An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

Synopsis: 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 this 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?

My thoughts: At first I fell in love. Hard. Benedict was the type of man every woman would like: tall, strong, so handsome it hurts, gentleman, rich. But near the end I kind of got uninterested. Not that the ending wasn’t good – it was rather cute – but the pattern of historical novels is starting to get on my nerves. Everytime is the same thing: a girl from a very different social scale falls head over heels for a wealthy man, but she keeps inside her head that “oh, I can’t love him because I’ll suffer if I do… blah blah blah…” I mean, it’s cute at the first time you read it, but after the 5^th book it kinds of gets annoying. And more, instead of having such a negative behavior, why won’t she go and give it her best shot? The worst thing that could happen is she losing her job… and if she does, London – and England - is big enough to have other Manors looking for a chambermaid or something like that.

                Because of the fact that these novels are following a path, I kind of knew what was going to happen, so it wasn’t surprising that she would succumb to his seductive behavior.

                Lady Whistledown – a London gossiper that knows about everything that happens in the city – was a joy, and the only mystery I couldn’t solve in this novel, so I give that to the author. In my mind is one person, but it could be many others. The only hint that I could give is this: I’m almost sure that it’s from the Brigderton family. That’s all I’m going to say, if you want to debate go on and read the novel first and tell me what you think! ;)

                I liked Eloise and I think her novel is going to be the best of the whole family. She is sassy mouth, charming, a true gossiper, genius and devilish in a cute manner, all that I like in a Jane-Austen-period-based book.

                I hated Araminth - the stepmother - from the beginning. She was stupid, ridiculous, childish, greedy, false and many other adjectives that I would rather not use it here. Lady Brigderton won me when she bitchslaped Araminth on the face, but that only happens at the end. I felt pity of Posy, because she was indeed a good girl, but she never took a stand and faced her mother – until the end… AS WELL. Everyone revealed itself at the end, huh?  

                It’s a pastime book, something that won’t make you think much, so I recommend it for a vacation season, a trip or something like this. But TRUST me: if you are looking for something out of the ordinary, don’t bother that much about this book. The only reason why I won’t give 2 or even 1 star is because of two people: FIRST, Julia Quinn is still one of my favorite authors – together with Jane Austen, Erin Morgenstein, Lauren Kate, Melissa de La Cruz… – and SECOND, because of Benedict: he is perrrrrrfect!

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