Thanks so much, NetGalley and Tor, for this review copy!
I loved this so much! CL Polk what do you put in these books? I always think "I'm not sure I'm going to like this" and then I fall into the book and when I come out I'm terribly disappointed that I'm no longer in the book and WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE COMING OUT? This was just delightful, from the characters to the great feminist story.
Highly recommended.

Marriage, love, and a stifled life, or magic, freedom, and spirit. The choice isn't easy, and Beatrice may not have the time she needs to make her decision.

This is a tale of two women, both of whom are fighting to avoid a marriage and the subsequent required loss of their magical powers and freedoms. Beatrice lives in a strict regency era type of society. Women are only useful for marriage and childbearing purposes. Having a mind of one's own is the worst crime imaginable. Women are forbidden from using their innate magical abilities. Their powers are suppressed after marriage and only released once they can no longer bear children. In such a society, Beatrice has one desperate rebellious hope of breaking free. To do so, she hopes to offer her father an advantage that will benefit him more than her potential marriage to a titled man would. But her efforts are thwarted by another woman with similar goals.

For fans of regency romances mixed with fantasy, this book hits the spot. While this book is set in a different world, the rules of the regency era are very similar. Young eligible ladies are to capture the attentions of eligible rich men, and enrich their families by marriage. But what happens when a woman wishes to pursue her own dreams and doesn't want the slavery of marriage? And is there any escape for her when her parents arrange with a young gentlemen for her marriage, as if it were just another business transaction for her already rich family. Or what if a woman would accept marriage to the right loving man, but lives in dread of being collared and having not just her magic, but a good part of her spirited nature and freedom locked away to keep her potential unborn children safe from possession? Is love and marriage worth giving up a major part of one's self for?

This is romance with a mix of women's rights to freedom, magic, and the right to their own bodies. One reads this and can't help but hate the men who rule the world and force women into subordinate positions. I wanted to hurt the men who controlled the women and tried to force them to obey. I'm glad Beatrice gave me the opportunity to do so vicariously.

Beatrice went into her first Season thinking that magic would be her escape. She didn't expect to fall in love, or for her sister to betray her. She didn't expect to meet another girl with similar goals, or to befriend her.

I really admired Beatrice's mother and her efforts to help her daughter, notwithstanding the great loss it would cost her and her family. This book was certainly not short on fantastic and complex characters.

One thing that did annoy me - for a book centered on the theme of the rights and freedom of women, I was really annoyed every time a ship was referred to with a male pronoun. Maybe it is demeaning for women, but it felt wrong to me. I like to equate the freedom of a ship, which can sail all over the world, with the right of a women to that same freedom. Go anywhere, be anyone. We can do whatever we want, and no man should control us.

I highly recommend this book. It was very well written. The characters are easy to connect to and hard to forget. There's lots of magic and a fight for women's rights. This book is for every woman, and will be very enjoyably educational for men as well.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The day I started reading this, I stayed up till 1 AM before sleep forced me to set it down. I was excited to read this one and the opportunity of an advance copy absolutely made my day. One of CL Polk’s other novels, Witchmark, entranced me when I
encountered it earlier this year and I was practically chomping at the bit for another taste of her writing.


At the start of this novel, Beatrice is being pressured to make an extraordinarily good match. Her family had fallen on hard times, mostly due to a failed orchid trading venture her father had suffered (this situation bears a strong resemblance to the real life 1637 Tulip fever, which was one of the first recorded instances of a speculative bubble collapse). Beatrice has bigger plans for herself than to be locked away in marriage and away from her magic.

In this world, all married women of childbearing age are forced to wear a sigil encrusted collar that saps them of the ability to use magic, out of a societal fear for the effects of magic on their potential unborn children. (In some ways this framework comes across as a bit of a heavy handed metaphor for some decidedly non-magical social issues facing our own world today)

Fans of Jane Austen will likely be delighted by the aesthetics of manners that are portrayed in this Regency-adjacent magical romance. So much of the drama is carried along by intricate social cues that perfectly evoke a pseudo-Edwardian society, But With Magic! This deeply embedded sense of almost-historical fiction is something that Polk does extremely well; Witchmark manages a similar feat in the way it neatly embodies the atmosphere of a post-WWI society without ever crossing the boundaries into real world locales or conflicts.

The magic of the Midnight Bargain’s world is as intricate as its social dances, and is often extremely poetic. One of the first spells we see is a simple one, but beautiful in a quiet sort of way: Beatrice charms a candle, by asking that it “Give light and bring no harm to anyone.” This magic is as much about loopholes as it is about precision, and the world operates on a system that hides as much of the knowledge as possible behind barriers of class and gender.

This is an almost difficult review to like. On one hand, I love fantasy and I love the Regency time period, so this book checked off both of those. On the other hand, character development is key for me and I thought that was lacking a bit.

The magic system was interesting. Even with the restricted role women had in it. That made the idea of Beatrice trying to avoid this intriguing to me. However, characters felt uneven - at times Beatrice was starting to develop then it would be two steps back. Ianthe wasn’t a very well fleshed out character and the insta-romance was a bit too unbelievable.

Even with that, the actual writing style was engaging and kept me interested enough in the story. Overall, while this fell a short of what I would have liked, there were definitely good parts to it and it kept me interested enough to keep going until the end.

I knew after the first 10 minutes of starting "The Midnight Bargain" that it was a wonderful book, and I wasn't wrong about my first impression. I was hooked all the way through, couldn't put it down, and read the whole thing over two days.

Beatrice as a character was extremely relatable. She's torn between her responsibility to do what's best for her family, doing what she wants to do with her own life, and giving up her dreams for the man she falls in love with. As a woman it's a very familiar theme and watching her struggle to make her decisions was very realistic.

Character development was outstanding, and Beatrice's character really made me feel that I knew her, and cared about what happened in her story.

I'm hoping this is a series, because I'd love to read more about all of the main characters. Maybe Harriet could have her own adventures.

The Midnight Bargain

This was a surprisingly delightful book.

Being a woman with magic powers isn't easy in this version of Regency England. If you have magic powers and marry then you'll have wear a collar that cuts off your powers so your baby's soul won't be taken over by a spirit. Beatrice has a plan on not getting married. This plan is put into disarray when she falls in love with Ianthe.

The book makes it clear that Beatrice is very much stuck and no one wants to help her. Either because they can't or don't understand the problem. You want Beatrice have it all: magic and Ianthe (who is perfect for her).

The story is fast paced. Every time Beatrice might find a solution to her conundrum, she's denied. I really enjoyed everyone and even some of the antagonists grow as people. I'm hoping for a book about Ianthe's sister.

This review based on an advanced copy provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

The midnight bargain
Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who doesn't want to get married. She wants to be a mage and help her father with his business. Sorceresses in her world have to give up magic after their marriage. They have to wear a warding collar to protect their unborn children from being possessed. Beatrice was was going predictably until she met Ianthe and Ysbeta Lavan. Ianthe was immediately enamoured by her and made her question her ambition. Ysbeta was a sorceress herself and they embarked on a mission to bind a great spirit. Soon Beatrice found herself torn between her ambition to become a mage and marrying Ianthe and giving up magic.
The writing is beautiful, it immediately pulls you in. Beatrice as the lead character is delectable to read about- she is headstrong and ambitious, she doesn't want to give up magic just because she's a woman. She cares about her family and believes she can do more to help her father. She loves her younger sister Harriet and plans to make her bargaining season without any hurdles.
Unfortunately her ambition makes her short-sighted and selfish. Her sister has to repeatedly remind her that her family's future rests on Beatrice finding a good match. That marriage is the only way to secure your future in this world.
She has feelings for Ianthe but can't get married and lose her magic forever. Ianthe is progressive and understanding but still a product of his times- Beatrice doesn't want to marry him, lose her magic and end up hating him.
Ysbeta, too, is someone who doesn't want to get married. She wants to travel the world and spread knowledge of magic to women. Beatrice and Ysbeta strike up a friendship early on and promise to help each other to bind a greater spirit. Their friendship was a refreshing change from all the rivalry and girl-hate in books.
The book tackles so many serious themes and still manages to be funny and irreverent in tone. The lesser spirit Nadi, who helps Beatrice win the occasional card game is like an adorable talking cat.
The magic system was on the softer side. I had trouble understanding and caring about what was happening.
This book started feeling slow and long drawn after one third of the book. It would have benefited from more editing. The pace became slow, with parties and dances. Otherwise this would have been a 5 star read.

