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The Brides of Bath #4

To Take This Lord

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George Pembroke, the Viscount Sedgewick, is a man bent on self-destruction. Even though it's been two years since his cherished wife died on childbed, George continues to rely on liquor to blunt his grief.

Worried about him and his children, George's sisters urge him to ask spinster Sally Spenser – a longtime family friend – to help care for his daughter and son. Sally's the perfect person. She's of high birth, has no money, and she adores his children. But George can't ask an earl's niece to become a servant! However. . .since he'll never love again, why not make Sally his viscountess? It would be a marriage in name only. For the children.

Sally's deep love of the children and fear that their father might marry an unfeeling stepmother that prompt Sally to agree George's proposal. Even though it will be unbearable living under the roof of the man she loves and knowing she can never have him.

Previously published in mass market paperback as An Improper Proposal

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2004

328 people are currently reading
453 people want to read

About the author

Cheryl Bolen

80 books1,667 followers

Since being named Notable New Author for 1997, Cheryl Bolen has published more than 35 books with Kensington/Zebra, Harlequin, Love Inspired Historical, Montlake, and independently. She has broken into the top 5 on the New York Times and hit the USA Today bestseller list. Her 2005 One Golden Ring won Best Historical, Holt Medallion, and her 2011 My Lord Wicked was awarded Best Historical in the International Digital Awards, the same year her Christmas novella was chosen as Best Novella. Her books have been finalists for other awards, including the Daphne du Maurier, and have been translated into eight languages. She’s also been the number 1 bestselling historical romance author in Germany.

She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and English from the University of Texas and a master's degree from the University of Houston. Her favorite pursuits are reading diaries of dead English women, traveling to England, and watching the Texas Longhorns play football and basketball. She and her recently retired professor husband are the parents of two sons. One is an attorney, the other a journalist.

Website: www.CherylBolen.com
Blog: www.cherylsregencyramblings.wordpress.co
Facebook: http://fbl.ink/Facebook

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5 stars
268 (32%)
4 stars
296 (35%)
3 stars
197 (23%)
2 stars
60 (7%)
1 star
16 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
Profile Image for Pamela Shropshire.
1,460 reviews72 followers
December 22, 2015
This is the fourth book of this series and is, I think, the best written one. At first I was upset **SPOILER ALERT** that the author killed Diana. I thought she and George were a perfect couple and I was certain that I wasn't going to like her replacement.

Plus, I didn't like the direction that Ms. Bolen had taken the relationship of Glee and Blanks.

Well, I was wrong. At least about Sally - I still think the bit about Glee and Blanks was unnecessary.

Anyway, after Diana's death, George falls back into his former dissolute ways, gambling away his funds and neglecting Hornsby Manor. Now he has two children; although he loves his daughter, Georgette, he resents the baby, Sam, because it was during his birth that Diana died.

Sally Spencer, Glee's best friend from school and a rector's daughter, loves the children and makes no bones about chiding George for his neglect. Finally, George "makes a sacrifice of himself" and marries Sally so the children will have a mother who loves them. He continues his reckless spending until Sally shames him by spending her own meager yearly allowance on farm equipment that will benefit Hornsby.

In the meantime, another former classmate of Glee's and Sally's had hoped George would marry her. She takes George's remarriage as a personal affront and vows to pay him back for what she sees as his rejection of her.

The characters, both major and secondary, are fleshed out much better than in the earlier books. And I must admit to tears when all the sheep were slaughtered!

Perhaps not 4 full stars, but certainly 3.5 and I'll round up.
Profile Image for Gkpotufe.
103 reviews20 followers
September 27, 2019
what an odd novel! spent a lot of time on the villains (female) creepy sex life which I felt was completely unnecessary. I mean not a ton of time but enough to creep me out and didn't feel they rounded out the main charters relationship well enough
Profile Image for Ira.
740 reviews14 followers
October 9, 2017
Oookay, unfortunately, this was another book that infuriated me and well, it also disappointed me as I had other books by Cheryl Bolen that I really enjoyed. Alas, this one is not among them.


Somehow this story and its characters felt as if they weren't finished, rather a rough draw than an elaborate piece of art, you know. The characters remained distant and flat, while their actions infuriated me again and again, there is no chemistry at all between the two main characters, no sparks, no whatever and the story itself...welllllll......



