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Sometime After Midnight
"A fun, swoony, and romantic novel that honestly expresses the trials and tribulations of finding the right one." --BuzzFeed on L. Philips's Perfect Ten
Late one night in a dingy Los Angeles club, Nate and Cameron meet and discover they have much more in common than their love of an obscure indie band. But when Nate learns that Cameron is the heir to a soul-sucking record label--the very one that destroyed his father's life--he runs away as fast as he can. The only evidence of their brief but intense connection is the blurry photo Cameron snaps of Nate's Sharpied Chuck Taylors.
When Cameron's sister Tess--a famous model and socialite--posts the photo on Instagram for her legions of fans, the internet just about breaks with the news of this modern fairy tale. "Anyone know the owner of these shoes?" she writes. "My Prince Charming brother is looking for his Cinderfella!" But while the viral sensation begins to bring the pair back together, their own demons and pasts might get in the way of any happily ever afters . . .
Late one night in a dingy Los Angeles club, Nate and Cameron meet and discover they have much more in common than their love of an obscure indie band. But when Nate learns that Cameron is the heir to a soul-sucking record label--the very one that destroyed his father's life--he runs away as fast as he can. The only evidence of their brief but intense connection is the blurry photo Cameron snaps of Nate's Sharpied Chuck Taylors.
When Cameron's sister Tess--a famous model and socialite--posts the photo on Instagram for her legions of fans, the internet just about breaks with the news of this modern fairy tale. "Anyone know the owner of these shoes?" she writes. "My Prince Charming brother is looking for his Cinderfella!" But while the viral sensation begins to bring the pair back together, their own demons and pasts might get in the way of any happily ever afters . . .
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 7, 2018
65 people are currently reading
4918 people want to read
About the author
L. Philips
2 books81 followersThe pen name for Laura Wettersten who lives in Ohio with her wonderful husband, their adorable baby son, and their two neurotic dogs. She has degrees in both music education and library science, and when she’s not writing or teaching she enjoys directing middle school musicals, dancing awkwardly around her kitchen, and watching WIPEOUT and 30 ROCK reruns. Her debut novel, MY FAIRE LADY, releases from Simon & Schuster BFYR in 2014.
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June 27, 2022
I’m on BookTube! =)
There, on her Instagram account, is the picture of Nate’s shoes with a caption that reads, “Anyone know the owner of these shoes? My Prince Charming brother is looking for his Cinderfella!”
Gosh, I don’t even know where to start with this book! It was one of those stories you go into totally blind not knowing what to expect and then it kinda sweeps you off your feet and you’re so charmed that you just can’t seem to be able to keep your hands off of it. And if you think that this sounds like I fell in love: Well, you’re completely right, because I actually fell in love with this book! <33 I have no other words for it because wow, this was everything I wanted to read and even more. I was in a total reading slump when I picked up “Sometime After Midnight” and I’m so glad I followed my instinct and decided to go for this book instead of reading all the other 6 that were on my “currently reading”.
”I can chicken peck out a melody if I have to. But I think I’ll stick to singing. I never feel clumsy when I sing. “ And when he says that, I can hear it in his voice. Singers, even when they’re speaking, have better colors in their voices than other people. More vivid. More varied. His voice is smooth, a little breathy. If I had to guess, he could knock some jazz or R&B out of the park.
Honestly, it were descriptions like the one above that made me love this book so much. You’d think I was a sucker for the love story (and I really was!) but what made this book so special and totally caused it to stand out from all the others was the musical aspect that was portrayed so well. I just loved to read about how Nate and Cameron perceived each other and the world around them. They were able to see each other’s raw talent and I lived and breathed for that. As a musician I felt so understood and it was amazing to see their mutual love for music on page. Those two characters didn’t just love music, they connected through it and if you’re a musician there’s really (almost) nothing that’s better than this feeling of connection. Not to mention their discussions about music and what they want to express with it. I mean, can someone please hold me while I cry?! XD
”He writes these words ... these gorgeous lyrics. Then he sings, and his voice... it’s like something from a different planet, it’s so beautiful. And he listens to me. He listens and he gets me, maybe more than I get myself. When we write together, we’re a perfect team. It’s like we each have half of a song, so we have to put it together to make it whole. He’s my voice. I’m his music.
THIS!!! Exactly this! T_T Still, before they reached this point there are many obstacles that stood in their way and it took them a while to figure things out and to trust each other. Considering the fact that Nate believes Cameron’s family and company was responsible for his father’s death this is no surprise though. It’s not easy to trust a stranger and it’s even harder to allow yourself to like someone who comes from such a well-known family like Cam.
I sink to the floor next to him, kneeling, and fold his hands into mine. “Nate, I’m never safe. Anywhere. This is my life, no matter how much I try to avoid it, no matter how well Theo does his job. Because of who I am, people want to know things about me, and they don’t care about my privacy. And they don’t care about the privacy of anyone around me.”
Which was another thing I really liked about this book. Nate’s troubles to accept his feelings for Cameron – the son of the very man he thinks is responsible for his father’s early death – Cameron’s famousness that made it extremely hard to get to know each other, their insecurities about their talents, Cam’s strained relationship with his father and their fear of failing. All those topics gave their story even more depth and added so much to my overall enjoyment.
”Ever just feel so incredibly drawn to someone that you have to cross a crowded room just to say hello? Or spend five minutes with someone and they’re already finishing your sentences? Or been so intrigued by a stranger that you stay up at night, wondering who they are? That you stay up at night, wondering exactly what it is about them that makes you feel like you have to get to know them?”
Not to mention their adorable meet-cute and the way they fell for each other. Was it love at first sight? Yes, definitely, but even though it was, there was still some depth to it. They just connected and sometimes you meet someone and it feels like you knew that person all your life. I’m sure a lot of people experience this and quite honestly, my bestie and I are a good example as well. *lol* We met a couple of years ago and I have no idea how I lived before I knew her. XD Anyway! Back to the book! Nate and Cam weren’t just a great team they also supported each other and gave each other strength to do what needed to be done and this was amazing. And if I’m already talking about awesome things I have to mention the friendships in this book as well because Tess (Cam’s sister ) as well as Victor (Nate’s bestie)and Travis Blake were some of the best side-characters I ever encountered.
”I’ve heard you play. Not just the other night, but when you thought I wasn’t listening. When you tune my guitars or polish them after a show. You play whenever you can, and I have to tell you, Nate... you might be one of the best guitarists I’ve come across. Especially factoring in how young you are. And my fear for you is that you’re going to let what happened with your dad keep you from greatness.”
Travis Blake was one hell of a great character and I loved that he had some sort of mentor role in this book. It’s always good to have a role model you can look up to and Travis was exactly that kind of person for Nate. It was so wholesome to see how Travis supported him and wanted him to be happy and to make his own music. And Tess as well as Victor were just great. I loved that Victor was so worried about Nate’s wellbeing and that he always watched out for him. Bestie goals right there! Still, the music aspect in this book! Ahh! To say it in my own words (and from the perspective of an artist and musician): It was the entirety of the book, the entire composition of emotions, words, wisdom and music that made this book such a lovely experience for me.
”And here’s the thing about art, Cameron. It hurts sometimes. And sometimes it’s best when it hurts. I think the song about my dad is one of those times. If we’re going to do this for real, we can’t be afraid to dig in and cry and rage.”
All told I ended up loving “Sometime After Midnight” so much and I really didn’t expect this. What I expected was a fluffy and nice m/m Cinderella retelling romance and what I got was something completely different. It might have been no Cinderella retelling but it turned out to be a hidden and unknown gem that actually became my favourite read in April! Seriously, if you love music and are a sucker for the chemistry between two true musicians you should definitely pick up this book! I, for my part, loved it and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too! ;-)
_______________________________
This was such a sweet and absolutely great story!
I loved that the focus was more on the music than on the romance in here. Don’t get me wrong, the romance was cute too but the music! <333 Ahhh! Everyone who loves music will enjoy this!
This definitely got me out of my reading slump! YESH! *does a happy dance*
Full RTC soon! ;-)
________________________________
I know there are 6 books on my "currently reading" but I just can't bring myself to pick up any of them?! I think I might be in some sort of reading slump again. >_<
So I decided to put all those six books on hold and just go for one I wanted to read for ages! I need a fluffy m/m romance now and this sounds like it might deliver! Fingers crossed it will get me out of my reading slump! xD If a modern m/m Cinderella retelling with a focus on music doesn't do the trick there might be no hope for me. *lol* Wish me luck!
Find me on:
My Blog
Instagram
___________________________
Are you telling me this is a modern m/m Cinderella retelling!?
That includes two boys that love the same band and seem to be into music as well!?
But when one of them figures out who the other is, he runs only leaving a picture of his doodled on Converse!? (Which is btw super relatable!)
Give me this book right away!
*snatches book and runs away with a mad laugh*
P.S: I like that it's named "Sometime After Midnight" because we're all used to Cinderella running away at midnight and being worried before it. *lol* So after it is something new.
There, on her Instagram account, is the picture of Nate’s shoes with a caption that reads, “Anyone know the owner of these shoes? My Prince Charming brother is looking for his Cinderfella!”
Gosh, I don’t even know where to start with this book! It was one of those stories you go into totally blind not knowing what to expect and then it kinda sweeps you off your feet and you’re so charmed that you just can’t seem to be able to keep your hands off of it. And if you think that this sounds like I fell in love: Well, you’re completely right, because I actually fell in love with this book! <33 I have no other words for it because wow, this was everything I wanted to read and even more. I was in a total reading slump when I picked up “Sometime After Midnight” and I’m so glad I followed my instinct and decided to go for this book instead of reading all the other 6 that were on my “currently reading”.
”I can chicken peck out a melody if I have to. But I think I’ll stick to singing. I never feel clumsy when I sing. “ And when he says that, I can hear it in his voice. Singers, even when they’re speaking, have better colors in their voices than other people. More vivid. More varied. His voice is smooth, a little breathy. If I had to guess, he could knock some jazz or R&B out of the park.
Honestly, it were descriptions like the one above that made me love this book so much. You’d think I was a sucker for the love story (and I really was!) but what made this book so special and totally caused it to stand out from all the others was the musical aspect that was portrayed so well. I just loved to read about how Nate and Cameron perceived each other and the world around them. They were able to see each other’s raw talent and I lived and breathed for that. As a musician I felt so understood and it was amazing to see their mutual love for music on page. Those two characters didn’t just love music, they connected through it and if you’re a musician there’s really (almost) nothing that’s better than this feeling of connection. Not to mention their discussions about music and what they want to express with it. I mean, can someone please hold me while I cry?! XD
”He writes these words ... these gorgeous lyrics. Then he sings, and his voice... it’s like something from a different planet, it’s so beautiful. And he listens to me. He listens and he gets me, maybe more than I get myself. When we write together, we’re a perfect team. It’s like we each have half of a song, so we have to put it together to make it whole. He’s my voice. I’m his music.
THIS!!! Exactly this! T_T Still, before they reached this point there are many obstacles that stood in their way and it took them a while to figure things out and to trust each other. Considering the fact that Nate believes Cameron’s family and company was responsible for his father’s death this is no surprise though. It’s not easy to trust a stranger and it’s even harder to allow yourself to like someone who comes from such a well-known family like Cam.
I sink to the floor next to him, kneeling, and fold his hands into mine. “Nate, I’m never safe. Anywhere. This is my life, no matter how much I try to avoid it, no matter how well Theo does his job. Because of who I am, people want to know things about me, and they don’t care about my privacy. And they don’t care about the privacy of anyone around me.”
Which was another thing I really liked about this book. Nate’s troubles to accept his feelings for Cameron – the son of the very man he thinks is responsible for his father’s early death – Cameron’s famousness that made it extremely hard to get to know each other, their insecurities about their talents, Cam’s strained relationship with his father and their fear of failing. All those topics gave their story even more depth and added so much to my overall enjoyment.
”Ever just feel so incredibly drawn to someone that you have to cross a crowded room just to say hello? Or spend five minutes with someone and they’re already finishing your sentences? Or been so intrigued by a stranger that you stay up at night, wondering who they are? That you stay up at night, wondering exactly what it is about them that makes you feel like you have to get to know them?”
Not to mention their adorable meet-cute and the way they fell for each other. Was it love at first sight? Yes, definitely, but even though it was, there was still some depth to it. They just connected and sometimes you meet someone and it feels like you knew that person all your life. I’m sure a lot of people experience this and quite honestly, my bestie and I are a good example as well. *lol* We met a couple of years ago and I have no idea how I lived before I knew her. XD Anyway! Back to the book! Nate and Cam weren’t just a great team they also supported each other and gave each other strength to do what needed to be done and this was amazing. And if I’m already talking about awesome things I have to mention the friendships in this book as well because Tess (Cam’s sister ) as well as Victor (Nate’s bestie)and Travis Blake were some of the best side-characters I ever encountered.
”I’ve heard you play. Not just the other night, but when you thought I wasn’t listening. When you tune my guitars or polish them after a show. You play whenever you can, and I have to tell you, Nate... you might be one of the best guitarists I’ve come across. Especially factoring in how young you are. And my fear for you is that you’re going to let what happened with your dad keep you from greatness.”
Travis Blake was one hell of a great character and I loved that he had some sort of mentor role in this book. It’s always good to have a role model you can look up to and Travis was exactly that kind of person for Nate. It was so wholesome to see how Travis supported him and wanted him to be happy and to make his own music. And Tess as well as Victor were just great. I loved that Victor was so worried about Nate’s wellbeing and that he always watched out for him. Bestie goals right there! Still, the music aspect in this book! Ahh! To say it in my own words (and from the perspective of an artist and musician): It was the entirety of the book, the entire composition of emotions, words, wisdom and music that made this book such a lovely experience for me.
”And here’s the thing about art, Cameron. It hurts sometimes. And sometimes it’s best when it hurts. I think the song about my dad is one of those times. If we’re going to do this for real, we can’t be afraid to dig in and cry and rage.”
All told I ended up loving “Sometime After Midnight” so much and I really didn’t expect this. What I expected was a fluffy and nice m/m Cinderella retelling romance and what I got was something completely different. It might have been no Cinderella retelling but it turned out to be a hidden and unknown gem that actually became my favourite read in April! Seriously, if you love music and are a sucker for the chemistry between two true musicians you should definitely pick up this book! I, for my part, loved it and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too! ;-)
_______________________________
This was such a sweet and absolutely great story!
I loved that the focus was more on the music than on the romance in here. Don’t get me wrong, the romance was cute too but the music! <333 Ahhh! Everyone who loves music will enjoy this!
This definitely got me out of my reading slump! YESH! *does a happy dance*
Full RTC soon! ;-)
________________________________
I know there are 6 books on my "currently reading" but I just can't bring myself to pick up any of them?! I think I might be in some sort of reading slump again. >_<
So I decided to put all those six books on hold and just go for one I wanted to read for ages! I need a fluffy m/m romance now and this sounds like it might deliver! Fingers crossed it will get me out of my reading slump! xD If a modern m/m Cinderella retelling with a focus on music doesn't do the trick there might be no hope for me. *lol* Wish me luck!
Find me on:
My Blog
___________________________
Are you telling me this is a modern m/m Cinderella retelling!?
That includes two boys that love the same band and seem to be into music as well!?
But when one of them figures out who the other is, he runs only leaving a picture of his doodled on Converse!? (Which is btw super relatable!)
Give me this book right away!
*snatches book and runs away with a mad laugh*
P.S: I like that it's named "Sometime After Midnight" because we're all used to Cinderella running away at midnight and being worried before it. *lol* So after it is something new.
Want to read
October 1, 2018a modern m/m Cinderella retelling AHHHHHH this sounds so cute i might die. And Cinderella was and will always be my favorite Disney movie. Im so damn excited for this my hands are SHAKING
July 7, 2023
rep; nate and cam (mcs) are gay.
i was expecting to love this because how could a modern cinderella story with two guys, that’s been compared to a book i remember enjoying go wrong?
sit tight and let me tell ya.
trigger/content warnings; slight stalking, doxxing, ableism, fatphobia, toxic masculinity, discussions and descriptions of suicide, queerphobia,
nate
i cannot stand nate. i’m supposed to feel for him and root for him and love him, but he’s just such an asshole. sorry, but the fact that his dad committed suicide doesn’t give him a pass for treating people like garbage. he thinks that cam’s father pretty much told his father to kill himself, so he takes it out on cam. who was like nine or ten at the time. because that’s fair. he literally says, “he might as well have pushed my dad off that balcony” like, come on, he didn’t even know the entire story. and beyond blaming cam for what he assumes cam’s father did, he treats cam like shit because of what cam’s sister did. she posted the photo of nate’s shoes on twitter where she has millions of followers, which caused him to be stalked and doxxed. does he get mad at the people who doxxed him? the person who posted the photo? no, he gets mad at the person who had nothing to do with it, and who was horrified when he found out about it because he knew what would happen. nate goes on and on about how he should hate cam and not even give him the time of day, and i just? he didn’t do anything to nate. and throughout the entire book, everyone validates nate’s unjustified dislike and anger towards cam for things he didn’t do, and makes cam feel guilty and like he has to make up or apologize for things he didn’t do.
