The Worst Duke in the World is a sweet romance novel that would be a fun weekend or beach read. A man and a woman meet and fall in love. The reader learns separately about their individual past experiences that affect their present actions. Complications both real and imagined drive them apart. You will have to read the book to find out if they end up back together.
I am a longtime fan of historical fiction. I enjoy imagining the world not talked about in history books. Lisa Berne provides good background information with details that make it easy for the reader to see the world she is creating. The characters are fully developed and easy to like or dislike based on the storyline. Jane, at times, is unbelievably innocent for a woman almost on her own in a big city. Her street smarts do shine in a few opportune moments. I believe the author did this to keep the novel from getting steamy.
If you are looking for some good clean fun, this would be a good book. It is in keeping with my expectations of Avon Romance novels. I enjoyed reading it and would like to read more by Lisa Berne.
#goodreadsgiveaway ( )

I'm giving up on this because of the leaden, try-hard humour. I keep groaning, and muttering, "Get on with the story." ( )

I received an ARC of this book to read through Edelweiss+. All opinions are my own. The Worst Duke in the World by Lisa Berne is the fifth book in her Penhallow Dynasty Series. It can be read as a stand-alone. The second son of a duke Anthony Farr grew up constantly being told he was a disappointment to his father, and when his older brother died, his parents married him off to his brother's betrothed. After his disaster of a marriage ended, Anthony’s main concerns as a duke are being a good father, taking care of his estate and tenants, his prize-winning pig Duchess, and never ever marrying again despite the best efforts of his older sister who invites a parade of eligible young ladies to the estate. I adored the heroine in this book Jane Kent, she’s smart, kind, brave and not afraid to stand up for herself and ask for what she wants/needs. The story has a nice balance of angst and humour, and I enjoyed it immensely, with Wakefield’s (the duke’s son) takes on Shakespeare’s story being a delight to read. Medium Steam. Publishing Date: January 12, 2021 #EdelweissPlus #TheWorstDukeInTheWorld #LisaBernes #HistoricalRomance #AvonRomance #HarperCollinsCanada #HCCFrenzy #MyBookPledge #bookstagram #bookstagrammer ( )

** 3.5 Stars **

Well, I hardly know where to start in order to explain my rating. This was a frivolous, lighthearted read that is just the kind of thing I needed after all of the dark and grim books that this COVID pandemic seems to have generated. It was humorous and the dialogue was witty. It also had some of the most immature and silly lead characters I’ve ever read – with that applying more to the male lead than the female. I liked the characters, but I felt they were more on a maturity par with the eight-year-old than the other adults in the book. BUT – all of that said, I enjoyed the read and it was a breath of fresh air among all of the grim releases.

Miss Jane Kent shows up at the door of Surmont Hall, home of the Pehallows. Jane is shivering, shabby, emaciated, starving, and desperate. She’s there because of a letter she found – and it is her last hope. After her great-grandmother Kent passed away, Jane was all alone in the world – with no skills and no funds. She knew she couldn’t stay in their home because she had no funds, so she was cleaning out the attic to prepare for leaving when she discovered an old yellowed letter tucked inside one of her great-grandfather Kent’s pamphlets. The letter was written to Charity, her grandmother, and indicated a relationship with the Penhallow family. Jane swallowed hard, packed her very few belongings, and made her way to Surmont Hall. When Henrietta Penhallow saw Jane, she immediately recognized the family connection because Jane looked just like her grandfather, Henrietta’s son, Titus.

Anthony Farr, the Duke of Radcliffe, is definitely a different kind of duke. He wasn’t supposed to be the duke, he is different from all of the other members of his family, and his sister constantly tells him he is the worst duke in the world. He isn’t polished in his dress, he hates London, he adores his pig (Duchess) who always wins ribbons at the fete, he adores his 8-year-old son Winfield, and he absolutely, completely, and totally hates marriage. He was trapped in a loveless marriage until his wife died five years ago – it wasn’t just a loveless marriage, each of them loathed the other, but he was forced into it. Now, he is free and he never ever intends to marry again no matter what his vile-tongued sister has to say about it.

Jane becomes friends with Wakefield through the local vicar because both Jane and Wakefield are taking lessons there. Wakefield invites Jane to go home with him to meet the Duchess (the pig) and she ends up meeting Anthony as well. Anthony and Jane immediately like each other and enjoy spending time together. Jane’s feelings are steady and they grow over time – until she knows she’s in love with Anthony. Anthony, on the other hand, blows hot and cold. He smothers her with kisses one minute and treats her as a stranger the next. He continues that way until he realizes he may have lost her forever – she is in London having a season – and it turns out she is very popular and has received several proposals. Uh-Oh!

Now, for a brief comment about Margaret, Anthony’s sister. She is a gosh-awful shrew who makes everybody’s life miserable. She’s vile, hateful, and mean spirited. I just don’t understand why Anthony would continue to put up with her. He doesn’t have to. She is a widow who was kicked out of her former husband's home by the man who inherited her husband’s title. Anthony took her in and instead of being grateful, she makes life miserable for everyone. Why wouldn’t a rich, powerful duke like Anthony just provide Margaret with a small home somewhere away from him and let her live her miserable life there? I just don’t get it – and it seems a lot of authors write these kinds of characters.

Anyway, I enjoyed the read, but I just didn’t connect with the characters. Something has to be wrong when the most mature character in the book is an 8-year-old. I did love the final chapter because it did a wonderful wrap-up for all of the threads that had run through the book – as well as a lovely view of what life was like for Anthony, Jane, and Wakefield several years down the road.

If you are looking for a rather inane, fairly witty, lighthearted read, this might be just the book for you.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )