New York Times bestselling author Betina Krahn delivers an irresistible romance shimmering with light-hearted wit and thrilling twists . . . The youngest of four spirited American sisters, Sarah Bumgarten has studiously avoided her mother’s attempts to find her a titled husband among London’s aristocracy. Now, after an earl’s very public rejection, it seems her ideal mate will be anyone but a … mate will be anyone but a duke, a marquis, a baron, or a viscount . . .
Thankfully, there are no noblemen in sight at Betancourt, the country estate where Sarah takes refuge. Its rightful owner, the Duke of Meridian, sibling to Sarah’s brother-in-law, has been absent for years. Accompanied by her bevy of beloved animals, Sarah delights in refurbishing the once-grand property. But even a self-assured frontier heiress needs help when greedy tenants are threatened by her presence . . .
Out of nowhere, a stranger jumps into the fray when ruffians attack. Nothing about “Art,” the roguish interloper—now recuperating in the ducal bedchamber—smacks of nobility, with his brazen sensuality, worldly knowledge, and deeply seductive voice. Yet could he be the errant duke? If so, Sarah soon realizes this homecoming promises to be filled with unexpected challenges and passionate possibilities . . .
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The baby of the Bumgarten family – Sarah – is all grown up and has achieved her own adventure. This book is a very welcome and enjoyable conclusion to the series. All the familiar characters are included, making the finale all-encompassing.
Elizabeth Bumgarten and her daughter, Sarah, are at a ball where Sarah is expecting the Earl of Kelling to announce their engagement. Instead, he shocks her by introducing her to a woman whom he plans to make his countess. She then flees the ball for Betancourt, home of the Duke of Meridian, who is not in residence.
At Betancourt, Sarah enjoys caring for the animals and overseeing the estate. When a man calling himself Michael visiting the area gets shot, she takes him into her home and cares for him while he heals. In actuality, he is the long-lost Duke heir, Arthur, who has been away for many years.
Spending time together, Sarah and Michael (Arthur) enjoy one another’s company and he really admires her strength and the things that she can get done.
Is Michael really Arthur, the true duke or is he a fake?
I found this story to be very confusing. Many things didn’t make sense and there was mention of other characters that did not appear in this book. I can only say that as this is part of a series, one would have to read the first books to understand this one. Oh, when will I ever stop trying to read a series book without first reading the earlier books! Sorry, but this book did not interest me.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Very good conclusion to the trilogy. The youngest of the sisters, Sarah, is the last one unmarried. Her mother has tried hard to find a titled husband for Sarah, and just when it looks like she has succeeded, disaster strikes. The earl that Sarah had believed was her future mate returned to London after a trip with a fiancée. After such public humiliation, Sarah retreated to Betancourt, one of her brother-in-law’s family properties. There she cheers herself up by setting the neglected property to rights and spending time with her assortment of critters. But trouble is brewing as a group of ruffians cause problems for town and estate. A handsome stranger steps in when Sarah and one of her dogs are attacked, and later shows up wounded for Sarah to nurse back to health.
Arthur showed up in town with little except the clothes on his back. He had left home heartbroken, determined to spend some time learning about himself and seeing some of the world. He got more than he bargained for, and it has changed him from the heedless young lord he used to be. After years away, he is wary of his welcome and chooses to conceal his identity until he gets the lay of the land.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Sarah and Arthur. It is a wary one at first, with Sarah unsure if he can be trusted and Arthur questioning what Sarah is up to. It was fun to see his reactions to her activities, from riding to shooting. It also didn’t take him long to appreciate what she has done for his home and his people. I also enjoyed seeing the sparks that flew between them, as attraction flared. Arthur also suffers a little jealousy when his cousin shows up, claiming to be worried about Sarah being alone and unprotected. It’s this reaction that ultimately motivates Arthur to reveal his identity and take his place as the duke.
