I adored Cora and Leopold's story!! It was so much fun watching these two navigate their marriage of convenience to finally get their HEA!

A new series, by Harper St. George, The Doves of New York - I'm in!

This slow-burn, marriage of convenience, is full of humor and witty banter. Cora and Leo come together in business, but chemistry pivots their plan. Their constant tension roiled through the pages as each shared their respective POV in the story.

A bit of politics, a romance and some family drama made this an enjoyable read. This book's cliffhanger has me ready for Eliza story.

Thank you, Berkley

I am a huge Harper St. George fan and when I saw she was starting a new series, I was ready! And what a delight this was.

I love her ability to write historical romance that also feels modern in a way. I would think that is a difficult thing to do but George does it effortlessly. This book has the perfect amount of angst, steam, and chemistry.

My only grip was that I did find it boring in some spots where the plot almost plateaus and you're left hoping for something interesting to happen. And I will say that I typically feel that way with marriage on convenience stories because the secondary plot has to be as strong as the romance for it to hold my attention.

Overall, this was a fantastic way to start a series and I am looking forward to the next installment.

What a wonderful story!

I liked the flow and character development in this American heiress romance. Cora and Leo are strong-willed and complex characters. The author realistically developed the characters and the scenes in the novel. We gradually learn about Cora and Leo, and I think the characters evolve beautifully throughout the novel. I liked how Cora and Leo's relationship progressed. The love gradually bloomed, and we believe in it. This novel offers a compelling story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I feel like I feel about this book like the last one I read by Harper St. George. The book is really good at the beginning and it gets me hooked, and then the middle gets boring and I fall off the book. It isn’t as interesting and gets a little bit boring and I don’t want to finish.

But I pushed through. And it did get more interesting, but literally at the end of the book. I think the most action happened in the last 4 chapters of the book which is something that I absolutely hate in a book. A lot of the stuff that was happening could’ve happened much earlier in the book and didn’t for whatever reason.

I did like the characters in the book though, especially Deavonworth. He was a gentleman in a world where there weren’t that many gentlemen. I mean he had his problems, he wasn’t perfect, but overall, I felt like he was a pretty solid guy. And that bathroom scene? I mean….

One thing that I thought was odd was that they’re still kind of strangers at the end of the book. Deavonworth even says that he doesn’t think he’ll really ever know everything about Cora. I didn’t really like that because they spent so much time together and still didn’t seem to know all that much about each other. I know that was the premise of the book but it didn’t jive with me.

For all of my complaints, it wasn’t that bad of a book. It was a good read so if you’re into historical fiction where women are trying to make big changes in the world, I would recommend this book.

Harper St. George kicks off a new series with THE STRANGER I WED. The Dove sisters are offered a generous dowry, but the funds won’t be released until they are properly wed. This is Cora’s story as she and her sisters travel from New York to England to find husbands. Cora has it all worked out… or does she? Find out in this addictively romantic tale.

I enjoy St. George and was delighted to begin The Stranger I Wed, the first novel in The Doves of New York featuring three sisters of questionable legitimacy. The girls and their mother have had a rough time of it and are discovered that their grandmother has reconsidered, leaving a sizable dowry to each. However, when they go to receive the funds, Mr. Hathaway refuses to release them until each is married. Cora doesn’t want to marry, but hatches a plan.

They travel to London where their host compiles a list of eligible bachelors and arranges a house party to meet them. The girls screen the men ahead of time and I adored the meet-cute between Cora and Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth. I laughed and soon found myself caught up in their romance, or should I say, arrangement. *winks*

The author weaves in public health issues, women’s suffrage and plenty of banter, chemistry and wit. Cora is headstrong, passionate, and clever. She has this brilliant plan until she isn’t at all sure what she wants and I loved the story that unfolds. Leopold’s passion is in parliament fighting for justices and in protecting his family and restoring the Devonworth estate. He possesses a forward-thinking nature, making him the perfect candidate to unravel Cora’s well-devised strategies.

The romance felt genuine with immediate chemistry and a slow-burn romance that heated delightfully. I loved the tension, discoveries, and outcome.

I cannot wait for the next sister’s story. If you’re a fan of historical romance and strong female characters, you won’t want to miss The Stranger I Wed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Stranger I Wed
By: Harper St. George
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Pub Date: 4/23/24
A new series from author Harper St. George, The Doves of New York. A marriage of convenience in high society. When Cora and Leo begin to cross paths they are strangers. As they marry they are still strangers. Watching their romance develop kept me interested. This book definitely has that slow burn feel to it. I also enjoyed the woman rights advocacy that was happening too. Can’t wait for more in this series. Thanks to Berkeley, NetGalley and Harper St. George.

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I was wondering where Harper St. George would be taking her Gilded Age dollar princesses next and this absolutely blew me away! The sisters have stolen my heart and I am obsessed!

After learning about a generous deathbed from their paternal grandmother Cor Dove takes it upon herself to confront her estranged, father and demand what is due! They strike a deal to her, her sisters and her quirky mom setting sale for London to find husbands in order to claim this inheritance.

For only a marriage of convenience, and a short, one of that, Cora is pleased when she catches the eye of the handsome, impoverished and very kind, Earl of Devonworth - Leopold Brendon. Another deal is struck their marriage conveniences… Until it becomes a little less convenient as they try to avoid the desires sparking between them!

I am going to ship Cora and Leo for a long time- these two literally just stole my heart and I just love them so much. Two characters with their own secrets, but I swear their hearts are as big as an elephants! You couldn’t find a pair that just wanted to be loved and loved more than these two as they keep fighting it!

This was an excellent start to the series and I’m eager to find out how the next Dove sister earns her inheritance!

A marriage of convenience becomes a tender and sexy friends-to-lovers romance in the first of St. George's new "Doves of New York" series.

More American heiresses come across the pond to stir up the ton and march for equality? I'm in. If you enjoyed St. George's "Gilded Age Heiresses" series as I did, this series promises more of the same. It's a spin-off featuring the main characters from "Gilded" as secondary ones this time around. The heiresses that have already found their HEA among London's elite are now sponsoring a new round of young, rich, US ladies looking to exchange their money for titles and love.

Cora Dove is an illegitimate daughter of a rich American businessman. Thanks to a sympathetic grandmother, she and her two sisters have been left inheritances, but they come with a catch. Her father will not release the funds to them, only to their husbands. They can't get husbands in New York because their illegitimacy would prevent it, but no one in England knows about their past.

The Dove sisters and their mother head to London to husband hunt. As the eldest, Cora is most eager to find a marriage of convenience so she can divorce quickly and use her money to keep her sister's from having to marry for anything other than love.

Leopold, the Earl of Devonworth has a brother who owes a fortune to a thug and an ancestral home that is crumbling around his ears. He needs to find an heiress to be his Countess, help his political career and save his family fortunes. What he doesn't want is to fall in love with her.

Once this marriage kicked off, I was riveted. The grace they gave each other, the tender dialogue, the spicy progression from friends to lovers, the pacing of the tension - it was expertly crafted romantic escapism. Take it on vacation this summer or lock yourself up on the weekend. This was a great pre-game read leading up to the new season of Bridgerton!

Harper St. George writes phenomenal Gilded Era romances, and The Stranger I Wed is another wonderful addition to her catalog.

Cora Dove and her sisters must make acceptable matches in order to gain access to their inheritances, but their illegitimacy has limited their prospects in America. Together with their mother, the sisters make a fresh start, hunting for husbands across the pond, where their scandal is not known. The Earl of Devonworth is in desperate need of funds. His father's mismanagement of their assets has left him in a tenuous position. He and Cora make an advantageous match, with an agreement in place to divorce or separate within five years--and with an understanding that this will be a marriage in name only. But the more Devonworth gets to know his bride, the more he respects and appreciates not only her beauty but her intelligence and her wit. Working together to strengthen the rights of women, their respect for each other deepens into admiration and, indeed, love. But when secrets are at risk of coming to light, will love be enough to see them through?

This book is perfect for fans of Sophie Jordan, Julie Ann Long, and Sarah MacLean. And if you've read other books by Harper St. George, I think you'll love the cameos and callbacks from her previous stories. Five stars!

The story of the first of three sisters, who sought a marriage of convenience to provide financial stability for her sisters and mother. Main characters are likeable and admirable in how caring and supportive they are even after experiencing betrayals in their past. The writing flows smoothly from their being strangers to their convenient arrangement to becoming friends and then lovers and fighting to hold on to each other. All in the middle of social issues like public health and women’s rights of the day! Engrossing tale!

Stranger I Wed is the first in the Doves of New York series and a new to me author. This could be read as a standalone even though it’s a spinoff of The Gilded Age Heiresses series. I enjoyed this slow burn and low angst late Victorian romance.

While it starts out as a marriage of convenience, I liked that it didn’t take long for them to become friendly and find common interests. They’re content with their situation, learning about one another through their political interests; so it takes a while for the angst to develop and doesn’t last for too long.

Both MC are lovable but have their flaws throughout. It was refreshing and sweet seeing Leo as a caretaker and the little things he did went a long way in Cora’s eyes. Cora was strong in her convictions and comfortable voicing her opinions.

The other Dove sisters were intriguing too so I’m excited what’s in store for them.

There are two encounters with a fade to black.

I received an advance ebook from Berkeley Publishing Group via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 design your next historical by playing this or that:
-Marriage of convenience or enemies to lovers
-Working class leads or rich hotties
-Kissing behind a potted plant in a ballroom or only one bed in a tavern

The historical details surrounding American heiresses marrying British titles is so interesting to me, so I was excited by the premise of The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George.

Cora Dove has a bit of a scandalous background that she keeps a secret from her new husband, Devon, an impoverished Earl who—like her—also happens to be progressive & passionate about social issues (yay!).

They enter into a marriage of convenience that—despite the initial boundaries they set—turns into something more. Their attraction, & their mutual admiration of each other’s appearances, propels things forward, as does that aforementioned mutual interest in social causes.

While I’m all about leads digging each other’s looks, in this case it kind of just seemed emblematic of the overall superficial feel of their romance. Did I believe they were attracted to each other & respected each other & liked each other? Yes, yes, & yes. Did I feel a burning love between them? No. Sadly, while the book is good, it also didn’t overall wow me.

On the whole, my experience reading Harper St. George’s historicals has been a bit uneven. I’ve read three now, & two were good but didn’t rock my socks off, while I thought the last—with Jacob Thorne & his duchess Camille—was really great. I definitely recommend that one—The Duchess Takes a Husband—if you’re looking for a book to read by the author!

3.5 ⭐️. Out 04/23.

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: the ebook is on a wood table with pink,orange, & purple flowers to the upper left.]

Thank you Berkley the free book and PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I love historical romance, and this is such a fascinating and unique new series. Cora Dove is the illegitimate oldest daughter of a wealthy New Yorker. When her grandmother dies, she leaves Cora and each of her sisters an inheritance. But it comes with strings. Their father has to approve their marriages to suitable husbands, but they can't be connected to New York society. So Cora and her family head off to London to find husbands among the nobility.

I appreciated how amazing and strong Cora was, for herself and for her sisters. And I also loved Leopold, the Earl of Devonworth. After his father ran the family estate bankrupt, he's willing to wed for a large dowry to help his family. And so we get one of my very favorite ropes, marriage of convenience.

The book incorporated some fabulous themes because of Devenworth's involvement with Parliament. As has been the case with several recent novels, there was good coverage of the women's suffrage movement and the Married Women's Property Act. It felt especially appropriate to the content here. But I was even more keen to learn about public health. The book ended with an awesome historical note about sewers and water and their relation to health.

Saskia Maarleveld was as absolutely fabulous as she always is. I love her narration and would listen to audiobooks just to hear her. And I am equally excited now to read more from Harper St. George. She'll be going to my shortlist of must read historical romance authors.

I absolutely loved this book! I discovered Harper St. George about two years ago and started reading her Gilded Age Heiresses series. As soon as I finished that one, I knew there was going to be a spin off. Loving that series so much, I shouldn’t be shocked by how amazing this book was, but I am. Marriage of convenience is my absolute favorite trope and I loved that it was between two strangers. This one was just so well done and captured my whole attention that I finished it in less than 24 hours. I loved seeing these characters go through struggles with who they were, opening up to each other, and fighting for what they believed in. Leo had my whole heart and I just felt for him so much because I know he just wanted to protect himself. Then Cora with her passion, strong beliefs, and kindness just complimented Leo extremely well. The Stranger I Wed is a beautifully written story that left me counting down the days until I can get the next one in the series.

Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️

This is the first book in the new series, The Doves of New York. I was intrigued by the setup of the book, illegitimate heroine from New York goes to England with her mother and sisters to find a husband in order to receive her dowry. The first half of the book is fast paced and I enjoyed how Cora and Devonworth met and were instantly intrigued by each other.
Cora is an unconventional, and bold heroine who is trying to establish a better future for herself and her family. However, I’m not a big fan of those character traits in my HR heroines. Also, the Americans are portrayed as uncouth not sure why.
Cora and Devonworth are attracted to each other but they had no chemistry. The first half of the book is very interesting and sets up the series. Overall, this is a well written book. I’m looking forward to reading the stories of the other sisters.

Thank you to the publisher for providing the ARC.

I loved Harper St. George's previous series, and I was happy to see that the universe would continue with a new set of American heiresses with the Dove sisters, and I was happy to see glimpses of the Crenshaw sisters peaking through. It made the word that St. George has built feel even more real.
Despite a marriage of convenience this is an angsty slow burn of a book that slowly drags out all the skeletons and baggage that Cara and Leo are bringing along. We see them slowly build a relationship (and tear it down and rebuild) that felt realistic and well developed rather than hastily shoved together. They are complex and layered and it made for a beautiful story to read.
While not necessary, I find that authors that incorporate historical research to also write my favorite books too, and the research for this book is plain to see. There are important historical references, plots, and locations incorporated without feeling intentional, but instead just flow.

I cannot wait for the rest of this series (and any more books Harper St. George wants to gift to us).

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars

This was, for the most part, a lukewarm romance for me. The storyline was good and the characters were fairly intriguing, but I never really connected to either main character. It started to get better around the 60/70% range and then a ton of stuff happened in the last 10%.

I really enjoyed the communication, though not at first 😅 They obviously start out hiding a couple things from the other in order to get the marriage solidified, but they slowly start to open up until they've both given up pretty big things about themselves and the other always took it with grace. And there wasn't really a third act breakup, which was so nice, but the final "conflict" was sort of overtaken by something else completely out of left field. Other than that, I like how the ending was handled.

I am starting to really like these regency era romances more and more, so I enjoyed that and the fight for women's rights that was taking place throughout. It really is rage inducing to see what these men, and women, say about women's rights. I know, I know. This is a book, but this shit really happened and I'm sure this all was said in some way or another by someone back in the day.

Overall would recommend for any regency era romance lovers. 💜

Wow! I have a few books by this author but they are unread! Well they are all in my TBR pile now!
Cora Dove on of 3 infamous Dove sisters due to her mothers affair with a Mr Hathaway. A very influential and wealthy family.
Due to Cora’s courage she and her sisters posses a dowry but they must use it to marry an English Lord leaving their past and shame behind!
Cora is friends with another American Camille and she invites them to watch a game of football as men are totally themselves and why not see them in a state of deshabille!
The Earl of Devonworth is one fine specimen of a man! His lack of wealth and just a title is well known in England but so much to the American heiress’s!
The Earl aka Leo has a reckless brother plus some bad luck that means he needs a Dollar princess as soon as possible!
These two are drawn to each other from the beginning and Cora the responsible one not necessarily the pretty one is used to being overlooked!
These two have a very slow burn as they get to know each other! The expectations of a short marriage change drastically!
Leo has some past hurts and doesn’t seem to understand you want to be friends with your spouse!
Sure physically things change but you need friendship to always have each other’s back!
But secrets have a way of getting out! When they do Leo makes a choice to protect Cora and her sisters but she may never forgive him!
Can they decide with their hearts and not their minds! Because evil is definitely lurking! Bravo

When Cora Dove, the eldest of Charles Hathaway’s three illegitimate daughters, receives a letter from her father’s mother, filled with regrets and a promise of inheritance for her and her sisters, she is overjoyed and ventures to the home of her father. But her father changes the terms, making the money his mother promised to the girls a dowry that is contingent on his approval of their grooms and forbids them to marry anyone in the Northeast who might socialize with his legitimate family. But Cora will not be deterred, she sets her sites on England and the peerage and with the help of Camille, the Duchess of Hereford, she hopes to find the perfect match. She has no dreams of finding Prince Charming and living happily ever after, she just hopes she can find a man that is willing to agree to her terms of a paper marriage that will be dissolved in a few years without revealing any of her secrets.

Leopold Brendon, the Earl of Devonworth, needs a rich bride, thanks to his younger brother’s obscene gambling debts. Enter Cora Dove, the American heiress seems to be the answers to all his problems, and after a bit of negotiating, they agree on terms, she will live with him for two years and if they are not able to divorce, she will agree to bear his heir before separating. He has been in love before and has no desire to repeat the experience, so Cora is perfect for him. But once they begin to spend time together, it is clear that they are perfect for each other and could be a powerful political couple and well as passionate lovers. But they both have secrets and once they begin to come out, danger, betrayal, and heartache is sure to follow. Will they find a way to HEA or was their love doomed from the start?

As with all Harper St. George’s books, this story was well written and filled with likable characters. Cora and Leo are wonderful characters, both intent on keeping their marriage strictly in name only, each with their own reasons, but their attraction is strong and soon feelings are involved. My only qualm is that the story moved slow – I would not go as far as to say it dragged, but I did start feeling impatient with the progression of the romance. The story is a slow-burn, low heat romance with secrets, lies, previous betrayal, great secondary characters, interesting historical events, cameos from previous characters, lots of emotion, wonderful chemistry, a bit of danger and finally a well-deserved HEA. This book is the start of a new series and has ties to the previous series. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to Eliza’s story.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*