An offer from a Gentleman Bridgerton series – Julia Quinn

Believe me when I say my heart dropped when I found out I had forgotten about this book. The thing is I have been reading or rather listening to the books and then reading them again when writing and I think I wanted to write this review and then I moved on to the next book which I was getting ready to write about and then I noticed. I feel mortified as this story has been so dear to me, so it is time for us to chat. Let’s first chat about the storyline.

What is this story about?
Will she accept his offer before the clock strikes midnight?

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 his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?
Read more here

What did I think?

With a heavy heart, I read this story. How I wish the very best for Sophie and Benedict from the very beginning. This story was compelling, interesting, fascinating, and well infuriating. It broke my heart in more ways than one it showed a bias of status and wealth back in the day. In a similar manner that Simon had yet so very different. It does not matter if you are treated like a bastard when you carry the name, and well, being a man also helped. Let’s not forget about that. It might not matter to us but back in the day, a lovely girl was only worth as much as her daddy’s name. That vicious mother would ruin everyone in their daughter’s path to secure a husband and thus a good last name. Was, well understandable. If we lived in times like that it would be the very same for us. Would it not? As mothers want the very best for their children. And men don’t get it. In this case Sophie’s dad was utterly useless.

The thing with this romancing tale is that is very much a Cinderella story. Benedict though has a hard time living up to the prince charming role. The book reminded me in so many ways of the Duchess by Danielle Steel.

This story made me angry, it made me sad but it also made me happy. I was rooting for them, I was rooting for Benedict to get his head out of his ass and do the right thing, not because of his name but as a person. If you love a girl, you marry her. What you do not do is take her virtue and then propose for her to become your mistress. If she is not high enough on the staircase in higher society doesn’t mean you make her your mistress. Sophie deserved so much more and so much better.

Then in the end I am lost I must say. She goes to I kid you not. Jail. Here is the thing. Benedict does not want to love Sophie. But Benedict shares things with Sophie he hasn’t much shared with others such as his art. This love is so different from the loves we have seen thus far. Daphne was a matter of the heart, Anthony a matter of the mind but Benedict it is the matter of a fairy tale. A true and utter romance that is hindered by a death and rather a useless earl and a horrid stepmum. This is not as much will they won’t they story but much more a could they story. In the end, what is most important love or being a Bridgerton? I loved this story, it was a wonderful addition to the series.