This book really made me feel that I want to read more historical romance.

Following up the great book The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting this book comes with a similar idea of a couple from different stations, but takes a whole different take on it. No fortune hunting in this book, rather the opposite. Someone of high station is pretending not to be. This switch around was a lot of fun and gave the book a whole different vibe. Instead of everything happening in high society, now a lot was in public coaches and common inns. I absolutely enjoyed this and made for a book that felt quite a bit more cozy. There was simple fun and simple joys everywhere.

The main character Severn is a fun guy, albeit a little bit unaware of what's happening around him. He makes for a great character to follow, because he's just as new to the outer world as we are as readers. He tries his best, but usually fails. He was easy to relate to because of this and that really enhanced the book. He is also simply very kind and willing to help out, even if that severely complicates things for him. He's a genuine person that just wants best for everyone, and it made me instantly like him. The start of the book with him being robbed on his first foray out with a random hookup was a little bit funny, although I also felt sorry for the bloke. It gave the book a lighthearted start that set the tone for the rest of this fun book.

Daizell is a lovely guy as well. He is quite cynical, having lost so much in his life, so he isn't that positive of a guy anymore. This quite contrasts with Severn which balances out the vibes of the story really well. Daizell ends up agreeing to help Severn even though he isn't all that positive about it. He sees it as an opportunity to get a lot of money, as Severn seems to be promising a lot, but doesn't actually feel like helping much. This slowly starts changing over the story though. The more time the two men spend together, the more they start liking each other. Liking each other... and then loving each other.

The love these two have for each other the further the book comes is so absolutely wholesome. I really ate up every hug these two had, every caress they gave each other, every kiss they daringly gave. They were adorable and I couldn't get enough of it. Even more their intimate moments together were really sweet, but also totally hot. I greatly enjoyed them and felt all warm and happy about it.

To conclude this was a fun and lighthearted story about two men of different stations falling in love and traveling around the countryside.

I really liked this story!
In the beginning I was quite confused whether this was a book 2 of a series (it kind of is but it has new characters) because I had such a strong sense of Deja Vu when the Duke describes being robbed in an inn after a nig t with a stranger. Drove me wild because I was on a plane without wifi for 5 hours and couldn't check. Turns out I di remember that plot from another KJ Charles book but after it developed in a very different direction. Because this thief does not show up at the Duke's home but has stolen a ring that holds a lot of sentimental value, the Duke needs an excuse to go out and try and find the thief without anyone knowing he lost the ring in the first place. So he makes a betlwith his cousin and has to live like a person without his title and use public transport and accomodations for a month.
On his way he meets an old school acquaintance who is now disgraced and does not remember the duke, so the perfect person to help him on his search without violating the terms of the bet. What ensues is a wild goose chase through England with not much more to go on than the colour of the thief's coat and lots of adventure on the way..... and of course with all that close proximity and adventure, feelings develop. But the Duke is still anonymous and there is not only the issue of MM relationships being illegal, but also the different social standing and reputation and duties to consider.
4.5 *

I’m very grateful to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.

This story is set in regency era England and it follows Cassian, the Duke of Severn. He is a very shy, simple man who doesn’t really know how to balance his life with being a Duke and being an ordinary man. One day, after having been robbed, he embarks on a trip to find his ring that got stolen. He has to travel incognito so none knows he is the Duke of Severn. While he is experiencing life as a normal person, he meets Daizell, a very different but interesting man. He helps Cassian retrieve his ring and while they keep on traveling around England, they start getting to know each other and sparks fly.

This is my first book by KJ Charles and it was perfection. The main characters had so much chemistry and even though they were different, they complemented each other amazingly. Both of them knew how to communicate, how to act around each other and to say sorry when they needed to. Also, the supporting characters were incredibly interesting, I was hooked the whole time. I love books that make me root for all the characters, not just the main ones. The third act breakup was so sad and heartbreaking but when they solved it, it was so rewarding.
I love MM stories and this was no exception.

If you love Jane Austen, Bridgerton, love watching men fall madly in love, and love some drama, this is the book for you.
Go buy this book, it comes out on July 17th 2024.

‘It is a wager,’ the Duke said. ‘I shall fend for myself for a month without using my title or influence or advantages, and when I have done so, you, Leo, will make an apology to me for doubting my capacity.’

What might happen when one lonely, unassuming duke sheds his title and advantages and sets out on a trip? Basically, anything. He even might meet another lost soul in a dire need of a company. And when they join their efforts to find a stolen heirloom ring, they might find something else, something more valuable.

Unsurprisingly, since I love K. J. Charles's books, I enjoyed reading this one as well. Interesting premises, fast pace, great side plots, the road trip romance trope itself and some very well done kinks - what's not to like here? The tone of the story was a bit different from other author's book, less witty, more gentle and tender. Cassian and Daizell were such a lovely couple, it's impossible not to fall in love with them.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca's Reviews > The Duke at Hazard
(Thanks to KJ Charles, Orion, and Netgalley for the ARC! This review reflects my unbiased opinion.)

"Kissing, open-mouthed and desperate and gleeful, under the night sky, while escaping kidnap. Cassian had never felt less like a duke, or more like himself."

The Duke of Severn seems to have everything: money, power, privilege, a loving family, and a spotless reputation. Daizell Charnage, a disgraced former gentleman brought low by his father's crimes and his own scandals and mistakes, obviously has nothing. Neither man has happiness or a sense of self-worth. They won't come to feel that they deserve either of those things until they meet, form an unlikely alliance, and fall in love.

After having been the victim of an embarrassing robbery, the Duke wants to prove that he's not helpless. He makes a bet with his cousin that he can live "as an ordinary person" for a month, without relying on his title and privilege, and sets out to try to recoup his stolen property. When he meets Daizell Charnage, he recognizes him as a man with more experience in the world and hires Daizell to help with his quest. Daizell, whose opinion of himself has hit rock bottom, is shocked to be seen as a role model. All he wants is to believe - against a lifetime of evidence - that he could matter to someone.

"Between them, they'd come up with something, just as soon as Cassian admitted that he'd been lying to him from the moment they'd met."

The rich, powerful man in disguise is a common romance trope, of course. Severn wants to find out "who he really is" outside his role in society, and he loves the freedom of being an ordinary man. But that freedom comes at the price of lying to everyone he meets, and privilege isn't something he can discard at will. When he figures out that he's been treating himself as the main character, and Daizell as a tool for his personal development, he has to re-think everything.

This book is in KJ Charles's lighter vein, the kind of story that won her the tagline "Heyer, but gayer." Heyer's DNA is obvious: an incognito duke, a runaway heiress, a wager for a famous pair of matched greys, a carriage accident, a set of interfering relatives, a mistaken identity. But Charles isn't rewriting The Foundling; she's telling a story of her own that is deeper than anything in Heyer and packs more of an emotional punch. The accident has real blood and consequences. The implications of Severn's privilege are ruthlessly dissected. And there are details that Heyer would never have thought of - pornographic silhouettes! - playing an important part of the plot.

Strongly recommended, as just the right admixture of frivolous and serious. NB: You don't have to have read the Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting first, but if you do, you'll enjoy some delightful cameos in the climactic scene.

Look up all the synonyms for the word “tender” and you’ll find a pretty well-rounded review of The Duke at Hazard.

In all, this novel is a sweet historical romance with a dash of mischief and a healthy dose of reality. Cassian and Daizell are worlds apart regarding social standing but thrust together in the aftermath of a robbery that led to a wager and, ultimately an adventure. Cassian, the Duke in question, was a character built to be a simpering fool by those overbearing relatives around him. Naturally, when he went off on his own volition it landed him in a precarious situation. Happens to the best of us.

Daizell was once an unruly gentleman until he was disgraced for high society as a direct consequence of his father’s crimes. The pair find themselves on the hunt for Cassian’s stolen family ring. On this hunt, there are many, many shared beds. Daizell is in it mostly for the money and Cassian for his ring but also for the vibes. It’s delightful in just about every way you can expect.

KJ Charles has a talent for creating blood-boiling antagonists and this one was no different. Abuse of power is a common theme throughout the novel and is resolved beautifully in the end as Cassian learns to step into his power as the Duke.

