While the Duke Was Sleeping by Sophie Jordan

I received this book for free from the Publisher via Edelweiss & the Avon Addicts Program in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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It looks like a lot of historical romances are doing retellings of classic movies (not that I am complaining). With YA doing the classic/fairy tale retellings, I think this is perfect!

As you can tell, While the Duke was Sleeping is a retelling of While You Were Sleeping with Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman – a classic Cinderella story! Let me tell you that I HAD to re-watch the movie after reading this!

While the Duke was Sleeping has the classic elements of the love/hate relationship. Of course, it involves one hot Highlander and one shop girl! So yes, this is ALSO a classic Cinderella story.

A hot Highlander? Gimme, gimme!

Yes, it involves a Struan McKenzie (who we met in the previous series The Debutante Files), the bastard half-brother of the Duke of Autenberry.

Obvs, our heroine, Poppy has been in love with said Duke since he stops by the flower shop where she works to purchase flowers for his current flavor of the week. Our Poppy doesn’t seem to mind that he buys flowers for a different girl every week, and she daydreams about the time where the Duke FINALLY SEES her, and he falls madly in love with her.

Oh, so romantic!

Yup, until she sees the Duke get in a fight with said huge Highlander. Of course, she blames the brute even though it was the Duke who threw the first punch! She manages to insert herself in the fight AND SAVES the Duke from being run over by a speeding carriage!

Oh, what the spectacle!

The Duke is DOWN and Poppy is beside herself. She mutters that they wouldn’t be married and one bystander hears her. So yes, Poppy is now the Duke’s fiancé! Naturally, Struan is skeptical, but Poppy manages to accompany Struan to the Duke’s residence where she meets the Duke’s half-sister and stepmother who welcomed her with open arms.

She had all the intention of confessing that there was a misunderstanding until the physician said that the Duke is now in a coma.

Just like the movie – but different!

I know there are similarities but Sophie Jordan made a few changes to make it a little different. And because I love retellings, I don’t really care!

Romantic build-up

The BEST thing about this book is the chemistry between Struan and Poppy. The banter is PERFECT! I LOLed at a few of them, too! Poppy and Struan were perfect for each other.

Struan could see that Poppy was lying but he also couldn’t help falling for her. Poppy, on the other hand, had her heart set on loving the Duke that she had made out to be her prince charming.

Poppy’s guilt at the lie was also killing her but the Duke’s best friend had convinced her not to tell the family until after he comes out of the coma.

Really weak ending, though

After the romantic build-up, I was looking forward to Struan and Poppy to finally admit their feelings to each other. BUT BUT BUT BUT, I ultimately felt disappointed! It was as if all the romance was spent on the build-up and the banter that when they finally hooked-up, I felt robbed! Which is exactly why I’m giving this book 3.5 stars (but honestly, it is closer to a 3). I mean, you can’t make the best part of a romance the part where the hero and heroine hadn’t even hooked up yet, right?

Recommendations

Despite the end, I still enjoyed this book and it is worth reading just to read the banter. REALLY! You might just want to borrow a copy from your local library, though. I honestly will be rereading this but only skip to the part where the chemistry was so good and FORGET that the ending existed!

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