Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  On a Midnight Clear

AUTHOR:  Lily Morton

PUBLISHER:  Serlf-Published

LENGTH:  212 pages

RELEASE DATE:  December 17, 2021

BLURB:

It can safely be said that Lord Barnaby Greenwood is not having the best of Christmases.

He’s penniless, up to his eyeballs in debt, and about to lose his estate. Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that when a local property developer offers a lot of money to buy King’s Wood from him, Barnaby is very tempted. But his father had always impressed on him that the green wood was sacred and must be protected at all costs, so he finds himself saying no.

He knows this will result in the loss of his home, but duty comes before everything. However, that fateful decision leads instead to a magical Christmas for Barnaby, complete with an old god who grants him a favour, and a beautiful statue that comes to life.

Cosmo is perfect for him. He’s funny and kind and completely enraptured with Barnaby, and for the first time in his life, Barnaby falls in love. But how can this lead to anything but heartache, when on the last stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, Cosmo will go back to being a statue and take Barnaby’s heart with him?

REVIEW:

On a Midnight Clear is an imaginative, magical love story between a lonely man and a statue who comes to life. But they only have the five days before Christmas to be together.  

This particular statue is of a nearly naked man and his dog. It has always been very special to Barnaby Greenwood: he has spent untold hours of his nearly forty years sharing all his troubles with the beautiful sculpture in his home. Over the years, he has sat beside the statue in his home’s sculpture gallery, mourning his mother’s tragic death, discussing his teenage angst, and grieving his beloved father’s death. More recently, he’s been sharing his adult concerns. He’s sad and alone with few friends. The statue is his confidant, one who listens without interruption or judgement to worries about his financial strain and the fear of losing the King’s Wood estate that has been in his family for generations. 

One fateful night, as the world weighs heavily upon Barnaby’s shoulders, an old man magically appears in the gallery. It’s the Holly King, the Lord of the Dark Days of winter (as opposed to his brother, the Oak King, who presides over the light half of the year.) If this is reminding you of the Miser Brothers – Heat Miser and Snow Miser from The Year Without a Santa Clause – you’re not alone. I keep humming, “He’s Mister White Christmas, he’s Mister Snow. He’s Mr. Icicle, he’s Mister Ten Below…” I digress. I can get carried away with Christmas stuff. 

Anyway, in return for taking care of the sacred woods for years, the Holly King bestows a gift upon Barnaby. His favorite statue – Cosmo – will come to life until Christmas day. Cosmo is a darling character. He’s kind and thoughtful, energetic and joyous. And funny; he charms the pants off everyone, from the household staff to the townsfolk. He’s like a child facing everything new for the first time. Or, in fact, like a man who’s been cast in marble for centuries, watching the world go by without being able to experience it first hand. He craves knowledge and is interested in everything. He’s fascinated by snow, can’t get enough of all the interesting food, and he’s very tactile, relishing the wind in his face and the soft scarf wrapped around his neck. Among those experiences he’s never had is sex. Being so innocent, he asks the question no one ever has an answer for: why is it called a blow job and not a suck job? Anyone? Asking for a friend. 

Cosmo is just what Barnaby needs. He teaches Barnaby to live in the moment and enjoy each day they have. Life is brighter and happier for a few days. That is, until Christmas approaches and they must say goodbye. 

Lily Morton has exercised her creativity wonderfully in On a Midnight Clear. The narrative is rich and descriptive. She makes the estate feel real. Barnaby’s ancestors loved sculpture and it’s abundant indoors and in the gardens. The variety is vast. Here’s how much I know about Greek mythology: there are two wolf statues named Castor and Pollux. For real, I thought they were named after a vacuum cleaner company (no idea why!) not twin Greek gods. *face palm* 

This is a whimsical Christmas story that will delight anyone who would enjoy a little magic in their day. The lovely epilogue provides a look one year in the future for Barnaby and Cosmo and wraps up the story with a satisfying HEA. I happily recommend this book for your holiday TBR pile. 

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

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