along with treating cam like trash for things he didn’t do, nate is just so fucking bitter. he doesn’t have the life and things and money that cam does and boy, he never lets anyone fucking forget it. nate makes a comment about how maybe he should call cam “sir” or “lord” or maybe “his majesty” might be more fitting, he makes a dig about how it must be nice to be cam and have silver spoons and hot guys just because of his last name, he thinks about how even with all cam’s privilege maybe there’s “something genuine in him,” nate thinks the guards at cam’s house are to keep out those “not deemed worthy” rather than just you know strangers and criminals and the like, and nate tells cam that he doesn’t understand how cam isn’t a selfish person when he has cars and houses and a staff.
when cam is insecure about his singing nate mocks him for wanting an “ego stroke” when he has good looks, a huge house, and his family’s company, he tells cam that with is family’s legacy whether or not he has talent doesn’t matter, and then goes on a jealous, angry rant about how cam isn’t allowed to be insecure because he has fame and money and good looks and nice things.
nate and cam’s relationship can be summed with this line from cam: “i don’t know how to ask forgiveness for something i didn’t do.” and the whole book, really, could be summed up with: nate is a douchebag and everyone tells him how great he is.
tess
tess, cam’s sister, is another character i cannot stand. i get the feeling i’m also supposed to like her for her take charge attitude and slight feminist overtones, but she’s awful. i hate every scene she’s in. she is the epitome of “loved one controls and manipulates and forces main character to do things and it’s okay because they’re just worried and want the best for them” which i can’t fucking stand.
first, she posts the photo of nate on her twitter, apparently not knowing what would happen with her nearly 40 million follower count, even though later when paparazzi won’t leave nate alone she’s all “well it’s part of the life, what can you expect” *shrug*. then she sets up the meeting for cam’s demo without even consulting him and forces him into without any preparation. then she posts him singing on instagram, again, without his permission. when he tells her to stop posting about him because it’s too personal, she calls him uptight and defends her actions by saying she wouldn’t have to if he had his own account. then she decides he’s going on tour without caring for his thoughts or input. she defends her actions again by saying she’s just worried that if she doesn’t “push” he’ll never do it. but there’s a difference between giving someone a nudge and forcing their hand. she also mentions snooping through his belongings and reading his lyrics and looking through his phone. when nate comes by to ask about the audition, she sits in and basically mediates and supervises their conversation, telling them what to do and when to hang out. and not only does she get information on cam’s plans through the staff, she also shares his plans with ~daddy.
when cam tells her that he doesn’t like her being in charge, she immediately accuses him of being sexist, when in reality, he was talking about how they’ve always been in together, on equal terms and now suddenly she’s controlling every aspect of his life.
when cam and nate start working together, tess’ advice is to show nate who is in control, that it’s how ~daddy would do it, and that nate needs to know cam is in charge from the start. and i just...fucking ew? that shit is the reason no one fucking likes your ~daddy and he’s lacking in the personal relationship department, but sure keep romanticizing and idolizing him and his way of doing things, tess.
and there’s a line where cam says that tess is the only person he can be honest with and that “most of the time she doesn’t abuse it” and you’re telling me i’m supposed to like her? she schemes and manipulates and controls and is way too invested in her brother’s life and thinks “i’m just worried” is an excuse for all of it.
fatphobia
there’s quite a bit of comments and lines throughout the book that strike me as fatphobic. first we have nate’s best friend, vic, who is fat. i swear every single he is in a scene or just mentioned, his weight/appearance/eating habits are mentioned. he’s described as an overweight and puffier version of al pacino twice, having a considerable gut, never passing up a burger, not going easy on slushie drinks, eating nothing but carbs and junk food, and likely to have a heart attack. there are a couple scenes where he’s either running or walking at a faster pace with nate and only vic is described as bending in half to catch his breath, panting, wheezing, and even just noted as being able to keep up with nate’s quick pace. there’s also a line where vic asks nate to put in a good word for him with cam’s sister and nate rolls his eyes and tells him get real.
other moments that i found...iffy are when cam’s few gained pounds are specifically stressed to be muscle, as if otherwise is bad or shameful, and when tess lowkey body shames cam by telling him not to eat pop tarts or doughnuts because they’ve already had his suits tailored to his current waistline.
ableism
ableist language/slurs. using disabilities and mental illnesses as metaphors. nate and cam listen to nate’s father’s recordings, which were at the worst of his mental illness, and they’re both like, “it makes me feel crazy.”
tess says she doesn’t want cam to end up like their dad, or worse, their mom, who barely leaves the house. their mom isn’t really in the story, nor is her reasoning for not leaving the house that often, other than a sort of throwaway comment about her not being able to handle the fame and paparazzi anymore. but not leaving your home isn’t a the worst fate you could have. a lot of people can’t leave their homes for many disability and mental illness related reasons. so, for tess to be like, “don’t be like mom, she doesn’t leave the house” is shitty.
nate thinks ending up like his father (who was suspected to have schizophrenia) is terrifying. and while it’s not like people should strive or hope for having mental illnesses and nate’s father killed himself so it’s not a possibility nate would take lightly, schizophrenia is already one of the mental illnesses that people see as scary, so this line really just strikes me as irresponsible and harmful.
and then this:
“i mean, look at people like nick cave or tom waits. look at how dark they get sometimes. your dad could have been known for this, and maybe people would have started to understand what he was going through and they would have accepted it. maybe even thought it was incredibly cool.”
this line feels incredibly inappropriate. not only is there the romanticizing mental illness aspect of it with the idea that music created during someone’s absolute lowest, worst moments mentally can be cool, edgy music, but it has a “pain equals good art” vibe. mental illnesses are not cool. mental illnesses are not fodder for dark, edgy art. and people don’t have to turn their pain and lowest moments into something for other people to consume and pick apart or glorify.
nate’s father’s recordings were not the product of his underappreciated genius, like nate and cam think. they were the product of his undiagnosed/treated mental illness. the fact that the narrative tells me that cam’s father was wrong to hide the tapes and say they’re unlistenable is mind boggling. to either release or glorify or idolize what is on those tapes is so exploitative and toxic. those tapes aren’t from the mind of someone who truly gets music and has a talent like no other, they’re from the mind of someone who was suffering and needed help he never got. the music someone made in the mindset that lead them to smile as they jumped to their death is not music you should be putting a romantic or glorified spin on.
(this is just a contradictory annoyance, but when nate first listens to the tapes he says that cam’s father is right, that no one would listen to them, but like a couple lines later and then for the rest of the book he’s saying cam’s father is wrong and the tapes are genius. so...what is the truth?)
music snobbery
i don’t think i’ve ever read a book based around music that isn’t pretentious and snobby as fuck. there’s a lot of ideas about what “real music” is, lots of shaming and attacking certain kinds of music and artists, and just a general belief that the kind of music you like or create makes you either superior or inferior.
other
cam pulls a stalker routine with nate at one point. nate doesn’t call or text, so cam “out of worry” texts his best friend and when that’s a bust he tracks down another of nate’s friends to see if nate’s with him and then begs for the location where nate actually is, and then he shows up there. and when nate hears all this and is like, “so you drove six hours today to find me?” cam’s response is, “i told you. i’m christian grey. i mean, i hope i come off a little less controlling and stalkery, but i worry, and i have resources and plenty of money, so i can pretty much find anyone i care about if i need to.” i mean, that’s not creepy at all. christian grey, who cam does compare himself to previously...yikes, is not someone you want your significant other comparing themselves to. ever. in any capacity. and your significant other basically telling you that they will always be able to find you no matter what is fucking creepy and stalkery and controlling. hard fucking pass.
overall
i went into this book thinking i’d love it. it had the makings for a book i’d love. and i went into this review thinking i’d give it two stars, because there are a few things i liked. such as cam’s father and nate’s stepmother turning out to not be awful people after all, nate and his stepmother’s talk toward the end, cam’s father saying that after nate’s father’s suicide they made their artists’ mental health a priority and talked about how the business is a lot of pressure and can exacerbate their illnesses, the character travis, how there isn’t a single drop of homophobia directed at the main characters from anyone, and how much of an easy, quick read this is.
but. writing this review makes me realize how big the issues i have with the book are and how the things i like don’t even slightly come close to making this book deserve two stars.
i was expecting to love this because how could a modern cinderella story with two guys, that’s been compared to a book i remember enjoying go wrong?
sit tight and let me tell ya.
