Overall, this was a cute read. I struggled in the beginning because despite the novel being set in the 1890s, some of the locales mentioned and societal quirks aligned much more with Regency England and weren't even around anymore by the late Victorian Era. (I'm looking at you, Almack's reference. 👀)

But once the action of the novel moved from London to the country, it was a much more contained story. I liked Della and Rhett as main characters; and I really felt the natural connection between them. They actually felt like kindred spirits. The comedy of the situations they sometimes end up in (trying to wake the duke, miming, dildos, etc.) also had me laughing out loud several times.

I'm a sucker for a 90s Rom-Com retelling, like Amalie Howard's ongoing The Taming of the Dukes series, so the While You Were Sleeping aspects of this book were great. And no spoilers, but I loved how all the characters handled the ending. I look forward to seeing where Parish takes this series and if there will be more 90s Rom-Com retellings in store.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When Cordelia ends up with a fiancé she doesn’t want and who is now in a coma, she convinces her lady’s maid, Adelaide to impersonate her for a few days until he wakes and convince him to retract the proposal and in turn she’ll get a handsome reward. When the fiancé ends up being the brother of a rakish bachelor who Adelaide has already had a steamy run in with, things get even more complicated. Especially as they starts falling for each other…

This book was so CUTE and FUN and CHARMING. I found myself laughing out loud and kicking my feet so many times. Della is such a fun and unique character and Rhett is just the perfect troubled, but charming rake. Some of the events are just downright silly and hilarious but I couldn’t put it down! I was a LITTLE disappointed there wasn’t more steam as there were so many instances that indicated we’d get there but I still think the story was so good

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Forever publishing and Samara Parish for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions in my review are honest, voluntary and my own.

Adelaide currently works as maid for Lady Cordelia, and looks very much like her. On the day of Lady Cordelia’s wedding she helps her mistress escape London and runs away to a small town not even on a map.
On the way she meets Everett Montgomery, brother to the duke and a flame is sparked.
Upon arriving in the small town, Lady Cordelia accidentally causes the duke to fall into a coma of sorts and forces Adelaide to impersonate her to get out of a second betrothal.
Through twists and turns Della falls in love with Rhett and his family.

One note: I wish Uncle Frank had some sort of retribution for his part in the story and Lady Cordelia in a way too.


"I know you crave a place to belong," he said,
"and heavy blasted furniture. You want roots. I can't promise all of that. I do not come with bookcases, but I promise that you can put your roots down in me. I will be the place that you belong. I will be your home."

⭐️ found family
⭐️ forbidden romance
⭐️ rake bachelor
⭐️ rom com historical romance

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC of this book for my honest opinion in return.

If you loved the movie Whike you were sleeping that this histrom with identity mixups is the book for you. It’s charming and entertaining from start to finish.

Impersonating her mistress and escaping a wedding was not what Adelaide expected when she returned to London determined to set roots. Adelaide also did not expect to almost drown in the Thames after colliding with a handsome stranger on the docks. Rhett can’t help but think about the self-assured woman from the Thames but expects never to see her again. When Rhett returns home his brother is in a coma and Adelaide ends up being his brother’s fiancé. Adelaide agrees to impersonate her mistress until the Duke wakes and their impending marriage can be resolved. But the more time Rhett and Adelaide spend together the more they can’t deny the true feelings between them. Will the Duke wake and marry Adelaide or will the truth come out at last?

A reimagining of a beloved 90’s rom com, this historical romance is wrapped in humor, comfort and familial love is a must read!

As a big fan of both historical romance and rom-coms, I was excited to dive into *While the Duke Was Sleeping* by Samara Parish, and it didn’t disappoint! This book is inspired by *While You Were Sleeping*, a classic 90s rom-com that’s long been one of my favorites. For anyone who adores the chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman, this book captures that same magic. There are a few differences from the movie, but the story stays true to the film’s spirit, including the playful, slightly naughty comedy. Parish did an excellent job adapting the most iconic scenes, keeping the heart of the original while making it her own.

The book’s language and humor lean more modern, with a light historical touch, so don’t expect a deep dive into historical accuracy. Instead, it has the same fun, movie-inspired vibe you’d expect from a rom-com. The romance develops slowly, which was a bit surprising given the amount of innuendo throughout, but it works. The romance isn't completely closed-door, more like a door slightly ajar. It’s a nod to the playful tone of 90s rom-coms, which often relied on witty banter and a few passionate kisses, rather than full-on steam.

If you're a fan of old-school rom-coms and looking for a light-hearted historical romance, this is a perfect pick. It’s fun, charming, and full of heart—I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I am a major fan of the film While You Were Sleeping, so it was fun seeing the little Easter eggs to that throughout the story, specifically the man in the coma being named Peter and his sister Jacqueline going by Jack.

I found Cordelia UNBEARABLE. Obviously she was needed for the fiancee mix-up to be plausible, but I thiught she was super annoying the entire time. Adelaide was fine, if not a little foul-mouthed for her station.

