I found this to be rather boring. Both Drew and Ian were blah, nothing at all special about them. No Chemistry between them, making their love story very lackluster. The only redeeming part was Imogene. I would have rather had the whole story about her.

I've really enjoyed this series so far, but I think this one fell just a touch short for me in comparison? Or maybe it's because I just finished an outstanding historical romance and it's not fair to compare this one to it? I know, lots of question marks for this early in the review!

The cover is absolutely gorgeous (though I don't understand why she isn't in blue instead, I feel like there was a missed opportunity to tie the cover into the actual story here!), and the writing is magical as always. She made me sympathetic to one of the evil step-sisters, which I never thought possible, and I loved looking at the story of Cinderella in a whole new way! The pacing worked well for me, and I found myself flying through the book and enjoying myself! I think what fell short for me was a lot of the conflict? And the fact that so many things were just explained or talked through, honestly it's a perfect example of telling instead of showing. All the conflicts and all the major plot points just felt so conveniently wrapped up in nice sit-down conversations between characters. There also felt like there were gaps, and where I wanted to see things explored and shown more, it just skipped ahead. I feel like I'm not articulating this well, but this book left me wanting more, and not necessarily in a good way.

This would be a fun book if you're somewhat new to the historical romance genre and would like the rules of society explained and definitely if you like fairytale retellings! There's also bird watching, a man who doesn't like surprises or feelings 😂), lessons (😉), compromising positions, and a really sweet family!

Drewsmina Trelayne was a mean, loud stepsister growing up, because she was raised by a jealous bitter mother. Drew has outgrown that and transformed herself into a confident woman. Her transformation inspired her to open a finishing school, but opening one is expensive. She has a meeting with their royal highnesses of Kew and she is not the only one. Ian the Duke of Lachlan also has ana audience with the royals. Ian is there informed the Drew is going to be working with his nieces to get them ready to go out into society and to meet the Queen. Ian will do anything to clear his name and provide his nieces with a better life. As Drew and Ian work together to help the girls, they lose a fight on their desire for each other. When they both get caught in a scandalous embrace they marry. Can a love work it's magic with these two? Let me tell you, you will enjoy finding out and you will really cheer them on. I got an advanced copy from NetGalley and this is my opinion.

This book has a sweet quality which pulls at your heart that everyone makes mistakes. The story is about Duke of Lachlan Ian and Drewsmina and 2nd chances to pick up the pieces of your life after your mistakes. It is a realization of self-reflection and consequences of actions. This book has a lot of characters which adds to the charm of it. Ian needs to have his nieces prepared for a meeting with the Queen. In order to get his agenda thru he is “forced” by his friend the Prince Regent to hire his wife’s former bad girl stepsister Drewsmina. I love the interaction because it set up for the characters which get involved it the actions. I love the supportive family and friends who see the potential of forgiveness of past mistakes. This book was funny, sweet book as they learn to trust each of other to get what they need. They make a good couple and have a great connection. This book was good twist of a Cinderella feel as Drew being the mean stepsister. It is an easy flowing read and a stand-alone read. I would recommend this book because this author is keeps you entertained with this enjoyable book. I look forward to looking into her other books.


All thoughts and opinions are my own in my review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher.

A TWIST ON CINDERELLA!!! A Duchess by Midnight by Charis Michaels is book 3 in the Awakened by a Kiss series and tour in a series this book can be read as a standalone. To be perfectly honest I found the beginning a tad slow and the writing not as smooth in telling the story. but it does pick up toward the middle of the book. I did like that the Drew was once a wicked stepsister and that she was able to find her was out of being nasty and become good which is really how the book starts. I felt that the feeling Ian had for Drew were a tad flat but the sex scenes were really good. All and all I found this book a tad lacking and but the storyline original.


***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.

I always feel that Charis Michaels is underrated - I don't hear her name as often as others but her books never fail to surprise and show the love and hilarious nature of the pairing!

