I loved this!! It was so swoony and sweet. The pining is off the charts and I loved every second of it. Leo and Cora were everything together.

Ok, I’d read the phone book if it included a marriage of convenience trope! And here we go with a Gilded Age, M of C trope, two wonderful realized main characters, and a plot line that holds your interest and intrigues you. Throw in a little suffragette action on their part along with some pubic health and reform politics and I’m there. So will you be, I’m sure.

This contains some sexy bits for your reading enjoyment. I also loved the afterward where Ms. St. George explains the real history behind the action in this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Maaaaaaannn this had everything to be stellar! I really enjoy Harper's writing style. Her last series was fantastic and I ate it up. I honestly don't know what happened here.

Drive-by summary:
Cora and here sisters are illegitimate and poor...until her grandmother leaves them all enormous inheritances as a way to feel better about treating them like trash while she was living. Her father will only release the funds if they find worthy husbands outside of the US. This all leads Cora to marry a handsome and penniless Earl she met only once and chose via Bachelorette. They are like the same person and ultimately fall in love.

The pacing was all wrong. the first and last quarter of the book were supersonic speed and then the middle was molasses speed. It felt off. For example, they start connecting when she begins helping him with his speech while also pretending to be sleeping together., but we dont actually read much of it. It's just told to us after the fact. A ton of the book we don't experience in real time. It is told to us by one of their POV after. It was just strange.

What I liked and why I will read the next one?
The characters were just fun. I want to see what her little sister gets into next.

Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

It was very exposition-heavy which just isn’t for me. I stopped after the first section (6%). It has solid historical vibes. I’d guess easy three stars for the target audience and four to five for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

a nice spin off from the earlier "gilded age" series. good plot and characters, especially the minor characters.

Harper St. George writes beautiful, romantic, steamy, FUN historical reads! I love her style of writing. Her books are easy to read and her characters easy to love. Cora and Devonworth's romance was unputdownable. I loved their chemistry and banter. Excited to read the rest of this series!
Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for my copy.

The Stranger I Wed is the first book in The Doves of New York Series; a series about three sisters and their mother going to London to try to change their lives, due to manipulations of the 'patriarch' of their family. This first book introduces us to the entire Dove family but focuses on Cora, the oldest sister, and the one who instigates their move to London, after confronting her father and discovering conditions on her inheritance.


When they arrive in London, the sisters begin scouting their prospects and on one such scouting exhibition, Cora meets her future spouse, the Earl of Devonworth when he accidentally runs her over while playing football. As one might expect, they both find the other fascinating and because of the nature of him needing money and her needing a title, they end up marrying fairly quickly after that meeting. Initially the marriage is one of convenience--he needs the cash and she needs the security his title offers; he doesn't want to risk his heart and she most definitely doesn't want that either. What she does want, however, is independence and freedom. As they get to know each other, their resolve to not know each other disappears and with that respect and love blooms. Before you know it, they're writing together, laughing together, and seem like a team--something neither of them anticipated. Of course, because this is a romance, there's that hesitation about whether this development in their marriage is something that they want. With a little conflict and reflection and resolution, these two find their happily ever after and now we get to see Eliza's journey from single New Yorker to the newest belle of London.

A new series set in the same world as the Gilded Age series - with Camille, Violet and August in minor supporting roles!! This time, it’s a new set of American sisters seeking their mates within the ton - but these ladies have a bevy of secrets in their trousseau and everything to lose if they are discovered.

Ok - real talk. I totally loved Cora and her pragmatic approach to seeking a husband. I also found Leo to be endearing in his demeanor, it was unexpected and disarming. Do I wish they had gotten hot and heavy sooner? Absolutely. Were the scenes where they did mash parts worth the wait? Absofuckinlutely. The mirror scene was especially hot 🥵

I look forward to see where HSG takes this new series - I think it’s going to be a wild ride.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

My first book by this author and it definitely won't be my last. I have been meaning to read a book by this author for a while now and I am so glad I got approved for this.This was right up my alley. marriage of convenience is one of my favourite tropes so I devoured this.The writing is great and I read it with ease and the charcaters were multidimensional. Great read definitely recommend. Will be checking the rest of her books out for sure!

thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the ebook!

I always look forward to a new St. George publication, as I appreciate that this author's historical romance stories are just that: romantic while also heavily inspired by real historical figures and events. She is successfully able to portray characters that are ambitious, progressive, and ahead of their times in terms of human rights (the absence of this tends to repel me from the historical romance genre). I very much enjoyed this albeit shaky start to a continuation of the gilded age heiresses series of standalones.

Ultimately, the romance simply fell short for me. I was not a fan of much of the hero's behavior in the latter third of the novel. It featured a lot of push and pull that was unfair to Cora's emotions on account of a mildly tragic prior love affair that existed solely for the sake of more unnecessary conflict. More than that, his inability to communicate and voice his problems dampened my reading experience.

Also, I never want to hear a certain body part be described as "weeping" ever again (and it happened twice in this one).

3.5 stars

A marriage of convenience or something more? The eldest of three daughters of dubious origin, Cora and her sisters come into a fortune rather suddenly. The stipulation? They must marry Englishmen to unlock their inheritances. Never one for sentimentality, Cora makes a careful plan and travels from New York to London with a clear goal: find a husband and then convince him to divorce her so she can keep her independence. Enter Leo, the Earl of Devonworth and a respected liberal in Parliament whose estates are desperately in need of the money an heiress can provide. A marriage of convenience quickly ensues, but as time goes on, inconvenient feelings start to arise.

At its core, The Stranger I Wed centers around a relationship based on respect. Before they fall in love, Cora and Leo respect each other as individuals and as scholars. Cora helps Leo with his speeches, and he accepts her help and openly asks her opinion. It's easy for the historical romance genre to fall into the trap of all passion and no genuine connection, but the author expertly avoids such a trap, instead setting up a sizzling slowburn that is enthralling as well as romantic.

As a heroine, Cora felt true to period. While she valued women's suffrage and independence, her attitude and approach didn't feel like a modern woman thrown 150 years into the past (which is much appreciated by this reviewer who values attempts at historical accuracy almost as much as the romance). Her strength wasn't so obvious as to be annoying and her wit was never aimed at putting others down.

Leo was a swoon-worthy hero. He respected Cora as her own person and valued her companionship enough to be hesitant to further their relationship. The way he pined for her (guys, the pining in this book is off the charts) never felt demeaning, even though he was detailed in his appreciation. Respect and understanding were built into everything he did, so while he was certainly an honorable Victorian gentleman, his habits wouldn't offend modern sensibilities.

As a fan of Harper St. George's other Victorian romances, I must admit that this was one of my favorites. Cora and Leo are so sweet and believable and I loved that the tension was never forced or worsened by unnecessary miscommunication. Watching previous couples flit in and out of the story was amusing, as was the set-up for the next book. Fans of the Gilded Age Heiresses will not be disappointed!

Harper St. George's "The Stranger I Wed" transports readers to the Gilded Age with a captivating tale of American heiress Cora Dove navigating London's high society. Faced with a generous dowry contingent on marrying outside New York, Cora enters a marriage of convenience with Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, a pragmatic parliamentarian. This historical romance artfully weaves themes of love, independence, and societal change as Cora champions women's rights alongside her unexpected husband. St. George crafts a compelling narrative with a delightful mix of romance and social commentary, making it a standout in the Gilded Age Heiresses series. The characters' palpable chemistry, the unconventional storyline, and St. George's spicy romance style make "The Stranger I Wed" a must-read for historical romance enthusiasts seeking a blend of passion and societal evolution.

I’m a big fan of Harper St. George and this book was great! It introduces the Dove sisters. Cora is the oldest and when she marries she will get an inheritance from her wealthy father who chooses not to acknowledge her and her illegitimate family. She marries Leo for his title and he marries her for her money- strictly a business arrangement. I like this arc of business turned lovers. This book was a slow burn but fast read. A must read!

I have really enjoyed other Harper St. George books so I was excited to see that she was writing a new series! This one was just as enjoyable. I really liked the build up to the relationship for these two main characters snd i cant' wait to read the additional stories in the series.

thank you for the early copy!

This was such an enjoyable historical romance - yet it was so much more than just a romance. A glimpse into a bygone era that would satisfy the hardest Downton Abby fan, it was such a pleasure to read! Love truly is worth everything, and Cora learns that when she meets a Parliamentary member after being shuttled across the sea to England in search of a husband. But Cora is a worthy heroine - strong and interested in women's rights, and so the historical research of Ms. St. George shines through while you are reading a wonderful romance. Highly recommended and anyone who wants more Evie Dunmore (smart historical romance) would without a doubt love this book! Highly recommended!

Harper St. George returns to the glittering world of the Gilded Age Heiresses with a new group of characters for us to celebrate and swoon over.

I love a good marriage of convenience/fake dating turns to real feelings story, and this book delivers that and more. While it follows another American heiress, Cora has a lot more to lose than the heroines of St. George's other novels. She is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy man in America who has to marry - and marry well - in order to secure the inheritance left to her by the family's recently deceased matron. She is desperate to support her mother and sisters, and she gets drawn into the decadent and demanding world of London's elite families with her marriage to the fortune hunting Devonworth.

I love the direction that the author is taking for this series. St. George delivers a spicy romance overflowing with romantic tension and longing looks, but she does it through and unexpected cast of characters. Cora is as refined as an American can be expected to be among the British nobility, but she's still outspoken about her beliefs. Devonworth is a cinnamon roll of a romance hero who champions noble causes in parliament. The two fall for each other while working together to build a better world. It's precious, and I loved every minute of it.

You will love this book if you love a historical romance where the main characters are championing social change, the marriage of convenience trope, he falls first (and falls HARD), and Harper St. George's style of spicy romance.

This was a sweet and tender romance, with adorable and likeable main characters, good chemistry, and good character development. The hero was a wonderful deviation from the “typical” historical romance hero, neither a rake nor a stuffy guy, he was really a breath of fresh air, an actual good and likeable guy trying to just do his best to help ppl. This one is pretty low in angst, a sweet romance.

I’d love to see some more older heroines from the author though, it’s tough on my modern sensibilities to have quite to many 19-22 year old heroines in all these books. I’d love to see some more experienced women (either in life or sexual matters) get their HEAs too.

A pleasant read with some saucy scenes should have been enough, but the saccharine sentiment created much cringe, and the characters lacked any real depth or connection. Missed the mark for me but will no doubt be enjoyed by others who enjoy a mellow read.

I am a massive fan of her other sister series to this…but this didn’t do it for me. In the end I didn’t believe that they fell in love with each other. I just couldn’t feel for any of these characters, plot felt all over the place so it didn’t help in that matter

This has been my year of discovering just how much I love a good historical romance 😂 I was about to reread the Gilded Age Heiresses series when I requested this one on a whim - it was approved and I immediately read the entire thing in less than 24 hours…

Harper St. George is a genius - I love the historical aspects that are clearly well researched and also played up so well throughout the story line. I love the cameos from my favorite characters in the Gilded Age series. The chemistry and spice is *chefs kiss*. Absolutely cannot wait for Eliza’s story next….

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!