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  • The Midnight Bargain

  • Written by: C. Polk
  • Narrated by: Moira Quirk
  • Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (87 ratings)

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The Midnight Bargain cover art

The Midnight Bargain

Written by: C. Polk
Narrated by: Moira Quirk
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Publisher's Summary

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 listeners say about The Midnight Bargain

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting world created, narration is fun!

I enjoyed the book, and it was an interesting world that the author created. The dialogue and the internal thoughts of the main character were a bit repetitive. There was a lot of focus on fashion, appearance, and society manners, which may be interesting to some readers. The narrator's different accents and voices were great!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Author & narrator are a perfect match

This is a charming quasi-Regency story of balls & flirtations & negotiations beloved of Bridgerton or Jane Austen fans, only with an underbelly as dark and terrifying as The Handmaid's Tale. The narration is excellent, the plot & characters believable. Emotional engagement is impossible to resist. You will love some characters and utterly loathe others.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent

loved it, flew through it, excellent book. Starts like Bridgerton, drifts a bit to Harry Potter with a dash of handmaid tale.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Lovely story line

I quite enjoyed listening to this one, more than I actually expected to honestly. The story line was intriguing and well suited for the time period. I found the strong women characters endearing, The narrator voiced the different characters fabulously, no complaints for this story here!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome and riveting!

I am so glad this is a selection for Canada Reads 2021! It speaks to inequality out of fear and tradition.
I know others have given not great reviews but I would challenge them to listen to this narrator tell the story and not fall in love with these characters. This story is definitely needed at this time if people start asking the questions this author unveils about our society and culture today.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book! Smart, Fun & Sumptuous

In a world reminiscent of Regency England - but with magic - a would be scorceress balances her desire to be a master magician against her family and society's expectations of her making a stunning marriage as she is herded to the high society marriage mart.

This book was stunning, with Beatrice navigating through society manners (so well done), forming dynastic relationships, and fighting against the class and especially gender dynamics, with its great restrictions on women, even the fashions are restrictive.

This is a stand alone novel, but I do so hope the author writes more in this universe she has created.

And Moira Quirk is a wonderful narrator.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good story, great narrator

I love Moira Quirk she brings something extra to the stories she reads. This was a a good story and was great until the. The resolution between Beatrice and her father made my blood boil after what he did.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

pretty good

I picked it because it was a Canada reads contender and was all over my Instagram earlier this year.

it's not normally a genre I read, younh adult fantasy. it I enjoyed it. it wasn't spectacular but i would recommend it to anyone who does like the genre.

the story was good, I thought the ending was a bit predictable.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

narrator only redeeming part of this book

This book is terrible. Moira's narration is the only redeeming thing about it. the main character is so stupid and makes unintelligible choices, forgets to use her mother as an aid, god I can't believe I listened to the whole thing. written like a 14 year old's fan fic of a romance novel crossed with fantasy. needs to be heavily edited and then consider the reasons the characters make the choices they do- not compelling or convincing

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