Drew is not your typical heroine. She wasn't always a nice person and in fact was once extremely petty and selfish. She has remade herself after her life doesn't turn out how she planned. She is now relying on relatives as a spinster and setting out to begin a new life as a stylist for young ladies who need tutelage in how to have a successful come out. She uses her connections with the royal family to get access to "styling" a duke's nieces (enter our hero).

Ian isn't interested in having a stylist forced upon him by royal decree, but you don't really tell royalty no, so he goes along with it. He quickly realized that Drew is everything his family needs. His odd sister and two nieces have had a very rough few years with time spent in a cult, and if they are to have a successful debut, he needs all the help he can get. Drew is the right mix of honesty and guidance to help his nieces and sister come out of their shell and enter society.

While Drew is transforming his family, Ian comes to realize how she is not only perfect at working with the girls, but she is also the right fit for him. They are found in a compromising situation and forced to marry, but the marriage is something the both end up desiring pretty quickly. The issue is that Ian is having problems with his tenants trying to smuggle goods to Europe and he hides this from Drew, which creates a minor issue between them.

This book has a nice amount of steam, fun characters, and a unique plot for a forced marriage trope. I would add a resolution to T.O.E. in the book if I had the option as Reverend Scraggs surely deserves some comeuppance and I would not have things tie up so neatly so quickly (I don't need a ton of angst, but sometimes these endings feel so rushed when everything is suddenly perfect).

I rate this book 5-stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange from my honest review. All opinions are my own.

A fun, cute, and empowering story about the redemption of a wicked stepsister. I enjoyed reading this for the most part, though I wish the climax regarding the tenant riots had been resolved on screen instead of over a couple of paragraphs in summary. The end felt rushed and unsatisfying, and I know the tenant stuff wasn’t the most important part of the story, it was important to Ian and his arc. Unfortunately we didn’t get to resolve his past as well as Drew’s. But overall it’s a fun read with lots of nods to several versions of Cinderella.

Cinderella’s repentant step-sister takes on rehabilitating other improper misses in Regency London in this delightful, steamy romance. I stayed up way too late finishing the story of Drew and her duke. Heartfelt with chemistry for days. The secondary characters added so much fun and depth, and I hope we get a series with Ivy and Imogene’s stories. The scene with the bird watching almost made my kindle go up in flames! Loved it through and through!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 Stars
Publication: July 26, 2022
Number of Pages: 400

I’ve read the second book in this Awakened by a Kiss series and “A Duchess by Midnight” had all the makings of a retelling of Cinderella that focused on an evil stepsister. I can say that I loved this book three in the series and the attraction that both the H/h had in the story. As with historical romances, there was enough heated and steamy scenes that satisfied my liking that I finished from beginning to end. Although there were some flaws…underdeveloped characters in parts, it did not detract from the plot and premise of the story. My anticipation was just to look at this as a fun and delightful read and it did what I expected. Definitely hard to put down and Charis Michaels kicked it up a notch for me on this book in the series.

I really loved this book. If you ever wanted a story with one of Cinderella’s step-sisters, this is a perfect Regency romance book for you. Drewsmina and Ian’s story was fun, and fast moving.

<b>I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review on NetGalley.</b>

I started A Duchess by Midnight completely blind because the color appealed to me with its pretty colors and nice composition. I was unaware that it was the third book in a series and I was unfamiliar with the established characters. Perhaps if I had known this, I would have felt a deeper connection to the story. This book had great themes like Ugly Duckling Into Swan and Shotgun Wedding, but it was rather verbose. There were instances where the pages would be filled with words, but nothing was really being said. I found myself skimming and only stopping for significant plot points.

I liked the chemistry between the main couple, but all the love scenes ended so abruptly. In every instance, they would get interrupted by a second party or the hero would immediately leave the room after their consummation. It was a bit of a whiplash effect considering how engaging the foreplay was leading up to the climax. Abruptness aside, I liked the couple’s connection to each other and I’m always a sucker for ginger lead characters.

A Duchess by Midnight was intended to be a play on Cinderella by the title, but I definitely got Ugly Duckling vibes. Drewsmina was able to take her awkward childhood and transform herself into a confident adult. She even went so far to establish a finishing school to help young girls that were in a similar situation find their inner beauty. All in all, this book had a nice message with a passionate couple, but the story could have been told in far fewer pages. We most definitely scored a duchess by midnight, but I would have been satisfied by a brisk 9:30.

I enjoyed this book. This was a retelling of Cinderella that focused on one of her stepsisters. It takes place after the story that we know. I loved the chemistry between the characters and the steamy scenes were perfect. This book was a little slow at the beginning but the last half is great I couldn't put the book down. If you like historical romance books this is for you.

This is a fun book with lots of references to the Cinderella story but it is definitely about Drewsmina the stepsister. Her sister has married the prince but Drew needs to make her own way. I enjoyed the romance with Lachlan and Drews attempts at civilizing him for the Ton.

One of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters gets her story told in A Duchess by Midnight. Drewsmina (Drew) is Cinderella’s formerly evil stepsister. Now that Cynde’s married, Drew has changed herself for the better, and she and Drew have resolved their issues and are becoming real friends. Cynde and her prince suggest Drew as a finishing tutor for Ian, the Duke of Lachlan’s nieces. Drew begins work, must move into Ian’s ducal home because of reasons, and she and Drew are wildly attracted to each other.


This started off with such fun and I was really enjoying it, but then = instalove and that just fell flat for me and I found myself mostly just skimming after reaching the forced into marriage bit.

Unfortunately, I wasn't the right reader for this title.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this earc

Somehow this book went from having so much potential to absolutely failing

Let’s start with a fact that all the characters, and I mean all of them felt off and not completely developed.
Drew? Evil step sister durned good! Sounds amazing right? But Drew ended up being completely naive, told the Duke she loved him after knowing him for a week and having sex once. If this was a modern book, the Duke would most definitely ghost her because who does that? She is teaching the twin about the society and the rules, know very well that most marriages of that time were not about love but at the same time she freaks out every time Ian would leave after sex ?????

Ian? I honestly don’t even know how to describe his personality but the fact that he told his 16 year old niece about all his issues? I’m sorry but during that time period, man didn’t have to tell women anything, forget about explaining themselves.

Imogene has soooo much potential and honestly, if I had to pick one, she’s definitely better of all characters but she just wasn’t written well enough to save this book.

Now let’s talk about the so called “marriage” between Drew and Ian. After being found in compromising positions, they marry. Such a good start. But somehow instead of figuring out their new situation, all we got was “here’s two people who never talk and just hook up”. Not at any point of this story did I feel affection between them. Not once. Hot sex? Yes. Emotions? Nope

And can we mention random, super creepy store owner in the end of the book? Like what the actual heck was the about??

I really loved this book! If you’re a fan of historical/regency romance, you need to pick this one up! The characters, the story, and the steam all made it hard to put it down.

For context of the rating, fairytale retellings are my least favorite type of romance. Maybe since this took on the antagonist in Cinderella, it was more creative than others I have read.

Miss Drewsmina Trelayne is set to finishing school for young ladies. It just so happens that the nieces of Ian Clayback, the Duke of Lachlan, could use some refining. That said, with a little more refining of the secondary characters, this story would have been had real fairytale charm.

When the story focused on Drew and Ian, I couldn't put the book down. The chemistry and banter between the two was amazing! Being forced into a box of Cinderella took away from the actual romance. It was good, but it really had the potential to be great.

Honestly, the first 50% of A Duchess by Midnight was difficult to push through. The story follows Drew, modeled after one of the evil stepsisters in Cinderella, who is reformed and hopes to educate young women in their society debuts. She is paired up with Ian, a duke with two nieces who require Drew's skills. The first half of the book follows that storyline though Imogene and Ivy, the twins, are just too precocious to me and we never fully understand what their sordid history was at the hands of some strange church that they were a part of for five years. That entire plot seems like a set up for another book, but the lack of actual answers proves frustrating in this one.

This being said, once you hit the 50% mark, the book picks up steam because Drew and Ian are caught in a compromising position and forced to get married. The book then moves much faster and the focus on the love story was a lot more interesting than whatever was going on with Ian's smuggling storyline (not sure why this factored into the plot when it seems so inconsequential). The only downside to this section is that Drew falls for Ian so quickly despite them mostly not having conversations, which wouldn't be as big of an issue if not for Drew then drawing attention to how little time they actually spend talking to each other.

The late in the novel climax where Drew's life is in jeopardy feels like it only exists so that Ian will stop being so closed off to his feelings, not spurned by any sort of logic on the part of Drew. Overall, so much of the novel just feels like going through the paces of what this story should be without eliciting any major feelings or trying anything new. Ian's character feels so back and forth between being someone who is very staunch to being remarkably free with his emotions and feelings, Drew never really shows any latent issues with her reformed personality, the less said about Cynde and her prince, the better. Overall, the parts do not create a very engaging whole.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a lovely read... I'm not usually able to read something in one sitting, but I was with this book, so that was just great!

I just loved the chemistry Despite the little bit of confusion I had with keeping up with all the different characters, I absolutely ADORED the steam in this one, and the dialogue during their steamy encounters was absolute perfection!!!

I can't wait to read what's next from the author And my wallet is ready for whenever another one of her excellent books is published!!!

Unfortunately, I didn’t like this. In this Cinderella “retelling”, it focuses on one of the stepsisters, Drew. Drew is hoping to help debutantes with there come outs. It just so happens that a Duke wants/needs help with his nieces.

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.

This series continues to have the most beautiful covers. They have whimsy and a touch of fantasy in a Disneyesque way. Charis Michaels looks to Cinderella for her spin but with focus on the reformed oldest step-sister. Drewsmina (Drew) is 28 and accepting of herself as a spinster. Her goal is to start a school becoming a stylist or coach for young debutantes. Her stepsister Princess Cynde calls her to the palace where the prince insists his old army friend hire her for help with his nieces. Ian, the Duke of Lachlan has brought his sister and her twin 16 year olds to London with the idea of bringing them out into society. Unfortunately for Ian he has a scandal from his past that makes him less accepted and the girls have not been brought up in polite society.

Drew is up to the challenge and I enjoyed the headings of each chapter which include a rule from her handbook. Drew is delightful. She loves bird watching and collects bug shaped jewelry. Her proper, yet honest way of speaking to young Imogene and Ivy is hilarious. She brings out more in the girls than Ian has learned in the few months he has known them. This book is quirky to the extreme. The girls upbringing has been in a cult or commune that is never explained in detail. The beginning is focused on setting up the working relationship but it abruptly switches to a forced marriage troupe. Drew is happy with the prospect but Ian does nothing to further their relationship other than to want her intimately. And sadly those scenes, which usually bring couples closer, only adds confusion for Drew. Ian is a sympathetic lead but I didn’t care him as a partner for Drew. I like the family unity that becomes the HEA but in a romance I don’t want the heroine to ever doubt that she is loved and cherished.

I look forward to the next in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

I had a hard time with this story. I hate insta love and unfortunately, that’s what happened here. It felt like there was hardly any development between the hero and heroine and that’s what I look forward to the most when reading. So this was a miss for me.

A Duchess by Midnight is book 3 in Charis Michaels’ Awakened by a Kiss series. The first book has a spin on Snow White, the second a spin on Tinkerbell, and this 3rd is a spin on Cinderella. But instead of the usual characters getting their HEAs, this series gives those overlooked fairy tale characters their much-deserved HEAs. Sadly this 3rd book in the series was my least fav in the series and I had a really hard time with this read.

