The Redemption of Philip Thane

The Penhallow Dynasty #6

by Lisa Berne

The celebrated Penhallow Dynasty series continues in this deliciously witty and romantic Regency, perfect for the readers of Eloisa James, Lisa Kleypas, and Sarah Maclean.

How many times can a rake get it wrong . . . before he becomes Mr. Right?

Philip Thane—rogue, rake and scoundrel extraordinaire—hadn’t wanted to visit some dumpy provincial town to give a speech, but he’d struck a devil’s bargain with old Henrietta Penhallow, the imperious family matriarch. Nor did he expect that once he got there, he’d somehow be living the same day over and over again. It’s strange! It’s terrible!

On the other hand, it is giving him time to cozy up to the delectable, brainy Margaret Allen, in town to research the book she’s writing. Philip is sure she’ll fall starry-eyed into his arms, just as women always do.

But to his amazement Miss Allen stands firm against his wiles, day after day. How can she resist his seductive charm? Why won’t she change her mind? What must he do to win her heart?

Maybe—just maybe—it isn’t Margaret who needs to change, but rather a certain rogue, in love for the first time in his life, who will . . .

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Suspense, Regency, Fiction, Historical Fiction

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2021

About the author

Lisa Berne is a bestselling author of historical romance whose witty, heartfelt, beautifully written books are published by Avon/HarperCollins, Pan Macmillan and in translation throughout the world. Says BRIDGERTON author Julia Quinn: Lisa is “one of the most exciting new historical writers in a long time.” To learn more about Lisa and her delight in all things bookish (as revealed in her blog), you are cordially invited to visit her website, www.LisaBerne.com, and to sign up for her newsletter, too, so that you’ll never miss a new release or giveaway!

Reviews

[ChasingLeslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Philip Thane is roped into visiting a provincial town to give a Plough Day speech, even though it's the very last place he wants to be. Nor did he expect that once he got there, he’d somehow be living the same day over and over again.

This is book six of the Penhallow Dynasty series and can stand alone. The only connection to the other novels is that the family matriarch, Henrietta Penhallow, sends Philip on his journey.

This is a historical retelling of the Groundhog Day movie. Like the title, it is squarely about Philip's redemption as he is quite an unsympathetic jerk for a good portion of the book. It's a creative reimagining, but it also suffers from that plot in that it gets repetitive. There were some very funny moments though, as Philip gets into trouble for thinking he can do what he wants without consequences. I really needed more romance though, and I didn't like that it was a clean/sex-free story.

Tropes: Groundhog Day, Reform-a-Rake, Bluestocking

Steam Rating: 0

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #TheRedemptionofPhilipThane #NetGalley

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Benhallow Dynasty #6

Philip Thane - a rogue, rake and scoundrel extraordinaire - hadn't wanted to visit some dumpy provincial town to give a speech, but he'd struck a devils bargain with old Henrietta Penhallow, the imperious family matriarch. Nor did he expect that once he got there, he'd somehow be living the same day over and over again. On the other hand, it's giving him time to cosy up to the delectable Margaret Allen, who's in town to research the book she's writing.

I did not know this book was part of a series when I requested it. A historical romance entwined with groundhog day. There's an instant attraction when Philip Thane meets Margaret Allen. The story takes place over a day and that day keeps repeating itself. The plotline did not work as well on paper, reading about a groundhog day. The first half of the book was more interesting, the second half was boring. I did like the main characters and Philip improved a little each day.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMcmillan and the author #LisaBerne for my ARC of #TheRedemptionOfPhilipThane in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨I love that I finished this on Groundhog’s Day✨

Okayyyy I actually didn’t have a huge issue with this book. Like looking at the ratings I expected to HATE it. I knew going in that it was closed door so maybe that helped a bit—which is STILL bonkers bc he did some at least more explicit stuff with prostitutes on the page 😩 and apparently there was sex in previous books so idk why that PARTICULAR choice was made but I digress. They totally deserved sex after all they went through Jesus H Christ. I really digress. Buuuut I listened to the audiobook and I think that helped the inherent repetition in the story. I did like Thane by the end and I wasn’t ever really bored, although it did take me a while to get through. I thought his redemption was solid and their relationship was very cute. I also liked how neither was rich or titled: it’s something I haven’t seen often.

