I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After being humiliated by being introduced to the fiance of the man she intended to wed, Sarah ran away from London to her sister's estate.
Arthur has finally returned to his home and the dukedom he left behind to travel and find himself. Instead he returns home to find that it has been taken over by Sarah, whom everyone calls duchess. Sarah is able to charm everyone including every animal and has turned the estate over for the better.
I liked the rraltionship between Sarah and Arthur. Sarah was a strong, caring, independent woman so of course Arthur couldn't help falling in love. Arthur also grew and changed in a positive way after the hardships he suffered on his travels. Great end to this series.

First book read by this author. Generally a good read, but not memorable. Good character development. Not so good detail of the plot. There were aspects of the books I liked such as romance and aspects of the book that I would not want to read such as violence in some parts. Overall a good solid 4 star reading.

Anyone But a Duke features a delightful romance between a woman determined to forge her own path and a missing nobleman.

The youngest of four sisters, Sarah Bumgarten has avoided her mother’s matchmaking thus far and found someone on her own. However after she is publicly rejected and humiliated, Sarah retreats to her brother-in-law’s country estate seeking refuge from the ton. With the estate sorely neglected after its rightful owner disappeared, Sarah begins renovating the property. When Sarah is threatened by thugs, a stranger comes to her aid and becomes injured in the process. As Sarah assists in his recovery, she begins to wonder if Art could be the long lost duke?

Sarah and her sisters are from America and as such they do not fit in with London’s high society leading to Sarah frequently being alone. Once Sarah arrived at Betancourt, she became so much happier and I loved watching her settle into running and fixing up the estate. I also thought it was delightful how Betancourt’s tenants fell in love with her kindness and affectionately referred to her as the duchess.

Upon his return to England, Arthur wanted to be forewarned of what he was walking into and decided to anonymously check out the estate before he would reveal himself. Due to his experiences while gone, Arthur is very much a different person than the one who left, both mentally and physically. While I understood his hesitation to hold himself back, I was also frustrated by it due to the issues it causes.

Sarah and Arthur’s relationship started out very slowly as they are both unsure of the other’s motives. Arthur doesn’t understand why Sarah has taken over the estate and Sarah has a hard time trusting a man who won’t reveal anything about his identity. Things only really begin to progress between them after Arthur is forced to reveal his identity when his cousin shows up trying to weasel his way into ownership of Betancourt. From there, the two had a common enemy which allowed them to set aside their differences in order to work together and they ultimately form a wonderful friendship. After that their relationship progresses more quickly and I thought it was fantastically done. One of my favorite things about their romance was how they didn’t let simple misunderstandings come between them, but instead worked them out together.

The plot with Arthur’s cousin George was an interesting one and I was curious to see how the man would try to forcibly take the estate as it was clear he had no intention of giving up after Arthur’s identity was revealed. I don’t want to spoil how things came about, but I will say the man was relentless in his quest to take Betancourt and it was nice to get a bad guy who refused to back down. All too often in historical romances with mystery plots, the bad guy gives up too easily which makes for a lack-luster ending. In this book though I was happy with the way the situation was resolved and thought the ending had just the right amount of suspense.

Overall Anyone But a Duke was a great read and I definitely want to check out the first two books in the Sin and Sensibility series in the future.

To be honest, I was a little bit underwhelmed by this book. I loved getting to know Arthur in the first book in the series and to find him so changed in this one was a bit of a letdown. Sarah is sweet and confident and I love the way that she gains the trust of the village. The leads have pretty good chemistry, but overall I just felt like the story was average.

I think Anyone But a Duke may be my favorite of the Sin and Sensibility series. Sarah and Arthur each have their own issues through which they must fight. Each thought they were destined to marry someone else. So, for them to be brought together makes for a delightful tale.

I love Sarah’s strength in looking for where she might put her gifts to work and heading to Betancourt to put them to use. In the same way, I appreciated Arthur’s desire to make sure he would be welcome to his old home after leaving on such bad terms.

Ms. Krahn did a great job of researching the available medical knowledge and tools of the time period and bringing them into the story appropriately.

Elizabeth and William’s romance would have made a great novella!