trigger/content warnings; slight stalking, doxxing, ableism, fatphobia, toxic masculinity, discussions and descriptions of suicide, queerphobia,
nate
i cannot stand nate. i’m supposed to feel for him and root for him and love him, but he’s just such an asshole. sorry, but the fact that his dad committed suicide doesn’t give him a pass for treating people like garbage. he thinks that cam’s father pretty much told his father to kill himself, so he takes it out on cam. who was like nine or ten at the time. because that’s fair. he literally says, “he might as well have pushed my dad off that balcony” like, come on, he didn’t even know the entire story. and beyond blaming cam for what he assumes cam’s father did, he treats cam like shit because of what cam’s sister did. she posted the photo of nate’s shoes on twitter where she has millions of followers, which caused him to be stalked and doxxed. does he get mad at the people who doxxed him? the person who posted the photo? no, he gets mad at the person who had nothing to do with it, and who was horrified when he found out about it because he knew what would happen. nate goes on and on about how he should hate cam and not even give him the time of day, and i just? he didn’t do anything to nate. and throughout the entire book, everyone validates nate’s unjustified dislike and anger towards cam for things he didn’t do, and makes cam feel guilty and like he has to make up or apologize for things he didn’t do.
along with treating cam like trash for things he didn’t do, nate is just so fucking bitter. he doesn’t have the life and things and money that cam does and boy, he never lets anyone fucking forget it. nate makes a comment about how maybe he should call cam “sir” or “lord” or maybe “his majesty” might be more fitting, he makes a dig about how it must be nice to be cam and have silver spoons and hot guys just because of his last name, he thinks about how even with all cam’s privilege maybe there’s “something genuine in him,” nate thinks the guards at cam’s house are to keep out those “not deemed worthy” rather than just you know strangers and criminals and the like, and nate tells cam that he doesn’t understand how cam isn’t a selfish person when he has cars and houses and a staff.
when cam is insecure about his singing nate mocks him for wanting an “ego stroke” when he has good looks, a huge house, and his family’s company, he tells cam that with is family’s legacy whether or not he has talent doesn’t matter, and then goes on a jealous, angry rant about how cam isn’t allowed to be insecure because he has fame and money and good looks and nice things.
nate and cam’s relationship can be summed with this line from cam: “i don’t know how to ask forgiveness for something i didn’t do.” and the whole book, really, could be summed up with: nate is a douchebag and everyone tells him how great he is.
tess
tess, cam’s sister, is another character i cannot stand. i get the feeling i’m also supposed to like her for her take charge attitude and slight feminist overtones, but she’s awful. i hate every scene she’s in. she is the epitome of “loved one controls and manipulates and forces main character to do things and it’s okay because they’re just worried and want the best for them” which i can’t fucking stand.
first, she posts the photo of nate on her twitter, apparently not knowing what would happen with her nearly 40 million follower count, even though later when paparazzi won’t leave nate alone she’s all “well it’s part of the life, what can you expect” *shrug*. then she sets up the meeting for cam’s demo without even consulting him and forces him into without any preparation. then she posts him singing on instagram, again, without his permission. when he tells her to stop posting about him because it’s too personal, she calls him uptight and defends her actions by saying she wouldn’t have to if he had his own account. then she decides he’s going on tour without caring for his thoughts or input. she defends her actions again by saying she’s just worried that if she doesn’t “push” he’ll never do it. but there’s a difference between giving someone a nudge and forcing their hand. she also mentions snooping through his belongings and reading his lyrics and looking through his phone. when nate comes by to ask about the audition, she sits in and basically mediates and supervises their conversation, telling them what to do and when to hang out. and not only does she get information on cam’s plans through the staff, she also shares his plans with ~daddy.
when cam tells her that he doesn’t like her being in charge, she immediately accuses him of being sexist, when in reality, he was talking about how they’ve always been in together, on equal terms and now suddenly she’s controlling every aspect of his life.
when cam and nate start working together, tess’ advice is to show nate who is in control, that it’s how ~daddy would do it, and that nate needs to know cam is in charge from the start. and i just...fucking ew? that shit is the reason no one fucking likes your ~daddy and he’s lacking in the personal relationship department, but sure keep romanticizing and idolizing him and his way of doing things, tess.
and there’s a line where cam says that tess is the only person he can be honest with and that “most of the time she doesn’t abuse it” and you’re telling me i’m supposed to like her? she schemes and manipulates and controls and is way too invested in her brother’s life and thinks “i’m just worried” is an excuse for all of it.
fatphobia
there’s quite a bit of comments and lines throughout the book that strike me as fatphobic. first we have nate’s best friend, vic, who is fat. i swear every single he is in a scene or just mentioned, his weight/appearance/eating habits are mentioned. he’s described as an overweight and puffier version of al pacino twice, having a considerable gut, never passing up a burger, not going easy on slushie drinks, eating nothing but carbs and junk food, and likely to have a heart attack. there are a couple scenes where he’s either running or walking at a faster pace with nate and only vic is described as bending in half to catch his breath, panting, wheezing, and even just noted as being able to keep up with nate’s quick pace. there’s also a line where vic asks nate to put in a good word for him with cam’s sister and nate rolls his eyes and tells him get real.
other moments that i found...iffy are when cam’s few gained pounds are specifically stressed to be muscle, as if otherwise is bad or shameful, and when tess lowkey body shames cam by telling him not to eat pop tarts or doughnuts because they’ve already had his suits tailored to his current waistline.
ableism
ableist language/slurs. using disabilities and mental illnesses as metaphors. nate and cam listen to nate’s father’s recordings, which were at the worst of his mental illness, and they’re both like, “it makes me feel crazy.”
tess says she doesn’t want cam to end up like their dad, or worse, their mom, who barely leaves the house. their mom isn’t really in the story, nor is her reasoning for not leaving the house that often, other than a sort of throwaway comment about her not being able to handle the fame and paparazzi anymore. but not leaving your home isn’t a the worst fate you could have. a lot of people can’t leave their homes for many disability and mental illness related reasons. so, for tess to be like, “don’t be like mom, she doesn’t leave the house” is shitty.
nate thinks ending up like his father (who was suspected to have schizophrenia) is terrifying. and while it’s not like people should strive or hope for having mental illnesses and nate’s father killed himself so it’s not a possibility nate would take lightly, schizophrenia is already one of the mental illnesses that people see as scary, so this line really just strikes me as irresponsible and harmful.
and then this:
“i mean, look at people like nick cave or tom waits. look at how dark they get sometimes. your dad could have been known for this, and maybe people would have started to understand what he was going through and they would have accepted it. maybe even thought it was incredibly cool.”
this line feels incredibly inappropriate. not only is there the romanticizing mental illness aspect of it with the idea that music created during someone’s absolute lowest, worst moments mentally can be cool, edgy music, but it has a “pain equals good art” vibe. mental illnesses are not cool. mental illnesses are not fodder for dark, edgy art. and people don’t have to turn their pain and lowest moments into something for other people to consume and pick apart or glorify.
nate’s father’s recordings were not the product of his underappreciated genius, like nate and cam think. they were the product of his undiagnosed/treated mental illness. the fact that the narrative tells me that cam’s father was wrong to hide the tapes and say they’re unlistenable is mind boggling. to either release or glorify or idolize what is on those tapes is so exploitative and toxic. those tapes aren’t from the mind of someone who truly gets music and has a talent like no other, they’re from the mind of someone who was suffering and needed help he never got. the music someone made in the mindset that lead them to smile as they jumped to their death is not music you should be putting a romantic or glorified spin on.
(this is just a contradictory annoyance, but when nate first listens to the tapes he says that cam’s father is right, that no one would listen to them, but like a couple lines later and then for the rest of the book he’s saying cam’s father is wrong and the tapes are genius. so...what is the truth?)
music snobbery
i don’t think i’ve ever read a book based around music that isn’t pretentious and snobby as fuck. there’s a lot of ideas about what “real music” is, lots of shaming and attacking certain kinds of music and artists, and just a general belief that the kind of music you like or create makes you either superior or inferior.
other
cam pulls a stalker routine with nate at one point. nate doesn’t call or text, so cam “out of worry” texts his best friend and when that’s a bust he tracks down another of nate’s friends to see if nate’s with him and then begs for the location where nate actually is, and then he shows up there. and when nate hears all this and is like, “so you drove six hours today to find me?” cam’s response is, “i told you. i’m christian grey. i mean, i hope i come off a little less controlling and stalkery, but i worry, and i have resources and plenty of money, so i can pretty much find anyone i care about if i need to.” i mean, that’s not creepy at all. christian grey, who cam does compare himself to previously...yikes, is not someone you want your significant other comparing themselves to. ever. in any capacity. and your significant other basically telling you that they will always be able to find you no matter what is fucking creepy and stalkery and controlling. hard fucking pass.
overall
i went into this book thinking i’d love it. it had the makings for a book i’d love. and i went into this review thinking i’d give it two stars, because there are a few things i liked. such as cam’s father and nate’s stepmother turning out to not be awful people after all, nate and his stepmother’s talk toward the end, cam’s father saying that after nate’s father’s suicide they made their artists’ mental health a priority and talked about how the business is a lot of pressure and can exacerbate their illnesses, the character travis, how there isn’t a single drop of homophobia directed at the main characters from anyone, and how much of an easy, quick read this is.
but. writing this review makes me realize how big the issues i have with the book are and how the things i like don’t even slightly come close to making this book deserve two stars.
