The Dove and the Rogue

The Doves of New York #3

by Harper St. George

American heiress Jenny Dove thought a marriage of convenience would solve all her problems, until her heart decided to rewrite the terms…

Jenny Dove has spent her life training to become an opera singer, determined not to repeat her mother’s mistake of sacrificing her career for love. But when her younger sister needs her help, Jenny strikes a daring bargain. To save her sister’s future, she’ll marry a titled gentleman long enough to unlock both their inheritances, then return to Paris to live out her dream.

Lord David Felding, heir to a dukedom and unapologetic rake, has no interest in finding a wife, until Jenny walks into his life with an audacious marriage proposal. She’ll give him one night in her bed in exchange for the protection of his name. It’s supposed to be a simple transaction—no emotions, no complications. But when their wedding night reveals unexpected passion and a startling connection, walking away is anything but easy.

Instead of continuing his roguish life in London, David follows Jenny to Paris—and begins to court his own wife. As their sham marriage deepens into something real, Jenny glimpses the wounded man behind his charm and feels her carefully guarded heart begin to yield. But falling in love means a slow, irresistible unraveling of everything they thought they wanted…and trusting in something neither dared to hope for.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Victorian

311 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 26, 2026

About the author

Harper St. George grew up in rural Alabama and along Florida’s Forgotten Coast, where stories of the past sparked her lifelong love of history, romance, and adventure. By high school she discovered historical romance novels, which brought all of those elements together in one irresistible package. She’s been hooked ever since.

Today, Harper lives in the Atlanta area where she writes historical romance set from the Viking Era to the Gilded Age. Her novels have been translated into ten languages and featured in major publications including Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, Oprah Daily, Woman’s World, Forbes, PopSugar, and Bustle. She has also received the prestigious honor of having her books selected for Book of the Month Club and BuzzFeed Best Romance of the year. She would love to hear from you. Please visit her website at harperstgeorge.com

Reviews

[Katie’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

"I'd face the devil himself if it meant I get to be with you."

Harper St. George's historical romances are so underrated- they're all so good! I've enjoyed every single book in this series and the Gilded Age Heiresses series before it. Here we get a match I've been waiting for for a few books now- Jenny Dove and Lord David Felding.

Jenny must marry an aristocrat in order to secure her inheritance from her secret father- she doesn't really give a damn, but in order to help secure her sister's inheritance, she goes to Lord Felding. They make a deal- marriage, in exchange for one night together. Lord David, who's been obsessed with Jenny but in denial about it since the moment he met her, readily agrees.

Obviously these two have more than just physical attraction between them and one night isn't enough. David immediately begins trying to woo Jenny, because he just knows that there is something more between them. Jenny for her part is trying to protect herself- she's been burned before and doesn't believe that David, a notorious rake, could ever fall in love and settle down with one woman. I do wish she let go of the "he could never be faithful, he's a rake" schtick a little earlier. David did everything he could to show Jenny that he cared and she just kept throwing the rake business in his face. Honestly sometimes it got a bit judgy

I loved the quiet moments these two had together. Laying by the lake of his country home, sharing a late night dinner and talking about their childhoods. They got along so well and had such a good connection you could genuinely believe that they would fall in love

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Crystal's Bookish Life]

Review to come

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harper St. George can pack so much into a story - her experience in category romance is clear here in a tightly plotted, banger of a historical romance that manages to also tie into the universe she created in past series. While anyone can start their journey into her books with this story, it's even better if you know her past heroines.

The Dove sisters will only get their inheritances/dowries if they marry aristocrats. While her sisters are making an effort during their time in London, Jenny is more interested in biding her time until she can get to Paris to use her opera training. She proposes a marriage of convenience to David Felding, a well-known libertine who is set to inherit a dukedom. David winds up falling for Jenny and spends the majority of the book pursuing her and hoping she'll fall in love with him.

While this series of events isn't uncommon in historical romance, Harper St. George makes it fun and exciting. Jenny being a working actress/singer adds an unusual element to the story and taking action to Paris is a nice departure.

The Doves series is one I'm sure will be beloved by many and read again and again in the future.

[ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

just finished eliza and the duke and now i have to wait almost a year for this i'm gonna kms lord david felding hit me uuuup

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been YEARNING for Jenny’s book since the first moment she graced us with her presence on page in The Stranger I Wed and when this beauty landed on my kindle, I dropped EVERYTHING - even read through a migraine - and INHALED this book. Jenny and David’s love story was everything I hoped for and then some. My GOD, the tenderness, the vulnerability, the LONGING while trying to battle with childhood and emotional trauma… my heart and stomach were in knots at times, but Harper St. George NEVER misses and brought these two tenderhearted souls together in such a magical and magnificent way.

I adore how Harper had the outside noise sort of melt away so we had this sort of “phone booth” set up where it was just Jenny and David, and in doing so, the intimacy between these two became the central focus. Having shared moments between Jenny and David previously laid the foundation and established a connection so Harper could really lean in to this quieter, slower paced storytelling and I could not put it down!

[b.andherbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightfully steamy treat. I am way behind on this historical romance series, but this self-published title (first two are trad pub) was fantastic.

Opera singer Jenny Dove offers David, heir to a dukedom, a marriage of convenience. He can tup her the once, then she will hie to Italy to chase her opera singing dreams. Eventually they'll divorce. David is keen to take Jenny up on her offer, unfortunately he immediately catches feeeeelings haha hah.

I really delighted in seeing these two fight their hearts desire. As mentioned, I had not read the other books but I found it was fairly easy to jump into the plot. This marriage helped make sure one of Jenny's sisters (dowry or money wise). There is an overarching thread regarding heritage but most readers will be fine jumping in here.

A surprise 🍆💍 too!

thank you to the author and netgalley for the ARC.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dove and the Rogue was my single most anticipated historical romance release of 2026. I am the resident opera singer of historical romance BookTok/Bookstagram, so I sit at the nexus of all things related to this book, and I could not wait for it to come out. When we found out Harper had been dropped by Berkley, I was so hopeful she'd be able to take the rest of this series indie, and it was thrilling when she announced that would, in fact, happen.

Thanks to Harper St. George for the complimentary ARC of The Dove and the Rogue.

Jenny Dove has to make a deal with the devil—or at least a devilish man. Her sister was in trouble and needed a way to claim her inheritance so she could marry the man she loved, so Jenny decided to give their guardian what he wanted in exchange for access to her sister's dowry. Jenny would marry the heir to a dukedom in order to bring the kind of prestige to the family that would neutralize the lowborn status of her sister's new husband. Lord David Felding has been following Jenny around since the Dove sisters made their debut in London, propositioning her to be his mistress. Jenny is a trained opera singer on the verge of making her debut in Paris in a leading role. She doesn't have the time or inclination to tie herself to David long-term, but her sister needs her, so she offers David a deal to get him to consent to the marriage: she will give him one night together, and they will go their separate ways. After a reasonable amount of time, they'll divorce so David can marry someone more appropriate to be the wife of a duke's heir, and Jenny can marry a nice, non-threatening man and have the family she's always wanted. It should work out. Only once they're married, David finds he has no interest in the women who used to occupy his bed before, and all he wants is his wife. So he sets out to woo her, following her to Paris.

There are few things I love in life more than a rake who finds he can't get it up for another woman after he gets married. Just put it in my veins. I know it's ridiculous, and I am a garbage person for my love of this micro-trope, but I don't care. There is a reason why the reformed rake looms so large in historical romance. You don't have lists with heroes like St. Vincent at the top if the readership isn't obsessed with this type of leading man. David is emotionally constipated, has never had a feeling, and doesn't do mistresses because long-term attachments just aren't his thing. He was prime for this trope!

I am always cautious when picking up a book about an opera singer because most authors don't get the experience of singing right. The roles the characters sing are wrong, or the way they think about their voices doesn't make sense. Harper St. George did a ton of research for this book, basing Jenny on real-life opera singers from Gilded Age Paris, so her repertoire was correct for someone of her voice type. Opera singers in this era weren't as constrained by fach as we are today, so Jenny would have sung a wider variety of roles than a typical soprano would attempt in the 21st century. Opera houses were also smaller, so a soprano who could sing Susanna would be able to do Queen of the Night because it wasn't a 4,000-seat theatre. Harper was able to avoid some of the pitfalls authors get caught in by having David narrate the scenes where Jenny is performing. We're in his POV, so we don't have a non-classical singer author trying to describe sensations they've never experienced, and we get the benefit of watching David lose it over Jenny's talent.

The romance writing in this book was great. Harper has been building to this novel since the beginning of The Stranger I Wed. We saw David chasing Jenny across the ballroom in that book, annoying her to no end, so we knew this was coming. While you can read this book as a standalone, I really think it is much better if you've read the previous two books in The Doves of New York so you get just how long David has been obsessed with Jenny and how out of character his behavior is in this book. His reputation is awful before Jenny, and the fact that he goes from needing a different woman basically every day to celibacy in the course of an evening is notable and makes the romance hit harder. I also loved that we got to see the development of the Dove girls' understanding of their illegitimacy and connection to their birth father. By this novel, all three girls are done with the man, and I was here for it.

The Dove and the Rogue was great. I am so excited that Harper St. George has continued to publish as an indie author and hope we see much, much more from her. 5 stars.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I think that this book felt like I was missing information cause I read the first two so long ago. I think more needed to be at the beginning to setup our story as I felt that we were already in the lust with both of them when we enter the story. The sex was good and detailed and also had some play stuff that I am not really into (piercings). But our spare was down bad. He jumped at every chance he could to make himself available and I am not mad at that. His brother and his partner were my favorite though. His brother was a loving sibling which I feel is rare with brothers in historical romance so it was nice to see two brothers who loved each other.

4/6 stars

[Jessica White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is Harper St. George’s best book. She’s doing the work of taking a transactional marriage of convenience and making it more for each of the parties involved. The first moment I read about Jenny and David earlier in the series, I knew I needed their story and this is exactly what not just the readers want, but what Jenny and David deserve. St. George is not reinventing the wheel; many times has a rakish rogue been laid low by a single woman he just can’t get out of his head. And yet, there’s more at play here than just the ingenue and the rake. There are fears and insecurities about class and acceptance, as well as the very real fears of falling in love only to have your heart broken.

When singer and performer Jenny Dove approaches Lord David Felding, heir to a dukedom, to marry her in exchange for one night in her bed, David immediately responds in the affirmative. He’s longed for Jenny since realizing she wasn’t an easy conquest and she’s likewise been intrigued by him and his attentions to her. Jenny needs her dowry to help a sister’s marriage (for romance reasons), and the book begins with a bang. There are only a few rules: no kissing on the mouth, she’s fully available to him for one night, she gets to perform in Paris immediately after the wedding, and upon her return to London they can begin divorce proceedings. Jenny and David’s families are loosely aware that this is a contractual marriage and are actually in support of their joining, despite the class differences and race to the altar. It’s once they tie the knot that the emotional depth of the book really exploded.

First of all, Harper St. George writes intimacies beautifully. I felt like I was in the room with these characters every time they danced around their feelings. Regardless of what they say, the desire David and Jenny have for one another is palpable. It is executed masterfully through consent, discussions about expectations and outcomes and there was no shortage of chemistry. The second part of the book is just as exciting as David and Jenny slowly open up to one another—not through their feelings, but through the husbandly and wifely duties. As a rake, David has never had to woo a woman. He doesn’t have a clue as to how to do that, let alone to woo his own wife. What he does have is a big heart and a desire to see her needs met and it is the most beautiful thing to see. Sex may initially be the vehicle to draw these two together, but it’s the caretaking and the putting someone’s wants over your own that keep them close.

This is a book I know I’ll come back to—it has the makings of a comfort read. I am thrilled to say that self-publishing if anything may have made this book even better; Jenny and David get the love story they deserve and the one we’ve all been waiting for. Thank you to the author for my early copy. All opinions are my own. The Dove and the Rogue is available now.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🪭🪭🪭

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this one might be my favorite in the series! I love a man that yearns and realizes he’s in love before she is:

Jenny and Lord David have come to an arrangement in order to help her sister. Jenny and David will marry. She will give him one night together and then she is off to Paris for her Opera Singing career. David agrees but apparently one night isn’t enough for him.

I really enjoyed this book and seeing how this couple grew together and realized they could be everything to each other.

[Nikki (awallflowerreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been anxiously awaiting Jenny and David’s story since they were introduced and you could feel the instant tension. David is a well-known rake and therefore Jenny, who’s been burned in the past and has a firm head on her shoulders, is unwilling to believe he might actually see her differently. This novel starts where the last left off, with the two entering into a bargain marriage: David will help secure not only her inheritance from her father but also her sisters so Eliza can marry the man she loves, and he will get a night in Jenny’s bed.

As a reader, it’s pretty clear early on that both Jenny and David have some real and deep feelings for each other. But she can’t trust him, and he is still uncertain that what he’s feeling is love and not just intense lust. He’s clearly a fool, though, from the moment you start reading his POV you can tell how down bad he is. This becomes even more obvious after they have their night together and he tries to engage in his usual activities while she’s in Paris. It doesn’t work, and he’s off chasing her like a dog (we LOVE to see). David is my favorite kind of hero. I adore a rake who’s been rocked and is now completely down bad for his heroine. Even better that it’s his wife, and he clearly attended Vasti’s Rake to Wife Guy University. It’s perfection, and I think Harper really nails this dynamic.

I really loved how focused this felt on their romance. There’s not a lot of dominant outside plot or stakes, unlike with Eliza and Simon’s love story. And I like how the real stakes felt internal to their feelings and developing relationship. Harper does an excellent job of building their intimacy through not only their physical relationship, but also their emotional one. Watching David open up in ways he’s been unable, and similarly, Jenny finally let down the mask she normally has, was really important to believing they could get their HEA. And I absolutely loved how it all played out. Their romance felt really genuine and deep while still bringing some Heat. Our man David is pierced and knows how to pleasure- good for you, Jenny! Plus, their no kissing rules has this building the physical stakes even when they’re railing each other. I’m such a sucker for this microtrope! I also fell in love with him even harder when him and Fanny started to develop this really lovely relationship.

I can’t recommend this one enough, most especially if you’ve read the series and have some build-up for these two. But, honestly, it could probably stand alone, and I would have loved it equally. Harper put all of my romance catnip in one book, and I fell just as hard as David did for their romance. I hope she continues to self-publish more historical romance, because she really has a gift for this genre!

5/5
Thank you to the author for an eARC of the book.

marriage bargain, she’s a rising Opera star, rake falls hard, pierced & tattooed MMC, no kissing rule, “my wife”, he follows her to Paris, courting your wife

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I was so looking forward to this book, so it pains me to write this review but it was underwhelming, felt rushed, lacked character development or growth, used exposition and sex in the place of relationship development, and had pacing issues throughout.

The first 25% was really strong with set-up and moving the plot along, but then David and Jenny got married and my enjoyment tanked and couldn’t be recovered. I must have read an alternate universe version of this book than everyone else, or maybe my expectations were too high idk, but I’m sad about it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC.

[nat_anniemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 STARS ✨ YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON HARPER ST. GEORGE FOR ICONIC DIALOGUE AND GOOD HISTORICAL ROMANCE PLOTS😭😭😍😍😍😍 Jenny and David were absolute🔥 and I’m a sucker for a classic rake-to-husband moment. Can’t wait to reread this and I’m so excited to see what’s next from Harper!!!

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have been BEGGING for Jenny & David’s love story and it was everything I could have wished for! (Thank you to the author for my ARC. The Dove and the Rogue is available now on ebook and June 2 on audio!)

I think Harper St. George is a great intro to the historical romance genre. (Probably because she was mine.) This is the 3rd book in a spinoff series - so if you’re an order purist, I would start with The Heiress Gets a Duke (The Gilded Age Heiresses Book 1). If not, I would still start with book 1 of this series, because we get to see Jenny and David throughout! (The Stranger I Wed is Book 1)

In order for her sister Eliza to get her happily ever after, Jenny promised the rakish duke’s heir one night for them to be together. In order for her reputation to remain intact, they would get married, but with the knowledge that they would divorce after about a year. Jenny knows that being married to a future duke would make it impossible for her to continue her career as an opera singer, so it has to be temporary.

David and Jenny are FERAL for each other from the beginning. And St. George moves us along quickly to their wedding and night together. I love when the couple is basically in love the whole time and are just fully in their own way for logical reasons. Jenny has been in love before and was treated horribly, PLUS has seen her mother’s relationships, which makes her think that a wealthy man may truly just want her for her body. (Don’t worry, WE, the readers, have David’s perspective to see how untrue that is.) I loved watching them fight themselves and slowly begin to trust each other.

