Address PR review feedback

Author: davebarnwell

README.md

@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ class Product extends Freshsauce\Model\Model
 
 Supported cast types are `integer`, `float`, `boolean`, `datetime`, `array`, and `object`.
 
+`datetime` casts assume stored strings are UTC wall-time values. If you do not want implicit timezone conversion by the database, prefer `DATETIME`-style columns or ensure the connection session timezone is UTC before using `TIMESTAMP` columns.
+
 ### Dynamic finders and counters
 
 Build expressive queries straight from method names:

docs/api-reference.md

@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ Optional. Defaults to `updated_at`. Set to a different column name to customise
 
 Optional. Field cast map. Supported cast types are `integer`, `float`, `boolean`, `datetime`, `array`, and `object`.
 
+For `datetime`, string values are interpreted as UTC wall-time values. Prefer `DATETIME`-style columns, or ensure the connection session timezone is UTC when using database types that perform timezone conversion.
+
 ### `public static $_db`
 
 Inherited shared PDO connection. Redeclare this in a subclass only when that subclass needs an isolated connection.

docs/guide.md

@@ -578,6 +578,7 @@ Notes:
 - `datetime` returns `DateTimeImmutable`
 - `array` and `object` are stored as JSON strings in the database
 - `toArray()` returns the current cast PHP values
+- `datetime` assumes stored strings are UTC wall-time values; prefer `DATETIME`-style columns or a UTC session timezone when using databases that convert `TIMESTAMP`
 
 ## Exceptions
 

src/Model/Model.php

@@ -1286,18 +1286,29 @@ public static function transaction(callable $callback): mixed
             return $callback();
         }
 
-        $db->beginTransaction();
+        if (!$db->beginTransaction()) {
+            throw new \PDOException('Failed to start transaction.');
+        }
 
         try {
             $result = $callback();
-            $db->commit();
+
+            if (!$db->commit()) {
+                try {
+                    $db->rollBack();
+                } catch (\Throwable) {
+                    // Ignore rollback failures when the transaction is already closed or rollback itself fails.
+                }
+
+                throw new \PDOException('Failed to commit transaction.');
+            }
 
             return $result;
         } catch (\Throwable $throwable) {
             try {
                 $db->rollBack();
-            } catch (\PDOException) {
-                // Ignore rollback failures when the callback already closed the transaction.
+            } catch (\Throwable) {
+                // Ignore rollback failures when the callback already closed the transaction or rollback itself fails.
             }
 
             throw $throwable;
@@ -1638,9 +1649,11 @@ protected static function supportsDeleteLimit(): bool
      */
     protected static function newInstanceFromDatabaseRow(array $row): static
     {
-        $instance = new static();
-        $instance->hydrateFromDatabase($row);
+        $reflection = new \ReflectionClass(static::class);
+        /** @var static $instance */
+        $instance = $reflection->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();
         $instance->clearDirtyFields();
+        $instance->hydrateFromDatabase($row);
 
         return $instance;
     }
@@ -1656,9 +1669,9 @@ protected function hydrateFromDatabase(array $data): void
     {
         foreach (static::getFieldnames() as $fieldname) {
             if (array_key_exists($fieldname, $data)) {
-                $this->assignAttribute($fieldname, $data[$fieldname], true, true);
+                $this->assignAttribute($fieldname, $data[$fieldname], false, true);
             } elseif (!isset($this->$fieldname)) {
-                $this->assignAttribute($fieldname, null, true, true);
+                $this->assignAttribute($fieldname, null, false, true);
             }
         }
     }

tests/Model/CategoryTest.php

@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public static function setUpBeforeClass(): void
                  `quantity` INT(11) NULL,
                  `rating` DOUBLE NULL,
                  `is_active` TINYINT(1) NULL,
-                 `published_at` TIMESTAMP NULL DEFAULT NULL,
+                 `published_at` DATETIME NULL DEFAULT NULL,
                  `meta_array` TEXT NULL,
                  `meta_object` TEXT NULL,
                  PRIMARY KEY (`id`)