This book shows us that even the wicked stepsister can be reformed. Drewsmina "Drew" is on an ever-moving quest to adjust herself and her future from who she was before - starting with a business venture to coach young debutantes - Drew's rules at the start of each chapter really got me anticipating what might happen as well!

Paired with her is the Duke of Lachlan (disgraced Duke from A Duchess by Midnight) which is just fabulous to have him in play as well, attempting to change his future too.

They are both summoned to the palace by different parties and their meet-cute is probably one of the best I've seen in a long time! The chaos, the touching... Read the book simply for that interaction!

In the end they both need each other's help and having known their own proclivities; they find it hard to trust. But the love comes and so does the laughter! I will be reading this one again for sure. The debutantes and their personalities are great, T.O.E as well! Definitely recommended at your earliest convenience, I can't say enough kind things about this engaging book.

My opinion is my own and freely given.

After a slow start, this was a real delight. It took too long in the wind up, and I nearly put it down, but the scene in the library convinced me to stay and the scene in the park made me very glad I did. That was really great. Could have done without the sub plot of his farmers and lace workers, that didn’t add anything. Also the dukes sister was annoying, and variable. Sometimes she was flighty and uninterested and sometimes she was a clear eyed truth teller and it didn’t work.

The premise of this one reminded me of another book that I had read in the past and thoroughly enjoyed - however, this one didn't work for me quite as well.

To begin with, I really wasn't feeling the chemistry between Drew and Ian. In fact, I found a few of their interactions to be a little weird, almost to the point of experiencing second-hand embarrassment for them. I am also not a fan of "instalove," which was definitely seemed the case (at least where Drew was concerned, as she told Ian she was in love with him almost immediately). Being attracted to someone and lusting after them is NOT love, and I wish more romance novels (historical ones especially) would do a better job making that distinction.

Secondly, I was more interested in Ian's nieces and their backstory than I was in Ian and his love life. Imogene and Ivy seemed to have a pretty twisted backstory, but I feel like there were too many gaps for me to fully grasp all of the details of what had happened to them (for example, were they a part of a cult of some sort or did it just seem that way?).

Even with those things, the author had a strong writing style, and for the most part, it was a fun enough read so I'm sure other people will enjoy it more than I did.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Everyone deserves a happily ever after… even the former bad girl Drewsmina Trelayne and His Grace, the disgraced Duke of Lachlan from “A Duchess by Midnight” by Charis Michaels!

Drewsmina is summoned to the palace by her stepsister. The duke, Ian Clayback, is summoned to the palace by his friend, a prince. Drew seeks a paying customer for her business venture to coach young debutantes. Ian gets a vital meeting with the Prince Regent if he enlists Drew’s service. Drew gets double the trouble with a side of weird when Ian agrees to the unsolicited opportunity.

I love this book from the very beginning! Drew’s rule begins each chapter which creates anticipation. Drew and Ian’s meet-cute is unforgettable. We get birds, chaos, insults, laughter, sarcasm, team work, and touching before they find out each other’s name!

I love that Michaels kept Drew’s past as the terrible stepsister and as the terrible person in general to portray that anyone, anytime we can transform.

I love the characters in this book, even the villain who is so good at being awful! The debutantes have completely different personalities, but you feel the love. The mother, the duke’s sister, is a free spirit but does give sage advice at key times.

I love that Michaels got me laughing even during a serious situation. You got to read the book to know what T.O.E. means, but I love the cleverness of the acronym. Every time toe or T.O.E. is mentioned, I imagine the cartoon version of the retelling and the big toe that needed to fit into the glass slipper.

I recommend reading this book! This book is entertaining, hilarious, and sweet. Oh, then there are the declarations at the end, so good!!

