I thought this was a beautiful fantasy with fantastic world building and a great plot and characters. I will definitely be looking out for more from this author

I love history, and I love fantasy. Marry the two and you have a book I cannot put down. The writing was absolutely beautiful, and I felt that the world was created in a way that felt thoughtful but accessible. I got a little lost with the magic system and the insta-love, but I'm going to let those pass since I enjoyed the rest so much. For a plot that seems fairly unoriginal, I would still encourage you to pick this one up as it completely exceeding my expectations, took its own plot and totally ran with it. Such a great historical fantasy to get lost in!

I have very, very little time to read these days, and it typically takes me literally months to finish a novel, yet I read this book in about 3 days flat. That's how absorbing it was. The writing is just beautiful. There are SO MANY satisfying moments that thrilled me (like the scene in which a secondary character launches a violent attack against the heroine, Beatrice – her response to the attack literally gave me goosebumps and made me cheer aloud for her!). The love story is so sincere and fulfilling. I read some other reviews that took issue with the "insta-love" nature of this aspect of the novel, but I disagree. The heroine & hero's love is well founded and explored; it's clear why they fall for each other so deeply. I can't wait to read the rest of C.L. Polk's books! So happy to have found a wonderful author who is brand-new to me!

Fantasy, magic, romance and historical make for a highly entertaining read. I think this would also be a great audiobook.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

Thank you Netgalley, Author and Publishers for giving me this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had a certain level of expectations when I requested an e-arc of this book. The cover is pretty, even though the novel’s premise was pretty typical, it still managed to catch my attention and i decided to try it. I would say that this book mostly delivered what it promised.

The writing is beautiful, the world building is substantial enough although the magic system isn't explored deeply, it highlighted some good points and issues (albeit mostly heavy handedly)...but it falters badly when it comes to its characters and the main romance.

Beatrice and Ianthe have a cliched insta love without any of the electrifying chemistry or practically anything. This won't have bothered me that much if the characters were themselves well developed and it was harder to sympathize with Beatrice and her choices than I had originally expected.

The Midnight Bargain had its charms but it failed to capitalise on them.

Oh, I liked this! I just recently reread The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk because I wanted to write this review but couldn’t find my notes on the book anymore. I only knew I enjoyed reading it and after finishing it for a second time now, I can say with absolute certainty that I actually really liked it a lot. Maybe even more than C.L. Polk’s magical Edwardian fantasy trilogy, The Kingston Cycle.

The stand-alone novel The Midnight Bargain is a Regency-esque fantasy romance, set in a world where the elite negotiate marriages with the intent of securing not only titles or trade agreements but also making sure that the match will produce children with vast magical powers. Magic, however, is a matter for gentlemen only. While it is important for genteel women to have magical ability, they are not trained in it and are actually downright forbidden from using it – because magic in this world, at least the higher, more complex kinds, rely on making deals with spirits and letting those spirits into your body and since unborn children don’t have fully formed souls yet, the spirits can take them over. To avoid that, women in Chasland are forced to wear marriage collars – metallic constructions that keep them from accessing their powers and spirits from entering their or their unborn children’s bodies.

Protagonist Beatrice Clayborn has prodigal magical abilities but she is also expected to marry and secure her family’s future and solve their financial troubles. What little resources they have left have been spent to give her a chance to secure a husband during this year’s Bargaining Season. But Beatrice has no interest in marriage, instead she wants to become a Magus and use her abilities to help her family’s business.

What follows is a fantastic feminist romance as Beatrice struggles with trying to figure out her future, meets the love of her life (and yes, it’s insta-love, which is yuck but still fun), makes a friend and uncovers magical secrets. It’s fun, it’s intense and it’s sometimes a bit of a bumpy ride but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Beatrice is a great character, despite the insta-love, whose struggles felt very relatable and while I’ve seen some people call her selfish, I felt like she really was just trying to get the rights that have been kept from women in Chasland. The other characters, Beatrice’s family and the Lavan siblings, Ianthe and Ysbeta, unfortunately remain a bit flat but are intriguing nevertheless – and I really wish there was a spin-off about Beatrice’s sister Harriet and her sister-in-law Ysbeta, both of whom could be really interesting.

All in all though, I very much enjoyed The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk and it’s fantastical take on Regency romances. The magic system in Chasland is intriguing, the societal implications that come with it make for a great backdrop for this feminist love story. As I said, I’d love some spin-offs to learn more about the other cultures that exist in this world but the novel works perfectly well as a stand-alone.

I have to admit I was surprised by this book but in the best way. This was an excellent example of two genres working well together to create something new and unique feeling and overall, I enjoyed this quite a lot.

The Midnight Bargain is part historical romance and part fantasy. The world within the novel closely resembles what one would expect the Victorian or Georgian eras to have been like and there are a lot of familiar tropes and patterns that one finds in historical romance novels however, there is the added complication of magic also being a part of this world. Not only is magic real, but there's a large disparity between how men and women are allowed to use magic and it creates a fascinating story that addresses issues of sexism in a way I don't often see in fantasy or historical romance novels while still being fun.

Beatrice is the main character who doesn't want to submit to the patriarchal rules of her society and while she can be annoying at times, overall she was likeable and the supporting characters really helped to create a balanced cast. There's one character in particular who I absolutely loved but I won't say which one because of spoilers. There were some laugh out loud moments as a result of this character though and I felt they really helped lighten the tone of the book which otherwise might have gotten a little too heavy. Even the unlikeable characters still demonstrate excellent writing and added to the overall story.

I've seen quite a few people calling this book young adult but I really don't think it was. To me, it very much read as a historical romance with magic thrown in and even though it's a pretty "clean" romance I think it still reads as an adult novel. I think my only complaint about the book would be that it did seem a little slow at the beginning but once it picked up I got really immersed in the book and sped through it.

This is my second novel by Polk and while I didn't love the first one I did really enjoy this one and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical romance, fantasy, or both.

<i>Thanks as always to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings expressed here are my own</i>

This book is harrowing, and very emotionally engaging. I really liked the idea and concept behind this book, and I love the dark themes in this book!

A fantasy of manners! Absolutely delightful. A regency set fantasy novel with magicians. I loved the way the author used magic to be critical of the patriarchy, the regency setting in particular really highlighted the point very well. The characters were well rounded and likable, I loved the female characters and their dynmics together. The romnce was also very cute.

In a world strikingly similar to Regency England, Beatrice Clayborn is torn between her desire to become a full-fledged Magus and her deeply indebted family's need for her to marry well. Marriage would require her to be locked in a stifling anti-magic collar, lest a malicious spirit inhabit her unborn child, and so married women are forbidden from practicing magic. After conjuring a lesser spirit to aid her magic, Beatrice finds herself forced to navigate the annual Bargaining Season with a terrible secret, forced to find a way to somehow save both her family and her own prospects at future happiness. (While certain encounters with the wealthy, foreign-born Lavan siblings upend her life in ways that any romance fan will find, ahem, somewhat familiar.)

The Midnight Bargain is, in essence, a Regency romance. If you love regency romances, you will likely love this; if you hate them, then the opposite. I happen to love Regency romances--hence the 5 stars. I'm a huge fan of fantasies of manners for that same reason, and I've always enjoyed the subgenre most when such books lean more to the "manners" than the "fantasy". (Not that I prefer them fantasy-less; more that I think the strength of the subgenre likes in the 'manners' portion, and leaning too far to the 'fantasy' element strips the subgenre of what makes it interesting and unique.) And there is a strong fantasy element here--it's just that I felt the manners and romance factors were incredibly strong, which I saw as a plus.

I really enjoyed the author's choice to have the whole "women can't practice magic or demons inhabit their babies" thing be true. It would've been easier, and a bit more pedestrian, to have that turn out to be patriarchal propaganda. That Beatrice cannot easily have her cake and eat it too put meat on the plot's bones. The writing was vivid, the characters were well-drawn, and the plot moved at a good clip. (And Ianthe, of course . . . Ianthe was a treasure.)

There were a few discordant notes, but not too many. By the end, for example, I though the author was striving a bit too hard to introduce conflict, and it led to some absurd situations---the boat scene had me nodding along with Mr. Clayborn, and I really don't think I was meant to. And Beatrice's mother having no role in the social scene was just bizarre; Beatrice would just get dropped off at parties with no chaperone, which really doesn't happen in these types of books.

But overall, I thought this was an excellent feminist romance, well-recommended for anyone who enjoys clever, well-written fantasies of manners.

There was so much in this book to enjoy, but I really wish that it was about 100 pages longer. A lot of the plot felt a bit rushed and some of the dialogue was a bit clunky because the characters weren't given enough time to grow organically. With that being said, I loved the characters in this book and thought that the author did a great job making us care for them so deeply. I also really loved the message and themes discussed within the narrative - I just wish it had had a bit more space to breathe. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone who likes magical books...or Jane Austen!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've loved discovering C.L. Polk's works and the Midnight Bargain was no different.
The world building is as lush as that of Witchmark (another that if you haven't read you're in for a treat.) Beatrice is a wonderful and compelling character that I enjoyed spending time with. Stuck between love and her passion for magic, is a situation many of us can relate to. While I didn't care for how quickly she fell in love with Ianthe, I did still enjoy the tension.

