I am a bit at war with myself over this book. It is witty and entertaining, yet totally anachronistic – more like reading a contemporary novel. I understand it is a nod to the Peter Pan fairytale with Tinkerbell as the heroine and I think the author did a nice job of working in references with the pirates and the missing watch. I think the ‘Lost Boys’ reference was a bit of a stretch though. I liked both of the lead characters very much, but I would have expected our male lead to be more of an alpha hero than a very beta one. As a much-lauded war hero and agent for the crown, you’d expect someone much more alpha and much less beta. However, I still loved the romance between the two leads.

Jason (North) Beckett is the newly minted Duke of Northumberland, and he isn’t in the least happy about it. He dearly loved his father and two brothers who have pre-deceased him, so now, he’s grieving and having to adapt to a lifestyle he has never wanted. All of his life, he has abhorred idleness, stillness, inactivity and that is all his life as duke will hold. His restlessness has served him well as a soldier and then a secret operative for the crown. Having to give that up is tearing his heart out. He has just one more mission before his work is done – and that mission isn’t an ‘official’ mission, though it really is. His hapless cousin, Reggie, has managed to get himself and several other merchants from his village, captured by pirates. Not just any pirates – no – these are Icelandic pirates. Not a lot is known about Iceland and certainly little, if anything, is known of Icelandic pirates. North needs to find someone with practical knowledge of the country and the language. His agency has a file on a woman who has spent time in Iceland and she speaks the language, all he has to do is convince her to help him. As the manager of the Everland Travel agency, North assumes the lady will be middle-aged, but in his several days of observing the agency, he has only seen two younger women entering – one is very tiny and very lovely. Where can the manager be?

Isobel (Bell) Tinker led a nomadic lifestyle as the daughter of a renowned actress. Together, they traveled the world when Isobel was very young, and when Isobel was older she traveled on her own with the children of others involved in the theater. Seven years ago, that all ended in tragedy for Isobel. Her uncle managed to rescue and retrieve her from Iceland and bring her home to England, and Isobel has sworn that she’ll never, ever, under any circumstances, leave English soil again. What is she to say when a duke approaches her at work and asks for her help? She’ll tell him what she can for the money he offers – but that is all she’ll do. So, when he comes back again and asks her to go to Iceland with him to rescue his cousin – what is she to say except a resounding – NO? What if he sweetens the offer to include her heart’s desire? Uh-Oh!

I loved that a large part of this book took place in Iceland – something you certainly don’t normally see. I loved Jason though he seemed a bit milquetoast to me. I loved Isobel with her strength and intelligence. I loved the vivid descriptions of Iceland, the northern lights, etc. I thought the pirate portion was anticlimactic and much too easily solved.

I enjoyed this book and I can recommend it. It is witty – and heartbreaking – and romantic – and has a lovely HEA to it. However, if you want any semblance of period correctness at all, you might want to read this at your own risk. Since it was a feel-good fairytale, I could ignore all of the anachronisms and just enjoy the story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When You Wish Upon a Duke is a fun, unconventional take on historical romance that ties in elements of Peter Pan. Jason "North", the duke of Northumberland comes to the travel agency that Isobel Tinker is running to recruit her to help free his cousin from pirates that are holding him captive in Iceland. If that doesn't convince you that this isn't a conventional regency romance, then the temperament of the main characters should. Jason has no desire to be a duke, and is much happier being a spy and getting into and out of scrapes around the world. Isobel, after living a similar life as the daughter of a traveling actress, still has the adventure bug, but wants the security and respectability of running a business - and has no intentions of being anyone's kept mistress. The pair are matched well, and Jason seems delighted by Isobel's unconventional life, instead of wanting conformity. The pair thankfully develop feelings for each other over the course of the story instead of falling into bed together fifty pages in. The author discloses in her note at the end of the novel that some elements of the story are a stretch, especially for when it takes place, but it's worth it, because when is the next time I'm going to read about pirates in Iceland in a romance novel? This book can standalone though it's the second in a series, and quite frankly, I enjoyed this one way more than the predecessor, even though it wasn't bad.

Isobel is happy running a London travel agency on behalf of its absent owner. But when the man comes to town and gives her an ultimatum—marry him, or she’s fired—her world is upended. Jason, Duke of Northumberland, offers her a solution: act as translator on his trip to Iceland, and she can set up her own agency in one of the commercial properties he owns.

Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that. After the heartbreak she experienced the last time she was in Iceland, she vowed never to return. And Jason isn’t going on a pleasure cruise: he’s on a mission to save his bumbling cousin from pirates. Can Isobel and Jason survive long enough to fall in love?

I enjoyed the original elements in this book, like the travel agency and the Icelandic setting. I’m usually not a fan of adventure romance, but this one had a nice balance between plot and character development. Isobel and Jason were so good together, and the obstacles so real, that the romance storyline flowed naturally rather then seeming contrived. It’s a fun and very romantic novel.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Jason “North” Beckett, former spy and the new Duke of Northumberland is in desperate need of a woman – but not just any woman, no, he needs Isobel Tinker, the manager of Everland Travel. His cousin Reggie has gotten himself kidnapped by Icelandic pirates and Jason has learned through his contacts in the foreign office that Miss Tinker is not only fluent in Icelandic, but she is very familiar with the country itself after residing there for quite some time years ago.

Isobel Tinker is the daughter of the world-famous actress Georgina Tinker and spent most of her youth touring Europe – with and without her mother. Seven years ago while in Iceland, Isobel’s happy-go-lucky life took a sharp turn into reality and left her alone and broken in heart and soul. With the help of her Aunt and Uncle, she returned to England and vowed to never leave her shores again. So when the Oh-too-handsome duke tries to hire her, she has no problem shutting him down. But when he makes her an offer she can’t refuse, neither of them will be prepared for the adventure that awaits them!

This is the second fairytale-inspired story in the series and it is just as fun and entertaining as the first book. For this story, the author has taken her inspiration from Peter Pan and has styled Isobel as a Regency-era Tinker Bell. While set in the Regency era, the author has taken a lot of creative license with what is considered proper etiquette for the period – something she explains in her author notes and honestly didn’t bother me at all. I loved this story, it is filled with witty banter, a duke that doesn’t want to be a duke, pirates, a bit of heartache, barely-warm love scenes, great secondary characters, a heroine who can save herself, and a hero who is fine with that, some incredible imagery and finally a HEA that is anything but typical. As mentioned there is a fair amount of creative license that might bother some readers, as well as title/formal address errors (that bother me, LOL), but overall this is a fun read and I would happily recommend this title. It is the second book in the series, but the books are easily read as standalone titles.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

This is such a delightful story, that kept me entranced with every page. It has a feisty, quirky heroine, a gorgeous Duke, who’s romantic and caring, a great adventure, and even a pirate or two. The clever dialogue and witty banter between the hero and heroine kept me smiling throughout the storyline. Isobel Tinker, was born to an actress mother and the illegitimate child of a nobleman. She had an adventurous childhood, traveled the world , and now runs a respectable travel agency. in London. Then one day, Jason, the Duke of Northumberland, shows up at her work with a strange request that ends up taking them on the wildest adventure of them all.

Miss Isobel Tinker is a travel agent for the rich females in Mayfair. Currently, she works for Drummond Hooke. She was originally hired by his parents and they liked her. He likes her, too. But he threatens her and treats her as if she did nothing to help him. At one point in her life, she spent a lot of time in Iceland.
Jason Beckett, Duke of Northumberland, has lost his father and two brothers, to death. Now it is his turn to try a hand at the dukedom. But he wants no part of it. He has to give up his work at the Foreign Office and he does not wish to. He has to go to Iceland and rescue his cousin and some merchants from pirates.
This is a wonderful story. There are very cold lands, heated pools, and the aurora borealis. Volcanoes dot the landscape but it only snows higher up. Isobel and Jason have some laughs, it is not all doom. He loves to tease her and their banter is fun. The characters are witty and yet get the job done.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

This book was about a 3.5-star rating for me. It wasn't bad at all, I found it rather cute. I love regency era novels as well as fairytale retellings and this is a good mix. The fairytale was not replicated it was just inspired by Peter Pan. I think the author did a good job of incorporating some aspects of the fairytale while at the same time not overdoing it. The plot was good, I did feel however that there were some odd gaps. At certain points, I almost felt like I had skipped a couple of pages. Besides that, I thought this was a very cute and lighthearted regency-duke era novel and if you like anything under that category I would definitely check this book out.

Overall, I enjoyed this title. I did feel it was rather slow in some spots, though. I look forward to the next in the series!

This book was provided to me via Kindle by Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.


Attention Bridgerton fans … this is in there spirit of those novels. If you like that you’ll enjoy this one too.

