I really liked what the author was trying to do, a young feminist mage that will make her own decisions, but it overall felt incomplete.

The world-building and magic system was lacking in depth and I didn’t understand it. I did enjoy the parties, marriage politics, rivals, and the whole idea of the bargaining season. I also enjoyed reading about the estates, houses, grounds, and the different places the characters would visit.

The characters were also lovable and I loved the trio of Ysbeta, Beatrice, and Ianthe. The three of them were my favorite part of the book.

The writing was okay. Again, I didn’t really understand the magic system, what did stand out was the dialogue. I loved seeing the characters interact in such a proper way.

Overall, there were many gaps in the story, but I enjoyed the direction. I definitely didn’t hate it, I just wish there was more depth to the world.

C. L. Polk gets top marks for imagination in this fantasy novel about sorcerers and spirit possession. I love the bratty minor spirit, Nadi, who possesses the main character, Beatrice Clayborn. Nadi is like a second id, a hedonist running amok in Beatrice's head and very hard to control Nadi was by far my favorite character. She overshadows the main character and makes Beatrice herself seem a little dull.

The world-building in "The Midnight Garden" receives short shrift. The author throws the reader headlong into the plot with no background info about the world the main character inhabits; the reader must piece it together as the novel progresses. Beatrice jumps out of a carriage in an unknown country on page one and runs into a bookshop where she finds a magical grimoire. A rival for the purchase of the book appears in the shop, Ysbeta Lanvan, who also a sorcerer from a rich and powerful family of Llanandari, and Beatrice feels that she must surrender the grimoire to Ysbeta.

Ysbeta has a sexy brother, happily (and yet unhappily) for the conflicted Beatrice. Due to the weird social strictures on female sorcerers, neither Beatrice nor Ysbeta has any desire to get married, and yet this is the whole point of "bargaining season," a sort of debutante marriage market thing with balls in which sorceresses are basically sold off and bound with a collar that dims their magical powers. The collars ensure that no spirit-possessed children (a. k. a. monsters) will be born. Beatrice and Ysbeta are determined to go in the opposite direction from the path society has chosen for them: to harness powerful spirits, and to become Mages—a privilege reserved for men.

Various business and political subplots are also included in the novel but given a light touch by the author, and I found myself ignoring these subplots to get back to the far more interesting spirits-and-sex elements, and then becoming confused later when I encountered those subplots again. World-building in a plot-driven novel is a delicate balance, and the failure to strike it is the novel's only weakness. "The Midnight Bargain" is fun, original and surprising.

The Midnight Bargain might be one of my top ten reads for 2020. It's got magic and a powerful message about women's freedom to choose and be independent and not just have children and be housewives. Despite this heavy message, the story is written beautifully and I devoured it in just a few sittings. The magic system is fresh, with people striking bargains with different tiers of spirits in exchange for what they want. I loved Nadi and her relationship with Beatrice throughout the novel.

When I read the synopsis I had extremely high hopes for this book. The concept of a woman losing her magic when she marries is so interesting to me as a commentary on society and a metaphor for the way women are treated. Luckily the book was just as good as I expected! I read this book in less than a week, because I just couldn't put it down! Even while working I was daydreaming about what might happen next. Phenomenal read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I don't feel like mincing words right now, so I'll lead with this: THE MIDNIGHT BARGAIN was a bit of a let-down. The premise is fantastic, and I was totally on board for this Victorian world of corsets and carriages infused with magi and rebel feminists. Sadly, the execution was flawed.

Beatrice is eighteen, so she must have her coming out season, also known as the bargaining. As a money-poor but magic-rich young woman, her prospects for a prosperous marriage are reasonably good. The trouble is Beatrice doesn't want to be married because being married means she must give up her magical powers to protect her unborn children (and let's be real, also to protect the patriarchy). Her dilemma is further complicated by her family's dire financial situation, and the appearance of a handsome, evolved, and rich young suitor.

Polk creates an engrossing setting and does a fairly good job with world building. I loved reading about the corsets and dresses and accessories. The magic was interesting too - revolving primarily around hand signs and chants in order to have a spirit share possession of your body. As others have also mentioned, I particularly loved Nadi, Beatrice's spirit.

