What do you think?
Rate this book
While She Was Sleeping...
Alana Hawthorne is asleep. And she's having what can only be described as the Best Dream Ever. There's a deliciously hot guy, some pretty incredible moves and a conclusion that makes her toes curl. Mmm…yes. But the next morning Alana is shocked to find her fantasy man—for real—sprawled naked beside her in bed.
It only gets worse. The excellently hot Sawyer Kern is her sister's brand-new boyfriend. The very same guy Alana came by to check on—because Melanie can be just so impulsive. Only now, Alana's really worried. Because gorgeous Sawyer seems to be looking for a repeat performance….
It only gets worse. The excellently hot Sawyer Kern is her sister's brand-new boyfriend. The very same guy Alana came by to check on—because Melanie can be just so impulsive. Only now, Alana's really worried. Because gorgeous Sawyer seems to be looking for a repeat performance….
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
8 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Sharpe
153 books58 followersIsabel Sharpe began writing in 1994 after leaving her job to raise her son. A former “bored housewife,” she has authored over twenty Harlequin novels and now writes women-focused fiction for Avon/HarperCollins, embracing her unexpected career.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 6, 2010
Zzzz...oh, I'm sorry, I fell asleep reading this book. I thought Blaze titles were supposed to be sexy, am I mistaken? This book had all the sexual heat of grandma in her long underwear. The hero wakes up in bed with the heroine and mistakes her for a hot woman he'd chatted up at a party. He tries to wake her and when she doesn't...he goes down on her and jerks off in his hand.
Uh, rape anyone?
And that wasn't even what really bugged me about the book the most. It was dull. Way too much introspection and not nearly enough interaction between the characters. Who were these people and why would they hook up? Who knew if they had anything in common because the reader was never clued in. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, the author wasted a goodly chunk of her limited word count on a half-assed sub-plot with the sister and her best friend.
I don't mind subplots or fantasy sexual situations but nothing kills a story for me faster than poor characterization. Instead of spending pages dealing with the immatural sexually promiscuous younger sister, the author would've been better served to concentrate on her hero and heroine instead. ~ Cerise, www.ireadromance.com
Uh, rape anyone?
And that wasn't even what really bugged me about the book the most. It was dull. Way too much introspection and not nearly enough interaction between the characters. Who were these people and why would they hook up? Who knew if they had anything in common because the reader was never clued in. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, the author wasted a goodly chunk of her limited word count on a half-assed sub-plot with the sister and her best friend.
I don't mind subplots or fantasy sexual situations but nothing kills a story for me faster than poor characterization. Instead of spending pages dealing with the immatural sexually promiscuous younger sister, the author would've been better served to concentrate on her hero and heroine instead. ~ Cerise, www.ireadromance.com
July 24, 2013
3.5 stars. My only complaint is that while I was reading the book I felt as if the author was trying to sell us her next book with Melanie's story. Usually in romance books there is only 2 point of views and maybe a third but only for some info. Here Melanie had a large part of the book about her love life. If it wasn't for that then I might have rated the book with a bigger rating.
July 27, 2010
I was surprised by how much I liked this, and not for the reason that you might think. The opening premise didn't intrigue me all that much, though I wanted to see where it went. Alana wakes up with a strange man in her bed, after unwittingly making out with him in the odd after-effects of a sleeping pill. He also just so happens to be a romantic interest of her careless sister. I thought it would be a stereotypical, over the top story, but it turned out differently than I expected. Decent sexual tension in places (when it wasn't borderline unconsensual), though it could've been fleshed further out. I did roll my eyes at some of the scenes, but there's such a sweet, self-discovery element to this book that it made it so different than most of the titles I've read in the Harlequin line. I liked the interaction between Alana and Sawyer in the discovery elements and when they spent time with each other. Sawyer's actually quite romantic and he's a likable character if followed throughout the story (rather than just the brash lead that he starts out in the beginning of the book). Alana may seem uptight, but when she starts opening herself up and finds herself in casual relations with Sawyer, she's a decent character to get to know.
There's a side story with respect to Alana's flirty, careless sister Melanie. I didn't care that much for Melanie's character, but I'd argue that the sidestory shows her perspective and make her less hollow than what she would've otherwise been if she hadn't been shown at all. I tend to harp on typical Harlequin Romances not giving enough focus on character and story, but this one actually did more to establish its characters. I listened to the audiobook version of the book, and I liked the narration by Christine Carroll, who brings both the male and female characters to life and in appropriate context.
Overall, a decent read for the line, and it was worth the time.
Overall score: 3/5
There's a side story with respect to Alana's flirty, careless sister Melanie. I didn't care that much for Melanie's character, but I'd argue that the sidestory shows her perspective and make her less hollow than what she would've otherwise been if she hadn't been shown at all. I tend to harp on typical Harlequin Romances not giving enough focus on character and story, but this one actually did more to establish its characters. I listened to the audiobook version of the book, and I liked the narration by Christine Carroll, who brings both the male and female characters to life and in appropriate context.
Overall, a decent read for the line, and it was worth the time.
Overall score: 3/5
August 9, 2011
I honestly don't know why I didn't connect with this story.
Older sister Alana has always looked after impulsive little sister Melanie. With their mother being gone for months or years, she had to grow up quick.
Raised by their grandparents, Alana now feels it's her duty to move down to Florida to help them out as they grow older. Just before she moves, she learns Melanie has another BF who she claims is 'the one'...again.
She lets herself in the house she and Melanie share and heads to her room, making a stop to take a sleeping pill and what she thinks is a migraine reliever.
New BF Sawyer Kern has no romantic interest in Melanie, but after discovering who she was going to let move it, decided he would be a better choice.
Coming home from a party, he crashes in bed. Early the next morning he believes the woman beside him is one from the previous night and gets it on with her while she sleeps.
After both discovering what happened, Alana once again believes Sawyer is another no good boyfriend, only to discover there isn't a relationship.
Now Melanie comes clean about making it up so Alana wouldn't worry. But when she sees the attraction between Alana and Sawyer she gives her sister her blessing. Meanwhile she continues to search for her 'the one' with her coworker and friend Edgar.
Now Sawyer just has to convince Alana to stay with him. But with a past like hers and Melanie's, both women are afraid to commit.
Older sister Alana has always looked after impulsive little sister Melanie. With their mother being gone for months or years, she had to grow up quick.
Raised by their grandparents, Alana now feels it's her duty to move down to Florida to help them out as they grow older. Just before she moves, she learns Melanie has another BF who she claims is 'the one'...again.
She lets herself in the house she and Melanie share and heads to her room, making a stop to take a sleeping pill and what she thinks is a migraine reliever.
New BF Sawyer Kern has no romantic interest in Melanie, but after discovering who she was going to let move it, decided he would be a better choice.
Coming home from a party, he crashes in bed. Early the next morning he believes the woman beside him is one from the previous night and gets it on with her while she sleeps.
After both discovering what happened, Alana once again believes Sawyer is another no good boyfriend, only to discover there isn't a relationship.
Now Melanie comes clean about making it up so Alana wouldn't worry. But when she sees the attraction between Alana and Sawyer she gives her sister her blessing. Meanwhile she continues to search for her 'the one' with her coworker and friend Edgar.
Now Sawyer just has to convince Alana to stay with him. But with a past like hers and Melanie's, both women are afraid to commit.
November 6, 2010
I started reading this and thought, this is different. Drugged heroines? Having sex with the sister's boyfriend? Picking up women at a bar and then having sex with another? What exactly was going on here?
I've always liked the mistaken identity trope. But the idea of having sex with an unconscious woman is so not cool.
All is explained and the characters become much more likable. Well, maybe not Melanie the sister, but everyone else. If this book had been spread over 350 pages and the characters were a bit more fleshed out, this would easily have been a four star book. But since it is a shorter format, it feels rushed and not quite as developed as it could.
I'll certainly track down the second part Surprise Me....
I've always liked the mistaken identity trope. But the idea of having sex with an unconscious woman is so not cool.
All is explained and the characters become much more likable. Well, maybe not Melanie the sister, but everyone else. If this book had been spread over 350 pages and the characters were a bit more fleshed out, this would easily have been a four star book. But since it is a shorter format, it feels rushed and not quite as developed as it could.
I'll certainly track down the second part Surprise Me....
January 16, 2021
Opposites attract romance
4 stars
When Alana Hawthorne visits her sister she has the best dream ever. A hot guy, some amazing moves and an ending that makes your toes curl. Only when she wakes up in the morning she finds that it wasn't a dream as there's a very naked man tucked in beside her in bed.
It gets worse as delicious Sawyer Kern is supposedly the new boyfriend of Alana's sister and the very man Alana came down to save her sister from. But the gorgeous Sawyer's not one to give up and he's really up for a repeat performance.
This is a fairly simple story of an uptight girl who falls for a laid back, easy-going guy. Both characters were sympathetic and you really felt the chemistry between the pair. There was a little bit of emotion missing from the story at times and I felt that Alana could have been written a little bit more sympathetically and not so straight-laced and high-strung.
This book is followed by Surprise Me... and although each can be read individually, the secondary love story in this book is not wrapped up until the next book which I suppose is a cheeky way of ensuring that you buy and read the second book in the set.
If I'm honest, I wish I could give this 3 and a half stars, as 3 seems a little mean while 4 is a little generous. As it is, I'm going to go with 4 because the book was readable, enjoyable and while not perfect, still a good choice to while away a couple of hours.
February 26, 2019
"2.5 out of 5 stars. The book description that I read sounded really intriguing ... and I'll admit I really did enjoy the book right up until..."
Read more of this review and a TEASER here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/09/disappointmentville-while-she-was.html
Read more of this review and a TEASER here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/09/disappointmentville-while-she-was.html
May 20, 2018
The best love story that I have read in years. I adored it. And as an added bonus it had some truly wicked erotic scenes.
March 11, 2015
When you lose your hang ups and let yourself just be it’s amazing what can happen, even if it all starts while you are sleeping.
Alana Hawthorne is just waiting for the next thing she needs to fix. Ever since she was little she has taken over the “mommy” role for her sister. As they’ve gotten older she’s learned to clean up after her guy messes. Now though her sister seems fairly settled and she’s ready to go help her grandparents out, until the phone call. Another guy and this one is moving in, so Alana is on a side trip before going to care for her grandparents.
Sawyer Kern just needs a break. He has been working so hard he almost gave himself a heart attack. What’s worse is that it’s not even that it’s because he loves it. So now it’s time to take a break and find his passion, granted its easier since he has money but still… Now he also has to figure out how to do this while his sister in law and four nephews are running around the house. So when he overhears a lovely young woman looking to have a man move in he jumps on it.
The oddest things can happen when you take meds that aren’t yours, when you have one too many drinks and when you end up somewhere you aren’t exactly familiar with. Through a series of misunderstandings of assumptions and mistaken identities Alana and Sawyer begin an unusual relationship and going searching for themselves. Will they be able to figure out who they are or will they be called back to who they were?
I’ll start out by saying I don’t think I’ve ever read Ms. Sharpe before but that is something I will be rectifying soon. This novel was hot and full of twists and turns. I felt for Alana between her pulls of loyalties, her heart and her brain. Sawyer ended up redeeming himself but there were points he wasn’t real and in the same room because I would have beamed him. This is book one of at least a two book series and while not a cliffhanger it does leave you wanting Alana’s sisters story. A great quick read, but I would advise reading it when you are alone or if you have a good poker face. ☺
Alana Hawthorne is just waiting for the next thing she needs to fix. Ever since she was little she has taken over the “mommy” role for her sister. As they’ve gotten older she’s learned to clean up after her guy messes. Now though her sister seems fairly settled and she’s ready to go help her grandparents out, until the phone call. Another guy and this one is moving in, so Alana is on a side trip before going to care for her grandparents.
