Harper St. George

An American heiress challenges the aristocracy

The marriage of convenience trope takes on new insights here. Cora Dove and her sisters, illegitimate daughters of one of Fifth Avenue’s most prestigious families, have been left a large sum of money by their grandmother. Its conditional upon them marrying someone their father, Mr. Hathaway (who doesn’t acknowledge them) approves of, and they remove themselves from New York.
The girls and their mother sail to London (far enough away?) to join the stream of American heiresses marrying into the cash strapped aristocracy. (Approval guaranteed!)
Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, is a vocal member of parliament supporting a variety of forward thinking causes. He needs to marry an heiress. His brother Harry’s gambling habit is bringing the family coffers to its knees. Their ancestral home, Timberscombe Park, is falling down around his ears. (Why he puts up with Harry’s antics are a mystery to me).
Cora it seems is the answer. Only Cora, a staunch suffragette, makes an unusual request to which Leo agrees.
The path of their romance is somewhat rocky and steamy, but love eventually conquers all.
Interesting premise to the novel but at times becomes tad stilted and cliched.

A Berkeley Group ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.… (altro)

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.'… (altro)

Good conclusion to the series. We have seen Camille in the earlier books as a friend to the other heroines. She is trapped in a miserable marriage to the titled older man her social-climbing parents chose for her. When he dies, it releases her from the prison he kept her in with his disdain and emotional abuse. She's ready to spread her wings and search for the pleasure she's never experienced. Her chosen instructor is Jacob Thorne, the illegitimate son of an earl and one of the owners of the Montague Club.

Jacob is surprised at the proposition he receives from Camille. He is ready to deny her request until she offers to help him attain the project he's been working on. She offers him a fake engagement that will enable him to convince the investors he needs for a new club that he is ready to settle down and leave his womanizing ways behind him.

The development of their relationship is a slow burn as Camille has a lot of trauma to overcome. I loved Jacob's patience and understanding as he eased her way into the pleasures of the bedchamber. His sensitivity once he understood everything she'd been through was outstanding. I loved how his support helped her develop the courage to take control of her life. There is a period when Camille and Jacob pull away from each other, disturbed by their growing feelings for each other, but when Camille is in danger, Jacob comes through to rescue her. I liked seeing them embrace a new and exciting future together.

I also enjoyed seeing Camille use her experience to get involved in the Suffrage movement. Her work with them opened her eyes to the abuse she suffered and motivated her to make changes. I loved seeing her wrest control of her finances from her husband's equally obnoxious and controlling heir. I was also moved by how she put her experiences in writing as a release for her and to share with the broader world. I especially liked the effect it had on her mother.… (altro)