Three Kisses, One Midnight

June 1, 2022
Three friends search for love on an auspicious Halloween night. Legend says that every hundred years, magic awakens in the town of Moon Ridge, and this Halloween marks 400 years since the town's founding. For Apollonia "Onny" Diamante, this is the perfect time to use her late grandmother Lola's last gift: her notebook. It contains a recipe for a love potion that awakens the possibility of love. Onny hopes it'll bring her together with her crush, Alexander Abernathy--if only she could stop getting sidetracked by her skeptic of a lab partner, Byron Frost. Meanwhile, her best friends, gifted with shares of Lola's potion, are a little less sure of its magical efficacy. For shy Ash Lee, this night might spur him to make a bold move on his crush, Cassidy Rivera. Burned by an ex and a believer only in the concrete and rational, love is not on True Tandon's agenda, but a meet-cute with uber-friendly Orion Parker, a paranormal phenomenon enthusiast, may test her (dis)beliefs. The authors imbue their characters with genuineness that makes the narration engaging and the romances a delight. The three intertwined stories, each following one member of the trio, play with beloved romantic tropes. By the end of the night, each protagonist has met their match and, more importantly, found confidence and a new outlook. Onny is Filipina American; Ash is cued as Chinese American, and True is biracial, with German and Indian heritage. Charmingly fun. (Romance. 12-18)

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July 1, 2022
Grades 8-12 This fantasy romance is powered by three stellar authors--Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, and Evelyn Skye--who deliver a tale full of magic and whimsy. The book is set during the Halloween season in Moon Ridge, a town with a mysterious legend tied to the holiday. This legend tells of a young lady who, once a century, haunts the area on Halloween night, granting romantic wishes. Familiar with the local lore, teens Onny, Ash, and True decide to conjure romantic magic for themselves, with a dash of Onny's grandmother's love potion to boot. What follows is a night full of realizations for the trio, each of whom are suffering from their own insecure thoughts and feelings, including lessons on how love, though wonderful, can't solve all of their problems. As the story progresses, readers watch the three characters (known as The Coven) grow and learn that it takes much more than magic to discover who is willing to give and receive love. This bewitching Halloween tale plays up the season's sweeter side, making it a cozy pick for fall.

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Starred review from August 1, 2022

Gr 7 Up-Best friends Onny, Ash, and True, affectionately known as The Coven, are looking forward to a magical Halloween; what better time to try out a love potion than the night when legend says the Lady of Moon Ridge leaves the sky and visits the town that bears her name? In three distinct but connected tales, Onny, Ash, and True each have until midnight to find romance. Filipina American Onny's romantic tale of unexpectedly falling for an adversary while pursuing someone else is an auspicious beginning; lush descriptions and atmospheric settings are the perfect backdrop for the magic of falling in love. Ash, presumed to be of Taiwanese descent, stars in the second tale. His opposites-attract romance with a neighbor adds a fair amount of humor and shows that there is someone for everyone. Science buff True, who is biracial white and Indian, isn't looking for love at all; after being hurt by a past relationship, she has no interest in the love potion Onny provides. A chance encounter with an actual ghost hunter, though, causes a shift in beliefs. Although each story stands on its own, Onny, Ash, and True's friendship is a consistent thread tying everything together, and the setting of Moon Ridge is charming from start to finish. Supernatural elements are often mentioned, but this is an atmospheric rom-com about the magic of love rather than a fantasy. VERDICT Hand this to anyone who loves tarot, astrology, and witchy things; enthusiasts of short story collections like Meet Cute or Hungry Hearts; and fans of Ashley Elston and Jenny Han.-Alison Glass

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 26, 2022
On Halloween night, three best friends brew a love potion and set off to find their true loves in intertwining romantic romps from collaborators Chokshi (the Gilded Wolves series), Menon (the Rosetta Academy series), and Skye (the Crown’s Game series). Local lore states that once every hundred years, the Lady of Moon Ridge casts an aura upon the town, ensuring any romantic entanglements forged that night will last forever. Onny Diamante believes it’s the perfect night to brew her grandmother’s love potion for her and her two best friends, Ash Lee and True Tandon. Onny hopes that it, along with the Lady’s magic, will unite her with her crush, Alexander; shy and soft-spoken Ash prays the elixir will give him the courage to make a move on Cassidy; and though True claims she’s not interested in love, citing a recent breakup, it seems that fate has other plans. Brimming with autumnal coziness and fanciful frolics, each story employs a beloved romance trope that will satisfy and delight. Chokshi, Menon, and Skye imbue their respective stories with their own cultural expertise, crafting distinct tales populated by amiable casts. Onny is Filipinx American; Ash is Chinese American; and True is of Indian and German heritage. Ages 12–up. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.