An Offer from a Gentleman Book

Miss Sophie Beckett is the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Penwood in Julia Quinn's An Offer from a Gentleman. Raised in his home, Sophie has a tolerable existence until the Earl marries and her life takes a distinct turn for the worse. Sophie's new stepmother hates her, and when the Earl passes away, she relegates Sophie to the role of servant. Sophie's days are pure drudgery until one night when her fellow servants conspire to help her attend a masquerade ball. Her life changes irrevocably when she meets handsome Benedict Bridgerton and falls head-over-heels in love. Benedict is equally smitten but when the clock strikes 12, his beautiful mystery lady runs from him leaving only her glove in his hand. He searches London for her but she seems to have vanished. What Benedict doesn't know is that Sophie's stepmother has discovered her outing and thrown Sophie out of their London townhouse. Sophie leaves London and it isn't until three years later that Benedict and Sophie's paths cross once again when he saves her from the unwanted attentions of a drunken lord. Sophie recognises Benedict immediately but much to her dismay, he doesn't know her in her maid's dress. Soon, however, Benedict falls in love with Sophie all over again. Both struggle with their feelings for each other, their unwillingness to compromise their principles and the seemingly insurmountable wall separating a member of the nobility and a servant. To add to their difficulties, Sophie's vindictive stepmother discovers her presence in London and sets out to make her life even more miserable... Quinn brings a fresh approach to this charming retelling of the Cinderella story enhancing the tale with a strong Regency setting and the warm trappings of Benedict Bridgerton's large family. Quinn has a reputation for witty dialogue and endearing characters and she delivers both in this delightful novel.--Lois Faye Dyer, Amazon.comRead More