An Offer from a Gentleman: A Bridgerton Novel by Julia Quinn

                                                              

Title: An Offer From a Gentleman

Author: Julia Quinn

Genre: Historical Romance

Other books I've read by this author: The Duke and I , The Viscount Who Loved Me

Synopsis: 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.

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?

My Thoughts

At the beginning of the novel, there is a strong play on the Cinderella story, evil stepmother, 2 step-sisters, and a masquerade ball that Sophie has to leave by midnight. Honestly, I felt a little put off by that, because cases of mistaken identity always make me feel stressed out (I discovered this when reading Shakespeare for the first time in high school, haha). I also worried that it might make the story feel played out and predictable and ultimately, not as good as the first two novels in the series. 

Once past the initial two chapters, where the Cinderella references were the strongest, the story began to take its own turn and feel much more like the Bridgerton series I've come to love. So much so that I finished this one in only 5 days. I looked forward to coming back to it every night. Even if Benedict wasn't already my favorite Bridgerton brother, reading his story would put him at the top of the list. 

Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!

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