New to wealth and to London high society, American heiress Cora Dove discovers that with the right man, marriage might not be such an inconvenience after all. . . .
Cora Dove and her sisters’ questionable legitimacy has been the lifelong subject of New York’s gossipmongers and a continual stain on their father’s reputation. So when the girls each receive a generous, guilt-induced dowry from their dying grandmother, the sly Mr. Hathaway vows to release their funds only if Cora and her sisters can procure suitable husbands—far from New York. For Cora, England is a fresh start. She has no delusions of love, but a husband who will respect her independence? That’s an earl worth fighting for.
Enter: Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, a no-nonsense member of Parliament whose plan to pass a Public Health bill that would provide clean water to the working class requires the backing of a wealthy wife. He just never expected to crave Cora’s touch or yearn to hear her thoughts on his campaign—or to discover that his seemingly perfect bride protects so many secrets…
But secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface, and Devonworth has a few of his own. With their pasts laid bare and Cora’s budding passion for women’s rights taking a dangerous turn, they’ll learn the true cost of losing their heart to a stranger—and that love is worth any price.
Release Date: Apr 23, 2024
Series: The Doves of New York
Book: 1
Heat Level: Sensual
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $10.99
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
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