Review & Giveaway - - Eliza and the Duke

Eliza and the Duke

by Harper St. George

The Doves of New York - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

American heiress Eliza Dove was resigned to a polite marriage of convenience...until she spent one wicked night with the Duke.

All hopeless romantic Eliza Dove asked for was one night of adventure. One glorious evening of freedom to explore the dark corners of London with a mysterious stranger before a lifetime trapped in a quiet, respectable marriage of convenience. Except now she wants more. Now she wants him.  

Simon Cavell is no gentleman. Known only as ‘the Duke,’ Whitechapel’s prize boxer is one fight away from achieving his goal: to safeguard his late sister’s only treasure and leave the streets for good. He cannot allow some pretty young heiress to spill his secrets, no matter how tempting she might be. In return for her silence, Simon will give Eliza a taste of the darkness…and hope he doesn’t lose his heart in the process.

But one night together could never be enough. And now Eliza has a new plan—an even more scandalous bargain that will either land the heiress her duke or ruin them both.

PJ's Thoughts:

Are you interested in a character-driven, Gilded Age/Victorian romance that feels fresh and new? If so, Harper St. George is the author for you!

In Eliza and the Duke, St. George steps away from London ballrooms and into the shadowy corners of Whitechapel to bring readers a cross-class romance that elicits all the feelings. There's danger, betrayal, tantalizing chemistry, a walk on the dark side, a bit of mystery, and yearning. So. Much. Yearning. 

Both Simon and Eliza are complex characters, more than they appear while also exactly as they appear. St. George pulls out their deepest emotions, hopes, and fears, especially Simon's. How could I not fall for this strong, determined, protective, proud, vulnerable man? And then there's Eliza. Impetuous, stubborn, and seemingly only concerned with her own wants, she slowly evolves into a determined, caring woman who I grew to respect, admire, and cheer on to a hard-won happy ending. 

As a fan of Harper St. George, it was fun to see characters from her earlier series pop in and out of this book. Readers who are new to her, however, should be able to enjoy Eliza and the Duke on its own. I enthusiastically recommend everything she's written. 

Have you read Harper St. George yet?

Do you enjoy Gilded Age/Victorian romance?

How do you feel about cross-class romance?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), June 25 will receive a print copy of Eliza and the Duke. 

Cover Reveal - - Eliza and the Duke

 

 

If you've been following me the past few years, you already know how much I've enjoyed Harper St. George's Gilded Age/Victorian historical romances. This past April, St. George published The Stranger I Wed (read my review) which launched her The Doves of New York series. This new series features an interesting take on American Dollar Princesses. Rather than the pampered, legitimate daughters of wealthy industry icons, the Dove sisters are the cast aside, illegitimate daughters of a member of one of New York's wealthiest founding families who must marry British aristocrats in order to collect their inheritances. Makes them all the more interesting, in my opinion!

Besides her wonderful stories that keep me reading way too late into the night, St. George's books are also known for their stunningly beautiful, rich, jewel-toned covers. Her next book in the series is no exception. I'm delighted to share the cover reveal for book two of The Doves of New York: Eliza and the Duke!

Eliza and the Duke will be published on June 24, 2025 but is available now for preorder at the following link: https://bit.ly/3YS5G3K. It goes without saying that I have already preordered my copy. 

Eliza and the Duke

by Harper St. George

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: June 24, 2025

American heiress Eliza Dove was resigned to a polite marriage of convenience...until she spent one wicked night with the Duke.

All hopeless romantic Eliza Dove asked for was one night of adventure. One glorious evening of freedom to explore the dark corners of London with a mysterious stranger before a lifetime trapped in a quiet, respectable marriage of convenience. Except now she wants more. Now she wants him.  

Simon Cavell is no gentleman. Known only as ‘the Duke,’ Whitechapel’s prize boxer is one fight away from achieving his goal: to safeguard his late sister’s only treasure and leave the streets for good. He cannot allow some pretty young heiress to spill his secrets, no matter how tempting she might be. In return for her silence, Simon will give Eliza a taste of the darkness…and hope he doesn’t lose his heart in the process.

But one night together could never be enough. And now Eliza has a new plan—an even more scandalous bargain that will either land the heiress her duke or ruin them both. 

Have you read any books by Harper St. George yet? 

Are you a fan of historical romance?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 7 will receive a print copy of The Heiress Gets a Duke, book one in St. George's The Gilded Age Heiresses series. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

 

Review & Giveaway - - The Stranger I Wed

The Stranger I Wed

by Harper St. George

The Doves of New York - Book 1

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: April 23, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

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.

PJ's Thoughts:

A promising start to Harper St. George’s new series about three American sisters and their British journeys to love…or not. It’s an interesting take on the American dollar princesses who were typically the adored, legitimate daughters of industry icons, not the cast aside illegitimate daughters of a member of one of New York’s wealthiest, founding families and his (also cast aside) mistress.

First up is eldest sister, Cora, an opinionated feminist, protective of her younger sisters, wary of love, and needing to marry a peer in order to obtain an inheritance from the grandmother who shunned her in life. Enter Leo, the Earl of Devonworth, a peer with a concern for the lower classes, a need for money, protective of his family and, oh yes, also wary of love. What follows is a slow-burn marriage of convenience that had me cheering these two on to their hard-earned, well-deserved, happily ever after…after negotiating more than a few road blocks along the way. 

St. George brings the Gilded Age to life in this book (as well as her previous series). In fact, a few of the main characters from the earlier series have pivotal roles in this one. I enjoy the setting, especially the emergence of women in more visible public roles (though suffrage is still considered a radical movement and can be a dangerous enterprise). One of the things that endeared Leo to me was how respectful he was of Cora’s opinions and how they worked together on his speeches to Parliament. Of course, he’s also very concerned about her safety which leads to a few confrontations but, as with any relationship, it’s a work in progress. I enjoyed the slow burn of their romance, how the desire and depth of feelings gradually evolved from partners to friends to much, much more. It felt very authentic, especially considering past events in each of their lives. 

I’m eager to discover what the author has in store for Cora’s two younger sisters as well as their somewhat unpredictable mother. I’ll be looking forward to books two and three with eager anticipation.

Have you read Harper St. George yet?

Do you enjoy Gilded Age romances? Do you have a preference between those set in the U.S. and those in England? 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, April 26 will receive a print copy of The Stranger I Wed.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18