One of the things I enjoyed most was seeing the influence that Sarah had on Arthur. It was watching her interact with his tenants and neighbors that showed him how to regain his place. I loved watching them work together, and in the process, get to know each other. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as Arthur isn’t exactly smooth in communicating his feelings, leaving room for misinterpretation. Sarah also suffers from a bit of insecurity, knowing that Arthur had initially been engaged to her sister and believing that he still cares for her. As various people from Arthur’s past show up, Sarah learns more about what Arthur has been through, and falls more deeply for him. I laughed out loud when Arthur’s brother, Ashton, shows up and they go from tears of joy at being reunited to pounding on each other because of other things. Once the air is cleared, they can move on to other things.
Matters are further complicated by the continuing attacks that the estate suffers. The reader is well aware of who is behind the attacks and why, but the residents have their work cut out for them. The attacks escalate in intensity, and Arthur and the others are hard-pressed to protect the people and the land. Matters come to a head when the culprit goes after Sarah and loses control of his ruffians. There were definitely some nail-biting moments in the barn. I liked how the bad guy got his comeuppance – it was a very satisfying case of karma. I also had to laugh out loud as the men arrived back at the house, only to discover that the ruffians were already vanquished.
The ending was fun as Arthur received a whole bunch of unsolicited advice on how to proceed with Sarah. I have to admit that I felt a little sorry for the poor guy, but he did manage to come through it successfully. The epilogue was especially grand, and I loved the unexpected encounter at Ascot. It was another well-deserved example of reaping what you sow.
Though I haven’t read the first book in the series (yet), where the trouble with Arthur and Ashton began, there was enough background provided that I never felt lost. However, I will go back and read that book soon. I’m looking forward to the author’s next book, though I believe it will be a while before it comes out.
Well written. Really liked both hero & heroine. They were both able to identify their motives and feelings, and to deal with them and each other accordingly. No dithering (or very little). Will definitely read more series by this author.
Typical romance, but it is well written and I loved the characters. Fun story and a nice way to escape reality.
Anyone But a Duke is the third and final book in Betina Krahn’s Sin and Sensibility series. I haven’t read the first two yet (though I most definitely plan to!), but this installment stands alone perfectly well. I especially want to read the book in which our hero of this one initially appeared. Warning: The song “Clementine” will be stuck in your head after reading, whether you like the song or not…and I don’t.
Sarah Bumgarten is the youngest of four sisters who were brought to England to wed. When she is publicly humiliated by the man she cares for at a party, she retreats to the country estate belonging to her brother-in-law while he and her sister Daisy are in America. The estate is in disrepair, and Sarah is bringing it back to rights, being kept company by her contingent of pets and farm animals. When an injured man is brought to the house for her to render treatment, she is drawn to the handsome stranger. Could this man possibly be the duke, who was missing for five years? And what’s up with a group of men who are terrorizing the tenants of the estate and villagers?
This was a sweet, fun story with plenty of intrigue and action. Sarah is a wonderful heroine; I totally loved her affinity for critters. She was a knowledgeable healer, besides being a strong woman who is revitalizing a run-down estate on her own. Arthur is a great character, too, though I’m not entirely sure why he kept his identity a secret from Sarah. It was heartbreaking to learn of the hardships he endured during the time he was missing. Both characters had a sense of humor that I found engaging. I really liked the family dynamics, especially those between Sarah and Daisy, and Arthur and his brother Ashton. The scene where the two brothers are reunited was both funny and touching. My favorite characters, however, were the animals…they had great personalities all their own. All-in-all, a fun romance not to be missed. Except that I can’t get “Clementine” out of my head!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I’ve absolutely loved this series about the Bumgarten ‘dollar princesses’, four American sisters making their way and meeting their matches in Victorian high society. This one is the story of Sarah, the youngest sister, an animal-loving girl just as strong-willed as her older sisters, and Arthur, Duke of Meridian, the man her eldest sister Daisy was supposed to marry in the first book of the series but ended up with his brother Ash instead. Arthur left to go travel the world and find himself, but things didn’t go the way he expected and he endured a great deal of hardship and privation by anyone’s standards, never mind that of a sheltered English lord.
Reeling from rejection by the man she hoped to marry, Sarah’s taken refuge at the ducal residence. Arthur is thought dead and Ashton and Daisy are living in New York, so she has free run of the place – the locals even call her ‘the duchess’. There’s trouble in paradise with a gang of troublemakers terrorising the locals, though, and when a handsome man turns up on her doorstep with a bullet hole in his shoulder, she can’t turn him away.
