While the Duke Was Sleeping: The Rogue Files

Poppy Fairchurch, a salesclerk at Barclay’s Fine Flowers, is a dreamer and a romantic. The first time she saw the Duke of Autenberry was in late spring, and she has been daydreaming about him every since. He came once a week to buy flowers, and one fateful Tuesday in December, Poppy’s life changed dramatically. She sees the Duke in front of the shop punching a man in the face, a brawl ensues, then Poppy’s Duke is hit by a coach. When she tries to go to his rescue, a brawny Scotsman prevents her from being hurt. It was the same man who was fighting with the Duke: Struan Mackenzie. Mrs. Barclay, the shop’s proprietress, urges Poppy to accompany the Duke home in his coach, and Struan jumps aboard as well; Struan is the Duke’s illegitimate half-brother, and the two do not get along, to put it mildly. At the Duke’s residence, Poppy not thinking clearly, blurts out her foolish daydreams, and now everyone thinks she is the comatose Duke’s fiancée. WHILE THE DUKE WAS SLEEPING is a very quick read, due to the lively pace and effortless prose. The deception works very well, because truthfully the occasion never really presents itself for Poppy to tell her story. I will admit to having some issues with the romance. It’s an odd situation: does Struan really believe Poppy to be a strumpet? I found him stalkerish; for a good while, I got the impression that he would not take no for an answer; he made me uncomfortable. There is also a non-cheating/cheating issue: Struan relentlessly pursues Poppy, all the while believing that she is betrothed to the Duke and professing that it is not to get back at his half-brother. I honestly didn’t like Struan very much. I never felt invested in their relationship; it seems they were overtaken by lust and I never quite felt the sparks. As for being in love? I’m not sure how it happened; they had one real conversation – which was wonderful, by the way – but apart from that, I didn’t see it. On the other hand, I loved the relationship between Poppy and 15 year-old Bryony: it’s very realistic, and Bryony is a fascinating character. WHILE THE DUKE WAS SLEEPING has a remarkable cast of secondary characters: the dowager duchess Graciella, Bryony – Poppy’s younger sister – the delectable Lord Tucker, and the ever so intriguing Marcus, the Duke of Autenberry, who is a snob, oblivious to anything that isn’t directly relevant to his august person, and yet I’m dying to read his story, to see who will bring him to his knees; go figure! I guess he made a rather strong impression! I hope we get to see more of these characters in further instalments because there are still many stories to be told. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

Twisted the timeline era on a Sandra bullock movie while you were sleeping... unoriginal

Poppy idolizes a Duke, saves his life and while he is in a coma is mistaken for his fiancée. But what happens when she realises his half brother is the man she really wants, and her Duke wakes up from his coma and offers her a fairytale ending?