I listened to the audiobook but I also did receive a physical review copy from Avon!

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a darling novel! If you like the ground hog day theme plus ghosts of Christmas past storyline, you gotta check this one out!!! It's a bit mundane with everything repeating over and over again but i loved the character development from our hero.

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 2 out of 5]

I Won The Redemptions of Philip Thane on a Goodreads Giveaway! Thank You!

I had problems with the storyline. Living the same day over and over. Just an version of the Movie Groundhogs Day!! Not my kind of Historical Romance. If felt like a more Modern Day story.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Philip Thane is known far and wide as a rake extraordinaire, he is handsome, charming, and with very few exceptions, he is practically irresistible to the female population, a fact he knows and routinely exploits, in short Philip is a jerk. But not every woman finds him irresistible, for instance, his aunt Henrietta Penhallow, when he comes calling for the family matriarch to bail him out of his financial woes, she agrees on one condition that Philip represents the family in a small country town and deliver a speech at in Plough Day. Philip grudgingly agrees and sets out, but life as he knows it will change forever upon meeting Margaret Allen.

Unlike other women, Margaret doesn’t immediately fall at Philip’s feet, so he sets out to impress her with his lackluster speech and fails, but no worries, Margaret is not the only fish in the sea and he turns his attention elsewhere, but when he wakes up the next day and realizes he is reliving Plough Day, he wonders if he can tempt the lovely Margaret into his bed.

When I read the blurb for this book, I was excited, I love the movie Groundhog Day and couldn’t wait to dive into the Regency interpretation. But sadly, unlike most times where the book is better than the movie, that did not hold true for this tale. I found the book to be repetitive, which I did expect it to be to a certain degree, but seriously, it was way more repetitive than I thought it would be. And if that wasn’t bad enough the book has ZERO steam, it is not even mildly warm – now I have read plenty of books with only kissing that have been so good that I didn’t even miss the razzle-dazzle, but that is not the case for this story, this book needed it, desperately. Overall this book was a miss for me, I didn’t hate it, but I wouldn’t read it again. This is the sixth book in the series, but you can easily read it as a standalone title with no problems.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Philip Thane is caught in a time loop - he keeps reliving the same day over and over and the only thing keeping him sane is the ability to keep interacting with Miss Margaret Allen like it’s the first time they are meeting. This is a good thing because Philip can usually charm the ladies right out of their skirts, but for some reason Margaret appears to be immune to his rakish maneuvers. 😉 This is one time where he gets to make a first impression…over, and over, and over ad nauseam & each time he improves his approach and behavior not knowing which day will be the one that sticks.

It’s a creative historical romance that, while highly repetitive 🤣, it is an enjoyable story. I have not read any other books in this series and was able to read and understand this book easily. Although this is my first book by Lisa Berne I won’t hesitate to read additional works in the future.

3 Stars ⭐️

[Jocelynereadsromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very fun, and different take on a historical romance. While this is the 6th book in the Penhallow Dynasty, it can definitely be read as a standalone. Lisa Berne has crafted a refreshing and unique historical romance based around a "groundhog day" scenario. I think Berne does a wonderful job of keeping the novel fresh and new as we watch Philip relive the same day over and over for the vast majority of the novel. Berne crafts the beginning with the feeling of monotony and annoyance, then moves through various tomfoolery, until a better and deeper understanding of the situation happens. This creates the perfect parallel for the hero's growth through out the novel. I definitely found that this romance story was really a story about the hero learning to be a better man, to see how he could be beneficial to the world around him and take responsibility for his past and future.

Philip Thane is a rogue and a scoundrel who finds himself roped into giving a speech in a small dumpy provincial town, and to make matters worse he finds himself caught in a never ending loop of reliving the same day over and over again. Margaret, the heroine, is delectable and brainy and when Philip does not seem to immediately make her fall under his spell, he uses his relived days to cozy up to her.

