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 fiancee. But one person isn't fooled: his arrogant 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.
While the Duke Was Sleeping was so freaking cute! As you can imagine, based on the title, it's a Historical retelling of While You Were Sleeping. I adore the movie and I adored this book just as much! Maybe more, since it has some steamy scenes sprinkled throughout! Poppy is just a shopgirl at a florist shop, raising her teenage sister, and generally just trying to get by. She does nothing for herself except daydream about the duke who comes to buy flowers every week. At least until she tries to save the duke from a fist fight and then pushes him out of the way of a speeding carriage. You know what happens next.
While the Duke Was Sleeping gave me all kinds of tingling feelings. I loved Poppy. She's super sweet, does for others first, but isn't a doormat. However, she does get caught up in the lie of being Marcus' fiance and couldn't stand to hurt his family by coming clean and admitting to deceiving them. It only becomes harder as her attraction to his half-brother, Struan, grows. Struan can tell she doesn't love his brother, and he's determined to have her!
There's so many amazing tropes at play here. It's such a fun twist on my favorite, the fake relationship turned real. Obviously, the fake relationship between Poppy and Marcus isn't the one to become real. Instead it causes her to fall for his brother. There's also mistaken identity! And it's Christmas! I know that's not technically a trope, but Christmastime adds a little extra something to the story. It's not overly Christmasy, but I loved Poppy's interactions with Marcus and Struan's family.
I highly recommend While the Duke Was Sleeping, whether you're a fan of the movie or not. It's very similar, but it's also different enough to not feel like a straight copy. And, like I said, there's some sexytimes in the mix to heat it up a bit!
