I would describe The Midnight Bargain as a feminist romantic fantasy. Set in the Regency era, it follows Beatrice, a sorceress determined to avoid marriage so that she doesn't have to give up her magic in order to protect her unborn children. Although, I like the writing style and the world building what let the novel down was the romance. It was clumsy and lacked depth. It almost read as YA at times, which was not a good thing). I will, however, be looking out for more of C.L. Polk's novels.

The Midnight Bargain reminded me why I love fantasy novels, and then wrecked me with its social commentary about a Regency-inspired world. This is a story about women feeling trapped by social constraints, scrambling to escape, and discovering along the way that transforming a society is more satisfying than just saving oneself. I loved the book’s drawing room politics, djinn-inspired magic, chosen family, and the way the story didn’t shy away from the heroine’s ambition, and her reluctance to be a wife and mother. I have rarely been quite this satisfied by the resolution of the classic love vs. freedom quandary for women in a restrictive society.

4.5 Stars

The Midnight Bargain wasn’t anything like I thought that it’d be. To label it as a YA Fantasy is wildly understating the vastness of this book. This is a story of feminism at its core, woven into a story that felt very much like historical fiction, but with a dash of magic and romance. While magic played a pivotal role is this story, to me it took a back seat to the feminist backstory of Beatrice and Ysbeta. I thought that the world building was excellently crafted; we really got a feel for what the culture was for these girls during their bargaining season. I also liked that we were given a few great villains, ones that forced you to root for Beatrice more that you already were.

I did crave a bit more from Ianthe’s character. Although I loved his reactions towards the end, I really wanted to watch him build a meaningful relationship with Beatrice; instead it felt more like an “insta-love” scenario. I was also surprised by some of the complete 180s that occurred in some of the characters, it didn’t feel believable or authentic to the story. With all that said, it was definitely a small blip on my radar and didn’t impact y overall enjoyment of the book.

This was the first book that I’ve read by C.L. Polk and it definitely won’t be my last.

While I am not a huge fan of Regency Era romance, this was a wonderful blend of feminism, magic and romance. It was well-done and I enjoyed reading it.

I love fantasy and fantasy with romance? Yes, please. However, I just couldn't get into the story. There was very little magic, partly because it's all for the men and not the women. I also feel it's slightly historical and my brain just can't comprehend historical writings.

When I first read the description of The Midnight Bargain, I felt that I need to read this book.

Because it was telling the story of a woman who is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She desperately needs to get married because of her family's financial situation, but she also does not want to lose her magic.,
since women are put to a warding collar to prevent spirits from taking host in their children and wreaking havoc. (They wear a collar like a dog until they experience menopause. They cannot use their powers.)

And Beatrice wants to use her magic, she wants to be a magis (top level of magician) even if it means being a spinster. So she makes a deal with a spirit named Nadi to take back a grimoire which belonged to her in the first place. Thus, the adventure of finding your identity, laying a claim to your power begins.
--

The Midnight Bargain reminded me of Mulan, wrapped in magic and in 17th or 18th century England in the beginning of the book. Balls, open season for a husband or wife. The problems and traditions were similar, but the author also added the twist of magic and imaginary places and cultures. Also, the book was not about family honour, it was about money, ambitions, choices and the power to be able to make those choices.
In my honest opinion, the book captures the historical romance aspect very good but the dilemma Beatrice faces and the dialogues makes the book a lot repetitive. Also, this was not mean that there was no action, problems, arguments, drive to achieve, romance, an understanding male, nice chats, shocking and unladylike acts in the story.

One thing I really hated about this book was Harriet. There could not be more annoying, selfish, disturbing girl in the world. She had no solidarity in her. Only thing she wanted was to save herself, she never listened her sister, never considered what is asked of her. She kept saying this for family, for me, we have debt and I see that her age is young, but she "knows it all" so I expected more from her. Some solidarity would be so nice. Also, she had no respect for her older sister. I think this is the main reason why she felt this nosy.

Another female with a drive was Ysbeta. She is really a nice character, strong headed, but did she really need to lose her femininity? In my opinion, besides being cheeky, Beatrice was more balanced. I understand Ysbeta, one must have the choice to do whatever they want. I just think that the world thinks that a strong female cannot be a partner and strong at the same time and Ysbeta rises as an example of that.

Romance part was OK for me since I did not really want to read this one for romance.

To be honest, I never liked historical romances because of the sexist approach, since we experience this today, I don't need them in my happy place.

