The Redemption of Philip Thane

March 1, 2022

Narrator Moira Quirk returns to voice the latest installment of Berne's "Penhallow Dynasty" series (after The Worst Duke in the World). In hopes of securing funds from his relative Henrietta Penhallow, ne'er-do-well Philip Thane reluctantly travels to a small British town to give a speech at their Plough Day celebration. Along the way he meets the lovely Miss Margaret Allen. Failing to charm her at the festival, he surprisingly gets another chance as he wakes to repeat Plough Day over and over again. Quirk's abilities to give characters unique voices and to switch easily among them aid in bringing each to life. Most notable is her performance of Philip and his emotional and mental changes throughout the novel as he matures from rakish wastrel to an upstanding and responsible gentleman. However, while the indications of which day it is may be clearly delineated in written form, they are not well defined in this format. VERDICT Recommended for fans of the author and readers who enjoy their historical romances with a slight hint of fantasy.--Amanda L.S. Murphy

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 22, 2021
Berne’s winning sixth Penhallow Dynasty Regency romance (after The Worst Duke in the World) begins when Philip Thane, an unrepentant rake whose debts are catching up with him, visits his relative Henrietta Penhallow to ask for money. She agrees on the condition that Philip visits the agrarian village of Whittlesey to deliver a speech on her behalf at their annual Plough Day festival. En route, Philip meets Margaret Allen, a ravishing folklore scholar researching Plough Day, who can’t stand his snobby, lecherous behavior. Philip’s hopes for a perfunctory trip are dashed in bizarre fashion when he wakes after the festivities to find it’s Plough Day all over again. From there, anyone familiar with Groundhog Day
will anticipate what comes next, as it follows the movie almost beat for beat (though Berne deserves credit for the copious humor and heart). As Philip progresses from confusion through hedonism to desperation to bed Margaret (who will have none of it) and near-madness, Berne patiently lays the groundwork for his redemption: learning to see cozy Whittlesey as more than a backwater and Margaret as more than an object of desire. The eventual coloring-in of the setting and central relationship leads to a romantic and satisfying conclusion. It’s familiar but expertly crafted. Agent: Cheryl Pientka, Jill Grinberg Literary.