Sawyer Kern just needs a break. He has been working so hard he almost gave himself a heart attack. What’s worse is that it’s not even that it’s because he loves it. So now it’s time to take a break and find his passion, granted its easier since he has money but still… Now he also has to figure out how to do this while his sister in law and four nephews are running around the house. So when he overhears a lovely young woman looking to have a man move in he jumps on it.
The oddest things can happen when you take meds that aren’t yours, when you have one too many drinks and when you end up somewhere you aren’t exactly familiar with. Through a series of misunderstandings of assumptions and mistaken identities Alana and Sawyer begin an unusual relationship and going searching for themselves. Will they be able to figure out who they are or will they be called back to who they were?
I’ll start out by saying I don’t think I’ve ever read Ms. Sharpe before but that is something I will be rectifying soon. This novel was hot and full of twists and turns. I felt for Alana between her pulls of loyalties, her heart and her brain. Sawyer ended up redeeming himself but there were points he wasn’t real and in the same room because I would have beamed him. This is book one of at least a two book series and while not a cliffhanger it does leave you wanting Alana’s sisters story. A great quick read, but I would advise reading it when you are alone or if you have a good poker face. ☺
April 24, 2011
awalnya bagus....makin ke tengah dan kebelakang agak membosankan karena terlalu banyak nyeritain si melanie, adiknya alana yang gampangan dan gak boleh liat bad boys.....
alana sendiri seorang ce perfectionis yang dari kecil harus merawat adiknya, melanie krn ibu nya yang suka ganti2 co pergi ninggalin mereka di tempat kakek nenek alana...
punya ibu begitu bikin alana sangat takut sama komitmen....
suatu hari melanie bilang dia ketemu sama mr right dan mau merit....co nya namanya sawyer yang baru seminggu si mel ketemu dan skrg sawyer diajak tinggal di rumah melanie dan alana yang di tempati melanie..
gak mau adiknya berbuat kesalahan, alana pergi ke rumah lama mereka, sayang udah malam, alana minum obat tidur buat istirahat....trus pas alana tidur datanglah sawyer yang mabok ( dikasih date rape ama saingan nya hehehe...)sawyer nemuin alana dan dikira alana adalah ce yang di temuin di bar tempat dia datang ke bachelor party temen nya....
karena gak sadar, si sayyer grepe2 ( dan beberapa hal lain nya :p ...sensor) si alana hehehehe....
trus tidurlah dia disamping alana dengan harapan besok pagi kalo bangun dia mau lanjut lagi pas alana udah sadar....
pas bangun alana teriak soalnya ada co gak dikenal tidur di sebelah nya...dan tambah ngamuklah alana pas tau ini yang katanya mau di ajak kawin sama si melanie...
padahal melanie bohong, dia ama sawyer gak pacaran, si sawyer cuma anggap mel adik....
hubungan alana-sawyer bagus sih....sawyer adalah seorang pengacara yang lagi break.....
cuma kebanyakan cerita si melanie yang ganti2 co dan one night stand sama co2 brengsek...padahal melanie punya buku sendiri nanti......makanya cuma gw kasih 3 bintang....
nb : karena ini blaze adegan uhuk2 nya lumayan mantab....apalagi their 1st rime nya di basement rumah sawyer dimana di atas ada keponakan2 dan ipar sawyer....di bawah tanah tempat sawyer ngerjain hobi nya bikin ukiran, mereka uhuk2 :p
April 6, 2012
This review is for the audio book as sold by Audible.
Alana, after a call from her sister about the new man in her life, decides to drop by the family home before she moves to Florida to look after her grandparents. Her sister has rotten tastes in men at the best of times, and Alana is determined that she's not going to leave for Florida with another bad choice living in their old home. Only her sister isn't there when she arrives and she ends up crawling into bed in her own room, which has been stripped of everything that marked it as hers.
During the night she dreams of a man who orally pleasures her, a dream so vivid that she orgasms, something she's never done before from a dream. Except when she wakes up the dream lover is lying in bed next to her. Even worse he turns out to be Sawyer, the very man her sister claims she's going out with.
