outlet for her, but he just didn’t give what I wanted him to. Overall, I did enjoy Henry and Audrey’s relationship development, and the insane Here-to-Stay plot was so much fun.
We’re a Bad Idea, Right? releases on March 31st, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Emersen Cooper, Pine Reads Review Writer, Editor, and Website Manager