This was a much harder read than I anticipated it being. I guess I didn't fully realize what it was about when I picked it up. I have never been through what the main characters have in this book so I guess in that regard it was very eye opening. I would imagine for someone who has lived through this these characters and story line could be very affirming. I also feel like I have a better idea of what it would be like to have experianced life this way. I was so very glad to see that Deedee's mom got help in the end.

4.25 stars
Thank you to the Disney Publishing and NetGalley for the galley of Midnights With You!

In Midnights With You, 17 year old Deedee longs to escape her life full of family secrets and questions that haunt her. But two things stop her from leaving—guilt, and the fact that her strict, single mom won’t let her learn how to drive. But after a sleepless night, Deedee becomes entangled with Jay, the new boy next door, whose family life also keeps him up all night. As late nights bleed into early mornings, Jay secretly teaches Deedee how to drive and they begin to imagine a brighter future and a growing romance. But as Jay and Deedee both begin to dig into their family experiences and trauma, it threatens to tear them apart. They must decide if their inherited trauma will choose their fate for them, or if they have the power to take control of their lives for themselves.

MWY is a story of first love and heartbreak, but also of trauma and complex family dynamics. I think every young adult would want to pick this up, especially those struggling with intergenerational trauma and growing up. You'll giggle at Deedee and Jay's teenage escapades, but also cry at their pains. I can't wait to see what Clare Osongco writes next!

Thank you for sending this book for review! I read it as part of my reading for a YA award committee and cannot give my full review here, but I appreciate the chance to read it and give it consideration!

Chapter Two starts with the line "If I could drive, i could fix it." and as someone who resorts to midnight driving whenever things became out of control, I could not agree more.

Midnights with You is one of my most anticipated 2024 YA releases since the author posted the prompts about this book and I became even more excited when I saw the cover art looking both calm and mysterious.

In this story, we follow two high school seniors as they get to know each other over late-night driving lessons while also talking about the one thing they have in common: family trauma.

First thing that I want to highlight is how beautiful the author's writing style. MWY is written in a way that it celebrated the characters' honesty and vulnerability as something synonymous to strength. Both MCs are aware of the reality in their respective houses and they decided to try to control it on their own thinking that they should carry the burden alone along with the fear of bothering others. But the story progression showed that through mutual connections, heavy things became bearably lighter.

The story is wrapped in a theme that is relatable to many - intergenerational trauma. Deedee and Jay grew up in a house with single mothers who are suffering from painful experiences and it was heartbreaking how these translated to the MCs feeling accountable not only for their own survival but for their household as well.

Filipino representation is the biggest factor why I want to read, review, and promote this book. I am always on the lookout for Akdang Pinoy (releases from Filipino authors both locally and internationally) and after reading, I want to commend how fitting November as its release month given the plenty of scary references - both fictional and anecdotal.

Romance happened realistically and I like how the discussion of their feelings did not overshadow the equally-important discourse about the MC's respective mental health. Who would have thought that having a new neighbor will result to being able to conquer your fear of acknowledging your feeling and learning to drive a stick? Definitely not Deedee.

There are so many things to talk about this book and I highlighted so many lines that really resonated with me but what made this debut novel stood out is the realistic and soulful interpretation of young adults who are attempting to find answers even when their closest ones try to bury the truth.

There are different ways of handling and healing from trauma - in the story of Deedee and Jay I'm grateful that they found solace through each others' presence and conversations about their shared wounds.

This is definitely a five-star read and I highly recommend if you want a hard-hitting YA that tackles generational trauma, family secrets, grief and healing, while taking you to multiple late-night drives.

MIDNIGHTS WITH YOU by Clare Osongco is a heart-wrenching, emotional story in the vein of Kelly Loy Gilbert's novels. The depth of the characters is exquisite the story keeps things on the quiet side, rather than revealing things in loud, bright scenes. I really appreciated that romance was not depicted as some magic "fixes all" resolution for the characters. The story felt grounded. I'm recommending this to my students to read and will be building a creative writing craft lesson about getting emotion on the page with this book as an exemplar text.

