Member Reviews
This is my first book by this author and I loved it. It’s a different take or a retelling of the movie “While You Were Sleeping.” It follows it pretty closely with a few tweaks here and there. It was fun trying to figure out how different parts of the movie would work out in the book.
I loved the characters. They were well-developed. Lucy was amazing. She was in an awful position but still showed concern and care for all of William’s family. Simon was special too. I liked watching him interact with Lucy and Nick. I hope the next book is about Nick. He was fascinating with his propensity for tall tales with hints of truth scattered throughout. I can’t wait to learn more about him.
Thank you to Covenant Communications for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
LOVED IT! Regency meets While You Were Sleeping and it is fantastic!!! The author showered us with her style of wit and banter that made the story that much better. A solid five stars!!
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
I really enjoyed the story, I loved the parallels to the original. I loved the pacing and the sweetness.
There were one or two character development things that pulled me out of the story for a minutes, but the over all growth and relatability of the characters made those easy to overlook.
I love how the author created characters that challenged each other. The slow burn she built contrasted with the tension in their circumstances made it hard to put the book down.
Do you have a favorite movie? I can't pick just one. But While You Were Sleeping is one of my all time favs. I can't tell you how often this movie gets quoted at our house. Usually several times a week!
I loved that Dana LeCheminant did a historical novel based on this movie. And it is such a fun book! I loved it so much.
This book features Lucy (of course!). Lucy is on her way to a new job. But part of the reason she's taken this new job is that it gets her away from a certain Mr. Granger. The only problem is that he shows up on a dark and stormy night in the same inn. Lucy doesn't know what to do. But she's saved by Mr. William Calloway. Only, he promptly passes out due to fever. But not before telling the inn keepers wife that Lucy is his wife.
I loved this part! If you know anything about historical novels, it's that this kind of thing ruins a woman's reputation. Lucy had no idea what to do. So she did the only thing she could do, she went along with the ruse and ended up at Mr. Calloway's family home.
I loved the family! Olivia was darling. And his mom was just the best. And then there's Simon. I loved the ease that there was between Simon and Lucy when the two were just being themselves, not fake fiancé and brother-in-law. They just have a certain chemistry that works.
I loved everything about this book! You need to read it. And soon!
I was got my copy of What Dreams May Come from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
First, I have to say that I love the cover of this book. It's so pretty.
Have you ever watch the movie "While You Were Sleeping"? This book is so much like that story but set in a regency time period. All those vibes were there. Mistaken identity, mistaken betrothal, some uncorrected assumptions and just like that, Lucy is in quite a predicament. She needs help so she lets the Calloway family continue in their assumptions but always feels so guilty about it. As she should. The growing friendship and awareness between Simon and Lucy was well done and I loved it. The last bit of the book picked up in pace and made for a very satisfying ending.
This story was endearing. There were so many likable characters who filled up the spaces in between and around Lucy and Simon. It was so easy to love them all. They made such a pretty familial picture. I really hope a story about Nick is in the works. He's a character I'd really love to know better.
Content: very mild peril, kissing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I just read What Dreams May Come. A retelling of While You Were Sleeping, if you've seen the movie. There are a few differences, so it isn't exactly the same story. Lesson learned; be honest up front.
I really enjoyed this book by Dana LeCheminant. I loved the characters, both the main characters and the secondary characters. I thought the story was engaging and a well told romance. I loved how Lucy and Simon’s situation seems impossible since everyone believes Lucy is engaged to Simon’s brother. I liked how the romance between Simon and Lucy developed and that they helped compliment each other. I also liked how this book took the basic plot of “While You Were Sleeping” but set it in Regency times and changed it to make it a unique retelling. A very enjoyable read that I would recommend for anyone who enjoys a well written Regency Romance.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.
A regency Romance rendition of While you were Sleeping. Lucy Hayes was traveling to her new governess position. When the coach stopped because of bad weather. She and the maid that was traveling with her, found the Inn was full. Unfortunately, they spotted a devious gentleman who had proposed multiple times to Lucy. She tried to hide from him, ducking behind a tall gentleman. When the gentleman asked if he could help her, she said she was trying to avoid a bothersome former suitor Before Lucy knew what was happening, this tall gentleman, William, asked the innkeeper to show he and his wife to their room. Lucy tried to tell him no, but realize the only way they could get away without being seen was to go along with the charade. When they arrived at the room, William collapsed with fever, and the only thing Lucy could do was to see him to his home the next morning. Since he was unconscious, the story that she was his wife, began to blossom. Why didn’t she stop the farce? You will need to read the story to find out!
