Sophie Beckett never dreamed she’d be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton’s famed masquerade ball—or that “Prince Charming” would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, … she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.
Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other—except, perhaps, this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid’s garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers her his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?
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While not a classic “page turner”, I couldn’t put it down. Julia Quinn’s books are always written in an entertaining narrative, with endearing characters and witty dialogue. This is a Bridgerton version of Cinderella.
While no one ever said it to her face, Sophie Beckett had always known that she was the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Penwood, dropped off by the front door of Penwood Park at the age of three by her maternal grandmother. While it was clear by her appearance that she was a Gunningworth, the earl declared her his ward, the orphaned daughter of an old friend. While the Earl for the most part ignored her, she was loved by the staff. Eventually the Earl married a widow with 2 young daughters. The new Countess made it clear that she hated Sophie and she was to kept away from her daughters except in the class room. When the earl died suddenly without the countess having delivered an heir, she was presented with a will that made clear that all three girls were left with a dowry and the countess was given the option of 3 times a yearly income, only if she continued to care and shelter Sophie until she was 20. The solicitor failed to follow through and check up on Sophie and the wicked step mother kept her as a house maid.
Years passed and Sophie continued to work for her stepmother well passed her 20th birthday. The fairy godmother part was played by Mrs. Gibbons the housekeeper and the “mice” by the rest of the staff, who still loved Sophie and the countess and her older daughter, not too much. The ball is the annual Bridgerton Masquerade Ball. Sophie walks in and Benedict has that feeling that something is happening that will change his life. He whisks Sophie away before any other males can engage her. But true to the tale, she must catch her coach at midnight. And it tales several years for him to find her again, realize that she is the one for him and to convince her. But it is Violet the Dowenger Bridgerton , who saves the day.
Love this series.
I really liked the fairytale romance and fated love elements in this, the hints at something close to magic – which was an unexpected and pleasant surprise in this otherwise un-fantastical regency romance series! I’m a soft-hearted romantic, so I couldn’t help being sucked in by that. This was also a much more emotionally stirring story than the rest, with all Sophie had to go through! Despite that, this installment lacked the same humor of the others, though it had its moments, of course. I just didn’t find myself laughing through it the way I did in 2, and my preference is to always laugh when possible!
I loved this Cinderella retelling with Benedict and Sophie! It’s so fun to see the other characters and couples interact throughout the series. There’s been an “I burn for you” quote in every book so far and I love it!
It’s official, I’m addicted to Bridgertons. 🙂
An Offer From a Gentleman is quite different from the previous three. Still awesome, but with a different tone. I was quite intrigued to start the book with Benedict, he was one of the brothers, that I didn’t know much about. (My favorite is still Colin 🙂 ).
At lady Bridgerton’s masquerade ball, Benedict meets a mysteriously strange, who turns his life around in one night, with just one kiss. When it struck midnight, she has to run off, and he is left standing without even knowing her name. On every dance that comes after, for months and months, he looks for his mystery lady, until one night when he saves a servant from horrible men.
Sophie Beckett is an illegitimate child and when she turns up at his door, he takes her in and takes care of her as her guardian. It’s all good until he remarries and the new wife is not a fan. When he unexpectedly dies, she turns Sophie into her slave, doing the work of at least three people and dealing with constant demands.
She manages to sneak away on a masquerade ball and spend one magical night with Benedict. Soon she is back to reality and it doesn’t take long before her stepmom figures out where she went.
Now she needs to find a new job, preferably away from town.
Years after they meet again. Benedict saves her but doesn’t recognize her. He gets a job at his mom’s and tries to convince her to be his mistress.
There is a lot of mystery still unsolved, a lot of tension between them. Until the happily ever after… 🙂
It’s fast-paced, addicting, romantic, and quite steamy. 🙂 I loved reading it, and can’t wait to dive into the next one. 🙂
A Terrific Cinderella-esque Story
4.5 stars – While occasionally vexing, I found myself unable to step away from Sophie and the Bridgertons for long. I loved the banter between her and Benedict in this Cinderella retelling and how neither let the other get away with things.
There are several side characters that lend plenty of color in the form of chaos and humor. My favorites include Mr. & Mrs. Crabtree, Posy, and Violet Bridgerton and her offspring.
Perhaps the funniest part was involving Araminta, the wicked stepmother.
~~~~~~~
The magistrate tapped Benedict on the shoulder. “You really ought to let her go.”
“Might I muzzle her?”
The magistrate looked torn, but eventually he shook his head.
~~~~~~~
Such a pity as that woman could’ve used one!
Despite Araminta and her nastiness, Sophie flourishes and finds her Prince Charming. It’s a road full of bumps and potholes but it has a very sweet, and steamy, HEA.
In case you’re unaware, Julia Quinn went back several years later and added a second or bonus epilogue. Sophie and Benedict are characters in it but, unlike the bonus epilogues for the earlier books, this one truly it is a short and adorable story for a secondary character in the book. I would absolutely recommend you read it.