Simultaneously sweet and painful to read. A realistic look at falling in love while dealing with one's own trauma. It is sometimes hard to get through verbal abuse directed at DeeDee, but I appreciate the story nonetheless and am glad that the characters' love story is not painted as a fix all for the serious family issues they face.

WHAT A BOOK! I mean, my heart was wrenched out of my chest and put back in bleeding. This had such emotion and tragedy and sadness that I barely breathed the whole time I was reading it. It reminded me a bit of Kelly Loy Gilbert's When We Were Infinite and Kristin Dwyer's Some Mistakes Were Made in the sense that both reads are so emotional and painful, and real. And being Filipino myself, this was a special read.

Definitely a worthy addition to our collection!

Ahhhh… this is such a heartfelt and moving story that lingers long after you finish. Deedee and Jay’s journey is raw and honest, tackling big emotions like generational trauma, first love, and learning to find strength in yourself, all while capturing the sweetness of late-night drives and stolen moments. I couldn’t help but feel deeply for these characters—this book is a powerful reminder of how love, in all its forms, can heal and transform.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Clare Osongco, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Deedee’s life is full of family ghosts and questions she can’t ask. She longs to get away, but between guilt and her strict Filipino single mom won’t let her learn to drive. But one night leads Deedee down a road she never thought possible: secret driving lessons with the new boy next door, Jay, who's family keeps him up at night too.

As midnights stretch into days, Jay helps Deedee begin to look at her past, Deedee starts to imagine a life where happiness is possible. Can Jay and Deedee find happiness in their lives and with each other?

A touching YA read that all teens should read!

I presented this book at NCTE! Thank you for sharing it in this format. :)

I will also be using this with my pre-service teachers in the fall!

What a beautiful, heartbreaking debut novel! A deep examination of family trauma, abuse, neglect, and diaspora, but told with a gentle quietness rather than a heavy hand. Both Dee Dee and Jay feel the pressure of family expectations and do all they can to hide their hurt from all the misunderstanding and neglect they are given in return. While this story is raw it is also very powerful, and so very hopeful.

A gut wrenching story about growing, grief, and the complications of love. A girl who yearns to escape her house finds herself sneaking off to get driving lessons from her neighbor... a boy who is also trying to run away from his own problems... yet as they find comfort and romance in each other... so do the complications of their own family lives begin to grow and soon they'll have to learn to grow and face their issues head on. This was a gut wrenching coming of age story about a seventeen year old girl who's whom life is horrible, with a mother who is constantly telling her she is a disappointment to wishing she was never born, every interaction is volatile and has her questioning her own worth and if she is only alive to ruin everyone's life.... and then she meets her new neighbor, a boy struggling to just stay above water to help his family yet growing up too fast with all the burden on his own shoulders... yet they find a comfort in one another as they begin to spend late nights sneaking off and driving... yet their lives are only getting more complicated and they can't run from their problems for long. This was such a hard story to read because you truly are in it with the characters, they are going through so much and you just want to go into the book and give them a hug. They're both just kids yet being made to endure so much and seeing them grow, and seeing them set boundaries and work on themselves before finding their way back to one another was so perfect and well done. I really do think this is a story everyone should read because it really hones in on so many important things. It's a beautiful story and definitely touches your heart.

Release Date: November 12, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

two insomniacs, a girl learning to drive against her mother’s wishes, a boy wanting to escape his responsibilities, will love be their salvation or damnation?

thanks to clare osongco and disney hyperion for sending me an eARC through netgalley! this does not affect my thoughts about the book in any way. out today!

“I’m sure the things that haunt us wouldn’t be the same. But I kind of wonder if they’d rhyme.”

this book. i-- idk what to say to do justice this masterpiece of writing. this is a painstakingly raw book that deals with the life of an immigrant child and how her mother's inability to process her grief healthily, deeply affected her.

reading this book was hard, cause i could see bits of my life reflected on those pages and i did not know whether i should be grateful, that my situation was never as bad, or guilty that what deedee went through, is real life for someone else out there. writing this review, is more personal than anything i’ve ever reviewed, and for that this one will always hold a part of my soul evermore.

miss clare's words twists upon your heart with each page and wrenches it dry. this book will sink its claws into your heart and leave flesh wounds for life. i don't know if i will ever be able to completely reread this book. especially not the first half.

