I received an eARC of this book via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

What a rollercoaster! Decisions We Make After Midnight by Rachel Higginson is the first in her spinoff series Decisions in Durham that introduces us to Lola Ellis and Will English. This is the first contemporary book I’ve read of this author, and I adored it. Full of heartfelt, soul deep, complicated emotions and real-life problems to hurdle, this romance will break your heart, put it back together and leave you all the better for it.

The story opens on a heartbroken Lola. She’s in hiding at her best friend’s home in Durham, North Carolina after discovering her fiance’s hidden life. The once confidant, independent business woman is suddenly unsure of her well-planned life, her goals and her own decisions. I can’t fault her for that. Her life just crashed and burned. It’s okay for her to take a minute to be a hot mess and figure out what she wants to do next, which is exactly what she is doing in Durham. Not wanting to be a complete freeloader and unsure how long she’ll remain in town, Lola finds a job at a local bar. Having never held a job outside her family’s company, you can expect some mishaps with often hilarious results.

Enter Will English. Will and his siblings are the owners of the bar Lola finds herself working in. He’s indifferent, hard to please, and more than a little arrogant putting him at odds with the new girl. He’s also curious and that curiosity leads him to pursue Lola. He wants to know why she’s in his bar and how long she plans to stay. In the process, the two discover a kindred spirit and friendship blossoms.

There are so many hurdles for these two to overcome. Lola is only in Durham temporarily. She has a company she’s responsible for and must return to at some point. Will has a bar to run, and people counting on him. Plus his heart is guarded better than a castle with a moat around it. I personally loved how Higginson allowed these two to have a mutual friendship first before leading them into anything romantic. Lola came to Durham with her life in shambles, and she isn’t looking for love or even a rebound. The friendship the blooms between Will and Lola feels natural and not forced. Despite these two being completely fictional, I found myself falling for them and cheering them on almost immediately.

Overall, I really enjoyed Decisions We Make After Midnight, finishing it in one sitting. It’s a beautiful story filled with real life complications, friendship and romance. I highly recommend it!