Overall, I liked The Midnight Bargain, but I had problems with some topics. If you like a historical romance book wrapped in magic, this one might be for you.

This book was the story of Beatrice who is a sorceress entering her bargaining year. This is where the Mage’s can woo her and bargain for her hand in marriage,

Beatrice is not like most girls her age though and has no interest in marriage as her interest lies in greater magic. She wants to pursue the hidden grimoires and learn more about conjuring higher spirits.

Beatrice is also loyal to her family though and wants to help her father from financial ruin.

The book follows Beatrice meeting brother and sister ianthe and Yspati who teach her more about the magical rules and world then she ever knew.

I really enjoyed this book, the character development was good, the world building strong and I was very happy with how it concluded.

I found the first 25% a little harder to get into as there were a lot of characters thrown In Very quickly and in some ways this made the book feel like a sequel, once I got to know the characters and alternate names It moved more smoothly.

I read this book courtesy of NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
A very readable and enjoyable fantasy romance that offers the pleasures of historical fantasy along with a clear moral centre and some adorable side-kicks. The real life parallels can sometimes be a little obvious and on the nose for the way characters debate them - but it was simply delightful in so many ways that I don't mind the righteous preachiness. And the characters' positive relationship were numerous enough to make me want to spend time with them, especially with Nadi.

I definitely enjoyed this more than Witchmark and I hope Polk will bring us more and more of those enjoyable, rompy stories.

Initial Thoughts

I love the cover of this book. That’s basically 75% of the reason I applied for it. The synopsis sounded really interesting too but that cover! Anyway, I liked the idea of a world that was similar to Recency England and I love fantasy. This seemed like a perfect blend.

Some Things I Liked

The magic system. I liked the codes, grimoires, and binding to spirits as a form of magic in this story. I thought it was detailed well and was not overly complicated to the point of being confusing.
The romance. It felt very regency-esque and I enjoyed that aspect. To be totally fair, it was a smidge rushed at parts (in other words, Ianthe fell for Beatrice pretty quickly), but that was relatively commonplace for the time period this is based on.
Empowering the sorceresses. I loved that this story was about Beatrice wanting love and magic, but not having to compromise. Too often stories lead to some kind of compromise on one front or another and I loved that Beatrice was willing to fight for the perfect solution to her problem.
Harriet. She was a little whiny in the beginning but I grew to like her as a character very much. I think she would make a very interesting spin-off story character.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

The language, names, and world building in the beginning of the story read a bit like it’s a sequel of which I hadn’t read the first book. I was confused by the names and customs of the fictional countries especially. I was able to figure it out, but it gave this book a slow start.

Series Value

I think Beatrice’s story is complete given the Epilogue of this book. However, I’d read more set in this world. Beatrice’s work has only just begun and we met several other characters that I’d like to read more about. I think the changing world they live in could make for a very interesting sequel.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed this book. I don’t know if I would have pushed to read it as quickly as I did if not for my buddy reader @lianne_the_bibliophile saying how much she was enjoying it. Please note, that’s not to say I disliked the book, but with a slower beginning, I might have set it aside for a while if not for her encouragement. I really did enjoy the story overall.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith – if you liked the historical vibes as well as the fantasy elements, try this series by Luanne G. Smith.
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore – there’s no magic in this series, but if you liked the idea of ladies empowering other ladies, try this series. It’s witty, fun, and has a great premise.

I really loved this book and I really can't wait to read more books from the author in the future. The writing was fantastic by the way.

I read lots of spooky books in October and that's why I requested this title. Unfortunately this one didn't grab my attention and I ended up not finishing it; more of a "me" problem than an issue with the book itself.

This one was so immersive.

Beatrice Clayborn is a strong female protagonist who is unwilling to give up her access to magic to satisfy the family position and enter the Bargaining Season, where women are pursued by men to negotiate advantageous marriages. On a successful match (marriage), the women are “collared” (blocking their access to magic) to protect the unborn children from the mother’s magic.

I enjoyed the push and pull of Beatrice’s mind when considering whether love is enough to satisfy her and despite this being a YA fantasy, which does read like a historical romance, the issues still rang true to me.
If you are looking for a book full of magic badassery then this one may not be for you. The inclusion of magic and Beatrice’s spirit is subtle and I enjoyed that.

The supporting characters are enjoyable, the annoying little sister, the parents in debt who are writing for the creditors pushing for a successful match/marriage and most of all Ianthe Lavan was a bold male lead.

I loved C.L. Polk's Witchmark, and this was no exception! It's really interesting the ways that femininity and feminism are at hand in this novel. Another magical world to lose yourself into!

<b> I should have something clever to say to you," "But for all my love of beauty, I have no gift that transmutes the depth of my heart into perfect words."
"That protestation had beauty in it." Beatrice said.
"But not enough." </b>
Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar that will cut off her powers to protect her and her unborn children for spirits. She dreams of becoming a Magus and pursuing magic, but in this world only men hold that ability, and her family has given up everything to for her for first Bargaining Season, when young men and women of means negotiate the best marriages. The Clayborns are in severe debt, and only Beatrice can save them by securing a wealthy union.
Beatrice is on the hunt for a grimoire that she can decode and find a way to become a Magus, when she meets the Lavan siblings.
Ysbeta longs for the exact thing Beatrice does... to be free and a sorceress, and Ysy bargains with Beatrice to learn how to house a greater spirit and be free of the martial restrains, and Ysbeta will find that her brother Ianthe will be betrothed to Beatric.
Beatrice’s makes a deal with the spirit of luck that inhabits her. A night of dancing, cake, punch, the stars and a kiss....her first kiss that is given to none other than Ianthe, the handsome, compassionate, man who desires nothing more than her heart and happiness.
As Beatrice's feelings grow for Ianthe the decision to let go of her martial obligation and be a free Magus becomes more difficult. Maybe she can put on the collar and be a wife. Maybe she can give up her dream for love....

What I loved:
-I loved the time frame. It gave me Jane Austen vibes and a great regency Inspo romance with a twist of magic
-Nadi- the spirit who bonded with Beatrice was by far my favorite. There were moments I cried when Nadi was pushed out, hurt or fighting for Bea.
-Ianthe and Beatrice- again a beautiful regency style love story, clean, innocent, and oh so sweet.
-The courting- I loved the drama of the bargaining season, with Danton and many others. I found it the most interesting part.

What I struggled with:
-The magic sometimes was confusing or hard to picture, but in the end I feel like I understood it well enough
-The romance- yes I know I said it was sweet and enjoyable but I always struggle with "small stolen moments" and a big "I love you HEA" HOWEVER! I wrote regency romance for a reason. I think the romance was fitting to that time and enough for the story, I just craved more as a romantic.
- I wish I could have seen the magic practiced more instead of just described.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it!
thank you Netgalley and publishers for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
🔥/5 (sweet and clean)

A fabulous fantasy in thoughtful conversation with the Regency Romance. Before I go into why it is so great, yes it has a happy ending! The diverse world has magic, but for the most part only men are allowed to use it because evil spirits can take over humans in the womb if the mother is a practitioner, leading to terrible consequences. There are social class barriers in place as well. In the setting of Chasland, women give up their magic at marriage through wearing a magical collar they don't take off until menopause, when some take up magic again. By then, it seems it's too late for them to achieve high levels of mastery, and of course in Chasland they are not admitted to magical training or teaching and thus shut out of networks. The magic system at higher levels relies on joining with a powerful spirit, a dangerous rite of passage that sometimes leads to the aspirant being killed by his mentor (I use "his" on purpose.) The excellent part is there is an underground network of women who study magic; however, even that is not accessible to everyone for a whole host of reasons that are just as true and frustrating as real-life barriers that keep women downtrodden. The allure of scholarship and mastery is portrayed like a lover, and I felt that.

Of course our heroine is talented in magic, and does not want to marry, but her family's survival (in society, at least) relies upon it. She has a plan to avoid marriage and still save her family. Her plan has to change multiple times, and that is why this book is great. Nothing is simple, nothing has only two sides, nothing can be done independently of the relationships she has and those she develops in the course of the story. There are so many complex female characters! So many! The male characters are also complex, even those in minor roles! So, I recommend it. Very very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for my digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I tried really hard to get into this book, because I really thought I would enjoy it based on the synopsis. Unfortunately I got about 70 pages in and the writing style was just not for me. I'm sure it's a great book but I can't give a rating to a book I couldn't finish....but NetGalley won't let me post a review without one.

had a hard time getting into this book at first, but after that initial bump, I found myself interested in the main characters and wanting to know what was going to happen to them. I enjoyed the world building, as well as the feminist and girl power aspects of the story.
I am not a big fan of insta love and would have liked to see it build up, and I also would have liked to see more magic, since it was such a big element of the story.
All in all, it is a quick, entertaining read if you don't get hung up on the details.
Thank you NetGalley and Erewhon Books for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC.