“I’m like the aswang in reverse—a child draining the life out of her parents, one quick, one slow. It’s not the traditional story, but these shapeshifters are tricky. They adapt.”

ᯓ★ deedee my darling little girl, you did not deserve that life, hiding yourself at home and school, constantly feeling out of place and lost. and if i could i would hug you close for life and never let you experience any sort of pain ever again. that constant need to hide everything you love in the fear of losing it, is something i can relate to and god do i wish life was different for all of us. deedee is me in another universe, who thankfully gets her closure and gets to mend her broken relationships.

this book is eyes brimming with tears, trying hard to blink them away, screams stuck in your throat, so painful you try to swallow it all down, but it feels as impossible as ingesting knives. it’s the pressure building in your throat, your nose burning from choked emotions. it's love, it's hope, it's pain, it's everything. it's life.

“The thing that surprised me was: It’s not actually an either-or choice. Sympathizing with your parents or with yourself. I think that’s what can get easier. Learning to do both. But it kind of falls apart if you don’t start with yourself first.”

ᯓ★ deedee’s relationship with her mom is a very painful thing to experience even as just the reader. and when we read the book, especially in the beginning you can’t help but hate her mother for the way she treats deedee. i mean come on! you are her mother!! and the amount of tears i shed over this fictional mother-daughter is endless. maybe because it slightly reflected my own relationship with my mother. and just like me and my mom, i cant hate deedee’s mom cause ms. clare humanizes her and tells us her story. now as a reader, you can't help but sympathize and understand that they were mere victims of generational trauma. but as a person, as a daughter, even if i can define it, it doesn’t make it hurt any less. and i admire the way she and her mom were able to understand and rectify the mistakes.

“How are . . . things with your mom?” Jay whispers.
*Why would he ask me that now?*
I scoff. “Aren’t you just going to tell me to try harder?”
“No.” He sounds so serious, and his hand squeezes my arm, through my jacket. “I don’t want anyone to be mean to you.”

ᯓ★ and at the heart of it all, this is a love story that was so right person wrong time coded. jay and deedee are the most perfect imperfect couple. the way they helped each other become better people was everything. and even if i wish the ending happened differently, i know deep down this was the best and healthiest way for them. because as young people, we tend to think that love will fix everything, even if we know it doesn’t. the only thing it can do is make you want to become a better person, if not for yourself, at least for the person you love. and this is shown in mwy in a heartwarming manner.

ms clare also does a fantastic job of showing the different kinds of immigrant family dynamics, because while deedee’s is one, it’s not the norm. we get to see that through the other characters, and i absolutely adored that!

all in all, miss clare you will be getting my future therapy bills (cause yes i ugly cried like a baby reading this 😭😭) and please never stop writing! your book is the light at the end of the tunnel, that ray of hope that everything will be better 🥹🫶

A YA romance for the ages!

Midnights With You is a devastating examination of learning to love yourself through deep-seated trauma. This book breaks your heart and stitches it back together in a whole new way. Readers will be forever changed by Clare Osongco's debut novel.

This is the kind of raw and vulnerable love story that touches your heart and leaves a warm imprint for years after you finish reading. It's the kind of honest book that's relatable to so many children of immigrants, no matter how old they get. Osongco does an excellent job of not romanticizing toxic behavior, of addressing the pain of her characters, and adding to the conversation of familial abuse in such a real and respectful way.

Beyond the heartache and pain, this book is for the lovers of romance who like enduring characters that fall apart and come together and fall back apart again. It's a beautiful tale about learning what love looks like; self love, parental love, and romantic love.

Please read the trigger and content warnings BEFORE reading Midnights With You

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

All I have to say is that I am very thankful for my mother.

Deedee and Jay are two teens living on the same street, and they form a secret pact when they discover neither of them can fall asleep at night. Both are trying to escape complicated family dynamics and discover more about each other.

Deedee is a… very complex character. She lacks almost any confidence and has no self-worth, and she struggles to open up to others because of all the trauma she has. It was hard hearing how little she thought of herself, and I am very thankful for her character development throughout the story.. Despite some of her faults, you really are rooting for her and eager to see her change as a person once she opens up more to Jay. The romance was cute at times, but also very stressful, there is a lot of back and forth that I am not really a fan of, but for good reason.

