An Improper Proposal

Two years have passed since George Pembroke, Lord Sedgewick, lost his beloved wife. Though the fashionable beauties and heiresses of the ton have done their utmost to mend his broken heart, he has not remarried. Simply put, no other woman will ever do. George pays no heed to the well-meaning advice of his meddlesome sisters, Felicity and Glee-and he will have no part of their many and varied schemes to make a match. Glee is convinced that her dear friend, Sally Spenser, would make a perfect governess for her niece and nephew. A vicar's daughter, Sally is charming, highly intelligent, and affectionate by nature. The plight of the motherless Pembroke children has touched her heart. And no one knows that she has long cherished a secret tendre for their father. She consents to become part of his household-under the auspices of a marriage in name only. But Lord Sedgewick's elegant Bath town house has one very great drawback: it is very small. They must share a bedroom…and a bed.
From BooklistTo avoid betrothal to an old man she doesn't love, Sally Spenser decides to become a schoolteacher. Meanwhile, George Pembroke, Viscount Sedgewick, has struggled for two years with the loss of his wife, Dianna, and emotionally neglected his young children, Georgette and Sam. Finally his sister, and Sally's friend, Glee, persuades George that the children need a governess, and George realizes that Sally, who already knows and adores his children, would be perfect for the job. The only problem is that to respectably secure her services, George will need to propose to Sally, and Sally, who has been secretly in love with George for years, isn't sure that marriage, even one in name only, with George would be wise. Bolen brings in a few characters from her previous Brides of Bath books in her latest historical Regency and does a wonderful job building simmering sexual tension between her opinionated, outspoken heroine and deliciously tortured, conflicted hero, whose new marriage is threatened by a devious, jealous villain. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review“The charm and grace of the Regency period is present in this sweetly told debut novel.”