After finishing the book, I was very much confused because there are few things I liked it and few things which are quite confusing for me. I think writing was very confusing as I was not able to understand what really going on in few scenes.

I had really mixed feelings about this book, and I will be honest: it is getting a three star rating on the basis of its incredibly unique premise, wonderful worldbuilding, and the fact that it is a fairly interesting treatise on feminism, the sort that you rarely see in fantasy literature. It's an incredibly crafted book. ...and I really couldn't stand any of the characters. Beatrice? I spent half the book really wishing she'd just shut up and marry Ianthe. Ianthe? Character depth of a cardboard cutout. Ysbeta? I mean, I felt for her, but she was generally so reckless that I found her to border on selfish. The romance between Beatrice and Ianthe was basically instantaneous. Literally they have one conversation and are suddenly madly in love. Really, the only functional character in this entire book was Nadi, a spirit, whom I adored. She was great. But overall, it's worth reading sheerly for the awesome worldbuilding, but don't expect to be crazy about anyone involved. Aside from Nadi. Nadi is awesome.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC; I received it in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thought I would relate to Beatrice in The Midnight Bargain more than I did.

Beatrice is a sorceress and, in The Midnight Bargain, the only use for a sorceress is as a broodmare. Upon marriage, sorceresses are no longer able to access their magic - for the safety of their unborn child - and are very much the property of their husband. The Midnight Bargain is about the struggle Beatrice has between choosing her sorcery, which she loves, and getting married to pay off her family debts.

I really think that Polk has lot of interesting things to say about how women's power - with which they could do so much good - is completely taken away by their husbands. There's a quote early on in the book, "So the device women have to wear for the safety of their children is an instrument of punishment to men in the chapterhouse" , which I think describes much of the messaging through the book. This book is a bit heavy-handed when it comes to the theme and the discussions that it has surrounding women's bodily autonomy and ability to enter into all professions as equals to men.

I wish this was a book club book, because I would like to discuss with others about whether or not Polk added anything new to the discussion. I found a lot of Polk's arguments difficult to separate from the setting, which made them difficult to discuss in a real-word context and the issues that women face with bodily autonomy and entering professions today. As a female engineer, I wanted to see something new. I wanted to relate with Beatrice and come out of the book knowing and understanding more about my current situation. I just couldn't untangle the messaging from the bridal season that takes place throughout the book.

The writing still does leave beautiful and thought-provoking gems throughout, like the following said by the love interest "“Absolutely. It’s utterly tragic,” Ianthe said. “She had to marry for advantage, not love. Look how unhappy she is. Look at the groom, who cares nothing for her distress—I’m furious just looking at it.” I would love to be able to have a full conversation with people about the depths of that quote because I just don't get it on my own.

I think a part of the reason that I didn't get as much of this book as I would have liked is because I didn't click with the characters until I was 25% of the way through the book. Part of the issue is that I recently read another book with a main character named Beatrice, written in the same tense, and I struggled to tell the two apart. Since a large part of the set-up and motivation is done in that 25%, I didn't really connect with Beatrice and her choices. I really enjoyed the middle, but at the end, when inevitably decisions have to be made, I was not as invested in any of Beatrice's choices as I should have been. The writing was nice, but not distinct enough for me to tell it apart from another Beatrice also going to the city for the first time as a grown woman.