June 13, 2018
This was the perfect "Cinderfella" novel that I didn't know I wanted! I didn't really know what to expect with this read and I'm happily pleased with it.
This was a cute and fun read but actually incorporated quite a bit of heavy content. Prior to reading this novel, I had predicted that this would be an emotional read thinking that it would be a coming out story. That actually was not the emotional part because these characters were both actively out. I don't know why but I actually really enjoyed that aspect in this novel. By making it less of an 'event', readers saw more of the side of acceptance from family and friends. I'm not saying that the characters didn't face those emotions when they came out but this story was not centred around that or in that timeline. I hope that makes sense and I'm not offending anyone, I'm just saying that I like how that this story didn't focus solely around being a coming out story.
I also really liked the two main characters (along with side characters). I liked their personalities, their authenticity, and the fact that along with them both being mature they did keep some characteristics of a teenager.
The writing style was beautiful, it flowed, and was easy to keep reading without wanting to put the book down. I definitely will be looking for more written by this author as the style was just so pleasing to read.
I definitely will be recommending this book to others. It was such a quick-paced read that would be perfect for the summer (or anytime really). I do have to make the recommendation and comparison that for those that like Sarah Dessen's novels, check this one out. For me, who loves Sarah Dessen, the writing style was similar but the main characters for this novel are male instead of Sarah Dessen's typical female main characters.
A sidenote that I have to mention because I really appreciate it as a reader, I love the cover! It's not the typical 'stock photo' that doesn't relate to the story. This cover is uniquely related to the story and I love that. Well done!
***Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
This was a cute and fun read but actually incorporated quite a bit of heavy content. Prior to reading this novel, I had predicted that this would be an emotional read thinking that it would be a coming out story. That actually was not the emotional part because these characters were both actively out. I don't know why but I actually really enjoyed that aspect in this novel. By making it less of an 'event', readers saw more of the side of acceptance from family and friends. I'm not saying that the characters didn't face those emotions when they came out but this story was not centred around that or in that timeline. I hope that makes sense and I'm not offending anyone, I'm just saying that I like how that this story didn't focus solely around being a coming out story.
I also really liked the two main characters (along with side characters). I liked their personalities, their authenticity, and the fact that along with them both being mature they did keep some characteristics of a teenager.
The writing style was beautiful, it flowed, and was easy to keep reading without wanting to put the book down. I definitely will be looking for more written by this author as the style was just so pleasing to read.
I definitely will be recommending this book to others. It was such a quick-paced read that would be perfect for the summer (or anytime really). I do have to make the recommendation and comparison that for those that like Sarah Dessen's novels, check this one out. For me, who loves Sarah Dessen, the writing style was similar but the main characters for this novel are male instead of Sarah Dessen's typical female main characters.
A sidenote that I have to mention because I really appreciate it as a reader, I love the cover! It's not the typical 'stock photo' that doesn't relate to the story. This cover is uniquely related to the story and I love that. Well done!
***Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
August 26, 2018
. : ☾⋆ — 4 ★
READ THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG!!!
https://bit.ly/2wmj2XC
girls don’t like boys, girls like SLOW BURN SHIPS AND EXTREMELY WELL DEVELOPED CHARACTERS WITH PALPABLE, UNMISTAKEABLE, TANGIBLE CHEMISTRY !!!!!!!!!
dear God, this book was so much more than i bargained for in the best possible way. Sometime After Midnight is definitely the kind of book to read when you’re in a mood so specific that i hardly even know what i should call it. if you’re ever feeling sad and want a warm hug. if you’re feeling silly and want a good laugh. if you’re a hopeless romantic. if you like old music. if you want something full to the very brim with the most wholesome and pure tropes in the world. most importantly though!! if you like complex, well fleshed characters and also a whole lot of deep stuff that you definitely won’t expect coming from such a seemingly innocent YA, gay Cinderella/Romeo & Juliet retelling.
this book wasn’t perfect, but i really did have a blast reading it and i’m always down for cute, uplifting romance books. i don’t really think there’s too much i can say at this point because i’m still trying to process those last few chapters but i genuinely wasn’t expecting this book to be one of my favorites of the year (so far) but here we are!! and i’m having the time of my life baby!!!
READ THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG!!!
https://bit.ly/2wmj2XC
girls don’t like boys, girls like SLOW BURN SHIPS AND EXTREMELY WELL DEVELOPED CHARACTERS WITH PALPABLE, UNMISTAKEABLE, TANGIBLE CHEMISTRY !!!!!!!!!
dear God, this book was so much more than i bargained for in the best possible way. Sometime After Midnight is definitely the kind of book to read when you’re in a mood so specific that i hardly even know what i should call it. if you’re ever feeling sad and want a warm hug. if you’re feeling silly and want a good laugh. if you’re a hopeless romantic. if you like old music. if you want something full to the very brim with the most wholesome and pure tropes in the world. most importantly though!! if you like complex, well fleshed characters and also a whole lot of deep stuff that you definitely won’t expect coming from such a seemingly innocent YA, gay Cinderella/Romeo & Juliet retelling.
this book wasn’t perfect, but i really did have a blast reading it and i’m always down for cute, uplifting romance books. i don’t really think there’s too much i can say at this point because i’m still trying to process those last few chapters but i genuinely wasn’t expecting this book to be one of my favorites of the year (so far) but here we are!! and i’m having the time of my life baby!!!
May 1, 2022
I liked this book the first time I read it, and I still liked it a lot the second time. There, now that that’s out of the way, let me say this; reading the music discussion in this book was like overhearing two boomer dads at a family picnic talking about how music has gone to shit nowadays. Are you really trying to tell me that Nate and Cameron, both teenagers, don’t know ANY contemporary artists!? Other than that, it’s a gay modern retelling of Cinderella. I mean, what’s not to like?
(Total eye roll count: 5)
(Total eye roll count: 5)
dnf
December 2, 2018Not the right book for me. DNF @ 20%
January 10, 2018
This book was exactly what I wanted it to be - sweet, funny, well-written, and full of music that made me want to plug in my headphones and fall into the melodies and lyrics that move me. It reminded me occasionally of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, but it had a lovely Cinderella-feel all its own. Both boys are adorable, the sidekicks are wonderful, and it just makes you smile. And let me just say that when I'm willing to stay up to finish a teen-centric novel sometime after midnight (see what I did there?), that's about the highest praise I can give.
August 29, 2018
It wasn't as good as L. Philips's Perfect Ten, but I still enjoyed it. No regrets in reading it.
May 11, 2020
Hot damn.
This book was great. It was wonderful. It was such a lovely twist on tropes that are nearing the end of their lifespan.
I really enjoyed reading this one, and it was such a bundle of fun, I couldn't help but enjoy.
It was like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, but better and wayyy more queer. It was more exciting, less try-hard-quirky, and had enough tropes to pull you in but not too much to push you out.
I mean, this was basically made for me. It combines all my favorite tropes (Cinderella? Check! Famous person? Check!) and is diverse feat. LGBTQ+ main characters.
There had to be something large and terrible happen to make me not like this book, and I'm glad to say that didn't happen and I ended up enjoying it.
It felt clean and polished--I actually enjoyed how well Philips wrapped up the ending and worked to make it all fall together even though I'm notorious for disliking the endings to contemporaries--but with enough grit & dark background to make the cover seem fitting.
I like how Philips incorporated the background little by little. At first it's just like a Cinderella story (or, should I say CinderFELLA story), but then Philips adds the layers to Nate & Cameron's respective pasts. You find out more and more about what happened with Nate's dad and Cameron's father's record company (without any flashbacks, I might add) and it all was incorporated very naturally.
I love how Philips added this twist on the story, because honestly there's not a lot to the Cinderella trope and you need a little more substance to keep it afloat, else your book could be summed up in a 10 page children's board book.
Similarly, Philips did a nice job of developing the characters. I liked both Nate and Cameron's characters and I thought Philips managed to shape their present thought processes and actions well based on the things they experienced in their past and the way they grew up.
