Tropes: class difference; fake betrothal
Steam level: 1
Language: fairly salty, if that offends you.

3.25 stars that I couldn't quite round up. This book was unfortunately a swing and a miss for me. I'm good with humor in HR's, and I'm OK with suspending disbelief for the most part, but the humor (and the anachronisms) were a bit overdone here, with too many characters in the mix. I did like the MC's and the writing style. But things got too OTT, especially toward the end. I kept picking the book up but then putting it back down, and finally ended up skimming. I think maybe if I were a big fan of the movie on which this was based, While You Were Sleeping, I might have liked it more? (I vaguely remember watching the movie when it first came out.)

What bugged me in particular was that, although there is a nice slow burn between the MC's, the steam level is low, with closed-door sex. But the MFC's foul language, which I personally found funny and refreshing at times, sets the reader up for something a little...friskier, I guess. I hate to admit to being one of those women who reads a book just for the spice, but I think this had been more daring I might have rated it a little higher. I mostly wanted the MC's to be more of the focus, and not the hectic plot and secondary characters.

Overall: cute but falls a bit short for me.

I really enjoyed Samara Parish's Rebels with a Cause series, so I was excited to get a NetGalley request to review While the Duke Was Sleeping, the first in a new series. However, now as I sit here trying to put my feelings into words, I can best describe it as disappointed.

Now don't get me wrong, While the Duke Was Sleeping isn't a bad book. Far from it. But I didn't find it as humorous as I think it was trying to be. I had a hard time liking the situation that Della found herself in. I think the whole story could have been shorter instead of introducing new and even more ridiculous ways of trying to wake the duke from his coma. And then when the duke does wake... I was just shaking my head.

I did like the romance between Della and Rhett, but I felt it got overshadowed with everything else going on. And since it's a romance, I knew things would work out for them, but honestly, I found myself not caring how they got there and hoped it would happen sooner rather than later.

In the end, I walked away from this book wishing it had been better as I really did high hopes. And maybe that is part of the problem... I really had high expectations and I didn't feel the book lived up. I'm not entirely sure if I'll continue this series, but seeing as I'm not clear on how the series will connect to the book, I'll just have to wait and see...

This was so cute, sweet & fun!

I fell in love with the characters. Adelaide and Rhett were adorable. I really loved them. Adelaide was so resourceful and competent. She was a great match for Rhett. The chemistry between the characters is great. Their meet-cute is fantastic. I had a lot of fun reading their romance.

This is inspired by the movie While You Were Sleeping which made the story really nostalgic but at the same time new. The story beats are similar but Parish gives her own twist on them. I liked not being able to expect everything that was going to happen but still got the same feelings I did while watching the film. The humor works and certainly made me laugh out loud a few times.

If you enjoy fast-paced, historical romcoms or the movie While You Were Sleeping, you'll love this! Definitely for fans of quirky and fun books.

Dnf'd at 25%. I simply couldn't keep track of people or what was happening. I found myself just skimming pages. It couldn't hold my attention.

A fun and well written retelling of one of my favourite rom-com movies. Della and Rhett have an irresistible connection, they really are a perfect match and their journey has wonderful possibilities written all over it. A happily ever after that's full of adventure and a forever love.

3.75 stars rounded up

This historical romance (1890s) retelling of While You Were Sleeping was such a fun romp! It had some fun callbacks to the original (Peter, sister named Jac, references to leaning, she's mistaken for the guy in a coma's fiancee) but also some new aspects that I liked a lot and made the story its own (she meets the love interest before the fiancee situation, she's covering for someone else, etc.).

The romance was great and they were so sweet together but also the situation was hilariously tricky because she was "engaged" to his brother. I liked that she had no emotional connection to his brother.

If you're a fan of While You Were Sleeping and are looking for a fun read, definitely pick this up!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Remember the 90's Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman movie "While you were sleeping"? Yes this book is definitely based on that with some added twists along the way! One of my favourite rom com movies of all time, I was very excited when I was offered a chance to read the ARC and continue this series. It has a very loose connection to the rest of the series, which I didn't mind at all, but I figured is good to call out here. Samara Parish had a lot of fun with this one as it is high on the comedy side. The meet cute/disaster is strong here, and the mistaken identity part is cleverly done. I loved Adelaide's character. She had a unique background and had a spirit that matched Rhett's. What I didn't make sense to me about Rhett was why he felt, in 1870, that he only had the clergy and military as an option for work and that he could do that... It didn't quite match the time period as it seems like the Industrial Revolution was well underway and there would have been more opportunities for work... It was also a bit weird to all of a sudden introduce a motor vehicle during this time. It didn't add to the story and is wrong for the time period. I'm usually not a stickler for these but it was a bit jarring and I actually had to look back to see what the time period was when there was no mention of railways or anything when that would have been the common transportation method. Okay back to Della and Rhett. I loved their chemistry, and his struggle with the fact that she is his brother's fiancee despite the circumstances. He also does end up growing a lot, especially with Della's support of him. Della is so competent. Her travels has made her resourceful, and it's a wonderful foil to Rhett since he has also had similar experiences but we aren't sure what he is doing with all his knowledge. I was a bit disappointed in him but he won me over eventually. I really enjoyed the story, their banter, yearning, and how the HEA came about. The pacing was great and I read it all in one sitting. I can't wait to read the next installment.

Steam: 🔥
Heart Flutters: ❤️❤️

3.5 Stars. When Lady Cordelia accidentally knocks out a Duke, lady’s maid Adelaide poses as her, and would have gotten away with it, but the Duke’s family arrives, including Rhett, the man Adelaide encountered a few weeks prior. Adelaide must avoid being found out to protect Cordelia, but her continued attraction to Rhett makes things complicated as she is supposed to be in engaged to the duke.

I’m going to be honest, I don’t think I have ever watched While You Were Sleeping, so I can’t speak to how much this book follows the movie. I love the cover for this book and i liked both Adelaide and Rhett (especially Rhett). I struggled quite a bit with the time period and the setting. The writing was not very descriptive and the language was so modern that there were times where genuinely questioned if we were still in a historical romance. I thought making the book fade to black was an odd choice given how explicit some elements were. I’ll read the next book in the series, but this book just didn’t capture me like I hoped it would.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of historical romance and the movie While You Were Sleeping, you’ll definitely enjoy this book.

There is a lot of romantic tension in this book, between Rhett and Della, and it definitely had that slow burn feel to it.

Rhett’s family was a delight, bringing so much chaos and love to the story. I do hope we get additional books in this series to see the HEA of Rhett’s sisters and Cordelia!

Unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. It's a Victorian retelling of While You Were Sleeping. I get that the whole premise of the book (and movie) is that the FMC is lying about being a comatose man's fiancee, but that you (as the reader/viewer) are supposed to feel sympathy for her for getting in over her head after an initial lie. But there were a lot of elements added here that just didn't tickle my fancy. Parish goes to such great efforts to make Della (the FMC) likable that it felt like I could see the plot strings she was trying to pull. I'd have preferred a more complex, unlikable heroine who slowly begins to appreciate her fake family. There was the addition of a villain that I felt completely unnecessary (why add another plot element?). The ending took everything to an extreme (although I may simply have been over it completely by that point). Also it's closed door, which I understand as a plot element, but which didn't add to my enjoyment.

2.5 stars rounded to 3. This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I was on the edge of my seat. Is it weird that I want to see the Duke's story now? He just wants what is best for thefamily. Although he did pull a 'Marry me anyways' that is kind of mad.

While the Duke Was Sleeping is a sweet, fun retelling of the movie “While He Was Sleeping.” Adelaide is a very capable FMC who is juggling a lot of balls at all times. Rhett is a well-worn rake returned from the Continent against his will. Shenanigans of various sorts ensue, leading to much pining and yearning. The basis of both the book and the novel is a lie of identity which some may find very uncomfortable, even when it can be justified or at least resolved with amends. Love scenes are on the mild side with only a couple towards the end.

I enjoyed the story a lot (and I am a longtime fan of the movie) and can see future books with Rhett’s siblings.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

A turn of the usual fan fiction - it's a Regency retelling of While You Were Sleeping. Know that it might be more enjoyable if you forget about the movie and just go with this as a romance between Adelaide and Rhett, Yes the story is a little convoluted because Parish is trying to fit her characters into the movie and yes there are times when it doesn't quite work for the period, but all of that aside, I liked the characters and the dialogue sparkled. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun one.

I loved this book! The story was a perfect combo of nostalgia for the beloved movie and a new twist. I loved how hard the FMC and the MMC tried to resist each other but were unable to. The struggle of both characters trying to figure out who they were and trying to live up to the expectations of those around them was really relatable.

Adelaide impersonates the fiancée of a comatose duke, but the duke’s brother, Rhett, suspects the deception. As Rhett investigates, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the intriguing imposter.

This book is a lot of fun. Adelaide and Rhett are perfectly suited to each other. His sisters add depth and help create a found-family feel.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

DNF at 38%. This was simultaneously very boring (romance wise) and very convoluted (plot wise). Some of it comes with the story it’s based on, but I just wasn’t invested enough to really care.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book. I loved the movie While You Were Sleeping and was incredibly curious how Samara would make it into a Regency romance. I have to say that she did a fairly good job at the adaption. I like the premise of the story, and I enjoyed the characters. I did find there were moments when things felt a bit muddled, and it was hard to focus on what was what. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two MCs and loved the banter that occurred between them. Overall, it was a decent read.

This is my first book by this author, and I was excited to find out after reading it that it is a retelling of the movie, While You Were Sleeping, set in 1893 England. It was full of drama, action, intrigue, suspense, false and mistaken identities, a class difference, a runaway bride, an unfortunate accident, a near drowning, and so many more plot twits, and emotional issues that were very entertaining. The humor, wit, complex, and engaging situations, had me laughing often. The characters and the family dynamics were delightful. The ending was surprising and very happy. I highly recommend reading!

As “While You Were Sleeping” is one of my favorite movies, I was pumped to read this ARC! It did not disappoint! The characters are marvelous and the story stays true to the shape of the movie without copy/pasting into a time where it doesn’t make sense.

Della is a delight and so practical and Rhett is charming and good hearted. Their relationship grows naturally and makes a lot of sense, though it’s all in a weekish. As always, there is a lie that causes issues that could be averted with a single conversation, but it didn’t bother me as much a some books with it being a central plot point.

The side characters are so fun. I wanted to punch Cordelia often, but also liked her. The sisters and Peter (the Duke) are a delight and overbearing, but so loving. It’s just great.

My only deductions are 2 things: the time period was unclear to me. At first I thought regency and then a motor car appeared late in the book making it at least early 1900s or close to it. Also, apparently this book takes place at Christmas. Which makes sense from the movie aspect, but it was not clear until the book was close to over. Neither are terrible things and just caused some minor confusion, but may have been missed by me.

While you were sleeping is a favorite movie.
Any time a book alludes to being a spin on it, I’m going to give it a shot.
I enjoyed the nods to the movie. Overall it was an easy read with cute moments.