I really enjoyed that this felt like a different style of a small town, opposites attract type of novel. Because this novel revolves around the fact that the hero is stuck in a loop, he has to do the heavy lifting of change and understanding, and I think Berne does a really lovely job with this. Philip must learn a lesson, he must discover something about himself and his journey has many ups and downs in the beginning as he vents his frustration with the situation, and learns how far he can push things. I love that Philip has a slow journey to better understanding the situation and as we move into the latter half of his journey he starts to make small inner changes that will help him grow into a stronger, more aware human. The romance is this novel is very sweet, I found the heroine to be very compelling and interesting, she is able to provide a foil for the hero at times, to make him question things and look deeper, and while he journey might not be as broad as Philip's she does hold her own. The steam level of this novel is very low, there is only kissing, because the heroine believes her relationship with the hero to be only a day in length we were never going to move into a more intimate physical relationship. I think this works well for the story and characters and I would definitely have questioned things if the relationship took a very steamy turn.

Overall, this is an enjoyable and fresh feeling historical romance. If you are looking for a low angst, sweet love story that really focuses on the hero's journey this is a great option to check out.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Quinn Fforde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about things that we all deal with. We all have to face the grinding dailiness of life. Sometimes it is crushing, and learning to go on anyway while finding some joy is an important part of maturity. We all have to learn how to be the best person we can while living with others who are learning too. We all have to make decisions without knowing precisely what will happen. Everyone can relate to these themes, and that was why I found myself so moved and having such a hard time putting it down. I laughed and cried my way through to a lovely and heartfelt resolution.
The framework of the plot is Groundhog Day, but we get quite a lot more than the movie because this is a book. My favorite part is that we get to read Margaret's POV. She is keenly intelligent and has an open mind. She does not understand how much she helps Philip to grow with her insights and integrity since she does not know the day is repeating, but Philip comes to treasure her as a complete person because of her responses time after time. Margaret holds this story together without even knowing what is happening. Now that is a strong heroine.
I generally avoid books that use the word redemption in the title because I find that they want to slog through every bad thing that that character has done, the other characters get all dramatic over that stuff, and the ending is usually cloying. But this is not that kind of book. Philip's misdeeds have been covered in the previous books, and Margaret is not aware of those in order to be dramatic about them. Instead, the focus is really on Philip's attitudes, and that is vastly more interesting. He has a brain in his head, and when he finally comes to the end of himself, he starts to use it to truly grow as a person. I cried several times during the second half of the book because his transformation was so beautiful. The changes were real and solid because they are so hard won. He will never go back to who he was before, and he will continue to appreciate his new way of life.

[Cari Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me a lot of 50 First Dates, even though it was the hero's day kept repeating. It gave him time to grow and evolve into a more compassionate person. I will say that it kept the heroine from growing along with their story, so it felt a bit one sided for me. However, I really enjoyed the premise of the book and it was written well.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Marta]

DNF at 90% because I can’t. Just. Can’t. I have not seen a more Mary Sue female character IN MY LIFE. She’s insufferable. I don’t get why the hero falls for here. I mean I know why: she is a woman and he is a man. They are both heterosexual. But this story is so boring I can’t, in good conscience, finish it.

[Annarella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Regency romance and had high expectation for this story as the blurb seemed very orignal and interesting.
Unfortunately I found it a bit repetetive and skimmed a lot.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[i_hype_romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a difficult time connecting with the characters, and found myself skimming. And I didn't know this was closed door🙈 Actually it wasn't even closed door... more like barred dungeon doors.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very unique regency novel .

[Lizzy S]

groundhog day but make it regency? say less. delightful & fun. listen to the audiobook version tho

[Tyler Jagt · Rating 1 out of 5]

These were in the free library at the end of my street and I can see why someone gave them away

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Groundhog day meets Regency romance! Philip Thane kind of sucks as a person: he's out of money, he's rather arrogant, and he's dependent on the family matriarch for some cash flow. This sends him to the middle of nowhere to make a speech for Plough Day, where he meets the combative Margaret. Though she resists him, turns out that he has maybe forever to wear her down, as he begins repeating the same day over and over.

