Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart is the first regency romance in the Lords of Hazard series. Lord Jonathon Leighton has just returned from France where he’d been detained for years. When he returns to London he is taking over as Duke and ready to fulfill the dying wish of his friend who had been captured with him. His promise has him looking for a suitable match for Victoria, his sister’s friend and his friend’s daughter. The only problem is his feelings are getting in the way. Will Jonathon be able to find a suitable match for Victoria or will he end up acting on the feelings that are brewing within him?

I don’t typically read regency romance, but this one definitely pulled me in. I enjoyed the premise, the characters and the storyline. This book was fast paced and easy to get through. I thought this was a cute romance that was straight forward and enjoyable. I’m not sure regency romance is going to be my favorite genre, but I did enjoy this read and am glad I gave it a chance.

Excellent narration, and an interesting premise about the British citizens who were trapped in France and detained for 11 years during the Napoleonic Wars, and their eventual return to England. I always enjoy this author and look forward to the next two books in her current trilogy.

Beautiful book, Jeffries never ever disappoints! I particularly appreciated the historical part of the book, with the story of the English détenus in France during the Napoleon wars, which was really fascinating and new to me. I love learning new things about history while reading about a great love story! That’s why historical romance is my favorite genre. The characters were really wonderful too. Tory is definitely the best: she’s smart, witty and determined. Jon is slightly irritating at times, but it’s understandable: he lost 11 years of his life and went through terrible experiences. Both are very believable and well fleshed out characters. I also loved this family and friends and I can’t wait for their stories.

As for the narrator, she’s really outstanding. Her male voices in particular are perfection!

As an already huge fan of Sabrina Jeffries, Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart, did not disappoint. It follows the story of recovering war hostage, Lord Leighton, as he returns to England and finds out he is now a Duke. There he meets Tori, his sister’s governess, and his old tutors daughter. Secrets are revealed as we follow their love story. Can they overcome their secrets to find true love? You need to read this book to find out. When I tell you I LOVED this story due to John’s acceptance of Tori’s secret…my heart melted. This is my new favorite Sabrina Jeffries book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Jon comes back from a French prison after being detained for 11 years to find himself a duke. And the daughter of his mentor now lives in his house as his sister’s governess. Due to Jon’s guilt over his mentor’s death, he decides to secretly give Tori a dowry to see her settled into marriage, but he knows he’s not a prospective husband because she’ll end up hating him for what happened with her father. Tori’s totally uninterested in marriage due to her own secrets, and she’d rather use the money to open an art school. There’s a whole lot of bickering and banter between Jon and Tori, but they’re very much attracted to each other, and can’t quite seem to stay away. I enjoyed reading this book and learning all of the backstory and secrets our main characters are hiding. And of course Jon is a much better man than he’s giving himself credit for.

It’s called historical romance for a reason, and Sabrina Jeffries can find an obscure part of history and make me thoroughly interested. At the start of the novel, Lord Jonathan has recently returned home from France as a detainee civilian from the Napoleonic wars. Known as a detenu (captive), along with many other noblemen and civilians, Jonathan was held in France for ten years!! Of course much has changed upon his return to England and he finds himself a newly appointed Duke with more responsibilities that he could care for. One of those responsibilities is in finding a husband for his mentor’s daughter Victoria Morrison, who has served as a lady’s companion for his sister these past years. Jon feels partly responsible for his mentor’s death and thus a duty to see Morrison’s wishes fulfilled.

But how to help Tori find a husband without seeming to interfere ironically causes Jonathan to find himself even more intertwined with Victoria. My favorite parts of this book were the one on one scenes between Jon and Tori. Tori is no shrinking violet and her repartee with Jon creates an intimate chemistry. I also loved that she was a sculptor (sculptress?) and sought interests beyond the marriage mart. This historical moment in time created such a perfect set up for a class difference romance and was not the typical regency. I even loved the little plot twist at the end and the epilogue wonderfully sets up what I imagine with be Chloe’s book. Sabrina Jeffries is always a solid romance.

I received an ALC from Recorded Books. Beverley A. Crick is an easy narrator to listen to and seemed a good fit for this novel. I have heard her narrate other books and she can do British, Scottish, and French accents (all in this book) effortlessly. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC! Great job narrator.

Okay, first of all—that title! It sounds like a warning label on a poison bottle or maybe a very dramatic Jane Austen fanfic, and honestly? Accurate. Because Lord Jonathan Leighton is absolutely not prepared for Victoria—even if he thinks he is. She’s stubborn, clever, and fully committed to her dream of opening a school for women artists, which obviously makes her extremely inconvenient for his “I promised your dead dad I'd find you a husband” mission. Oops.


This book felt like Jeffries was having a really good time throwing Regency tropes in a blender: returning war hero who accidentally inherited a dukedom? Check. Heroine who would rather yeet herself off a cliff than marry for convenience? Double check. A fake dowry?? That one actually made me snort-laugh.

If you like historical romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still gives you swoony moments, secrets, and a heroine who’s basically “what if Lizzy Bennet was an artist with zero patience for nonsense,” this one’s for you.

Will I read the next book in the series? Absolutely. Bring on the next traumatized duke.

The more I read historical romance the more I fall in love with the genre and this book has cemented that love even more.

So irresistible!

From the moment Tori & Jon met they were electric together and the banter was immaculate. Jon tried so hard to stay away from Tori (he didn’t try that hard though oops) & help her prepare to marry with a dowry he secretly bestowed but couldn’t resist his draw to her. He only wanted the best for her *cue tears*. And Tori was so stalwart in her decision not to marry due to her situation (no spoilers!) but found in Jon the ultimate kind & respectful but highly tempting (willing to ravish) Duke who wanted to sweep her off her feet!

Pacing was fantastic and the narration was so impressive. The information about the English prisoners detained in France was also equal parts fascinating and sad, knowing it was based on real people too.

Cannot wait to read more books in this series. Jon’s sister & his friend? Or Tori’s sister & Jon’s other friend? I’m keen.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher & author for the opportunity to listen to this frankly scintillating and thrilling ARC!

While Jon was imprisoned by Napoleon, he promised his dying friend that he would find a husband for his daughter. It turns out that the daughter is Jon's sister's governess, named Tory. They soon become close and she teaches him the art of sculpture, and he meets her younger brother. Her dream is to open a woman's art school. They had great chemistry and they obviously were very good for each other.
Beverly Crick, the narrator was excellent. She did a fine job with female and male voices alike.
Thank you to RB Media for the listening copy. My opinions are my own.

This is a historical romance. I love this author as everything I've read by her is good.

Lord Jonathon has come back home from war and finds out that he is now the Duke. He meets Victoria, Tory, who is his sister's governess. And sparks fly.

I thought this book was good and it kept my interest. 4 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and RB Media for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sabrina Jeffries is an auto-buy for me. I’ve been a huge fan of hers for years. This is an excellent start to a new series. It’s a fun and quick read in the regency romance genre. Loved the main characters and look forward to reading about some of the side characters in the future. Narrator did a wonderful job as well.

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

A quick moving Regency Romance. Sabrina Jeffries did a great job on the details and historical elements. Can't wait for her next novel.

Napoleon’s war has ended, and English captives detained for years in a French fortress are finally released. Returning to a London he no longer recognizes, and facing astonishing changes in his own family, Lord Jonathan Leighton learns he has inherited a dukedom. But the new nobleman carries the guilt of having wronged his late mentor. Now, he vows to fulfill his promise to find a suitable match for the man’s daughter, Victoria—even if it takes offering a nonexistent dowry to spark her interest in matrimony . . .

Sharp-witted Victoria would just as soon sculpt the Greek god who has come to take charge of her future. In fact, she has her sights set on founding a school for women artists. As Jonathan matches wits with the talented beauty, revelations from his past—and their connection to her father’s demise—threaten to unveil both of their closely held secrets and thrust them into a danger they can only escape together.

Audiobook Review of Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart

Regency era romances are my bread and butter, so this book was an absolute treat. That said, it ended up being so much more than I expected! The author wove in real historical events I hadn’t known about, which added such depth to the story. I’m glad to have been not only entertained but also to have learned something new along the way.
The narrator was fantastic, I was genuinely convinced there was a male voice actor involved, that’s how well it was done.

