3.5 Stars

Tropes: Class Differences, Marriage of Convenience, Delayed Consummation, Women’s Suffrage

Illegitimate Miss Cora Dove receives a windfall: the promise of a dowry from her dying grandmother. But her father will only release the funds if Cora and her sisters can find suitable husbands far, far from his family in New York.

Earl of Devonworth, Leopold Brendon, needs the backing of a wealthy wife to advance his plans in Parliament. But, once wed, Cora and Leo’s “loveless arrangement” isn’t what either expected.

This is the first book in The Doves of New York series, featuring Cora and her sisters: unlikely American heiresses seeking marriages in London. Cora begins her husband hunt with the assistance of Camille, Dowager Duchess of Hereford, from the book The Duchess Takes a Husband. I liked how the story began, with Cora scoping out potential grooms before a planned house party. She and Leo share a bit of a meet cute which sparks an attraction and convinces him to attend Camille’s gathering.

This is a slow burn, and, in my opinion, it had a bit of a pacing problem. While the pining and hot-cold emotions from the characters usually work in a marriage-of-convenience story, it just fell a little flat for me personally. I liked Cora and Leo’s chemistry, but I thought his commitment issues were a bit of a cop-out and detracted from the relationship rather than adding a layer. Their common goals with Parliament and the Suffragette movement could have been a bigger unifier, but by the end I thought it just lost the momentum. I hope the next one brings back the spark I’m used to from St George’s books.

~ Leslie

For fans of Ms. St. George, you will fall in love with this sweet couple. It's a true love match from the first time they meet. If they both can get beyond their insecurities about life circumstances, they will be happily ever after.

##bookreview what a wonderful read 📚 !
Review-
Cora and Devonworth start off new series in this book. The gilded age rife with American heiresses and poor aristocrats is the premise of the books. As always, @harperstgeorge writes a well researched slow burn!

I liked the meet cute at the football match where Cora is 'researching' the prospective suitors and meets the hero. He as good as tackles her on the field to save her from a ball. This starts a low attraction that becomes very strong and yearning over the course of the book. See the highlights.

I also loved the historical references to the health act bill and how Devonworth is fighting for it, the way Cora gets involved, and also the ladies' suffrage society mention. These details enrich the premise imo.

The best is the yearning. They finally come together as they should, and it's a satisfying journey to watch.

Thank you, @netgalley and @berkleyromance , for the reader's copy.
All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an advanced digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This is book one in Harper St. George's new Doves of New York series.

The Dove sisters have been shunned by the elite of New York their whole lives due to the fact of their less than desirable parentage. Being born out of wedlock to one of New York's most influential peers did them no favors. When their paternal grandmother dies, leaving them each a sizable inheritance on the condition that they marry, it's like a lifeline for the three young ladies. Their biological father, however, adds the caveat that they must make appropriate matches. So, where do disgraced heiresses in need of a distinguished husband go?

Why, to London, in search of British aristocrats with titles and low coffers.

Cora Dove and her sisters are introduced to eligible candidates by characters from St. George's previous series, The Gilded Age Heiresses. She quickly determines her "match" and enters a contract marriage in name only, to the Earl of Devonworth - Leo. They both agree that their marriage will be dissolved in due time, leaving them both with the funds they need to survive.

What happens when a marriage of convenience suddenly seems very real? FeEliNgs. That's what.

I really enjoyed the author's previous series, and really wanted to enjoy this book.

Knowing her writing style, though, I couldn't help but feel this book was a bit bland. It lacked a layer of depth I am used to getting from her writing. She really could have used one more round of edits to add texture beyond surface level expectations. She hit all the historical fiction beats you'd expect, but none of it really sparkled. It felt like maybe she had a looming deadline and the result was rushed.

I'm still looking forward to the rest of the series, but this one just didn't quite do it for me.

This is a story about how love grows when watered with kindness, patience, and friendship. Cora needs a title to gain her inheritance, Leo needs money to save his earldom. it's a perfect marriage of convenience until they realize that they ACTUALLY kinda like each other.

There isn't a HUGE plot here which is usually more my style. But I did enjoy all the politicking going on in this story and how they fall in love because of their shared interests. And once they do come together it's fevered, it's stumbling, and it's awkward but beautiful. If anyone could make me love a story with a more subdued plot, it'd be Harper St. George.

If you love marriages of convenience, friends to lovers and a more romantic subdued plot in your books, definitely read this one.

