Lisa Berne Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide

Does the order matter? Not strictly. Each Penhallow Dynasty novel is a complete standalone romance with its own couple, its own conflict, and its own happily ever after. But the books orbit the same sprawling, quietly eccentric Penhallow family, so reading them in publication order lets you enjoy the cameos and callbacks as the clan expands. Below is the full list, followed by her standalone time-travel story and a start-here recommendation.

The Penhallow Dynasty books in order

1. You May Kiss the Bride (2017) — Lisa Berne's debut. A wealthy heir and a spirited young woman are pushed toward a marriage neither planned, and discover the arrangement suits them far better than expected. A classic marriage-of-convenience opener.
2. The Laird Takes a Bride (2017) — A reluctant Scottish laird is ordered to choose a wife from a houseful of candidates, and the one who exasperates him most turns out to be the one he cannot stop thinking about. Enemies-to-lovers with a Highland setting.
3. The Bride Takes a Groom (2018) — Childhood friends reunite as adults, one of them newly wealthy and both of them in need of what the other can offer. A tender friends-to-lovers turn with plenty of longing.
4. Engaged to an Earl (2020) — A heroine engaged to the wrong man crosses paths with an earl who upends everything she thought she wanted. Second-guessing, second chances, and a satisfying course correction.
5. The Worst Duke in the World (2021) — A rumpled, unpretentious duke who would rather tend his orchards than court anyone finds himself falling for a neighbour with troubles of her own. Cosy, funny, and low on ballroom stiffness.

If you love these, note that Berne has also written a Penhallow-adjacent Christmas novella, Christmas All Around (2023), a seasonal read best saved for after you have met the family.

Lisa Berne's time-travel Regency

Berne stepped outside the Penhallow world with a standalone that plays with a fun high-concept hook:

1. The Redemption of Philip Thane (2021) — A selfish, scandal-prone nobleman gets trapped reliving the same day over and over in a sleepy village, forced to actually grow up before the loop will release him. Think Groundhog Day in breeches, with a heroine worth changing for. It reads perfectly well on its own, no Penhallow background required.

Where to start

Start with You May Kiss the Bride if you want to read the Penhallow Dynasty from the very beginning and follow the family in order. If you would rather sample her voice before committing to a series, The Worst Duke in the World is the cosiest, most self-contained entry and a lovely gateway — its low-drama, orchard-tending duke is exactly the comfort read Berne fans rave about. And if you want something completely standalone with a clever hook, jump straight to The Redemption of Philip Thane.