This is one of my favorite books of 2020. Characters, theme, pacing and plot, everything in this standalone worked extremely well together to turn this historical fantasy into a really entertaining, impossible to put down story. I'll be reading more by this author for sure!

I received this book as an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Midnight Bargain is a fantasy romance novel set in what looks like early 1800s London, but is decidedly not. Similar to this time period, society is highly patriarchal with a noble woman’s worth being measured more on bloodlines and wealth then on anything else. Both men and women possess magic but women are actively discouraged from learning the arts as they must completely forgo magic during their child bearing years. We meet our protagonist, Beatrice Clayborn, as she prepares for her bargaining season, the yearly months long extravaganza where young women and men compete for marriage partners. Due to her family’s financial situation, if Beatrice fails to get engaged to an eligible young bachelors with some bucks, her entire family will fall from the upper echelons of society. To make matters worse, Beatrice, of course, does not want to be married. She would much rather become a spinster and practice magic until the end of her days.

If you feel like you’ve read this book before, you probably have. This novel is written on cliché after cliché after cliché. Female protagonist who is “not like other girls”? Check. Falls in love with the near perfect man? Check. Various forces allied against the lovers for no real reason other then “because”? Check. Beatrice herself was insufferable with her indecision. Will she pursue magic or will she get married? Is there a third option anyway, I just don’t know! Beatrice was so difficult for me to get behind as a character because she lacked conviction. It just felt like everything fell into her lap. I will give her credit for the decision she made about Ianthe on the boat. This type of strong action was needed so much earlier in the book. And Ianthe…. The perfect man in almost every way. He was just too perfect for my tastes. Nice guy, with lots of money, a progressive worldview and loves our protagonist, despite her stringing him along? Yeah, hard pass from me.

While I was overall disappointed with this book, I would like to point out that this novel is perfectly serviceable if you are looking for a Jane Austin itch to be scratched. This book doesn’t set out to make any bold statements, other then patriarchy bad. It was a quick and entertaining read. The world was also very interesting to me, as it gives a strong reason for why women must give up magic in their child bearing years. I would not be opposed to seeing this world again, but please leave Beatrice and her indecisiveness behind.

The Midnight Bargain was just okay for me. I know Goodreads rates "ok" books as two stars but I felt that the book was still good enough to get at least three. The main character Beatrice was difficult to like. She has some very feminist vibes coming from her in wanting to purse magic and not give up her gifts just because she's married and of child bearing age. I initially really enjoyed this part of her and could understand why she felt this way, and what she was willing to risk to be able to keep her talents. My huge issue though was the insta-love she felt for Ianthe after a short time spent with him. Here is a young woman who doesn't want to be forced into the marriage collar that will take away her powers, but after a few hours with a man she's debating if he's worth putting the collar on for? It really turned me off from her, and I felt the rest of the story she was just incessantly whiney and back and forth about what she wanted to do.

Ianthe was an okay character although I felt he lacked more depth. It was great that he somewhat understood Beatrice's desire to not be enslaved to the marriage collar but other times he fell completely flat and clueless to what was going on around him. Some of his actions made no sense and just seemed to be done in order to keep the story moving along.

One of my favorite characters was Ysbeta. Unlike Beatrice she knows exactly what she wants from her life and doesn't go flipping back and forth like Beatrice does. Although she can come off as a little stubborn at times, when you look at what her end goal is and the fact that Beatrice is somewhat standing in her way of it, I can understand her actions. She was very likeable and honestly put up with Beatrice's antics more then I would have.

My other favorite character was the spirit Nadi that Beatrice summoned. Nadi was great to read and I really loved her. If C.L. Polk ever does another story in this world it would be amazing to learn more about Nadi and how she became the spirit of fortune.

My absolute least favorite character, and one I tended to skim when she was involved, was Beatrice's younger sister Harriet. She was beyond annoying, spoiled and self entitled. I don't understand how when she betrays Beatrice in a big way that Beatrice is so forgiving of her. I have a younger sister as well and if she had done what Harriet did I would have been upset with her for a lot longer then Beatrice was. For all her claiming that Beatrice is selfish, Harriet was the most selfish wanting her sister to do whatever she wanted her to do just to advance her own future the next year. I found her very tiring and just wanted to skip any sections that had her in them.

All in all this was a very well written story with an interesting concept, and I did love how the ending and epilogue resolved things.

I received a review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.