The time it was about Eliza and the Duke

Posted June 23, 2025 by Stacee in Interviews | 0 Comments

I’ve been reading and loving books from Harper St. George since I saw the cover of the first book in her Gilded Age Heiresses series. When I was offered the chance to interview Harper for Eliza and the Duke, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

And before we get to the answers, let’s check out the book.

Title: Eliza and the Duke (The Doves of New York #2)
Author: Harper St. George
Pages: 336
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Find it: PRH | Bookshop | Goodreads

Synopsis: 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.

Sounds good, right?

1. Please give the elevator pitch for Eliza and the Duke.

To inherit a fortune that will set her and her mother up for life, Eliza must marry a titled man. Unfortunately, the Lord she is engaged to is off galivanting across Europe and will almost certainly come back with syphilis. Eliza just wants one night of freedom before her marriage, so she blackmails a prizefighter to take her out in London for one last adventure. But one night with him isn’t nearly enough.

2. Which came first: the characters or the plot line?

Eliza and the Duke is the second book in my Doves of New York series. Eliza is the youngest sister in the family. The hero, Simon, has also been in a couple of other books in my Gilded Age world. The characters definitely came first, but I knew pretty quickly that I wanted them to end up together and the path to a happily ever after wouldn’t be smooth.

3. Why do you love Eliza and Simon and why should readers root for them?

I love Eliza because she is so impulsive and determined. Once she wants something, she doesn’t let anything hold her back and she figures out a way to make it happen. I think this is such an amazing quality because too often we talk ourselves out of the things that we really want or even need. Eliza takes control of her life and makes things happen. Simon is from the streets of Whitechapel. He has goals, is hardworking, and dedicated, but he also has a very dangerous problem keeping him from reaching those goals. Eliza isn’t like anyone he’s ever met and when she takes a liking to him he can’t helped but be charmed by her, even though she’s a huge pain for him. The way she believes they can be together is infectious. I loved watching him fight his growing attraction to her before finally giving in.

4. Were there any weird things you googled while researching?

Murder bottles. This is a little dark, and I was horrified by them. Essentially, they are banjo shaped glass bottles with rubber tubes attached to the narrow opening. These were the first industrial age baby bottles. They were impossible to clean which led to bacteria growth and was such a huge contributor to infant mortality. In fact, infant mortality in urban areas in the Victorian era increased more than in rural areas, and this was such a huge contributor to that they gained the name murder bottles.

5. Without spoilers, which scene was your favorite to write?

There is a scene where the hero and heroine have to take a carriage ride through the streets of London. They both know they care deeply for each other, but they also know that it’s hopeless because he’s not an aristocrat. This might be their last time alone together so they decide to make the most of it. It was so romantic and was a great reminder of why I love writing romance.

Speed(ish) round:

1. You find out you’e being published for the first time. Describe the next 5 minutes.

I think I sat there for an entire five minutes with my eyes wide open and my heart pounding. I couldn’t believe it. It’s such a dream come true that it can be hard to process all at once!

2. Which 3 things would you take to a desert island?

A fire starter, a machete, and a shelter/tent of some sort. I have watched Naked and Afraid too many times!

3. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?

I don’t think I can choose! Probably something by Judith McNaught who is one of my gateway authors into historical romance.

4. What is the one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?

I’ve spent so long trying to figure out the “secret” to having a career. I think the only secret is that it takes tenacity. You have to keep going when everything is telling you to stop. It’s okay to take breaks to keep yourself healthy, but then keep going.

5. You wake up and discover that you are Bella in Twilight. You know how it plays out. What do you do differently?

Go off to college and enjoy my life and then maybe come back to him later if he’s good.
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Harper St. George grew up in the rural backwoods of Alabama and the northwest Florida coast, where her love of history began. She now makes her home in the Atlanta area writing historical fiction romance set in various time periods, from the Viking Era to the Gilded Age. Her novels have been translated into ten languages.