I’ll also add that the kinkier aspects are handled with incredible grace and in doing so, add even more depth to the relationship between our protagonists.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orion for the Advanced Reader Copy!

I am definitely loving Regency books right now especially romance so this was exactly what I was looking for and it didn't disappoint.

This absolutely amazing book is further proof that Our Lord and Saviour KJ Charles can do no wrong 😍 It’s been one of my most anticipated reads this year and it absolutely did not disappoint (plus the scream I scrempt when we got a cameo from Hart and Robin? Holyyyy shit).

The Duke of Severn is sick of being a Duke. The strict lifestyle imposed upon him, the rules he has to follow, the manners he has to live by… he’s lonely and fed up, so when a man who has no idea he’s a duke suggests a night together, he accepts with a feeling of joy. That is until next morning when he realises the man has robbed him and taken his ducal signet ring.

Terrified to be found out, The Duke, posing as ‘ordinary gentleman’ Cassian, sets out for a month to try and recover his missing ring. Of course, that is easier said than done for a man who is used to having EVERYTHING done for him, so when he runs into down-on-his luck Daizell Charnage he jumps at the chance to have a friendly travelling companion and man-of-the-world to help guide him. As the two grow close and start to feel more than simply friendship between them, the future seems to be looking bright… But Daizell is running from a dark past, and Cassian is hiding a huge secret, so how is it going to every work out between these star-crossed lovers?

As with all of KJ Charles books, the plot is well thought out and we have a delightful selection of side characters and side plots, including a young woman trying to elope to secure her fortune, a dramatic stage-coach incident and a scandal around cheating at cards; there wasn’t a dull moment!

Cassian and Daizell were such wonderful characters and you just wanted to root for them the whole time; they fit each other perfectly and I loved their discussions around what they wanted in bed and in life! As always with KJ Charles books, the HEA is just gorgeous and I loved that these two get to make each other happy for many years to come 💕

Read Duke At Hazard for:
✨ Duke x disgraced gentleman
✨ Hidden identity
✨ Only one bed
✨ Mutual hatred of public transport
✨ Praise kink & consensual somnophilia
✨ Side rep (no tops, no bottoms)
✨ Fleecing a vicar and helping a lady to elope
✨ Uncovering a gambling scandal
✨ ‘I’m the duke, I do what I want’ 💕

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I really wanted to love this because the premise sounded like something I would be into, but unfortunately this just wasn't for me.

Two lonely but utterly endearing idiots end up on a road trip adventure to recover a stolen ring. There are shenanigans, scrapes, runaways, lots of pining, never more than one bed in any inn room, and a very villainous villain. And one of the idiots is also secretly a Duke.

The Duke at Hazard is definitely at the softer end of the KJ Charles oeuvre with very little murder and two absolute sweethearts for MCs (regular KJC readers will know that there’s usually at least one utter bastard MC). It takes place in the same world as The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting but can be read entirely standalone (but for fans of that book there are some wonderful cameos).

I love love loved this book and have mainly been looking forward to getting to read it again from the second I finished it. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for providing an early copy for review.

I enjoyed this book a lot! Identity porn is a flavour I personally find delicious, and the Duke concealing the fact that he is a Duke from Daizell led to a lot of emotional turmoil and revelations and misunderstandings that were fun to sink into. Characters from the gentle art of fortune hunting make an appearance as well in a way that felt entirely true to their respective characters, and was really satisfying and fun during the denouement.

This title isn't my most favourite of KJ's books - I think I like the ones where at least one of the MCs are a bit mean better - and the two MCs in this title were pretty soft and squishy - but it was still thoroughly enjoyable!

This one wasn't for me. I'm realizing that KJ Charles' romances are very plot heavy, so you have to be quite invested in the plot itself for the book to remain interesting throughout. You also have to love the characters themselves, who you spend quite a while getting to know before romance ensues. This really, really worked for me with the Will Darling Adventures trilogy, but hasn't worked for me lately in this new series of hers.