I saved and saved this book for a time when I had nothing planned as I knew that once I started it, I wouldn't be able to put it down and, maaaaan, was I right.
I loved seeing alll the characters from the previous book again, especially Reynard and Frankie, and I LOVED Arthur and Sarah.
I didn't read the first book in this series so was a little fuzzy on the past history of Arthur, Ash and Daisy but that didn't stop me from enjoying this book at all.

Can't wait to get my hands on Krahn's next book. 5 stars!

Betina Krahn is a really accomplished writer, who is great at what she does and I have enjoyed everything I have read so far I really did enjoy this book in many ways, but it did require a huge suspension of disbelief.

Sarah Bumgarten is the youngest of four sisters who have come to England to marry into British society, after being public ally humiliated by a suitor in London, Sarah has refused her mother’s matchmaking attempts and has retired to her sister’s husband’s family estate, Betancourt. Arthur, the Duke, has left England to travel the world, and signed over the dukedom to Ash, his younger brother who married Daisy, Sarah’s oldest sister.

Daisy and Ash are in America, and Sarah has assumed control of the management of Betancourt. Incredibly fond of and good with animals, she has made herself at home and has invested her own money in restoring the estate.

When a group of thugs try to harass and intimidate her when she is in the village pub, a handsome stranger comes to her rescue. When he is shot whilst defending himself against the thugs, he is brought to Sarah for medical attention.

When Arthur’s horrible cousin George comes to Betancourt, intending to be appointed caretaker of it, in the absence of both brothers, and mayhem is unleashed on the village and the estate, Art, Sarah, her American uncle, and eventually Daisy and Ash are all involved in fighting off the threat from George and his thugs.

We slowly learn how Art, really Arthur the Duke, had been isolated and neglected by his uncle and guardian, and how he left because his brother had married Daisy, the woman he was also in love with at the time. Unable to return because of a series of difficult situations abroad, he reflects on how he has changed, and how to introduce himself as the Duke. He inevitably begins to fall for Sarah, but when she discovers who he is, can she trust that he loves her, and not Daisy?

The unbelievable aspect of this, is that is read more like a frontier romance, with the estate like a ranch, and all the protagonists interacted in that way, like a small township, rather than an aristocratic estate., almost like cowboys and Indians.

The supporting characters are delightful, especially the animal helpers Nero the dog and Fancy the horse.

I enjoyed it very much, especially the romance between Sarah and Arthur.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Also posted on Goodreads

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.

I really enjoyed how the relationship between the protagonists developed, but I definitely struggled with the sheer amount of background violence and terrorism happening around the estate. I understand that was a part of the plot but my heart broke for all those hardworking people who had everything they had burned and lost the lives of animals and fellow family members. Senseless death and destruction as a way to move a plot forward, especially in a silly romance, is always a dealbreaker for me.

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.

This was an enjoying quick read. I liked the main characters - particularly Sarah. Sarah is the youngest of the Bumgarten sisters (each the subject of previous books) and her efforts to integrate into London Society (having not only been raised in Nevada but also being a bluestocking) fail. She takes it upon herself to manage the abandoned country estate of her brother-in-law (now living in the U.S) only to find that his brother, the actual Duke who has been missing has now returned. The romance that ensues is satisfying. Several of the supporting characters (many who I assume appeared in earlier titles in the series, although I have not read those) are quite fun. Sarah has a way with animals and a strong backbone with believable insecurities. Her eventual Duke fled on the evening of her sister's wedding to his brother and she is now rightfully concerned about where she exactly stands. At the same time, she is uninterested in society's rules and I enjoyed the way in which this allowed the romance to blossom in a slightly different way than it might have in the hands of another writer.

After the earl’s very public rejection Sarah Bumgarten is set against marring especial a marquess or a duke. Sarah takes refuge at her brother-in-law’s brother place, after all his brother the Duke of Meridian has been absent for years. A stranger jumps in to help her, she wonder who the rugged, tanned and tattooed stranger who helps her. He sons finds himself shot and she nurses him back to health in the ducal chambers. He knows she’s not the Duke’s sister since the Duke does not have any sisters so just who she is and what’s she doing at the estate running around like she owns it. An excellent story with wonderful characters I voluntarily wrote a review for.

This is the first book in the series that I read. I was able to jump right into the story and now I want to go and read the first two books. I thouroughly enjoyed this book. Sarah was a strong female character. I believed in the love that her and Arthur shared.
I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I covered this one on Frolic and even made it my fave pick of the month from November. I thoroughly enjoyed both main characters, I loved the heroine's strength, in fact, I loved the strength of all of the women in this book, they are amazing. And the growth from our hero was nothing short of chef's kiss delicious!