Things go from bad to worse until Melanie admits that she isn't going out with Sawyer, she just was hoping to fall for him. Which leaves Alana with a dilemma. Does she explore her growing feelings and already deep attraction for Sawyer, or does she get out of dodge and head for Florida.
A lovely romance, and a nice twist with the sister not in love but hoping to fall in love with the same man. The side story with Melanie is nicely written, and adds to the story rather than detracting from it. The narrator did a good job, her performance was smooth and enjoyable, and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Sharpe.
Alana, after a call from her sister about the new man in her life, decides to drop by the family home before she moves to Florida to look after her grandparents. Her sister has rotten tastes in men at the best of times, and Alana is determined that she's not going to leave for Florida with another bad choice living in their old home. Only her sister isn't there when she arrives and she ends up crawling into bed in her own room, which has been stripped of everything that marked it as hers.
During the night she dreams of a man who orally pleasures her, a dream so vivid that she orgasms, something she's never done before from a dream. Except when she wakes up the dream lover is lying in bed next to her. Even worse he turns out to be Sawyer, the very man her sister claims she's going out with.
Things go from bad to worse until Melanie admits that she isn't going out with Sawyer, she just was hoping to fall for him. Which leaves Alana with a dilemma. Does she explore her growing feelings and already deep attraction for Sawyer, or does she get out of dodge and head for Florida.
A lovely romance, and a nice twist with the sister not in love but hoping to fall in love with the same man. The side story with Melanie is nicely written, and adds to the story rather than detracting from it. The narrator did a good job, her performance was smooth and enjoyable, and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Sharpe.
February 22, 2013
While the relationship, once it got properly going was actually quite cool, the start of the book was problematic for me.
I'm putting this behind spoiler tags for sex and sweary language warning purposes.
Apart from the skimming over the violation, this isn't a bad story. I eventually liked the characters and the relationship but the squick at the beginning didn't fade.
I'm putting this behind spoiler tags for sex and sweary language warning purposes.
Apart from the skimming over the violation, this isn't a bad story. I eventually liked the characters and the relationship but the squick at the beginning didn't fade.
March 26, 2010
Alana Hawthorne’s sister is notorious for picking wrong men. So when she calls and informs her sister a guy she knows for only a month is moving in with her&mdahs;and happens to be The One—Alana is understandably skeptical and, afraid for her sister and her half of the house, she detours from going to Florida to care for her grandparents to pay a visit to her sister…And wakes up in the morning refreshed and relaxed. Not because of the two sleeping pills, but because of the naked guy in her bed. Her sister’s new roommate. Oopsy.
This was a cute, light-weight, quickie of a story based on a lot of misconceptions, misunderstandings, and a blazing chemistry and attraction between the hot, cute, and funny hero and a slightly uptight, grown-up-too-fast, emotionally jittery heroine. Loved it.
This was a cute, light-weight, quickie of a story based on a lot of misconceptions, misunderstandings, and a blazing chemistry and attraction between the hot, cute, and funny hero and a slightly uptight, grown-up-too-fast, emotionally jittery heroine. Loved it.
August 9, 2012
I enjoyed this book. The main characters were likable & easy to understand/relate to considering their issues. Nice, quick, & easy read. I'm not sure I'm really a fan of how the couple first encounters each other though.
October 7, 2012
Ho letto questo libro qualche mesetto fa ... ma ancora lo ricordo per l'originalità della storia ... Mi è piaciuto tanto il modo in cui l'autrice descrive il contrasto tra il carattere pratico di lei e quello dolce di lui ... Davvero un bel libro ! Lo consiglierei a tutte le lettrici ;)
March 20, 2010
Loved it! There's so much self-discovery in this book...it really complimented the romance nicely. The characters are just fabulous - an all around great read. :-)
July 28, 2010
In this one, man and woman sleep together before ever meeting one another. Wacky!
March 27, 2016
A naughty version of Sleeping Beauty!
February 18, 2016
I liked the quick witty plan that you had and enjoyed the compassion the commonality of the romance partners, I didn't want the story to be over.
January 8, 2011
the book was hot
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews