Eliza and the Duke

An unusual love blossoms in St. George’s middling second Doves of New York Victorian romance (after The Stranger I Wed). Eliza Dove is an adventurous debutante who must marry to receive her inheritance. Simon Cavell is the manager of a gentlemen’s club who moonlights as a prizefighter in London’s slums. The novel gets off to several false starts in its attempts to maneuver these two together, culminating in Eliza blackmailing Simon with knowledge of his underground fighting ring into taking her on one night of adventure in Whitechapel before she resigns herself to a loveless marriage. The ensuing foray into the seedier side of London sparks gratifying passion. Though Simon and Eliza swear to forget each other after their one perfect night, they each struggle to let the other go. St. George’s attempts to examine Victorian class stratification are admirable, but unfortunately Eliza proves a frustrating heroine whose comparisons between her coddled life and Simon’s harsh, abusive upbringing come across as naive and entitled. Meanwhile, inconsistent pacing and a rushed ending put a damper on the romance. Series fans will appreciate checking in with the Dove sisters, but others can give this one a pass. (June)