An Offer From a Gentleman

Bridgertons #3

by Julia Quinn

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.

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

Alternate cover for ISBN 0380815583 / 9780380815586

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Regency

390 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2001

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don't read (or write) romance, and and if you watch reruns of the game show The Weakest Link you might just catch her winning the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code.

A graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, Ms. Quinn is one of only sixteen members of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. Her books have been translated into 32 languages, and she lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

The Bridgertons, her popular series of historical romance, is currently in production by Shondaland as a Netflix original series starring Julie Andrews, Phoebe Dynevor, and Rége-Jean Page.

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Unpopular opinion ahead!!!*

I have one thing to say: SCREW YOU, BENEDICT BRIDGERTON!

I'll be the first to admit that I was really, really enjoying this story at the start. I mean, I adore Rosalyn Landor, who is a narrating queen, and I like Julia Quinn, who is very consistent for me. However, as I moved further and further along in the story, I realized that I wanted to punch Benedict in the face... hard.

Benedict treats Sophie like utter trash. He blackmails her to either become his mistress or move into his family's house as a servant because he won't even entertain the idea of marrying someone as lowly as her, and then has the audacity to be insulted when she isn't genuflecting in gratitude.

He tells her that if she doesn't tell him to stop WELL before they have sex, he won't be able to stop... because, apparently, he is an asshole. Well, that makes a VIRGIN feel safe and loved.

He sexually harasses her, ignores her pleas to be left alone, and then is acts like a spoiled baby when he finds out her true identity. HE IS TRASH. The only person who I liked was Benedict's mom, who at least finds some courage to do something and think outside the box.

I'm still angry about this book, even after I finished it. Traaaaaaaaaaash!

goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog

[chan ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

perfectly fine

which sounds boring, and in truth this book kind of was as well. not boring in the sense that the story was overly dull or drawn out, but in the way that your average run of the mill historical can be.

this book was based on Cinderella and while i initially loathed the idea, it turned out to be a fun retelling. i think the main reason that this story isn't more than 3 star for me though is the lack of relationship development. we get a lot of sophie in her own head and a lot of her poor treatment by her stepmom in the start of the story. but i didn't really see why the hero and heroine liked each other beyond the heroine taking a polite interest in the hero's "hidden depths." there just weren't enough moments beyond him trying to convince her to be his mistress that really established a foundation for the relationship.

overall, this was perfectly enjoyable but definitely not memorable. i'm just reading through these at this point in preparation for the netflix adaptation.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh hell no! This is not the love story I wished to read! Mansplaining, gaslighting, extremely hero and naive, kind, tormented heroine who still believes in him!

Where the hell is that artsy, coy, carefree, vulnerable, bisexual, kind Benedict! Isn’t he portrayed like that on streaming series? At this book: he is portrayed like a manipulative Sun of a beach ( you know the original words) Nope, this is not the same Benedict and this liar, controlling man is not the hero we deserved to read about! After seeing the chances at the books, I think I will skip them and directly start watching series! ( even though the second season was not steamy enough to satisfy viewers’ attraction)

When I started to read the beginning I thought this book was retelling of Cinderella and it was totally fine with me if Benedict ( everything comes back to him) could be great Prince Charming instead of efficient, meticulous arsehole! Sophie Beckett is poor, unlucky girl, bastard child of earl, who is placed in the custody of her father’s new wife before her dear father passed away! Her stepmother is worse than Cindy’s stepmom ( she’s something between Evil Queen and Kris Jenner)

Sophie wants to do something for herself before accepting her new torturous life and she attends the masquerade ball, meeting with the arse… I mean Benedict. At the end of the night she disappears and two of them never see each other for three years till their fates intercept and Benedict blackmails her to become his mistress! Because he can not marry with a girl from lower class.

I’m stopping right here! Because I’m truly pissed! I’m repeating: this is not my cup of Chardonnay and truly not the love story I want to read! I hope screenwriters made necessary changes with the characters and incidents and turn this assholish version of Benedict into tolerable human being.

But I have to admit I didn’t like this book at all!

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Love at first sight Stars



Going into An offer from a Gentleman I was a bit worried. I had a friend tell me that Benedict (the hero) ask Sophie (the heroine) to be his mistress over and over for most of the book. That he went on about how she wasn't of his class. She had told me it ruined the read for her. I hate that mistress bullshit in books. It's one of the reasons I avoided most historical romance novels for years. I hate cheating! A mistress is just a side chick, that wasn't good enough to marry. That shit bothers me. It's just so disrespectful to women. Yes I know that was how things were back then but it still pisses me off. However I was enjoying this series so much that I figured I would just have to take one for the team. Read it and get it over with I don't have to love it just read it and then I could go to the next book. Shockingly I really ended up loving this book.



This book reads as a cute retelling of Cinderella, with poor Sophie being the mistreated bastard daughter of an earl. Julia Quinn did a great job of making Sophie's step-mother Araminta a total evil bitch. I hated her so much and I felt she didn't get her comeuppance. I really wanted her to pay for the things she did to Sophie and her own daughter Posy. I thought Sophie was a wonderful heroine. She was sweet, resilient, a bit sassy, and smart. I love that she had such dignity. I was a little worried I would dislike Benedict, but I really loved him too. I did get a tad upset that he kept asking her to be his mistress, but not like I thought I would. I felt he loved her and treated her well. With that and the way things were way back when, and the fact that he realized he was wrong for asking that of her and apologized. I found myself forgiving Benedict right along with Sophie.



I thought Benedict and Sophie were a cute together. I loved that their relationship was built up so well. That fact is most likely what made it easier to forgive Benedict for the whole "be my mistress" crap. On top of loving Sophie and Benedict, I adore the Bridgertons. The whole family is just so easy to love. I also really liked Sophie's step-sister Posy. I was glad that in the end she wasn't overlook and forced to deal with the evil that was her mother. This retelling of Cinderella was cute and flowed well. I had to stop once to feed my family and I found myself thinking about the book the whole time. I couldn't wait to get back to it and see what happened next. That is the mark of a great book. I can't wait to read Colin's book. On a side note, I listened to this book on Audio and Rosalyn Landor did an amazing job of bringing this story to life.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's official. Benedict is my favorite Bridgerton. So far. From the start, I absolutely adored this book and how it was a Cinderella retelling. My heart went out to Sophie because she's a bastard child and was never really treated well. Then, her father passed away, and she was basically a slave for her awful step mother. One night, her fellow servants dress her up and send her to a ball, where she has an amazing time dancing the night away with Benedict. I really loved Benedict and how he always felt looked over because he was just the second Bridgerton. I loved him so so much. He was more quiet and wanted more out of life, and it was so cute how he loved to draw in secret. I wanted him to find his happiness with Sophie and for him to be with her no matter what her social ranking was.

I just loved this entire book. There was so much angst between Benedict and Sophie and I loved how involved Violet was. The entire Bridgerton family is so endearing and I cannot wait to read Colin's book next!

[Victoria Resco · Rating 1 out of 5]

AL FIN. NO SE TERMINABA MÁS.

No voy a seguir la saga esta. Es misógina y aburrida y sus personajes tienen menos consistencia que un flan. Amo leer romances y más si son trashy pero esto es directamente ✨trash✨

Julia Quinn me gustó bastante en el 1er tomo de los Bridgerton pero la idea de que le hayan publicado 8 tomos de esto me parece una barbaridad. Realmente hay millones de autores increíbles como para estar usando mi tiempo en esto.

Vine a editar esta reseña solo porque me olvidé de contarles que tiene el cliché de ✨amor a primera vista✨, que es nada más y nada menos que eL PEOR CLICHÉ LITERARIO DE LA HISTORIA. DIOS QUE LIBROS DE MIERDA.

⚠️Recordatorio: todo lo que digo es mi OPINION nada más⚠️

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is third in the Bridgertons series. Couples from the first two show up and some events are referenced and there are definite winks at those who have read the others. In all, I recommend reading these in order.

Normally, I'd snark about skipping this one because it sucks, but I'm a definite outlier in that opinion. Most of my GR friends rated this very high so you might want to take this review with a grain of salt. Or more. I'll admit that I'm relieved that my problem isn't related to the Cinderella pattern overlaying the story. I expected that to warp the story more than it did but it was relatively benign, all told.

Like Cinderella, Sophie's defining characteristic is being a victim. Her life sucks and that's largely due to having suck parents. Her step-mother is a complete monster but her father wasn't a gem, either. The story breaks from the Cinderella mold about there. There's a costume ball where she loses an article of clothing that gives a clue to her identity and then we're done with the fairy tale. Benedict doesn't use it to track her down, her situation changes and Quinn pretty much forges her own story from there. This is not a bad thing, except that I had hoped for a bit more cheerful good will and kindness and that's not Sophie. She feels every bit of the injustice done her. She's not a complainer or anything, but man her life sucked and being cheerful in the face of that would have been expecting a bit much.

Benedict, on the other hand, is not a prince, is not charming, and spends most of the story bullying Sophie to get what he wants. He has a single act of humanity (saving her from being raped), but that's not so much to his credit as it is kind of the baseline of what I'd expect from a human being witnessing her plight. And it's all downhill from there. He has zero compassion and less empathy and is forever thundering around manipulating and whining to get his own way. I kept waiting for a light to go off in his head for every new thing he learns about Sophie's life so far. In vain, it turns out.

Exacerbating this empathy hole is the power differential between the two characters. It'd be one thing if he were being all demandy of someone who could reasonably stand up to him, but Sophie doesn't have that power. She has literally nobody in her corner and yet he feels perfectly justified forcing her to his will, up to and including threatening to turn her in for theft if she doesn't comply. A theft, by the way, that he'd be making up. So it's not enough to threaten to leave her in the middle of nowhere with no money or even spare clothing. No, he has to threaten being transported to some hideous place like Australia. Frankly, I'm thinking she'd get the better end of the deal if she had made him carry through. There's got to be someone non-horrible in Australia and heaven knows that she has nothing keeping her in England.

I finished the last half of this in a kind of hate-fueled fugue. I should have dnf'd. I knew I should have. But I kept going. I do like the Bridgerton family and Violet (the mom) continues to shine, here. Her empathy and support and love was the one bright light in this otherwise blighted story.

A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene and a couple that were nearly there. So this is light on my steam tolerance. I kind of hated every intimate advance, however, because Benedict is such a complete snotrag. How can she even stand being around the man, let alone kissing him? Ugh.

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 4 out of 5]

”In her heart she longed for this man, dreamed of a life that could never be”.

Fan absoluta de estos libros de los Bridgerton, son demasiado adorables, de verdad.

En Te Doy Mi Corazón nos encontramos con la historia de Sophie Beckett, la hija ilegítima de un conde, que, muy al estilo de la Cenicienta, va a quedar en manos de su madrastra tras la muerte de su padre. Araminta, la madrastra, decide ocultarle a Sophie que su padre le dejó dinero para su dote y, en vez de tratarla como familia, la usa como una criada y la explota de las maneras más crueles posibles. Sin embargo, un día Sophie decide escaparse a una mascarada que se celebra en la mansión Bridgerton y, dejando de lado su aspecto de criada, se viste con un vestido espectacular y en la fiesta conoce a Benedict Bridgerton y su mundo cambia. Tienen una gran conversación, bailan y, en el fondo, se enamoran a primera vista a pesar de sus máscaras. Pero, de nuevo, como la Cenicienta, Sophie debe salir corriendo a la medianoche y volver a su mundo antes de que las ilusiones desaparezcan en el aire. Pasan los años y Benedict sigue pensando en esa misteriosa mujer de la mascarada y, por otra parte, Sophie sigue recordando a Benedict con cariño. Y todo seguiría igual, pero el destino vuelve a juntarlos de una manera sorprendente.

¡Amé cada aspecto de esta historia! Desde el primer momento en el que conoces a Sophie es imposible no quererla y desear rescatarla de las garras inmundas de su madrastra. Es más, incluso cuando han pasado los años y ella ya no está con Araminta, sino sirviendo en otras casas, pasa lo mismo: quieres que Sophie deje de pensar en ella misma como alguien que no vale, como una bastarda que no va a conseguir nada, y se atreva a buscar un futuro mejor.

Y Benedict me fascinó también. Amé que no tuviera miedo de los sentimientos que surgieron en él con solo conocer a una chica sin nombre en un baile y que, incluso después de que ella desapareciera, nunca dejara de buscarla. Vamos, que con Violet como madre y sabiendo lo intensa que es con el tema de casarse, considero una verdadera proeza que Benedict haya esquivado el matrimonio durante los años que estuvo separado de Sophie, su chica misteriosa.

Sé que el inicio de este libro puede ser muy instalove para algunos, pero para mí no lo fue. Ese primer encuentro en el baile fue tan mágico entre Sophie y Benedict que, precisamente por esa magia, me creo lo del amor casi que instantáneo. Además, si bien ese primer momento fue así, tras su reencuentro años después y con Benedict no sabiendo que Sophie era la chica del baile, todo el proceso de conocerse, conquistarse y ganarse empieza de nuevo. ¡Y otra vez es precioso! Difícil, dada la posición social de Sophie, las restricciones y las ideas anticuadas, pero vale cada momento de drama por el final.

¡Y vaya final! Cuando cierta persona volvió a aparecer en la vida de Sophie y puso todo del revés, amé la reacción de Benedict y de su madre Violet. ¡Esa mujer se merece un premio enorme! No puedo decir mucho porque sería un spoiler, pero amé que los prejuicios se quedaran en el siglo pasado y que, por encima de todo, predominara el amor que siente por su hijo y el apoyo incondicional de una madre hacia él. Evidentemente hay un final feliz porque, de lo contrario, este no sería un libro de los Bridgerton, pero creo que, hasta ahora, es el final que ha estado más marcado por el drama y eso le añadió tensión a todo el asunto.

Como siempre, ¡me muero por leer el siguiente!

[Warda · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite in the series so far!
What can I say? I binged it in a day and it made me unbelievably happy.

[Miranda Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been waiting for AGES to do this Unboxing and Review Video for the Bridgerton Box from Once Upon a Book Club!

My reading rep code: MIRANDAREADS10

The Written Review

I feel like I'm getting whiplash looking at the goodreads ratings.

5 stars - 1 star - 3 stars - 1 star - 5 stars


Like... is this good or no?

Update

It was good. Not as good as the first couple, but still decent!

The Written Review

In this Bridgerton book, we follow the second oldest Bridgerton child - Benedict. He's moody, temperamental and above all, in love with a woman he doesn't know.

Sophie Beckett is a Cinderella story through and through. She's the bastard child of an earl and her father places young Sophie in the custody of his new wife before passing away.

And the new Stepmother? Cruel to the core.

Sophie decides to do one, grand gesture before accepting her lot in life - she dresses up and attend a masquerade ball and stumbles into one Benedict Bridgerton.

And it truly is a night she'd never forget...and three years later, when she makes her escape from the step-monster's house, she finds him again. Only he does not recognize her.

Should Sophie say something? Or should she resign herself to being a true outcast?

Mmmm....I didn't like this one as much as I hoped.

Book 1 follows the Duke and Daphne - the witty barbs they trade along with the hilarious banter cinched them as a couple.

Book 2 follows Anthony and Kate - who fit together so perfectly, despite them not realizing it at the time.

And Book 3 follows a pigheaded jerk and a girl foolish enough to trust him.

What I'm trying to say is that all of the books have their own problems. Sexism, misogyny, classism, etc. But normally (i.e. Books 1 and 2) the characters and the plot are good enough that I could manage it.

But in book 3, Benedict was just an ass for most of the story. I feel like the author was trying to go the "look at the biggest, baddest rake yet! Only Sophie can tame him!" route but in reality...was he even worth taming?

I mean, he does come around a bit at the end but even then...not my first, second, third...tenth...hundredth...choice in husband for the wonderful Sophie.

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hi, my name is Katerina and I am addicted to Bridgertons.

I've been dreaming of balls, banquets and gowns since I was a little girl, historical romance is my sanctuary from the small and big disappointments of daily life (i.e. work - read - sleep - repeat), and during 2018 I've written more 3star reviews than my entire life.
I would appreciate some help.



Thank you.

“In her heart she longed for this man, dreamed of a life that could never be.”

Now, before I start rambling on the wonderful moments I expecienced when I followed Sophie and Benedict's journey, I need to state that those three starts you see above do not mean I didn't enjoy An Offer From a Gentleman, because I did. The imprint of my butt on my living room's couch can attest to that. It's just that I enjoyed more The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me (which is my favorite so far), and I have to be fair and rank them accordingly. Putting that aside, An Offer From a Gentleman was a tad different from its predecessors. It was a Cinderella retelling, infused with sizzling tension, a generous dose of angst and drama, and the trademark Bridgerton humor and impossible situations that can warm even the coldest heart. Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of an earl, relegated to a servant by her cruel stepmother further to her father's death. But Fate smiles on her when (with a little help) she manages to attend the Bridgerton masquerade ball and meets the Second Son, Benedict, who is immediately besotted by the mysterious young woman with the silver dress. For one night, Sophie feels happy. Wanted. Belonging. But when the clock strikes midnight, the bubble bursts and she returns to her hard life, which is about to get harder. Two years pass by. Benedict has not forgotten that woman, but when he meets an intriguing servant that sees straight through his soul, he is torn and confused: should he move on, or wait for the mysterious woman to reappear and find his happily ever after with her? Little does he know that Sophie Beckett is both women.

When you dive in the third instalment of the Bridgerton series, you don't attend many social events. You don't lose yourself waltzing or avoiding Ambitious Mamas (or going after eligible bachelors, depending on the side of this deadly race). On the contrary, you sew and clean and dream of a better life next to a girl who has never experienced love or affection, who cannot forget even for a single moment that she was born out of wedlock and spent half her life serving the people who were supposed to be her family. Sophie is a resilient character, true to her ideals, determined to never repeat her mother's mistakes and sentence her children to the contempt and disapproval of the society she faced all those years. But how is it possible to preserve her dignity and her morals when her Prince Charming, the man that haunts her dreams, reddens her cheeks and makes her crave things no proper maiden should offers her a life without struggles and destitution, in exchange for her beliefs and the vow to herself? Benedict Bridgerton wants Sophie with a burning passion. But she's a simple maid, he cannot possibly marry her, so he asks her to become his mistress. And that's what left a bitter taste in my mouth. Not the proposal, per se, but his insistence and self-absorption. Benedict was a caring, sweet yet sarcastic character who at times was very endearing, but these two traits, and the refusal to understand Sophie's motives, were the reason I (occasionally) wanted to smack his beautiful head.



Sophie, on the other hand, she was admirable and strong, but her tendency to keep secrets perplexed the situation and caused (unnecessary) drama and heartbreak. However, I felt this story to my very bones. I ached, laughed (especially when the wonderfully loud Bridgerton family made an appearance), swooned and sighed, and that's what makes Julia Quinn, and the historical romance genre (please remind me to write a review for Secrets of a Summer Night sometime this year) ideal when I am in the mood for not particularly complicated, yet heartwarming and delicious romance with a touch of fairydust, which, to be honest, happens a lot lately.



So, since I may or may not have ordered the next two books, like another Lady Whistledown, I'll keep you posted on the whereabouts of the Bridgerton family this summer.

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like Julia Quinn, I really do, but this was not her finest moment. Looking back on "Bridgertons" #1 & #2, maybe this just is not her finest series. This book was so ... blah. And the hero was such an ASS. On the plus side, it was nice that the heroine was not from conventional society, she is the bastard daughter of an earl, raised as his ward until his death, at which point she is Cinderella to the evil stepmother and two step-sisters. (She even secretly goes to a ball, meets the hero, and then flees at midnight. I really liked the fairytale aspect and had high hopes for the book at that point. That was before I knew the hero was going to turn out to be an ass.)

The hero is the second Bridgerton son, Benedict. The heroine is Sophia (Sophie) Beckett. They meet, they fall in love, she flees, they don't see each other for years, she finds work as a housemaid, he saves her from rape and catches cold while rescuing her, she nurses him back to health in a little "cottage" he happens to own (yeah, got the hurt-comfort going both ways there), he teases her mercilessly, she falls in love with him all over again. Well, so far so good - it's a little tedious, a little blah, but not SO bad. They start making out on the forest floor, and this is where is all goes wrong. Our Sophie, being a bastard child herself, has vowed to never ever have sex out of wedlock, since she cannot bring her own horrid fate on her child. So, while she really REALLY wants to schtup our hero, she says no. He invites her to be his mistress, and want for nothing. She turns him down. He continues to push the issue. This is where he becomes an ass. (SPOILER AHEAD) It'll come as no surprise to hear that he does eventually talk her into have sex with him (ASS) and she regrets the action, although she loves him and it was a moment to treasure, blah blah blah ... He CONTINUES to insist that she become his mistress, even after she has quite CLEARLY told him no, and even told him WHY. He says "well surely you can't expect me to marry you!" ASS.

More events unfold until the inevitable denouement, which I'm sure you can guess, though I will not reveal all (for those few who may be surprised). By this time I was so completely disgusted with him that I couldn't possibly be happy for them.

Hmm I was going to give this 2 stars, but I just got so worked up writing this review, remembering how awful he was to her, how he pressured her relentlessly for sex ... it's got to be 1 star.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Since the Bridgerton books aren't really fairytale-themed, I was sort of surprised when I realized this was a retelling of Cinderella.
I love me some retellings!



This was actually the least Bridgerton-y of all of Quinn's Bridgerton books. And I mean that in the very best way. This one didn't have the same formula - and thank god for that!
If you've read these books, you'll more than likely know exactly what I mean. If not and you're curious you can check out my review for book #7 because I don't want to beat a dead horse in this review.
Ok, so the mother, Violet, was actually really great in this one. And I've kind of hated her in every other book. <--so, wow.
And the 2nd epilogue was reallyreallyreally good! Every other 2nd epilogue that's been added in has kind of sucked, so I wasn't expecting to love this one, and I did. It was so sweet.



Now, this one did have the same problem that a lot of Quinn's male leads suffer from, which is this annoying tendency to say cringy shit in the bedroom. There's a lot of words like shush and trust me that I find a tad patronizing. And then the mother of all fuckers if you want to stop, you must tell me NOW or I shan't be able to help myself. Because yes, you absolutley can help yourself 5 minutes from now, you douchebag.



I see a lot of people are mad at Benedict for not even considering it a possibility that he and Sophie marry at first, and then insisting that she take up residence as his mistress because she's a lower class (servant) than he is with his aristocratic blood.
I can't really disagree.
That attitude doesn't exactly lend itself to making women who love romance novels look favorably on him. And I'd say that the problem is the book was written 20 years ago and just suffering from old age syndrome, but I remember what I was like 20 years ago, and I would have disliked Benedict for that sort of thing just as much then.



So. Yeah, that was just a poor choice on Quinn's part. I think it would have looked a bit better if he had just jumped in with both feet and let Sophie be the one to say it wouldn't work because of their difference in backgrounds. Coming from her, you could chalk it up to society & self-esteem issues. Coming from him, it just sounds like he's a pompous ass.
But I'm not a best-selling novelist, so what the hell do I know?



Ok. Did anyone else think it was weird that Sophie never mentioned any of the servants? Like If I were a servant, and knew how badly they were treated or treated like less than, and then somehow I became the mistress of the house I think I would meditate on what kind of employer I would be in the future. Don't you think you'd be really sympathetic toward the people who were brushing your hair, and cooking your breakfast, and emptying your chamber pots? But once Sophie becomes Benedict's wife, you never hear her say that she's going to do anything differently in her home. Not really. She's just hella glad that she is where she's supposed to be now. I mean, you know Sophie won't be a bitch, but I guess what I'm saying is that I would have liked to have heard her views on servants now that she was the one in charge.



Also, what happened to the servants in this story? You'd think that Sophie would reach out to the housekeeper that she was close to as a child, right? I mean, she and the other housemaids that helped Sophie get ready for the ball (and why would they risk their jobs for her like that?!) were never mentioned after that scene. If the point of the story was that Benedict needed to see Sophie as someone just as important as himself, then all of the servants should have been important. But it was mentioned that Sophie felt stuck between two worlds because she had been educated and therefore couldn't really relate to the other paupers.
Ehhhh.
It seemed like at some point she would have made friends with the people she worked with. You know, unless those sorts of people don't have real feelings.
Peasants. Tsk.



And speaking of real feelings. The scene where Benedict comes upon Sophie being attacked by these drunk nobles from the house party he was leaving, didn't make me feel particularly warm and fuzzy. Yes, he stops them from raping her. And while I appreciate that, he did it in this very flippant way. Almost like he was inwardly sighing that he had to be a decent chap and put an end to this tomfoolery. I think it was supposed to make him look cool and suave, but there are some things in life that should make you lose your shit. It wasn't until he got to know Sophie as a person that he looked back and got upset over what could have happened to her.



Then again, this was never supposed to be the sort of novel that makes you think. It's just a fluffy romance and I should probably quit picking it apart. And I actually hate to admit this, but even with all of the problems, this was still one of the more interesting/better Bridgeton books to me.

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this series and this is my favourite so far! Sophie and Benedict are such charming characters and I loved the banter between the two of them.
The story is a retelling of Cinderella, right down to the wicked step mother, the sisters (not ugly although one has an ugly nature!) and having to leave the ball on the stroke of midnight. I enjoyed every minute of it especially when Araminta gets her just desserts.
The Bridgertons are such a wonderful family it is fun whenever they appear. I am still looking forward to when Colin finds his wife and I suspect we may have met her already.
For a Georgette Heyer tragic like me it is a real pleasure to have discovered this author and especially this series of books.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

In his heart he’d always believed there was only one perfect woman out there for him.
His heart had been right.
There was only one.

An Offer From a Gentleman is the third Bridgerton book and it's Benedict, the second Bridgerton's book.

Benedict and Sophie meet at a masquerade ball. Benedict is in high society standing, where Sophie is not of the same class. Nothing can ever come from their meeting, but Benedict doesn't know that. He's had the lady from the ball on his mind for two years, when he finally runs into Sophie again. Only he doesn't realize it's her. Only Sophie knows that secret. Benedict is a bit of a savior for Sophie. She's had a hard life after being raised by her evil stepmother.

I adored Sophie and Benedict's love story. It was heartwarming, sweet, and gave me the warm fuzzies. I know it's part of the times, but the only thing I didn't love was How Benedict pressured Sophie to be his mistress because he couldn't stand to lose her. I understood it, but I thought it was selfish of him nonetheless.. This was another great addition to this series and I can't wait to get to Colin's story next!

Audio book source: Hoopla (library borrow)
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrators: Rosalyn Landor
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Historical Romance (Cinderella retelling)
Length: 12 hours and 22 minutes

[Brittany McCann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Benedict destroys all that could be good in this novel. This title is misleading because Benedict, sure as F, isn't a gentleman. At this point, I am noticing a disturbing theme in the Bridgerton siblings. They all think that their sexual urges/needs are more important than anything else. The excuses are endless, mostly blamed on love or a selfish need that rules one's senses. This is so disgusting to me that this is the main theme of this novel. It makes all that is good pale in comparison. I really like SHOW Benedict, but book Benedict needs to be stoned. His actions echo more of show Anthony's personality.

Sophie is a likable enough character. Weirdly, most of the novel is from her perspective, when really with most sexual urges and judgments of women not mattering due to their placement at birth Benedict. *gag me now*. I felt bad for Sophie and how much she justifies the sexual pressure due to her love for Benedict. This relationship is so emotionally abusive I wanted to shake some sense into her. She spends at least 70-80% of the time justifying him. I honestly didn't have any issue with the intro Cinderella thread that Julia Quinn gave us, as it was such a small part of the overall narrative and was a good catalyst for plot movement.

The highlight of this book is more of Violet (mom), whom I love. However, I am starting to judge the crap out of her for her kids. She sees this and is worried to an extent, but everything is just "explained" away for the time period. Again I get the regency time period, but my God, am I glad that I do not have to live in this shit storm of time.

Will I continue with the series? Yes. The highlight is the sibling relationship, and that was lacking a lot in this book. There was a lot of preview of Hyacinth that I enjoyed, and I can tell she will be a hellion.

I have been waiting for Collin's book, and please don't let him be as big of an ass hat as his older brothers.

Quotes of what the F is wrong with this predatory bastard:
"There were a thousand things that Benedict wanted to ask her...
He was so damned afraid she would change her mind if he allowed her to put any of her thoughts into words..." umm this feels like a date-rape mindset to me...

"He knew that she wanted respectability, but she knew he could not give it to her."

"It would mean compromise, mostly on her part."

I am officially DONE with Benedict. He is thus far the worst specimen of his family.

2.5 Stars for me

[Naomi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. Quinn's writing style is engaging as always but the plot made me angry. Fuming, actually.

Rich Boy meets servant girl, boy saves girl from gang rape and offers to find her safe and honourable employment in his mothers house. So far, no problem.

Boy and girl get stuck alone in a cottage. Boy lusts after girl. He asks her to be his mistress. She says no. He asks again. She says no. She tries to leave. He forces her to the ground. She says no. He blackmails her with the threat of jail into taking a job in his mother's house.

While she is there he badgers her relentlessly. Some might call it harassment.

It doesn't get any better from there. This plot takes at least half the book. And this is supposed to be the romantic hero. At some point he claims that he might love her but he never puts her good above his desires.

I really enjoy romance novels. Or at least I used to. I am getting very tired of reading about supposed heroes who never put the needs of their love interests above their own desires.

This girl is completely alone in the world and the boy uses that to try to make her his whore. And I'm supposed to root for this guy?

Just once I would like to read a book where the hero lusts after the girl but is capable of putting that aside, to put her good before his desires. Anyone know where I can find a book like that?

[Maria Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Érase una vez, en un remoto lugar, una muchacha llamada Sophie Beckett. Una joven con una madrastra y un montón de zapatos por limpiar y orinales que vaciar. Una joven convertida en criada, que soñaba con aparecer un día en la columna de lady Whistledown.⠀
⠀
-𝐒𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐞 -𝐝𝐢𝐣𝐨 𝐞́𝐥, 𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐨𝐳 𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚. 𝐒𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢́𝐚 𝐥𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐚 𝐞 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐚-. 𝐋𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐝𝐚.⠀
-𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐪𝐮𝐢́ - 𝐝𝐢𝐣𝐨 𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚, 𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨-. ¿𝐐𝐮𝐞́ 𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞? ⠀
⠀
¿Cuántas horas eres capaz de mantenerte despierta después de un día de poda? ¿De cortar, serrar, de subir y bajar la escalera y volver a cortar y serrar troncos; de recoger y limpiar parterres llenos de hojarasca? ¿De llenar bolsas de jardín con todo lo que has limpiado y tirarlas al container? Así un día tras otro, durante dos semanas de locura. Dos semanas que me encantan pero me dejan por el arrastre. Tanto que por la noche soy incapaz de abrir un libro y mantenerme despierta más de cinco minutos. O por lo menos así era hasta que empecé a leer Te doy mi corazón, el tercer libro de la romántica y divertida saga familiar los Bridgeton.⠀
⠀
-𝐓𝐮 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐧𝐨 𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞́ 𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚, 𝐥𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐬.⠀
-𝐋𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 - 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐨́ 𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚, 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐫.⠀
... ⠀
-𝐒𝐢 𝐚𝐬𝐢́ 𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐨 𝐥𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬.⠀
-𝐀𝐬𝐢́ 𝐥𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐨 - 𝐝𝐢𝐣𝐨 𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐳𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢́𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐨-. 𝐀𝐬𝐢́ 𝐥𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐨 - 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨́.⠀
⠀
Es un cuento narrado hace mucho, mucho tiempo, cosido ahora con hilos de oro. Es un sueño, una zapatilla de cristal olvidada en el último escalón. Un guante, una sonrisa, un beso y el suave vaivén del deseo al despertar. Una pincelada, un brochazo de rojo pasión. Es una historia de amor. Un suspiro, un gemido, un todo contenido en un segundo. Es. Simplemente.

[Sam (AMNReader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, #2 Bridgerton indeed. As in the shit one.

Benedict sucked. Sure he was sentimental. Sweet to his family, but this book about his chase and threat to Sophie's station and life are not what I like in my heroes.

Yet I did not hate reading it so it gets a 2. Which feels appropriate.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read/listened to the audiobook version Oct'2018:

5 stars – Historical/Regency Romance

The audiobook narrator was fabulous! Overall, it's still a 5-star read for me, but the heroine's refusal to just tell the hero her secret drove me nuts!

Original Review from Sept'2010:

5+ stars – Historical/Regency Romance

An Offer From a Gentleman might be a Cinderella-like story, but it’s much more than just a fairytale remake. For me, this is the epitome of everything I love about romance and happily ever after.

There’s a charming, yet flawed hero, a sweet heroine with profound inner strength and resolve who overcomes all odds, powerful emotional conflict, realistic drama, lush sensuality, intense passion, and witty humor. Benedict and Sophie and the supporting cast are all remarkable, lovable characters to cheer for. I loved when the dowager viscountess, Violet Bridgerton, brought the whoopass against Araminta!

It made me sad, sigh, smile, cry, laugh, hope, and it’s a beautifully romantic, touching reminder of the wonder and power of love. And it’s my favorite of the Bridgertons series, so far. 5 Big, sweet fairytale stars!

I loved this Benedict quote:

It suddenly made sense. Only twice in his life had he felt this inexplicable, almost mystical attraction to a woman. He’d thought it remarkable, to have found two, when in his heart he’d always believed there was only one perfect woman out there for him.

His heart had been right. There was only one.

[Alba M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Puedo vivir con tu odio - dijo a la puerta cerrada - pero no puedo vivir sin ti».

«Hay muchos motivos para amarte - le dijo, marcando cada palabra con esmerada precisión. - Pero una de las cosas que más me gustan - continuó - es que te conoces. Sabes quién eres y lo que vales. Tienes principios, Sophie, y te atienes a ellos. - Se llevó una mano a los labios para besarla -. Eso es muy excepcional.»

Por un lado tenemos a Benedict, otro de los hermanos Bridgerton, otro más de los solteros más cotizados. Por el otro tenemos a Sophie, bastarda de un conde, pero no reconocida más que como una pupila, es tratada nada más que como una sirvienta ahora que su padre se ha casado con una viuda con dos hijas. Los maltratos hacia ella, verbales, son continuos tanto con el conde vivo como después de morir. Así que, una noche, cuando se celebra un baile de máscaras la viuda se burla de Sophie cuando ésta realiza un simple comentario diciendo que ojalá pueda ir. Poco saben todos que Sophie asistirá al baile y que además encontrará el amor.

Amé esta historia. También me hizo sufrir, me hizo reir (vaya que si me reí) y hacia el final incluso lloré. Fue increíble lo rápido que leí esta historia pero supongo que eso es lo normal cuando te tiene tan enganchada y en vilo por saber que pasa conforme pasas las páginas. La relación de Benedict y Sophie fue tan secreta, tan dura porque no veía un buen final pero tan hermosa al mismo tiempo que agradezco a Dios por Julia Quinn y sus libros que han conseguido sacarme del horrible bloqueo lector en el que estaba. Ni cambiando de género era capaz de disfrutar de un libro, pero este, este ha hecho mucho más que hacerme disfrutar...
Así que como lo he disfrutado tanto me lanzo de cabeza ahora mismo a por Colin. Recomiendo tanto a los hermanos Bridgerton que en serio, ni razones os doy. Solo leedlos.

[Eastofoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! This is a fantastic read! Quinn’s best so far for me. She has an amazing way to draw you into the story from the first few pages and you’re smiling from the get-go right up to the end :) She even manages to take you on a sudden heart-breaking emotional roller coaster ride that really gives you the chills and makes you want to cry for the h/h as a couple. This contrasts so well with the rest of the light-hearted story making the situation all the more poignant.

The heroine Sophie is great and Benedict, who you never really hear from at the start of the series, is an incredibly loving hero. Makes you just sigh every time he says and does something –oh ya and then there’s his tenacity! He wants her and he’ll do whatever it takes to have her. He says to her quietly at one point:

“I can live with you hating me …. I just can’t live without you.”

Kill me why don’t you 8) You can literally feel his frustration breaking his soul when she rejects him time and again.

There’s this one steamy scene that will leave you panting when all is said and done! Big woo hoo there :D

Quinn’s story is exactly how I’d picture a regency romance to be. There’s a secret, a fab couple, believable problems, strong main characters as well as secondary characters, great sexual tension, brilliant writing and all set against a wonderful regency backdrop. This is the kind of novel you wish wouldn’t end, BUT there’s another book so the series continues!

[Bibiana In Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐️

Me han encantado los personajes, me he enamorado de su historia, de lo luchadora que es Sophie y de lo pícaro que es Benedict, con lo que conseguía sacarme varias sonrisas, pues se picaban mutuamente.

[zainab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benedict saw a charming woman in silver at his mother's masquerade ball and never forgot her. The feelings she triggered in him - he thought he would never feel that again. Until Sophie enters his life. But there is an obstacle, Sophie is a maid and he is a Bridgerton. But maybe appearances do matter?
The third part reminds at the beginning of Cinderella, which I personally liked very much and so I was already under the spell. This magic lasted until the end. With the third part of Bridgerton, Julia Quinn once again shows what an excellent author she is. I am already looking forward to the further parts.....

[Marilena ⚓ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2η ανάγνωση και ήταν ακομα καλύτερη απο την πρώτη!!




Τι γλυκό,η ιστορία του Μπένεκτιτ ήταν μέχρι στιγμής η πιο όμορφη!
Ελπίζω στο επόμενο να μάθουμε την ταυτότητα της λαίδης Γουισλντάουν,αν και κάτι υποψιάζομαι ;)

[Lamaleluna · Rating 2 out of 5]

AHGGGG realmente no tengo IDEA cuántas estrellas ponerle a este libro.
Van 3 por ahora ⭐
Editado: lo terminé bajando a 2 ⭐ una vez que leí toda la saga
.
Te daré mi corazón es el libro 3 de la saga Bridgerton. Saben que el primer libro lo ODIÉ y el segundo me gustó bastante. Este fue un punto medio. Disfruté la historia y fue entretenida. No tiene escenas y diálogos tan machistas como el primer libro pero tampoco amé tanto a los personajes como en el segundo.
.
Me sorprendió descubrir que Te daré mi corazón es Retelling de Cenicienta. Nuestra protagonista femenina se llama Sophie y es la hija bastarda de un Conde. Toda su vida vivió como su pupila hasta que él fallece y Sophie debe vivir con su madrastra y hermanastras que la tratan como una sirvienta.
Hasta que decide colarse en un baile de máscaras en la casa Bridgerton y es ahí donde conoce a Benedict. OHHHHH el amorrrrrr 😳😏 el amor a primera vista 😐. Y ni siquiera se ven. Porque tienen máscaras.
.
Pasan los años Sophie sigue soñando con Benedict y él sigue soñando con la mujer del baile a la que nunca más volvió a ver.
Hasta que se reencuentran y él decide contratarla como sirvienta.
Y no les cuento más porque sería spoiler.
.
PERSONAJES: me gustaron, Sophie estuvo bien, tenía ideales fuetes y era muy inteligente. Aunque tampoco me súper encantó su personalidad. Benedict no es mi hermano Bridgerton favorito y ni siquiera su propio libro hizo que me gustara. Es un pesado e insistente. Le costó entender que NO ES NO. Pero por suerte nunca se propasó y al final del libro lo entendió y tenemos una linda página de su reflexión y moraleja. Muy bien Benedict, seguí decostruyendote que te va a venir bien.🤣
Y claramente el mejor personaje es Violet, la madre de la familia. La amo y se llevó el premio de oro en este libro.
Por no mencionar los diálogos entre ella y Eloise, Franchesca y Hyacinth. Lo mejor del libro. 🤩
.
LA HISTORIA: Si bien es re lineal, simple y básica como la de los libros anteriores estuvo mucho mejor. Fue un poquito más compleja, con más escenas y el final fue DRAMA. Me gustó, lo sentí más como un libro completo.

¿Voy a seguir leyendo estos libros? No les voy a mentir, la respuesta es si. Se leen muy rápido, son atrapantes y puro drama. 😊

Yo leyendo "Te doy mi corazón": 😬🥺🥰😏😳

[Aoife - Bookish_Babbling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25*

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the Cinderella slant to this story as I am not renowned for enjoying stories where there is an omission or a lie between love interests, but I guess given the circumstances of this one it could be understandable and I liked how the story jumped forward 2 years – it was an interesting take on this retelling & not one I’ve often seen attempted which I guess kept the pages turning 😅

I liked Sophie as a character, as with JQ’s other heroines she is witty & smart which makes for fun reading when verbally sparring with the Bridgerton Boi(s). This was shaping up to be a more enjoyable read for me than the previous two books, up until I was reminded that the bones of the story takes place over the span of about a week (hullo instalove) & then the power imbalance kicked in with Benedict’s “solution”/deal which really did not sit well with me at all. Not quite the same macho male’ness displayed by Anthony in book2, but *sigh* just not my cup of tea 😕

Again I loved the family aspects in this and really enjoyed how the ladies are getting a bit more spotlight. Lady B (Violet) especially plays a great role in this instalment & I am always happy to see Eloise, Francesca and Hyacinth also getting to shine a bit more this time. The second epilogue was lowkey adorbs & I was glad to see a smidge more of Posy – even if again literal instalove 🙄. After a particular scene on the steps in front of the house in this book between the Bros & a certain someone I am even more curious about Colin’s instalment as I know from other epilogues who he ends up with…I just don’t know how!

Sadly however it looks like I’ve a 9 (😱 😭) week wait for my hold to come through at the library…would I kick myself for purchasing the kindle version even if this has been the character that has been most eye catching so far. 🤔 Altho based off how I’ve reacted to each of the previous books male leads when I get a peek inside their heads maybe I should let sleeping dogs lie
Thoughts? 😇

[Somia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the sound of this book from the blurb, the Cinderella trope is a favourite of mine, but bloody hell Benedict Bridgerton wasn't the hero I was hoping for. He irked me in so many ways:

1) His blasted pouting and dickishness when Sophie says no to his offer to be his mistress - annoying the first time and then more so the second, third and fourth.

2) The depiction of his focus on Sophie being unsuitable as a wife due to her lowly status pissed me off. Would it have been a issue and concern in real life during that time very likely, but for a HR book I'd much rather a hero who said f-it to convention or who was an ass but truly grovelled once he realised the error of his ways. Benedict was defo an ass in his reactions but the grovelling just didn't occur as it should have.

3) His incapability to pause and think through his inability to let Sophie go which resulted in stupid behaviour when it came to Sophie.

Two good things he does are saving her from rape early in the book and coming to get her out of prison near the end of the tale.

I liked Sophie and the fact all she had dealt with hadn't turned her bitter and cruel. I also enjoyed Benedict's mum in this.

This book has me putting a pause on reading the rest of the series. Oh well at least I can say book 2 will be re-read at some point.

[Melanie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio: 5 STARS!
Story: 4.5 STARS!

Call me crazy, but this is my favorite of the series so far . . . maybe it's because I love Cinderella re-tellings so much, or maybe it's because author JQ didn't push things too far. Whatever the reason, I fell in love with Benedict and Sophie.

Benedict and his hurt man-pride (🙄) felt so true to life, and Sophie and her principles (😊) had me cheering. And Violet has officially proven herself as the best matriarch ever.

Once again, a huge thankyou to Leila for reading with me! Book 4 here we come . . .

[Redhead Haze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: historical romance
Tropes: Cinderella retelling, different social classes, wicked step-mother
Series: Bridgertons #3
Cliffhanger: No
Spice: 0.75/5 🌶
Rating: 4.75 ⭐

This was definitely my favorite in the series so far. It was catchy and entertaining and I couldn't put it down. Benedict and Sophie were great main characters and I loved watching their story.

》》The Plot《《

Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of an earl and, after his death, she is left with her step-mother, Araminta, and her two stepsisters, Posey and Rosemund. Treated like a servant and forced to do their bidding, there aren't many joys in Sophie’s life so, when her mother and sisters go to a mascarade ball at the Bridgerton house, she takes the chance to do something bold: she dresses up and, taking advantage it was a masked ball, she sneaks in. She was expecting a night of dances, music and fun; what she wasn’t expecting was to meet Benedict Bridgerton and fall irrevocably in love with him, only to be forced to flee at midnight and return to her normal life.

“I never got her name. Just her glove.”
Violet gave him a stern look. “I’m not even going to ask how you obtained her glove.”
“It was all very innocent, I assure you.”
Violet’s expression was dubious in the extreme. “I have far too many sons to believe that,” she muttered.

Even two years after the mascarade ball, all Benedict can think about is the mysterious woman in silver who was the most fascinating girl he had ever meet. But when he is forced to save a maid from some unfortunate circumstances, he feels for the second time in his life that unexplainable pull towards someone. So he takes Sophie to London, promising to find her a position in his mother's household, all the while being intrigued by the maid with manners and education fit for a lady.

》》Characters and Relationships《《

👩🏼 Sophie

"Her beauty came from within.
She shimmered. She glowed.
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 liked that she was kind and nice, but she knew what she wanted and what she could or could not sacrifice to obtain it. And she was totally surprising when she decided to take action, because let me tell you, I never thought that gracious Sophie could punch someone.

🧑🏽‍💼 Benedict Bridgerton

"Benedict Bridgerton had been everything she’d read in Whistledown. Handsome, strong, debonair. He was the stuff of a young girl’s dreams."

Can I say oh la la and leave it like that? I'm extremely curious about what Netflix will do with his character and I like that we already have a background for him and his artistic pursuits. In the book he was rather devilish, but he was easy and fun and definitely not brooding and stern, like the main male characters in the previous two books from the series.

👩🏼🧑🏽‍💼 Sophie and Benedict

“I like when you say my name,” he said.
“I didn’t mean to,” she admitted.
“Shhh,” he admonished. “Don’t tell me that. Don’t you know that’s not what a man wishes to hear?”
“I don’t have much experience with men,” she said.
“Now that’s what a man wishes to hear.”

I loved the chemistry between the two of them and I definitely enjoyed watching Benedict tormented by guilt for betraying his memory of the lady in silver, only to find out that she and Sophie were one and the same. They were clearly a great match and they shared a lot of sweet scene, funny banter and spicy moments.

“So hostile.”
“You abducted me—”
“Coerced,” he reminded her.
“Do you want me to hit you?”
“I wouldn’t mind it,” he said mildly.

I honestly couldn't put this book down and, for once, the reasons they couldn't be together actually made sense from the very beginning and I wasn't angry with their idiocy for staying apart and torturing each other.

👩‍👧‍👦The Bridgertons

“I saw your feet on the table,” Violet said before he could even open his mouth.
“I was merely polishing the surface with my boots.”

I loved the dynamics between the Bridgertons, starting with Benedict and his mother who, decided to see all of her children married, was a total plotter. And I especially appreciated how she supported Benedict in his intentions to marry Sophie, even if she was from a different social class.

“I shall discover her identity within a month.”
“I’d recommend asking Eloise for help,” Benedict said dryly.
Violet nodded thoughtfully. “Good idea. That girl could get Napoleon to spill his secrets.”

They were very united and I loved having more Eloise scenes, because I find her fascinating and I think I am looking forward for her book, but what I enjoyed the most was the loving banter all the family seemed to share.

“But then again, he’s considerably more ancient,” Colin continued, “so perhaps we should send him to the gallows—er, altar first.”
“Do you have a point?” Benedict growled.
“None whatsoever,” Colin admitted. “But then again, I rarely do.”

Violet, Colin, Eloise and Hyacinth appeared enough throughout the book to make me love them and look forward for their books and even Anthony and Daphne made a brief appearance. I won't lie, I would have loved more time with Kate and Anthony and Simon and Daphne here as well, but I guess I'll just have to wait for that in future books.

》》Favorite Scenes《《

👗Sophie as the lady in silver and the mascarade ball
🧑🏽👩🏼🧑🏽‍💼Collin interrupting Sophie and Benedict

“Might I request an introduction?”
Benedict raised a brow. “You can try your best, but I doubt you’ll meet with success. I haven’t learned her name yet myself.”
“You haven’t asked,” Sophie could not help pointing out.
“And would you tell me if I did?”
“I’d tell you something,” she returned.
“But not the truth.”
She shook her head. “This isn’t a night for truth.”
“My favorite kind of night,” Colin said in a jaunty voice.

🧑🏽‍💼👩🏼 Benedict saving Sophie 2 years later
🐎 Sophie driving
🏡 My Cottage
👩🏼🧑🏽‍💼 Sophie taking care of Benedict

“You need to get into bed.”
He grinned. “You coming?”
She lurched back. “Now I know you’re feverish.”

🖍 Benedict's drawings, including one of the Mall Pall game
🧑🏽‍💼Benedict hiding his interest with a well positioned plate
🌊 The pond scene

"And she saw a man.
A naked man.
A naked . . .
Benedict?"

👊 Sophie punching Benedict
💋 The kiss

“I think I’m going to kiss you,” he whispered.
“You think?”
“I think I have to kiss you,” he said, looking as if he couldn’t quite believe his own words. “It’s rather like breathing. One doesn’t have much choice in the matter.”

👩🏽👩🏼 Posy seeing Sophie
👗Benedict finding out about her identity
🧑🏽‍💼👩🏻‍🦳 Benedict and Violet united against Araminta
👩🏽 Posy showing up
👊 Sophie punching Araminta

“That,” Sophie hissed, “is not for stealing my dowry. It’s not for all the times you tried to boot me out of my house before my father died. And it’s not even for turning me into your personal slave.”
“Er, Sophie,” Benedict said mildly, “what, then, is it for?”
Sophie’s eyes never wavered off of Araminta’s face as she said, “That was for not loving your daughters equally.”

》》Conclusion《《

I loved it and I couldn't put it down, which was rather unfortunate for my working schedule, but Benedict and Sophie were fun, with tons of chemistry and great scene so, "just one more chaper" turned into the whole book. It was a very entertaining Cinderella retelling, with a happily ever after and great character, well portrayed love and touching family bounds.

"And I won’t tempt the fates again.”
“No, you’ll merely tempt me,” he said, hearing the sneer in his voice and hating it.

If you liked the previous Bridgertons books, I'm sure you'll love this one as well. But if you haven't read those, you can still choose to read only this one, as each book is focused on one Bridgerton sibling and follows his/her story from beginning to end, so the books can be enjoyed as stand-alones too.

“I want your future. I want every little piece of you.”