by K.L. Walther
ASIN/ISBN: 9781728263137
Publication: June 27, 2023

**I received a copy of the book through NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.**

With Taylor Swift references galore, this is a second chance romance that will make you want to bring out the vinyl and listen to it as you read. As Lily helps Tag execute the senior prank, she recalls their relationship in flashbacks interspersed between planting clues for the class president.

Lily continues to pine for him even though he has repeatedly been off and on with his girlfriend–currently off. While the memories pulled me in and made me empathize with Lily, it was also confusing at times. Lily often had to be shaken from her memories, making it difficult to determine whether I was in the past or the present with her.

While the romance made me ache, it also felt like something was missing. Maybe I needed Tag’s point of view, one that encompassed his pining for Lily, to balance out Lily’s longing because the moments of truth from him were not satisfying enough. Maybe it was also that I didn’t understand why Lily remained faithful to their past while Tag could so easily move on. 

What Happens After Midnight is perfect for the Swiftie fan who enjoys references to songs from the artist. It’s for the reader who believes second chances are possible, especially when love was never the problem.