Unfortunately, there were just a few too many misses in this story for me. The insta-love was disappointing, especially for a feminist novel. The pacing was very uneven. Some of the supporting characters were really hard to pin down, especially Beatrice's family. Harriet was the only one whose actions were remotely understandable, and even she was unlikeable. The book's title now seems gimmicky to me, especially since the major magic in the book doesn't happen overnight and we learn that magic actually should not be practiced in the dark. My biggest disappointment, however, concerned the grimoires. I really think Polk could have used the grimoires to greater effect in the story. Instead, we get a very brief and unflattering look at the women who practice magic behind the scenes, and the grimoire books just become objects with which to barter for favors. I kept wanting to shout at Polk: tell me more about the books! It's a crying shame that we never heard anymore about the person or persons using the initials C, E, and J.

In summary, THE MIDNIGHT BARGAIN is a fine enough book. I was sufficiently interested to finish it and did not dislike it overall. It had a lot of potential, but it missed a few tricks, so now it's missing a few stars in my rating.

This is my first CL Polk (somehow I missed out on the previous series, but I need to remedy that immediately) but the masterful blend of intricate and unique magic with the courtly fashion and politics of a historical fiction had me racing through it. There was a brilliant balance of the romance aspect (slow and chaste because of the "time period" in this fictional world) with the feminist fight for equal opportunity. The choice between cultivating magic and having a family is one that can make or break any woman - and Beatrice is unwilling to choose between them, even when she meets the man of her dreams.

When we first put Beatrice and Ysbeta in the same room, I was terrified at the prospect of having this pair of noblewomen squabbling for the rest of the book. What happened instead was brilliant: the blossoming of a partnership built on mutual respect and a desire for similar but slightly opposing goals - and the means to work together to achieve them. Paired with Ianthe's genuine respect for and willingness to listen to both his sister and Beatrice (imagine - a man willing to listen!), we were given a trio we could absolutely root for.

Unfortunately, the plot dragged a bit in the middle as time seemed to dilate for almost no reason, with Beatrice separated from the siblings for long stretches of time or engaged solely in courtly drama that had no direct impact on the story (also, why was there suddenly so much interest in her? That was never truly explained). And the period when we're supposed to believe that all is lost was far too short - with an almost immediate turnaround to "we're on the path to a solution".

So the thing is, I got my ARC (thank you Erewhon Books!), started reading…and had to stop on page four.

Not because it was bad! The exact opposite, actually.

I identified, empathised, with Beatrice so much, I couldn’t bear to read the scene I knew was coming. It’s not much of a spoiler; Beatrice finds a book she desperately wants, one that could change her life – but because of social rules, because she has to be Polite, she lets someone else take it instead. And reading that scene is agonising, not because the writing is bad – not even close! – but because I felt every instant of it as if I were the one in Beatrice’s shoes.

And really, that tells you the most important thing about Midnight Bargain right away: this is a book that you don’t read, you live. Beatrice is a protagonist you can’t help rooting for, but it’s so much more than that: you feel what she feels with an intensity that astounds. Her determination, her social awkwardness, her triumphs and pitfalls and the champagne-esque bubbles of joy; you’re not reading about them, you’re experiencing them all with her. It’s impossible not to make the comparison between the reader, and the spirits the sorcerers in the story deal with: spirits dwell in another realm, and are summoned into a sorcerer’s body so that they can experience a human’s senses.

With Midnight Bargain, the reader is the spirit, and the book the world of colour and texture and taste and emotion that almost overwhelms with its intensity.

Or flip it around; Polk’s writing is like one of the Greater Spirits, putting the reader in the position of sorcerer – once you let it inside you, nothing else can compare. Nothing can make you let the feeling of magic go.

I might have stopped at page four…but only for a few minutes.

Polk has crafted a story, cast, and world you can’t help but be ensnared by. Tiny, seemingly innocuous worldbuilding details (like brides being married in green!) are scattered throughout seemingly carelessly, but with all the skill of a jeweler placing gemstones where they’ll best shine (and you’d better keep track of them, because some build upon others into a mosaic the whole of which is only visible at the very end). These subtle details change the setting from something vaguely like Regency England into a place completely its own; even when I thought I recognised a trope, either in the setting or the story, it shimmered into a very different shape when I wasn’t looking, in beautifully clever ways. I absolutely loved those sneaky subversions!

Beatrice’s story, at its surface, looks familiar: she has to win a rich husband to save her family, despite not wanting to marry. She’s smart and sharp-tongued and socially awkward. She is a Fabulous Woman in a Patriarchy That Does Not Appreciate Her.

Okay; we know how this story goes, right?

Nope.

See, Beatrice is also a sorceress. But women aren’t allowed to use their magic in Chasland, Beatrice’s country. When they get married, their husbands put warding collars around their wives’ necks to cut them off from their magic.

Insert absolutely furious rage here.

But. Here’s the thing. Although it’s disgusting and awful and hugely unfair??? There’s actually a really good reason for it: if a sorceress gets pregnant, a spirit can enter the fetus before its born. This results in an incredibly dangerous ‘spiritborn’ child more than capable of burning down an entire city in a tantrum.

And that’s where Beatrice’s story really takes a sharp left turn from what I was expecting, because this…this is unusual. I’ve come across plenty of stories where The Patriarchy Sucks. But I can’t recall a single other example where The Patriarchy Sucks…But Also Has a Point. Is cutting a woman off from her magic fair? No! But what other option is there? Even other, more civilised countries, we learn, still use the warding collars – it’s just that their women only wear them while actually pregnant, not 24/7 for their entire lives.

Polk has changed the game. Of course you’re on Beatrice’s side, but… Well. But. And that – making the situation complicated, painting it in greys instead of keeping to a simple black and white – is one of the many things that makes Midnight Bargain really special. Although the book isn’t a ‘difficult’ read, with prose that draws you along and in and feels so easy and elegant, it’s by no means simple. And that tangles the reader’s emotions. It makes Beatrice’s world even more real, because it’s like ours: sometimes there aren’t easy answers, quick fixes. Sometimes things are unfair not because of evil, but to keep us safe.

…Right?

And this is all without weighing the very real straits Beatrice’s family are in, and her familial duties and responsibilities to them. Doesn’t she owe it to them to get married? To marry as well as she can? Isn’t that the only way she can save them?

…Maybe not.

Look: the blurb wants to convince you that this is a romance. And it kind of is, just like the Lavan siblings (the sister = the rival who steals Beatrice’s book; the brother = the most eligible, and wonderful, bachelor of Bargaining Season) do, indeed, tie Beatrice in knots and pull her in conflicting directions. But it’s nothing like that simple. Ianthe Lavan, Beatrice’s suitor and love interest, is so much more than a love interest. His and Beatrice’s relationship is so much more than a romance – or maybe it would be better to say, it’s the truest romance I’ve read in…maybe ever. And I kind of have to talk about Ianthe, because I’m so impressed with him as a character and with Polk for pulling him off so brilliantly. Ianthe starts the book believing he has enlightened views on women, because his country treats women much better than Beatrice’s. And that’s true! But. Better is not the same as good, and in enormous part because of his feelings for Beatrice, he starts to actually get that. Ianthe’s character arc is that of any well-off liberal who believes themselves to be an ally…then actually getting schooled by a member of an oppressed group, and listening. And learning. And doing better. In large part by realising that he can’t be the one who fixes everything; he can only support Beatrice, not save her.

She has to save herself, or it won’t mean anything.

I mean, by the end of the book I was in love with Ianthe, for crying out loud. What’s better: a picture-perfect hero, or someone who actually listens to you and takes you seriously and changes their mind and behaviour because of it? Because of you?

Who wouldn’t swoon?

Beatrice absolutely swoons. But Ianthe turning out to be even more wonderful than he originally seems is actually the opposite of helpful. Because she can have magic, or marriage, but she can’t have both. And where she only wanted one before – magic – now she does want both. And that just makes everything so much more painful.

Honestly, Beatrice and Ianthe’s conversations were some of my favourite parts of the book, because Polk articulates so well the issues of autonomy and why being allowed or given something isn’t the same as, or as good as, the thing being yours by right. So Ianthe would take the warding collar off when Beatrice wasn’t pregnant: so? That makes her magic into something he grants her, gives her, allows her. When it should be hers – is hers! Of course marriage with Ianthe would be much better than marrying a Chaslander, who would keep her in the collar all the time.

But better is not the same as good.

Polk plays your heartstrings like a master harpist with a harp, and it’s absolutely incredible. There’s no way not to rage at the unfairness of Beatrice’s situation, of the situation of all women in her world. There’s no way not to ache at the terrible choice she has to face. There’s no way not to chew your nails to the absolute quick as you turn the pages faster and faster, desperate for everything to end well even when you can’t figure out how it possibly could.

Look, this is an extremely long review (I HAVE FEELS, OKAY?) but you can basically sum the whole thing up by just imagining me screaming READ THIS BOOK at you.

So, you know.

READ THIS BOOK ALREADY!

This took me longer than usual to read. I just found myself getting bored most of the time.

I like the basis of the plot: A girl who lives in a sexist world where respectable women cannot be mages because being a mage means letting a spirit possess you and if you get pregnant, the spirit can take over the baby's soul and come out of the mother as a dangerous being. To prevent this, women have to wear a collar when they get married that prevents spirits from possessing them. Beatrice, our MC wants to be a mage and not get trapped in a marriage so she secretly is looking for ways to achieve that. Being a mage involves a dangerous ceremony, which can lead to bad circumstances if the person isn't well prepared. so we follow Beatrice on her mission to be well prepared.

During her journey, she meets a pair of siblings; a girl who also wants to be a mage, and her brother. Her and the girl become friends, while her and the boy start becoming involved. This is where the plot started becoming boring. The new girl was really annoying. She wasn't cooperative and had this "me me me' attitude. Their mission kept getting sidetracked with boring societal events that didn't really add anything of value.

The storyline became repetitive. We are told multiple times that women don't have rights. We are told multiple times that Beatrice and her friend want to be a mages, We are told multiple times that her friend doesn't ever want to get married.

The romance too was "eh". To be honest, i can't understand why the guy liked her so much. We are told that he's the most eligible bachelor, his family is super rich and powerful. Girls want him but he likes Beatrice, someone who is low on the social scale. That didn't matter to me if they had some type of reasonable connection except accidentally meeting at the beginning. I just couldn;t buy the attraction

Overall, this book could have done better at getting to the point.

Beatrice has the ability to cast spells, but young women aren't allowed to study magic and create bonds with spirits to become full mages until they're past childbearing years. She has no interest in marriage, and only wants to study. Making a pact would eliminate her marriage potential. It all goes wrong, but her rival also needs to make a pact with a spirit. The choice to remain a celibate Mage is also made more difficult when the wealthy Ianthe Lavan understands her and loves her for herself. If she marries him, her family will recoup their lost fortune and she will lose her magic. If she rejects him, she will study and lose all social standing. Whatever she chooses, she will regret the road not taken.

As with other books Polk has written, the language is gorgeous and layered, with a lot of thought put into every phrase. It looks effortless and natural, pulling you into the world faster than you realize. This is a Regency or Victorian styled society, and Chasland is intensely patriarchal. There are good reasons to fear a pregnant sorceress, as unbound spirits would love the opportunity to inhabit the fetus, and their magic would be impossible to control as that child grows. Men lockdown women immediately upon marriage and her wants are always secondary to his. Even in love matches such as Beatrice's parents, this is the case. Beatrice has an impressive magical ability, but all men see are her family connections, ability to bear sons, and whether she can serve their interests. Of course, she has no interest in this kind of relationship! She still yearns for love and a family, and Ianthe is more progressive than Chaslander men by virtue of living in an area where birth control is common.

In contrast with Beatrice, Ysbeta has zero interest in marriage, having children, or a romantic relationship at all. Her goal is knowledge itself, and to disseminate the lost magic styles. This is great aromantic or asexual representation and doesn't diminish her character at all. Her goals certainly play up the differences in magic, cultures between countries, and the ways that women were constrained in her own more liberal country. There is a strong feminist current with Beatrice and Ysbeta, both determined to make their own way and further the talents they have. Beatrice's romance with Ianthe isn't as well fleshed out, so the declarations of love don't feel as heartfelt as her entreaty to study magic. The story took a few unexpected turns along the way, and the final third of the book proceeded at a fairly rapid pace. The deadlines imposed on the women were sudden, accelerating their timetable and pushing forward to the end. This novel was impossible for me to put down, and I enjoyed it very much.

DNF just wasn't the book for me. I didn't relate well to the characters, or the story line. It felt a little all over the place for my liking

Yes! A definite recommendation for anyone who loves a good fantasy novel with feminist vibes and undertones throughout the story! Only for that I would highly urge you to pick this one up! Loved the premise of the story and it certainly did not dissapoint!

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc and Happy Publication Day!!

Readers who like fantasy fiction with feminist themes should enjoy this novel.

It’s Chasland’s Bargaining Season, a social season during which young women and men hope to make advantageous marriages. In addition to wealth and social position, though, women have another asset to barter—sorcerous talent. Or rather, the ability to pass those talents along to their children, because married women themselves cannot practice magic for fear their unborn children will be possessed by powerful and dangerous spirits. The solution to this dilemma? During their wedding ceremony, a woman must be locked into a collar that completely suppresses her magic, leaving her unable to attract spirits and so safely bear children.

The author very neatly traps her protagonist in this system. Beatrice loves using her talent and has secretly taught herself how to perform magic. She would prefer to remain unmarried, because that is the only way she can continue to use her innate skill. However, her family is in debt, which could easily be alleviated by marriage to a wealthy husband. Beyond that, though, Beatrice falls for Ianthe, a kind and handsome man from another country with less restrictive customs. Marriage to him might not be so bad, but Beatrice would still have to wear a collar. If she can’t have both, which does she choose—love or freedom to be fully herself? That’s the dilemma that Beatrice wrestles with throughout the story.

That the collar, an obvious symbol of that lack of freedom, serves as protection for children initially gives it a somewhat benign gloss. However, as the story unfolds, the oppressive nature of the patriarchal system of Polk’s novel becomes more apparent and more problematic until the plot reaches a crisis point near the end of the book. That makes the ending all the sweeter, when Beatrice strikes a blow against the powerful men of Chasland that is likely to turn society on its head.

I was fully engaged in the story and rooting for Beatrice and Ianthe all the way through, hoping for them to find a solution so that they can be together while Beatrice can still be fully her own person. The magic system was also interesting, and I loved Nadi, the spirit that Beatrice summons to help her navigate the hazards of the season.

My biggest quibble with the story was that sometimes the behavior of the characters didn’t quite ring true to me but seemed exaggerated either for effect or as a plot device. For example, Beatrice’s father goes from being a relatively caring man whose cultural beliefs and financial difficulties don’t allow him to see beyond Beatrice getting married to making an absolutely monstrous choice about her future. That change just seemed to come out of nowhere and felt very awkward to me.

Overall, though, I thought this was an entertaining read. Recommended!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

"The carriage drew closer to Bookseller's Row, and Beatrice Clayborn drew in a hopeful breath before she cast her spell."

The Midnight Bargain by.C.L.Polk had me at this first line of the book. What is not to love about a bookstore and magic. Also the cover gave me goosebumps with anticipation about the world I was about to unveil to my imagination. What I had not anticipated was reading a current socially and politically relevant story hidden in a magical world.

In our author's world men and women possess magic but women must literally wear a collar to block their magic when they marry. Supposedly this harness will prevent their children from being possessed by spirits in the womb. Beatrice loves her magic and wants to dedicate her life to it but the midnight bargain families have agreed to will stop her dreams from coming true. Families groom their daughters to find a husband among the wealthy aristocrats who come to the city to seek an arranged marriage. Beatrice's family will be paid handsomely for her and thus get them out of their looming debt.

Beatrice does not want to hurt her family but she is determined to keep her magic freedom. Then she meets Ianthe. He is a very handsome enlightened young man who not only understands Beatrice's dilemma but tries to help her find a solution.

There are so many underlying commentaries in this fantastical tale about how women are almost always the ones to make sacrifices for the ones they love never being able to fulfill their own destiny.

The author has interwoven a love story, a new magical universe and social discord in a very entertaining manner. I enjoyed the journey though at times I was taken out of it by some of Beatrice's juvenile decisions and tantrums but I did get her frustration at not being able to make her own choices just like any man.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I received an eARC of The Midnight Bargain via NetGalley, but all opinions are my own. Many thanks to NetGalley and Erewhon Books!

So, this took me a little bit to actually get into, but as soon as I did, I could not stop reading. C. L. Polk’s writing is utterly addictive, the world she builds is delicious with detail (although, as a woman who decidedly can not keep quiet and would very likely learn magic, I do not want to visit). If I had to compare it to anything, it reminds me of Mary Robinette Kowal’s early books, though it’s been a few years. As this is the first of Polk’s books that I’ve read, I very much want to go and read the rest now!

The characters are just as well-crafted. With a book such as The Midnight Bargain, it would be easy enough to present Beatrice and her companions as archetypes, falling into tropes of traditional romance. However, Polk manages to craft them into multi-dimensional, flawed, determined characters – well, except maybe for a certain so-called gentleman, where I really can not see any ulterior considerations other than selfishness. They are a joy to read, suffer and worry with, and it is such a relief for the book to come to a satisfying conclusion as is demanded by the genre (despite everything, it is still romantic fantasy).

All in all, I really enjoyed The Midnight Bargain and would highly recommend it. I don’t think it’ll quite make my list of all-time favourites, but I think its likely that I’ll reread it as a comfort read. It is the perfect kind of book to curl up with on a cold autumn night, with a cup of tea…

Beatrice Clayborn loves magic more than anything. However, in her world in The Midnight Bargain, magic is only for men. After getting married, she will be wearing a collar which would prevent her from doing magic. She is still hopeful that she can convince her father to allow her to stay unmarried and become a Magus, However, in her patriarchal world, women have no say. Her father needs her to be married to save himself from bankruptcy and he does not care about her own desires. She has to take part in the Bargaining Season and find a husband. She finds a special grimoire which will help her. However, a rival, Ysbeta, gets it before her. To get it back, she has to give Ysbeta's brother, Ianthe, the prize of the Bargaining Season, her first kiss. Love has a funny way of messing up even the best laid plans...
I loved this book!. Although, the arrogance of many male characters within the story infuriated me. I now am sure that I could never have survived the past centuries when men ruled women. I definitely would have gone mad.
The chemistry between Beatrice and Ianthe was visible from the start and I was not surprised by the agreement made to get the grimoire. I knew Ysbeta noticed the chemistry as well.
I did find though that Beatrice was a bit too selfish. I understand she was determined to save women in magic. However, Ianthe kept making it clear he was willing to help her. She could have avoided a lot of trouble if she did things differently. I loved the spirit she befriended, Nadi the luck spirit. She added a bit of humor to the story.
The plot moved quickly with very few lulls. Beatrice found herself in a lot of sticky situations throughout the book and it was intriguing to see how she saved herself each time

This book can be read by tweens, teens and adults. There was no obscene language, minimal sexual content (kissing) and very little violence.

My Rating: 2.7 Stars

"Women should have a voice in their futures, and her decisions and her decisions alone matter when it comes to how she will use her own body."

<i>I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions and expressed here are my own.</i>

This book left me with so many mixed feelings. When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was curious to read this book. After reading it, I felt that I was reading a modern story set in a historical setting. It was like watching a period drama. It should be noted that this book is relevant to our current time and is a voice against oppression in any society.

Chasland was highly patriarchal. It controlled each step a woman took. Though there is no particular year mentioned in the book, the descriptions fit the Victorian Era well-- part modern and part quaint. Women were bargained to the highest bidder who could offer more to purchase his bride. Women were never allowed to practice magic freely; many had to keep it a secret if they did practice it. They were highly moralized and had to wear a collar to ward off magic---which might be dangerous to pregnant women in particular to prevent deaths caused by spirits.

Beatrice Clayborn is an ingénue --in simple words, a young woman-- who is forced by her father and the society to marry and produce a male heir. She was persistent throughout the book and never gave up on magic until the end. The book portrayed her predicament-- whether to choose magic or love- very well.

She had one person to lean on, and that was her friend Ysbeta Lavan, a Llanandari woman. She had a spirit-friend too who helped her many times in the book. Both of these women wanted to pursue magic. They wanted to be free from the holds of their cultures and spread the knowledge of magic to other women too. They were not even women; they were young adults who sounded like they were in their late twenties.

They brought a change in their society--the first women to be a mage-- because until then, men were the sole practitioners of magic. Ianthe Lavan was an exception. He was a feminist until the end. He was the only guy who didn't hold a collar to their necks whenever they used magic.


I had mentioned earlier that there are spirits involved in the story. Whenever Nadi, a lower spirit, appeared in the book, she served as comic relief. However, it felt strange to read about them having a conversation within Beatrice's mind. Whenever Nadi possessed her, Beatrice was never herself-- she drank, walked barefoot, and did things that might raise brows in Chasland. Nadi gave her the agency to be the free woman she always wanted to be.

While the book was easy to follow and showcased all the restrictions in their society, it didn't leave much impression on me. One of the best aspects of the book is that it showed how a revolution happened by these women. Besides that, not much was spoken about magic in the book. If it was done differently instead of dragging the plot, then it would have been interesting to me.

I just wish the book hadn't focused much on marriage. Magic was pushed to the background, and the story revolved mostly around getting these women married.

So if you are looking for a historical-romance book with a touch of magic, then The Midnight Bargain might be your book.

Fast-paced fantasy with magic, spirit possession and grimoires, mixed in with Regency era romance and a strong sorceress fighting for woman’s rights.

Synopsis
Beatrice wants what she can’t have- to become a Magus and pair with a greater spirit. Not to marry some rich gentleman during the Bargaining Season. But to please her family, and pull her father out of crippling debt, she doesn’t have a lot of choice but to find a husband and face the prospect of wearing a warding collar and losing her magic forever.

Beatrice needs to find a grimoire fast, it will give her the key to taking her magic to the next level. Something a woman is forbidden to do, and something that will stop her from having to marry.
But when she encounters Ysbeta Lavan, the most eligible woman in the bargaining season, her plan starts to slip away. Ysebeta needs the book as much as Beatrice does, but both can’t have it.

Beatrice finds herself spending time with the most powerful family in town to remain close to the book. She gambles with magic, and summons help in the form of a mischievous luck spirit, Nadi. All Nadi demands in payment for her luck magic, is a kiss, some cake, and to feel the sand between her toes.

The one kiss leads Beatrice to Ysbeta’s handsome brother, Ianthe Lavan. Ianthe is not like the others. Beatrice finds herself torn between two worlds that are not compatible for a woman. Either way, she must sacrifice something. Can she give up love for magic? Or will she choose the fairy-tale prince?

My Review

There was a lot about this book I liked. Firstly the Regency Era setting. It is set in a fantasy seaside town with a large trading port and plenty of cobbled streets, horse and carriages, dress shops and books shops. Many people rent houses along the seafront when they come to town with their eligible daughters. All with the expectation of taking part in the Bargaining Season, a series of events aimed at matching up couples in suitable marriages.

The general vibe of the book reminded me of a mix of Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix, and Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson for the setting and magic, with a touch of Pride and Prejudice in the scandals and society. There were plenty of high society parties, gossip, and match making going on.

Plot
The story moves from one exciting party to the next, and from disaster to disaster. There are a few lulls in pacing, but all up, it very quick to get through.
Beatrice is constantly trouble shooting and fighting to get the magic, and life she so desperately wants. At the same time, she must keep it hidden from her family. Only her sister knows the truth, and she is not impressed that Beatrice is ready to throw away their familie’s respectability for the sake of magic.

The stakes were so high for Beatrice throughout this whole story. I spent the whole time wondering how she would ever get anything she wanted. To be honest, I thought her a little selfish at times, because the risks didn’t seem worth it, and it made her look very self-centred.

There are so many great moments. At one point Beatrice punches one of the rich gentlemen in the face and challenges him to a duel. It is so good! It’s worth reading for amazing moments like that!
The ending kind of surprised me. I didn’t see it unfolding the way it did, but I did like how everything was resolved. I thought it was building up to an opening for a second book, but then it was all very well summarised in an epilogue. But if there was to be a second book on their adventures, I would definitely read it!

Characters
My favourite character was Ysbeta Lavan, Beatrice’s rival, turned friend. I feel like the stakes for Ysbeta were much higher than Beatrice. She was more desperate and I felt she deserved the grimoire more than Beatrice.
Beatrice is an outstanding example of a strong female character. She was so passionate about getting equal rights for woman in both magic, and marriage, and was proactive and motivated about forcing change in a seemingly impossible situation.

But saying that, I didn’t really like her personality. She was too selfish to be likable; she didn’t listen to people’s advice and took many irresponsible risks at the expense of potentially driving her family into ruin. Her sister Harriet seemed to be the voice of reason. Harriet was well informed on everything and wanted what was best for her family, but was made out to be the bad guy.

One of the best characters was Nadi. The lesser spirit that Beatrice summons and befriends. Nadi adds a spark of joy and playfulness to every scene, and I couldn’t help but love her.
Ianthe Lavan, Beatrice’s suitor, fell a little flat. He was a very passive character and went along with the flow without really wanting to change, or help out. I’m not sure why he put up with Beatrice and her craziness in a society that frowned on pretty much everything she did.

The romance felt a lot like insta-love. There was no real build up and I wasn’t sure why they liked each other so much. But it was still entertaining and their courtship was unconventional for the Bargaining Season, and I quite liked that.

Magic
I never fully understood the magic, but I loved the concept of summoning spirits and having them inhabit you to bring specific types of power. The spirit Beatrice summons, Nadi, was a luck spirit. She brought luck magic to Beatrice when they were together, and could hex and curse people through Beatrice, which was quite cool.

I liked how complex the process was to learn magic and the fact that Beatrice had taught herself in secret. There were a lot of steps to actually performing the magic, and she also had to learn to decipher the grimoires as an added step.
But I was disappointed to never really find out what the magic was capable of. I feel like we barely brushed the surface of it, and would have liked to see more magic in action.

Summary
I enjoyed this book. It was easy to get through and I was entertained the whole time. I love the regency era setting with magic. This was the main thing that drew me to this story. It also left you with a good feeling at the end. It was satisfying, and it felt like I had been alongside Beatrice for the ups and downs of her adventure.

I'm a sucker for anything related to grimoires and Midnight Bargain is among the best, if not THE best, grimoire fantasy book out there. The plus? It's a standalone, and standalones that explore the depth of each character and plot device are rare. I'd definitely recommend this book to readers of fantasy, romance, or in need of a good pick-me-up out of a book drought.

I truly enjoyed The Midnight Bargain. It felt like a wonderful blend of fantasy and historical romance. I was immediately pulled into the storyline and felt invested in the characters rather quickly. However, it takes a little bit of time to understand all of the magical references and how their society works. I would even say that at times, there was a little too much detail of the spell casting for me. I was in it for the romance and to see how our heroine, Beatrice would choose between her two loves - - Ianthe and "magic." I also liked her friendship with Ianthe's sister.

In this society, women are forced to be collared when they marry. This prevents them from practicing magic and strengthens their husband's magical standing. There are no exceptions. Even though Ianthe commiserates with Beatrice in her desire to maintain and further her magic, he can't change all of the rules surrounding the collaring. To complicate things further, Beatrice's family is relying on her making a good match to rescue them from looming financial ruin. It just demonstrates further that her decisions aren't fully her own.

The crux of the storyline is Beatrice's hope to overcome the patriarchy and pursue higher levels of magic. Can she accomplish this and still keep her relationship with Ianthe? If she has to choose one over the other, she will be heartbroken.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐️/ 5 stars

I love a good book with mages, sorcery, and strong female characters with a weakness for hot men. This tells the story of Beatrice Clayborn who needs to do the right thing to save her family: marry the right man during Bargaining Season to get her father out of debt and save their livelihood. They are essentially banking on her. However, as usually stubborn teens never do as they are told, she has been secretly practicing magic that has been forbidden to women after they are married - something to do with the spirits inhabiting your unborn child and wreaking havoc. They have to wear a collar that severs their powers forever - Beatrice finds a grimoire that holds more secrets to how women can attain their powers but is sidelined by another sorceress and her brother (who she eventually has a love thing with). The book shows the struggle she has with doing the right thing or following her own passion and what she thinks is morally right that women should decide their own fate. I found the underlying theme very important especially in this day and age where even women today are questioned and owned by their families to marry the “right person” to secure their place in society and being owned by their husbands after marriage. However other than that, parts of the story read very slowly for me… and I was not in love with all the different lands Polk created here, I found some parts hard to follow and pace super slow. Also Beatrice did not have much chemistry with her love interest and I found Beatrice to be so trying and selfish. One minute they were just talking and the next, they’re in love? I must have missed something there. And finally, There should have been more explorations with Nadi (my fave character who is the spirit that inhabits and protects Beatrice). I loved the feminist theme, but I felt the story was so/so.

Thank you to #netgalley and Erewhon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The book is out today - Oct 13!