The thing is that I don't have an issue with Philip being a dick. I actually am all for a dickish hero, though I know that my tastes aren't universal in that sense. He's more of a brat, really, which I think will present a problem for some. Philip is dickish by way of being whiny--and though I actually think that petulance is a bold character choice, I'll admit that it did grate at times. I think that if you enjoy a romance in which the guy's issues really stem from being immature and spoiled, with the heroine being more on the practical side of things, you'll enjoy this. For me, it could get to be a bit much.

Now, for the Groundhog Day side of things. I do appreciate the semi-recent, ongoing trend of historical romance novelists giving their takes on famous romcoms. Groundhog Day is definitely a brave one to undertake. With that being said... Yes, it can be repetitive. There is virtually no way for Berne to avoid that, though by and large I would say she did a good job with it.

I do feel like I kind of have to call out one thing, which isn't really a note for the quality of the book, but more the way in which it's being promoted... The romance is truly sweet, by which I mean it doesn't feature sex. That's fine, and I think succeeds as a sweet romance. But the clinch cover suggests otherwise, at least to me. It's a clinch--the hero's shirt is falling off, the heroine's dress is slipping away... I think some readers may feel a bit confuseed.

It's definitely a witty book, and I think that if you're into the idea of a guy going through true character development, you'll be happy with what Philip goes through. He definitely has to shape up, big time. But for me, I think that a bit more could have been done with the concept.

I was provided this ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book I was glad to reach the end off. Part is a series but can definitely be read as a stand alone. I know the repeating of a specific day was the premise of the book but it did become a bit wearing. Whether this made the actual progression of the story past this day any sweeter I cannot say but I was glad when it progressed. Not a series I’ll be reading more of but was enjoyable in places.

Thank you Netgalley

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Philip Thane is almost 30 and parasite rake. He's lives off his family connections and their good name without doing anything productive. When in need of funds his aunt agrees to bail him out if he travels to a small country town and delivers a speech for Plough Day. He puts the least effort into his task and wakes up at his hotel finding it is Plough Day again and again. This is a historical fiction reimagined telling of Groundhog Day. And I was curious to see how the author would make it work. Unfortunately Philip really is unlikeable through a good portion of the story so reading about him repeating the same day again and again with minor changes isn't engaging. The love interest is Margaret Allen, a bluestocking, who is in town to write a book. I like getting to know Margaret through their conversations but it isn't enough to make me go beyond an average rating for the novel. I also missed the steaminess usually found in an Avon historical fiction but it makes sense where they are continually repeating the day after they first meet.

This is the six in a series that is going to continue but I read as a stand alone. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the movie Groundhog day so when I saw The Redemption of Philip Thane by new to me author, Lisa Berne, I couldn't have been more excited to start. Unfortunately, this book just missed the mark for me.

Philip Thane is sent to the tiny town of Whittlesay by his Aunt Henrietta to give a Plough day speech. On the way, Thane helps the brainy Margaret Allen and her companions after a carriage mishap. Waking up every morning, Thane is doomed to repeat Plough Day until he figures out just what is needed for him to move on with his life. I found some of the Plough day scenarios to be quite hilarious. When the author gave opportunities to see a more light hearted version of Thane it was easy to see how charming he could be. Unfortunately, I had a really difficult time seeing the chemistry between the hero and heroine. It seemed like most of the book that he was only pursing her for the reason of sharing a bed; even while he was confessing his love to her. I found the plot kind of redundant the first half of the book. Once Plough Day started changing for Thane the book picked up a bit. I would gladly try picking up another book by Berne to try in the future. I applaud the risk taking on making such a different type of book than most Historical romances and could see why it might appeal to others. Overall, the book has some endearing and witty moments but it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for giving me an ARC in return for my honest review.

[Tina Ullrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Regency Groundhog Day. Where everyday is the same day for Philip Thorn. He is arrogant, charming when need be, reliant on others for support and doesn't min it. As an eight year old his father's death but him hard but no one really bothered to help him deal with it. Now after being sent to on boarding school after another by his stepfather and step grandparents he gets by on their status and name. With no finds and nowhere to go he turns to the one family member he thinks he can charm funds out of. Only she gives him a task to earn the funds.

