While the Duke was Sleeping by Sophie Jordan (The Rogue Files #1)
Historical Romance
Released: October 25, 2016
Avon

Reviewed by May
Poppy Fairchurch has a lot of time for her mind to wander and dream up fantasies about the oh so appealing Duke of Autenberry as she worked in the flower shop. She had him all figured out in her mind, and she was totally in love. Then one day she witnessed him getting into a fight, jumped in to save his life, and her entire world turned upside down.

She pulled back to look down at the person who had just saved her life.
“You!”
The rangy Scot glared up at her, his face drawn tight in lines of pain. “Feel free to climb off me whenever you so wish. You’re heavier than you look.”
“Ooh!” she clambered off him, noticing that he was still clutching his arm. He was injured. She felt a stab of sympathy until she recalled he was responsible for his injury. None of this would have happened if he had not engaged in a brawl with her duke…

In a coma, Poppy helps deliver the duke back to his home and is swept into one heck of a misunderstanding. The family believes she is the fiancée; the duke’s best friend encourages her to play along with the ruse as it is bringing joy to a family heartbroken over the duke being in a coma. What’s the harm? The mean eyed half-brother (aka Scot the duke was brawling with in the street) isn’t buying any of it. But he is oddly appealing to Poppy in his own way…

Will Poppy find love with her perfect duke (if he ever wakes up), or will she fall for the bastard brother Struan?

If this plot sounds familiar, it absolutely is. There is nothing surprising or new here, it’s totally recycled material as far as the plot goes. Oh but please don’t take this as a criticism because I absolutely adored it!

Watching Struan the bastard brother (that his high and mighty duke brother won’t so much as speak to) get welcomed by the other family members, seeing him battle verbally with the shop girl who has such a big heart – well it was all just incredibly adorable and wholly enjoyable.

“You are no one in my life,” she said in a voice fraught with tension. “You cannot tell me what to-“

“Oh I can,” he bit out, his voice a gravelly purr that abraded her skin and sparked something inside her. His hand slid around her nape and hauled her closer. His pirate’s eyes swallowed her up and forced all the air out from her lungs in one great rush. “I will.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but his mouth covered hers. Claimed her. It was the only word for it. This was a taking.

And she the taken.

The pair clashes and battles so hard, it makes for the sweetest of romances. Struan with his street smarts and being a self-made man was such a satisfying hero. He has so many swoon worthy moments and lines, and I loved how the author made him vulnerable as well as tough.

I have a single complaint about this story, and that is the ending felt rushed and wrapped up in entirely too few pages. It is one of my biggest pet peeves when so much care is taken with the characters development and the ending is “yeah ok together now and the end”. This complaint aside, this was a totally delightful read.

Once in a while I love a good romance where I know what is going to happen, but the characters charm me so much that I wholly enjoy the ride anyhow. If you like the ‘while you were sleeping’ kind of plot or enjoy hate turned love stories – this is one for you.

Grade: A-

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