After more than a decade separated from his home and family, the Earl of Heathbrook returns to his London townhouse to face a new test: reclaiming guardianship of his younger brothers. His reputation as a rakehell, it seems, has followed him from detention inside Napoleon’s France and caused his own father to block Heathbrook’s rightful custody in his will. However, the clever rogue concocts a plan to restore respectability and rescue his siblings . . . by finding a “fiancée” with no strings attached.

Giselle Bernard is not looking to wed an earl with a wild past. All she seeks is a connected nobleman who can legally secure her new life in England and head off a mysterious stranger’s threats. Posing as Heathbrook’s bride-to-be would surely benefit them both. But as revelations come to light—the ill-fated young affair that left Heathbrook embittered, and the mademoiselle’s own guarded secrets—their engagement charade may unexpectedly blossom into a promise to love, honor, and cherish . . .

Titles in the Lords of Hazard series include:  Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart ~ Nearly A Bride ~ 

This story may contain language, violence, and/or sexual situations intended for an adult 18+ audience.

Title:  Nearly a Bride
Series:  Lords of Hazard #2
Author:  Sabrina Jeffries
Published:  April 28, 2026
Publisher:  Kensington Books
My Rating:  4 stars

Nearly a Bride is the second title in the Lords of Hazard series, bringing us a charming historical romance between an earl fighting for guardianship of his younger brothers and his own reputation, and a young woman who seeks not only a strong connection in England but protection from a stranger’s threats.  Heath (Rupert) and Giselle’s romance is drawn from the history books of a time during the war with Napoleon, when English citizens were trapped in a small town, imprisoned simply for daring to travel far from home during wartime. 

Upon Heath’s finally safe return home, he discovered that his deceased father, in a fit of rage, had prevented him from automatically having guardianship over his younger brothers.  Now he needs not only to repair his reputation but to find a way to bring his brothers together once again.  He may have just found his *cough* supposed “fiancée” when Giselle asks for his help.  Neither expected this “betrothal” to actually end up at the altar, lasting forever.  But then, neither had ever expected love to enter into their agreement.

I enjoyed Heath and Giselle’s romance so much.  The historical information about the time of English nationals being detained by Napoleon’s forces is cruel yet fascinating to learn about.  War, no matter the era, is destructive in many obvious and hidden ways in the history books, sometimes in not-so-obvious ways.  Their romance is well-written, emotional, passionate, and intriguing as the villains surface while this couple grapples with their past to find a way to a happy future together, alongside Heath’s brothers.  If you enjoy an historical romance that will keep you on edge, while reuniting a couple that truly do belong together, then you’d love Nearly a Bride.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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