I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Harper St. George expands her Victorian/Gilded Age world in a wonderful way with The Stranger I Wed, the first in the Doves of New York series. While there are references to the prior series, mainly to previous characters, this series stands on its own, although the other books are absolutely worth checking out if you’re looking for books in a similar vein to this one.
I love how St. George pays homage to and tackles the issues of the time period, like women’s suffrage and providing for the working class (in this case providing access to running water). While these elements are somewhat fictionalized, I like that this exposes that marginalized people’s access to fundamental rights are also not things that just happened in a vacuum, and that not everyone in the past followed the status quo.
Both leads are solid people, and in addition to their causes, rather likable and relatable. I enjoyed how the story slowly revealed how good a match they are, with both Cora and Leo feeling responsible for their younger siblings when they were young. For Leo, it was more of a foregone conclusion, due to the hierarchy of society (even if psychologically it’s still a burden he won’t fully acknowledge he wasn’t fully prepared for), but Cora still has a mother who is ill-equipped for the task and she also had to grow up faster because of it.
While marriage-of-convenience can be very hit-or-miss for me, I really liked that they established a mutual respect early on. That and the pining and emotional connection were very pronounced, and it felt very much like a slow burn to when they actually consummated their relationship. That could be a turnoff for other readers, but as a grayace reader (and I saw someone say Leo read as demi to them, which does make sense in hindsight), one of my turnoffs in many MOC books is the focus on the physical side, while being like “we will not fall in love!,” so it’s nice to have a book that does something different.
This is a promising start to a new series, and based on what’s been teased, I’m excited for what’s to come. If you’re interested in a slow-burn historical romance with a slightly subverted marriage-of-convenience plot, I’d recommend checking this one out!

Tropes: marriage of convenience; MC is a fish out of water
Steam level: 2-3
Book one of a new series. Although it's a standalone, the MC's from "The Duchess Takes a Husband" in the previous series play roles.

3.25 stars. This was a bit of a letdown. The writing is fine. Leo and Cora are both really likable MC's. Leo in particular, is one of those sweet, hot-but-chaste book boyfriend types you can't help but root for. They had the potential for sizzling chemistry; there was a spicy scene in the middle that took me by surprise and got my hopes up. My issue lies with the plot--there isn't much of one. Leo needs to marry money to save his estate and his brother; Cora needs to marry to receive her inheritance, and apparently can't find anyone in the States who's amenable since she and her sisters are illegitimate. The MC's meet cute, and when they formally meet they get along great, to the point that Leo's ready to propose. But they decide they want a marriage of convenience with no sex for reasons I never quite understood or bought into. In fact, I was surprised Cora brought up the divorce/separation idea as quickly as she did, considering the awkward position she was putting Leo in, and I was even more surprised he agreed to it.

Post-marriage there's a smidge of tension and some witty scenes that showcase Leo and Cora's growing rapport. But by the 70% mark, when the Big Secret(s) had been aired out but they still hadn't consummated, the slow-burn seemed rather forced. The major conflicts, such as unhappy Harry making poor decisions and the Dove sisters' background being exposed, are glossed over for future books. The foreshadowing early on that Cora might be in danger from an underworld figure is addressed last-minute and the cause for the Third Act Conflict feels minor and tacked-on.

I thought this author's previous books in the Gilded Age Heiresses series were excellent, but found this just middle-of-the-road. It's not bad, but unfortunately not really memorable.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my honest review. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this opportunity.

“He was coming to suspect that what had seemed like a perfectly reasonable term in their verbal marriage contract would become a bloody nuisance. He wanted his own wife.”

The Dove sisters are Illegitimate daughters of a New York high society business scion who are shipped off to London to secure aristocratic marriages. The oldest is highly independent Cora, a passionate proponent of women’s rights. When she is literally and figuratively bowled over by handsome, powerful Leo Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, she warily agrees to a marriage of convenience to further both of their political careers. Cora’s only non-negotiable term to the arrangement is that the marriage must remain “in name only” for a period of two years.

