First Impressions: Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart

Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart by Sabrina Jeffries has been on my radar for sometime, and I greatly enjoyed this brief preview of the prologue and first two chapters. It begins in April 1814 when Jon, a détenu trapped in France for the past decade, is finally freed and able to return home to England. Upon arriving, he discovers that he is now the Duke, following his father and two elder half-brothers’ deaths. It’s an unexpected role he’s stepping into, and he has the added tasks of finding husbands for both his younger sister Chloe and his late mentor’s daughter Victoria (Tory), who has actually been working as Chloe’s governess. Both young women are against the idea of marriage, and yet Jon and Tory certainly have an instant connection upon meeting.

This preview was a joy to read, with history and twists in what the characters are facing. I do love historical romances with a governess, too, and can’t wait to see what happens next in this novel. It’s also the first in a series, and I suspect that two of Jon’s friends may get their stories in subsequent installments.

Special thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC excerpt of this book!

Official Summary

For readers of Regency romance by Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, and Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries debuts a brand new series in trade paperback in which a lord, detained in France during the Napoleonic war, returns home to find he’s inherited a dukedom and vows to make a match for his deceased mentor’s daughter.

Intriguing twists and sparkling wit entwine in this stunning new historical romance from the New York Times bestselling Sabrina Jeffries, as a once-exiled patriot returns home to a changed world. . .

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.

Get the Book

You can buy Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart here – it’s available as paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart by Sabrina Jeffries
Series	Lords of Hazard (#1)
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Romance
Setting	England; France
Original Publication Date	April 29, 2025

About the Author

Sabrina Jeffries (aka Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas) is the award-winning author of thirty-nine novels, six novellas, and three short stories, including the last book in her Duke’s Men series, If the Viscount Falls, and the launch book in her new Sinful Suitors series, The Art of Sinning.

After earning her Ph.D. in English Literature from Tulane University, she chose writing over academics, and now her sexy and humorous historical romances routinely land on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.

With more than 8 million books in print, she never regrets that decision to leave academia to pursue the fantastic world of fiction writing. Sabrina lives in North Carolina with her husband and adult son, who has inspired her to actively champion the cause of autistic children.