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon, and Harper Voyager US for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Drewsmina Trelayne wants to start a business coaching young debutantes through their coming-out Season in London society. Her first client is Ian Clayback, the Duke of Lachlan. His twin nieces definitely need lessons. Ian has his own problems with his tenants. Working with the twins is progressing nicely when Ian and Drewsmina are caught in a torrid embrace kissing. Following the right thing to do, Ian marries Drewsmina. His problem with his tenants arrives in London. Drewsmina wants to help with his problem, but gets lost instead. A Duke who hates surprises, finds himself experiencing the biggest surprise of all.
Heat level 3
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I've adored each installment in this series, always highly anticipating the next one and A Duchess by Midnight did not let me down.
Michaels delivers on the classic Cinderella tale while also putting her own spin on it. This reminded me of Cinderella II (yes the animated movie). The stepsister gets her own HEA with someone unexpected.
I think Drew was such an interesting main female character. She's a bit like Jane Austen's Emma which may mean that readers may not initially like her but I couldn't help but love her. Her love interest is plenty swoon worthy too!
Plus we get bird-watching! I don't think I've ever read that in a historical romance before.
This was a fun time and I am hoping (fingers crossed!) that Michaels has more in store for this series.

This was a well-written, entertaining book. It was steamy, fun and held my interest. I didn't want to put it down. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is #3 in the Awakened by a Kiss series. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Some sequels are simply better than the book that came before them, and A Duchess by Midnight is one of those. Charis Michaels’ series focuses on the often overlooked side characters in fairytales, and in this one, we follow one of the evil stepsisters after she’s turned her life around.

Drew has moved past her wicked, selfish ways and wants nothing more than to open a finishing school. Ian, a reclusive duke, needs help preparing his nieces for their debut into society. At first, they’re pushed to work together, but their chemistry is off the charts from the jump, and it’s a lot of fun watching them try to remain professional when it’s obvious they should be so much more. And I absolutely loved Ian’s sweetly stupid reaction every time Drew disparaged her own looks – he simply didn’t understand that she might not realize how beautiful she was, and it was hilarious.

I loved the overarching theme of not letting your past hold you back from becoming the person you want to be. Ian’s nieces have had a difficult life, and they need the reminder more than once as they prepare to be presented to the queen. But both Ian and Drew have hang-ups that are holding them back too, and I thought it was lovely to see that it’s never too late to change, never too late to become the version of yourself you have always wished to be. Everybody deserves to give themselves enough grace to make that change.

Yes, I wasn’t a huge fan of Ian’s sister, and yes, Ian was stupid to think he could protect Drew by not telling her stressful things, and yes, I wished there were a few more scenes of just our main couple rather than those with his nieces as well. But I really liked this book despite those things. Drew and Ian were a lovely leading couple, who were both independently deserving of a happy ending, and I loved seeing them find that in each other.

The wicked stepsister redeemed can be tricky, given that readers have grown to dislike the character who now is the heroine. Yet Charis Michaels is so skillful that she makes Drewsmina Trelayne someone we can't help but loving. At 28, she is going to tutor young ladies before their debuts, hoping to turn her lessons into a way to support herself and leave her sister behind. With a stepsister who is a princess, this is possible, and so we meet Drewsmina before she encounters a duke whose two young nieces are wild creatures. That the meeting happens in the palace -- with birds -- and a host of characters watching, is just one sign that this is an unusual book. From there, we continue on to Drew's tackling the twins — Imogene and Ivy — and becoming more and more enamored of her duke, Ian. Unlike most fictional dukes, Ian — Duke of Lachlan — is a bit of an outsider because of his attempts to help working people. Their attraction, strong from the beginning, results in a forced marriage (sigh) and continued hijinks. This is a book with many layers — the religious cult from which the duke's sister and nieces escaped; the varied and well-drawn secondary characters (what a mother-in-law from Hell); the information about reform movements and lives of the working poor; and the incredible detail about society and the pressure of a young girl's debut. It is a lot to juggle and likely would crash in the hands of a lesser author. But Michaels is a master, and this book is an engaging, entertaining read. Enjoy! (I received an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions mine.)

