The Midnight Bargain by C L Polk (2020)

In Chasland, marriage means a warded collar that stifles a sorceress’s magic to nothingness, all in the name of protecting the woman. An unwarded married female could become pregnant and a spirit could inhabit the child before it became ensouled.  Beatrice wants to be a mage, but her family’s survival depends on her marrying well. Without a favorable marriage, the mortgage her father took out will come due; not only will her family be homeless but the scandal will cost her sister, Harriet, any chance at a season and a match. Beatrice is sure that if she’s able to become a mage, her father will relent and all will be well. 

Her search for a grimoire that will aid in her quest has her crossing paths with Ysbeta and Ianthe Yavan, 2 very rich Llanandarians in town for the season. What starts as a grudging friendship with Ysy soon becomes sisterhood as the both work to become mages before the collar clamps shut. 

This is a great novel about sisterhood and empowerment. Both women want their freedom and they also can’t stomach it not happening for both of them. They support rather than sabotage each other.  They take risks for each other and comfort the other when painful things happen. Because of their commitment to each other, the pair are able to persevere in the face of what looks like defeat and end up happy in the end. Their ending isn’t exactly what they expected, but it’s both encouraging and satisfying. 

The novel proclaims the feminist beat without being preachy or obnoxious. Beatrice’s arguments to keep her magic are reasonable and her struggle over the choice of her dreams versus marriage and love is well done. Her love interest, Ianthe, is the best kind of hero because he’s handsome, dashing, and not threatened by Beatrice being an empowered woman. Rather, he’s charmed by Beatrice’s audacity to have her own opinion about things, even when it contradicts his own. Never once does he take her hesitancy to marry or her ideas of what a sorceress should be able to do as an insult or threat to his manhood. He actually listens, considers and alters his opinions when he realizes that they don’t conform to his convictions about the place of women in society. While Ysy’s parents are pushing her to marry, Ianthe works to find a way she can escape an unwanted fate. He also loves Beatrice enough to help her even when it means possibly losing her. 

The story took a bit to get going, but once it did, it had me to the last page. I’d love to see what happen pens next for them, but the story doesn’t feel unfinished. I definitely am glad I read it. 

4.5 stars out of 5