3.5 stars! The Stranger I Wed is the first book in a new Gilded Age historical romance series by Harper St. George and it includes a marriage of convenience. If you loved her previous series, Gilded Age Princesses, then you will definitely enjoy this series and even enjoy appearances of those familiar characters too!

This has a super intriguing premise that grabbed my attention right from the start. Cora and her 2 sisters are the illegitimate daughters of a man from one of New York’s wealthiest and founding families. Fifth Avenue was her birthright, but her and her sisters were never invited in to the exclusive addresses on the streets. When her birth-grandmother (her father’s mother) passes away, she says she regrets the ways Cora and her sisters were treated and wants to do right by giving them all inheritances. Only stipulation is the inheritance will be held in a trust until each is married. So Cora sets off to husband-hunt, and more specifically title-hunt, in London with her mother and sisters in tow!

Her friend in London, Camille from The Duchess Takes a Husband, sets up a house party to meet eligible, titled gentleman for husband-prospects. But before the party, Cora ends up meeting Devonworth when he crashes into her near the football pitch. She realizes later he’s Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, and he’s intrigued with her too once he realizes she’s one of the Americans in town for the party he was invited to. He knows the ways of aristocracy are changing and that he needs money for his estate and an heir, so he proposes marriage and she tells him about her plans of a marriage in name only and to possibly separate or divorce later. They both know a marriage of convenience will work well for them and make an arrangement to appear to be living as husband and wife for two years. But if a divorce isn’t possible, then he needs an heir by five years married.

This one started off great, had an intriguing premise, but then it kind of just had a lot going on and dragged with the romance. I do now the author’s previous series got better as they went on for me, so I am still intrigued and know that this one was setting a lot up for the series and sisters we are following. I did like how she helped him with his Parliament speeches and it is sweet the way he remembers everything she likes and takes notice. All in all, solid start to a new series!

I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own!

I am amused by some people's lower ratings for this book because there was "too much slow burn" (god forbid the sex scenes happen AFTER the 50% mark; what is even the point by then!?!), and obviously I am biased as a slow-burn lover, but I don't think that was the true issue. It's that the build-up TO the relationship moments was kind of just...bland. Fine. Meh.

Cora and Leo are very one-note, paint-by-the-historical-romance-numbers characters. They're nice, which is the kindest thing I can say about them--like, I'm happy, at least, that Leo wasn't a macho asshole who demanded Cora do things instead of asking her. But a politician who works all the time with beautiful blond hair and a perfect jaw is also just kind of ho-hum-whatever, and Cora is just a nice feminist who wants to provide for her sisters. There wasn't a lot of interesting conflict or flirty/getting-to-know-you scenes that could really set this book apart from anything else in the genre.

I gave it three stars because there IS something readable about St. George's writing, and I got through the book without challenge, and I may still read the next book. But it's not my favorite from the author, and if the next book trends the same way, I may end up reevaluating any future reads.

Disclosure: I received a free ARC copy of this book. All thoughts are my own!

This was so good! I love a marriage of convenience! Leo was so amazing. Seeing as he was in the last book I knew he was going to be fantastic but he outdid himself! I mean could he have given into Cora’s temptation a little sooner in my opinion, yes! However, when that slow burn finally ended it was so so so good. Like I needed a glass of wine good.
Cora Dove has come to England with her sisters in order to find a husband so her inheritance can be released from her controlling, jerk of a father. Cora meets Leo in an adorable meet cute. And the attraction is instant.
Leo has a title but no money (sadness) so he must marry an heiress to rebuild his estates and pay off his lazy brother’s debts.
When these two come together quickly and get married you think Excellent let the wooing begin! But Cora has made it clear that she doesn’t want a real marriage because she doesn’t want love. She wants her money and in a few years a divorce. Let’s just say living with the 🥵 Leo makes those plans go up in flames.

The author has written a stunning first book in a new series, The Doves of New York, that completely captivated me. Cora Dove, an American, marries a Brit aristocrat with a title and a grand reputation. Enter Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, who needs her wealth to save his estate and to fund his efforts in Parliament to establish clean water for the working class. They marry for convenience, and I fell headlong into this slow-burn romance that made me swoon. Histficrom fans will adore this!

The Stranger I Wed is the first book in The Doves of New York, a new series by Harper St. George. Cora Dove and her sister’s parentage has been a topic of speculation in New York society which has the family living on the edges of respectable society. An unexpected inheritance from their paternal grandmother changes the course of the sisters’ lives. To receive the inheritance, the young women must find and marry respectable men. Cora, the eldest of the sisters, decided that England was the place to find a suitable husband, but Cora wants a marriage in name only.

Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, is not seeking marriage but has a specific reason for considering it. He needs a wealthy wife to save his estate. When he meets Cora and she suggests a marriage of convenience, he agrees, and they wed. Both find advantages in this arrangement. However, as they spend more time together and get to know each other, they start to desire a genuine marriage.

I enjoyed the previous series by the author and could not wait for her latest book. The Stranger I Wed was an interesting take on the marriage of convenience storyline. I enjoyed the characters, especially watching Leo and Cora’s relationship develop; moving from getting to know you, to friendship and eventual love. However, I did have some issues with this story. The romance took too long to develop, and the pacing slowed towards the middle of the book. This did not take away from the story and it was still a solid historical romance.

It is a lovely historical romance with great characters. I am looking forward to reading the stories of the other sisters! Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

Cora and her sisters have longed been subject to the gossip of NYC society due to their illegitimate status. When their grandmother leaves them a sizeable dowry, Cora makes a deal with her father that these funds will be paid in full to each of them upon their marriage to suitable husbands far away from NYC. Enlisting the help of Camille, Cora and her sisters travel to England and the marriage mark to find themselves husbands. A fateful Football match brings Cora and Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth into each other lives and as they enter into marriage can they survive all the politics and secrets that lay in their way.

I really enjoyed Cora and Leo’s relationship as they learnt to trust one another enough to admit their secrets. Their relationship is very much built on respect for the different skills they bring to the relationship and the multiple wish to do anything for family. While it was very much like at first sight, it was very much a slow burn…and although I am a fan, there is a small part of me that wanted them to burn just a little quicker!

Overall, I enjoyed the first book in The Doves of New York series, the pacing felt a little off in some places but I am excited to see what Eliza gets up to in Book 2!

3.5 stars. This was sweet, but a little draggy. The narration relies heavily on summarizing and telling; the reader feels one step removed from the action of the story. The MC couple are sweet, both trying to do the best for their families and are honest with each other about their intentions.

This book sets up a short series of probably 3, as the FMC is the oldest of 3 sisters. A possibility would also be the MMC's younger brother.

This was such a good start to Harper St George’s Doves of New York series. Cora and her sisters have basically been shunned by their father and his family their entire lives. But when their grandmother passes away, a reunion of sorts is set in motion, along with a plan to collect on an inheritance that comes with some contingencies. The sisters set off to England to find suitable husbands. I enjoyed every aspect of this book. It was actually my first of Harper St. George’s, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I was not disappointed, and can’t wait to read more! I loved getting to know the characters, the wit, the spice, the time period and setting, the descriptive writing, and that the author quoted Elizabeth Cady Stanton because she is from my hometown! I’m looking forward to see what else is in store in this series. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for this amazing ARC!

Harper St. George’s The Stranger I Wed is gorgeously written and thoroughly researched in a way the author has mastered remarkably with her historical romances. It does an engaging job of setting up a new trilogy while sprinkling bits of the Gilded Heiresses, and it glistens while it does so. Leo and Cora are adorable, although their story is a slow, slow burn that some readers might find underwhelming in a marriage of convenience. Their friendship blooms in a lovely matter and the payoff is worth it in the end, but it’s something to note where preferences are concerned.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance reader copy—all opinions are my own.

The Stranger I Wed featured several of my favorite elements in historical romance; a marriage of convenience, a swoon worthy hero, and a brave and outspoken heroine.

Cora has a flighty mother, two younger sisters whose futures she must consider, secrets to protect, and a marriage of convenience to secure; she does not have time to fall for her husband.

Leo, the Earl of Devonworth, has his own reasons for agreeing to a marriage in name only to Cora; he does not have time to focus on his attraction and admiration for his American wife.

The slow burn, the push and pull, the protective and kind hero, the slow build up of trust and love between Leo and Cora; I loved it all.

I’d forgotten how much I love historical romance, but The Stranger I Wed was all the reminder I needed. I cannot wait to read the rest of The Doves of New York series.

"New to wealth and to London high society, American heiress Cora Dove discovers that with the right man, marriage might not be such an inconvenience after all....

Cora Dove and her sisters' questionable legitimacy has been the lifelong subject of New York's gossipmongers and a continual stain on their father's reputation. So when the girls each receive a generous, guilt-induced dowry from their dying grandmother, the sly Mr. Hathaway vows to release their funds only if Cora and her sisters can procure suitable husbands - far from New York. For Cora, England is a fresh start. She has no delusions of love, but a husband who will respect her independence? That's an earl worth fighting for.

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. He just never expected to crave Cora's touch or yearn to hear her thoughts on his campaign - or to discover that his seemingly perfect bride protects so many secrets....

But secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface, and Devonworth has a few of his own. With their pasts laid bare and Cora's budding passion for women's rights taking a dangerous turn, they'll learn the true cost of losing their heart to a stranger - and that love is worth any price."

To fill that void until the new season of The Buccaneers drops!

Oh, this cover drew my attention first, and the synopsis decided me.

I loved this - absolutely adored it. Give me a marriage of convenience and I’m there… that and the slow simmer to burn here were both utterly perfect.

The story flows easily, the writing is fantastic for the time (that’s an important distinction for me as I really appreciate when a book is written to the period in which its set), and the set up for the next title in the series was well set.

This was my first time reading a novel by Ms St. George, and it absolutely won’t be the last - I can’t wait to read more of this series as well as earlier titles 🙂



Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC

I'm a pretty big fan of Harper St. George which is why it's kind of a bummer that I didn't love this book as much as I loved the books in her previous series. I thought the romance between Cora and Leo(pold) was kind of slow and dragged. It very much felt like a slow burn but slow burns give hints of intimacy and longing and this one seems to give little teases and then snatch it away. When the two declare their love for each other at the very end of the book, my reaction was more like a "oh, really?!?!" rather than a "oh, how sweet!"Regardless, I think the set up of the whole series is very smart and I'm invested in the rest of the Dove sisters, I'm hoping that since the first book had the unenviable job of having to set up the whole series, that's partially why it was kind of oddly paced.

A quiet slow-burn love story between two practical, guarded people who have given up on finding their happy-ever-after. Harper St. George's latest romance is more subtle than her other books, but it's one of the most grounded and intelligent marriage-of-convenience tales I've read. I look forward to the rest of the Doves of New York series — I enjoyed the relationships between Cora and her sisters, and her colorfully flawed mother.

This romance had a slow build, maybe even a bit too slow for my liking at times, but I always enjoy a well written marriage of convenience trope. However, I found the parts that focused on politics a little tedious this time around

This author’s books always have gorgeous covers 💜

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 rounded up

Cora Dove and her sisters have always been the talk of New York society, but not for good reason. Their parentage has always been questioned, leaving the girls on the outskirts. When their estranged grandmother leaves them a guilt-induced inheritance, Cora believes this to be the break they need to live life on their terms. But there's a catch--their father, Mr. Hathaway, will only release the funds if Cora and her sisters can find respectable husbands outside of New York. So Cora and her family head to England, hoping to snag a husband in name only.

Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, is passionate about one thing: using his status in Parliament to pass a public health bill that would ensure clean water to the working class. He must also fix his floundering estate and bail his brother out of gambling debt. What Devonworth needs is a wealthy wife, so when he and Cora meet, it only makes sense for them to marry. Both were looking for a marriage in name only, but neither can deny their attraction. But with so many secrets littering their pasts, they'll find that marrying a stranger comes at a price.

I've only read two other books by St. George, but I enjoyed them. The first thing that drew me to this one was the cover, but I stayed for the marriage of convenience. That's one trope I'll eat up every time, and I liked watching Cora and Leo's relationship bloom. I loved their meet-cute and thought their banter was good. The romance was a little too slow burn for me, and I kept wishing things would develop quicker, but I still liked it. Another slow point for me was the plot. It dealt with political things such as Leo's place in Parliament and Cora's work with women's rights, and while I found those bits interesting, they never kept my full attention. It made the story feel heavy, and I tend to like my hist-roms a little more lighthearted. Still, I thought it was enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to the next book.

I enjoyed this book and appreciated the historical research that clearly went into it. Leo is a doll and such a kind, lovable hero. Cora is so easy to like and respect.

This felt VERY slow burn. A little too slow of a burn for my taste. And not as steamy as I would have liked. But, that’s just a personal preference.

a lot of people will really enjoy this book.

Upon first starting the Doves of New York series, I was excited that it’s a tie-in with the author’s previous series, The Gilded Age Heiresses; I loved all four of those books! This new series introduces the Dove sisters, three illegitimate American heiresses who were friends with Camille and the Crenshaws. In The Stranger I Wed, Cora Dove is in London with a very practical list of features she needs in a husband. She intends to marry quickly so she can access her inheritance, and if she finds the right husband for her needs, both could stand to benefit. It’s a marriage of convenience in the shrewdest sense.

She finds an ideal candidate in Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, and it’s not long before the two virtual strangers are married. Both Cora and Devonworth are a bit closed off to love, living in the realm of practicality and responsibility. But in time, they’re also starting to notice deeper feelings for each other. Should they give in to their rising attraction and developing emotional bond? Or should they stick to their original plan and divorce after the first year is up?

Harper St. George is consistently a master of developing an emotional bond between characters, creating delicate yet passionate romantic tension, while also situating them within the social and political world of the time. That is all on full display in The Stranger I Wed. Both Cora and Devonworth are involved in the laws and rights affecting regular people. Cora, through Camille, is getting deeply into women’s rights and the suffrage movement. Devonworth is a member of Parliament, and has personal morals guiding the acts he supports, particularly for clean water access. Through Cora’s influence, he also becomes a stronger supporter of women’s rights, surely a sign of his respect and love for her.

Beyond their mental connection, there is a physical attraction growing between Cora and Devonworth. They may not be sharing a bedchamber, but they do have access to the same washroom, and let’s just say that’s exactly the bridge they need to start exploring their physical intimacy. Even as they start to entertain this aspect of marriage, communication issues may make their path forward a bit confused! These two do tend to hold their cards close to their chests, after all.

While The Stranger I Wed feels like a whole new world to dive into, with the full Dove family, I also loved seeing how these characters interacted with the Gilded Age Heiresses characters that readers have come to know and love. We get glimpses into how their lives are progressing, even if the starring characters are the new Doves on the scene. It’s a beautiful way to expand this whole Victorian era world.

The Stranger I Wed is a superb start to the Doves of New York series, one that will appeal to readers of Harper St. George’s previous series as well as an entirely new audience. It highlights her balance of a meaningful romantic connection between characters with a vital, realistic world that they interact with and aim to improve. I already can’t wait to see what romances unfold for Cora’s two sisters in the upcoming books.

** This review will be published on my blog and Instagram on Monday, April 22nd 💜

I love a good "Marriage of Convenience" trope, and The Stranger I Wed delivers everything it promises.

I really enjoyed the background plot of the suffrage movement too - but almost wish it had been pursued more.

The story has also set up well for the next book about the younger sister which I am definitely excited to read.

I really enjoyed this one! There were a few aspects of it that irked me, but as a whole, I liked it. I loved Cora and Leo as a couple, especially because their drama was fairly reasonable. I did get a bit irritated by the will-they/won't-they, but it didn't last tooooo long, so that was nice. Now, my one problem with The Stranger I Wed was the improper use of condoms. I'm not sure why it irked me so much, but it did. I mean, why even use a condom if you're not gonna put it on from the get-go?? And why did it happen so. many. times. It was frustrating. Thankfully, there was no pregnancy trope, but I was worried for quite a while. Other than that though, I really liked this one! I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for Eliza's book because that teaser at the end has me majorly intrigued.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!