I was a little confused about why exactly Arthur didn’t announce himself the minute he arrived home, a choice which left an opening for his weasel cousin George to plant doubts in Sarah’s mind and which for me was never adequately explained. He had no cause to hide himself from Sarah; there was no external danger so far as he knew at that point, and waiting felt like something of a plot contrivance.
Nevertheless, Sarah and Arthur’s romance felt real and charming, with Sarah showing Arthur by example who he needed to be in order to be a duke for his people. She’s wonderfully indomitable, refusing to back down no matter how much danger she finds herself in, but her animal helpers Nero and Fancy are the true heroes of the story. Arthur’s drawn into her orbit inexorably, helpless against her charm.
Five stars for a delightful conclusion to this series, and I can hardly wait to see what Betina Krahn will write next!
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
When American Sarah Bumgarten is rejected by an earl, she decides she’s had enough of the marraige mart for now. She decides to goes to an estate that is in her brother in law’s family, with the current Duke of Meridian being absent for several years.
Relieved to be away from the Ton, she and her wonderful menagerie of animals, decide to make improvements to the country estate. But not everyone is happy about her being there and when a stranger shows up who gets injured, he ends up recooperating at the manor.
Then the journey begins! Arthur, the Duke who has been away has suffered a lot of heartbreak but after being away many years. He has come back to take back his life and he finds Sarah in his home.
I have to say, this story had a little of it all! Humor, heartache, suspense, romance, wonderful secondary characters and of course a hero I could not help but love with a strong heroine. Just adored this story!
This was a well-written, entertaining book. Sarah experiences an embarrassing rejection and leaves town to take refuge at the country estate of a relative of her sister’s husband. One day she encounters a group of ruffians and a stranger jumps in to defend her. The story develops in an interesting way and the story held my interest. I enjoyed this book and would read other books by this author.
The youngest of four spirited American sisters, Sarah Bumgarten has studiously avoided her mother’s attempts to find her a titled husband among London’s aristocracy. Now, after an earl’s very public rejection, it seems her ideal mate will be anyone but a duke, a marquis, a baron, or a viscount .
Sarah takes refuge at Betancourt, the country estate of the Duke of Meridan. Its rightful owner, Arthur the Duke of Meridian, sibling to Sarah’s brother-in-law Ashton, has been absent for years. Accompanied by her bevy of beloved animals, Sarah delights in refurbishing the once-grand property. But even a self-assured frontier heiress needs help when greedy tenants are threatened by her presence. Out of nowhere, a stranger jumps into the fray when ruffians attack in the local pub. Nothing about “Art,” the roguish interloper—now recuperating in the ducal bedchamber—smacks of nobility, with his brazen sensuality, worldly knowledge, and deeply seductive voice. Yet could he be the errant duke?
This is the third & final book in the series & my favourite of the three, we last saw Arthur in the first book of the series when he left to travel following Ashton & Daisy’s wedding. Over five years have past & Ashton has assumed the duchy. I loved the animal loving Sarah who was strong, feisty, caring & loving. I also loved Arthur who had suffered so much in his time away which was gradually revealed throughout the book. I loved how their relationship developed, a lovely slow burn wakening to their feelings. It was pretty obvious who the villain was & his motives but it didn’t spoil the suspense & he did get his just desserts . I absolutely adored that women acted together & wielding pots, pans & pokers. An engrossing read that I found myself loath to put down
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Anyone But a Duke
Sin & Sensibility Series #3
Betina Krahn
https://betinakrahn.com
Release date 11/26/2019
Publisher Kensington / Zebra
Blurb :
The youngest of four spirited American sisters, Sarah Bumgarten has studiously avoided her mother’s attempts to find her a titled husband among London’s aristocracy. Now, after an earl’s very public rejection, it seems her ideal mate will be anyone but a duke, a marquis, a baron, or a viscount . . .
