After her marriage implodes, romance novelist Sophia Chen escapes to small-town Millbrook, Illinois, where she works the night shift at the Carnegie Library and discovers something unexpected.

Anonymous letters tucked between the pages of books.

What begins as literary correspondence with a mysterious stranger becomes a lifeline, teaching her that hope might be more rational than the protective cynicism her divorce has taught her to practice.

Standalone

This story may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult 18+ audience.

Title:  Midnight Pages
Series:  ~Standalone~
Author:  Josephine Jonasson
Published:  July 9, 2025
My Rating:  4 stars

Midnight Pages is a standalone title, featuring Sophia and Daniel …and anonymous letters left in books at the local library.  Such an intriguing concept.

Sophia knows the pain of betrayal.  After divorcing her cheating, scumbag of a now ex-husband, she’s starting over in a college town, working the night shift at the library.  Finding an anonymous letter in a book of poetry (which is a tradition at this library of leaving letters in books), Sophia will unknowingly start a correspondence with the town’s mayor, Daniel, who is also going through a far different kind of grief while keeping a political game face on for everyone else to see.  By not knowing exactly who they are speaking to, Sophia and Daniel allow their real thoughts, fears, and concerns to flow through their letters exchanged with a perfect stranger who doesn’t judge but understands what the other is going through.

I enjoyed Midnight Pages by Josephine Jonasson.  It was frankly, unlike any other book I can recall reading.  At times raw, perhaps ironic, with a freedom of speech that we rarely see face-to-face.  It was an intriguing concept and an enjoyable experience for me.  Midnight Pages is well-written, at times painfully emotional, as well as an unusual reading journey for me.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)