In anticipation of Season 4 of the Bridgerton TV Series, because I refuse to watch it in two parts, I decided to read the book. An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn is the third installment of the historical romance series, Bridgerton. This book follows the romantic journey of Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Beckett. I have enjoyed the Bridgerton stories I have read so far. I was intrigued by the fact that this book is a retelling of Cinderella.
Benedict is the second-oldest Bridgerton sibling. Sophie Beckett is the illegitimate daughter of an Earl, who has been forced into servitude by her stepmother after her father’s death. One night, she manages to sneak into the Bridgerton masquerade ball, where she meets Benedict. They have a magical evening together before she leaves. Benedict is completely intrigued by her but doesn’t know anything about her. Three years later, Benedict saves a young woman from a dangerous situation. Now working as a housemaid in a different noble house, this woman is Sophie.
Benedict and Sophie feel a connection immediately, but Benedict doesn’t recognise her as the ‘Lady in Silver’. There is a social class difference between them, and Benedict cannot marry a servant without social consequences for him and his family. Instead, he offers Sophie to be his mistress, which she refuses. The chemistry between these two characters is amazing, and though things progress a little fast, it makes sense. Benedict is completely taken with her, but is aware of the disparity. Sophie understands the difference too, but refuses to put herself in a position of a mistress, given her history. Sophie, not wanting the history to repeat itself, is completely understandable. Sophie is very resilient and intelligent, and she remains true to herself and her morals even in difficult circumstances.
The main conflict of their story is the class difference and Sophie’s secret identity. Benedict is artsy and, in general, I liked his character. He is drawn to Sophie, but still holds out hope to find the lady in silver, who he thinks is from a noble family. He does care about Sophie and falls head over heels, but he is conscious of their social circumstances. In the book, he is a little persistent in Sophie becoming his mistress, which I hope they don’t keep in the show. Their romance develops nicely, and the story is fast-paced. Sophie and Benedict have some witty banter, which I found entertaining.
Overall, I enjoyed reading An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn. I liked how Sophie’s character developed throughout the story, the Regency setting, and Benedict and Sophie’s romance, too. It was a fun read that I couldn’t put down.
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