Sometime After Midnight: A Cinderella Story

Gr 9 Up—Nate Grisheimer is a musical prodigy, son of a legendary guitarist who killed himself when the record label he was signed to—Paradise Entertainment, run by power-hungry music mogul Richard Pierce—sapped him of his creativity. Nate's only dream is to follow in his father's footsteps and continue his legacy, but he's held back by his fast food job, his emotionally distant stepmother, and the fact that he can't sing. His voice doesn't capture his music and lyrics the way he wants, and he's desperate to find that perfect voice. Richard Cameron Pierce, Jr. is the heir to the Paradise fortune, along with his twin sister Tess. His real ambition is not to run Paradise, but to be one of its artists. He hasn't found musicians good enough to bring his words to life. Plus, he's promised his father that he would spend a gap year learning about the business. So when Cameron attends a small concert by a band that has potential, and meets a cute, mysterious guy named Nate, the meeting has unforeseen implications for both of them—especially when Nate realizes who Cameron really is, and what he represents. Philips (Perfect Ten) has created a realistic, not-overly-mushy, well-written romance with a mostly white cast. Nate and Cameron's relationship is rocky, sweet, tense, real, and not the driving force of the story, which is refreshing. Readers will love Nate's hipster-ness and Cameron's humility despite his privilege.