Sometimes the man of your dreams . . .Shop girl Poppy Fairchurch knows it’s pointless fantasizing about the Duke of Autenberry. Still, dreams can’t hurt anyone . . . unlike the carriage Poppy spies bearing down upon the unsuspecting duke. After she pulls him to safety, the duke lapses into a coma and Poppy is mistaken for his fiancée. But one person isn’t fooled: his arrogant and much too … and much too handsome half-brother, Struan Mackenzie. Soon Poppy isn’t sure what she wants more . . . the fantasy of her duke or the reality of one smoldering Scot who challenges her at every turn.
. . . is not who you think.
An illegitimate second son, Struan may have built an empire and established himself as one of the wealthiest men in Britain, but he knows he will always be an outsider among the ton. Just like he knows the infuriating Poppy is a liar. There’s no way the haughty Duke of Autenberry would deign to wed a working class girl. It doesn’t matter how charming she is. Or tempting. Or how much Struan wants her for himself.
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Lovely read-alike for readers of Tessa Dare looking to build out their author list in this category. Over-the-top meet-cute and some “oh, crap, I guess I have to keep lying now, but I know this will end badly” action on the part of the heroine combine for some real yearning.
Oh. And there’s a Scotsman.
I cared about every one of the secondary characters and hoped they’d get their own stories, so big thumbs-up for me.
Good read, easy to read, entertaining.
Living aloneI sometimes find myself speaking out loud. One must be very careful when it is your fantasy that gets aired!And overheard. Loved Poppy’s very brave character & Struans strong ,quiet ,sexy persona. Thanks, Sophie for the entertaining read.
Regency Twist on a classic Rom-Com
Full disclosure if Sophie Jordan writes it there’s like a 99% chance I’m going to love it!
Poppy, a clerk in a flower shop, has spun a fantasy life with a Duke in her head to the point that she feels compelled to physically defend him. Struan isn’t buying what Poppy is selling but there’s something about her that he can’t ignore.
I really enjoyed the nods to While You Were Sleeping and the set-up for future books in the series. But of course what I’m really here for is the dirty talking, electrifying chemistry that Jordan always brings and I was not disappointed!
The narration of this audio was wonderful with great accents and pacing!
I bought this book because I had read Ms. Jordan’s delightful “Heiress Alone” in the anthology _How the Dukes Stole Christmas_ (also recommended). I’ve been consuming Regency romances this summer like cotton candy, and was looking for a new author I had not read yet. However, a rather brutal review here almost convinced me to bypass it. This would have been a shame, because _While the Duke Was Sleeping_ is a delightful romp well within the genre expectations.
That review took the book to task for its failings with its parallels with the movie, which Ms. Jordan is obviously reflecting in a delicious tease for fans of both the movie and Regency romances. I think the reviewer missed the point, but each to his own opinion.
Yes, Regency romances are delicious fantasies with their own tropes and reader expectations, and an author violates those at her own peril. Readers KNOW that going in. In the case of _While the Duke Was Sleeping_, Ms. Jordan does turn a couple of those on their heads, to charming results.
Struan MacKenzie is the perfect “handsome brute” to make this tale sizzle, and Poppy, who is most definitely NOT a belle of the _ton_, is exactly twenty years old—innocent in the right ways, with just the amount of savvy and determination for a girl of her limited but excruciating experience with loss and upheaval. Yes, twenty-year-olds can be frustrating for us more “seasoned” readers, but all I have to do is remember how idiotic I was about men at twenty (and stupidly protective of a brother who did not need it) to travel with Poppy on this journey of desire warring with what she thinks is common sense and honor.
Reviews are a mixed bag for every book. I would encourage anyone who is fan of Regencies to make up their own minds about any author or particular book. But for me, I enjoyed Poppy and Struan’s story and would recommend it. I’ll also be buying more books from Ms. Jordan.
Couldn’t Help But Compare This Book To the Movie
You may find this book interesting if you like the Movie While You Were Sleeping (it’s one of my favorites). However, it may take some effort to tolerate the story’s implausibility to enjoy it. It started slowly but showed promise when the hero and heroine first met. I found Struan initially appealing, but that impression lessened during the course of the story. He was too forward in his interaction with Poppy.
There was nothing particularly sweet, romantic, or funny that stands out in this book. I didn’t expect or want an exact replica of the movie, but I hoped to come away with a thrilled and happy feeling in the end. This book just didn’t have the same level of humor, romance, and wit. The ending was lackluster.
It was an ok read if only to satisfy my curiosity about the plot’s similarities and differences compared to the movie.
All of Sophie Jordan’s “Rogue Files” series is super solid. This one and “the Duke Buys a Bride” are my favorites.
I absolutely loved this book! Though I never watched “ while you were sleeping” I thought that this was a fun twist off the movie. This is the first book in Sophie Jordans “The Rogue Files” series. The main character Poppy Fairchurch works at a flower shop. She is smitten by one of the customers that come in on a regular basis and that is the Duke of Autenberry. During one of his visits to the flower shop, he ends up getting into an altercation with his half-brother ( Straun Mackenzie). Autenberry ends up in a coma. Poppy who interferes ends up saving Autenberry from getting hit by a carriage is credited for saving his life. She later on gets in a bind of her own when she is assumed to be his fiance. If this was not bad enough she is trying to fight her growing attraction to Straun Mackenzie. A man she swears that she hates, but her reaction to his kisses tells another story. I loved this story, I especially loved the pairing of Straun/Poppy. The chemistry between them was off the charts. I could tell that from the moment they met. The love scenes later in this story were very steamy. I liked the other characters in this as well, though I did think that Poppy Younger sister was a brat. I was kind of hoping that this would be addressed but it never did. For the most part I thought the pacing of this story was very good. The only problem I had with the story is that I felt that the ending was too quick to quickly put together. I felt there were things that needed to be addressed in more detail. Other than that, the book was Amazing. I highly recommend this.
This is a wonderful, well written historical romance novel with likable, engaging characters and a happily ever after ending.
While the Duke was Sleeping by Sophia Jordan, Narrated by Carmen Rose
One of my favorite movies is While You Were Sleeping. Sophia Jordan plays homage to this fantastic movie with her novel, While the Duke was Sleeping.
Poppy Fairchurch fantasizes about the Duke of Autenbury, he is her idea of the perfect man. After pulling him to safety when nearly run down by a carriage, Poppy is mistaken for the Duke’s fiancé. The Duke’s half-brother, Straun MacKenzie doesn’t believe his arrogant brother would ever stoop to wedding a common shop girl.
MacKenzie, one of the wealthiest men in England, knows that as the illegitimate son of an aristocrat he’ll never be accepted by polite society. Society and his standing in it, is important to his brother, even if Poppy married Autenbury, society would never except her, a former shop girl.
Straun longs to make Poppy his but is thwarted by his brother’s servants and best friend, coupled with Poppy’s distrust keeps him at bay. His own honor keeps him from stealing her away while his brother is in a coma, but he is tempted.
As Poppy grows to care about Straun, she is conflicted by the ruse she has begun, her desire to see the Duke restored to health and her own longing for Straun.
Sophia Jordan did an awesome job of complimenting one of my favorite movies yet still managed to keep her novel fresh and original. While the Duke was Sleeping is a delightful story with rich, interesting characters. It was a fun read.
I absolutely loved this book. The characters were fun to read about. I laughed at so many points (there were also some ‘oh no he didn’t’ moments). Poppy is some kind of amusing with her fantasy true love and then the metaphorical slap upside the face that has her facing reality, which ironically comes from something she said to herself and everyone took seriously. It was obvious that inspiration for this came from the Sandra Bullock movie While You Were Sleeping. But it did not copy the movie so it was still very interesting, funny, and so upbeat. Struan was way more intense than most characters ever written. He was so in your face and strong. Just not your normal hero, which was fabulous. I loved the diversity. I am very eager to read more of this series.
Reminds me of the movie While you were sleeping.
Very similar to the movie with Sandra Bullock, but was still very good.
Shopgirl Poppy Fairchurch is in love with a duke. But the duke doesn’t even recognize her existence although he encounters her on a regular basis during his weekly visits to the flower shop where she works. After his most recent visit to the shop, Poppy is witness to his altercation with another man and as the duke is in the sights of a carriage bearing down on him she rushes to his aid by pushing him out of harm’s way. Sadly he hits his had and slips into a coma. Poppy is urged to accompany the duke home and is joined in the carriage by the ‘other man’ who she quickly learns is the duke’s half brother. When they arrive at the duke’s home, Poppy is mistakenly identified by the housekeeper as the duke’s betrothed and she makes no correction to that error, feeling the time wasn’t right and anyhow, she wants to keep watch over ‘her’ duke. What follows is a cat and mouse game between Poppy and Struan, the Scottish half-brother. And we all know that hate is just one step away from love.
This story was certainly different from most other period romances. However, I found the characters to be underdeveloped and the story slow-moving in most places. And when the duke awakes, I found his easy acceptance of Poppy in his life a bit difficult to believe. I’m sure it would take any duke, especially one who has surfaced from a coma, longer than twenty-four hours to decide that the woman who was masquerading as his betrothed was in fact acceptable as a wife. The inner turmoil that both Poppy and Struan face could have been better and more intimately portrayed.
Really 3.5 Stars
I normally enjoy Sophie Jordan’s books and I did enjoy this one, but it is totally unbelievable. It isn’t unbelievable because the heroine comes to prefer the illegitimate brother over the Duke. No, it is just the whole premise that the Duke’s staff and family are all willing to so easily believe that a haughty duke would become engaged to a poor shop girl.
Poppy Fairchurch works in a flower shop. She is poor and the guardian of her fifteen-year-old sister. She also fantasizes about the handsome duke who comes into their shop every week to order flowers for different ladies. She knows that a relationship is impossible, but the little fantasy brightens up her otherwise dull existence.
Struan MacKenzie is the illegitimate brother of the Duke and they are not at all friendly. Struan holds no grudge against the Duke and would be friends if the Duke would allow it. However, the Duke cannot accept that his father was unfaithful to his mother and feels that Struan is trying to take advantage of him and his family. ***** NOTE: I just love the name Struan and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it used in a book before.
The story begins with an altercation between the Duke and Struan and Poppy actually saving the Duke’s life by pushing him out of the way of a runaway coach. Poppy is hailed as a hero and is tasked with seeing that the Duke arrives home safely. Upon arrival at the Duke’s home, the housekeeper overhears Poppy whisper to herself that the Duke must survive because ‘they were to be wed’.
Struan doesn’t believe that his half-brother would ever, under any circumstances become engaged to a shop girl. So, he assumes she is his mistress and proceeds to treat her accordingly. Their relationship changes and grows as the story goes on and it is nice to see that love wins in the end.
I am looking forward to the next books in the series. The dowager duchess is featured in the next book, The Scandal Of It All, and I assume the third book will feature the Duke finally getting his HEA.
charming romance. loved the male lead.
Not even remotely believable
A really good flowing read.
This was a fun read.
Looking forward to the next book. Great beach reading.