I feel like I'm in a bit of a book slump lately, because, although this author should have charmed with her unique take on Cinderella, this just wasn't quite as enchanting as I'd expected. Maybe the problem was I didn't read the previous books in the series? Maybe fairytale retellings just aren't my thing? The premise sounds great, and I was looking forward to a grumpy guy/sunshine heroine storyline. But issues crop up that I've had with a lot of recent books: a couple of disturbing scenes/subplots that detract from what should be a lighthearted plot and plenty of steam but little feeling of love or even true friendship between the MC's. Interesting insights on etiquette but the h seemed too naive to possibly be able to instruct troubled young women enough to salvage their reputations. Also, I was intrigued by H's scandal at the beginning and was hoping that would be resolved in a satisfactory manner, but felt like it took a backseat to other characters' concerns. There is still some charm and humor here and there, but I have to admit I skimmed though a lot of the first 60% and wasn't all that happy with the HEA. I did like Imogene and would read a book with her as the MFC.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for this opportunity.

I just love the telling of Ms Michael's romance of a rake and a spinster who find what they weren't looking for. This story makes you believe in yourself in what you can accomplish in life gives you lemons. Miss Drewsmina “Drew” Trelayne was a shy child who grew from her mother's constant quibbling about her hair and height. Mina knows what she wants and is going after it.
She wants to open a finishing school for girls who are not the normal blond beauties. She must start low and find clients who will pay and not ask too many questions.
Ian Clayblack, the Duke of Lachlan, lives in Dorset alone because of a scandal and acts smuggler to manage his estate. When his sister arrives with her two daughters, he knows that he has to get them to London for a season.
When Mina gets hired to help in turning his nieces into the first star of fashion, he is intrigued by the red headed woman who turns his crank
Mina is also distracted by the girls uncle who is oh so handsome especially when talks so in that voice of his. But her dream of a school is what she wants and has no time for Ian.
Even though fate has a way of getting these two people together, it will be love that keeps them forever.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Charis Michaels’s Awakened by a Kiss series is charming & bright, but please let me tell you that I was not saddened by the steam in A Duchess by Midnight—including while the MCs are birdwatching 🐦 👀🔥.

From Wicked Stepsister and Mean Girl to a spinster with business aspirations, Drewsmina “Drew” Trelayne has undergone quite the change in the last few years.

At the beginning of this book she’s happy to secure a job for herself as “stylist” to reclusive duke Ian Claybank’s nieces, who are about to participate in the Season but who aren’t prepared for it.

United in their goal, living in the same house, & mutually appreciating the scenery in front of them 👀🔥, things heat up quickly between Drew & Ian.

Maybe my fave thing about this book is just how attracted Ian is to Drew & vice versa. Drew still has some lingering insecurities about herself—she has orange hair & freckles & is very tall, all of which her cruel mother, no doubt, made her feel horrible about—& meanwhile, Ian makes it very clear to her & to others that she is what he wants.

The chemistry between them is written beautifully & scintillatingly, & I was happy when they finally admit their feelings at the end, though wishing that Ian had been a bit less of a dumb dumb 😆. The conflict between them feels a tiny bit lackluster to me but it all contributes to the low angst feel of the romance & I can’t complain about that too much.

All in all this is cheerful, steamy fun & I love seeing a former Mean Girl who wants to try to live with kindness & empathy & follow her dreams get a HEA.

4 ⭐️. Out tomorrow!

CWs: emotionally abusive, cruel mother. References to past cruel behavior by heroine. References to violent Luddite Riot which a man was killed during. References to what I’m calling a religious cult of sorts, where the Duke’s nieces & sister were previously living.

[ID: a white woman wearing a striped long skirt sits on a white bed holding the ebook.]