This was exactly what I wanted for Jenny and David, and I am very hopeful that one day we’ll coax Harper St. George into writing Fanny’s love story. (I am keeping a close eye on my inbox!)

[Rolé - Hooked By That Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of drama and mutual desire led to a sweet and endearing and hot happy ending.

Jenny thought she had executed the perfect plan by marrying David to secure her sister's inheritance and getting to go to Paris. But she had severely underestimated David's fascination with her and her own attraction to him.

David's clear obsession with his wife was just delightful. He was so adorable trying to reconcile these strange new feelings that completely derailed his usual suave modus operandi. Both of them yearned hard for things they believed were out of reach. The build-up to the wedding night was a combination of exquisite anticipation and anxiety. And it certainly lived up to my expectations.

The mutual lust was so "loud" that David's love for Jenny kind of snuck up on him (and me). Jenny was obstinate and definitely got in her own way. It drove me crazy, but it also fit with her personality and hang-ups.

I can recommend this historical romance if you like a marriage of convenience where he falls first. Each book in this series stands well on its own, but I think the characters make more sense if you read the books in order.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review is also on Hooked By That Book.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wavered between 3 and 3.5 stars for this one. This seemed to me the weakest and least well plotted of the three books in this series (or any Harper St George I’ve read). The main characters were clearly hot for each other, but I didn’t feel the longing or tension that you need in a marriage of convenience plot. Jenny is supposedly dedicated to her opera career, but we don’t often see her singing from her POV. In fact a surprising amount of the book is from David’s POV, which means we get less character growth from Jenny. Readers may notice that this book is being self published by the author, where previous books were published by Berkley. I wonder if what we’re missing in this installment is the guidance of a trusted editor to help shape the story.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in the series of the Doves of New York. Jenny Dove is an opera singer and has been pursued by Lord David all season. She sees her opportunity to ask for his help when her sister gets in trouble and she seizes by asking him for a marriage of convenience.
Lord David has been obsessed with her since he laid eyes on her. He had been raised by his brother and has been seeking affection in all the wrong places. So poor boy has a horrible reputation. Jenny is extremely attracted to him but told him one night and that’s it and she’s off to France for her opera.
I love a “he falls first”. He fell hard and didn’t even know what was happening cause he had never been in love. She was hurt before, so was trying so hard not to get attached. But he was like please get attached lol.
This was so perfect and just the historical I needed. Loved that there were some queer characters as well. Jenny is in the theater community so it would be weird if there weren’t.

[Betsy Holden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like we have been waiting for Jenny and Lord David's story forever since the first book in the series. Their chemistry has been palpable everytime Harper wrote a scene for them together. As much as I love our two older sisters (big Eliza fan), David has been drawn to Jenny since the VERY beginning and I swear it has been some of the best low key yearning I've read in a series in YEARS and a night together/marriage of convenience is the GO TO for me. Also, Jenny's love for her sisters (honestly the love between them all with their garbage father) is beatiful to read.
The entire premise of David being a "reformed rake" (despite some obstacles), and persuing his "wife" after she leaves for Paris to convice her he is serious about a marriage for them was completely engrossing. Over the course of the book the balance between the personal struggles of the characters learning to let go and trust/their individual backgrounds that unravel throughout the novel in combination to that spice (the first night like OKAY) is perfection, Sometimes you see authors try to find a balance between these two and really have a hard time doing so, Harper hits the nail on the head.

Lastly, the banter has geniunely been one of my FAVORITE parts between the two of them in their scenes during the books and it does NOT disappoint in their book. I know I put it last in my comments but it's so fun and breaks up some of intense scenes in the story.

Another knockout by Harper, per ususal. Historical Romance will never not be one of my favorite genres and Harper leads the charge in this always. PERFECT story we've all been waiting for.

Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

[kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper St. George and Victory Editing for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

This is the third book is a series about the Dove sisters that I highly recommend you read the others before this!

Jenny and David enter into a marriage of convenience so her sister can receive her inheritance and marry a criminal. Jenny just wants to sing in Paris and decides to ask David, who has openly lusted after her for years, to be her sort of fake husband. He agrees because she also promises a night of passion and since he’s a rake, he literally cannot resist.

This book was so well researched and it made for such a rewarding reading experience. I also loved how extremely down bad David was almost immediately after consummating the marriage and I also liked how accurate his extracurricular activities were immediately before the marriage. Jenny was also wonderful! I love how confident she was and how she made herself a priority.

[giuliaghoulia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

i loved this one!!!! it all my favorite things: a reformed rake, marriage of convenience AND a no kissing rule??? i fear this was made for me!!!!

this book was so HOT and also so cozy??? i loved their one night stand-esque and the "i want you but i can't have you" vibes!! so angsty, jenny and david had me crawling out of skin just to KISS

the everything i love in a book continues bc this book ALSO featured the reluctant girlie x all-in man dynamic and that is my all time favorite pairing, it lends itself so well to developing the relationship between people who ultimately want the same thing but run at different speeds or levels of assuredness.

thank you Victory Editing and Netgalley for this e-galley, it's out everywhere now!

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed everything Harper has put out and was crushed to see this book was cancelled by the publisher, only to be thrilled Harper decided to publish it herself.

Jenny and David have been my favorite couple since their first scene together. They're both passionate, loyal, and knowledgeable. It was a damn delight getting to be inside their heads and finally find out what they thought of the other.

Plot wise it's good. There's a bit of a meandering, some light push and pull, a good amount of (mostly) open conversations, and loads of sweet moments. I loved seeing David smitten and patient while being supportive of Jenny's singing. The conflict was short lived and the last chapter was perfect, even if I wanted more.

Overall, these two were so easy to root for and well worth the wait.

**Huge thanks to the author for providing the arc free of charge**

[Sue (BeautyBookCorner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve liked the other books in the series but this one did not do it for me. Neither of our main characters felt unique or interesting to me. I felt like they could have been anyone and the romance would have played out the same way. The spicy times were decent and made me believe in the sexual chemistry between them, but the rest of the romantic development was lackluster.

[Ella Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when a rake immediately falls head over heels in love with his wife-of-convenience and is convinced that if he can just fuck her one more time, he’ll get her out of his system!!!!!

Is this the hottest of Harper's books?? Maybe?? He inserts her diaphragm as foreplay?? He has a period-appropriate genital piercing?? Lord David marry me!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I loved this book, Jenny was cruel and judgy while Lord David, while being a player in the past, was nothing but kind,caring and considerate. He did everything for her and she didn’t do a single thing for him until the very end. Good thing he is so kind and loving

[Katie Gullo · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC REVIEW*

A classic, and spicier, historical romance. A marriage of convenience + a rake = a good time.

[Catherine Staerkel · Rating 2 out of 5]

What happened?

I am a devoted fan of Harper St. George and completely underwhelmed with this book. So excited when this came out but it's not anything like her other work. Enough said. And I got the audio as well so as not to be without it. At 30%, I couldn't stand to listen to the narrator.
Never been so disappointed.

[Erin Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.
Whether you are a longtime fan of the Doves of New York series or a newcomer searching for an emotional historical romance, Harper St. George’s latest release, The Dove and the Rogue, is a must-read. As the third installment in the trilogy, this book provides a satisfying conclusion to the saga of the Dove sisters, and while it works beautifully as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first two books (The Stranger I Wed and *liza and the Duke). Doing so allows you to fully appreciate the overarching family stakes and the journey that brought Jenny and her sisters from the gossip-laden streets of New York to the glittering ballrooms of London.

The story follows Jenny Dove, an aspiring opera singer who has spent her life meticulously guarding her heart. Haunted by her mother’s past—specifically the sacrifice of a career for a love that proved unstable—Jenny is determined to prioritize her independence and her voice. However, when her younger sister Eliza’s future is at stake, Jenny proves her loyalty by striking a daring bargain. She proposes a marriage of convenience to Lord David Felding, a notorious rogue and the heir to a dukedom. The terms are simple: his name and protection in exchange for a single night, after which Jenny intends to flee to Paris to pursue her operatic dreams.

Jenny’s character arc is an exploration of the fear of vulnerability. She views love as a cage and professional success as her only means of safety. Watching her navigate the tension between her ambition and her growing feelings for David is one of the book’s highlights. She begins the novel performing even in her personal life, but as the story progresses, she learns that being supported by the right person doesn't diminish her strength—it amplifies it.

David Felding, meanwhile, is the ultimate reformed rogue, but with a refreshing twist. He isn't just a man who has decided to settle down; he is a man who recognizes that Jenny is his equal in every way. David’s arc is equally compelling as he transitions from a life of superficial pleasures to one of deep, intentional devotion. I absolutely loved David’s character; he truly supports Jenny’s dreams, offering her the emotional support she didn't realize she was missing. Instead of demanding she conform to the role of a traditional duchess, he follows her to Paris, choosing to court his own wife and prove that he can be the partner she needs without requiring her to sacrifice her identity.

The chemistry between them is electric, starting as a transaction and blooming into a profound soulmate connection. It was heart-wrenching and heartwarming to see how these two characters adjusted their lives—not because they had to, but because they found someone who completed them.

A wonderful bonus of this finale is the opportunity to reconnect with the rest of the family. Seeing Cora and Dev again feels like a warm homecoming, and the inclusion of David’s brother Alfred, along with Kit, helps propel the plot forward while adding layers to the Felding family dynamic. These secondary characters enrich the world, making the stakes feel personal and the happily-ever-after feel earned.

In The Dove and the Rogue, Harper St. George delivers a story that is as much about finding oneself as it is about finding love. It’s a reminder that the right partner doesn’t make you choose between your passion and your heart. If you’re looking for a new historical romance with sharp wit, steaming tension, and immense heart, definitely pick up this book and the rest of the series when you can. You won't regret it.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A SOLID 3.5 DESPERATELY PINING STARS!
GAHH I WISH THE AUTHOR HAD INCLUDED IN THE EPILOGUE A GLIMPSE OF THEIR FUTURE CHILDREN!! It's true that reformed rakes make the best husbands, and this is another one of those stories.

DAVID was a puppy who would grow into a Golden Retriever husband. For a man who discovered women + orgasms came hand in hand since age 14, he has never ever fallen in love before. Anytime feelings start to develop on either end, he cuts loose and moves on to the new flavour of the day/month. You can understand our dear Jenny's scepticism about her husband's fidelity.

WORRY NOT. David was a neutered stallion (pardon my language, but it is an entirely APT description) the moment he said I DO. Naturally, no one could make a powerful man in his own right do anything he didn't want to, and that INCLUDES marrying a woman he MIGHT HAVE ALREADY STARTED FALLING IN LOVE WITH. I don't remember if he was pursuing her in the previous books, but it was mentioned here that she was the only unattached "virginal" lady around his age whom he doggedly pursued for the chance to bed her, BEFORE she propositioned him. Our heroine was no virgin, by the way.

This story was a painful exercise in seeing 2 IDIOTS running around their feelings when they could have been MAKING LOVE, NOT ASSUMPTIONS! They were so good together!

JENNY was wonderful until her stubbornness of not giving David a chance started to irk. The woman was worse than a cold-hearted Duke character. Her excuses? She was hurt before as a young adolescent who was taken advantage of AND witnessing her mother and sperm donor's broken relationship convinced her that love was a risk.

I felt sorry for David. It's like watching a short-legged puppy attempting to climb a towering staircase only to constantly roll off the edge, again and again. You'd think we wouldn't sympathize with a womanizer, but David was SOOOO different after he got married. He was LITERALLY PINING AWAY!

OVERALL I would have rated this higher had JENNY soften up a bit more, and again, I would have loved a more meaningful epilogue, but that's on me. I loved the idea, the execution wasn't shabby but I felt the author never took a DEEP DIVE into strengthening their relationship as a married couple and deepening the love connection. That HEA was just the BEGINNING OF THEIR WHOLE LIVES! An overwhelming foolishness of "I love you, but I dare not give my heart to you" was making me a bit green around the gills.

PS : I immensely enjoyed seeing David try to indirectly woo his wife. The poor man was a God in the sheets but he was a novice at love. Crazily, I found it endearingly sweet. A man who tries in fiction, will always have my heart. I think he should have just pursued her openly even if it terrified her. What did he have to lose? The woman was already pushing him away with actively attempting to do so. He might as well gamble everything. Perhaps, that would have made the story gone on a more intense and dramatic road, yielding a more fulfilling and desirable result.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Jenny Dove, her sisters’ happiness is worth any price, so when it becomes clear that their “guardian” Mr. Hathaway, isn’t going to give her sister Eliza her promised inheritance, because he didn’t approve of her choice of a husband, Jenny knows what she has to do. She makes a deal with Lord David Felding, the heir to the Duke of Strathmore, to marry him and spend one night in his bed before she leaves for her opera debut in Paris, agreeing to live separate lives until enough time has passed to get a divorce. He agrees to her terms and Jenny then approaches her guardian to make a deal, she will marry the heir to a duke and Hathaway will give both Jenny and Eliza their inheritance, knowing the draw of duke would cinch the deal. She thinks she has it all worked out, until she spends a night, she will never forget with David. But David is a rake and Jenny has been burned before, so even if he makes her heart flutter and her body sing, she can’t risk giving in to her desire to stay.

Lord David Felding has wanted Jenny since the first moment he met her, but she has consistently shot him down, so when she comes to her with a request for a marriage of convenience and the promise of a night in his bed, he is all in. He figured the desire for her would wear off once he has spent the night with her, but he couldn’t be more wrong. Even after she leaves for Paris, he can’t forget her and can’t seem to pick up his life. When a request for his signature on a contract comes, he jumps at the chance to go to her and is determined to woo his wife into a real marriage. Too bad Jenny is just as determined to get a divorce. Can he convince her that his heart is true, and she can trust him with her heart or is she too scared to take the risk?

I have been waiting Jenny and David’s story since the first book – their chemistry has always been undeniable and the pages sizzle whenever they are together, so I was a little worried that this book might not live up to expectations. Thankfully that was not the case, in fact, this book exceeded expectations! The book had all the same emotion, banter and angst as the previous books, but with more spice – a lot more (FYI – That is NOT a complaint)! I could feel Jenny’s pain and David’s desperation; I wanted so bad for them to let go of their fears and realize that they truly were soulmates and then I was overjoyed when they finally confessed their love – even though I knew this book would end with a HEA! So, if you are looking for a romance with wonderful characters, steamy love scenes, some angst, excellent chemistry and witty banter – look no further, this is the book you have been looking for! This is the third book in the series and while you could read this book as a standalone, I would recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

although I have read all the previous books in this series as well as the gilded age heiresses series (admittedly hit or miss for me), enough time has passed between this release and Eliza's book that I have forgotten any previous interactions these two characters had had in previous books in the series. the reader gets the sense that this book begins in the middle of their story, which is a jarring reading experience. That being said, I disagree with other reviewers: this most certainly could not be appreciated as a standalone, as it became clear to me that that prior context to this relationship was necessary for readers to understand their origin.

the downfall of this story is that the author fills the pages with spice in the place of real relationship development. as a reader more or less reading this with fresh eyes, the narrative was overcome with insta-lust which turns quickly into insta-love. The male love interest is seemingly obsessed and lovelorn from the very first page, which sounds great in theory, but in execution this precedence became extremely repetitive and eye-roll-inducing. I was splendidly excited to read in the foreword that this was the author's spiciest book yet, but I tragically ended up not being a fan of how the spice was written and found myself cringing heavily at times.

I have followed this author's journey for quite some time and was surprised to learn that she recently was booted from Berkley and decided to pursue the self-published route. Although, like I said, some of her trad published books were hit or miss for me as well, I have to wonder if she lacked an editor to tighten up the plot and provide guidance on an appropriate romantic relationship progression.

I am admittedly not normally picky about this, but I found much of the narrative not historically accurate, which is saddening to me considering how much the author's previous books are inspired by real historical figures movements, and events. For example, the male love interest has a genital piercing (sounds sexy in theory. this critique will likely attract rather than repel readers, but I promise you the execution of this most certainly was not for me), which was a nonexistent phenomenon in the Victorian era in which this book is set, outside of, perhaps, indigenous communities.

In the absence of plot development, I expect a deep character study, yet there was little character development, especially on the female protagonist's part. We spend most of the story inside the male love interest's POV, which left me feeling disconnected from the female protagonist. There was so much potential there, as she is a career-driven woman with a talent for Opera singing who takes on a starring role in a Parisian Opera. This made it especially aggravating when the male love interest would be so open with communication, only for her to act dismissive towards his vulnerability.

୨ৎ DNF 65%

source: kindle ebook