I don’t want to go into too much detail, but her mother was… evil. A very hurt, very broken person, but the way she treated Deedee was just unimaginable. I do like that you end up getting to see the reason behind this, and a glimpse into her own trauma, but she is still one of the hardest people to forgive in this novel.

This is kind of basic, but my favourite part was the epilogue. Without giving spoilers, I was very glad it did not fall into any tropes that would have ruined the book, so I am grateful for that.

This gets a very solid 4.25 from me! A very thought-provoking and emotional story and I hope others that read this can find a sense of healing and optimism in Deedee’s story.

4.5/5 stars

Midnights with You by Clare Osongco is about 17 year old Filipina American Deedee and the generational trauma passed on from her immigrant single mother. Deedee spends much of her time hiding the emotional abuse from her mother and finds herself regularly sneaking out in the darkest parts of night with her new neighbor and classmate, Jay. Throughout their secret driving lessons, secret tutoring, and secret relationship, Jay and Deedee find refuge and solace in each other from their respective familial and self-expectations.

In the beginning, I had a bit of a hard time getting into the story, but through no fault of the author or the writing— it was more so my own damage chafing against the emotional abuse and needing to slowly take my time with the heavy emotions. While my mother is not like Deedee’s, suffice to say that mother/daughter relationships can often be fraught in their own ways, and mine is no exception, especially when adding the layer of immigrant mother with second generation only daughter. Therefore, I found myself treading carefully, but once I was into it, I was /into/ it and deeply invested.

I really /felt/ for Deedee. I am particularly sensitive to lonely characters, and despite her best friend, Suzy, Deedee’s commitment to hiding the way her mother treats her is undoubtedly isolating, especially in the face of Suzy’s contrasting outwardly loving family. I understand Deedee’s reluctance to reveal emotions that Suzy could never /personally/ get. I think Deedee, just like me, just like every human, just wants to be seen, so I get why it takes her so long to really open up to Suzy, especially when high school girls do what high school girls so often do with trying out new friend groups and Deedee being on the side that gets left behind in the meantime.

Jay and Deedee are the epitome of right person, wrong time. Senior year of high school is already a pivotal time for seemingly life-defining decisions, and to be so young and making big choices with each other mind— it was certainly entertaining reading Deedee and especially Jay factor (or not) each other into the other’s lives. While their timing was not right, I loved reading them fumble through life and grow together. The hurt/comfort was hurt/comforting, and *chef’s kiss.* lmao <spoiler> And while second chance is not a trope I usually gravitate towards, I have hopes for them beyond the page. I’m rooting for you, Jay and Deedee. </spoiler> Also, shoutout to the Filipinx-American/Vietnamese-American combo couple, of which I know many in real life. LOL

Furthermore, as a 30 year old American-born daughter of Filipinx immigrants, I have spent my entire life in search of finding my family, my culture, my people reflected on the fictional page. While I initially found myself lowkey begrudgingly reading this story when confronted with the complicated Filipina mother/American-born daughter relationship, I think this book is precisely one of the books I wish I had access to when I, myself, was a teenager. From the mother’s stories of the fantastical in the Philippines, to the teleserye-level family drama that is still somehow true to life, to having to unlearn the internal biases that oftentimes come with immigrants, to the eager craving that comes with learning any and everything to do with family and the motherland, to showing love by cooking and making sure one has eaten, to the familial and self pressure that comes with being a child of immigrants, I loved this book.

Clare Osongco’s writing really scratched my brain in just the right way— I felt like she could have been writing this book specifically for me. I’m excited to reread and annotate this book in physical form, and I’m so looking forward to reading more by Clare Osongco! Thank you, Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion, for the ARC!

