An American heiress challenges the aristocracy

The marriage of convenience trope takes on new insights here. Cora Dove and her sisters, illegitimate daughters of one of Fifth Avenue’s most prestigious families, have been left a large sum of money by their grandmother. Its conditional upon them marrying someone their father, Mr. Hathaway (who doesn’t acknowledge them) approves of, and they remove themselves from New York.
The girls and their mother sail to London (far enough away?) to join the stream of American heiresses marrying into the cash strapped aristocracy. (Approval guaranteed!)
Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, is a vocal member of parliament supporting a variety of forward thinking causes. He needs to marry an heiress. His brother Harry’s gambling habit is bringing the family coffers to its knees. Their ancestral home, Timberscombe Park, is falling down around his ears. (Why he puts up with Harry’s antics are a mystery to me).
Cora it seems is the answer. Only Cora, a staunch suffragette, makes an unusual request to which Leo agrees.
The path of their romance is somewhat rocky and steamy, but love eventually conquers all.
Interesting premise to the novel but at times becomes tad stilted and cliched.

A Berkeley Group ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I have been wanting to read this book since the author first started teasing its release. It did not disappoint me when I actually got a chance to read it. Cora Dove meets Leo, the Earl of Devonworth, when she travels to England in search of a title in order to gain an inheritance left to her and her sisters by their paternal grandmother. She and Leo meet and marry despite each of them having secrets. As they get to know each other, they learn to care enough about each other that they can share some of their secrets. Of course Cora's secrets may affect Leo's political ambitions and her standing in the ton and Leo's secrets may affect their relationship. So much romantic flirting and fall off of the pages lust between the characters, I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to Eliza and Jenny's stories next.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review

A strong-willed female lead and a charismatic male lead. It’s great that you have both POVs and enjoy getting into the heads of both characters. They both have their agendas and interests, but through great chemistry, they learn there is so much more they can accomplish as a team. You really root for them to find their way together! Though I am not usually one to read stories in a historical era, this story had me hooked from start to finish!

Reading Harper St. George's newest title is a no-brainer for me at this point. I've been a fan of hers ever since reading her first book in The Gilded Age Heiresses series, The Heiress Gets a Duke. There are appearances of past characters as well as inferences to events that took place in that series, however you do not need to read any of them first if you have not done so already. I really don't think it would cause any confusion, however, you will get some spoilers from the other series. Once again, the author is highlighting the suffrage movement with a heroine who is very involved in the cause. The hero is heavily into politics and what they would have considered progressive at that time for his support of women's rights and the common working man.

This story had a marriage of convenience trope, but it had the vague feel of a fake relationship trope as well due to this couple's pre-engagement agreement to put on a public front of a real marriage. Cora has come to England for the sole purpose of finding a man of noble birth to marry. She's not interested in romance or love, what she has planned is a mutually beneficial arrangement where her inheritance is released upon her marriage, and her new husband fills his empty coffers. She does not want a genuine marital relationship, and hopes that they can separate or even divorce after two years. This would be somewhat of a scandal for anyone of noble blood during that time, but not completely unheard of. After she and Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth meet, they quickly decide that both of their desperate situations can be resolved with this simple arrangement.

Leo is as loyal as you can get, dependable, and generous to those he loves. With an estate in major disrepair, limited funds, and a brother with a dangerous gambling debt, he calmly chooses to marry Cora because it will be beneficial to everyone. Like Cora, he has no interest in love. In fact, he has an extreme aversion to it after a betrayal of a past lover. He guards his heart carefully, and even the thought of growing an attachment to someone practically makes him break out in hives. Though a divorce wouldn't be ideal for him, he is willing to grant Cora her wish as long as they are able to attain one. If not, she agrees to provide him with the male heir that he needs to continue the family line. They approach the marriage in a businesslike manner in the beginning, although there is a subtle attraction and appreciation for each other that neither like to acknowledge.

I had difficulty with how Cora entered into their marriage. Even though this would be a marriage on paper only, he questioned her about her family, her mother's history, and their financial situation. She deliberately deceived him by hiding her mother's past in theater, and the truth of her own illegitimate birth. Before they agreed on the engagement, he transparently told her that he'd had her family investigated for his own peace of mind. Rather than fill in the gaps of the investigator's report, she lied to him (outright or by omission) because she was scared that he would back out. She kept justifying it throughout the book, but there finally came a point where her guilt forced a confession out of her.

The problem is, he wouldn't want the scandal from the skeletons in her family closet and she knew that. Her actions, and those of her family directly affect him and his public reputation which is something he needs to be conscious of due to his political involvement. Her actions were selfish towards him, and even when she did come clean, he let her off the hook completely. She only confesses one of her secrets, and she has another one which ends up causing a big conflict later on in the story that he needs to resolve. Another issue was their odd dynamic for the first 50-60% of the book. They acted like polite acquaintances who happen to be married. Essentially that's what they are, but the two of them were a bit too distant for my taste.

I did love how Leo appreciated Cora's strong beliefs and encouraged her to speak her mind. They shared similar values and both felt very passionate about them. It was one of the main things they bonded over as she supported his efforts to pass a Health Act that would improve living and working conditions for the working class. She is a proficient writer, and her skills are put to use fine tuning his speech in support of the upcoming bill. They both have/had a rocky relationship with their fathers, and they both are very protective of their families. Even their differences seem to compliment each other-she and her family are very open, unabashedly show emotion and their passion for life. He is very reserved and dignified, and unconsciously holds his emotions in check. While he does hold on to that reserve for a long time and resists his growing emotional connection, he certainly falls hard once he lets go of his fears.

Cora and Leo's relationship went from married to friends to lovers which is far from the typical order of things (to say the least). I didn't fully enjoy the way that it was executed, and it showed in the way that the first two parts tended to drag for me for long stretches. The last bit finally picked up, and I enjoyed seeing them be openly loving and affectionate with one another once they both decided to make their marriage a real one in every sense. Eliza's story is next in line, which has been teased just enough to whet my interest in continuing on with the series.

The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George, book one in The Doves of New York series, focusing on three Dove siblings in London; an entertaining fake relation that is absolutely delightful. Cora Dove and her two sisters are the illegitimate daughters of a man from one of New York’s wealthiest and founding families. When her birth-grandmother (her father’s mother) passes away, the will states that she regrets the ways Cora and her sisters were treated and wanted to do right by giving them all inheritances; except they must marry English noblemen to receive their inheritance. Not one for sentimentality, Cora makes a careful plan, and with her sisters and mother travel 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 Leopold Brendon, the Earl of Devonworth, who needs her wealth to save his estate and fund his efforts in Parliament to establish clean water for the working class.

Leo and Cora’s relationship is based on respect; before falling in love, Cora and Leo respect each other as individuals and as scholars. Cora helps Leo with his speeches, and he accepts her help, often asking her opinion. They marry for convenience, but as time passes, inconvenient feelings start to arise. They are nearly strangers when they get married and they first have to slowly become friends. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I’m looking forward to Cora's sisters finding their matches.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#netgalley #berkley

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

I enjoyed this book, which is the first in a new historical fiction romance series. It follows a family of 3 sisters who are the illegitimate daughters of a wealthy NYC man who is a member of one of the founding families of the city. Their father refuses to recognize them, but when his mother dies, she leaves each girl a huge inheritance. Their father sees this as a way to get the women out of NYC, so he states they can't inherit until they find suitable husbands out of the City. So, the girls head to England to find a titled husband.

This book focuses on the eldest daughter, Cora Dove. She is strong and intelligent and the main force keeping her family together despite their flighty mother. She's determined to make a match to get her inheritance, and see that her sisters do as well. They figure a poor titled man in search of a wife with a big dowry is their best bet for a quick marriage. They have no illusions it will be a love match, but they at least hope they will like their husbands. But, as she's introduced to one poor titled man after another, she's resigned to the fact that she may not even like her husband.

Enter Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, a no-nonsense member of Parliament whose plan to pass a Public Health bill that would provide clean water to the working class requires the backing of a wealthy wife. His father burned through the family money on foolish things, leaving their ancestral home in disrepair and their farm and lands in distress. His younger brother's excessive gambling debts only adds more pressure to Devonworth's financial woes. Hence, he decides to meet Cora and propose an arrangement. It doesn't hurt that he's attracted to her and thinks she's interesting.

The duo negotiate a marriage of convenience that achieves both their goals, with specific parameters outlined. But, the more they interact, the more they find to like about each other. This is a very slow romance, but eventually the lines are blurred, sparks fly, and the couple act on their attraction. I enjoyed Cora and Devonworth's chemistry and their witty banter was very cute. I like that he appreciated her intelligence instead of being threatened by it, and for the time period, he was very progressive in his thoughts and ideas. It was refreshing to read in these kind of books, where the men are typically condescending and believe they know what's best for the woman and that she should just sit back and let him make all the decisions in her life. Ugh. No thank you. I don't care what era you're in.

The inclusion of social issues like the fight for clean water, women's property rights, and other social issues was fantastic to read. While we don't typically associate progressive ideas with this time period, it's important to remember that there were small groups of social warriors fighting the good fight even back then. We owe women's rights to those fierce ladies, so I tip my hat to their efforts.

The book was steady and didn't have a lot of dramatic, miscommunication moments or blow ups. I appreciated that because the miscommunication trope is my least favorite one. I also liked that it set up the next book in the series with another Dove sister.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley and Ms. St. George for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but nor required.

Harper St. George is back with a new set of American misses hoping to find love abroad. This time it's a set of three illegitimate sisters: the Dove sisters, Cora, Jenny and Eliza. Their grandmother leaves the girls inheritances in her will, but their father (who, of course, has a wife and legitimate children) leverages the inheritances into dowries and subsequently forbids the girls to find husbands in American society. The girls troop off to London to husband-hunt, aided by the American heiresses who have already succeeded, and accompanied by their loose-cannon mother Fanny.

Leopold, Earl of Devonworth (generally called Devon or Dev, by everyone except Cora) is attractive, kind, and in possession of a venerable title - but no money. His hometown pickings are slim until Cora arrives and a match is quickly made. Despite Cora's assertion that the two will divorce after a sufficient amount of time, they each (naturally) begin to fall for the other. And because it's a HSG book, there are time-period-appropriate Issues involved. For her, it's suffragism and women's rights in general, and for him, the Public Health act.

The book got off to a slow start. I wasn't all that enamored of Cora and found the beginning a little dry. The meet-cute with Leo was a little silly, although I couldn't help from the situation and his physical description picturing an old-timey David Beckham in the role. So sue me. I really liked friendship Cora and Leo built, and I enjoyed that the tense relationship between Cora and Leo's mother softened into something hopeful. I wish more of the loose ends had been resolved (Harry, for one; paying *11,000 pounds* of debt and shipping him off to Europe seemed to be entirely ineffective; the ominous mentions of Lady Sofia that amounted to exactly nothing was another). And I sort of wish that the siblings waited to come to Europe with Cora; Jenny and Eliza were distracting and frankly I occasionally found them more interesting than Cora. However, the last third of the book was riveting and I tore through it at top speed. It's also worth mentioning that this is a series starter which does mean a certain amount of character establishment that is less necessary in subsequent books.

Really looking forward to Jenny and Eliza's books. 3.5 stars for this one.

Seems I recently found my way back into my Romance Era! If you are a fan of Jane Austen and feel good historical romances, then you’ll want to add The Stranger I Wed to your reading list. The best part - this is the first book in The Doves of New York series! I absolutely love series that are centered around sisters finding love.

Cora and her sisters move across the ocean from New York to London in hopes of finding reputable marriage matches in order to be able to claim their inheritance and escape their well known illegitimate status in NY. Leopold is so focused on his career in the Parliament and determined not to risk his heart ever again. Their marriage might hold many surprises for both of them!

I loved both Cora and Leo individually and together. It was so refreshing to read a love story where majority of tension and obstacles came from outside of characters. And I loved the historical aspect of the story, shedding light on women’s rights movement of that time. This was a slow burn, mild spice but lots of warm and fuzzy feels kind of romance.

Read this if you like:

💜 Marriage of Convenience
💜 Forced proximity
💜 Progressive male leads
💜 Mild spice
💜 Lots of romance

On that note, I need Eliza and the Duke (Book 2) immediately! 😭 A huge thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cora Dove and her sisters are the illegitimate daughters of Mr. Hathaway, a high society businessman in New York. When their grandmother dies and leaves a dowry for each daughter, Mr. Hathaway uses it as leverage and gives them a stipulation: in order to obtain their inheritance, they must marry a suitable, title-bearing husband. Cora travels to England and meets Leopold, the Earl of Devonworth, who desperately needs her wealth. An arrangement is made, but soon they find they may have gotten more than they bargained for.

I needed this story like I needed oxygen. Harper has such an amazing and intriguing way of writing historical romances. There’s so much history woven into the story but the characters always feel progressive in a way that feels so good. Cora is a fiery woman and Leo is her perfect match. The tension and the angst is so delicious, it will keep you flipping the pages. The bathroom scene had me BESIDE MYSELF. Please, everyone read this book and then report back to me.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Harper St. George and Berkeley for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions in my review are honest, voluntary and my own.

I enjoyed "The Stranger I Wed" by Harper St. George. Leopold and Cora are caring, intelligent and witty characters each looking for a solution to their problems. I loved their meet cute! The slow burn pace of the story worked for me as they are essentially strangers who enter into a marriage of convenience. Secrets come to light as they learn about and genuinely support each other. Consider me hooked, as I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a complimentary copy from #berkleypublishing via #netgalley, and this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

#thestrangeriwed #harperstgeorge #historicalromance #gildedage #romancebooks

The Stranger I Wed

Cora is an illegitimate child of a very wealthy NY family (think the Astor or Vanderbilt types) along with her two sisters Jenny and Eliza. They unexpectedly come into an inheritance from their estranged grandmother, however their father stipulates that they can only receive it as a dowry. To men who live far, far away with fancy titles. Off the girls go to England to snare some aristocrats. Cora ends up marrying Lord Devonsworth in a pretty up front way, but what happens when feelings start to grow between them?

Overall I’d say this book merits a 3.5. I would definitely read other books by this author and there are some connections to her precious series I have heard.

I’d say this book is for you if you’re a lover of the romance genre. It’s an easy read and the situation of this marriage of convenience + inheritance is fun.

I do think there were some missed opportunities to build tension. A lot happened in the last 10% that could have been done earlier. And I think there could have been more angst and more interesting events (balls, flirting with others, jealousy).

Looking forward to the next book in the series!

This book has away putting you back in the time. In which it is set. Cora and her sisters have been given a diary but who controls their wealth in New York City says only if they marry shall they receive it. To get a fresh start in England and meet up with the Earl of Devon worth. He is fighting in parliament, but needs a wealthy wife. to see how they start to react with what with each other while there are other secrets, bubbling under the surface is romantic and at the same time. I really enjoyed how he was with her and their journey to love is beautiful. I’m looking forward to the other sisters stories.

This was very enjoyable and a nice, quick read. Cora and Leo took a bit to stop fighting their feelings for each other, but it was plot and character supported, which means I'm cool with it. I thoroughly enjoyed this mix of cultural clash, class clash, and self-arranged weddings. It was easy to root for everyone. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series to hear what is up next for the rest of the Dove sisters.

Oh I so love a good marriage of convenience, and this one was fantastic. They got married quite early on, and I was so happy to get a marriage on paper only because I so wanted a slow burn. Their relationship evolved quite nicely, from strangers to friends to lovers, and it was all very believable. Their attraction was pretty much there from the start but still, the sexual tension between the two got hotter and hotter as this story went on so it was a perfect slow buuuuuurn with a big fire.

Both characters were relatable and easy to love. Taking care of their family, doing what they thought was best and all. We had a first meeting that was quite "striking" and it was so entertaining. They were pretty resolved about their situation and honest with what they expected form this marriage from the start, which I appreciate. You could tell they truly cared about each other. It took them quite a while to accept the fact that they were a perfect match as they developped feelings. I did feel like shaking them a little at one point but they eventually managed on their own.

I always enjoy reading about historical romance when there is a bit of a clash between England and America's ways. Considering that Cora's family wasn't even part of the higher sphere of society it was even more of a clash and it was interesting to see. It was a well written story with characters that completed each other, a delight to read. I'll definitely have to get to The Gilded Age Heiresses series sitting on my TBR now!

Thanks to the author and Berkley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Cora and her sisters are the illegitimate daughters of a wealthy and prominent man in New York society. However, he has never publicly claimed them. When their grandmother dies, Cora finds out her grandmother left each of them an inheritance. When she discusses it with her biological father he decrees they must marry respectable men and move away from New York. Cora accepts the challenge and soon she and her family travel to London to find titles husbands. Enter Leo, our hero. He is an Earl in desperate need of a wife with money.

Tropes to expect:
Gilded Age time period
Marriage of convenience
Slow burn romance 🔥
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Strangers to friends to lovers

This book is the first in a new series! If you’ve read the author’s other series, you’ll spot some cameos! Cora and Leo have great chemistry from the start—not to mention, an iconic meet cute! Both don’t believe romantic love lasts, but can they prove each other wrong? 😏

I have been wanting to dive back into historical romance for a while, and this book was the perfect choice. There were so many heartfelt, cute scenes between these two that had me kicking my feet and squealing! Cora and Leo’s banter and vulnerable, sweet moments were everything I love about romance and historical romance.

This is the perfect read if you’re looking for a sweet romance with some pining set during the Gilded Age! I can’t wait for the next book ☺️

🕊️ Happy Pub Day Book Review 💜

Happy Pub Fay to The Stranger I Wed! I’ve loved most all of the books @harperstgeorge has written and I was so excited to get to read the very first of her new The Doves of New York series.

In addition to having those gorgeous dresses on the cover, this series follows heiresses desiring to marry into London high society. Following the same formula as St. George’s The Gilded Age Heiresses series…this series has a twist though, the Doves aren’t legitimate and true heiresses. But, they will be IF…

Well, you’ll have to read to find out! 😉

Harper St. George’s historical romances are a bit of a slow burn, but I love that about them! This one is no exception and I can’t wait to read the next sister’s story. 🤓

In The Stranger I Wed, Harper St. George starts a new historical romance series linked to her previous books. The description was catnip to me: Cora Dove is the illegitimate daughter of an elite New York City Gilded Age businessman who can inherit a substantial sum from her grandmother but only if she marries. She looks towards London, to avoid gossip, and has a meet cute with Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth. Devonworth is a pragmatic, cool MP who needs money for this estates. A marriage of convenience quickly is arranged, and then a very slow burn starts between them. These characters are well matched, and the author takes care to show how they complement and support one another. The silliness is in the classic not talking to each other, indicating that they want to the nature of their marriage to become more real. This drags the rating down from 5 to 4 stars. It seemed to only happen to drag the story longer. It's a sturdy book, with likeable characters, but it could've taken more interesting turns instead of them repressing their feelings for each other.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

The Stranger I Wed was an entertaining and intriguing story and I had a great time reading it. It had good humor and banter and I loved watching Leo and Cora fall in love. I really liked the time period, the build and pace, and watching it all unfold with fantastic wit and dialogue. It made for a wonderful series starter!

I immediately liked Cora and her tenacity. She was a strong woman who knew who she was and what she had to do for her family. I enjoyed learning about her and her family dynamics, her lineage, and what a mess it was. I liked Leo as well and learning about him. I loved what was set up between them with the marriage of convenience scenario. I liked them meeting and the chemistry between them. I loved watching their feelings grow and catch fire throughout the story.

I thought the story flowed well and appreciated that it was told from dual POVs. For the most part, it was exciting and fun with a lot of great moments and scenes that kept things moving along. There was a spot in the middle that felt slow but it picked back up just when I needed it too. There was a lot of political talk involved, which I thought worked well with the story and their beliefs, but it never felt like a lecture or a lesson. There are a lot of characters involved, some I really liked, and some were not my favorite. I liked learning about her sisters and what has been set up for future stories. I was not a fan of her father and her mother seemed a bit over the top. I thought this was pretty light in the drama department, nothing too taxing and all easily resolved.

Overall, I thought this was a delightful story with likable characters. I loved watching Cora and Leo grow and trust each other and fall in love. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

New York residents loved to gossip about Cora Dove's parentage. When her dying grandmother gives her and her sister generous dowries out of guilt, they’re told the funds will be released once they’re married far away from New York. England seems far enough away, and Cora only wants a husband that will respect her. The Earl of Devonworth wants to pass a bill benefiting the working class' water supply and will need money to do it. The marriage of convenience has more strings attached than they thought, including actual desire and secrets untold.

Cora's biggest secret is one we know from the start: she's illegitimate, as are her sisters and her biological father wants them all far away from his friends and legitimate daughter so he won't be embarrassed by their existence. This isn't spoken of in polite society of England, so her true parentage remains hidden. The wedding goes off without a hitch and is far more lonely than she thought it would be. As the eldest, she tries to keep everything hidden until her sisters are married, and she doesn't know anyone else in London. With similar views on the rights of women and the poor, Cora and Leopold grow closer as they work together on his speeches.

There's a good bit of historical accuracy in this story, from the terrible winter destroying some of Leopold's holdings to the suffrage movement and legislation to help the common workers. In this atmosphere, the forward-thinking couple develops mutual respect and friendship, which complicates the marriage of convenience and turns into a friends-to-lovers scenario. It's a fun execution of these favorites and a great look at the time period on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. As thr first book of The Doves of New York series, we're sure to see Cora and Leopold as they help Cora's sisters in future novels.

This is a 3.5 star rounded up. I really enjoyed the premise of this book but I couldn't connect with the characters as easily and readily. This is a first regency era romance for me and I'm very interested to check out more. Cora is the illegitimate daughter of a man from a wealthy family and upon the grandmother's death - there is a new chance to receive an inheritance - with a stipulation - of GETTING MARRIED. Cora meets a suitable bachelor to enter a marriage of convenience. Again - great premise but it just dragged a bit for me. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.