In the end, the only thing I wasn't too fond of was the romance. In my opinion, when Philips added more about their background, it kind of took up more page-time than the actual romance between Nate and Cameron. We ended up focusing a lot on them getting over their past issues rather than them bonding romantically, so it did feel a little insta-lovey to me.
Nate and Cameron bonded a lot over their love for music and they music they played together, and I felt like that dominated the actual romance. I'm not actually sure they could end up being really great romantic partners, but I don't think that was Philips' end goal for this story, so it didn't matter to me.
This is more of a book about finding your way to another person and overcoming your past to potentially lead to something great and amazing.
I have to admit, I was definitely turned off a little by the cover, but the description (and the book) totally won me over. Ignore the cover if you need to. Just read this book!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading and found Sometime After Midnight to be a refreshing twist on some of my favorite tropes. There was nothing I explicitly didn't like, and I think this book definitely deserves a lot more love & buzz.
If you're looking for a book featuring the indie music scene, a modern twist on the Cinderella trope, and/or queer boys falling in love, I definitely recommend you check this one out!
This book was great. It was wonderful. It was such a lovely twist on tropes that are nearing the end of their lifespan.
I really enjoyed reading this one, and it was such a bundle of fun, I couldn't help but enjoy.
It was like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, but better and wayyy more queer. It was more exciting, less try-hard-quirky, and had enough tropes to pull you in but not too much to push you out.
I mean, this was basically made for me. It combines all my favorite tropes (Cinderella? Check! Famous person? Check!) and is diverse feat. LGBTQ+ main characters.
There had to be something large and terrible happen to make me not like this book, and I'm glad to say that didn't happen and I ended up enjoying it.
It felt clean and polished--I actually enjoyed how well Philips wrapped up the ending and worked to make it all fall together even though I'm notorious for disliking the endings to contemporaries--but with enough grit & dark background to make the cover seem fitting.
I like how Philips incorporated the background little by little. At first it's just like a Cinderella story (or, should I say CinderFELLA story), but then Philips adds the layers to Nate & Cameron's respective pasts. You find out more and more about what happened with Nate's dad and Cameron's father's record company (without any flashbacks, I might add) and it all was incorporated very naturally.
I love how Philips added this twist on the story, because honestly there's not a lot to the Cinderella trope and you need a little more substance to keep it afloat, else your book could be summed up in a 10 page children's board book.
Similarly, Philips did a nice job of developing the characters. I liked both Nate and Cameron's characters and I thought Philips managed to shape their present thought processes and actions well based on the things they experienced in their past and the way they grew up.
In the end, the only thing I wasn't too fond of was the romance. In my opinion, when Philips added more about their background, it kind of took up more page-time than the actual romance between Nate and Cameron. We ended up focusing a lot on them getting over their past issues rather than them bonding romantically, so it did feel a little insta-lovey to me.
Nate and Cameron bonded a lot over their love for music and they music they played together, and I felt like that dominated the actual romance. I'm not actually sure they could end up being really great romantic partners, but I don't think that was Philips' end goal for this story, so it didn't matter to me.
This is more of a book about finding your way to another person and overcoming your past to potentially lead to something great and amazing.
I have to admit, I was definitely turned off a little by the cover, but the description (and the book) totally won me over. Ignore the cover if you need to. Just read this book!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading and found Sometime After Midnight to be a refreshing twist on some of my favorite tropes. There was nothing I explicitly didn't like, and I think this book definitely deserves a lot more love & buzz.
If you're looking for a book featuring the indie music scene, a modern twist on the Cinderella trope, and/or queer boys falling in love, I definitely recommend you check this one out!
August 22, 2018
This was an enjoyable read overall.
Nate and Cam were both lovely characters and I liked their relationship. Their story was very sweet, but the parts about Nate's father kept it from being too fluffy.
I also appreciated that this story wasn't about them being gay. Very refreshing.
And on the sidenote, I love how well the book cover fits the story.
The writing itself was beautiful, but there were parts of the book that dragged a bit, especially the dialogues. They were too long and repetitive at times and didn't sound natural.
There were also some parts of the story concerning the music industry that I found to be a bit unrealistic.
Nate and Cam were both lovely characters and I liked their relationship. Their story was very sweet, but the parts about Nate's father kept it from being too fluffy.
I also appreciated that this story wasn't about them being gay. Very refreshing.
And on the sidenote, I love how well the book cover fits the story.
The writing itself was beautiful, but there were parts of the book that dragged a bit, especially the dialogues. They were too long and repetitive at times and didn't sound natural.
There were also some parts of the story concerning the music industry that I found to be a bit unrealistic.
June 22, 2018
I liked this book overall. What I especially appreciated was a gay book that had nothing to do with BEING GAY. No one had a problem with the main characters being gay, they had no anxiety about being gay themselves; it was just another aspect of their lives and nothing more. And that is so refreshing to read.
The story of two musicians finding their missing piece in each other was also great, as was the mystery of Nate's father's death and how Cam's family (his own father, in particular) may have had a hand in it. Makes for some great non-gay-related drama, which me likes.
I had two issues with the book. Well, three. The first being that some of the editing was sloppy (and I blame it a little more on editing, since the writing itself wasn't bad). One example is that in one scene, Cam thinks, "He wouldn't cross the street to spit on me if I were on fire." And in the very next scene, Nate thinks, "I wouldn't cross the street to spit on him if he was on fire." This happened several times throughout the book.
The second issue was that everyone was too... wholesome? Not a single person in the entire book had any ulterior motives, and everyone did everything they said they would and was completely honest all the time. While this is very idealistic, it's not very realistic, and I kept WAITING for someone to show their true colors, to do something for their own gain... but nothing ever happened. It was all very I trust you, you trust me, everyone trusts one another, even though none of us really knows each other... which is kind of boring. I very much enjoyed the romantic storyline, but it could've used a BIT of extra drama.
And thirdly... probably not going to be a POPULAR thing to say... but I felt a little hoodwinked once I found out the author was female. I have been trying to support more OWN Voices authors, and the first initial threw me enough that I didn't check to see if the author was male before buying (or starting to read) the book. The author has talent, but if I'm going to support gay books, I'd prefer to support the gays who write them when I can.
Other than that, was an enjoyable book. Will likely see what else she has to offer.
The story of two musicians finding their missing piece in each other was also great, as was the mystery of Nate's father's death and how Cam's family (his own father, in particular) may have had a hand in it. Makes for some great non-gay-related drama, which me likes.
I had two issues with the book. Well, three. The first being that some of the editing was sloppy (and I blame it a little more on editing, since the writing itself wasn't bad). One example is that in one scene, Cam thinks, "He wouldn't cross the street to spit on me if I were on fire." And in the very next scene, Nate thinks, "I wouldn't cross the street to spit on him if he was on fire." This happened several times throughout the book.
The second issue was that everyone was too... wholesome? Not a single person in the entire book had any ulterior motives, and everyone did everything they said they would and was completely honest all the time. While this is very idealistic, it's not very realistic, and I kept WAITING for someone to show their true colors, to do something for their own gain... but nothing ever happened. It was all very I trust you, you trust me, everyone trusts one another, even though none of us really knows each other... which is kind of boring. I very much enjoyed the romantic storyline, but it could've used a BIT of extra drama.
And thirdly... probably not going to be a POPULAR thing to say... but I felt a little hoodwinked once I found out the author was female. I have been trying to support more OWN Voices authors, and the first initial threw me enough that I didn't check to see if the author was male before buying (or starting to read) the book. The author has talent, but if I'm going to support gay books, I'd prefer to support the gays who write them when I can.
Other than that, was an enjoyable book. Will likely see what else she has to offer.
May 29, 2021
So these two attractive cool kids meet at club, share a dance or two, go out to an alley to get to know each other, find mutual chemistry, until . . . the poor kid learns who the rich kid's father is.
As the poor kid is fleeing back into the club, the rich kid gets a photo of the vanishing poor kid. It's grainy. But the poor kid, who loves the same music as the rich kid, is wearing very creatively marked up sneakers (See cover). Rich kid has a famous twin sister with an Instagram account followed by the masses . . . .
Thus, begins the charming story of this Cinderfella, enemies-to-lovers romance, set against the backdrop of the music business.
The dialogue sounds too sentency for teenagers in places. It was not a dealbreaker.
I loved Sometime After Midnight.
As the poor kid is fleeing back into the club, the rich kid gets a photo of the vanishing poor kid. It's grainy. But the poor kid, who loves the same music as the rich kid, is wearing very creatively marked up sneakers (See cover). Rich kid has a famous twin sister with an Instagram account followed by the masses . . . .
Thus, begins the charming story of this Cinderfella, enemies-to-lovers romance, set against the backdrop of the music business.
The dialogue sounds too sentency for teenagers in places. It was not a dealbreaker.
I loved Sometime After Midnight.
July 6, 2018
This has the potential to be an amazing story and instead fell flat for me. While I did like the concept, I felt as though the delivery was lack luster. I didn't love any of the characters and there needed to be more kissing. None of the plot lines ever truly felt like the got wrapped up, and I felt that everything was too easy for the characters, especially towards the end. Overall not terrible, but a disappointment nonetheless.
September 4, 2018
It's hard to figure out where to start my review on this one because there are so many things I liked about it. I read this book of nearly 400 pages in barely two days. I couldn't stop reading. The story simply flowed and I loved that.
Then we have our two main characters, Nate and Cameron. Sometime After Midnight is written from both their perspectives and that adds so much to the story.
We see how Nate struggles with losing his father, how that impacts his views, principles and overall character. He's still grieving and dealing with everything. I really believe it's portrayed well.
As for Cameron, he isn't the snobbish rich kid I expected him to be. He's quite grown-up and knows what he wants. Although, I have to admit, there are some moments where he goes spoiled and rich all the way but when you've grown up like that.. I guess it's hard not to act like it sometimes as well.
Overall I simply liked how their relationship came to be, grew and how they found their spots in life.
Of course I have to mention the LGBTQIA+ factor in this story. Especially since Cameron's a celebrity and his sexuality is simply accepted. Same goes for Nate. There's no homophobia whatsoever in this story which might make it a bit unrealistic since it's celebrities we're talking about but.. Let's just say it gave me hope for a better world than the one we live in today!
I also adored the musical aspect of this story. The author's musical knowledge really came forward and even made me look up some of the artists mentioned because why not?!
I did miss a couple of things in this story though. Overall I liked the characters, but they still felt flat to me as well. I loved the story, but I simply wasn't really interested in getting to know our characters better than I did? I just wanted to know how the story went - if you get what I mean.
Another thing I only thought of a couple of days after finishing this book is how the characters actually had it.. pretty easy at the end of the story? Maybe throughout the entire story, in a way. Some things got wrapped up very easily, things I expected more of a struggle with. Maybe that would've made the ending more heart-felt.
Even though there are some things I didn't like, I did absolutely love reading this story. I flew through it. It's a cute, fluffy and light gay romance - which I was simply so in the mood for anyway! Definitely makes me go easy on the rating this time, haha.
4,5 / 5!
Kathy
Then we have our two main characters, Nate and Cameron. Sometime After Midnight is written from both their perspectives and that adds so much to the story.
We see how Nate struggles with losing his father, how that impacts his views, principles and overall character. He's still grieving and dealing with everything. I really believe it's portrayed well.
As for Cameron, he isn't the snobbish rich kid I expected him to be. He's quite grown-up and knows what he wants. Although, I have to admit, there are some moments where he goes spoiled and rich all the way but when you've grown up like that.. I guess it's hard not to act like it sometimes as well.
Overall I simply liked how their relationship came to be, grew and how they found their spots in life.
Of course I have to mention the LGBTQIA+ factor in this story. Especially since Cameron's a celebrity and his sexuality is simply accepted. Same goes for Nate. There's no homophobia whatsoever in this story which might make it a bit unrealistic since it's celebrities we're talking about but.. Let's just say it gave me hope for a better world than the one we live in today!
I also adored the musical aspect of this story. The author's musical knowledge really came forward and even made me look up some of the artists mentioned because why not?!
I did miss a couple of things in this story though. Overall I liked the characters, but they still felt flat to me as well. I loved the story, but I simply wasn't really interested in getting to know our characters better than I did? I just wanted to know how the story went - if you get what I mean.
Another thing I only thought of a couple of days after finishing this book is how the characters actually had it.. pretty easy at the end of the story? Maybe throughout the entire story, in a way. Some things got wrapped up very easily, things I expected more of a struggle with. Maybe that would've made the ending more heart-felt.
Even though there are some things I didn't like, I did absolutely love reading this story. I flew through it. It's a cute, fluffy and light gay romance - which I was simply so in the mood for anyway! Definitely makes me go easy on the rating this time, haha.
4,5 / 5!
Kathy
January 12, 2019
DNF’d this one.
Sooooo many issues...
First of all, this book needed content warnings for suicide that were NOT given. I was really unpleasantly caught of guard. Second, it was too long and overwritten. Third, the writing itself was flat and one-dimensional in every way. Fourth, NOTHING in this story felt believable. Even if the premise and the situations the characters find themselves in were far-fetched, the believability of those characters and their relationships could have made this book great. Unfortunately, this book had none of those things and what I was left with was a completely charmless story that I just could not be bothered with in the ending.
*face palms for the rest of eternity*
Sooooo many issues...
First of all, this book needed content warnings for suicide that were NOT given. I was really unpleasantly caught of guard. Second, it was too long and overwritten. Third, the writing itself was flat and one-dimensional in every way. Fourth, NOTHING in this story felt believable. Even if the premise and the situations the characters find themselves in were far-fetched, the believability of those characters and their relationships could have made this book great. Unfortunately, this book had none of those things and what I was left with was a completely charmless story that I just could not be bothered with in the ending.
*face palms for the rest of eternity*
October 27, 2021
GAY I LOVE IT
August 22, 2018
I have zero strong feelings here.
Who’s it about?
Nate, son of a talented guitar player, and Cameron, son of a record label.
Where’s it set?
Los Angeles
What’s it about?
Nate is the son of a legendary guitar player who never managed to release an album before the pressure of his record label, Paradise, allegedly drove him to suicide. Cameron is the son of Paradise's president and harbours a dream of singing professionally. The two meet by chance and find their music styles perfectly align.
Romance Factor
Fluffy, sweet, they talk things out a lot. It's a little instalove-y, but almost acceptable considering their work on something rather intimate — their music — together.
Highs
Cute, non-stressful, everything wraps up nicely.
Lows
Written by an (afaik) straight woman, some prose issues, the instalove, might be too laidback for some.
Writing Style
Readable and occasionally funny. There's some issues in terms of filter words, but they don't do any heavy damage. The author's biggest sin is constantly comparing characters to celebrities and describing music styles as a+b=c. I could understand describing Cameron as "Elvis and Jack Kennedy’s love child" but throwing it in for meaningless side characters is annoying. The same goes for music descriptions. She's capable of decent descriptions — He’s got a voice that’s just otherworldly. It makes me picture things like angels ice-skating, or Pan’s hypnotic flute — but mostly it's a lot of:
It's bleh.
Vibes
Sweet, but generic. Feels a little like reading m/m fanfic by a girl who mostly knows how to stay in her own lane.
Representation and Social Issues
The author never tries to awkwardly incorporate any homophobia. It's very much escapism, something sweet and light. There's some healthy discussion of mental illness without demonizing it. "Evil" step-mother isn't a bad person, more healthy discussion there. But man, there are NO characters of colour. None! Friggin' none! Not even as a best friend or in the other bands. Yiiikes.
Thoughts
I really don't have any heavy thoughts here. It's a sweet, untaxing read, but might elicit some eye rolls. My only real complaints are the comparisons when it comes to musical and character descriptions, the instalove, and the lack of representation.
Is it fun?
I wouldn't say it's fun, but if it's your cup of tea, it might be something nice to take a break with between heavier reads.
Worth Reading?
Do you like sweet gay romances? Then probably.
Who’s it about?
Nate, son of a talented guitar player, and Cameron, son of a record label.
Where’s it set?
Los Angeles
What’s it about?
Nate is the son of a legendary guitar player who never managed to release an album before the pressure of his record label, Paradise, allegedly drove him to suicide. Cameron is the son of Paradise's president and harbours a dream of singing professionally. The two meet by chance and find their music styles perfectly align.
Romance Factor
Fluffy, sweet, they talk things out a lot. It's a little instalove-y, but almost acceptable considering their work on something rather intimate — their music — together.
Highs
Cute, non-stressful, everything wraps up nicely.
Lows
Written by an (afaik) straight woman, some prose issues, the instalove, might be too laidback for some.
Writing Style
Readable and occasionally funny. There's some issues in terms of filter words, but they don't do any heavy damage. The author's biggest sin is constantly comparing characters to celebrities and describing music styles as a+b=c. I could understand describing Cameron as "Elvis and Jack Kennedy’s love child" but throwing it in for meaningless side characters is annoying. The same goes for music descriptions. She's capable of decent descriptions — He’s got a voice that’s just otherworldly. It makes me picture things like angels ice-skating, or Pan’s hypnotic flute — but mostly it's a lot of:
“See? You get it. Marvin Gaye meets the Beach Boys meets Bob Dylan. But modern, so . . .”