I happily toggled between the book and audio with Rosalyn Landor giving breath to the characters in the audio. Anytime there’s a multiple POV situation, whether in first or third person narrative, I always prefer at least two narrators to allow for more distinctive voices. While I believe she did a really good job, I truly would’ve liked a male voice for those stubborn Bridgerton men.
Story: 4.5 stars
Narration: 3.5 stars
I don’t know why I’m surprised that Benedict’s tale would have me just as enthralled as the first two books, but it definitely did. Now it could just be because he is a Bridgerton, and not just the second, but he is his own person who was as swoon worthy as Anthony, no doubt. Lady Bridgerton should be immensely proud of her parenting skills and the men and women she has raised. Benedict has the same family loyalty, sense of humor and compassion toward others but he also was gifted in art.
This novel has a very Cinderella feel to it at the beginning, with Lady Bridgerton hosting a masquerade ball where Benedict meets a vision in a grey ball gown. After spending some time with her, he is truly smitten. But before he can find out more, including her name, she runs from the mansion just after midnight. A few years later, Benedict attends a party and saves a housemaid and brings her back to London to work with is mother. Little does he know, that this servant is the same woman who has been haunting his dreams since the masquerade ball. What he suggests to Sophie is an offer she must refuse, and it’s not because of him, but her own upbringing.
Sophie broke my heart, I had tears a few times when reading her background and current story. The way her “family“ treated her was appalling. I loved that she stuck to her beliefs and vows (ok she slipped once, but I would too with Benedict!) and was a woman of substance with a conscious. She was the perfect match for Benedict as he was for her. I did get to read the second epilogue, and even though it does not add much to the overall story, it was nice to see what happened to Posy after she stood up to her mother. Now I’m up to Colin’s book which I know is going to be fun.
I loved Benedict’s story! Sophie was awesome, and such a strong female character. I loved the Cinderella style beginning, and I felt so many things for Sophie while she was trying to figure out her path. The whole Bridgerton family is always so much fun with their banter, and I’m excited to see where things are going with Lady Whistledown.
Each book in the Bridgerton series seems to be better than the last. This story had a definite “Cinderella” feel to it, so if you like that type of story, this one is surely for you. I’ve rarely hated a character as much as I hated Araminta in this book. When writers get the readers to feel things on such a real and visceral level, it’s quite an accomplishment and a true testament to their writing.
Sophie is such an immensely likeable character. I found that her smile was infectious even though I was only seeing it in my mind. I also was impressed with her ability to laugh and find joy in the most simple of things.
One thing that really stuck out to me in this story was the importance of family, and how that’s not always the family you’re born with, sometimes it’s the family you make. While it can be hard to realize that your blood may not treat you well, it’s nice to know that there are people out there who will treat you as deserved even if they are not blood.
Fans of the Bridgerton series are sure to love this book as much or even more than the previous two. I’m getting really eager to watch the show now!
The beginning of An Offer From a Gentleman started out like a knock off Cinderella story. I was disappointed. However, it did turn around and I enjoyed it much more. The end seemed a bit rushed but overall a good book. I would have said it was my favorite book of the series around the middle-3/4 of the book, but by the time I got to the rushed ending I had changed my mind. I am still really enjoying the siblings interactions and am still looking forward to more of the interactions.
So, I did not enjoy the beginning of this book. It felt like a rip-off of Cinderella, and I was hoping for something a little more creative. However, as the book progressed and got past the Cinderella-esque evening, I fell in love with this book.
Sophie is exactly the heroine I needed in a Julia Quinn novel. She was strong-willed, smart, and never swayed when it came to what she believed in. Most of all, though, she was unwaveringly kind. That is honestly what I love most when I am introduced to a new character. No matter how many times Benedict pushed her (more on that later…. blech), no matter how many times Araminta insulted her, she hardly ever said a rude word. I know a few of my friends have mentioned Sophie as being not-so-nice, but I have to disagree on that wholeheartedly. Sophie, to me, was the epitome of kind. She never complained and gave more than she took, and I really love that aspect of her character. She had one instance where she may have gotten a bit physical with a certain someone, but no one who has read it will say that the certain someone didn’t have it coming.
Overall, this was my number one Bridgerton book so far. It felt different from The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me, which basically were the same to me. It also had very strong characters—Sophie, of course. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series, and hoping to have more entertaining tidbits from Lady Whistledown.
Favorite quote: “She was utterly radiant, and Benedict suddenly realized that it was because she looked so damned happy. Happy to be where she was, happy to be who she was.”
I haven’t read that many retelling stories and I can’t say Cinderella is my favorite one but I really enjoyed that plot and the way Julia wrote it with little twists.
I was really curious with Benedict story because I loved him in the other books but in this one he got into my nerves most of the times. Sophie was a good character though and I liked her strength. I liked this couple but I just didn’t love them.
Overall, it’s still a good story but I didn’t like it as much as the other books. Either way, I can’t wait to keep following the Bridgerton’s siblings stories.
Enjoyable Cinderella type story about Sophia, the daughter born out of wedlock, the horrible stepmother who uses her as an unpaid servant after her father dies, two step sisters, one beautiful and nasty, the other a little pudgy but kind.
When Sophia sneaks out and attends a masquerade ball she meets the second Bridgerton son and the attraction is instantaneous. When the evil stepmother finds out she kicks Sophia out of the house.
The characters are exactly how you expect given their roles and the Bridgerton family is a delightful addition to a well known plot. For many chapters its up in the air if the couple can get past all the obstacles in their way
I really really really wanting to love this series; especially after how great the show is in Season 1. But I was very disappointed when the second book had a hint of Pride & Prejudice to it, and even more disappointed that the first half of this book is identical to Cinderella – more specifically the move Ever After. I’m just upset that it seems like she is reverting to themes from other successful books instead of developing her own unique Bridgerton plot. I hate synopses in reviews, but really I’m just pointing out the similarities between this book and Ever After. The second half loses much of the Ever After similarities, but the bad taste in my mouth from the first half remains. Sophie’s father dies leaving her to her Stepmother’s abusive tendencies. One stepsister is kind to her while the other is just as bad as her mother. There’s even a masquerade ball where the other servants dress Sophie in her mother’s fine clothes, and at the ball, she captures the attention of the most sought-after man out in society. At the stroke of midnight, she leaves in a rush but instead of a glass slipper, it’s a glove with a family crest.
The second half doesn’t improve much with constant pining by Sophie about her situation and her past. Benedict ruminates at length about the mystery woman from the ball, and their combined struggles to come to terms with their options for love or lack thereof gets tedious. I in fact found myself skimming over most of it. I actually lost respect for Benedict in that he was so eager to make Sophie his mistress instead of trying to be an intelligent male and figure out a solution to her problem. Although I guess it’s not too much of a surprise that he found himself unable to think with the head on his shoulders around Sophie. For once in this series, I really just want an honest love story with a happy ending. Not a rushed wedding to reduce the risk of scandal. I truly do love the world she’s created and see great potential, so I’ll keep reading along to see who all the women match with and how they come to find the loves of their lives. I will say though that after the deep talk Benedict and Violet have at one point in this book, I do hope there’s kind of a flashback book at some point about Violet and the Viscount in their great love story but I don’t know if there is one already or not.
Audiobook: Narrator – Rosalyn Landor
I’m officially a fan of this narrator! She does an exceptional job of bringing the characters to life in a way that pulls me completely into the book to the point I don’t want to pause or stop the story. Her accent is such that I don’t need to adjust the speed or struggle to understand it. She also does a great job of distinguishing between the various characters both male and female.
I loved the Cinderella feel of this story but I especially loved the way Benedict was totally taken by his lady in silver through the years. That kind of dedication is exactly what I look for. Sophie was a strong heroine even when she was being beaten down by her circumstances. When Benedict came along, she knew who she was and what she wanted (or didn’t want) in life and stuck to it.
I’m loving all the Bridgertons and I’ve refused to look ahead at the series and I’m not reading blurbs so I’m going in blind and that’s making this all the more fun. I can’t help but queue up the next book immediately.
Yes I’m still obsessed, this week I read An Offer from a Gentleman and Romancing Mister Bridgerton. I loved them both but I did enjoy more one than the other.
I loved loved loved an Offer From a Gentleman it’s an amazing retelling of Cinderella. I really enjoyed Sophie, she’s a strong woman what has pushed through and is still standing no matter what. Benedict is a very kind and chivalrous man and I adored him immediately.
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton was súper sweet I really love Colin and Pen they are a perfect match for each other.
I really enjoyed the fact that we can continue to see glimpses of the other characters and know how their lives are turning out.
So yeah I’m 4 books in and I’m still in love with this series.
Now my friends this blogger is going to submerge herself in Eloise’s story. Let’s see what Miss trouble is up to.
Book 9 towards my goal of 240! 5/5 stars for this Regency Romance! This book follows Benedict Bridgerton. I would absolutely call this one a Cinderella retelling! So good! Love these characters more and more with each book! I love that the main characters in other books show up as side characters in others. Loving this series so far! Excited for the next one! Highly recommend!
Another great read in this series. Loved Sophie. Benedict disappointed me at times, but their love story is certainly one of my favorite “Cinderella” types. Really enjoy this author’s writing, and especially all her amazing characters. Can’t wait for the next!
I loved it!
An Offer From a Gentleman is the third book in the Bridgerton series and I just had so much fun getting to reenter this amazing world and see more of the Bridgertons. I just absolutely love this series. I was drawn into this story and I just fell in love with these characters. This is by far one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I can’t wait to read more wonderful stories by this author.
I really loved this spin on Cinderella.