Julia Quinn: An Offer From a Gentleman

• ISBN-13: 9780380815586
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date: 7/28/2001
• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Pages: 368

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball - or that "Prince Charming" would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight. 
 Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other - except, perhaps, this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid's garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but his breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers her his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love? 

It's sort of like Julia Quinn knows my life. Or at least the story of Cinderella, anyway. You see, I was raised by my mother and grandparents, but was forced to spend every other weekend with my father and his wife, and their children. My father (now divorced from my stepmother, mwahaha) recently told me that I was Cinderella, which was a little upsetting if he knew that but didn't do anything. But I digress. The point is, my life was very much the Cinderella fairy tale, with the being forced to clean the house I only lived in four days out of the month and verbal abuse by the non-parent. There just wasn't a Prince Charming to come rescue me. I got out on my own. I told you that story not for sympathy, but because that might explain why I'm giving this book higher marks than I perhaps normally would. 

 Sophie Beckett is the illegitimate child of an Earl, a very difficult position to be in during the Regency period (or any time, really, let's be honest). Her circumstances are not as bad as they could be, however, as she is labeled as her father's "ward," and receives all of the luxuries that entails. That is, until he marries and brings in the fabled stepmother and two evil stepsisters. Or, in this case, one evil stepsister and one fairly kind but weak-minded stepsister. Sophie's life takes a distinct turn for the worse upon the death of her father, and she is forced into unpaid servitude.
 Enter Bridgerton Number Two, better known as Benedict. He falls in love with a mysterious lady at a masquerade ball (HMM WHO COULD THAT BE?) but loses her to the stroke of midnight, only to come across Sophie in rather unfortunate circumstances a few years later. Hijinks naturally ensue.
 What really struck me about this novel is the reality of it, as I've said. Some people are blessed with loving step-parents. I have one. The other one. He's more of a father to me than my actual father, which doesn't bother me in the least. However, every once in a while, you get those people that feel put upon to care for children that are not there own, for however brief a time. They believe that the other child is somehow detracting from the love and/or attention that they and their children deserve. I've seen it, I've experienced it, and so I relate to Sophie on a very personal level. Huge credit for that goes to Quinn for painting a realistic portrait of those emotions. She does, however, stray into "excuse me, what" territory with the final big fight between Benedict and Sophie. I felt that his anger there was a little unjustified and used mostly to motivate plot movement.
 Characterizations are fun and interesting, as usual. We see much more interaction between the younger three Bridgerton sisters, as Daphne has already had her story told and they are the only ones remaining in the house to received the attentions of ladies'-maid-Sophie. They always provide a healthy dose of humor at perfect moments i.e. the scone incident.
 The pacing of the novel was great, as well. I was never bored, nor did I feel that it moved too fast to be considered a novel. Again, Quinn is one of my favorite romance writers, mostly because her books deal with real emotional issues, for each character, and the sex is not all important to the books. The characters' relationships are based on emotions and getting to know the other, and less on physical desire, which is a nice change from other romance novels of today.
 Overall: A
 Again, giving this one higher scores than normal for personal reasons. But honestly, without those, it would still have been at least an A-.