This was a delightful story of misunderstandings and little white lies. The characters were a pleasure to get to know, and the banter was witty and intriguing. The story was well plotted out and moved at a good pace. It was sweet romance, drama and good humor. This is my first read by this author, and I will definitely be reading more of her books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Regency version of While You Were Sleeping
William publicly claims Lucy is his wife to help her escape from Mr. Granger then shortly after ends up comatose for days. Lucy doesn’t want to lie to his family but she’s in danger, what else can she do? This book starts out fast paced as the reader is immediately immersed in Lucy’s trouble. His older brother Simon is the most suspicious of Lucy but also finds himself fighting a growing attraction to her. I loved the twist I didn’t see coming. Thanks to Covenant Communications and NetGalley for a temporary digital copy to use for my review.
I adored this whole you were sleeping retelling! I think that is stayed true to the original and also enhanced it! It's hard to have an original and a "redo" both be excellent but Dana succeeded! Lucy is so much fun and relatable. Simon is such an interesting hero and quite dashing. What sets this story apart is that it's a unique idea that is entirely captivating! I highly recommend this sweet story!
“Goodness, that smile of his brightened the whole room. And despite his outward display of confidence, Lucy was positive it was a charade. Simon Calloway didn't seem arrogant in the least, and she very much liked that about him.”
When I heard that Dana Lecheminant announced she has written a regency retelling of While You We’re Sleeping, I knew I had to read it ASAP! What Dreams May Come did not disappoint!
When Lucy is on the run from a man who would love nothing more than to steal her away to become his wife she is thrown into a lie that has her guilt ridden. When Lucy must pretend to be engaged to the comatose Mr. Callaway, his family takes her in with open arms. That is with the exception of the eldest brother, Lord Simon Callaway. Simon is instantly entranced by Lucy and cannot understand why she would marry his brother. As the two become close they both realize they can never be together.
What did I love?
-All the connections to the While You Were Sleeping movie!
-The pond scene! It’s reminiscent of the ice scene in the movie.
-Nick! I cannot wait to find out more about him! He’s such a good friend and confidant.
-This book is in the same universe as The Thief and the Noble. That’s on my list of books to re-read next! I love being able to go back and find connections between characters.
-Simon and Lucy bring out the best in each other and you can’t help but want them to work past the lies to be together.
Dana did a wonderful job of weaving details from the movie into a sweet and fun regency story. I highly recommend this book if you love sweet regency!
This book was everything I wanted in a "While You Were Sleeping" retelling and more! I was curious as to how the While You Were Sleeping story would translate to Regency England, but Dana LeCheminant masterfully took the basic elements of that story and created something new and refreshing.
Like Lucy, I fell hard for the Calloway family. For a character who has had a hard road, I loved that Lucy had a strength that made you want to cheer for her instead of pity her. And Simon! Well, if I had a book boyfriend apartment building, he'd be renting the penthouse for free.
A huge thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to review. I was not required to leave a positive review and all opinions are my own.
PS- My opinion is you should pick this book up ASAP.
A Regency “While You Were Sleeping”. Really, that is all the review you should need for you to run and get this book. It was SO well done. Simon is the overworked head of the family, tired of having all of the responsibility on his back and always trying to live up to his dad’s memory. Enter Lucy. She shows up “engaged” to his prodigal brother, Will. Chaos ensues, allies are made. It isn’t a suspense or mystery, but Dana LaCheminant did a fantastic job of keeping you guessing the end, up until….well, the very end.
We have a wide range of characters, best friends who mean well and isn’t quite what he seems. A sister who immediately takes to Lucy as her very own flesh and blood sister. A friend/maid who will do whatever it takes to protect Lucy from menacing young men. It is just so sweet! And well done. It is honest and real but leaves you swooning and needing the next book immediately! Very well done!
What a fun idea for a regency romance. While You Were Sleeping is one of my favorite movies, and it transitioned very well to a regency book. I loved all the references to the movie. I enjoyed that there was some depth to the plot, as well as humor.
I am a huge fan of both the movie While You Were Sleeping and Dana LeCheminant books so this regency retelling of the movie was a must read for me! It was everything I expected and more!
This book has all the vibes of the movie but also a uniqueness that makes it its own! When Lucy tries to escape an unwanted suitor she runs into a man who helps her by pretending they are married. When William falls ill, Lucy takes the sick man home where his family believes they are engaged. William's family is everything Lucy needs and so welcoming to her that she decides to pretend she is engaged to William for the time being. What she doesn’t count on is an attraction and friendship with his brother Simon.
I absolutely adored Simon and Lucy together. Simon was such a great character. Although he was very suspicious of the situation between William and Lucy he enjoys spending time getting to know her. Lucy is so kind and feels so guilty about having to keep this secret from Simon and his family. The chemistry between Simon and Lucy is undeniable and I swooned so many times reading this. The kiss scenes were amazing! Oh and the pond scene was one of my favorites!
If you are a romance lover this is a book you will want to binge. I highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Though I have never seen the movie, I was intrigued when I found out this book was inspired by While You Were Sleeping. Knowing it is a regency made me even more interested!
I enjoyed the storyline for this book. I didn’t know how it would all work out for everyone, and I was very happy with how it ended. I don’t know which elements in the story were inspired by the movie since I haven’t seen it, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story! Now I want to watch the movie and reread my favorite parts of this book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved this retelling of While You Were Sleeping!! Especially because it was clean! Haha. I had a really hard time putting it down as I was dying for the big reveal and boy was it big. The suspense kept me turning pages because I wanted to find out what would happen next and when everything would be revealed!! The characters were endearing and I was rooting for Lucy and wanting her to tell them the truth. Simon was amazing and I loved the ending. IYKYK.
I received an EARC from netgalley, I wasn’t required to give a positive review
This book is based on a romantic comedy film from the 90's While You Were Sleeping. It was such a fun and interesting concept. The author does a fantastic job with the characters and making the story her own though so it' not off putting at all. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“Honestly, how was the man so strong? Was he a pugilist on the weekends? Did he spend his mornings wrestling lions?”
I love What Dreams May Come by Dana LeChreminant. I’ve been a fan of her writing ever since The Thief and the Noble. And yes this book takes place in the same universe as The Thief and the Noble. (Which made me so happy).
I love Lucy and Simon’s relationship throughout the book. Lucy is so nervous and feels guilty about lying to Simon and his family. So in order to help with the guilt she tries her best to help them out. She especially wants to help Simon out because he is so stress and overworked. This does leads to some tender moments between them. ❤️
Poor Simon is trying his best to fill his father’s shoes. Which is exhausting and makes him have little time for him to enjoy things. Then Lucy shows up in his life and puts his world upside down. He turns into a lovable idiot whenever she’s around. And it isn’t as awkward like I was afraid it would be. It just makes him a little more adorable. Lol.
This book was fun to read because it was based off of While You Were Sleeping. Which isn’t your technical movie to base a book off of, but Dana did such a good god with it! This book is a standalone. It was a quick and fun read. If you are looking for something new and a little different than your normal regency books, you should definitely give this one a try.
These thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
All the love for this book! While You Were Sleeping is a favorite movie, so when I heard Dana LeCheminant was writing a Regency romance based on it, I had to pick it up. It was everything I hoped for and more! The fabulous characters, swoony romance, and clever twist on the classic movie made it unputdownable. While there are several nods to the movie While You Were Sleeping fans will recognize, it’s its own unique story that I soon became blissfully lost in.
After her father’s death, Lucy Hayes was forced to take on a governess position. When her employer’s overbearing brother Mr. Granger won’t leave her alone, she quickly leaves for a new position. Unfortunately, a storm interrupts her travel, and when the very man she’s trying to escape shows up at the inn where she’s seeking shelter, she calls on the good graces of a stranger.
William Calloway readily agrees to help her by claiming she’s his wife. Suddenly, the handsome man collapses with a terrible fever, and before she realizes it, Lucy is accompanying him to his home where she’s greeted as his wife. Lucy corrects his family’s misunderstanding, but her friend who’s accompanying her tells them she’s his fiancée instead. The loving kindness she receives from the family makes it extremely difficult for her to tell them the truth, especially when their affection and acceptance is what she’s always longed for, and Mr. Granger still remains a threat.
When WIlliam’s older brother Lord Simon Calloway arrives, he’s immediately suspicious of Lucy. After all, she’s not the typical woman his brother would choose. He soon finds himself hopelessly attracted to his brother’s fiancée and tries his best to hide his growing feelings. Lucy is drawn to Simon as well and hopes when William wakes up and the truth is revealed, Simon will still care for her.
I loved Lucy & Simon! I couldn’t help but picture Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman as the main characters. Their chemistry was undeniable and I loved the pond scene and every interaction they had. Poor Simon struggles so hard not fall in love with Lucy. He was so endearing and I loved how thoughtful he was and the way he listens to Lucy. I also loved Simon’s best friend Nick who is full of mischief. I’m hoping we’ll get his story!
The whole book is fantastic with a suspenseful ending that kept me reading late into the night. It’s a delightful, sweet, original romance fans of the movie and Regency romance will adore! Highly recommend. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are completely my own and voluntarily given.