Brighton is the girl everybody likes, which is good because she strives to be liked. To be nice. Except today she’s not feeling quite like the “nice” girl she’s always been — her heart aches the day before the anniversary of her father’s death and the memorial that her family will be having.

Jonah is the new boy in school this year, but he’s not bothered trying to fit in. It’s senior year, and he’s feeling completely out of place in Cross Pointe. He’s not rich like these kids, and he’s just not one of them. He doesn’t have the spirit, and since he gave up baseball, he’s just focused on getting out as fast as possible. Of course, there’s much more to him than that —  his mom has recently remarried, his father moved away, and he’s adjusting to living apart from his girlfriend and long-time friend Carly. And tonight, well, he and Carly might not have a relationship anymore.

Brighton wants nothing more than for Jonah to like her. Jonah wants nothing to do with this and nothing to do with Brighton, and Brighton cannot figure out what it is she’s done to upset him. And even though Brighton sounds like she’s in this for the reason of wanting to be liked, it’s more than that: she wants something from Jonah and she’s going to go after it however she can. 

No, it’s not a relationship. He’s standing between her and achieving the goal of having everyone at school complete in a service activity for the year. If she does that, she’ll achieve what her father did before her. And she’ll feel like she’s really done something . . . nice. 

Over the course of one day, Brighton and Jonah’s worlds will continue to collide in Tiffany Schmidt’s Bright Before Sunrise. First on purpose, then by accident, then on purpose. Each of these instances happens authentically and naturally. And over the course of that night, Brighton and Jonah will discover why they are who they are to one another, as well as why this may or may not matter. 

Schmidt’s sophomore novel is a knock-out. This is a story about what it means to play into the roles that you believe you should fit into, whether you need to or not. Brighton falls into the trap of believing she always needs to be nice and always needs to be liked. Jonah believes he has to shut out all of the things from his present life and live in the past of who he once was, even though he’s also shut out so many of the things in his past that made him who he is. Together, the two of them will challenge each other to dig into those roles they’re playing and figure out why it is they’re playing them. Why can’t they just be who they are, rather than be somebody they think they need to be? 

This isn’t a romance. At least not an initially. There’s nothing instant about their connection, and frankly, there’s not necessarily a connection that happens between Brighton and Jonah. In the very end, though, Brighton lets down her guard after telling Jonah she’s never taken a chance on something — and she chooses to take that chance on him. Will they end up being together for the long term? Or will this be a short term experience for the two of them? There’s nothing clear cut about the end except that it’s precisely what Brighton does because of how Jonah convinces her it’s something she should consider doing once in a while: taking a chance. 

Bright Before Sunrise is a story about examining those roles you choose to play and the reasons you may be playing them. Is it the world around you? Is it your past? Can you shake them off, cast them a middle finger, and then be your true, authentic self? Can all of this happen in one night? What if the right person is begging you to strip down to your barest self? This is much more of a character-driven story than it is an action- or plot- driven one, and both Brighton and Jonah are at times tough to like. But that’s what makes them compelling and what pushes the story forward: despite maybe not being the most likable characters (Brighton, I suspect, will endure this label far more than Jonah will by most readers, much in part to her being a female who strives to be liked), it’s hard not to care about what it is that drives them both. Brighton’s not just mourning, but she’s also desperately seeking approval. Why does she need that? What validation does it give her? Jonah, new in school and okay with just skirting by, has not just a tough family situation to contend with, but it’s clear that he’s also not used to fitting into the social world of the kids in his new school. Schmidt does a good job giving a glimpse into some realistic socioeconomic issues here in a way that never feels like a message nor does it feel like Jonah’s a stereotypical “poor kid” now in a “rich kid” school. 

The writing is strong, the story moves quickly, and the setting and dialog ring true. It’s funny in parts, and there’s great romantic tension in parts. There are no world-changing events that happen; the characters bring that with them to the story already. Instead, it’s the dissecting of those world-changing events of the past that allow the characters to see one another as they really are — and that allows them to see themselves as who they really are. It’s a story that takes place in one night and one night only, but the revelations from that night have long-lasting ripples. It is hard not to pull for both these characters and what it is they may or may not have with one another. 

The tagline to Bright Before Sunrise is “One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself,” and it’s perfectly fitting. If you didn’t know, there’s been a really enjoyable blog series for Schmidt’s novel going on over on Tumblr, where authors and bloggers have all shared the one night that changed their lives. If you’re curious, you can read mine here. There’s a perfect opportunity to talk the book with that topic, since everyone has one night that they can think of that changed their lives or the way they see themselves — which is precisely what the book is about.  

In many ways this book is reminiscent of Lauren Myracle’s The Infinite Moment of Us, where Wren challenges her “good girl”/”nice girl” life by choosing to follow the plans she wants for herself, rather than those expected of her. It’s also a little reminiscent of David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Schmidt’s novel will certainly appeal to readers who like contemporary realistic YA that feels real. This lands more on the “actual reality” rather than “perceived reality” side of the scale, if there is such a thing. Readers who like romance in their stories should certainly pick this up, as should those readers who love a book that’s set in a tight time frame. But again: while there is romance in this book, it’s not a cut-and-dry romance, and I emphasize that because what this book is really about is how we challenge ourselves to see ourselves and our lives through different lights — and how we can choose to make things different. 

Bright Before Sunrise will be available tomorrow. Review copy  received from the author, with whom I have a relationship.