For some reason, it took me a few chapters in to get invested in the storyline. I found it repetitive, in some parts, and in some others, not relatable enough because the scenarios were maybe too childish. However, I could not deny the chemistry that both of the characters expel out of each other. Then the plot thickened, and the book was somewhat enjoyable to finish it.

I wish I had enjoyed this book more than I did, but one thing I can honestly say is that it brought me back to summer days and how winter should already be over

I am a sucker for an enemies to lovers romance. So it was practically predestined to love "Meet me at Midnight" and it did not disappoint me. I loved Sidney and Asher as individuals and as a couple. They have known each other for years when our story starts and they have been fighting and pulling pranks for almost as long. They have been picking at each other for so long that they now ask, "How much do you hate me right now?"

I loved to see their relationship change as they realized that they really did care for each other and didn't hate each other after all.

I have loved Jessica Pennington's other works and I am do glad that the trend has continues for this read as this very talented author gets another five star rating from me.

I absolutely ADORED this book! I couldn't put it down, and wound up reading it in one day. I read it last month, and it totally helped me escape from all the craziness going on in the world. This is the third book I've read by Jessica Pennington, and I feel like her books keep on improving, and this may be the best one yet.

Our main characters Asher and Sidney have been vacationing with their families in cottages across from each other since they were fourteen years old. It's usually the same thing every summer- cookouts, bonfires, bike rides, and them pranking each other. They've just graduated from high school and they're determined to make this the best summer of pranks yet! Plans go awry though, when their pranking causes their families to get kicked out. The two families wind up having to rent one home and all live in it together. Shortly after they arrive, Sidney winds up getting a note from Asher to "meet me at midnight" and they decide to join forces the rest of the summer and prank the woman who kicked them out.

I loved the banter between Sidney and Asher. I loved how their relationship enfolded through the pages. I loved that I could read the story from both points of view, and that the author provided some flashbacks into the past. I loved the pranks that they came up with together. I loved how both of the characters are athletes, and that it explored all the work that goes into being a swimmer. I loved that the story took place at one of the beach lakes in Michigan, and has some easter eggs from one of Jess's previous books. I laughed a lot during this story, but I also cried. It's one of those books that just pulls at your emotions. I was totally in this for these two amazing characters!

If you enjoy an enemies to lovers summer romance, then this book is for you! It's releasing on Tuesday, April 7th, so please make sure you check it out! (I received an e-arc from Netgalley and this in no way impacted my review)

Jessica Pennington's Meet Me at Midnight is a delightful summer read, a book that can bring the reader into summer mind just from falling into this story. And with most of us under shelter-at-home orders, reading a book that gives a great escape is a joy.

With parents who are college friends, Sidney and Asher have been spending summers in side by side lake houses for years. They exchange pranks on each other, escalating to the point when the owner of their neighboring lake houses tosses both families out. They are fortunate to find another house to rent - a single house both families will share - and Sidney and Asher will have only a bathroom between their rooms for the rest of the summer.

One night, Asher leaves Sidney a note - meet me at midnight - and proposes a truce to their prank war. This is a turning point in the enemies-to-lovers relationship. But something happens to make Sidney push Asher away. Can they fix the mess between them and work things out?

Character development is strong as is the plot, and I didn't want to put the book down even as my eyes were closing at bedtime. Definitely a fun read and a good story. The pranking creativity is especially good, as is the surprise reason the pranking started in the first place. Well worth the read!

I loved reading the book. It’s a perfect summer read. It was fun and very entertaining. I loved the main characters Asher and Sydney. I also loved the execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope. I liked how I was able to know the real reason behind the pranks played by Sydney and Asher as well. I preferred the first part of the book more since the second part focuses mostly on the attraction between the main characters. I also wish more pranks had been played by Sydney and Asher since that was kind of the central theme in the story. Overall, I think this book is best for anyone looking for a fun, summery read.

Since Jessica Pennington released her debut, Love Songs and Other Lies, I have been a fan of her books. Love Songs was exactly my kind of story with love hate and a road trip, okay, music tour, and amazing characters, and her sophomore book, When Summer Ends, was a fantastic mix chemistry and sports and summer. I enjoyed both of them so much I couldn’t wait to meet her new characters in Meet Me at Midnight and let me tell you Jessica did not disappoint. Meet Me at Midnight was by far Pennington’s best work and you can feel her love for the story and the characters when you read it.

Meet Me at Midnight is about Sidney and Asher, two star swimmers that have spent their summers being neighbors and pranking each other for years. When it is finally the summer of their senior year they go too far and fins themselves in uncharted territory. Instead of being neighbors they end up staying in the same house. After years of pranking each other they decide it’s time to work together and prank the person that got them into this mess. But as the summer goes one Sidney and Asher realize things between them aren’t so black and white and that there may be something more behind their 6 years messing with each other.

What did I love most about Meet Me at Midnight? HOLY CHEMISTRY BATMAN! Sidney and Asher had some of the best chemistry I have seen written by Jessica. From page one you could see Asher was doing everything he could to get under Sidney’s skin. It was essentially like he was pulling her pigtails as a child to get her attention, and she was so clueless. They had that hate to love dynamic thing going on and it was oh so perfect. It was so easy to believe how they felt for each other and to understand how things went downhill for them. They were the perfect pair when they worked together yet also still had fun with each other.

Meet Me at Midnight is the perfect book to get you in the mood for summer or to make you yearn for those lazy days when you had not a care in the world. In you love hate to love, summer swoon romances this book is for you. I highly recommend reading all of Jessica’s books, but if you only pick up one to start Meet Me at Midnight is a great choice!

This book was adorable! I absolutely loved everything about it. The characters were sweet and they had a way of sucking me right into their world, and swallowing me whole. At times, I didn't know if I was really in their world or if I was in mine. This book was THAT good.

No this was a perfect YA summer romance book but with depth and heart. I adored this book and these characters.

how much do you hate me right now?

Meet Me at Midnight is the perfect enemies to lovers summer romance balanced with just the right amount of humour, banter and pranks.

We follow our main characters Asher and Sidney, star swimmers. Each year they and their families rent summer houses by the lake. But instead of spending their holidays relaxing- they take place in an intense prank war. From Kool-aid in the shower to mayonnaise covered floors, they are constantly on high alert, waiting for the other to making their move and planning their own retaliation. But it is now their last summer before going off to college, and they may have to team up against a common enemy.

Sparks will fly, but who knows if they will be the romantic kind or the explosive one?

This book was just what I needed. It was well written and easy to keep flipping the pages. I felt myself instantly connected to the characters, and really invested in their lives. Jessica Pennington did an excellent job at developing their relationship. By using dual POVs and a few flashbacks to their first summer, we get a clear understanding of not just one of the characters, but both. Their relationship progressed at just the right speed and there wasn't unnecessary drama added in to add roadblocks. Everything felt realistic and true to character.

"I was so scared of losing you, that I lost you anyway."

Admittedly, not much happens apart from a few pranks and parties but that didn't bother me personally. I was in it for the characters, which is just what I want from contemporary romances. The banter was A+ and the characters acted and spoke in a way that was true to their age (what a concept).

I loved the little details that made this story refreshing and new. The war board games they played at parties was really fun to read about, and I really related to Sidney in her strategic mind and competitive nature (I wonder why no one wants to play monopoly with me?) The entire time I read this I craved the chocolate chip pancakes Sidney would make Asher and wanted to go swim in a lake.

Something I really appreciated in this book was that Sidney was an athlete as well as Asher. A common trope of YA contemporary is that the boy is the athletic one, but in Meet Me at Midnight, they both were. As well as that, we see the actual training and work that goes into being a swimmer. From early morning swims to running, training and going to the gym.

Overall, if you are looking for a new hate to love summer romance- look no further!

Thanks to Tor Teen for the ARC

Release Date: 7 April 2020

It’s been so long since I’ve read a YA contemporary romance that made me smile and gasp and laugh through the entire book. This is also my first Jessica Pennington book and probably won’t be my last!

Sydney and Asher have spent every summer together with their parents on a lake and they’ve spent almost every summer pranking each other. It’s always something silly, before it escalates and then it’s time to go back to life as normal. Sydney’s a tough nut, she’s the kind of girl I would have admired from a distance in school and wished I could be friends with. And Asher is the kind of boy I probably would have had a crush on.

But when one prank gets totally out of control and the families are kicked out of their usual vacation homes, things change. And it’s not just the victim of their pranks - because now they’re joining forces - but also their relationship. Seeing both sides of the story, seeing how they go from being <i>enemies</i> to becoming friends and then falling in love, you can’t help but feel that love for them too.

“Meet Me At Midnight” is the kind of summer YA romance that I didn’t know I was missing in my life, but I absolutely devoured because it was so damn good. I cannot recommend this book enough and I hope that everyone enjoys the banter and friendship and pranks and the love between Sydney and Asher the way I did!

Was a bit confused at first if I was baited for the promise of enemies to lovers within the story but the establishment of the Sidney Walters and Asher Marin rivalry sufficed my need of another e2l trope.

This was a chill summer read that can be your next beach read. The modern coming-of-age vibe was present and the familiar snarky banter between our MCs are enjoyable.

But the story was lacking on impact. I was looking for something that will make the story memorable but there's nothing remarkable as I turn the last page.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read if you are into teen chick lit.

RATING: 2.5 stars

This is one of those books that make you want to scream and shout “FINALLY!” after everything goes well in the end. The kind that puts you through sweet and anxious moments in equal measure. You know that there’s inevitable doom but you don’t mind because it is fun and sweet so you just enjoy the moment while it lasts.

To be honest, I really wasn’t into this at first. I tried picking this up last January but left it for another book. Eventually, I picked this up again because I had to read it. So if you decide to read this, I beg that you hold on because things will definitely get more interesting.

Sidney and Asher spend every summer together because their families are friends. But instead of being normal people and spending time together, they spend it planning elaborate pranks. The pranks were really funny until it went too far and they were forced to call a truce. And that was when things really picked up because even though they don’t see it, they are so much better together than they are apart.

What I really loved about this book is how this is not the usual summer contemporary romance read. I really expected this to be light and fluffy but it was not. Did I find it entertaining? Yes. Was it also frustrating? Big, big YES. Sidney is the girl who overthinks everything and imagines the worst-case scenario even when it’s only just the beginning. Put every skepticism and remove trust in a person and you get Sidney. On the other hand, Asher is the guy who is cool with anything but a coward when it comes to confessing his feelings. But still, he is the bravest between them both. He is so sweet and deserves the world. Together, they put me through ups and downs and I alternated between having butterflies in my stomach and wanting to smack one of them in the head. Nevertheless, I ended up enjoying the frustration and anxiety I felt throughout their rollercoaster summer romance.

Through everything that happened, what I learned is that sometimes, the things you are afraid of losing are the things that you lose by being afraid. If you want a summer read that’s equal parts funny, frustrating, and sweet, I recommend this book.

This is a really cute and fun book. I have been reading a lot of dark thrillers and this was just the thing to sort of bring me out of a reading funk. I admit I haven't read YA in a long time, but this book reminded me why I loved this genre so much. I think this is the perfect summer read when you don't want something too heavy.

One of the things I loved most was the banter between Sidney and Asher. It was obvious how much they liked each other but as a reader, it was fun to see their relationship progress to something more. I'm going to keep this review short and sweet because I really liked this story and I think it doesn't warrant a lengthy review. I enjoyed the characters and it was sweet and adorable. The writing was great and I enjoyed the pace. It definitely got me excited to read more YA and more of the author's previous works!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed it!

Such a cute read!!!! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read and review. I cant wait to share this title with friends and families when it comes out

“I can almost imagine she’s that girl I met my first summer here, and not the competitive psycho she actually is”

Sidney e Asher passam todos os verões em Five Pines Resort, competindo quem preparar as melhores pegadinhas contra o outro. Até que a guerra de pegadinhas causa a expulsão deles do resort. Em uma trégua entre eles, na qual eles juntam suas forças contra Nadine, a proprietária do Five Pines, Sidney começa a se questionar porque, em primeiro lugar, essa rivalidade entre eles começou. Um romance agradável, fofo e engraçado.

“Meet me in Midnight” é um livro da autora Jessica Pennington que eu tive o prazer de ler antecipadamente através do @netgalley.

O livro será lançado no exterior dia 07 de abril de 2020 e espero que alguma editora adquire os direitos autorais dele para que ele seja publicado aqui no Brasil.

A resenha completa tá no blog: www.wanderlustskoob.wordpress.com

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books you just need to get your fingers on. I absolutely absorbed this book in just a few hours and then immediately wanted more. Can we make this into a movie? I loved it so much. It's not a perfect book, but sometimes its the imperfections that make books memorable and make them feel more realistic.

Overall it was a fun YA Romance. I want more, I need more. Sequel please?

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

my heart is squealing with giddiness and adorable feelings and I am now vicariously living through this romance okay bye.

