The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Doves of New York, #1

Release Date: April 23, 2024

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.*