I'm very glad that the writing was good in this, as I have to read Witchmark this week for my book club. The characters were distinct, and I enjoyed them in the middle of the book when I could see them as distinct characters. The historical research was pretty accurate to my understanding - Beatrice and the women did not wear corsets, but stays - and from my understanding of historical fashion YouTube, this is a correct impression. I think that I will thoroughly enjoy the next book of Polk's because I believe I will have that opportunity to connect with the characters and their wants and desires at the beginning of the book.

I recommend The Midnight Bargain to people who want to think about their books, and not to people who have just read a book about another Beatrice.

What a good book! A world that doesn’t allow women the freedom to pursue sorcery, when they get married they are bound by a collar that stops them from being connected to their magic for the protection of their potential future children so they won’t get possessed. Beatrice just wants to practice magic but she also knows her family is depending on her to find a rich match because her father lost the family’s money in a bad investment and throughout the book she has the argument of what she should do. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the friendship that developed between Beatrice and Ysbeta, and the one between Beatrice and Nadi. Honestly if I was Beatrice I probably would’ve let Nadi hex more people. I liked the ending, especially the epilogue where we get this truth that applies to an argument our world is still having, “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.”

The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk had everything a reader like me craves: it had magic, it had romance, it had wonderful side characters (they make or break a book for me) and it had friendship and sacrifice.

Beatrice is a strong, resourceful sorceress, who wants to be able to learn and use her magic so as to help her family and live her dream of becoming a mage, but cultural constraints won’t let her fulfill her dreams. But here’s the thing, she’s a fighter at heart.
Ianthe is a good natured, conscious and understanding guy, who puts the wishes of those he loves and cares about, first. He believes in equality, he has a kind heart and an open mind and doesn’t shy away from confrontations and speaking for what he believes is right and just.
Ysbeta is impulsive, a little overbearing at times, but she has a heart of gold and a determination that won’t quit!

Here’s an overview of what I liked: the book had romance but it didn’t occupy and over shadow everything else, every single character had their own identity, their own struggle. Take Harriet for example, our heroine’s little sister, she got on my nerves, but at the same time I could sympathize with her, because she was fair in her own right! That’s my biggest take away from this book, every character had a story to live, a battle to fight! Even the “Spirits” had their time to shine. I actually loved every time Nadi appeared, the interaction between Beatrice and Nadi were some of my favorite dialogues from the book. Similarly, the interactions between Ianthe and Beatrice were so swoon worthy, after ages it wasn’t the looks and the chiseled abs and the perfect jaw of the hero that was his most defining characteristic, it was his heart and understanding!

Honestly, I didn’t find any cons, I really didn’t, I enjoyed this book, it’s pace, and the message it gave: to not let anything come between you and your dreams and where there’s a will, there’s a way: albeit cliche, the saying holds truth.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

This review and its contents can be found on my Goodreads by the link below

[4]
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review. The Midnight Bargain is a regency inspired fantasy-romance that follows our main character Beatrice as she attempts to maintain control of her magic in a world determined to tear it from her. To do so she will summon a spirit Nadi, to aid her, and form an unlikely alliance with the wealthy Lavan siblings who have the means to help her change her fate.

The strongest component of this book was definitely the writing. It kept me engaged while also covering heavy topics such as body autonomy. The use of the plot to convey the importance of such was really clever and was executed very well. The characters were also really interesting. I absolutely adored Nadi, the luck spirit that Beatrice calls upon for help. She was the comic relief that we needed and the hero we deserved. Just as there was a lot to like about this book there were a quite few things that I didn't enjoy as much as I thought I would. Seeing as this has a romantic element engrained in it, I thought the romance between Beatrice and Ianthe would have been a lot better. It just felt to rushed which then made me question Beatrice's entire dilemma for the rest of the book. Loved the characters on their own, but the romance just didn't work for me. The ending also felt very driven. It got to a point where so much was happening that I couldn't keep up with it all. This is probably more of a 3.5, but I so enjoyed the plot and where it ended so there we go.

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher. Also the author is a friend of many years standing.</p>
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<p>Sometimes a book is incredibly timely because its subject matter fits the headlines of the time when it comes out. And sometimes its timeliness is more a matter of mood: that this is the <em>sort</em> of book people will want to read in its particular era. I believe <em>The Midnight Bargain</em> is the second kind. There is nothing in it about pandemics and vaccines. Humans are not dying by the thousand, in <em>The Midnight Bargain</em>. There are glamorous balls, card parties, flirtations, enticing bookshops, hidden grimoires. Beatrice Clayborn has serious problems, but none of them involve masks.</p>
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<p><em>Good</em>.</p>
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<p>Honestly, who could not use a story that is both heartfelt and witty, full of both peril and wish fulfillment, right now? <em>The Midnight Bargain</em>'s characters fight misogyny and wrestle with each other's trust. They struggle with duty and ambition. They bind willful spirits and break down social barriers. They ride spirited horses and sail gallant ships. They wear elaborate clothes and drink fruity gin drinks. <em>I love that stuff</em>. It is the fun stuff. And right now, it is exactly the kind of fun stuff I think so many people need right now, and I'm so glad that it's coming out soon, because in October? Less than a month from the US Presidential election, many months into a pandemic? EVEN MORE SO.</p>
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Thank you Netgalley and Erewhon Books For an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun story to read! Part Pride and Predjest part Sorcery Of Thorns. This book literary brings magic to the recency era scene.
<img src="https://thumbs.gfycat.com/HelpfulImpracticalGoldenmantledgroundsquirrel-size_restricted.gif<img src="
Beatrice is a girl who is just coming into marriageable age. Her father lost a good portion of their fortune in a business venture gone wrong. Now it’s up to her to marry well and bring the family’s holding back into good standing. Her success is also important for her younger sister’s prospects for her season the following season. In true Austen fashion, we meet our hero early and he is all things good reminiscent of our dear Mr. Bingley.
<img src="" width="400" height="150" alt="description"/*>
He falls for Beatrice for her outspoken nature and her somewhat social nonconformity.
Beatrice has a strong gift of magic but in her countrywoman are sold in marriage to help produce strong magical offspring. When a girl marries she must give up her magic by strapping a warding collar on. This stifles her magic to protect her unborn child from becoming soulless because of the spirits they partner with to make magic. See again, regency with a magical twist!
This book will sing to the feminist in you. Woman’s rights are the main plot of the story.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this story I did find Beatrice to be very naive. There were several times I wanted to give her and Ysbeta a giant head smack for doing the things that they were warned multiple times not to do. Harriet is Beatrice’s younger sister but it definitely felt the opposite. Although Beatrice is very business smart it seems that Harriet is the one who has her head on straight. She is the one to lead and guide her sister through the social season and explain what stakes are involved in her failure.
This is a very satisfying stand-alone novel. Overall I really enjoyed this story. It collides my love of all things regency/ Austen and my love of magic in a very unique story.

I loved the premise of this book, a world of sorcery in what feels like a regency era book? Sign me up!

But I could not latch on to the plot, I was always in desperate need of some greater overarching problem to come along but it never did. I was left wanting.

While I loved Nadi and Beatrice's monther I found that most of the other characterizations were rather flimsy, they would act out of character on occasion and varied greatly in severity of actions from scene to scene. And in the end I think that was what made the main relationship seem somewhat flimsy to me, I couldn't believe their words or promises to one another because they themselves never felt consistent.

The Midnight Bargain is a daring new fantasy that harkens back to the lush balls and proper courtships of the Regency Era.  C.L. Polk's refreshing take on body autonomy, women's rights, and sexism propels this novel from mere fairytale romance to a scintillating work of art that is sure to become a favorite among feminists, romantics, and fantasy readers alike.