Thank you #NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The only thing that surprised me about this book was finding out that some people classify it as a YA book.

The Midnight Bargain was a surprising star of 2021 for me. It took me a while to actually start the book, I don't know what was causing the hesitation, but once I got started it was difficult to stop!

This book is a Regency-type fantasy novel, where magic is snuffed from women once they get married and are ready to have children. Our MC, Beatrice, can't imagine a life without her magic so we follow her on her path to try and escape her fate. This novel has pro-choice, feminist writings - of which I'm a massive fan of.

I really enjoyed the romance in this novel, I found that it worked really well for me and I was supportive of the exploration of what demands are asked of partners and what are they willing to sacrifice for love - and whether it's a fair sacrifice or a sacrifice at all. Family dynamics are also interesting, with so much societal expectations being placed on the female in the family to provide stability and support for their family through their prospects however being shackled by the patriarchal demands. Friendship and knowing/trusting yourself are also integral themes explored.

If you liked The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and enjoyed the dynamics of Thomas Cresswell & Audrey Rose Wadsworth (Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco) then I have a feeling you'll find something to love about this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the worldbuilding but the stakes were making me more anxious than excited. I’m a wimp about that, this year more than ever. Will pick up the author’s next instead, or reread Witchmark and it’s sequels.

This novel is compelling, fast paced, and highly entertaining. It sweeps you away to Chasland, a dazzling world of ballrooms and parties, traditions and courting rituals, and vibrantly-colored fashion. The world building is fantastic. I'm not normally a fan of insta love but it seems to work here.

This was pretty interesting! The magic system was great, very cool, I really enjoyed this aspect. The characters were ok, I really enjoyed the younger sister. The romance was only ok for me? And the pacing was very slow. like, it was tough to get going for awhile. I might try more by this author. but i don't know. Solid three stars, overall enjoyable, but not a standout.

The Midnight Bargain follows Beatrice Clayborn, a sorceress on the threshold of selecting a husband. Once married, Beatrice will have to don a collar that suppresses her magical abilities in an effort to protect her future children from becoming possessed by a spirit while in utero. Not only does Beatrice not want to be married, the thought of losing her abilities is a fate worse than death. Facing mounting pressure from both society and her own family – can Beatrice alter her destiny or will she be forced into a life of disappointment?

This is a tough one to review. I will say that if not for the book making the 2021 Canada Reads shortlist, I would never have picked it up. That’s both the blessing and the curse of Canada Reads! Sometimes I get pleasantly surprised by books that exist outside my comfort zone and other times, not so much. Luckily for me, it’s the former that seems to happen more often than the latter.

Fantasy, regency-era and romance are three genres that are decidedly not within my wheelhouse. So, what do I do when I’m faced with a book that takes all three and rolls them into one book? Push through, I guess. I tried to approach this one with an open mind, but its near four-hundred-page count felt daunting to say the least. At about halfway through the book, I started to really feel its length as it just seemed to go on and on with certain scenes seeming like they were repeating over and over again.

That said, I will say that I thought the premise was very interesting. The way in which C.L. Polk described the effects of the collar on Beatrice was particularly heartbreaking and haunting. I also enjoyed the way in which Beatrice interacted with a spirit when it entered into her body as it reminded me of Wesley Chu’s Tao trilogy, one of my favorite series of novels. The back and forth between Beatrice and her spirit – Nadi – produced some funny moments.

I don’t believe I’m even the best person to accurately review this book because I couldn’t honestly tell you what this did right or wrong within the fantasy and romance genre. I love reading more than most anything and this one felt like a chore or errand I had to run. Not exactly the most ringing endorsement, I’m sure

I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, if I could.

This has all the hallmarks of a good book for me: strong female leads, magic, and antiquated society. And it is a good book. I adored the main characters. Beatrice is strong-willed yet thoughtful. Ysbeta is sassy and bold and a bit impetuous. Ianthe is wonderfully supportive; we need more male characters like him in fiction.

The magic itself is pretty cool. The way they go about it - with hand gestures and intonations - is reminiscent of a lot of other depictions of magic. The part that makes it special is that it also deals with spirits. Nadi is delightful! And the fact that Nadi had a noticeable character arc made me very happy.

I didn't rate this higher because I felt like it missed the mark sometimes on a technical level. First, I would have loved to seen more in this world. It felt like it could've been a duology. The ending felt rushed. Sometimes things were repetitive. The romance wasn't much to remark on. I understand that it wouldn't be the same in the society Polk set up but it felt contrived in a lot of ways. It's almost like the story couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a buddy story or a romance; the balance was off.

That said, I did really enjoy this. I'd recommend it to other readers!