Things happen very fast, the hero learns of the heroine's involvement with his kids (and how is it possible that she has been visiting them for ages and he didn't know about it and, I mean, he is a widower so it wouldn't have been appropriate that she went there on her own and...?), realizes that she is the solution to all his problems despite the fact that they never get along. The realization that she would be ruined if she would live under his roof as his children's governess leads to a proposal and consequently to a marriage - just for the sake of the kids, of course.



Everybody is happy, well, almost everybody, the heroine takes over the reins of his household and somehow those of his personal life as well. His children blossom, their father starts to interact with them more and cares for them and of course, somehow Sally claims a part of his heart as well. He realizes that she might even be pretty when she has her hair curled (seriously?!?) but when tragedy strikes somehow, while fighting for his life, he learns to love her even when she doesn't have those curls. (Okay, that sounds mean and maybe a bit...bitchy? ...when I write it like that but those curls and their importance really annoyed me)



Oh, that tragedy, yes...I mentioned that maybe not everybody was happy, right? Well, one of those who were not happy, decided to act upon those feelings. I must admit that this part of the story didn't convince me at all. An unlikely villain with an equally unlikely helper, well, I was already skipping pages then because I just wanted to know what happened but I didn't feel like reading every single page anymore, but neither convinced me.

Fortunately love inspired some rather miraculously quick healing and so everybody is soon up and about and love will win. And so on.
75 reviews
July 2, 2014
I'll give it a 3, though it really is more if a 2.5 and that's a stretch. It took me a while to get into this book, although that could just be because it's the first book I've read from this author, but between spelling/grammatical errors, which there were a lot, and the rhythm the author uses or her writing style, nothing ever really clicked for me. The characters didn't quite grab my attention, and the way George quite seemingly randomly decides to make Sally his wife didn't work for me either. Then there's the abrupt ending, that just leaves you hanging...
I don't mind a cliffhanger, sometimes it really will entice me to buy the next book, but this just didn't work. Sally confronts George, they make up, and then the book just ends. No further details in what happens to the bad guys.
Putting all of this together, I won't be picking up another book from this author.
4 reviews
April 20, 2012
This book was originally titled An Improper Proposal when published in paperback and is the fourth installment of the wonderful Brides of Bath series.(See my comments for The Bride Wore Blue, the first book in the series).
Profile Image for DJ.
783 reviews
September 22, 2024
A wonderful story, well-written, delightful characters , and full of love!

To Take This Lord, book four of the Bride's of Bath series by Cheryl Bolen, continues the story of women friends I have come to admire in the first books of the series. I admit I was at first disappointed at the slightly marred happily ever after, noted in the previous story of George Pembroke, the brother of Felicity and Glee from previous books in the series. George and Diana had a marriage made in heaven, and to have it end so devastatingly went against everything I have come to love about Cheryl Bolen. However, I should have known that Cheryl's creative mind was hard at work, developing a better story for George and his loveable children.

Cheryl is a master in character development. Her talent shows in the characters of George's children. Cheryl has given the children real personalities that grow and develop as the story progresses. It was easy to believe how Glee's friend Sally Spenser would come to love and embrace the children as though they were her own.

George Pembroke begins as a flawed hero in this story. His mourning of his beloved Diana has him turning to his drunken, rakish ways of his past. Not only was his character difficult to love, but his friends, especially Glee's husband, "Blanks," made me very angry as they were quick to join and encourage George's bad behavior. Yet, this is what Cheryl Bolen does so well. Her characters engage all your emotions, the good, the bad, and the ugly, as you become more than a disinterested bystander but more an active participant in the story. As usual, Cheryl controlled my emotions as I cried for Diana's husband and children, while I berated George and his friends for their pig-headed behavior, and later laughed as George began his transformation into a loving father and husband.

I should have never doubted Cheryl Bolen's incredible storytelling talent! Once again, she delivered a historical romance worthy of the classic writers I grew up with. I highly recommend you pick up The Bride's of Bath series and book four To Take This Lord by Cheryl Bolen. You will enjoy the magical trip to Regency Bath, and I guarantee you will be reluctant to leave!
807 reviews
June 25, 2017
Difficult situation hampered by a million chiches, beginning with the characters: grieving widower/father needs governess to care for his children because he's too eaten up with grief to do it. Enter the woman who has loved him since they were kids and who is looking for genteel employment. He decides he'll never marry again and so instead of hiring a lady to care for his children, he'll marry her. It will be unconsummated, and they'll pretend like they're a happily married couple. This plotline is overdone. The only thing that kept me reading was my need to finish a story and find out what happens, even if I have to sludge through the RN cliches to get there. As with most of Bolen's novels, the ending is abrupt. An easy read when you don't want to be challenged by plot or details, perhaps a beach read.
Profile Image for Carol.
1,106 reviews11 followers
October 1, 2022
Disappointing

As much as I loved the story itself, and I did, there were too many flaws & contradictions that were irritating. I do understand what the author was probably trying to do - George wanting to give the impression of a happy marriage to prevent Sally’s humiliation yet carry on carousing with his friends. Unfortunately the author did not write this at all well. Forget the potential for gossiping servants, the author had George behaving in a way that inflicted humiliation on her in the most public way possible.
The ending is so atrociously abrupt I believed I’d missed something. I hadn’t. There is at least one chapter missing that would round out the end of their story.
All in all I do recommend the book, ignoring the flaws, it was an enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Prac Agrl.
1,350 reviews2 followers
June 16, 2023
A good one time read
The marriage of convenience troupe was nicely done, though there are few points in the story which we could have done without or more of.
1)Both H and h were ok, H being more callous and h though not doormat but too giving
2)Could have done with more romance between them and less of secondary characters.
3)Less of highlighting h's plain appearance and stuff.
4)I liked the way the H started appreciating h's qualities but would have liked more emotions and feelings for the same, also the explanation of blurting your dead wife's name during lovemaking was not well done, could have done without that.
5)The comeuppance for the horrible miss johnson should have been told to us.
6)The ending felt rushed could have done with an epilogue.

Overall nicely done.
Profile Image for Jill Martin.
376 reviews1 follower
May 5, 2017
Cheryl Bolen. 251 pages. For the sake of his children, spinster Sally Spencer agrees to marry in name only the widower, Viscount Sedgewick, whom she's loved since childhood. George is very good-looking and Sally is “plain” according to the times and she feels she is living in the shadows of George’s deceased wife. Sally convinces George to move the family back to his farm where he grew up so get him away from the bad influences of his friends in Bath. There, they become close, but someone is sabotaging the farm because of unrequited love. Story was easy reading and few characters to keep track of. 7 Stars (4.25 to 5.3.17)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bettye McKee.
2,190 reviews157 followers
November 29, 2017
George and the spinster

Two years have passed since Diana died giving birth to a son, and George is again sunk in despair, drink and gambling. He has ignored the son he blames for his wife's death. Thomas and Blanks have become celibate rather than risk losing their wives in childbirth.

Glee's school friend Sally Spencer is visiting and she is enamored with George's children. Both Glee and George try to persuade Sally to accept a position as governess, but she refuses. George is convinced that the only way he can get Sally to stay is to marry her -- in name only.

But George has made a dangerous enemy.

13
1,556 reviews
May 11, 2020
This book was a little hard to take in that the hero was immature enough to reject his son that his beloved wife died birthing. He then attempted to drink up the immense dowry she had brought into the family with their marriage which would leave his children beggered. Ms. Bolen made me hate this guy--good writing.

Sally, a well-born spinster, agrees to marry him to take care of his children that she loves dearly. She knows he doesn't love her but figures her love for him will be enough. Fortunately, she's right.

Incredible number of tender family scenes where she teaches this lout how to be a good father to both of his children.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sharon.
2,770 reviews7 followers
January 5, 2018
Hero: George/Sedgewick-- Heroine: Sally
Reading Enjoyment:4.5* - I enjoy reading this emotionally compelling story that kept me totally engaged till the end. This story is a splendid example of how true love conquers a marriage of convenience even when one heart was still grieving. George and Sally has a very happy and satisfying HEA, except for the fact that there was no closure (for me) showing that the person behind their terrible misfortunes gets her just deserts. An epilogue could of solved that.
Profile Image for Alice.
298 reviews
November 13, 2018
Really hated it. Both of the main characters are deeply flawed, self indulgent, and judgemental, but only about others. Again the theme of totally rejecting an infant, then years later discovering that that child has value and the child instantly loving the negligant parent immediately, with no questions asked or doubts about the duration of this new strange affection.

I will not read this author again, I tried three times- enough!
I am deleting all of her books, from my computer and Kindle account.
63 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2024
2 yıldız ve 3 yıldız arasında kaldım. George, karısını ikinci çocuklarının doğumunda kaybediyor. Hayattan bağını koparıyor.
2 sene sonra çocuklarının onları seven bir annesi olsun diye koz kardeşinin yakın arkadaşı Sally ile evleniyor.
Kitabı beğenemedim. Ana karakterlerin arasında bir şey geçmesi çok uzun sürdü ve o aradada elle tutulur hiçbir şey olmadı. Aralarında kitabın sonunda bahsedilen aşkı da hissedemedim. Fazla bir şey demeye gerek yok, canım da istemiyor. Bu kadar yazdığım bile bu kitaba fazla.
Profile Image for Diedre.
973 reviews14 followers
June 1, 2025
The story itself was a good one. For me, it just didn't have the dynamic that a story like this could portray. By the end, with the exhausting revenge ploys the OW made I just wanted it to be over. And when they finally consummated there was another glitch. Enough already. If I was to re-write this script I would hold off on the intensity of the revenge and focus more on the mating ritual which we all came to read about.
Profile Image for Patricia Schuette.
633 reviews3 followers
October 10, 2017
Another great story

As usual Cheryl Bolen writes a story you don't want to put down. Sally Spencer has been in love with her best friend's brother since she was 10. But he married someone else who then died after giving birth. His sister's wanted him to hire Sally to be the governess for his two children.
Profile Image for Dee Jay Blaylock.
241 reviews6 followers
March 30, 2018
Sally Spencer has always loved Lord Sedgwick and loved his children even more.
George had loved Diana and found her death hard to put behind him to the detriment of their two children.
I was upset with Diana’s death as she and George had always been so happy but the development of the story eased the loss of Diana.
1,108 reviews7 followers
September 5, 2020
Love wins out

A broken-hearted man, wife dies in child birth and he blames his son! If he hadn’t been born his wife would be alive. After two years he still mourns, but his sister makes him see the children( older daughter) need a mother to love and take care of them. He marries Sally, sisters best friend. Causes jealousy and troubles begin! Must read!
Profile Image for Lovetoread.
345 reviews26 followers
April 30, 2025
I found the characters and story were just ok. Why you might ask why the 2 stars, well the story just ended, before it reached a normal conclusion. As a reader it gave me the feeling this author did not know how to end the story. Here is a hint, how about after finding out who was creating trouble with the family, they continued the story to justice was served.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,047 reviews11 followers
October 9, 2017
Not bad not good.

Had potential but turned out a not as exciting & finished abruptly.
It started with passionate verbal challenge, then nothing, even the sluthing to find the villian was too convient & dull.
No tempted to explore series.
39 reviews
November 3, 2017
Fast ending

I would have given this book a 4 but the ending was not an ending. It was to fast and there was no conclusion about Miss Johnson. A few more pages of explanation would have been nice.
600 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2018
Delightful

Amazing the gentleman of the Regentcy can be just as dense as those today but I do so enjoy them especially those created by Cheryl Bolen. This is the second one I have read and looking forward to the next.
Profile Image for Jane.
429 reviews8 followers
September 3, 2018
Decent read. I didn't really enjoy the random bits of narration from non-main characters, it added to the story, but it made it all feel disjointed. And, this would have been much better off with a epilogue.
49 reviews
March 3, 2019
Enjoyed

I enjoyed this book - it at first was a lot like the plot from book 2 and wish it was a little more original in the main story line - wedded a wife in name only. As I read it developed quite nicely.
44 reviews1 follower
May 30, 2019
Love this story

The tortured hero finds that he is in need of a mother for his children. He finds the perfect choice in Sally. I truly enjoyed this regency romance. He has everything a reader could want and is very hard to put down.
Profile Image for Chrisa.
23 reviews
September 4, 2020
I was enjoying this book so much. And then the last chapter came. And it was sooo rushed. It all felt anticlimactic. It's actually very sad because if the ending was you know, more I could maybe give this book 5 stars. But right now I feel extremely disappointed.
176 reviews
September 7, 2020
Okay this is a good series...

But what happened to the ending? I am glad Sally and George finally got their happy ever after but these books fail to give me a good ending to many loose ends. I would of course like to find out what happened to the villain.
Profile Image for Debbie Borthwick.
454 reviews7 followers
September 7, 2020
A good Regency friends to lovers book. George and Sally experience heartache, intrigue, mystery and injury caused by a villain on the way to their HEA. I do think the ending needed more, it felt unfinished.
Profile Image for Ann Gonzalez.
1,500 reviews15 followers
December 22, 2020
Very good

I actually have put off reading this book because I could not picture George without Diana. However, I think I prefer him with Sally. This was a good story, but I must say there should have been an epilogue. What happened to Miss Johnson??
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews

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