I absolutely adore a fairy tale retelling and seeing the unique ways an author can retell a story as old as time. Charis Michaels' Awakened by a Kiss series, is such a fun and original take on fairy tales. I love that Michaels has decided to explore fairy tales that tend to have less retellings, as well as she takes an interesting and distinctive take on them so they don't always play out in the most expected way. A Duchess by Midnight, is a sort of mash up of the ugly duckling and cinderella's stepsister. Michaels' writing is interesting, well paced and her characters are intriguing and real. If you love a fairy tale, then definitely give this series a chance! These stunning covers also hold a fun and interesting story between their pages!

Drew is a former awkward child and wicked stepsister, who has learned to change her ways for the better. Drew, in her spinsterhood, has found her passion in life and that is to help young woman with their societal debuts, and her dream is to open a finishing school. So when her stepsister, the princess, finds the perfect employment opportunity to work with 2 young women who are to make their debut soon, Drew jumps at the opportunity. Drew will now be working as an employee of a reclusive Duke (Ian) who has been living alone for years surrounded by scandal, but when his eccentric sister and her twins arrive he knows he must give them the perfect proper season.

Drew is so passionate about her work and she is such a fun heroine to watch as she shows her charges and Ian that she is an open person and a hard worker with only their best interests at heart. I love that the girls slowly open themselves up to Drew and learn to trust her and I love watching Ian have a hard time not wanting to always be around her. Drew and Ian definitely have a spicy and steamy chemistry that quickly leads them into a scandalous situation which finds them hastily married. I love that this book is split into like two halves, the first half is Drew and Ian fighting attraction and the second half is them learning what married life could be as well as fully learning to trust and understand each other. This novel definitely has a beautiful and sensual layer, as Drew and Ian learn to explore the physical side of their relationship. I love that Drew even in marriage still is focused on her dreams of a finishing school and helping people enter into society. I love that when the feeling of love is brought up it never fully scares Drew or Ian away from the other, but that they are both understanding of the other and are able to give space to process their feelings. I love that this novel does not rely on a typical third act break up and that outside plot point are what create any interesting tension around them, but that they are always strong in their feelings and relationship after they are married.

This series is definitely one that is not to be missed. Charis Michaels is a wonderful author and definitely a must read one!

Everyone deserves a happy ending… even the ugly stepsister who thinks she doesn’t deserve it.

Drew has always been awkward and out of place. A starling trying to find acceptance and ensure its survival with underhanded tactics. How could she possibly feel anything but less than when the stepsister she tormented has become a princess and forgiven her for her past cruelty? And now her former stepsister is giving her a chance to reclaim her value, a chance to give back to the world and carve out her own destiny.

Now Drew has to transform the two nieces of a reclusive duke into society belles. It doesn’t help her situation that the very man being compelled to hire her is the same one she castigated during the melee in the palace waiting room. It doesn’t help that she noticed him even before the melee, that she noticed his broad shoulders and nearly became lost in the blue of his eyes. It doesn’t help that he isn’t the rabble-rousing, disreputable client she expected.

Drew takes on the challenge of Ivy and Imogene with aplomb. Her kind heart even brings their mother out of seclusion. Ian finds himself captivated. When her efforts result in a breakthrough he would have thought impossible six months ago, he can’t help but kiss her. That kiss is like a lighted match, and they both lose awareness of anything but each other. And then they are interrupted in the midst of their passionate embrace.

Of course a marriage of convenience is the only answer. Drew is a lady after all, and sister to a princess. The situation suits Ian just fine, though, because he can’t stop thinking about how she would look tumbled across his bed.

Their alliance may be one of convenience, but stolen moments in unlikely places, even cluttered storage rooms, reveal that there is much more between them.

I absolutely adored this Ugly Duckling retelling, and am ever grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

A Duchess by Midnight is a smart, fun twist on the Cinderella tale in the final book in Charis Michaels’ Awakened by a Kiss series. While I enjoyed reading this book, it felt like something was missing and I cannot quite put my finger on what it is.

