I’m soo glad that I read this book because Benedict is a dream! ~ Under the Covers

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Okay, confession: I did not expect Benedict Bridgerton to be the one to completely reroute my feelings. But An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn said, “Surprise, bestie,” and suddenly I’m invested in a hero who’s way more dashing than his “Number Two” reputation. If Cinderella retellings sometimes make you roll your eyes. This one finds a way to win.

What is An Offer from a Gentleman about?

An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn follows Sophie Beckett, an earl’s daughter forced into servant life by a cruel stepmother, who sneaks into Lady Bridgerton’s masquerade and meets Benedict. He can’t forget his “mystery woman,” but fate drops Sophie back into his path in a totally different role. Cue rescue fantasies, real stakes, and a romance that has to choose love over a neat little fairy tale.

An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn Book Review

I’ll be quite honest… I didn’t think much of Benedict before this book. Like many of the ton, I saw him as Number Two of the Bridgertons and now, I love him. He wasn’t mentioned often in the previous books, so I was looking forward to Colin’s book much more than Benedict’s.

Going into this book, I already knew that this book followed the Cinderella theme. A poor, young woman is fated with an evil stepmother and two equally annoying step-sisters. She gets one chance to live out her dreams and go to a masquerade until the clock strikes midnight. This initial storyline irked me a bit because, firstly, I don’t really like Cinderella and secondly, I hate reading about bullies.

But while Quinn stays true to the Cinderella story, she does veer away from it and develops a great romance between Benedict and Sophie. It might have been boring if she stuck with the Cinderella storyline throughout the entire book. Instead, it was refreshing and very, very romantic! Who knew Benedict would be such a dashing hero? I didn’t.

And I’m soo glad that I read this book because Benedict is a dream! I loved how protective he was over Sophie. And while Sophie did allow him to take her to his home, she still remained true to herself throughout this whole thing. I really liked that about her character.

I must say how much I despise Araminta, Sophie’s stepmother. She’s a snake and in the end, she got what she deserved. I really wished there was more done to her, but Lady Bridgerton definitely put her in her place.

I’ve already got Colin’s book ready to go! I can’t wait to read of Penelope and Colin. After that overheard statement about Penelope, I’m curious to see how Colin redeems himself. It’s sure to be a charming book.

About the Bridgertons by Julia Quinn

The Bridgertons series follows the eight Bridgerton siblings through Regency era love stories, one book per sibling. An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn is Benedict Bridgerton’s book and the third installment, blending a fairy-tale setup with Julia Quinn’s signature chemistry and family warmth.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been side-eyeing Benedict, An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn is the book that fixes that. It takes the Cinderella framework, keeps the glittery parts, and actually builds a romance with heart and grit. Are you team “Cinderella retellings are not for me,” or has one ever surprised you into loving it? If you want to see even more, check out our list of Cinderella retellings, in historical as well as other genres. And continue deep diving into even more Julia Quinn.

Check out the review for the next book in the series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton.

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