queer romance – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: You Won’t Forget Me

Author: Mazey Eddings

Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)

Pages: 336

Listening Hours: approx. 11 hrs

Publication Date: 6/9/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin & Macmillan Audio

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Queer

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin & Macmillan Audio for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cubby Clark’s life is falling apart. All she’s ever cared about is making music, but on the brink of hitting it big, Cubby’s on-again-off-again boyfriend and lead of her band, Connor, abandons the group. What’s worse, his solo career rockets to overnight stardom based on a hit single about how bad she was in bed. With a fractured band, a toxic ex airing her dirty laundry in every interview, and a horrible case of writer’s block, the only thing she can take comfort in is her best friends and fellow bandmates, Darcy and Harry.

But, when an inadvertently romantic picture of Cubby and Harry goes viral the same night Cubby and Darcy hook-up (something obviously very normal for these two totally heterosexual gal pals) Cubby and her band find themselves in the spotlight as tabloids eat up the rumored love triangle between Cubby, Harry, and Connor.

Thrust by their label into a whirlwind tour, all Cubby wants is to turn to Darcy for support. But ever since the passionate hook-up they never talk about, there’s nothing but tension and distance between the usually inseparable pair. Under the pressure of newfound fame, an extremely dirty tour bus, and long buried feelings, Cubby and Darcy have a single summer to unravel the truth of what they mean to one another, or face losing the other forever.

World Building: Cubby is in a band and all they want to do is make music and make it big but it’s been awhile they’ve been trying. But they finally make a good song and they go on tour. I felt like this story followed the band life, the chaos, the bad and good, with some romance drama.

Characters: Cubby used to be the girlfriend of the lead singer of the band but when he leaves them in limbo, it’s Cubby who writes the music that gets the band back on track. She’s also going through a lot questioning her sexuality (which she didn’t think would be hard since she has two moms), her crush on her best friend Darcy, and even maybe feeling something for bandmate Harry who she is now fake-dating for publicity. Cubby feels a lot and it shows throughout the story. Darcy is her best friend and she stays that way but her relationship with Cubby is complicated because of their attraction and Darcy’s fears of coming out. I thought the band members all had their own quirks which was fun.

Romance: This is a best friends to lovers queer romance. The romance is messy because Cubby is dealing with her bad relationship with her ex, her feelings for Darcy and maybe for Harry. There is a lot of push and pull throughout the story but I like the questions Cubby and Darcy bring up about taking their relationship public. I feel like the thing with Harry didn’t need to be there though, it just made things even more confusing for Cubby and I felt bad for Harry but I guess it’s realistic when someone is trying to figure out their sexuality. I was happy for Darcy and Cubby at the end.

Story: This is a queer romance and I felt like the band life and journey took a big focus of the story, but I enjoyed how the romance was as chaotic as their tour life.

Narrator: The narrator did such a great job with bringing the story to life and there are even songs in there that was sung, which is always interesting to me because it makes me wonder if that’s how the song is supposed to sound? But great job overall!

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this audiobook, the narrator did such a great job with getting me invested in the characters. Also I love a story about a band that’s trying to make it big because it’s filled with different personalities and drama just comes with it. The romance was at times messy, with a lot of back and forth but I think it was realistic especially when Cubby and Darcy was trying to figure out what they were to one another and how brave they wanted to be with going public. Overall, I enjoyed this one!

Read if you like:

friends to lovers, queer romance
music band drama

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Well, Actually by. Mazey Eddings | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️

Tilly in Technicolor by. Mazey Eddings | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Ellen Goodlett

Format: Hard cover

Pages: 376

Categories: Magic (**involving self-harm), Political Intrigue, Romance, Cliffhanger Ending

Book Blurb:

Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown.

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos.

Or rather, three unexpected options.

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she’s already gone.

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom.

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady’s maid and scheming her way out of the servants’ chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she’s done.

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny… to rule.

Magic, mystery, and blackmail abound in this sensational and striking fantasy debut.

MY REVIEW

Three sisters vying for a throne? Sounds familiar. When I saw this book at the library, the cover caught my eye because it’s beautiful but I was wary. I’ve read so many books with crowns on the cover the past few months 😂 – honestly, I’m getting crown fatigue. But usually with fantasy books there is a map as well – where is the map for this book? 😔 I’ve been spoiled with maps in the fantasy books I’ve been reading. I love maps. But anyway, I borrowed this book and I’m glad I did.

The story is written from three different perspectives: Zofi, Ren, and Akeylah who are all bastard daughters of King Andros, king of Kolonya. Zofi is a traveler, she comes from a nomadic culture. Ren was raised at court as a lady’s maid and Akeylah comes from the Eastern reaches. All different sisters, one sister will rule.

Except every one of them has a fascinating secret they are hiding and there is someone out there who knows them all. They have to find out who is blackmailing them before it ruins each of their chances for the throne.

I enjoyed the mystery in this story a lot. I thought I had it figured it out but I was wrong. 😲 Also, there is enough action in this book to keep it moving as well, which I appreciated. I thought the author balanced the time between each characters’ perspective really well. The writing flows nicely and there is queer romance, straight romance, there are heartaches and distrust. Each girl has an interesting back story. The sisters were different enough that their voices stood out and so far my favorite is Zofi. I don’t know yet that I’d pick her to rule a kingdom, per se, but character wise, she’s my favorite. She’s a bit wild, tough and physical. Ren is the expert at court intrigue and Akeylah is the bookworm, always researching.

The magic system in this book is performed with self-harm so definite trigger warning there. That’s the only way their magic works which is through blood being shed. They call it the Blood Arts. But there is a counterpart to the magic, called the Vulgar Arts which is forbidden. It’s interesting for the most part what they can do with blood magic but every time they do it, I’m like OUCH. I would not be able to live in Kolonya or I wouldn’t be able to be a soldier in Kolonya since that’s who uses the blood arts most often.

The ending is a cliffhanger – like a serious cliffhanger where I was like, WHAT?! 😱 Now that I’m done with the book, I’m glad I only picked it up now because I only have to wait a few weeks for the sequel to be published. Yay for me! Overall I enjoyed this book. It’s a fun read if you like court intrigue, blackmail and a mystery. I’m looking forward to the sequel to see who will be chosen to rule.