Netflix is responsible for my addiction to Bridgerton. After watching the first season of the series, I decided to read the novel for myself. I was immediately hooked and have found that 19th century English romances are fun reads for me. An Offer from a Gentleman is the third of the Bridgerton novels and has been my favorite of the series thus far.
An Offer from a Gentleman focuses on Benedict, the second son of the Bridgerton household. Benedict has avoided marriage for some time and is convinced that he will not meet the perfect woman. His feelings change when he has a wonderful encounter with a woman in a silver dress at his mother’s masquerade ball. As midnight nears, the woman rapidly departs a la Cinderella. Benedict will spend years in search of this mystery woman’s identity to no avail.
Who was the woman? She was Sophie, a bastard daughter of a deceased earl. After her father’s death, Sophie has been “cared” for by her stepmother. Perhaps a better description of Sophie’s treatment is “enslavement.” Like Cinderella, Sophie dreams of going to a grand ball with her stepsisters and stepmother. Since she is nothing more than a chambermaid in society, Sophie decides to keep her identity a secret from Benedict; they are from different worlds and a relationship between the two could never work.
Several years pass and Benedict encounters Sophie at a country estate party. When Benedict sees that the maid is in danger, he steps in as any gentleman would. In the process of rescuing Sophie, Benedict finds himself caught in a nasty rainstorm that leads to a dire illness. Sophie nurses him back to health and the two begin to fall in love. Can it lead to anything? Is it possible for love to overcome social differences and the biases of high society?
Quinn once again offers a compelling story that keeps the reader coming back for more. Mingling humor with romance and social climbing, An Offer from a Gentleman is poignantly written for a modern audience. I found Benedict and Sophie’s story to be the most compelling of the Bridgerton novels thus far. (I must admit that I am currently reading the next book in the series — Romancing Mister Bridgerton — and enjoying it as well. I hope to have a review of the fourth book later this week.)
Reading for Me 