Thankfully, there are no noblemen in sight at Betancourt, the country estate where Sarah takes refuge. Its rightful owner, the Duke of Meridian, sibling to Sarah’s brother-in-law, has been absent for years. Accompanied by her bevy of beloved animals, Sarah delights in refurbishing the once-grand property. But even a self-assured frontier heiress needs help when greedy tenants are threatened by her presence . . .
Out of nowhere, a stranger jumps into the fray when ruffians attack. Nothing about “Art,” the roguish interloper—now recuperating in the ducal bedchamber—smacks of nobility, with his brazen sensuality, worldly knowledge, and deeply seductive voice. Yet could he be the errant duke? If so, Sarah soon realizes this homecoming promises to be filled with unexpected challenges and passionate possibilities . . .
My review :
When a long-lost duke reappears, what will do the woman who have taken the mantle of managing his estate…
This is my first read by Mrs Betina Krahn, and despite this book being the last in a series, I never felt lost.
At first I wondered during which period the story was set, thermometers and stethoscope plus train, I knew we were probably during the Victorian area, then a note of the author by the end of the book, settles the action in 1890, which explains more easily the different advancements in science.
I just loved this tale, nothing was rushed, and even if the novel is essentially from the main couple’s point of view, it has some insights from side characters.
The tension in the story is brought slowly, the author takes her time to introduce the different protagonists, then she sets everything in motion.
It was not a lust-charged romance, Arthur and Sarah get to know one another, then learn about each other before being able to give their truth.
When a round of events bring them on the same path, from this point they will have to work together before they might believe they can count on the other.
Sarah has sought shelter at her brother-in-law’s estate, she is clever and not afraid of hard work why it is there she found a true new direction for her life, slowly she is rebuilding her sister’s husband holdings, and there she felt at her right place. Here, she feels she is more than tolerated, she has been accepted as part of their own.
Yet things are not quiet and all is not rosy, danger and greed lurk in the corner.
And It is this threatening menace that brought Arthur at her doorstep.
Arthur left his home and country heartbroken, and from there, he was bond to bad luck, accumulating issue after issue. My heart rooted for him with everything he endured before he was able to regain his freedom. He payed a heavy price during his six years of estrangement, it shaped him in a very different man, his errors and pains made him grow. Now back home, he is no longer the young confused lord he once was, unaware of his duty, he learned the value of hard works and now is ready to prove his worth to be accepted in the bosom of a clan.
It is a spirited and delightful tale of a second chance at life and love, with two peoples who work hand in hand to revive a country’s land, and in the process come to view the other as an asset for their own life.
Up to them to fight their own demons and go for what or who really matters.
I just loved they do not let miscommunication nor misconceptions ruin their relationship, they are able to discuss and express their fears and doubts. And they are reasonable when it is shown to them they were on a wrong path. They do not let anger or worry damage their link.
5 stars for this astonishing tale of two resilient persons whose love and care for all the lives around, pet or human, shows their true color.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher on Netgalley, I also purchased my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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Sarah Bumgarten left London to avoid scandal. Living at her brother in law’s estate of Betancourt, she’s made a miraculous change in it’s upkeep and profitability. A stranger in the village is hesitate to reveal who he is. After he’s shot, he recovers at Betancourt under Sarah’s care. The more bits and pieces he reveals, the more it seems he may be the missing Duke of Betancourt, especially when he steps in to catch the men trying to destroy the estate. A sweet, laugh out loud, romantic love story. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
This is the third book in this series, I however started with the second which I loved! This is Sarah’s story the youngest of the Baumgarten. Sarah who a little different and didn’t really fit in with the ton and she was also American. She felt like she had a friend and love interest in one of the young men, but he was sent away was finally back and she knew that he was going to be hers she had a gift for him and all because she truly missed him, but when he came back he came with a wife and she was not very nice. Heartbroken Sarah moves to her sisters husband home and started taking care of it since her sister and her husband the now duke because his brother passed where still in America. But, Arthur, the real duke was not dead after all, and now we have lies, betrayal, some danger and a love where they don’t expect it..I normally do not like reading stories of guy now falls for the sister of his previous love, but I was ok with this one..
rcvd an ARc at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions