This Night is Ours

THIS NIGHT IS OURS is a consuming and unputdownable YA contemporary romance. Brandy is eighteen and has recently finished high school. She loves art and dreams of going to art school, but her life has been set since she was a toddler and mentioned that she wanted to be like her mother. Her mother is now set on her attending nursing school- and Brandy's acceptance has just come in. Although Brandy feels like her world is falling apart, her mother is ready to celebrate and sets up a fancy dinner to which she would like Brandy to wear a new dress - a task that also feels insurmountable.

However, when Brandy arrives at the mall, she runs into the ever-annoying Ben Nolan, who is on track to become a very famous movie star soon (upgrading from already being semi-famous). At high school, they had a bit of a nemesis vibe, where he takes her tater tots and they teased each other mercilessly. This time, as they talk, Brandy sees the deeper sides to Ben and finds the impossible task of a dress and dinner seeming more possible. She also begins to reconsider her dreams - and the (im)possibility of meeting her absentee father.

This day will be anything but expected as she navigates these impossible situations and starts to feel new things for the boy she could never seem to stand in high school.

What I loved: This was such an emotional and perfectly paced read. I found it impossible to put down, and though it takes place within a day, it's a day of twists and turns and revelations. Brandy is really having her coming-of-age compressed into an eventful day. She is forced into making a quick decision about nursing school with the weight of her mother's expectations and decisions pressing in on her.

The romance was really strong, and it was lovely to see them come together and get to know each other on a deeper level. The pace of this was just right with plenty of almosts to keep the tension thick as they toe the line between what they were to each other and a couple. Ben also has his own things to work through, though they were certainly more background, but he grew as a person during this day when he was also receiving life-changing news. Another really compelling character was Brandy's BFF, whose life veered off the planned course when she was pregnant at 17. Now with an infant daughter, she has recharted her life course and has plenty of her own wisdom to dispense.

Beyond the themes of following your dreams and the weight of parental expectations, there were some really thought-provoking themes around mental illness (anxiety), therapy, the weight of fame, complicated family relationships, art, and connection. There were some particularly powerful conversations that produced critical revelations during this day, both among her friends and with her parents. Her relationship with both of her parents is complicated in different ways, and seeing her navigate these conversations was really fantastic.

Davis is a really talented writer, and I often find that their works resonate for me. This one is no different - it is quite an emotional and lovely ride. The ending was satisfying, though I wouldn't have minded seeing even more from these characters' lives - it is so tough to leave them behind.

Final verdict: THE NIGHT IS OURS is a consuming and compelling YA contemporary romance about art, complicated family, and following your dreams. Highly recommend picking this one up!