Two characters see each other for who they really are and fall irrevocably in love for it: that trope is at the center of K.J. Charles' new novel (a duke goes on an incognito month-long trip during which he meets a 'gentleman of uncertain fortune' who will assist him in his quest, both lifting each other up and falling for each other along the way). I love KJC's books in general and this one has definitely become one of my favorites. The Duke at Hazard is everything KJC does best. If you love smooth, intelligent writing, vivid characters, adventure, self-discovery arcs, dramatic reveals, hot smut, angst with a happy ending, and heart-melting romance, this is the book for you.

I have enjoyed every KJ Charles book I've read. This is a story about two men who are both looking for love and acceptance. They both struggle with very public images that are not true representations of themselves. This is a road trip story with high jinks along the way as they get to know each other. It was a joy to read.

KJC never misses - and this was no exception!

An excellent romance between a Duke pretending to rough it, and a Gentleman who has fallen on hard times. Truly enjoyed the interplay between the two of them, as well as the secondary plot that involved revenge on another truly heinous villain (KJC does villains so very well!)

Brilliantly written, fabulously witty, and beautifully romantic. What's not to like?

Another delightful and well researched historical romance from KJ Charles. A duke (disguised) and a disgraced gentleman grow close while rattling around England in search of stolen property (and a purpose). Lovely character work and communication in the relationship

The Duke at Hazard, as with any KJ Charles novel, is delightfully well paced, moving quickly through a snappy plot. This novel in contrast to a lot of Charles’ others tends less towards the heavy and more towards a straightforward uplifting romance which is ultimately less to my taste and made the chemistry between the two leads a little dull, especially when there was space for a lot of conflict regarding class. On that same topic of class, the ending also fell rather flat to me as while the duke came to further recognise the privilege of his position, it still ended in him using his power to restore the privilege of another, upholding the structures of class. The novel felt like it was held back in properly interrogating the relationship between a duke and anyone “below” him.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full and honest review.

A Duke undercover. A man who left society and is now cutting out silhouettes for money. After being robbed, the Duke must get his duval ring back.
It’s a road-trip. There’s a rescue in the middle.
It was fun and an easy read.

I absolutely adore everything that KJ Charles writes, especially when we get to meet some characters from previous books (don't worry, they are cameos only). I also like when the books involve characters being vulnerable with each other, gentle and funny plots and just enough right of smut. So, The Duke of Hazard ticks all the boxes for me as a light and cheeky sort-of-sequel to The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting in which we meet a very titled and impressive duke (despite nondescriptive looks), who is also very bad at dealing with day to day matters. While hunting for a stolen ring, he meets a disgraced gentleman, who becomes his guide in the ordinary world. The pair throws themselves into a journey across England which features many public carriages, inns, and cathedrals. Altogether, a fun read from a favourite author.

Nothing like a wildly chaotic road trip, organized by the cute upperclassman with a bad reputation from your Eton days to soothe the soul of a stir-crazy Duke.

After an ill advised tryst that left the Duke of Severn robbed of his clothes, dignity and most importantly his heirloom Severn ring, he returns home to the general mockery of his relatives. They don't believe he would be able to survive in the *real world* without the luxuries that comes with being part of the nobility. So a wager was struck between the Duke and his cousin Leo: He must survive on his own for 1 month, with no valet, no fancy clothing, using a different name and worst of all, taking public transportation.

A month of living incognito is the perfect time for the Duke AKA Cassian to go looking for his stolen ring. He has very little to go by, besides an average looking man probably going by a fake name, wearing a mulberry coat. The search seems doomed on arrival until he meets up with Daizell Charnage. A former gentleman of fortune, until his parents robbed and killed members of the ton and abandoned him to the consequences. Daizell's fall from grace has left him penniless and wandering, never certain if his skills with paper cutting will be enough to afford food and a place to crash. When out of the blue this rich stranger going by the name Cassian hires him to help him track down some stolen property, for a staggering payday of 50 pounds! No brainer, he accepts.

So the two embark on a road trip/treasure hunt that takes them all over England, battling out of control carriages, kidnapping, elopements, and corrupt officials. Will the Duke win his wager? Will they find the ring? Will they find anything else along the way... feelings perhaps?

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I loved this book. This is KJC at her finest. If you loved The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, this is a must read. It's not a sequel, but you may see some familiar faces. A seriously fun time all the way through.