I enjoyed this book and am very excited to continue this new series. I liked Cora and Leo a lot. The chemistry between them was obvious and I felt they fit beautifully together. I found these characters to be complex and easy to root and feel for. The storyline was engaging and held my attention well. Overall, a very entertaining romance that delivers ample feels and swoon.

I have enjoyed all of this authors books. This new series is starting off very good! I didn't want this one to end. Cora was trying to get her inheritance being born out of wedlock. She decides to leave America for England since her bio dad doesn't want her to embarrass him, a$$ha+. She meets an impoverished Earl who is way too handsome and muscular but he checks all the other boxes. This is also set in the same world as the other series. Camille is her friend in London. Love crossovers or new series in the same universe.
This was pretty spicy but with the married couple. I'm going to be thinking about that scene where she walked in on him in the bathroom forever.

I don’t know about you Dear Reader but I am missing Bridgerton and counting down the days until the return. If you are looking for something that can fill the gap I have the book for you! The Stranger I Wed is the start of a new series, set in the same world as the Gilded Series.
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This book has everything you would want out of a regency romance book and it was super enjoyable! If you love Regency Romance check this one out! It is available today!

Huge thank you to @berkleypub and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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Cora Dove and her sisters Jenna and Eliza are illegitimate daughters of a wealthy man from New York. Induced by guilt, their grandmother left them inheritances when she dies, but their father places a specific requirement to get it: Cora and her sisters have to marry—and they have to do it far from New York. That’s when the sisters, helped by an American friend married to a British aristocrat, go to England to find suitable men to marry and get their inheritance. Cora isn’t a romantic; she’s a practical and down-to-earth woman with clear ideas. She needs a marriage of convenience to get the inheritance. Enter Lord Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth. As a member of the Parliament, he needs a wealthy wife to back him not only in his political affairs, but to save him from bankruptcy. They need each other in different ways. So marry a stranger is what they will do to get what they want. What Cora and Leo didn’t want is to feel attracted to each other to the point of craving their touch as their relationship grows with each time they spend together. Not to mention the secrets that would be revealed while they get to know each other…

For the record, I’m not too fond of historical fictional romance books; I don’t know why I can’t connect with them, even though I love history and romance books. The Stranger I Wed, and Ms. St. George’s writing talent, encouraged me to read more of this genre. This isn’t my first book from this author and that’s why I give her a chance when I see the book on Netgalley. Ms. St. George brought us with this story a great, solid start of the series with a compelling argument and characters. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series. I have a feeling this series, already a good one, will get better when we read Eliza and Jenna’s stories.

And yes!, the book’s cover is fabulous…

ARC given by Berkley via Netgalley. Thanks for your trust.

READ FULL REVIEW IN MY BLOG:
https://aishasbookworld.wordpress.com/2024/04/29/review-the-stranger-i-wed-the-doves-of-new-york-1-by-harper-st-george/

Quick Breakdown

Marriage of Convenience
Forced Proximity
Strangers to Friends to Lovers
Mutual Pining
Slow Burn
Dual POV
Open Door - Mild to Moderate Details

Cora and her sisters are the illegitimate daughters of a very wealthy and well-known
man in New York. When the grandmother she never knew passes away, she receives a letter stating her intention to leave each of them an inheritance. When her father is confronted, he adds the stipulation that they must marry a respectable man and settle away from New York. So, Cora sets off to England with her sisters & eccentric mother in search of a titled man willing to marry for money.

The Stranger I Wed is book one in Harper St. George’s new Doves of New York series which is a spin off from her previous one - which I loved. There is a bit of a slow start as the world & characters are introduced, but once the romance hit I was completely entranced.

Both Cora & Leo love their family to no end & go into this marriage for convenient, altruistic reasons. With that said, there is a palpable attraction on both sides from the get go, which only grows despite attempts to fight it. As they grow from strangers to friends, they learn they’re more similar than they are different. Their mutual pining only intensifies until they slowly become inevitable. Swoon!

I listened to this one on audio, which I highly recommend. Read by Saskia Maarleveld, I feel like I was more engaged with the world building & easily found myself addicted to the story. The build up for Eliza & her HEA has me practically feral for book two 🫠

This historical romance features an American heroine, who is promised a large inheritance upon her marriage. There are, of course, conditions which require her to leave New York and travel to England to find a husband in need of a fortune. While the marriage of convenience trope is not uncommon in historicals, in the author's very capable hands we are treated to a love story filled with pining, intelligent protagonists and a few secrets that will have readers running to the next in the series.
Thank you to Ms. St. George and Penguin for an advanced reader copy of this enjoyable, beautifully written romance novel.

To gain access to her dowry and escape the New York gossip about her legitimacy, Cora Dove decides to head to England in search of a husband. There she collides – literally – with the Earl of Devonworth and the two strike up a bargain.

Marriage for a few years will help Cora secure her dowry and launch her sisters into society, for Leo it means acquiring the desperately needed funds to help his political causes. But their attraction means this platonic marriage could be doomed from the start.

Why I Loved it: Leo and Cora positively sizzled in this book, the first in a new Gilded Age series from Harper St. George. Their STEAMY romance was rooted first in friendship, which I always enjoy in a romance novel. It was also fun to see some of my favorite characters return from St. George’s previous novels.

A smart and charming historical marriage of convenience romance between new American heiress, Cora Dove, and the Earl of Devonworth (Leo), The Stranger I Wed kept me captivated from beginning to end.

Cora and her two sisters have recently come into an unexpected inheritance- with strings attached (aka marriage). They, along with their mother, travel to England in hopes to marry into a title, and leave America behind. I loved the time spent between the sisters in this book, however brief, since I am also one of three sisters and love mine as much as Cora does her own.

Leo is not interested in love but needs funds to fix some issues that are not of his own making. And Cora is not interested in a long-term marriage. It seems their pairing is meant to be - but with time, it turns out they have quite a bit in common and attraction begins to swiftly grow. Add in progressive politics, a hint of potential scandal, and a bit of intrigue and this was a hit for me! It’s the start of a new series and I’m excited to see where St. George takes us next.
I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

This was an enjoyable escape. I was hoping for more from the Women's Property Act aspect of it all, but I like how we are seeing these sisters slowly marry off whomever they love. I look forward to the next one!

💌 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝘽𝙤𝙮𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 💌
𝖩𝖾𝗇𝗇𝗒 𝖧𝗈𝗅𝗂𝖽𝖺𝗒

So I listened to the audio of this one and when I saw that Joshua Jackson was the male narrator, I didn’t think it would be thee Joshua Jackson. Well guess what…it was thee Joshua Jackson! This is also a true duet audio, so each narrator says all their speaking parts and it was great! This was a cute and heartfelt romance. From the cover you’d think it was sports romance, but even though he plays hockey and she is a retired ballerina, this really isn’t a sports romance in my opinion. The focus is more on the relationship between Aurora and Mike and dealing with grief and issues from their past in order to move forward.

Aurora Evans faces the consequences of a teenage fib when her fake Canadian boyfriend from years ago unexpectedly resurfaces as Mike Martin, a pro hockey player and recent widower. As Aurora agrees to help Mike with his daughter and navigate his grief, their bond deepens, revealing hidden truths and unexpected connections. But when Aurora's long-held secret comes to light, they must confront their past deceptions and fears to embrace a future filled with love and trust.

TW: disordered eating, death of a spouse (off page), grief and loss

Swipe for Audio Review! >>>>>

Read if you enjoy:
💞 Friends to Lovers
🔥 Slow Burn
👀 Dual POV
🧠 Mental Health Rep
❣️ Nanny
🛏️ Close Proximity
🩵 Single Dad
🏒 Hockey Players
🩰 Dancers
💌 Letters

The Stranger I Wed é um romance de época que entrega casamento por conveniência e os casamentos com herdeiras americanas!
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Cora é fruto de uma relação ilícita de um grande empresário americano com uma atriz. Ela e as irmãs cresceram com uma mãe bastante excêntrica e com o fardo de todos saberem que elas eram b@stardas. Mas, a avó por parte de pai ao falecer deixou para as irmãs uma herança considerável, mas para recebê-la o pai colocou uma condição: elas deveriam se casar com nobres ingleses. Cora, então chega a Londres com a missão de casar com um nobre falido e salvar as irmãs e a mãe. E é nesse contexto que está o conde de Devonworth, que precisa desesperadamente de dinheiro e concorda em ter um casamento de fachada com Cora. Mas a convivência entre eles desperta sentimentos que nenhum deles estava esperando.
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Preciso dizer que eu amo como essa autora trabalha as relações entre os personagens não nobres e os personagens que cresceram entre a nobreza. As pautas revolucionárias à época como o sufrágio feminino, a lei da propriedade e outras leis que traziam direitos a parte da população silenciada.
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Claro, nossa mocinha Cora é uma progressista que se junta a sociedade sufragista assim que chega a Inglaterra e encontra no marido um homem que reconhece que as coisas precisam mudar. Eles se completam intelectualmente e Cora fascina o conde com sua inteligência e beleza.
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Devonworth vai se apaixonando aos poucos e o modo como ele cuida de Cora é muito bonito, pois ela sempre cuidou de todos e quando eles começam a dividir os fardos da vida as coisas ficam mais leves.
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Eu amei muito como esses dois foram crescendo e como a autora incluiu pautas muito consistentes à época. E principalmente, como ela também introduziu outros personagens e me deixou curiosa.

4.5 Stars

Illegitimate heirs on the edge of New York society, Cora Dove and her sisters find themselves with an ultimatum: find and marry titled men elsewhere to avoid scandal, or risk losing their inheritance. So off to London Cora, her sisters, and her mother go. Cora, who just wants access to her money, is perfectly fine with a loveless marriage that will quickly end in divorce. But then she meets Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, and Cora realizes that maybe a little passion between a husband and wife isn’t the end of the world. But Devonworth has been burned before and intends to keep his passion trained on politics, despite how tempting Cora may be. But their best laid plans are soon out the window, and both Cora and Leo turn out to be exactly what the other person needed.

This slow burn historical romance was an utterly enjoyable read, featuring a passionate romance against all odds, great tension throughout the plot, and some absolutely fantastic supporting characters whom I can’t wait to see in more prominent roles in future books in this series.

I loved the interaction between Leo and Cora, and it was evident they would have great chemistry right from their very first meeting. St. George made Leo a fully-realized main character; he wasn’t just an Earl. He was a protector looking out for his younger brother, a passionate politician fighting for equality, and a competent athlete. Surprisingly, though, Leo didn’t seem too perfect or like he was too much. He definitely had his flaws, but his well-rounded character came off as realistic and the perfect complement to Cora.

Likewise, Cora was a fun character to follow. She was strong-willed and headstrong, not afraid to pursue her passions as well as her freedom. A lot of her passion and bravery stemmed from her protectiveness of her sisters; Cora didn’t hesitate to do hard things and make tough decisions when she knew her family’s futures were at stake. She really couldn’t have been more perfect for Leo.

I always find Harper St. George’s writing easy to follow and get lost in. She paints such clear pictures for her scenes, and Leo and Cora’s physical relationship was easy to imagine as it played out on the page. While this book is the start of a new series, St. George did a great job at still tying it back to her Gilded Age Heiresses series; readers can, however, thoroughly enjoy Cora and Leo with or without reading the previous series.

Overall, The Stranger I Wed was an enjoyable, lower drama, slow burn historical romance with so much more between the main characters than just falling in love. The cultural significance of this time period shines through the story, creating a truly stand-out historical romance.

This was an interesting story. I enjoyed the idea of the American heiresses, and this family had more secrets than nobility would like. Cora had her list, and Leo met all but one item. Friendship developed before love. They accepted and supported each other, with a couple misunderstandings cleared up with the truth not dragged out. The story was full of historical information and a little more description of everything than I like, but well worth the read.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited. review.

In this story we follow a American heiress named Cora Dove, and her sister Cora is about to receive a generous dowry from her dying grandmother but in order to get her money Cora needs to find suitable husband. This leads us to Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, a no-nonsense member of Parliament.
What starts out as a marriage of convenience starts feeling in both that leads to love.
This is book 1 of a series of Cora and her sister

Marriage of convenience
Gilded Age Romance
Scandalous Family Secrets
Historical Romance
Slow burn
Great chemistry

First of a new series by a new author to me. American Cora Dove and her sisters are the illegitimate daughters of a wealthy New Yorker. Their grandmother leaves money as an inheritance but their father, who has not been a part of their lives, insists it is a dowry if they find suitable husbands. Going to London, Cora as a wealthy heiress enters into a marriage of convenience with Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonwoth. He has a title but needs funds to prop up his estate and pay off gambling debts of his brother. It is 1878 and Leo is trying to pass a Public Health bill that will improve rights for women. It is a cause that is important to Cora as well.

I like the story and characters, except of course the father. The marriage meets both Leo and Cora’s needs and leads to longing and more. It is a slow burn as Leo continues to deny wanting intimacy as he has had previous heart break and also feels an unworthiness. The author takes time to discuss the laws and arguments of the time period pro and con about improving rights for women. The series will continue with a romance for the next sister and a teaser chapter is included in my copy.