Margaret Allen is a bluestocking from a scholarly family that lets her follow her dream of putting folklore together. They don't realize she wants to put it in a more permanent collection. On the way to getting more information on another event her transportation breaks down. As Philip is traveling past she flags him down and fast thinking convinces him to give her a lift as they are going to the same place.

After waking to have the same day repeat itself Philip decides to first have fun with it then tries to see how long it takes himself to seduce Margaret into bed and then to improve himself. Only to discover that nothing he does works. Now he just wants to have it over but cannot seem to find the way out.

To find out how and what Philip does to break this cycle you will need to read this that deals with the recency version of groundhog day. See how lives are intertwined and can become a comedy of errors and surprises

[Susan in Perthshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ATC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was interested to see how the author would take the premise from Groundhog Day and turn it into a book. The film was modern whereas Philip’s story is set in the past.

Congratulations to her for trying but I’m sorry to say that for me, it simply didn’t work as well as the film.
Whilst she tried to make the repetition interesting by choosing different elements of the day to focus on each time, it sadly did not work as well as the film version.

I started off interested and managed to stay interested for about 50% of the book but then I started to get bored and skim. I also found that it took far too long for Philip to be redeemed. Early scenes really showed him up as a thoroughly unlikeable man and the sex scenes of him with 3/4 in a bed just came across as yucky and vulgar without any sense of him actually enjoying himself..

By the end, I liked both him and Margaret but I thought it took far too long to get there.

It’s a well written book and there were some lovely set pieces in the story which the author handled really well. However, I just felt it was too long winded and repetitive. The film with Bill Murray and Andie McDowell was pitched perfectly and the visual element added to the perfect depiction of the repeating day, and the book just didn’t achieve that.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hello Ground Hog Day. This was a nice e story. I liked the heroine, but I couldn't get behind our hero. His pretentious attitude grated on my nerves. Watching him continually replay Plough Day was painful. In the end his self importance wasn't even from a life where he was born into entitlement.

I thoroughly enjoyed Margaret. She is smart, has an edgy sense of humor and knows her own mind. She does NOT suffer fools and is not afraid to tell them, Philip. I like the idea of her project and her drive to see it completed.

I have adored other books by Ms. Berne, but this one was not one I would re-read.

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in anyway.

[Avril Hemingway · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book as the idea of a groundhog day was a new one in a book. However i didn't enjoy the majority of it and nearly gave up half way through. The beginning was Ok the end better but i found myself paging through about a third of it as it was so repetitive. I know the idea is the living of the same day over and over which is fine in theory but so boring in reality so cannot recommend it

[Angela Hates Books]

DNF at 30%

I know that this book is a retelling of Groundhog Day, but this is the one case where the movie is better than the book. I’m DNFing at 30% because I feel like I’m reading the exact same paragraphs and descriptions over and over and over again. It’s too repetitive and I’m skimming to the point that I’m just gonna give up and move on.

[Veronica and Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

When discussing my latest ARC to my cohost, Veronica, I described it as Groundhog Day (GD) set in Regency England. She indicated to me that GD was one of her favorite movies, and I remember liking it quite a bit growing up. What’s not to like though? Bill Murrary (or Dr. Peter Venkman, as I like to call him), gorgeous Andie McDowell, Stephen Tobolowsky (Tobo) and being written and directed by my favorite ghostbuster, Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler). The film is loosely based on the Kubler - Ross 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. One might be able to also pinpoint aspects of buddhism and reincarnation throughout, which is understandable, as Ramis’s wife was a practicing Buddhist and he was close friends with the Dalai Lama. We have European psychology mixed with spiritualist principles. I’m sure you all just thought it was a funny movie where Bill Murray drives around town with a groundhog on his lap screaming “DON’T DRIVE ANGRY!” while being chased by his top hatted brother Brian Doyle-Murray (“If you gotta shoot, aim high, i don’t want to hit the groundhog”). It’s much more than that. As such, when I say that Lisa Berne’s The Redemption of Philip Thane is a direct sendup of GD, I am not exaggerating.

I’m tempted to copy/paste in the plot of GD to this review, but I’ll refrain.

A Little Bit of Plot:
We meet scandalous rake and lay-about Philip Thane as he is traveling to a small town of Whittlesby to deliver a Plough Day welcome speech. Less than enthused by the assignment, but needing the money offered by his relative, Thane delivers a belittling and maladroit address. Margaret Allen, a folklorist, who happens to have encountered Thane on the way to Whittlesby, is absolutely disgusted by the man. Thane, however, is enraptured with Miss Allen. Luckily for him, fate has stepped in and given him countless opportunities to woo Margaret to his charms: Philip is doomed to relive Plough Day over and over. We also have the character of Larry the Cameraman (in the film played by Chris Elliot) as an intrepid reporter, Mr. Lawrence, who helps as a plot marker as each loop progresses as his routine never differentiates. I would also like to illustrate the parallel of Punxsutawney Phil, the titular groundhog, to the Plough Day icon of the Straw Bear. Side note: similar to the point in the movie in which Phil kidnaps the groundhog and goes joy riding, we have a number of loops which include a certain mascot and a mode of conveyance.

The Compliment Sandwich
The Top Bun (The Pro)
The Redemption of Philip Thane (THE TITLE! SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!)
The film relies heavily on the 5 stages of grief to showcase Phil’s turn into a more sympathetic character. The novel utilizes the same device with Thane. Upon his second morning, Thane is in absolute denial of what is occurring, believing that everyone is playing an elaborate prank on him:
“There had to be a perfectly good reason for all of this. He was looking forward to giving that hearty laugh, demonstrating that he had a very good sense of humor even when the joke was at his expense, and then getting out of here, once and for all.”

After numerous repetitive days, however, he moves to anger, then bargaining; moreover, he performs most of his outrageous stunts during this stage. From orgies, to jewelry heists, and finally kidnapping, Thane wakes in his Apple Street Inn bed each morning to the sound of “Wake up, sir,...it’s Plough Day”.

While at first merely attracted to Margaret, Philip becomes obsessed with seducing her and like Rita in GD, she continually refuses him. It isn’t until Philip begins to make peace with the situation does he begin to view Margaret as a person rather than a conquest, leading to his eventual character reformation. At one point, Margaret herself starts feeling a sense of deja vu which allows her to soften towards Philip almost immediately each Plough Day morning. On one particular loop, Philip almost reluctantly allows Margaret to spend the day with him on her own insistence where he divulges the truth as to what is occurring. He describes everything he has learned about her, and it’s heartbreaking in its unvarnished simplicity. “You’re kind, forthright, generous, tenderhearted, and you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, both inside and out”.

As the novel travels along, Philip begins to use the days not only to better himself, but the town and its people. Conversely, some days, he never spends little to no time with Margaret at all. The farther away from the original Thane we move, the more detached he becomes from his debauched former self making for the resolution much more satisfying.

The Meat (The Con)
Of all mediums to detail this modern day retelling of Sisyphus, film is truly the best. While there is a lot to enjoy about this book, there was a bit I didn’t care for. The repetition became boring. While I understand that we needed this numbing detailed reiteration to create a sense of ambiguousness as to passage of time or the loss of hope, I found myself skimming a lot. At 400+ pages, there was a lot to slog through. I mentally cheered for myself when I reached the 50% point. I think this could have done with a little more editing, additionally, the ending was quite drawn out.

The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
This Book Was Deep!
I’m going to say it; this book was way more thoughtful and introspective than it had any right to be. I’ve not read anything else by Lisa Berne, so I’m not sure if this is commonplace in her other novels, but the storyline dealt with a lot of philosophy, literature critique, and utilized poetry profusely throughout to underscore certain points.
In one scene, Margaret is departing, inevitably running into a snowstorm, and forcing her and her companions back to town. Before leaving, she enacts a promise from Thane that he will not do anything foolish (like robbery or kidnapping). They then have this exchange:

“Just for today. Please, Mr. Thane. Promise.”
Bit by bit, his smile faded. “I promise”.
“Good. And remember the story of the cow and the fly.”
“I don’t know that one.”
“It’s an old folk-tale out of Africa. A cow faces dire consequences for breaking her promise to a fly.”
“Are you comparing me to a cow, Margaret?”
“Only metaphorically. Besides, that would make me a fly.”
“I can’t picture it somehow.”
“Nor you as a cow.” She smiled a little. “At any rate, it’s quite the cautionary tale.”
“Maybe you’ll tell it to me sometime”.

