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The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George
344 pages | Published by Berkley
The Set Up: American Cora and her sisters are the illegitimate daughters of Mr. Hathaway, who has only begrudgingly acknowledged their existence over the years. When his mother dies and leaves the three girls with an inheritance, Cora knows their future is secure, but Mr. Hathaway insists that they must marry to receive their money - a respectable match, far away from his real family. Cora, along with her sisters and mother, travel to London where she meets the Earl of Devonworth. The two agree on a marriage of convenience, but secrets of their pasts bring them closer together than they expected.
This was the first book I’ve read from Harper St. George and I don’t think it will be the last! HSG’s writing was accessible but felt authentic to the time period, especially in the dialogue which isn’t always the case in historical romance.
I did think the story was a bit anti-climactic. I thought there was potential for a lot more when it came to Cora’s activism. But I really loved the American in London aspect, which I think HSG writes a lot of.
The two main characters had a clear physical chemistry but I loved that the focus of their story was more on building a solid friendship and genuine respect for each other.
I have another Victorian/Gilded Age book from HSG on my shelf, and I’m definitely looking forward to picking it up now!
Thanks to Netgalley & Berkley for the advanced eBook!
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