YA Review: Give Me ‘Til Midnight by Oran Doyle

Give me ‘Til Midnight is a tender, teenage romance, with a time-loop premise, that takes place over a single day in Dublin: a story of loss and connection, of hope and healing, that completely captivated me.

Sixteen-year-old Harmony (Harmie) spends her days working in her Mam’s small, traditional café, serving food to loyal, regular customers. Gazing out of the window, her attention is caught by a boy who seems out of place … a boy who, less than ten minutes later, walks into the café, announcing that he’s the ‘King of Dublin’! When he leaves, Harmie feels compelled to find him again to confirm her suspicion – that he is stuck in a time loop, a time loop in which she fears she has also become trapped.

Liam offers to break the repetitive cycle of Harmie’s days by promising her a fun-filled escape, venturing through Dublin, whilst Harmie is determined to help him break the time loop he’s stuck in. But, she only has until midnight before time resets. Can she break the loop before she loses Liam, or will time reset only for her to discover that she has also been trapped in the time loop?

What an absolutely riveting read that kept me eagerly turning pages as I became totally engrossed in the lives of these two teenagers as the loop played out and the minutes and hours ticked by, moving inexorably closer and closer to midnight. This is emphasised by the use of precise times used as chapter headings which allowed me to feel that I was living in the moment with Harmie and Liam – and fully aware of both the fragility and preciousness of time.

I loved exploring a vibrant, contemporary Dublin with Harmie and Liam, learning more about both their lives, and watching their relationship both blossom and flounder as they open up to, and learn to trust, each other: bittersweet, tender and hopeful. I loved how both these teenagers’ worlds come together, the fun and banter they share, their emotional growth and connection, their vulnerability and their desire to help each other – and the angst of not knowing if this would be their last day together. And what a brilliant and unexpected ending!

A mesmerising time-loop mystery and a tender, witty love story, Give Me ‘Til Midnight, is sure to capture the hearts and imaginations of teenagers of 14+.

Thank you to the author for sending me an electronic copy. My review is my honest opinion of the book.