The plot took a little too long to get going, but it worked out in the end. Honestly, the conflict was probably more believeably resolved than the original film, because there were solutions and societal expectations that better lend themselves to a quick engagement or marriage of convenience. There were conversations about the lack-of-pressures of being a second son, and how surprisingly well-educated a woman could be despite her status. Also Rhett and Adelaide were actually very well suited for each other; they both loved languages and travel (like Florence, maybe?) but are being held back by familial/work expectations. And they’re finally able to be free to travel together.

All in all, fun.

This closed door historical romance inspired by the 90s romcom movie, While You Were Sleeping, is a fun time for folks who are nostalgic for retellings set in historical settings. *however* if historical accuracy is important to you I don’t think this is the title for you. I’m not usually a stickler for that but the heroine constantly swearing really took me out (and I personally love a sweary heroine!) A pleasant time but not sure it was entirely for me

Ahh the yearning and the lusting and the LEANING! It's all here in this historical rom-com reimagining of the movie "While You Were Sleeping." I both read an ARC e-book AND listened to the audiobook via Hoopla. Audiobook narrator was phenomenal. It felt like I was watching a movie, loved it.

Ladies maid Adelaide "Della" has her hands full with the entitled daughter of a duke, Cordelia who has just left her groom at the altar and needs to go into hiding from society. A comedy of errors leads Della to don Cordelia's wedding dress, save the life of Rhett (a charismatic rake), and assume Cordelia's identity after another dukely suitor (Rhett's brother) ends up unconscious in her cottage. Both Della and Rhett are smitten with each other but can't be together until the Duke, Peter, awakes and she can clear up this mess.

The premise is a little complicated with so many dukes/relations etc. and could've probably been simplified. I had to take off one star because I was primed for an open-door love scene on the wedding night and didn't get it. I felt like there should've been another chapter between 31 and 32. Also, why didn't Uncle Frank or spoiled awful Cordelia get any karmic retribution? It was SO CLOSE to a five!

Thank you to Forever for the free book. These opinions are my own.

As you can guess from the title, While the Duke Was Sleeping plays off the movie, While You Were Sleeping. But I found this to improve upon it. And of course, it turned it into a historical rom-com.

This book has a bit of everything: a hilarious meet cute, identity swapping and mistaken identity, amazing family antics, questions about who can be trusted, and best of all, some really strong character arcs.

It was such fun to read, and it makes me quite excited for Samara Parish's next book. This is the first in a series, England's Sweethearts.

I am so in love with this book. Samara Parish is a new-to-me author and I'm hooked. What a talented writer. She took the old rom-com of "While you were sleeping" and gave it a special historical romance twist. So much fun!
Our story takes place after a runaway convinces her maid to change places with her. She was proposed to by the Duke of Strafford. Problem is he is now in a coma. She needs her maid to pretend to be her and sneak in and get a letter that can change everything. Adelaide is a speaks what she thinks kinda gal. Now enter the unconscious Duke's brother, the handsome Brett. As you can imagine things get a little crazy. Adelaide and Brett can't fight their attraction.
You are going to love this story. Parish has created some outstanding characters. I Love the wit, action and the passion, all creating the perfect adventure. A million stars. Enjoy the adventure.

In While the Duke Was Sleeping, Samara Parish starts out a new series. I assume it’s going to be focussed on a Duke’s family of siblings featuring 90s romcom inspiration.

As an Edwardian take on the movie While You Were Sleeping, we are in introduced to Adelaide Rose Bourne, whom after her mistress skips out on her nuptials find herself impersonating her after accidentally her next fiancé unconscious.

This seems all well and good, assuming he will wake up shortly… But that is not the case, and it turns out that the unconscious Duke happens to be the brother of the man Adelaide met and had a flirtation with on their recent escape from the original nuptials!

Now she finds herself impersonating a lady, immersed in the bosom of the Duke’s family as his erstwhile fiancé and trying to resist the attraction and charmed of the irresistible black sheep of the family, Rhett Montgomery!

This book took me a little while to get into because the startup and the premise is so outlandish, but once I did, I really enjoyed the characters in the family dynamic within the Duke’s household. It was definitely a place where I could see Adelaide wanting to become part of, but just with the other guy! I usually don’t love a comedy of errors, but this was so eccentric that I couldn’t help but fall in love with the whole crew.

I hope there are more books in the series because I enjoy Samara‘s writing and I can’t wait to see what kind of hijinks some of these other characters find themselves in!

Thanks to Forever Romance for my review copy.

I might age myself here but I loved the movie "While You Were Sleeping" so I knew I would enjoy this book.
After her mistress fled her wedding, Adelaide Rosebourne is now posing as her as they hide out from her family. But things have gotten complicated. She has a new fiance and he's in a coma.

Now she must wait for him to wake up and hopefully convince him to retract the proposal.

Rhett Montgomery knows two things: He is not prepared to take over the dukedom and the woman who claims to be his brother's fiance is not who she says she is. No debutante swears so fiercely or kisses with such recklessness. As he seeks more information about Della, he'll try his best not to fall for her charms.

Thanks so much to the author and Forever Publishing for this ARC to review.

