The Midnight Bargain

De: C. Polk

Narrado por: Moira Quirk

From the beloved World Fantasy Award-winning author of Witchmark comes a sweeping, romantic new fantasy set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women's magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family.  

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 unborn children. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus and pursuing magic as her calling as men do, but her family has staked everything to equip her for Bargaining Season, when young men and women of means descend upon the city to negotiate the best marriages. The Clayborns are in severe debt, and only she can save them, by securing an advantageous match before their creditors come calling.   

In a stroke of luck, Beatrice finds a grimoire that contains the key to becoming a Magus, but before she can purchase it, a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help her get it back, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice's first kiss...with her adversary's brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan.   

The more Beatrice is entangled with the Lavan siblings, the harder her decision becomes: If she casts the spell to become a Magus, she will devastate her family and lose the only man to ever see her for who she is; but if she marries - even for love - she will sacrifice her magic, her identity, and her dreams. But how can she choose just one, knowing she will forever regret the path not taken?

©2020 C.L. Polk (P)2020 Recorded Books

What a ride!

This story is amazing. The language lyrical and compelling. The character arcs are rich and complex and satisfying. Loved it!

good characters. good storytelling.

Enjoyed it thoroughly. it's getting harder to sift through the sludge of poorly written tales flooding Amazon. this one was well written, with good characters, good plot.

Seriously amazing!

One of my all time favorite books! loved loved loved it! highly recommended, 10/10 !

Entranced

I absolutely loved this book. I use audible books to lull me to sleep and get my mind off the day. However, this book was amazing yet the same that is what kept me intrigued. Thank You for such a lovely book Ms. Polk! You are such a gifted storyteller. You chose the very best reader too! I was absolutely entranced.

A mixed bag, but decent overall

Like I've come to expect from C. L. Polk, the magic system and word building in this was excellent! The author has some of the freshest takes on magic that I’ve seen in recent years, and the mix of historical elements add a lot to the greater worlds of her novels.
This one also includes the use of spirits to aid with magic, and the take on them is also rather novel – treating them more like innocent-yet-dangerous children, than the conniving jinn or fairy type that magicians usually mix with.

There were, however, elements that weren’t quite my cup of tea; the characters felt flat, the romance was instantaneous and shallow, and the protagonist had a bit of YA novel heroine-syndrome going on. Keep in mind, I’m not usually a romance or YA literature fan, so those who are might not mind these aspects of The Midnight Bargain.

For a while, I was going to give this 2.5 stars overall, but the ending really kicked things into gear and dragged it up to 3. Stick with it, and maybe it’ll grow on you too. I'd say it's worth the read just for Nadi alone.