An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons #3)

Sad Cinderella story with a somewhat vivid demonstration of the flexibility of the notion of honor in the Recency period. Hero offers to make heroine his mistress, when he decides her social class is too far beneath him for marriage. Although she explains her difficulty in life as the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman, the hero doesn’t seem to think that should influence her choice. Of course, being a romance novel, he finally decides to marry her, but still left a bad taste in my mouth. He was so willing for her to give up any kind of respectable life, including having her own illegitimate children. What a sense of honor he has, offering her a life of prostitution in exchange for a “lower class” servant life. Amazing she trusted him.

Im late to the Bridgerton party, I know. Fans of Tessa Dare and others have been urging me to read Julia Quinns fabulous series for years. And the stories really are fabulous! An Offer from a Gentleman has Cinderella elements and I like the heroine, Sophie, very much. Shes trying to find her identity, really. Born on the wrong side of the blanket, she has no real place in society.
Benedict Bridgerton is a second son, and like Sophie, does not know exactly where he fits in. He meets her at a masquerade ball and is instantly smitten, but she wont tell him who she is. Anyway, life finds them together again when he rescues her from being raped by a bunch of drunken lords. But he doesnt recognize her as she is supporting herself as a housemaid.
I would give this book 4 stars or more but one thing really bothered me. Benedict saves Sophie from being victimized by the son of her then employer, but then he feels his attraction to her growing and subjects her to what we would now call sexual harassment at the very least. Sophie is attracted to him too, but does not want to be his mistress. He keeps pursuing her, with very little thought about what she says she doesnt want and patronizingly tells her she doesnt know what she wants because if she doesnt become his mistress she will be alone and unprotected from unscrupulous men……who would do what exactly? Seduce her? Just like he is doing? Really.
But in this book Violet Bridgerton reveals herself to be the Worlds Best Mother Ever and that makes putting up with stupid Benedict worthwhile.

This is my third read of this book (it’s been at least 9-10 years since I read it last). Unfortunately, I didn’t like it quite as much as I remembered. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it as a whole, the ending is especially fantastic, I just didn’t love Benedict’s insistence that she be his mistress.

I completely understand the situation of the times and why Benedict would ask Sophie to be his mistress. But I still don’t like it. Thankfully, all of that is addressed as Sophie didn’t like it either. I was so glad Ms. Quinn had Sophie stick to her morals.

Like I said before, the end is especially fantastic! Sophie’s evil stepmother gets her due and Benedict finally sees that love is more important that respectability among people he doesn’t care about.

There’s one full sex scene, moderately detailed, around 60% (that I honestly wish hadn’t of happened til after he decided he wanted to marry her) and then another sex scene in the last chapter that is light on the details (more about the emotions than the actions).

After the death of her mother, Sophie Beckett came to live with the Earl of Penwood. She knew she was his bastard but lived in comfort though without love until the Earl married Araminta. The woman and her two daughters hated Sophie because of her mere existence. The Earl died. To receive money from the Earls estate Araminta must allow Sophie to stay in the house. She did but forced Sophie to work as a servant.

Sophie turns twenty and still a servant. The family is invited to a masquerade ball at the famed Bridgerton home. Sophie dresses the mother and sisters and after they leave the rest of the staff help Sophie dress for the masquerade ball in a silver gown. One night, just one night to be more than the scorned bastard of her birth. Benedict Bridgerton is entranced by the beautiful vision in silver and sneaks her away without learning her name or seeing her unmasked face. The mystery surrounding her and the instant chemistry between them make Benedict lose his control and he kisses her. The clock strikes twelve and Sophie races away leaving a monogrammed glove. Araminta realizes that Sophie had attended the ball and casts her out of their home.

For two years Sophie works as a servant for others until one night the employer and his drunken guests try to force themselves on her. Benedict Bridgerton wonders why he attended the party of drunks and leaves. On his way out, he sees his host and his friends trying to drag the servant away. He helps her escape.

Eventually, he learns she is the woman in the silver dress and her story. How can he love the bastard daughter of an Earl who had worked as a servant? How???

I didnt want to like this book. Too painful. Forbidden love between the classes but I did love this story. Plenty of tissues were needed as Julia Quinn wound her story toward the HEA.

I do enjoy reading these stories, but sometimes find it difficult with the spelling. I know they are written by an American author, but she is writing stories based in Regency England, where we spell colour with a U, realise with a S, we don’t live five blocks away either. I feel it distracts me from the story.

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