An amazing debut & deeply emotional coming-of-age story with a side of cute yet angsty romance 💜

As an Asian eldest immigrant daughter, fairly new driver with anxiety, and lifelong night owl, this book really hit all the right notes for me — perhaps a little too much at times 🥲

I just want to hug Jay & Deedee and protect them from the rest of the world because I just know there are people out there that will simply not get them! Though I had my fair share of frustrating and confusing moments with these characters, I related to them on another level and also understood that their shared family traumas and silent understanding of each other’s pasts is what truly bonds them and creates their deep unspoken connection. I was torn between smiling and crying for them constantly throughout this book, and I wanted nothing but happiness for them both. Their individual growths and initiatives to confront generational trauma were everything to me 🥹

Overall, I loved this important story with lots of angst and pining! Jay & Deedee both break and heal each other, just like they did to me 🤧 I feel grateful to have read this book, and it will be sticking with me for quite some time. Clare has proven herself to be incredible, and I already can’t wait for her next! 🫶

Thank you so much to Clare Osongco & Disney Publishing for an ARC of this book 💌

Deedee Walters often has trouble sleeping at night, following intense arguments with her mother. When Jay Hayes moves in across the street, Deedee notices that he's also up late, often taking his car out for midnight drives (also to escape from his own family troubles). After a couple of chance late-night encounters, Deedee asks Jay if he'll teach her to drive. Across these secret midnight driving lessons, Deedee and Jay fall in love, lose each other, and find themselves in what truly is "an achingly beautiful" story.

I loved this debut. My heart was aching for Deedee within the first few pages, and I found myself feeling so deeply for Deedee and Jay throughout the entire book. I think the writing was very strong for a debut, and the pacing was excellent, taking place across their entire senior year. And even the last two chapters were handled perfectly, even though I felt trepidation about the time jump happening there. Deedee and Jay were characters I loved reading about, and my love for them only grew as the story progressed. Their emotions and struggles were so raw and so well-developed, I genuinely felt like I was there with them, talking things out and wishing I could help ease their pain. Deedee and Jay just felt so real to me. They were messy and flawed and trying to figure themselves out while also holding on to each other, and I simply cannot express how impactful this book and their story was to me.

I have said this before, but I truly love when YA novels tackle tougher themes; I think it's important to do, and I'm hopeful that this book will help so many diaspora kids in America feel seen. This story touches on (among other things) grief, estranged family, racism, domestic violence, friendship & relationship conflict, generational family trauma, feeling like an outsider, and feeling disconnected from your culture. I think Deedee and Jay's experiences as Filipino American and Vietnamese Americans, respectively, were really well-done as central parts of their identities, and I really enjoyed the pieces we got to read about their cultures.

Another compelling part of this story that kept me reading outside of my love for Deedee and Jay was wanting to unravel the history of Deedee's mom. The ghost stories she would tell about the aswang, the letters to Lolo Ric that she kept for herself, the apartment in New York -- all of it was a mystery I couldn't wait for Deedee to untangle. I think the efforts that Deedee went to in order to try and understand her mom were admirable, especially when their relationship was so fraught, and at times it probably would have felt easier to throw in the towel.

I can't think of a single thing I didn't like about this book. Overall, I think this was an incredibly strong and impactful debut for Osongco, and I am so excited to read more from her in the future!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves an emotional and raw coming-of-age YA story, boy-next-door romance, and stories that emphasize the complexity of navigating (and healing from) generational family trauma.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for my e-ARC of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

"Midnights with You" by Clare Osongco is one of those rare books that sticks with you long after you finish it. Deedee’s story is a raw, honest dive into young love, cultural identity, and the weight of family trauma. She’s seventeen, feeling lost, and dealing with an emotionally complex relationship with her mother—until she meets Jay, her neighbor and partner-in-late-night-drives. They bond over secrets and midnight adventures, finding comfort in each other as they try to make sense of their messy lives.

This book perfectly captures that mix of heartache and hope that comes with growing up and healing from deep family wounds. Deedee and Jay’s relationship feels real and relatable; they’re figuring themselves out first, which makes their connection even more beautiful. Osongco’s writing pulls you right into their world—it's lyrical, moving, and so full of feeling. I couldn’t put it down and immediately wanted to recommend it to everyone I know. If you love stories about self-discovery and the ups and downs of family and love, you need to read this!

An excellent story of trauma and secrets… with bipoc characters and a slow-burn romance. I found myself rooting for DeeDee and Jay as they navigated the issues that caused their original meet up… at midnight.