Sometime After Midnight

Philips offers a star-crossed romance between two teenage boys, Nate and Cameron, both aspiring musicians. Cameron’s dad has a successful record label, and Nate’s dad was a famous musician who committed suicide under mysterious circumstances related to Cameron’s father. The two teens meet while seeing a band, yet Nate runs—and keeps on running—when he finds out who Cameron’s father is. Cameron’s überfamous twin sister, Tess, sends out a tweet asking for help identifying her brother’s “Cinderfella,” and Nate’s life is upended with paparazzi and posts about his father. Told in alternating first-person perspectives, this is an unapologetic fairy tale about boys. Philips pulls out all the romantic stops—heartfelt songs written by one boy for the other, giant obstacles in the way of their love that they must overcome, love conquering all, and the rest of the world hanging on what will happen in their story. A rare sort of romance that is cheesy in the best of ways. Ages 14–up.[em] (June) [/em]