The world that Polk has created is familiar, but at the same time diverse, atmospheric, and magical.  The societal pressures to fill a certain role are ones that many modern females have felt.  Despite this story taking place in a fantasy world inspired by Regency England, many can relate to the crippling power of misogyny, although not nearly in such a literal way as a metal collar that suppresses magical ability.  The addition of the magic system provides a levity to a story that could otherwise have been a depressing saga of desperation.

Beatrice is a firecracker and I adore her character.  It is refreshing to see a feminist MC that does not completely reject the idea of marrying and bearing children.  Beatrice both acknowledges her desire to honor traditional roles and yearns for something more.  As a contrast, Ysbeta represents women that crave complete independence.  Their partnership and eventual friendship provides insight into both perspectives and gives dimension to the battle for women's rights.  Additionally, Ianthe's development from bystander to ally is thorough and convincing.  The diversity of the characters and their backgrounds provides the necessary differences to make his conversion more believable. 

The romance develops quickly, but there is enough doubt and turmoil that it doesn't feel rushed.  For a standalone, the pacing is spot on.  I won't go as far as to say the story is action-packed, but, between the secret meetings, constant suitors, and magical experiments, I couldn't put it down.

I highly recommend this book to fans of A Discovery of Witches and Sorcery of Thorns.  

This book is set to release October 13, 2020.  Thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for providing me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s very rare that I finish a full-length book in one sitting. It’s even more unlikely when it’s a book I’ve already read, albeit in an earlier draft.

Fair warning here: I am a very biased reviewer for this book. I was privileged to read an early draft because the author is a friend. You may think this means I’m giving Ms. Polk an automatic double-thumbs-up, but in fact, it makes me even more critical.

Be honest with me, when was the last time you were 100% hyped for something a close friend or member of your family was involved in? How many times did you hold your tongue rather than give unwanted and probably unnecessary criticism?

(Conversely, how many times have you been a bumbling idiot and recommended plot changes that would have cost an author an award? I’ve been that idiot. Don’t be me.)

Now imagine your close friend or family member is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning SFF author. Trust me, you learn to shut your mouth Really Damn Fast.

Because C. L. is a Very Good Author indeed. I’ve learned to wait until she’s done before giving my opinion.

See my previous remarks on being a bumbling idiot.

And now it’s time for that opinion. And….whew. This is a hard one, folks, because this book really is That Good. It’s good enough that I begged off playing Warcrack for a night, curled up in bed with my iPad, and started reading.

I didn’t stop until I was finished the book. It was 4am. It was worth it.


In Other Words

Beatrice wants to embrace her destiny as a sorceress. She is born with strong magical talents, which make her a valuable prize – unfortunately, as bride to any Magus wishing to further strengthen his own magical line. Men train in the arcane arts. Women wear restrictive collars with magic-inhibiting powers. Otherwise, a rogue spirit could inhabit their unborn child’s body.

Beatrice’s family is proud, but have fallen on hard times. As such, they have heavily invested in Bargaining Season, hoping Beatrice will make a match with a wealthy man. Not only will this help dig the family out of the financial hole they’re in, but it will help launch Beatrice’s sister when her own Bargaining Season comes around.

Beatrice has other ideas. She would rather give up love and marriage for her calling as a mage. Her parents educated her in the ways of business, and if she could only get her father to listen to her advice…

On her way to a dress fitting, she locates a book that will teach her how to link with a Greater Spirit. Her hope is dashed when it the book is swept right out of her hands in the middle of the book store. Desperate, she makes a deal with a lesser spirit of fortune. Will luck be on her side?


The MacGuffin

We all know this setup. It’s a classic romance story, guaranteed to suck in those of us who like a little kissing in our fantasy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I fully endorse it.

Beatrice is dogged in her determination to get that book, becoming fast friends with the thief, and falling in love with the thief’s brother in the process. You and I and the wall know that the real point of this story isn’t that book or the romance. It’s the greater issue of women’s liberation and autonomy, and Polk is a very skillful spider in her weaving of this tale. It’s in the process of trying to get the book back – failing multiple times at her attempts to liberate herself – that Beatrice becomes a stronger character. The struggle illuminates her allies and enemies alike, and shows just what a woman is worth in her culture.


Austen-esque

Illustration by Hugh Thomson (1860-1920)
Jane Austen has been on my mind recently. I mentioned Sense and Sensibility in my video, Bloody Wee Stitches. At the time, I was discussing costuming, and fashionable eras, and the fact that Jane Austen was more political than most would think. Like Midnight Bargain, Sense and Sensibility is often dismissed as a silly romance. Not so.

I’ve gone back to The Gutenberg Project’s text file copy of Sense and Sensibility – the section I want to discuss is in Chapter 2 (forgive me, I thought it was Chapter 1, but I was wrong).

Mr. Dashwood Sr. has just passed away. His dying request is that his son, John Dashwood, should assist the elder’s widow and daughters. John and his wife are, to put it mildly, not happy with this. They place great importance on their own worth, and the worth of their belongings. Their concern is solely for themselves.

The conversation starts with John Dashwood thinking he might settle a sum of three-thousand pounds on his stepmother and three sisters. By the end, he’s not only convinced they will happily do for themselves, but that they should feel fortunate to give him any extra monies they might have floating around.

What a dick.


Carried to Midnight

It is into this sort of world that C. L. Polk slyly places her heroine. Women, particularly women of good breeding and possible talent, are very valuable. Beatrice’s mother gives up power and wealth to marry for love. It is a privilege that is extended to Beatrice only if she manages to love a wealthy man. Even then, you have to wonder at a kind of love that quite literally puts a woman into a form of bondage that completely deadens her entire personality and world view.

The fact that Beatrice places more importance on her longing to become a mage is besides the point. Even her education is waved away as a “value-add”. She is schooled in the way of business so she will be able to spot when her husband’s household is being cheated by staff or suppliers. The expectation is that she will be a good chatelaine, and will give up any of her own interests for her husband and possible children. That collar is going on one way or the other according to the society she lives in. Beatrice is a commodity to be traded to the highest bidder.

Fashion

Mantua and petticoat of bizarre silk brocade, British, c. 1708 (MET)
I wouldn’t blame anyone who missed the political undercurrents in The Midnight Bargain. C. L.’s descriptions of fancy ball gowns, luscious textiles, and gorgeous vistas steal the show.

Beatrice quickly meets Ysbeta and Ianthe Lavan, the adult children of wealthy merchants. Her acquaintance with them launches her to the forefront of Bargaining Season and its social whirl. Anything they miss, Beatrice’s younger sister Harriet is sure to point out. Ms. Polk introduces us to fashions and styles inspired by history, but placed in their own context. This creates a visually stunning world seen only in the mind’s eye.

It’s the one-two punch of fancy and authenticity that take you off-guard when C. L. rips down those walls of genteel fashion to reveal the unsharpened truth. Surprise! This book is literary fantasy disguised as fluffy romance. Cherish it. We don’t see them very often.

The Midnight Bargain will be available in Hardcover (and digital media!) through Erewhon Books starting October 13th, 2020.

The Midnight Bargain sounded super: a regency set romance with magic! And women's rights! I flew through this one and read it in a day. The writing was smooth and easy to read and enjoy. I liked the characters, but wanted more from them. Beatrice, our main character, and her love interest, Iathne (what a name!) were lovely. I was invested in their story. However, it felt Ianthe was sort of the perfect man. He was agreeable, enough anger about women's rights, and even was a great dad. I longed to see his flaws. What makes Mr. Darcy so great in Pride and Prejudice is that his character grows over time...it did not feel that way with Ianthe. Beatrice on the other hand did have some growth (but got her way in the end, so kind of a perfect ending?). I felt very mixed on the epilogue - it felt very JK Rowling where characters name their children for people in their lives, but just to put it there (not for any real sort of meaning). I will say I enjoyed the magic and women's rights aspect of this story and again Polk's writing was easy and delightful.

The right sort of read for me right now.

I really loved this book! The characters were complex and interesting, and their stories were balanced well with fascinating world building.