An Offer from a Gentleman

by Julia Quinn

Book Overview

BENEDICT'S STORY

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball--or that she would be spinning in the arms of her "Prince Charming"--the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton. But when the clock strikes midnight, Sophie's enchanting evening ends. Since that night Benedict has been able to think of nothing but the bewitching young woman, and he's sworn...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380815583
• ISBN13: 9780380815586
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Very cinderella but cute!

I really liked this story, fun, cute and easy! Couldn't put it down.

An Offer From a Gentleman

Based on the description, I was not looking forward to this book. I was sure it was a Cinderella knockoff. While it did begin that way, the author took us through many twists and turns that steered us away from Cinderella into a story of deception, despair, and strength. There were many triggers in this book (attempted rape, mental and physical abuse) and it left you wanting so badly for the main character to find a win. Violet Bridgerton was superb in this. Her fight for her children and those they love is unmatched. This was one of my favorites in the series.

Nice Cinderella story

I was not particularly impressed by the first Bridgerton book but tried another. Better. Third is even. better. Appealing characters, good if predictable plot. Just lacks the humor of the second book.

A Five Star 'Cinderella' Tale! Kudos for Ms. Quinn!

This is a MUST if you love real 'prince charming-Cinderella-type' stories! It had the wicked stepmother (worse than Cinderella's by the way) two wicked stepsisters and a chance for an illegitamate daughter of a deceased earl to attend the 'ball of the season' in style! BUT...she must return by midnight before the wicked stepmother realizes her late husband's 'love child' has duped her! Can she do it? What if the 'prince charming' of this tale was none other one of the most handsome of the famous Bridgerton brood? Benedict Bridgerton to be exact??? This is the third book in the series and wonderfully entertaining! A real twist on the 'striking midnight' cliche!~Sophie Beckett was shocked herself that she was able to pull off the daring stunt and sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball, but what she didn't realize was that she captured the heart of one of the elusive Bridgerton brood forever! Now as the clock strikes midnight and she must go home to a life as dull as wood and scrub floors and wait on her wicked stepmother and sisters, she dreams of what 'could've been' had her father actually acknowledged her for more than just his by-blow with a maid so many years past. But Fate has a weird way of making dreams come true...or do they?Benedict Bridgerton wasn't prepared for the vision in silver that graced his mother's hall. Who was she? He was instantly in love. Just when he thought he found the love of his life, she was gone. Years later, after dreaming of the woman in silver, he comes upon a helpless woman who stirs a memory...but, it can't be her...the vison in silver...for this woman was dirty, skinny and a housemaid. But, ever the gentleman, Benedict saves her from a fate worse than death and helps to secure her a job and roof over her head. This is when things become too complicated for him to bear...who IS she? And why does she regard him as of she KNOWS him from somewhere? Why do her eyes make him think of that night at the ball? He is determined to find out and in the process he finds himself in love with the mystery woman garbed in maid's clothing. And when he does find out who she is, will he sacrifice his position in society for her? Or will he let her blow in the wind like everyone else and lose his chance at 'happily ever after'...Great read! The author also teases us at the end with the identity of the ever mysterious Lady Whistledown. I have the feeling the next book in this excellent series will be about her! I can't wait! Hurry Ms. Quinn! I am anxiously awaiting the next in this series!!!Tracy Talley~@

Honest and sensible romance...

Sensible, you say? How boring! But let me tell you, after fifteen years of reading romance novels where the plot is propelled by silly people doing stupid things, I appreciate a story where conflict and resolution is believable and real. This is my second Julia Quinn novel, and she's already on my list of romance novelists (along with Susan Siezmore and Jo Beverely) who write believable, complex characters whose motivations and actions are comprehensible and intriguing.In this take on the old Cinderella story, Sophie Beckett is the "ward" of the Earl of Penwood. It's an open secret that she is his illegitimate daughter, but she lives in his home with modest luxury and not-quite benign neglect from her "guardian". Her life takes a turn for the worse when an evil stepmother and her two daughters (whose characters all owe a great debt to the movie Ever After) join the household, and Sophie's decline is complete when her father dies, and she becomes a servant in her stepmother's house.Enter, of course, Prince Charming; in this case, Benedict Brigerton. He sees Sophie across a crowded room, and the two are immediately attracted. Alas! She wears a mask, and flees at midnight, leaving only a glove behind her (no, Benedict does not cross the country searching for maidens whose hand fit the glove).Two years later, Benedict rescues a housemaid from being attacked by a group of drunken boors at a country house party. It is indeed Sophie, who has been on her own since her stepmother found out that she attended the masquerade and threw her out of the house. What follows is the tug-of-war between emotion, society and propriety. Benedict, who is more drawn to Sophie than anyone since his mysterious lady, and who honestly wants to protect and cherish her, asks her to be his mistress; while Sophie, who has been in love with him since the night of the masquerade, is torn between wanting to be with him, and a soul-deep abhorrence of bearing an illegitimate child like herself. The emotion between the two of them brought tears to my eyes.The only quibble with the book is that, after being sweetly honest and true, crashes into an ending which is both unbelievable and lackluster. But the experience is well-worth it. And one wonders who Lady Whistledown is, whose bon mots on Society head each chapter (I have my suspicions, and I'll definitely be buying the next book to find out if I'm right!)

It's an all nighter!!!

Whenever reading a Julia Quinn novel, it's always an all nighter for me! Forget the family, chores? What the heck is that? You want dinner? Here's the take out menu - call for delivery! The only thing that would get my eyes unglued from the pages, would be an emergency, and then the book would come along with me. An Offer From A Gentleman has characters that are witty and humble with just the right amount of spunk and fire to their personalities. Having a Cinderella in the context of being able to keep her wits about herself and remain mostly practical except when they both come into contact with each other. Benedict and Sophia both seeking the loves they felt was intangible was a clencher yet their souls told them otherwise. Thank Goodness for that! This novel was fun, adventurous and absolutely heart-rendering, I was cheering when her step-mother got her just rewards! I guess my family is used to my laughter, tears and cheers when reading a Julia Quinn novel, and dare the person that tries to interrupt when I'm engrossed. Julia, I look forward to your next novel with abated breath as always! You warm the hearts of many of your fans!

Laugh and Sigh...Unforgetable!

FINALLY!  ...Like many of you, I too have been anxiously waiting for this book.  I have loved both THE DUKE AND I (1st book of the series) & THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVE ME (2nd book). The Bridgerton's are all adorable LOT.  I enjoyed each and every one of them... So naturally, I expected to love this book just as much.  However, I am surprise that it has exceeded my own expectation.  I read it late last night after I got home from work, 11:30pm and finished it just an hour ago, 7:30am.  Try as I might, I just couldn't put it down.  Embarrassingly, I still have that Tingle-Goosebumps feeling, not to mention a silly smile is still imprinted on my face!  To think I haven't even slept yet...and I have duty at 3pm again today.  HA! I will be daydreaming of Benedict and Sophie then.  I will definitely read this book again tonight!   I tell you this book is dreamy!  Romance story telling at its best!  It's been a long time since a book thoroughly affected me this way. Truly a heart quenching, heart warming read.  The Editorial Reviews pretty much sums up the book synopsis so I'll just throw in my opinion of the book without summarizing it: At first, I thought this book is going to be another RETELLING of a CINDERELLA story, which I don't mind at all.  I thought I'd pretty much know what will happened next and how this book will end but I was wrong.  Ms. Quinn is truly such a gifted writer.  She knows how to use the fairy tale Cinderella story we all know and love.... then she molded it with her own ideas, filling it with humor and hearty twists for a spunk of uniqueness.  There is no "Dark-Past", "Bad-Boy", "Rakish-Rogue" image here for Benedict Bridgerton, which was a refreshing change of character from the books I've been reading lately.  He is actually normal and very Gentlemanly-Decent and Proper.  Sophia is no over-uppity, spunky-witty noblewoman.  She struggled all her life. Struggled to find happiness. She does have principles and values yet she is also human, weak to a fault esp. when her heart is concern.  She wanted to be loved and to be accepted all her life... She longed to BELONG... That was her weakness, of which she felt when she's with Benedict and his family. Oh, how she makes me teary. The confrontation, confession, revelations were all heart quenching. The ending was a great relief!  I normally would prefer lots of updates and apprearances of the heros/heroines of the previous books in the series. In this book however, there is very few appearances of Anthony and Dafne... and even none of Simon and Kate yet I still give this book a 5 stars rating. You see, despite that small niggle, I still felt satisfied and complete with this book. There was updates of their children and that seems to be enough. Probably because Benedict and Sophie's love story caught me deeply, overwhelmed me that it made me forget about the others. Or probably it's just Ms. Quinn's style of writing that just leave her readers fully content in the end. The Lad

Julia Quinn Has Done It Again!

In an updated version of Cinderella, we fall in love with Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Beckett and learn what it is to hate with Araminta.How enchanting can life be when everyone knows you only as "Bridgerton" or worse yet, "one of those Bridgertons"? Simple, when the air is charged with excitement and you turn around to come face to face with your destiny! That's what happens when Benedict spies the Lady in Silver.Sophie Beckett is overjoyed when Prince Charming sweeps her off her feet and kisses her senselessly... who would have guessed that stealing away to a masquerade ball would change her life forever? Unfortunately for Sophie, bad luck holds true when her evil stepmother Araminta realizes she is the mysterious woman in silver. Turned away without a cent, Sophie must make her way on her own, for once in life happy that Araminta gave her hard lessons in servitude! Be careful what you wish for! After fruitlessly searching for his Silver Lady, Benedict tries to go on with his life and ends up becoming the savior to a servant when his vile host gets a little out of hand. Wouldn't it surprise Benedict to know he has just saved his Silver Lady? Not expecting his mystery woman to be part of the working class, recognition is not part of the deal, at least for Benedict. Sophie on the other hand, knows her savior immediately, and is more than a little concerned when he leaves her no choice but to let him "rescue" her with a job offer with his mother!If you've read the Bridgerton Series, you will love this latest installment. If you haven't had the pleasure, I urge you to read The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me. These characters come to life, and you will become part of the family!Sophie is strong, even when vulnerable and her beauty shines from within. Benedict, for all that he is the Second Son, has a presence that cannot be ignored. His charming wit and ability to persuade is astounding! When recognition finally dawns on Benedict and Sophie's past comes back to haunt her, will their fragile love survive? An Offer From A Gentleman is Cinderella at its best and reminds us yet again what a genius Julia Quinn truly is. Come fall in love with Sophie and Benedict, find out what's new with the Bridgertons and let's not forget Lady Whistledown! I bet I can guess her identity, but I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise!