The Worst Duke In The World by Lisa Berne is the fifth in the Penhallow Dynasty series. I’ve listened to a few of the other books in the series and found them quite enjoyable. Thus, I thought hey why not give this historical romance a shot via audiobook. This story is about Anthony Farr, the duke of Radcliffe. He is really focused on raising his eight year old son, but society demands he remarry and have another child. All the eligible women are interested in him. He, however, is more interested in focusing on the son he has. No woman catches his attention. That is, until Jane Kent, a long lost Penhallow relation shows up in the neighborhood and absolutely charms Farr’s son. Soon, sparks are flying.

I thought that The Worst Duke In The World was a fun read. The Penhallow series is really one that I enjoy on audio and so, yes, I really enjoyed this entry to the series as well. The narrator, Moira Quirk, is fun to listen to. She does accents and different voices. It wasn’t a challenge to pay attention and keep listening. The audiobook is 12 hours, 3 minutes and on Hoopla. I really liked how Jane wasn’t some wilting flower, but had a little bit of grit in her. And well, the love story is just captivating.

Ant and Jane's story is real, raw and reassuringly rich in all the ways that truly matter! This book is definitely making it on my fave's shelf! I recommend this book for all lovers of the romance genre.

This book was just ok. There were some cute parts, mostly including Wakefield (the Duke's son). Overall I did not feel the connection between the two main characters. There dialogue with each other was consistently boring. Also, I felt there were a lot of historical inaccuracies to the story.

This book is the 5th book in the Penhallow Dynasty series. This is the tale of Anthony Farr, the Duke of Radcliffe. According to the strictures of society he must remarry to provide a spare to go along with the heir. He is constantly being pressured by eligible ladies to propose, but all he wants is to be a good father to his son and to his pig, Duchess, win first prize at the fair.

Then he meets Miss Jane Kent, a long-lost relation of the illustrious Penhallow family. Jane arrives and is promptly befriended by the Duke's son. Anthony soon discovers that he likes Jane as much as his son does. Unfortunately, that is not enough to make him rethink his stance on marriage.

This a delightfully funny and entertaining story. The characters are all very endearing and the dialogue is excellent. I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy Sabrina Jeffries and Joanna Shupe.

I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley for an honest review of the material.

This is a light-hearted, uncomplicated historical romance that is a slow-burn story with little conflict. The characters are pleasant and there's never a doubt they'll get together. IF you're looking for a gentle romance with little angst, this is for you!

A delightfully frothy concoction of humor as one mans determination n0t to marry falls victim to the one thing he never counted one-falling in love.

Anthony Farr, the Duke of Radcliffe, is well aware of the duties that come along with the title he was never meant to inherit. He has a son already but is under immense pressure since his wife’s death to remarry and produce a spare. His meddlesome sister persists in inviting various unwed misses to his country home, but all Anthony wants is to be a good father to his son and never marry again, even if that makes him a terrible duke.

A lost relation of the esteemed Penhallow family, Jane Kent arrives in the neighborhood and her new family sets about preparing her for society. She befriends the duke’s son during their shared mathematics lessons and soon has Anthony charmed as well. But no matter that he enjoys Jane’s company and finds her desirable, Anthony refuses to go back on his word to himself that he’d never again be bound by marriage, even if his heart wants something more.

This was a sweet story with some lovely, light-hearted humor and I enjoyed the descriptions of the simple sensuality to be found in minor contact with another human. Unfortunately, it really didn’t hold my attention and I couldn’t get through much of it in one sitting. I appreciate a low angst story with a good beta hero, but while Anthony’s shyness was charming, his refusal to stand up for himself, his son, or Jane against his hateful sister was frustrating and just made him seem weak. Of course, Anthony eventually came into his own but even then, it took so long for him and Jane to come together that I lost interest all over again. I did find Mrs. Penhallow’s disdain for Anthony to be a bit far-fetched since his title, no matter how ill-suited he was to it, put him miles above Jane in social standing and he had done nothing to deserve such censure. The lightness of this story and the humor was nice but the pace was too slow to keep me interested and both main characters were too immature to compel me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

Anthony Farr, Duke of Radcliffe, just wants to enjoy life on his country estate, spend time with his beloved son, Wakefield, and never have to go to town or marry again. Anthony was never the heir to the title, but when his older brother died, his father insisted that Anthony marry his brother’s fiancée, Selina. The couple was a total mismatch, the marriage was a disaster, and the only good thing that came of it was Wake, now eight years old. Anthony’s father died, and his wife died, yet Anthony was still not left in peace, as his older widowed sister, Meg, returned to live with him. Meg is a miserable person, making those around her miserable, as well. She is constantly inviting house guests (read – single young ladies) in the hope of forcing Anthony to marry again. At regular intervals, she berates Anthony, declaring him to be the worst duke in the world.

Jane Kent has lost her last relative, and is unsure what her future will be, when she unearths a letter from years ago, one that shows she is related to the wealthy Penhallow family. Using the last of her meager funds, she travels to the family home to see if they may be willing to bestow some charity on her. To her surprise, she is warmly embraced by her great grandmother, and immediately taken in as part of the family. Because her education has been sadly lacking, Jane is sent to the vicar to attend classes with the only other student, Wakefield Farr. Though Jane is twenty, she and Wake have an immediate rapport and liking for each other. Soon, he invites her home for lunch, where she meets his father, Anthony.

Jane, Anthony, and Wake are all quirky characters, therefore they greatly enjoy each other’s company. Anthony is comfortable with Jane, something unusual for him, due to his bitter experience with his deceased wife. Jane is invited to the house more and more, and before long, Anthony discovers that kissing Jane is a delectable experience. Their closeness grows, and is soon noticed by both their families, and neither approves. When Jane’s great grandmother decides to whisk her off to London, Jane decides to confess her love to Anthony, who immediately becomes terrified. His reaction here is the one thing he did that I absolutely hated his doing in the book. So heartbreaking! Jane goes off to London to try to forget him, and Anthony pines for her so much that it affects his health.

I loved reading this book so much! Offbeat characters appeal to me, and other than his one misstep, I found Anthony to be one of the best dukes. He’s courteous, kind, and loves his son dearly. He tolerates his awful sister, rather than sending her away. (Actually, I wish he would have sent her away!) When he realizes the huge mistake he made with Jane, he goes all out to make things right. I love Jane’s honesty and strength. I admire her for admitting her love, then giving Anthony another chance without being a pushover. And now, for Wakefield – he is a show stealer, a charming, intelligent, lovable and loving young man with a penchant for butchering words that is adorable. Together they make a perfect family. THE WORST DUKE IN THE WORLD is mostly lighthearted and entertaining, with the sad part thankfully brief. I totally enjoyed the read, the romance, the smiles, and the wonderful happy ever after.

The Duke of Radcliffe, Anthony, is a widower with a young son and a pig named Duchess. His marriage was never happy and he has no plans to wed again, since he already has a young son from his first wife. His interfering sister, Meg, has other plans for him. She is a widow herself and she is determined to marry him off again saying he needs another son in case anything happens to Wake. She is constantly setting up scenarios for Anthony to meet eligible women when it's clear he has no interest.

Jane Kent shows up and it turns out that she is the daughter of Mrs. Henrietta Penhallow's deceased son who. turns out to be his granddaughter. Jane becomes acquainted with the family after living in less than genteel poverty.

Meg invites yet another family to visit with them for a few days in hopes Anthony will be interested in their daughter, but it turns out to be a very poor choice; however, it does draw Anthony closer to Jane. You'll just have to read the book to find out if it leads to a HEA for them or not.

Review provided in exchange for a free ARC on NetGalley

Not great but sweet and gently funny. A promising start devolves into a fairly standard narrative of the unconventional duke and the unsuitable girl next door who fails every test of propriety but is perfect for him.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 4 books
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 3 broken hearts
Romance: 💞💞💞 3 hearts
Sensuality: 🔥 1 fire
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡ 2 lightnings
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋 3 butterflies
Sex Scene Length: 0 peaches
Number of Sex Scenes: 0 eggplants

This was my first Lisa Berne. You might get more out of this series by reading in order. I will say it was fine to pick up and read though, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. There are some small scenes with Gabriel and Olivia in them, and they are the couple from book 1 (You May Kiss the Bride).

So, Anthony is the worst duke in the world. He hates London, he never cares to marry again, he’s far from handsome, and spends his free time with a pig named Duchess. Raising his son Wakefield is one of his only purposes in life. Until Jane Kent comes along.

Jane is a long lost member of the Penhallow family. Embraced by great grandmother and welcomed into the family, she becomes a part of the duke’s neighborhood and strikes up an instant friendship with Wakefield.

Give this book a try if you are in the mood for:
- Regency time period, but in the country (1817). Some time does happen in London, but it’s a small percentage of the book
- You want your focus on the couple. There’s a few instances of family drama, but that is it.
- A humorous read. Berne has quite a few silly moments and funny lines.
- Low steam – no sex scenes, but there are kisses. Nothing too racy.
- Class differences – Jane’s parents never married and Anthony is a duke
- You like a child in the story. Anthony’s son (I believe he’s 8?), Wakefield, has plenty of page time and is just so fun!
- You want a different hero! He’s uncertain at times, he’s not drop dead gorgeous, he’s lacking confidence...more beta than alpha.

Now I went into this book with very, very low expectations. All the reviews I had seen beforehand were not super favorable. I was completely surprised when I found myself just adoring the first half of the book.

Berne has a unique writing style. I think it’s going to be a love it or hate it thing. It almost has a rambling feel, but it was quite endearing to me, like reading a diary of experiences. Her writing was quite funny. I found myself grinning and even laughing in some parts. Some parts were just so, so sweet.

I just adored Jane. Her personality was quite fun. She is such a survivor and always seemed to have a smile on her face despite her challenges she faced. But she definitely wasn’t a pushover. She could rely on herself, because she had to growing up, take care of herself. And I enjoyed that she addressed problems she had. She was my favorite character in the book.

Anthony. Well. I started to love him. In fact, the first kiss in this book is probably one of my favorites. It makes my top ten list. Is he the worst duke in the world? Well you start to think not. But then, maybe he is. If you’ve read it, let me know. But he makes some decisions I was not happy with in the latter half of the book and I was left feeling lackluster about how he makes it up to the heroine. I felt like the romance was there in the first half, the tension was there. But it definitely fizzled for me at the end sadly.

This was a sweet book with interesting characters. I enjoyed the banter and dialogue, especially with Wakefield, the duke’s son. I wasn’t sure why the families were against the romance between the duke and Jane because they really did seem to be made for each other.

I really enjoyed this fun and sweet romance. Loved the hero!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

It dragged myself through 24% of this lovely book and was just so bored. It took me 2 and a half days to get through 24% and I honestly couldn’t tell you what even happened. I’m pretty sure my mind just fell asleep while my eyes glazed over as I attempted to read this. A sad day when I have to DNF a book, but such is the life.

First, let me say this novel, The Worst Duke in the World, is unique. It isn’t like any other historical romance novel you may have read. This book features a Duke completely different than any other Duke one has ever met. This particular Duke is fascinated with pigs. Yes, I do mean the farm animals that most people know. He in fact, named his prized pig, Duchess. After his late wife…that’s a story one must read on to find out why and how. The plot was juicy. From the moment, the Duke meant a very peculiar woman. One who is tied to the largest yet oldest families. However, she isn’t a legitimate child. Which makes her disliked by the Duke’s sister. Honestly, his sister is like an ice cube. The ice queen to be precise. His son, is the highlight and entertaining character in this book. I love the things that come out of the young man’s mouth. Lisa Berne created a bright, hilarious, yet romantic tale. I enjoyed following these characters. Once I started, I wanted to stay in the book forever. Their world was that enjoyable. The pacing was fast, action-packed, and enough dialogue to keep things interesting. Overall, I recommend Lisa Berne’s latest historical romance novel to all.

You know, for such a lighthearted and fun read this book really inspired some complicated feelings in me. Right upfront I'm going to say I like it, In fact I think it is almost impossible not to but on the other hand I felt it could be a bit wearying. I thought it was as entertaining and cute as a toddler but it also had as much rambunctiousness as one and just as in real life I found myself feeling worn out by it. While Jane didn't make much an impression on me either way, I really liked the idea of Anthony and I say idea because I feel there was so much potential there that was just left unmined or simply wasted. So, for me it was no homerun but it wasn't terrible either. It's a middling read that has its moments but one that I had to work at and take breaks from.

THE WORSE DUKE IN THE WORLD by Lisa Berne. What a fun and enjoyable read! I adored all the characters - well, the ones I was supposed to adore! Anthony and Jane were delightful together. And Wake was adorable. I enjoyed the journey our lovely couple traversed to reach their HEA. At times, I found it did drag slightly, but overall, the story was a delight!

2.5 stars. This book was amusing at times, with humorous moments and a variety of interesting characters. My big problem was that I found the hero and heroine to both be too immature and at times ridiculous. I don’t understand why after nearly starving to death Jane would risk her place with her grandmother to flirt with a stranger. And the couple’s discussion of kissing and more reads like pre-teens who don’t know what kissing is. The man has a child; he should know what to expect.

Overall, the mix of implausibility, frankly boring dialogue, and weirdly immature thoughts during their steamier scenes made me unable to really enjoy this book. It’s not the worst romance, but it is not one I would ever read again.

I have not read the previous books in the series, though I apparently own them. Maybe that would have helped, but it seems doubtful.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

This was a fun novel! I enjoyed the characters, mainly Wakefield because he's so adorable! I loved him! The characters were a bit immature, and that got annoying a bit. But this was a fun, easy read and I liked it a lot! The writing was good, I do think this book didn't have a big plot, but for me that wasn't a big issue. And if you're looking for a book with a lot of sexy times, maybe go in this with hesitation because it doesn't really have any of that.

Jane is a poor illegitimate relation, who has been taken in by her great grandmother. Anthony, Duke of Radcliff married once for duty and has no wish to do so again. Even if his sister Margaret does kept inviting eligible young ladies to their country home and insisting he do so. Anthony is content with his son Wakefield and is Duchess. That is until Wakefield brings home his new friend Jane.
I had high expectations for this book. The story, however fell very short. I enjoyed Wakefield the most. He was a lively and well written character. Jane and Anthony had their moments, but their interactions were dull. Nothing pushed this story forward and parts didn't seem to do anything for the plot.