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.
If you’ve enjoyed any of K.L. Walther’s books, you’re definitely going to love this one. Although it’s marketed as a YA romance and includes some great tropes—fake dating, best friends to lovers, mutual pining, and banter—that doesn’t fully capture what it is. It’s more of a coming-of-age story about pursuing your own path instead of the version everyone expects.The characters may be teenagers, but their decision-making, problem-solving, and even the way they speak to each other feel more like characters in their early twenties—so it reads more like upper YA to New Adult. There’s also an original mix of themes—choosing passion over prestige, pushing back against parental expectations, and the fear of disappointing the people you love—that really make it stand out compared to the author’s other books.
The story is told entirely from Audrey’s first-person POV, and she’s the epitome of a “good girl breaking rules” persona as you feel the weight of her worry and hesitation in every risky decision she makes. A lot of the story happens in her head—her overthinking about Henry and Griffin, her anxiety, and the way she tries to justify every decision. Her glassblowing dream is the central thread everything stems from. Her talent is undeniable, and her willingness to go behind her parents’ backs to pursue it makes her really compelling. The fake dating situation isn’t over the top like other books—it’s something they practically agree to for a short period. At the same time, the chemistry between Audrey and Henry is undeniable from the start, and their natural back-and-forth banter from already being close makes their slow-burn romance feel so organic and sweet!
Hands down the best part of the book is the whole Airbnb-style scheme at Fairwinds—it’s a constant source of chaos, with each set of guests bringing new problems, from people ignoring rules to leaving messes to cherished items going missing, adding so much drama and humor. The friend group is another standout, with group chats, meetup sessions to plan Audrey’s next steps, and constant check-ins giving major found-family vibes!
The pacing is pretty consistent with K.L. Walther’s other books—steady and with a lot of fun character interactions. That being said, there are repetitive scenes and inner dialogue from Audrey, and with almost 400 pages, the story could have been shorter and more effective. By the end, Audrey’s arc, especially her future and relationship with her parents, is fully fleshed out in a realistic way, and the romance gets a satisfying resolution that will leave readers smiling!
Fans of upper YA/new adult drama, friends-to-lovers romance, fake dating, and strong friend group dynamics will find a lot to love in this book!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of We’re a Bad Idea, Right? is narrated by award-winning narrator Abigail Reno. She gives protagonist Audrey a thoughtful, expressive voice layered with hesitation, which works well for a character who makes risky decisions and overthinks. Audrey’s inner monologue takes up a large part of the book and can feel a bit repetitive at times, but Reno’s acting range and expression keep it engaging throughout. In contrast, Henry is given a more easygoing voice that suits his role as her best friend and later love interest. The secondary friend characters, most notably Ali and Griffin, all have youthful but distinct voices that really give the story the feel of a cinematic young adult drama.
Where Reno’s performance really shines is in the banter between Audrey and Henry—it feels effortless and really highlights their long-standing close friendship. Their mutual pining in Audrey’s inner thoughts feels believable and genuine, making it easy to root for them from the start.
Reno also does a great job with the friend group scenes—the group chats and meetup conversations as they plan how to help Audrey with Fairwinds bring out the found-family vibes and make the friendships feel real.
By the end, Reno shifts her portrayal of Audrey to more authentically reflect her growth—she sounds more confident and grounded as she makes peace with her decision to choose what she wants for herself. She also makes Audrey and Henry sound more open and direct about their relationship, which is sweet and satisfying.
Even though the audiobook is on the longer side for a YA romance, Reno’s performance makes it fly by and elevates the story, even in repetitive scenes, making it always entertaining and easily the best way to experience it!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of We’re a Bad Idea, Right? is narrated by award-winning narrator Abigail Reno. She gives protagonist Audrey a thoughtful, expressive voice layered with hesitation, which works well for a character who makes risky decisions and overthinks. Audrey’s inner monologue takes up a large part of the book and can feel a bit repetitive at times, but Reno’s acting range and expression keep it engaging throughout. In contrast, Henry is given a more easygoing voice that suits his role as her best friend and later love interest. The secondary friend characters, most notably Ali and Griffin, all have youthful but distinct voices that really give the story the feel of a cinematic young adult drama.
Where Reno’s performance really shines is in the banter between Audrey and Henry—it feels effortless and really highlights their long-standing close friendship. Their mutual pining in Audrey’s inner thoughts feels believable and genuine, making it easy to root for them from the start.
Reno also does a great job with the friend group scenes—the group chats and meetup conversations as they plan how to help Audrey with Fairwinds bring out the found-family vibes and make the friendships feel real.
By the end, Reno shifts her portrayal of Audrey to more authentically reflect her growth—she sounds more confident and grounded as she makes peace with her decision to choose what she wants for herself. She also makes Audrey and Henry sound more open and direct about their relationship, which is sweet and satisfying.
Even though the audiobook is on the longer side for a YA romance, Reno’s performance makes it fly by and elevates the story, even in repetitive scenes, making it always entertaining and easily the best way to experience it!
The audiobook of We’re a Bad Idea, Right? is narrated by award-winning narrator Abigail Reno. She gives protagonist Audrey a thoughtful, expressive voice layered with hesitation, which works well for a character who makes risky decisions and overthinks. Audrey’s inner monologue takes up a large part of the book and can feel a bit repetitive at times, but Reno’s acting range and expression keep it engaging throughout. In contrast, Henry is given a more easygoing voice that suits his role as her best friend and later love interest. The secondary friend characters, most notably Ali and Griffin, all have youthful but distinct voices that really give the story the feel of a cinematic young adult drama.
Where Reno’s performance really shines is in the banter between Audrey and Henry—it feels effortless and really highlights their long-standing close friendship. Their mutual pining in Audrey’s inner thoughts feels believable and genuine, making it easy to root for them from the start.
Reno also does a great job with the friend group scenes—the group chats and meetup conversations as they plan how to help Audrey with Fairwinds bring out the found-family vibes and make the friendships feel real.
By the end, Reno shifts her portrayal of Audrey to more authentically reflect her growth—she sounds more confident and grounded as she makes peace with her decision to choose what she wants for herself. She also makes Audrey and Henry sound more open and direct about their relationship, which is sweet and satisfying.
Even though the audiobook is on the longer side for a YA romance, Reno’s performance makes it fly by and elevates the story, even in repetitive scenes, making it always entertaining and easily the best way to experience it!