“So . . .” I think. “Adele meets Jack Johnson meets the Avett Brothers.”
It's bleh.
Vibes
Sweet, but generic. Feels a little like reading m/m fanfic by a girl who mostly knows how to stay in her own lane.
Representation and Social Issues
The author never tries to awkwardly incorporate any homophobia. It's very much escapism, something sweet and light. There's some healthy discussion of mental illness without demonizing it. "Evil" step-mother isn't a bad person, more healthy discussion there. But man, there are NO characters of colour. None! Friggin' none! Not even as a best friend or in the other bands. Yiiikes.
Thoughts
I really don't have any heavy thoughts here. It's a sweet, untaxing read, but might elicit some eye rolls. My only real complaints are the comparisons when it comes to musical and character descriptions, the instalove, and the lack of representation.
Is it fun?
I wouldn't say it's fun, but if it's your cup of tea, it might be something nice to take a break with between heavier reads.
Worth Reading?
Do you like sweet gay romances? Then probably.
February 8, 2018
Aw, this book was so cute. I really, really loved Nate and Cameron. They were both so adorable and geeky.
The one problem I had with the book is a fault of my own. I have zero knowledge of music and there is a lot of music references and talk in this book. So, therefore, a lot of those parts went over my head. But the character and main story were good enough that I still loved the book.
I was happy about the lgbt representation in this book. I was pleasantly surprised about mental illness being discussed and addressed. The author did a good job handling the topic.
The one problem I had with the book is a fault of my own. I have zero knowledge of music and there is a lot of music references and talk in this book. So, therefore, a lot of those parts went over my head. But the character and main story were good enough that I still loved the book.
I was happy about the lgbt representation in this book. I was pleasantly surprised about mental illness being discussed and addressed. The author did a good job handling the topic.
August 29, 2018
Well. This book turned me into a bitter pterodactyl; I barked and squawked with exasperation more times than I could count. L. Philips has Definitely written some fan fiction in her time because this is one of the ficciest fic premises I’ve read in ages. So many elements felt heavy handed and the amount of convenient plot allowances were UNBELIEVABLE and a little bit agonizing.
However. I know that 14, 15 year old me would have been allll over this. All of the precocious musical references, detailed descriptions of outfits, and swoony romance is exactly the kind of bullshit that makes a teenager’s heart sing, and that is why I made myself finish reading. Despite the fact that the whole plot is a VERY delicate bubble in the balance of suspended disbelief, things get much more quality in the last 70 pages. It was nice to end a difficult read on an upswing for once!
3 stars, extremely YA, COMPLETELY ABSURD, and you can absolutely bet that I will booktalk the hell out of this to teens who will adore it.
However. I know that 14, 15 year old me would have been allll over this. All of the precocious musical references, detailed descriptions of outfits, and swoony romance is exactly the kind of bullshit that makes a teenager’s heart sing, and that is why I made myself finish reading. Despite the fact that the whole plot is a VERY delicate bubble in the balance of suspended disbelief, things get much more quality in the last 70 pages. It was nice to end a difficult read on an upswing for once!
3 stars, extremely YA, COMPLETELY ABSURD, and you can absolutely bet that I will booktalk the hell out of this to teens who will adore it.
April 28, 2021
I had an incredibly strange experience reading this one. I generally love LGBT YA books, and as I started “Sometime After Midnight,” I was convinced I was in my jam. A clear four star book.
Yes, the characters and premise of the book were a little unbelievable (ok totally unbelievable), but that’s ok right? As long as I’m entertained, I can forgive a lot.
Then, somewhere along the way, I forgot I was being entertained, and by the time I got to the end, I was rolling my eyes at the cheese. My first thought after finishing the book was, “there is no way I can give this four stars.”
With a little more time to reflect, I realized that I didn’t really find any of the characters engaging, and I didn’t care what happened to them. I also feel like there was a missed opportunity to address serious mental health issues in a more meaningful way.
So now that I’ve put a few of my thoughts together, I’ve talked myself down from three stars to two. I just don’t see myself picking this one up to read again, and I can only recommend it with reservations.
Yes, the characters and premise of the book were a little unbelievable (ok totally unbelievable), but that’s ok right? As long as I’m entertained, I can forgive a lot.
Then, somewhere along the way, I forgot I was being entertained, and by the time I got to the end, I was rolling my eyes at the cheese. My first thought after finishing the book was, “there is no way I can give this four stars.”
With a little more time to reflect, I realized that I didn’t really find any of the characters engaging, and I didn’t care what happened to them. I also feel like there was a missed opportunity to address serious mental health issues in a more meaningful way.
So now that I’ve put a few of my thoughts together, I’ve talked myself down from three stars to two. I just don’t see myself picking this one up to read again, and I can only recommend it with reservations.
August 8, 2020
wow... this was everything i wanted. i loved how l philips explored deeper topics in this book, and i’m so incredibly excited for her next book. my only problem was that i feel like problems were resolved a bit too easily, but i’m happy to let that slide because the book was so goddamn cute.
March 15, 2020
This is a really nice read. It’s about two boys but it could easily be about two girls of a girl and a boy too. The book surprised me, well written, a simple theme with some layers and no hassle about coming out.
September 24, 2018
this was basically fanfiction that fifteen year old me would have LOVED so I'm not mad about it
January 21, 2024
rep: gay mcs
it definitely wasn't bad - actually, it's pretty well written - but honestly i just don't understand how u could take this premise & make out of it a book this boring?? god, it just truly goes on forever !!
i really appreciate the effort put into making the m/m relationship so wholesome, tho
there's a lot of talk abt mental health here, or more precisely - lack thereof. frankly, the whole book somewhat hinges on it. but there's also surprisingly little conflict. and while it makes for a sweet, heartwarming story, it also makes for a pretty boring one. i don't mean i want to read abt tortured gay teens, i don't, i definitely prefer when they support each other. but i gotta have sth to keep me on my toes, man! and it's just not here.
it definitely wasn't bad - actually, it's pretty well written - but honestly i just don't understand how u could take this premise & make out of it a book this boring?? god, it just truly goes on forever !!
i really appreciate the effort put into making the m/m relationship so wholesome, tho
there's a lot of talk abt mental health here, or more precisely - lack thereof. frankly, the whole book somewhat hinges on it. but there's also surprisingly little conflict. and while it makes for a sweet, heartwarming story, it also makes for a pretty boring one. i don't mean i want to read abt tortured gay teens, i don't, i definitely prefer when they support each other. but i gotta have sth to keep me on my toes, man! and it's just not here.
June 16, 2020
Actual rating: 3.5
This was just the right amount. I've read my fair share of Cinderella retellings but this was still refreshing enough, and the setting was really fun. There was a nice balance of angst, fluff and hate to love. As far as romcoms go, this was a great one! I'm actually thinking it would be awesome as a movie as well.
I did have a few issues regarding some problematic language, but nothing that impacted the story.
CWs: fatphobia (not addressed), ableist language (not addressed), suicide by a parent, grief, mentions of panic attacks.
This was just the right amount. I've read my fair share of Cinderella retellings but this was still refreshing enough, and the setting was really fun. There was a nice balance of angst, fluff and hate to love. As far as romcoms go, this was a great one! I'm actually thinking it would be awesome as a movie as well.
I did have a few issues regarding some problematic language, but nothing that impacted the story.
CWs: fatphobia (not addressed), ableist language (not addressed), suicide by a parent, grief, mentions of panic attacks.
September 7, 2021
This book showed great promise at the start with the plot line but it was sometimes far too stretched and exhausting. Exchanges between people were kinda unrealistic, to the point they made me cringe...
It was an easy, fun read though and i loved how some relationships were portrayed in it💜
It was an easy, fun read though and i loved how some relationships were portrayed in it💜
December 26, 2019
These characters read way older than they are to me but aside from that I thought this was a fun read.
December 11, 2018
Trigger warnings: fatphobia, mention of mental illness (schizophrenia), mention and description of suicide
This was the first book I’ve enjoyed in a long long time, even though it wasn’t perfect. I really liked the characters and kept guessing what would be the big reveal but I didn’t expect what it was. Also it’s more Romeo & Juliet than Cinderella in my opinion, more enemies to lovers, which is one of my favorite tropes. All in all, I enjoyed the romance part and was rooting for the main couple. :)
This was the first book I’ve enjoyed in a long long time, even though it wasn’t perfect. I really liked the characters and kept guessing what would be the big reveal but I didn’t expect what it was. Also it’s more Romeo & Juliet than Cinderella in my opinion, more enemies to lovers, which is one of my favorite tropes. All in all, I enjoyed the romance part and was rooting for the main couple. :)
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