This novel was enjoyable and an easy, quick read. There is nothing wrong with it in terms of plot or execution, and there is nothing wonderful about it either. It is a solid, middle of the road historical romance. There is no question that the author fulfilled her end of the contract, leaving me as a reader and reviewer with not much to say other than this book is just fine. The cover art is fine. The characters are all fine. The meet-cute is fine. The dialogue is fine. The chemistry and romantic tension are all fine. The pacing is fine. The ending is fine.

If you are looking for a safe, predictable genre read, this will check all of the genre boxes, and that’s not a bad thing! 3-stars is fine! It’s just…perfectly, absolutely, fine. And I've forgotten all the details by the time I started writing this review.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.

✨ARC REVIEW✨

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕀 𝕎𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕊𝕥. 𝔾𝕖𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕖

If you’re looking for a high stakes, spicy, drama filled period piece, then look no further besties—this book right here was a banger! I already knew I loved Harper St. George’s writing because I read the ‘Gilded Age Heiresses’ series, where we met the Doves in the last book of that series (from ‘The Duchess Takes a Husband’).

This one had an interesting blurb that grabbed my attention right from the start. Cora & her two sisters are the illegitimate daughters of a man from one of New York’s wealthiest & founding families. (OOOH SCANDALOUS!). She then travels to London & at a house party meets Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth. he’s interested in her too once he realizes she’s one of the Americans in town for the party he was invited to. He needs a wealthy bride with deep pockets to get his bill passed. & let the PLOT begin!

We even get a “my wife” moment, & Leopold may be up there with Christian (from ‘The Devil & the Heiress’) for me. There’s nothing like a ‘Marriage of Convenience’, slow burn, glitz & glamour historical romance that gets me going! Y’all…if thats your thing, then pick this book up.

Thank you to @berkleypub, @netgalley ,& @harperstgeorge for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

PUB DATE: 04.23.2024

#TheStrangerIWed #NetGalley #BookReview #BerkleyPub #HarperStGeorge

I was a big fan of Harper St. George’s previous series. This story follows Cora, a friend of Camille from The Duchess Takes a Husband. However, this book was a much slower burn than that series. I found the dynamic between Cora and Leo interesting, although he was not as strong of a character and his commitment issues were frustrating. I enjoyed their bond over the Suffragist movement and the exquisite pining. I am definitely intrigued to see how the series progresses.

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. This is a first for me by this author and this year I am really re-entering my historical romance era and I am so glad I read this. This is a marriage of convenience, out of necessity for the FMC Cora to access her inheritance and for the MMC Leo who holds a prestigious title but with none of the money behind it. They start off with so much chemistry and it was so endearing when they eventually try to call it friendship and me as a reader was just smirking at these two adorable fools. Leo is definitely demi coded which I loved seeing. There is definitely conversations on consent and explanation (some of it eventual cause angst has to come from somewhere) of his feelings on the topic of intimacy after love/emotions.

I guess this is a slow burn but it didn't bother me. There is so much development and time together. That is a big thing for me with romance especially historical, the perception of those lonely repressed times, how people have to withhold even giving each other a platonic hug, I want that mutual pining and it is absolutely there. Leo becomes such a simp for Cora and I absolutely here for it. It is giving Darcy when he overthinks when she puts her arm through his to enter an event or when he just simply can't stop thinking about her or looks forward to their times together.

This is also a "modern" feeling historical in that Cora and to an extent even Leo are feminists. And it isn't written in an overbearing or preachy way. There are side plots that involved women's rights and I felt it realistically fit in with their high society constraints.

Thank you to Berkley for the free book! Again, I loved this so much.

The Stranger I Wed begins a new series by Harper St. George. The Dove sisters find themselves in the predicament of needing to marry in order to receive their inheritance. However, due to their father’s demands, they end up in England looking for titled marriageable men. This book focuses on Cora, the eldest Dove sister, as she begins her marriage of convenience to Leo, Earl of Devonworth. Cora and Leo decide a business arrangement is the best course of action and set about to protect their best interests. But, as happens, living together and getting to know one another begins to change their view on marriage… and each other. I really enjoyed this story! St. George’s characters always have great depth and her dialogue is wonderful. She created quite the scenario with the Dove family and it was fun to watch how London society reacts to them. I am looking forward to more of this series!