Miss Drewsmina “Drew” Trelayne is a former ugly duckling and wicked step-sister. Raised by a truly heinous mother, Drew has made peace with her orange hair and bean-pole height. She hopes to help other ugly ducklings and wallflowers find the confidence they need to succeed in Society by opening her own finishing school. But to open a finishing school, one needs paying clients. Ian Clayblack, the Duke of Lachlan, lives alone in Dorset following a scandal with Luddite riots on his estate. But when his estranged sister shows up with two vagabond nieces in tow, Ian realizes he needs to venture back into London society to provide them with a better life and get them the polishing they need to succeed in their debut. Thanks to some meddling from Drew’s stepsister Cynde (now a princess), Ian ends up being Drew’s first paying client. And while Drew has charmed Ian’s nieces into opening up, she’s also charmed him, and they cannot deny the growing attraction brewing between them. When they’re caught in a scandalous, nothing short of marriage can prevent a scandal. But can a marriage made in haste lead to more?

Of the three books in the Awakened by a Kiss series, this book is definitely the steamiest! The two previous books are much more of a slow burn, but Drew and Ian had chemistry and acted upon it pretty quickly. Let’s just say, I’m never going to look at birdwatching the same way after this book. And while I’m not usually the biggest fan of the marriage of convenience trope, I found this one enjoyable as there was good chemistry, and I enjoyed the forced proximity. However, I did feel like the “I love yous” came on pretty quickly, especially when you realize how long Ian and Drew actually knew each other.

One of the things I loved about this book was the characters. Ian was different than most Dukes that you find in historical romance. He’s a bit of an outcast from society, but this man genuinely wants to do right by everyone in his life. His heart is in the right place when it comes to his family and his tenants. I loved that he wanted to use his position and privilege to help those he cares about. I also liked Drew, but I struggled a little bit to get a solid read on her. We hear more about her mean girl tendencies than see any of them. It was hard for me to reconcile the mean girl Drew with the current Drew as the Drew we get to know in the book seems so nice and caring for other people. I admired her drive to start her own business and loved her approach to helping Ivy and Imogene come out of their shells.

Outside our main character, we also get fantastic secondary characters – they made the book for me. I absolutely adored Drew’s nieces Ivy and Imogene. Imogene is probably my favorite character in the whole book. She’s got a heart of gold that she hides behind a tough exterior and smartmouth. You can tell her personality is a coping mechanism to protect herself and her sister – she had to be strong and outspoken to survive living in a cult. I adore her little matchmaking schemes as it showed she actually really cared about Drew and Ian. I would love to get a spinoff romance focused on her as I felt like she’s such a firecracker. Ivy, by contrast, was much more delicate and softspoken. They dealt with trauma differently, but it was good to see her come out of her shell. I also loved learning more about their mother and Ian’s sister Lady Tribble. That poor woman has so much guilt over her actions, but she did what she thought was best after losing the love of her life and being swept up with grief.

This book would be a great one for someone new to the historical romance genre as it does a great job providing an overview of the rules of Regency England. As an avid historical romance reader, this did feel a little tedious to me as there were a lot of scenes explaining things I already knew. A lot of the plot was based on Drew teaching Ivy and Imogene the rules of society, so it felt inescapable. However, this book also had a lot of other plotlines woven. From smugglers to TOE to an evil stepmom, there were lots of side plots to the point where it felt like there were almost too many things going on. I’m not sure that all the plot points paid off in the end – some did, but others felt like they didn’t.

If you’re looking for a fun, charming twist on a classic fairytale, you’ll love A Duchess by Midnight. While my feelings are a bit mixed on this book, I did enjoy reading it and would definitely still recommend it. Charis Michaels' books are always a lot of fun with some humor woven in and this was no exception. It was just missing that special something to make me love it.

Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed in this review are my own.