As a longtime fan of Sabrina Jeffries, I was excited to dive into Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart, the first in her new series—and it absolutely delivered. Jeffries once again brings her trademark blend of smoldering romance, sharp dialogue, and well-researched historical detail.

The chemistry between the leads is electric, and the emotional stakes are high without ever feeling melodramatic. The historical setting adds depth and richness, immersing the listener in a world that feels both authentic and engaging.

Whether you’re a returning fan or discovering Jeffries for the first time, this audiobook is a captivating start to what promises to be another irresistible series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great start to the Lords of Hazard series. Sabrina Jeffries has introduced us to three delightful characters who went through some very difficult times during the Napoleonic wars. The love story in this book is interesting as both characters involved in the love story do not feel they are worthy of each other. How they get past this is a great part of the story. I was able to listen to this book in an audiobook format and the narrator did a wonderful job. I am greatly looking forward to the next story in the series to see what happens to another of Jon's friends.

I thoroughly enjoyed this regency romance, set around the experiences of a group of detanus following the napoleonic war. I wasn’t at all familiar with this aspect of history. The experiences of John and his friends, re turning to England after so many years of separation from their family, friends and society made for a wholly compelling premise.

I loved Tory’s gumption and her persistence in a society where the cards were stacked against her. John was warm and principled, and her equal in determination. I felt his guilt about her father’s death was a little overplayed, but overall his relationship with her father added to the intrigue of the story. The family dynamics and relationships really elevated the story, Tory’s with her brother and John’s with his mother and sister.

This made for an excellent audiobook, bringing the emotional experience of the characters to life. Jeffries’ writing style is easy and engaging, and the production quality was excellent - it was easy to forget there was only one narrator.

Thank you RB Media for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Options expressed are my own.

Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart* by Sabrina Jeffries**
**Rating: 4⭐️ | Spice Level: 3🌶️**

*Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart* is the first in Sabrina Jeffries’ new *Lords of Hazard* series, and it sets the stage with a story full of emotional depth, unexpected responsibilities, and a slowly building romance.

Lord Jonathan Leighton returns to England after years of being held prisoner by the French, only to inherit a dukedom he never expected. Back home, he meets Victoria, his sister’s governess—a fiercely independent woman with dreams of opening an art school to teach sculpture, her true passion. She also happens to be the daughter of the man who was once Jonathan’s tutor and fellow prisoner. Their shared history creates an immediate, if complicated, bond.

The beginning of the book felt a little slow, but as this is the first in a new series, it takes some time to lay the foundation. Once the story hits its stride about halfway through, the pacing improves significantly and carries through to a satisfying conclusion. The romance is rich with chemistry, and the spice level is a solid 3🌶️—enough to add heat without overpowering the emotional connection.

This is a promising start to the *Lords of Hazard* series and a great read for fans of strong heroines, wounded heroes, and historical romance with substance.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a bit lukewarm. It was suddenly interesting, and suddenly not. Jon and Victoria were well matched, though. Jon is thrown into a world of a dukedom and love after many years of being a prisoner, sonfor all that, I thought he took things in his stride. Overall, it was a decent book, but I always felt something was missing.

I always liked Beverly A Crick, her narration is always on point.

#netgalley #HazardoustoaDukesHeart

This was very instalovey/lusty but there was no chemistry between the characters, and they were pretty one-dimentional. The plot was just characters not telling each other things that they thought would keep them apart, but turned out not to be a deal-breaker to the other person.
Everything about this book was superficial, including some heavy topics. At the beginning it seemed like the author was trying to go the art therapy way to help the hero deal with trauma of his imprisonment, but that got dropped. There were also a few random mentions of attempted assault on the heroine with no bearing on the plot or characterization. So why even include it. The heroine tells the hero she was kissed against her will and next thing he's kissing her.
Heroine's goal of opening art school was an afterthought, even to her.
This whole book felt like wasted potential.
The audiobook was fine. The narrator did a good job, except when she was doing Scottish accent for a minor character. It was quite jarring and took me out of the story every time.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.