There are a lot of romance series out there that are loosely based on fairytales, but this series is definitely in the top tier of those books. And this book is definitely a lovely part of that series. Drewsmina (Drew) was a wicked step-sister in her earlier life. Drew has changed a lot since that time in her life - she's found an occupation she wants to pursue and some peace both with herself and her past. Sometimes I think reformed mean girls are the best heroines - and I think it totally is the case in this book.

Ian is the Duke of Lachlan and he has had a time of it since he inherited the dukedom. In trying to do right by all of his tenants - he has made things harder for everyone. Especially himself. He's now trying to wrangle not only all of those people - but also his very unconventional sister and teenage twin nieces. Drew is the perfect person to help him - and even though she is pretty much pushed into his life, he quickly sees her value and embraces her help.

Neither Drew or Ian have had anything remotely resembling a normal life up to the point the book starts- even for the time. They are both still working through that trauma and moving forward in their own lives. In a sense - everyone of the key players in this book is really an ugly duckling at different stages of their journey into a swan. Certainly Drew is the main swan - but the others all have those elements as well. Not quite fitting in - needing to figure themselves out so that they can rise to their full potential. I loved how Charis Michaels showed the many sides of each person so fully.

One of the best things about this book - and the series as a whole - is the fantasy feel to them not in the sense of magical, but in the sense of things being slightly out-of-time setting wise. Many things felt a bit modern for a regency - but still worked so well that it was clear it was purposeful for the setting of the book. So even though this book is set in the regency period - it really feels slightly fantastical. It is just a light touch - but it adds so much to the overall fairytale feel of the books.

I loved this one.

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

I had hopes for this book, third in Charis Michael's Awakened by a Kiss series, being an improvement on the first two books. It was not. Don't get me wrong, it had potential. But the best thing about A Duchess by Midnight wasn't the duchess, or the duke, it was the duke's nieces. Specifically, Imogene. I would 100% read a book about her. Drew was an OK character but she was rather boring and there was little chemistry between her and Ian. I'm seriously hoping that Imogene and the story of what happened with T.O.E. gets it's own book and that there is some sort of resolution there.