Drewsmina “Drew” is 28-years-old and this reformed mean girl is fine with being looked at as a spinster. She’s hoping to open her own business of coaching young debutantes through their coming-out season in London society, her speciality would be outsiders…outcasts, so called “ugly ducklings”, girls who hovered on the margins of society life. Exactly the type of girl Drew had once been. When she receives a summons from her stepsister Princess Cynde, Drew shows up to find out Cynde wants help for her husband’s old army friend, Ian, the Duke of Lachlan. Ian has twin 16-year-old nieces, Imogene and Ivy, that have recently come to live with him at his estate and Cynde has offered to sponsor the girls next spring and present them to her mother-in-law, the Queen. But the girls will definitely need Drew’s help in getting them prepped for a season. Not only have they been sequestered away in the country with their mother and some sort of church/community situation (Temple of Order in Eden), they have little knowledge of anything “proper” for society debutantes, and their uncle Ian was also the cause of scandal several years ago. His reputation was so damaged that he was forced to leave London. Drew steps in to help and moves in with the family, and things quickly get complicated when she and Ian themselves in a compromising position, in front of his family and staff, after he finds out she has never been kissed and decides to rectify that.

This book was very hard to get into, it took quirky to a whole other level where I just did not enjoy it. The characters, the convos, the situations just felt so out there and I honestly didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t find myself enjoying any of the characters and the romance was insta-love with very little development. Some good: the cover is absolutely gorgeous, Drew enjoys bird-watching, Drew has a fondness for bug/insect/crawling critter jewelry (beetle brooch, caterpillar bracelet, butterfly hairpins, jeweled dragonfly comb, spider cloak-pin). I do think that this book has some good info for someone new to historical romance as it really explains a lot about a Season, what behavior is deemed “proper” for ladies of the time, and what is all involved for a debutante’s first foray into being “out in society”.

Thank you to the publisher (Avon Books) for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own. A Duchess by Midnight has a release date of July 26, 2022.

*Received a copy for review.*
I was intrigued to read a book with a redeemed stepsister.
Drewsmina is ready to move not a new phase of her life. Now that she is away from her horrid mother, her stepsister is helping her find some young women to polish before the season.
Ian is relieved to have his sister and nieces home but has no idea what to do with them. His sister appears off with the fairies a lot of the time. He doesn’t know what happened to them after the death of their father.
The tropes; boss/employee, forced proximity, educational sexy times;
The educational aspects of this book are so well done. He is a dirty talker but not in the way you expect. The birdwatching was top notch.
It doesn’t get a full five stars because it felt like it lost it’s way a bit at the end.
It was a delight to read and I really loved Drew.

This fairy-tale retelling is a wonderful example of a historical romance that stays moderately true to the period but still feels like the fairytale. Plus, it has a bunch of interesting twists that don’t compromise the story!

Miss Drewsmina “Drew” Trelayne is actually the (former) wicked stepsister in this book. However, she’s also the ugly duckling turned into a swan, which is why she now dreams of opening a finishing school for young ladies.

Ian Clayback, the Duke of Lachlan, is living on his remote estate and doing his best to weather the many scandals of his life. However, he is forced to hire Drew to tutor his nieces in the finer arts of life when his estranged sister comes for a visit. Plus, this is a great way for him to make an entrance back into society.

Obviously, there is attraction between the two, although they shouldn’t act on it. And Charis Michaels gives a very good reason for this: Drew is tutoring the nieces on how to behave themselves and needs to be the model of deportment in order to successfully open her finishing school.

But the two can’t keep their hands off each other, and eventually Drew is compromised. The duke must then deliberate on what to do since there’s clearly no way to save her reputation other than marriage. Of course, she is shocked when he actually proposes.

I thought Michaels did a great job of showing the progression to marriage rather than just jumping in. After all, the steamy scenes are *chefs kiss* but the two don’t actually know each other that well, and making Drew his duchess is a huge deal for Clayback. From there, we get to see the typical slow love story that I’ve come to need in a historical romance. It was so well done!

One thing that I found to be different from other regency novels is the fantastical elements of the book. Charis Micheals does a great job of making it feel like a historical novel, yet it’s also somehow a fantasy, more so in the Disney sense. I definitely felt like I was reading a fairytale. I personally hate when fairytale retellings feel too realistic and not magical, so this struck the perfect balance for me.

I highly recommend A Duchess By Midnight for a good dose of romance, steam, and the classic fairytale vibe with a twist!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

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https://fromthereadingroom.com/review-a-duchess-by-midnight-by-charis-michaels/