Having read and enjoyed the previous book in this series, I was happy to embark in another romance with a Bumgarten sister. I did not read the first story, which does have a closer related story to this one than the second. I followed along fine, but I do think it advisable to read the first before reading this one. This story is about the youngest Bumgarten sister, Sister, and the long, lost Duke of Meridian, Arthur.

At the start of the novel, Sarah suffers a heartbreak and public embarrassment that causes her to flee London to her sister and brother-in-laws unkempt estate (they are residing in New York). Once there, she finds an outlet for her disappointment in restoring the estate, tending the animals and helping the locals. She soon becomes an endeared resident and is often mistakenly referred to as the duchess. Arthur shows up in the nearby village as unrecognizable stranger, having survived a journey home worthy of the <I>Odyssey</I>. He remains anonymous while getting the lay of the land. He ends up in a couple scapes, earning him respect and landing him as a patient under Sarah’s care. I enjoy stories that have the h&h working toward a shared goal, with an attraction that is founded in mutual respect. It makes for a more believable romance, and this story definitely has that.

Krahn has a light touch with pleasing results. I like the depiction of the Nevada-raised Bumgarten sisters in this series. They don’t fit in with London society, but they have their own charms without every other word being twangy. There is also a great cast of secondary characters. Overall, this was an enjoyable romance that was more original than most offerings today.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an unbiased review of this story.

Light, fluffy, and sweet, like the best kind of desserts. This is a highly entertaining novel with my favorite romance trope: respect for your partner. Not having read the other books in the series, I found some issues with understanding specific references, however that did not keep me from thoroughly enjoying the story.

Miss Sarah Bumgarten suffers a public humiliation in front of the ton when she finds out the man she loves and expects to propose to her introduces her to his Italian betrothed. She flees London to the ducal seat of the Duke of Meridian which has been neglected when her brother-in-law travels in New York with her sister and kids. She sets to work getting the manor and ducal estate in good running order. When a stranger who has been shot is brought to the manor, Sarah uses her considerable medical skill to save his life. She is drawn to the sexy hunk, but who he is and why is he here?

This book started out great for me and though I hadn't read the previous books, I wasn't lost to what was going on although it would have helped understand the relationships between Sarah and her sisters better, especially her sister Daisy, who had a relationship with the previous duke. The further I got into the book, however, I found Sarah too good to be true especially her ability to connect with animals. Kind of reminded me too much of Snow White. When Art shows up at her doorstep, the book picked up a bit, but the villain was so obvious from the beginning. Also why wasn't there more of an effort to route out the ruffians if they were so close by and why wasn't there more of a concentrated effort to find Art when he was abroad? Wouldn't his brother have enlisted help trying to locate him as years go by with no contact? While this book is well-written, it isn't one of my favorites.

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.

Sarah is excited to have finally settled on a titled husband, but when he arrives back home after traveling abroad, he brings along a fiancée with him. After his very public rejection, she definitely doesn't want to get married to a titled gentleman. She ends up settling in at Betancourt, the family home of her sister's husband. She is having fun restoring the place to it's former glory and enjoying living in the country.

Arthur has been gone for years and when he finally arrives home, he is shot by an unknown assailant. When he awakens, he finds himself in his own home...even more specifically the duke's chambers, which are rightfully his own. Although no one knows he is actually the rightful heir as he has not told anyone of his true identity.

When someone starts wrecking havoc across the duke's property, Sarah and Arthur start to investigate. Spending so much time together brings them closer together. But what happens when Sarah learns that Arthur is really the long lost duke. Will she get her heart broken all over again?

I loved Sarah and Arthur's story!! I loved watching these two fall for one another. Having met Arthur in the first book in the series, it was interesting to see all the changes his travels had made. But under it all he was still the kind hearted man that he was when we first met him. This was a great conclusion to the Sin & Sensibility series and I'm excited to see what Krahn has in store for us next!!

I did not read the first two books of this series, but did not feel lost in the characters as you sometimes do when reading a series out of order. The characters in this book were interesting and worthy. I also enjoyed the setting and the feeling of belonging that the characters had for the estate that they had to fight for. 5 stars.