Upon returning to the village, Margaret does impart the story to Mr. Thane. Needless to say, it’s a bit morbid, however, strikes a nerve with Philip.

“Most certainly a cautionary tale,” said Philip, and couldn’t stop the wave of melancholy and regret that broke over him as he thought again of all the promises he had never kept.
But…
But today he had kept a promise.

When discussing Philip’s situation, Margaret posits the idea that begins his ultimate character turn. It has to do with time and it being a gift rather than a cage.

"Yes, Philip, isn’t time the most precious commodity any of us have? And somehow, for some mysterious reason, you now have more of it than anybody else. Maybe you’ve been given some kind of well, some kind of opportunity. Some kind of gift.”
He looked at her rather fixedly.
“An optimistic perspective. Do you believe we live in the best of all possible worlds?”
“You’re thinking of the German philosopher Leibniz and his argument for hopefulness?”
“Yes”
“I don’t know his theories very well, but doesn’t he take the position that the darkness of the world provides an important contrast to goodness - that the darkness offers us a chance to find our way into the goodness we seek? Into light, happiness, connection, peace, joy?”

I will state I haven’t read many historical romances that have utilized German philosophy, African folk tales, and Shakespearian prose to present different themes. The witches from MacBeth are referenced a number of times throughout along with strong allusions to Sisyphus and other Greek mythology.

“Every day - like Sisyphus, perhaps, taking a little something from atop the mountain to bring back down with him - he borrowed a book to take back to his inn, having, of course, to each day keep borrowing the same book until he finished it”.

Lastly, I can’t fault a novel that rhapsodizes the under-appreciated Mansfield Park. While P&P is my favorite Austen, Mansfield Park comes in a real close 2nd.

All in all, I would suggest giving the book a chance. Fair warning, you may find yourself skimming large swaths of the repetitive parts. Still, I really did enjoy the payoff of the titular "Redemption of Philip Thane". Plus, I’d recommend watching Groundhog Day either before or after to make comparisons.

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story has some charm to it. Reading the outline of the story informed that this story is written quite differently then other historical romance novels. Reading Philips character, I see that he’s not the normal leading male character that comes on scene. While reading His character I envisioned him as one those obstinate, sneaky, back stabbing villains in the book. Luckily for Philip when Margaret comes along he slowly changes his character.
The romance was sweet and charming between the two. I found some of the wording in the book to flamboyant. Keep wording simple and will help the book move along smoothly for the readers and keep the readers engaged in the book. The characters were entertaining and bought some excitement to the story.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy via Net Galley.

Philip Thane is a rogue and a rake. His aunt arranges for him to complete a speech at Plough Day on Whittlesey. He is reluctant to go and ends up providing a ride in his carriage to Miss Margaret Allen who seems to be able to resist his charms. After the first day in Whittlesey Philip ends up living the same day over and over again.

This is the 6th book in the Penhallow Dynasty series. I didn't realise this when I started but you can get away with reading this one if you haven't read the other books in the series. This book has the 'Groundhog Day' trope which isn't my favourite. Due to the nature of this trope, the story is repetitive as the characters live the same day. There were some enjoyable moments but because of the repetition, I did find that the story moved slowly and the romance happened much later in the book as Margaret was not aware that the day was repeating.

Overall this was an ok read. I liked the writing but the plot was not my favourite. I am interested to check out more from this author and the other books in this series.

[Adelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the most AMAZING Groundhog Day fanfiction I've ever read in my LIFE. Even better, it's a slow burn, with the first kiss not even happening until page 267. It matches the movie beat for beat, including the ridiculous parts of him casually pulling a tablecloth free without shattering anything.

[Karen Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is ridiculous. The hero keeps living the same day over and over again.