In the Cinderella-esque tale An Offer From A Gentleman, Julia Quinn spins a night of wonder, allure, finery, and romance for the scorned stepdaughter Sophie at the Briderton masquerade ball. But when it has finished, Sophie finds herself with no home, no job, and no possibility of ever seeing the charming Benedict Bridgerton ever again. He doesn’t even know her name, and the wrath of her stepmother forces her to flee for employment outside of London. Yet, by a strange set of coincidences they find themselves meeting once again, trapped in a cottage of Benedict’s in the countryside. Despite the fact that he does not recognize her as the mystery woman from the masquerade, something draws him to her nevertheless. But if they are to marry, they must overcome the numerous obstacles - those of their minds, their hearts, and not to mention those of society.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a really nice setup in the beginning with the Cinderella themes - they weren’t too overbearing, and it led to a compelling situation when they met again. This story was endlessly intriguing and engaging without falling victim to popular tropes. I would give it four out of five stars.