Harper St. George has been knocking it out of the park with this series! (Technically this is the first in a new series, but it's connected with her previous Gilded Age Heiresses series and what can I say, it feels like a continuation in the best way.) In this one, we get (surprise surprise) an American heiress determined to marry an impoverished lord ... but wait, there's more! They both have (not very awful) secrets in their pasts that may or may not come out; they are both well-spoken political progressives; and they both agree not to consummate the marriage, and that they will separate/divorce after 2 years of putting a good face on it.

This does mean that it's a pretty slow burn. Also an element of the slow burn? The MMC is demi (not described using that terminology in the book); and because of that, he really doesn't feel much of a need (or desire) to bed "the stranger [he] wed." But as all romance readers know, close proximity leads to friendship leads to "oh no, is this LOVE?"

Another element that makes this one a little different from her previous books is that neither the MMC nor the FMC come from affluent backgrounds. Yes, they both come from privileged backgrounds, but we're not talking about Gilded Age industrial giants or society debutantes.

And yeah, it's a slow burn, but when they get there? They GET THERE.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

This was my first book by this author. I’d heard a lot about her previous series and after hearing the premise & seeing the cover I wanted to give this one a try.

I would say it was an okay read for me. I enjoyed the plot and the marriage of convenience storyline but the pacing felt off. The story moved very slowly and even dragged at times. Perhaps it would be better to listen to this as an audiobook.

Read this if you like:
•historical romances
•marriage of convenience
•slow burn
•womens rights

I am not a huge historical romance reader but wow did I really enjoy this one! I adored the pining. I adored them getting to know each other. I adored their feral attraction for each other! And add in some steam on top of it and this book was so delightful!

Thank you PRH audio & NetGalley for the advanced copies!

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 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 add a layer. Their common goals with Parliment 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.
 
Tropes: Class Differences, Marriage of Convenience, Delayed Consummation, Women’s Suffrage

Steam: 3

I really enjoyed this historical romance by Harper St. George.
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Cora and her sisters, America heiresses, can only claim their dowery if they find suitable husbands. With their legitimacy in question, they must leave New York and their reputation behind. They set off to England in pursuit of finally securing and claiming what is rightfully theirs.
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⚜️marriage of convenience
⚜️slow burn romance
⚜️women’s suffrage
⚜️first book in a new series
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I especially enjoyed the storyline around women’s suffrage, and the characters and their relationship was refreshing. I loved how the mmc PINED for Cora. It was sweet.
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Looking forward to continuing this series.
Thank you netgalley and Berkeley for the opportunity to read this book!

A delightful historical romance! This used to be one of my favorite genres to read, but I have fallen off of it lately. Luckily, St. George was able to get me back on!

Illegitimate Cora and her 2 sisters have come into a windfall - an incredibly large dowry for each of them. The catch? They have to be married away from their father’s real family in New York. Thus the Dove sisters head to England to find a husband. It is there that she meets the handsome, and incredibly penniless, Leopold, Earl of Devonworth.

Filled with steamy scenes between Cora and the Earl, a great cast of characters and nods to the women’s rights movement, this was a quick and lovely read!

Ahhhh this was so good. There's nothing like a love story between 2 highly intelligent idiots. I love a good marriage of convenience, and this one takes place pretty early on in the book. Then the rest of the story is a slooooooooow burn of Leo and Cora realizing the other is their completely perfect match and falling in love, while also being dumb about moving past their "brief marriage on paper" deal.
The story is relatively low angst with pretty decent communication, except for the part where they keep lying to themselves. It moves quickly too. I think I would have actually preferred a little longer book to go more into detail with their developing relationship or get some more scenes with them working together.
Either way, this was really great and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend for fans of Evie Dunmore or Courtney Milan.
While this was the first book I've read by Harper St. George, I definitely want to go back and read her previous series now!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkely for the preview. All opinions are my own.

Harper St. George has become one of my favourite historical romance authors so I was very pleased to see this spin off series from her previous books! Lots of interesting historical details, well rounded out characters, and lots and lots of pinning and longing looks; The Stranger I Wed was highly enjoyable.

<i>ARC Provided by NetGalley<i>

3.5 stars


Fans of Evie Dunmore and Sophie Irwin should check out this Victorian era novel about an American woman forced by circumstances to seek a marriage of convenience among the ton of England.

Cora Dove is the love child of one of the most wealthy men in New York. Along with her mother and two sisters, she is kept hidden away from the upper crust of society as to not any inconveniences for her father. They have not seen him in year, and he provides very little for their welfare. When Cora’s grandmother passes, she leaves a large inheritance for each of the girls. However, they will be forced to marry titled English aristocrats in order to have access to their funds.

Once traveled to England, on the last of their money, Cora is able to meet Lord Devonworth, an earl in desperate need of funds. A marriage or of convenience ensues, but is soon develops into more.

I very much enjoyed Cora’s work with the suffrage movement and discussion of Lord Devonworth’s work in parliament for the betterment of society and how much the two main characters learned they have in common. It was one of the highlights for me. I also loved how they learned to trust each other and share their past.

I loved how we got a small glimpse into the politics and societal issues of the day without it becoming a full on history lesson. I thought it was balanced very well and was used to move along the plot in an effective way.

Unfortunately, some parts felt a little rushed to me, but it did not take away the enjoyment I had while reading. St. George is a new author to me, and I will be checking out more of her books for sure.

Of note, the spice level was a bit much for me. I quickly flipped through those parts, but sensitive readers should beware.


Highlights:

-Marriage of convenience
-Victorian era politics
-Women’s suffrage
-Honorable, trustworthy MMC

Harper St. George is back with a new series! Imagine HBO’s 'The Gilded Age', AppleTV’s 'The Buccaneers' and throw in Netflix’s 'The English Game'. Fused together, you get ‘The Stranger I Wed’. The Doves of New York are here to shake up London Society. In ‘The Stranger I Wed’ we follow Cora Dove an illegitimate daughter of a wealthy founding family of New York. Along with her mother and two sisters, Cora travels to London ready with a plan to marry a man with a title in exchange, she’ll be able to access a large inheritance.

Cora has no illusions about love, but alas enter Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth champion of a stirring social justice campaign in Parliament. From there, we follow two characters that explore feminism, classism, and poverty. While they discuss these social causes, they also reveal long held secrets and grow to have respect and love for one another. Characters, Cora and Leo slowly melded together and I found it to be well thought out. I also appreciated the appearance of past characters, it's always nice to have continuity and check in with previous characters/series.

The teaser for the next book was also very intriguing!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.

THE STRANGER I WED was an engaging historical romance. Cora Dove and her sisters Jenny and Eliza are illegitimate and existing on the edges of society. When their father's mother dies and leaves them generous dowries, Cora thinks things will be better for them. However, her father, who controls the money, has put strings on it. He wants the girls to marry before they can inherit. He also wants them to live far away from New York so as not to embarrass his wife and legitimate children.

Inspired by the many American heiress who have married into the peerage, Cora, her sisters, and mother travel to England to look for husbands. One of the earlier American brides is willing to help them find men who meet the qualifications they have outlined for a husband.

Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, is on the list. He needs money to repair his home and get his younger brother clear of his gambling deaths before he can go back to what he really loves: serving in the House of Lords and passing a Water Quality Bill. The fact that he is handsome is actually a strike against him on the girls' list.

After some negotiations, Cora and Devonworth marry expecting a relatively short term marriage in name only. Cora eventually wants some of her inheritance and her freedom. However, she finds herself falling in love and realizes that they have a lot in common including women's rights. He falls for her too despite having had a bad experience with love in a past romance.

But the two have to face his political rivals and her many secrets before they can have their own 'happily ever after.'

As illegitimate daughters of a wealthy American businessman, Cora decides to take her mother and sisters to England to exchange big dowries for men with titles. Leo is attracted to Cora and needs the heiress’ money to save his crumbling estate. As long as neither falls in love with each other, they should be safe. They must overcome their fears in order to have a real marriage. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Berkley for my honest review.

The Stranger I Wed is a captivating blend of Gilded Age New York and Victorian London. This novel is a powerful and feminist take on a historical marriage-of-convenience romance, making it a must-read for fans of the genre. St. George's writing is engaging and compelling, keeping me hooked from beginning to end. I found myself unable to put it down.