When You Wish Upon A Duke takes you on a journey from England to Iceland and along with romance, you'll get to meet pirates, spies and be thrust back into a ballroom.

Inspired by Peter Pan, this is the story of Isobel Tinker and Jason "North" Beckett, the Duke of Northumberland. When Jason needs someone to guide him through Iceland, he thinks Isobel is a perfect choice and makes her an offer she can't resist. Jason didn't want to leave his job at the Foreign Office and be a Duke. He, like Isobel, loves to travel. Isobel has gone through a lot in life and as a travel agent, she only wants to help people travel. I loved their interactions; both of them have great chemistry and despite being from different rungs of English society, they fit together so well.

While I loved the magical feeling of the story and the action up until their time in Iceland, this book lacked enough steam. Overall, this is a unique take on historical romances and I would recommend it to those who love where the protagonists go on adventure & fall in love.

Thanks to the publisher for an eARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a cute story. When we first met our characters isobel is manager of a travel agency and Jason the Duke of Northumberland is starring in like a creeper. his nephew reggie got kidnapped by some pirates in Iceland and Jason wants to resuce him, one cause he is family and two cause he feels that he needs adventure since retiring from the home office. He tries to recruit isobel because she has been to Iceland and knows the locals and the land. She is reluctant to because she had her heart broken there and doesn't want to relive it. He makes her an offer of her own travel agency, which sounds too good not to pass up. I do t want to give to much more way but it was a really good story . I loved their interactions and there were parts I held my breath. I recommend this to anyone who has never heard of charis michaels, whe is an amazing author's and it is definitely worth a read.

When You Wish Upon a Duke, is a longer story. Very full of fun and excitement. I enjoyed reading it very much and will be recommending it to everyone.

Miss Isobel Tinker works as a clerk in Mayfair’s Everland Travel Shop, and dreams of someday owning her own travel agency. Jason “North” Beckett, the new Duke of Northumberland, has one final diplomatic mission and needs a guide. He'll pay for Isobel’s agency, if she agrees to help him on his voyage. But close quarters take them beyond just a professional relationship.

This is the second book in the Awakened By A Kiss fairytale reimagining series. This book can standalone, although the hero from book one has a small role. This book is built on the Peter Pan and Tinkerbell lore, and the winks and nods in the story are plentiful!

Tinkerbell is my favorite Disney character, so I was really excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! Isobel has lead an adventurous - and heartbreaking - life...all she wants is to live quietly, away from her past. But Jason barges into her orderly existence, whipping up memories she wished would stay buried. Jason is the opposite...family tragedy has dropped the dukedom in his lap, when he all he wanted was to continue his busy life with the Foreign Office.

I enjoyed watching these characters connect and open up to each other. The steam was low, but I expected that having read other books from Michaels. The Icelandic backdrop was also very intriguing! It was lovely to read about a different location in historical romance. 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

Tropes: Working Heroine, Class Difference, Spy/Govt Work, Ship Trip Romance

Trigger warning for pregnancy loss

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #WhenYouWishUponADuke #NetGalley

This was a very unique historical romance retelling of Peter Pan, with Tinkerbell as the heroine.

I really enjoyed all the parallels and connections to the Peter Pan story, there were like little surprises throughout the book!

The pacing was a bit slow for me for most of the book, it really picked up around 2/3 through the book.

While the hero was quite enamored with the heroine, he also was not the alpha I expected him to be as an agent of the foreign office. He was definitely a beta hero, and was not the star of this book.

“There are places that we thrive and places that we merely survive, and perhaps they are both important.”

When You Wish Upon a Duke is the first book I have read by author Charis Michaels and it won’t be the last! I was pleasantly drawn into this story by the charming characters of Isobel Tinker and Jason “North” Beckett, the Duke of Northumberland. I loved the MCs personalities and witty interactions and of course the instant sizzle with the UST was an added bonus.

I have to admit the gorgeous cover drew me to this book. So, Bravo to the cover artist it’s truly a work of art!!

When I started this story I had no idea what to expect other than it was based on a retelling of Peter Pan. I thought the author did a great job of including aspects of the fairytale into various aspects of the story. All together the story flowed smoothly and the MCs got their fairytale happily ever after.

The parts of the story that I found to be slightly lacking included my big pet peeve of no epilogue, the heroine was a little OTT, the adventure aspect while important to the “Peter Pan” aspect took away from more character development and the potential for increased romance, and the overall sizzle to the story was lacking. Yes, there was glorious UST - but it really as minimal which was a negative from my point of view. I also would have liked to see Isobel get her reckoning towards her late fathers wife and daughter instead of just avoiding confrontation. Alas, it was meant to be a fairytale romance but even in fairytales the wicked characters get their due.

Overall I am rating 3.5 stars and recommend it to those looking for a light, fluffy, historical romance.

It's no secret that I adore Charis Michaels, but this series is just so good. I love her twists on fairy tales. They are so unique and well done and outside of the romance, I am constantly watching for the threads of stories that I know and love woven through the book. When You Wish Upon a Duke has all of the best elements of Tinkerbell/Peter Pan woven through a historical romance. Isobel Tinker is a travel agent to ladies in Regency London and North is a reluctant Duke trying to rescue a group of merchants from a band of pirates. They both have pasts that slowly unfold as the story progresses across England and Europe. Her insecurities paired with his determination provide the perfect conflict and tension between the couple. As a die hard historical romance reader, I love a new twist and perspective. This is just that and more.

CW: miscarriage

This was the first Charis Michaels for me, and I really enjoyed a fresh take on a Duke and a plucky heroine.

Once, a million years ago, I did a stint as a student travel agent, helping others dream about amazing vacations and plan life changing adventures. I loved it, and I love how Isobel Tinker gets to leverage her childhood experiences into a stable profession. Her business is geared towards helping other women have comfortable adventures, and I just adored this idea along with a fair amount of historical context to make it plausible (although a thorough author’s explains the creative license).

Isobel is a complex character, and although she carries the general shape and character of a classic Regency heroine like the Grand Sophy (or at least the Grand Sophy after a few years of domesticity), she also has enough internal struggle to make her really interesting. Her character arc was really rewarding, and at its peak definitely brought some tears.

Similarly, Northumberland is a man trapped by fate and forced to give up a career he loved to settle down and be lord of the manor. Much to his chagrin. He also has a wanderlust and the smarts to make him an excellent match for Isobel. So the romance really makes sense on a lot of levels, and although there is instant attraction, these two really have to work to trust each other and the situation.

It was mid way through the book that I started to make connections that this was a spin on Peter Pan. Although I didn’t need that reference, I think it pushed Michaels to make a really interesting Regency with Icelandic pirates, and a merry band of Lost Boys. I also liked that the Duke figure really struggled with the concept of being a Duke (and the conclusion of this story thread was fantastic, although I don’t want to spoil it).

The intimate scenes were minimal…mostly a lot of kissing until the wedding night. It definitely walks the line of kisses only and on the page, but there is enough on page to be too much for strict kisses only readers.

There are a few mentions of miscarriages, but it was delicately handled. There is also a bit of violence, albeit not graphic, in the climactic scenes.

Some readers found the climax anti-climactic, but I actually liked that the confrontation wasn’t the focus and we are able to forget about Peter in the end. There is a second, more pivotal confrontation towards the very end that to me was more meaningful (and I think more meaningful to Isobel), and which really brought home the book to me.

I would recommend this for most readers looking for something slightly different, who also enjoy a bit of swashbuckling. I will definitely be looking out for more Charis Michaels!

★★★★★★ 5 out of 6 A fairytale twist on Peter Pan with two adventurous MCs on a mission, who fall in love

Absolutely beautiful. I adored this book and the adventures Jason and Isobel went on. If you long for a Regency romance beyond the typical London ballroom, this is for you. Heartfelt, funny, and centered on two endearing characters. Five enthusiastic stars.

omg... do not miss this one! I had to take a minute after reading it. I adored this adventure-romance. Ah-mazing!!!!
So, our heroine is Miss Isobel Tinker.--Travel Agent to the ladies! Love her strength of character, resourcefulness, and independent spirit. She works for a slime of a guy who does not surprise us, dear reader, with the inevitable disgusting proposal... he will only let her continue to work if she marries him. This proposal is supposedly prompted by our hero's attempt to become the first male client. North (Duke of Northumberland) is not really here just for a booking... he's a secret agent and needs Isobel's help on a mission to rescue his cousin from pirates. Whoa... yes, there are pirates, Lost Boys (and girls), and romance... what's not to love! This adventure plot and the romance plot go hand-in-hand to prevent you from putting this book down. Best story I've read in a long time!!!! DO.NOT.MISS!!!! #mysterylovesromanceandshemightlovehimback