Omg did I just devour this book in literally 24 hours? Now I'm sitting not knowing what to do with myself since I'm no longer caught up in the Sidney/Asher fiasco ahhh. I literally just want to reread all of my favourite scenes. Which is a very good sign.

Literally had THE BEST TIME with this little book. SO. MUCH. FUN.

Definitely not perfect, the plot isn't the best. And the characters are idiots most of the time, but those are my kinds of characters. I also apparently have a soft spot for swimmer romances I think.

Just ugh can I not get a longer epilogue? Please and thank you!!

This was such a fun YA romance! I had a difficult time putting it down and ended up finishing it in one day! Both of the main characters were likeable, but Asher was the real star of the book for me. I also loved that most of the book takes place while the characters were on vacation. I think that made the romance more fun and exciting.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

”Here’s the problem with knowing someone since you were ten and vacationing with them since you were thirteen: they know way too much. They’ve seen things. The neurotic things you only did once. The embarrassing things you wish you could forget.”

This is the story of Sidney and Asher and their years long rivalry over the summers their families spend vacationing together at the lake. It’s been nothing but summers of pranking each other until a prank gone wrong results in their families being kicked out of their summer homes. Setting aside their differences they decided to team up to defeat a common enemy; the woman who kicked them out.

This book was so cute, a perfect summer read if you’re into books that take place at the lake with an enemies to lovers romance. Sidney and Asher’s banter throughout the book was great. I loved seeing them plot against each other and how they would even anticipate the others moves. They were both very devious when it came to plotting pranks and I wouldn’t want to go up against either of them. Then seeing them begrudgingly start to form a real friendship outside of their prank world was also nice and seeing it develop into more. I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship.

I also really liked the family aspect of the book. Seeing both of their families coming together over the summers and how in their own ways they were trying to meddle just enough in their children’s lives to push them together.

The only thing that annoyed me throughout this book was Sidney’s self sabotage. Girl, stop trying to ruin things for yourself! Let things just play out! Throughout the books she working on it but so much could have been avoided if it wasn’t for her mind going on about alternate scenarios.

Thankyou so much to the amazing peeps over at Tor Teen and Netgalley for introducing me Jessica Pennington’s work. Not usually one to dive in to contemporary novels with vigour, the offer was a great push to get me out of my comfort zone.

So I will start by telling you that the protagonists in this one act like small children despite being pretty much grown arse adults – Asher and Sidney are about to head off to college so that means they are at least 17, definitely old enough to know better than to coat the ground in mayo or leave a dead fish under a bed in sweltering heat. Now when these two cause themselves and their respective families to be evicted from the holiday homes they have spend every year in since they were tweens, you would think that they would get the point and lay off the pranks. Instead they decide to pool their smarts and prank they landlord, such a smart idea… Thankfully after around the first third it actually turned into a story that I kind of wanted to read.

If you’re still with me, great. If not, that’s understandable too because honestly if I had have stopped reading this would have just been a 1000 word rant about immature and unrelatable teens. As I said before, once the initial childish stuff is over, it turns into a kind of sweet love story. The two have known each other for years and instead of being childhood sweethearts, they just kind of hated each other and tormented their nemeses for 8 weeks every year. Now here is where I tell you, despite the ending and who Sid ends up with - both guys are sweet and caring and really just want to make her happy – I was kind of rooting for the other guy. But alas this is a YA romantic type novel and young love conquers all etc despite it being a kind of unhealthy relationship.

So, there’s not really a lot more to say because it’s a typical boy meets girl, boy and girl hate each other, another guy meets girl, first boy gets jealous, kissy faces, resolution and the love triangle is broken. I do however want to make comment about the fact that THERE’S NOT A HAPPY ENDING! Or at least not in the traditional sense. There are post summer love chapters and it all feels very Me After You as all the people involved try to put the pieces back together of what was previously their regular lives.

And here's that wrap up everyone scrolls for. Yes, it’s a teen romance and its kind of cute but first you have to get past the ridiculously immature bits. Some of the pranks were actually kind of funny (looking at you Cherry Kool Aid) but some just felt a little overdone. There isn’t a happy ending and I thought it was the best thing to ever come from a YA novel about relationships and loving the people you never thought you would. The slow burn/gradual realisation of where the MC’s stand with those around them was well done. Overall, while it wasn’t the greatest novel I have ever read, if you are keen for a love story that a little let of field and takes some unlikely turns, I would definitely recommend you pick this one up.