The Stranger I Wed

When New Yorker Cora Dove finds out that she must marry to receive her inheritance, she travels to London to seek an English peer who will let her retain her independence and, eventually, agree to go their separate ways. The Earl of Devonworth seems like a worthy candidate for her hand rather than her heart: he’s progressive, has common sense, and needs money. Devonworth and Cora embark on a sham marriage for an agreed-upon two years, but each soon begins to realize that they got more than they bargained for in their new spouse. As the novel unfolds, a few of the couple’s issues would have been solved had they just spoken to each other, but the possible fallout from their families’ scandalous secrets does make their silence more understandable. The hints of Cora’s sisters’ (mis)adventures in London as they look for their own husbands will keep readers engaged and looking forward to the rest of the series.