While the Duke Was Sleeping by Samara Parish was FUN. (!!!! Like SO MUCH fun !!!) It was a rollicking good time. I adored Della immediately. The woman has the biggest potty mouth of any HR character I've come across lately. She was hilarious. She was also very smart, witty, charming and a practical problem solver (unless her lady, Cordelia, was involved. Then any common sense went right out the window and into the Thames, literally, which is what gets Della into a giant, stinking mess. Again, quite literally.). Her first meeting with our MMC Rhett is one I'll be long to forget bc it was very original. Rhett himself isn't the most appealing character when we first meet him, but when we see him seeing Della for the first time, I changed my mind. We see the beginnings of a larger change into the man we know he can be. The two of them fit together perfectly.

The author did a great job with the sexual tension and banter throughout the book. Personally I want more actual conjugating the verb in my romance (IYKWIM) and was let down by the lack of igniting the build-up created so expertly, and watching it explode. But I have no regrets reading this book and really want to know what happens next with allllll the side characters!

Thank you @readforeverpub for the eARC and the finished copy!

A runaway bride convinces her maid to change places. A duke proposes marriage to a convenient bride. An accident leaves him unconscious. His brother, a rogue who roams the continent with no responsibilities, returns to his family. It's complicated when love forces everything to fall out of control. An interesting plot with frustration and angst. Very mild descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

While I haven't watched it in quite a while, While You Were Sleeping, is one of my favorite movies, which is what attracted me to the title and book. How delightful to find a new author who transfers her wit to paper and pen (or computer) to write a historical (1893) RomCom. From a young age until his death when she was 16, Adelaide's scoundrel of a father schlepped her from one town to another. Then she supported herself by writing travelogues. Her dream is to have a home, with a room lined with bookcases. So when she is offered the position to be maid for Lady Cordelia Highwater, daughter of the Duke of Thirwhestle, at a higher salary, she accepts, despite the fact that Cordelia is a spoiled brat. The brat is supposed to be marrying the Duke of Hornsmouth, but does a runner and convinces Adelaide to aid her- with a reward of enough money to buy her dream. Since their coloring is similar, Cordelia convinces Adelaide to switch dresses with her, which results in a comedy of errors, the Duke of Strafford in a coma, mistaken identities and Adelaide falling for the duke's younger brother Everette. All in all, it is a romping adventure, with excellent character development and those characters are a riot.

I was gifted with an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

While the Duke was Sleeping by Samara Parish
England’s Sweethearts series #1. Historical romance.
Adelaide Rosebourne agrees to impersonate Lady Cordelia after she runs out on her wedding and blames it on Adelaide. They want to travel to the continent but woman aren’t welcome on any of the ships at port, Adelaide finds a small town on the map where she thinks they should be able to lie low. But Cordelia doesn’t truly understand the staying hidden concept and signs the rental agreement with her real name. Not more than three days later, Adelaide returns to the cottage with supplies to find a Duke knocked out on the floor and Cordelia upset that he’s decided they will be married and he’s already sent the announcements. The Duke’s not dead but he’s not waking up either. And here comes the family. Adelaide takes on the role again of the betrothed trying to find a way out for them. Finding Rhett Montgomery is part of the family and already being attracted to him makes the whole deception that much harder.

Oh, getting flung into a dirty Thames sounds so nasty. I’m so grateful that I live when and where the rivers are a resource and mostly cleaned up.
The take-off’s from the movie were fun to track and see what was similar and how it played out. The science to try to wake up the Duke, or just keep him alive was interesting and smart and I understand Adelaide having that knowledge but had to wonder how Frank knew some of it.
Captivating and delightful.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased an audiobook copy.

I haven’t read a ton of Samara Parish’s books, but this one was so much fun. While you were sleeping is a top-tier romcom and this histrom version of it lives up to the reputation. Mistaken identity books always stress me out, so Rhett being suspicious of Adelaide from the start was a perfect touch for me. The romance and chemistry were so well done, and the supporting cast of Rhett’s sisters were great. I’d love to see them in another book.

I did think there was already enough going on in this book that the addition of the conniving uncle at the end just felt unnecessary. For me, he didn’t add anything to the story, which was already so strong.

This is such a fun while “While You Were Sleeping” recency rewrite. It got a little slow in the middle but picked back up by the end. The main characters were both so obviously perfect for one another, it was almost frustrating that they wouldn’t just admit it to the other. I loved all the small moments that alluded to the movie.

This is such a fun book if you’re looking for a historical romance that gives off the vibes of an old favorite.

3.5 stars

Thank you Forever for the eARC!!

If you’re a fan of the movie While You Were Sleeping then you’ll probably also like this book. The initial premise of this book is a little convoluted with Adelaide taking Cordelia’s place onto separate, unrelated occasions. But once you get into the main storyline it’s easy to follow.
I really liked the relationship between Adelaide and Rhett. They seemed like two characters who just really understood each other and I loved how drawn to each other they were. There was so much pining and forbidden love which really built up the tension.
This was a fun lighthearted book with great banter and really fun characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC!